Category Archives: cravings

Eating discipline is hard

Another spring winter day. In the mid 40s today. After last winter, it is kind of nice not getting feet and feet of snow, but I do have to say this is weird, weird weather.

I didn’t even have to warm up the car to go to the gym this morning. Today was lower body day. Again with lower weights, increased reps and supersets.

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Superset
Dumbbell Split Squats
Barbell Good Mornings		 3 sets of 15 with 15# DBs
3 sets of 15 with 45# bar		 Quads
Hamstrings/low back
Superset
Leg Extension
Hamstring Curls		 3 sets of 15 at 25#
3 sets of 15 at 25#		 Quads
Hamstrings/Glutes
Superset
Hip Adductor
Hip Adbuctor		 3 sets of 15 at 30#
3 sets of 15 at 30#		 Hip Abductor/Adductors/Glutes
Superset
Single leg dumbbell calf raise
Seated calf raise		 3 sets of 15 with 15# DBs
3 sets of 15 at 30#		 Calves and balance

I really don’t like doing the seated abductor/adductor machine. It feels like a waste of time and I have read multiple times that it is fairly pointless. I should have subbed something else. This was a tough workout, though! I walked on the treadmill to cool down and my legs were rubbery. Good thing I didn’t bike to the gym!

Headed home to make an awesome breakfast.  The one-minute muffin/waffle topped with apple cranberry topping.

This tasted every bit as good as it looks!

You know, I have to say that I really, really wish I could be as disciplined with my eating as I am with my exercise.  If I was, I would easily be at my goal weight. I never have a problem with the exercise.  It’s always done and I enjoy it.

I  don’t really have a problem with portion control with my meals.  Obviously you all see that on the blog.  I eat what’s on my plate and hardly ever get seconds.

I just have a problem with nibbling and snacking and lately it has been at night.  The last couple days have been terrible with that.  I know it is PMS craving, but gosh it is super strong!  And the worst part is that I cannot get full.  Why is it when I crave like that I don’t get full?  Any other day I eat that much and I definitely feel it.  I also try to analyze when I overeat to see what the emotions might be about it and I just can’t find any at all.  I don’t eat out of depression or anxiety.  I am not trying to squash any type of feeling.  Sometimes I eat out of boredom, but that is more controllable for me than a real craving to eat.  It’s different than the eating that happens at get togethers because those are happy occasions and I do associate food with happiness and fun.

That is really the sticking point for me.  I know I have talked about in the past that some of these cravings are brought on by wheat, but I really don’t necessarily want to lay it all at the foot of  a grain.  Part of that is I don’t always snack/overeat grains.  It can just as easily be cashews or chocolate.

Anyway, I just thought I would lay that out there for those that think I don’t struggle.

Funny how today I am not having any craving issues.  Go figure.  I wanted an omelet for lunch as I haven’t had one in a while.  Welcome back omelet!

This was made with 2 eggs and 2 egg whites.  I just love cheese, too.  Note to self – eat more cheese.

Pretty much a quiet work day around here.  I keep thinking it’s Friday, though.  I had no desire to snack at all this afternoon before latte time.

Mickey says “Way to go, Lori!”

We are almost done with the leftovers, thank goodness!  Just that last bit of cooked chicken and my roasted veggies.  I kind of stared at what was left to figure out what to do with it.  I then remembered a bottle of this from my TJ’s road trip.

I sauteed up some shredded brussel sprouts, then I just decided to dump in the carrots, parsnips and the shredded chicken with the curry sauce.

It was actually pretty good, although the sauce is a wee bit salty.  Has a nice bit of heat to it.

Done with leftovers just in time to make more this weekend  :mrgreen:

My snacks tonight are only fruit or protein drink.  No other snacks! I am going to make John hold me to that  😳

Speaking of fruit, I read a very interesting article on sugar and if it in itself is responsible for obesity.  It’s quite interesting (and quite long).  I really enjoy Stephan’s blog.  He is a PhD and focuses on the study of obesity. Check out his series on cholesterol as well.  It will make you think.

 

Friday Fun Day

It’s Friday – time to par-tay!  I looked outside and didn’t see frost, so I thought I would bike to the gym.  Turns out it was only 28 degrees. 😯  No wonder I was so cold!  I got there and my muscles were stiff from cold.  So much for a warm up.  I was a bicycle-cicle.

I was feeling the Friday relaxed feeling today.  I really lightened up some of the weights and took it easy.

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell deadlift 3 sets of 12 at 55# Lower Body
Straight Arm Lat Pull Down 3 sets of 15 at 40# Back
Incline barbell press 3 sets of 12 at 45# Chest
Good Mornings 3 sets 10 with 55# bar Low back and hammies
Reverse Crunch 3 sets 12 Core
Face Pull 3 sets of 15 at 30# Shoulders
Seated calf raise 3 sets of 12 at 140# Calves

Then I froze my way home.  I kept saying “1 mile to coffee.” “Half mile to coffee”.  I was so ready for a hot drink and breakfast.

Breakfast experiment time!  I got some roasted buckwheat kernels (kasha) along with some millet at the health food store on Saturday.   On an aside, it cost $2 for both bags.  I remarked to John about how cheap it was, and his response was “Well it is birdseed, it should be cheap.”   Yeah – this is how he views some of the food I eat, I guess…

Anyhoo – I soaked some buckwheat overnight and cooked them up with pumpkin and egg whites.  Topped with a little molasses and coconut butter.

Interesting, but not my favorite breakfast ever. The buckwheat was soft and didn’t puff up like oats do with the egg whites.  Slightly nutty flavor which was quite nice, but I missed the chew of oats. I’ll finish this bag, but not sure I will purchase again as grain, but only flour.

Going back to the wheat/cravings post from the other day.  I am trying to pick out if it is grains or gluten causing those cravings.  Even on a day with the bagel, my carbs only come in around 175 grams for the day, so not super high and not really that much higher than my 100 grams on my lower carb days.  It doesn’t seem to be a matter of protein as I always shoot for the same amount of that no matter what the other macros are (which is approximately 100 grams per day of protein).  I knew that processed carbs really set me off, but I never really thought that whole grains would do that as well.  I find that mildly irritating.  Could be a bit of a key as to not only why I got overweight in the first place, but why it also was still hard to lose even when I went to whole grains.  On the grain free days, it is such a relief not to fight cravings.  I cannot even tell you what a relief that is.  Those that do get cravings (even when not hungry) really can understand where I am coming from.

I am not sure what this really means for me, as I am not likely to completely give up grains/gluten/whatevers, but it is something to think about.  I am a bit of a nutrition nerd now.  Along with just being an everyday nerd. 😎

Lunch time and I was craving a 1-minute muffin.  Not sure why. Fat maybe?  So I had one topped with peanut flour mixed up with cinnamon and water.

I had one of those days at work today where I was really unmotivated.  I was not productive at all LOL!  I would do a few files, then check my email.  Do a few more files and look at my google reader (scary).  You know the drill.  I had a case of the Fridays big time.

John saved me with an almond milk latte, which I paired with a macaroon. I can’t believe I have these left! Funny how things last when you don’t eat them.

Since it is Friday and that is the traditional What’s Blooming day, I present to you some of garden. The garden is shaping up now.  I love how the sedum is brussel sprouts at first and then becomes like broccoli!

These actually need dividing this year, which I have never done before.

Buddha is basking in the sun.  It only reached the upper 40s today.   Hello spring – any time, you know.

Tulips getting taller.  These are the lovely black and white ones that are so striking.

We almost went out for pizza for dinner, but with me trying to go wheat free as much as I can this month we stayed in.  I made up a stirfry with chicken, some brown rice, broccoli (sedum :mrgreen:  ) and ginger teriyaki sauce all sauteed in coconut oil.

It’s Friday night, so we are out and about tonight.  Tired of Starbucks, so we went on down to Saratoga to Saratoga Coffee Traders.  My cuppa decaf:

I love free wifi and coffee with chitchat!

Not much biking on tap this weekend because the weather is supposed to be kind of yucky.  We should be able to get work done on the half bath, though!

Catch you all on the flip side of the weekend!

Bagels and wheat cravings

Happy Hump Day! I slept really well last night for whatever reason. I practiced guitar right before bed and maybe that had something to do with it? I was ready to get to the gym. I was raining steadily, so no biking.
I walked on the treadmill and then I jogged for a few minutes. My knee is doing so much better, so why not bring back the thing that irritated it? 🙄

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Lying Leg Press 3 sets of 10 at 100# Lower Body
Plank 3 sets of 70 second holds Core
Flat Dumbbell Fly 3 sets of 15 with 10# DBs (20# total) Chest
Good Mornings 3 sets 10 with 55# bar Low back and hammies
Single dumbbell row 3 sets 10 with 20# DB Back
Stationary lunge 3 sets of 10 each leg with 35# plate Lower body and balance
Lateral Raise 3 sets of 10 with 8# DBs (16# total) Shoulders
Seated calf raise 3 sets of 12 at 140# Calves

I met John partway as he started walking to the gym (It’s 2 miles away) and we hit up Orange Cat for Bagel Wednesday!

I love this giant stuffed animal there.

Looks a lot like this one:

I wonder what it is like to live with no shame?

Anyway, I had a blueberry bagel with cream cheese.

The cream cheese was really cold, so it didn’t spread very well at first. This blueberry bagel is really good.  It is a downstate bakery bagel.  Soft and chewy, but not too chewy and very blueberry tasting.  I commented to John about how much I enjoy these nice mornings out.

I have alluded to this a bit over the last month, and I think I am noticing a pattern now.  As most of you know, I have been lowering carbs and increasing fat since about February.  I have done that mostly by eliminating breads and grains except for 2 or 3 days a week.  I have begun to notice that on the days that I do not have grains and get my carbs through fruits,veggies, and dairy, I have no snack cravings.  On the days that I have a bagel for breakfast (protein drink before doesn’t matter) or crackers, I get cravings to snack during the day.  I am pretty sure this is happening on those days.  Is that not weird?  For instance on Monday and Tuesday, I was grain free and absolutely no desire to snack (nibble of macaroon was all I wanted).  Today?  I wanted to snack in the afternoon and some in the evening.  What I need to notice now is if this is a wheat (gluten) thing or a grain thing.  I need to try a day with non-gluten grains and see if I feel the same way.  I don’t know if this is in my head or what, but I definitely am really going to pay attention now.

Lunchtime included more of that socca bread (recipe coming Thursday).  I toasted up a slice and put some BBQ chicken and an LC wedge on it.

I quite enjoyed that.  I like the socca bread very much and think it has a lot of potential as a base for things.

Speaking of snacks, this is what I had with my almond milk latte this afternoon:

Plus some nibbles of homemade granola bars that John made to take to his poker game tonight.

With such a dreary day, I wanted a bright and colorful dinner.  I did up some sweet potato topped with LC (2 wedges in a day!) and sauteed broccoli.

One thing about sweet taters, they are filling.  This was 100 grams of sweet potato, which seems dinky when you have to slice a hunk off a big potato, but quite filling.

I need more protein today, so a protein drink will be quaffed later.

Working on the room tonight.  Here is a pic of our new wall!

It actually looks like a room now!

That is the pocket door opening.  I really hope it works LOL

Question: Do you ever notice certain foods setting off cravings for you?

I seem to have a problem with rice.

I don’t eat a lot of rice, and when I do cook it, I use brown rice. That doesn’t seem to bother me.
Today we went out to lunch at 99 Restaurant. I was looking for the healthiest thing I could get (remember I am not fond of fish), so I chose the grilled sirloin tips. The sides were rice pilaf and squash. I only ate about 1/2 cup of the rice, but it was white rice.
Well darn if I don’t have the fiercest of cravings from this afternoon on. It’s terrible! And it’s not just sweet cravings, but fat cravings as well. Yargh.

So, needless to say I have munched my way over calories for the day. At least I got in some exercise this morning.

Now I have to really think hard before having white rice again. Funny how something seemingly innocent can trigger horrible cravings. Worse than sugar does to me.

Longing for the old ways.

Not that I will ever go back to eating mindlessly 24/7, but there are those times that I really miss how I used to eat. I don’t know if it’s the cooler weather and the “better fatten up, winter’s coming” ancestral genes at work or what.

I was thinking about those eggnog truffles I mentioned the other day. I didn’t buy any, and there is a small part of me that wishes I could just have bought them and eaten them, because I wanted them. And that same me would also have bought some moose munch, and whatever other thing sounded good, and proceeded to eat them – portion size be damned. Then would have happily gotten coffee with a treat later.

I don’t know why I miss that. I certainly don’t want to be like that again, size wise or mentality wise. Maybe it’s because I just really like food. I really like the food I eat now, but I also really like some of that other stuff I used to eat.

Rainy Sunday

Not too much exercise done today. We were going to bike, but it has been pretty rainy off and on.
Did go shopping, though – so got some walking in. We got on the street and I started trucking along. John grabbed my arm and said “Let’s stroll and relax” LOL! Guess I am always just go-go-go!

Been wanting some sweet stuff today. I need to figure out why that craving has hit, if there was anything that could have triggered that. I had a cookie with my skim milk latte (that cancels it out, right??), which normally I don’t do. Most times I have a couple bites of whatever John has, and that is enough for me.

This is tough. This weight loss thing. Knowing how disciplined I have to be forever. I think 90% on plan is a good goal, as long as that 10% isn’t crazy. That is about what I have been doing, and it seems to work.

I have been looking at BMR calculations and most sites seem to say that I could lose well eating 1700 calories per day. I don’t get that. My body must be totally whacked, because I cannot lose at that amount, even with all the exercise I do. Why are those calculators so wrong?? Even if I ate at a sedentary level, that is still more calories than I consume now at 1400.

Wanting to eat today.

Boy, do I want to eat today. I don’t know why, just having some intense cravings today. Especially for salty stuff. Not giving in, though. I am at calories for the day. We have Garden Salsa Sunchips in the house, which are a bit of a red light food for me. Particularly when I am wanting to eat!!

My legs are pretty sore today after yesterday’s run. So, took it easy on the workouts today. Did upper body bowflex and then I was going to ride my bike to my rental house. I did ride it there, about a 10-15 minute ride. Then it starts pouring out of nowhere. So, John came and picked me up. Might do some pilates later.

Maybe the hunger has something to do with all the exercise lately, I don’t know. 30 mile bike ride Sat, and 3.25 mile jog last night. Weigh in is tomorrow, and I am expecting a maintain or gain from water weight. Gotta start the month off slow!! LOL.