This is where I would quit my diet, if I could

[thistlechaser]

Yesterday was my weekly official weighing day. Pound and a half(ish) lost -- more than a pound, less than two, I'm rounding to a half. Ish.

I realized I wasn't counting my morning spoonful of peanut butter in my daily calorie count, which made me facepalm hard as that's the most calorie-dense food I eat all day. 150-200 calories for a spoonful of something is insane, so no more peanut butter in the morning. Today I had a slice of deli turkey meat, but that was awful, I nearly spit it out -- apparently the taste of turkey is not what my body wants first thing in the morning. Tomorrow I'll try cheese (Babybel, 60 cal/per).

Most of the time I'm not too hungry, and rarely do I crave something specific, but I'm just sick of this whole diet thing. It's been just over two weeks since I had a french fry, which is probably the longest I've gone in my adult life (outside of when I was in the hospital). Heck, I've had no fast food in all that time!

I tell myself that I spent my whole life eating and enjoying those things, so it's not like I'm really missing out (two months of not vs having eaten it for years previously), but my brain isn't buying it. It's like having a cranky toddler in my head screaming I WANT! I WANT! I WANT! over and over.

This popcorn has saved me a number of days now:


You can eat a whole bag for about 250 calories. It's so filling and salty. Yesterday I had a bag instead of lunch, but usually I use it as a snack instead.

I haven't once craved sweet yet, but I want salty stuff daily, so that popcorn is really helpful.

I'm semi-planning on risking Wendy's for lunch. You can get a small chili and a plain baked potato (plus diet soda) for ~500 calories. That's not unreasonable. It's a massive risk though, because if I go I'm going to want to get other stuff. Plus, I only once had chili before, so I might not even like it.

Grumpity grumpity grump.

Comments

[tersa.livejournal.com]

This is the part where I point out that a pound, pound and a half of loss is eminently reasonable for one week. I would strongly advise against cutting out the peanut butter, just start counting it into your calorie count, or, better yet, just keep on as you're doing for two reasons:

1. Because you're losing weight. That's the point, yes?

2. The 'what' you put into your mouth may be just as important than the calorie count of it.

Peanut butter is nutrient dense. You want that, even if you don't embrace it. The rice cakes and popcorn you're using to fill out your calorie count has little to offer than precious little fiber (and, actually, looking it up, the rice cakes my not have even that)--otherwise, they're as empty calories as soda or sugary foods are (actually, they are basically sugar, since that's what your body breaks them down to).

I know it's your choice and you're the one having to deal with things, but try it out. Stick with the peanut butter, and maybe just adjust your calorie count upward to account for it. Keep at it. *hug*

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

That's a good point. It's working, so I don't really need to change it. And I do really, really like peanut butter.

Also, how's this for funny? I ate half a rice cake to get the taste of turkey out of my mouth this morning. A rice cake tasted better! That's just wrong. (I like turkey just fine at other times.)

Thanks. :)

[tersa.livejournal.com]

That's a good point. It's working, so I don't really need to change it. And I do really, really like peanut butter.

Good. :)

The thing I forgot to remind you: this isn't a race.

Also, how's this for funny? I ate half a rice cake to get the taste of turkey out of my mouth this morning. A rice cake tasted better! That's just wrong.

Wrong...but understandable. Your body is telling you it wants carbs, but it's tricking you.

Have you heard of the concept of hypoglycemic diets, I think it is? It's essentially that anytime you ingest carbs, it should be balanced by some amount of protein. Even when I wasn't where I am now, actively controlling my intake, I was trying to follow that rule of thumb.

That may be something to maybe look at doing--instead of just eating the bag of popcorn, maybe eat half a bag of it alternating with some nuts. Add a little cheese or peanut butter to the rice cake. Etc. Getting the protein and the extra nutrients that come with it may help a little with the signals your body is sending out.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Have you heard of the concept of hypoglycemic diets, I think it is? It's essentially that anytime you ingest carbs, it should be balanced by some amount of protein.

I hadn't, but that makes sense. Post-surgery, I have to eat protein before anything else, so I'm trying to do the same now (though for different reasons). I'd rather eat lunch and then have some popcorn instead of having just the popcorn -- then I'd get the value of the turkey or whatever I'm having.

[al-zorra.livejournal.com]

Something I really like when counting calories -- and even not counting calories -- particularly as a tiny breakfast after the morning tea, when I know there's a big dinner or other meal coming up later in the day:

Rice thins with hummous, followed by watermelon and / or an apple or whatever fruit -- but not dried fruit -- the sugar content of dried fruit is like the fat-calorie count of peanut butter.

The rice is sort of like popped corn -- they are very crunchy. So with the crunch of the thin cracker thing plus the chewing of apple, you get that satisfactory sense of eating. A good hummous has only few fat calories of healthy olive oil, plus the carb of the garbanzo beans, and a tiny bit of sodium -- you still need some sodium in your diet. Your body processes all of this immediately too, including the healthy fruit sugar calories, which you need.

Then in another hour or two you can eat something else, that is as low fat and calorie too, like non-fat yogurt with fruit in it -- you want plain, because the non-fat yogurts that are flavoried have lots of not healthy sugar in them.

Fortunately for me I love eggs in all ways, so boiled egg (s) for lunch with a pita bread and lettuce and other vegetables, such as carrots or grilled vegetables too -- or more rice thins -- works well for me too. You can even cut the pita in half, and save some for later. Often deli counters and other places such as the supermarkets' counters and steam tables will have grilled vegetables -- and you can pick up a pack of pitas there too.

Eating very small but often is good for you.

Just no butter and particularly NO mayo and no fried.

Bonne Fortune!

Love, C.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thank! I keep meaning to try hummus, but I haven't yet.

I'm with you on the 'eating small and often' part. I spread out my food as much as I can. Took me an hour to eat an inch 'round circle of cheese (the Babybel one I mentioned), and I generally spend about three hours eating my yogurt (darned meeting today is going to interrupt that).

Yeah, I haven't had butter or fried things in these weeks yet. I did get light mayo once at Subway, but I counted it into my calorie count.

[diello.livejournal.com]

WOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! TWO WEEKS WITH NO FRENCH FRIES!!!! THAT'S AWESOME!!!!!

And yes, that Simply Salted is my hero when I'm craving salty and don't want to cheat too much. I also keep a stash of big fat whole pickles in the back of my fridge for salty desperation (they're totally low cal).

Instead of tricking your mind into saying you're not missing out, try pretending to be allergic! I don't know if it will work, but I used to easily avoid foods I knew would be a problem or a trigger for further unhealthy indulging by saying I was allergic to them. Aaaand then I developed actual allergies to the oils they use to fry foods and have a light gluten allergy.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Awesome and horrible, at the same time! :D

And yeah, pickles are the best. You can have a whole serving (6 chips) for 10 calories! I could almost live on them, if doing so wouldn't kill me.

Hmm, I'm might have to try that trick! Every time I call in sick to work when I'm not really sick, I always end up getting sick anyway. Maybe I'll follow suit and actually get the allergies, too! :P

[gonzostar.livejournal.com]

Like the other person said, don't cut out the peanut butter! You're still losing weight, and starting the morning off with protein/fat keeps you satisfied longer. :)

What's cool is that you won't have to keep using the filler foods after the surgery. You won't have room! Woot! hehehe

You're doing everything right. Just keep reminding yourself this is for a finite amount of time.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'll really, really miss popcorn later (it's one of my most favorite foods ever), but it'll be worth it.

It's still so far away (seven weeks), but I'm already counting down the days. I don't know if I'm more excited or more nervous, but it doesn't matter, I just want it done and over with.

[coconuthead.livejournal.com]

Ohhh...hang in there! I agree with everyone else that the peanut butter seems like a good idea.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks! A good idea AND yummy! Win!

[adam-0oo.livejournal.com]

If it helps, I know how it goes, trying to stay disciplined and on task, and I am proud of you! Keep it up!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thank you! <3

[teaandfailure.livejournal.com]

Lord knows there is no "normal" when it comes to elimination diets, but I want to say the weird cravings for me finally stopped around day fifteen? So hopefully your brain is like my brain and you are pretty close to that stopping.

Also hopefully your brain is like my brain and will not want fast food anymore after a few years. Although with me it was more pizza than the drive thru places... if you can believe it, I am actually too lazy to go through a drive thru. I'll be on the way home and be like, "I could just stop and get Backyard Burger... NO I DON'T WANT TO SIT IN A DRIVE THRU I WANT TO GO HOME."

Possibly the one time laziness has ever been good for a diet.

My favorite salty thing is actually seaweed, but they didn't have the brand I like at the international market this time. SO I TOO HAVE BEEN THROWING DOWN WITH SOME POPCORN.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Lazy is a big reason why I ate fast food. The drive thru was not too much work for me! Though I have to say, I do save a lot of time and a TON of money by avoiding it. It's really expensive here, so I'd spend $10-$12 on a meal... Now I never use cash hardly ever. Very handy not to be always thinking about having to stop at a machine and get more.

Wendy's today was so not worth it. Almost $7 for a small potato with nothing on it, small cup of chili, and a small soda. Especially since none of those items other than the drink were good!

I hope my brain follows your brain's lead, too. That would be really, really handy.

[bacchuslives.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you're doing great, despite the crankiness!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Hopefully the crankiness will fade soon.

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

I couldn't face meat first thing in the morning either. I'd keep the peanut butter, though. 150-200 calories isn't a high-calorie breakfast, and you might feel deprived if you cut out every single treat. I think you're doing great!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Bacon I'd be okay with, but even ham I don't like in the morning. Mornings aren't for meat!

And thanks. :D

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

Bacon isn't meat to me, bacon is...the food of the gods. LOL

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

For sure. One of the few good things about taking a cruise was the breakfast buffet. A couple of the mornings I had a big plate of bacon. Unfortunately, like most everything on the ship, the bacon was the poorest quality, but even bad bacon is good. I could live on bacon. Mmm

[ashmedai.livejournal.com]

Uh-huh! Pretty unhealthy though, so I try to be moderate with it. I once tried turkey bacon, hoping that would be healthier, but it was like gnawing on shoe leather. Maybe I over-cooked it, but I hate limp bacon of any sort. Nothing beats a good BLT sandwich with real bacon!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I tried meatless "bacon" once. It was like trying to eat tasteless plastic.

While turkey bacon is probably somewhat better than that, I can't imagine it'd actually be good.

Real, good bacon now and then is the way to go.