For the week of May 5-11, I asked my fitness group to log their food intake. It is not meant as a form of torture or meant to be a chore. It is meant to be eye opening, a source of confirmation and a way to identify triggers if you happen to have a moment of weakness. So many people see food logging as a beating and if you make it out to be a beating, it will be. If you make it out to be educational and informative, you will get so much more out of it. We ALL have weak moments and it is so important to not beat yourself up over them. What is important is to acknowledge it, move on and make better choices if you encounter that trigger again.
So, for the beginning of this week, I asked my fitness group members to report on how keeping a food journal helped them. And here is what some of them had to say:
1) “I am doing better than I thought but I have emotional eating issues.”
2) “I am doing pretty good but need to be eating more often to help keep my body fueled.”
3) “Keeping a journal helped me to make better choices.”
4) “Kept me on track and it helped so much to plan ahead.”
So far, so good! Sounds like there are some small issues to work through but the fact that journaling the intake has helped to bring some of that to light is what this was all about.
Establishing new habits takes time and effort. But once they’re established, you don’t need to think about them. One thing you can do is to help yourself through the transition is by going through your freezer and refrigerator.
Find at least five less-healthy, higher-calorie meat and/or dairy items to give away (or throw away if you wouldn’t wish them on anyone else).
Ask yourself:
• Is it high in saturated fat? Read the label. Most people shouldn’t exceed 16 grams of saturated fat in a day, and less is better when you’re trying to lose weight.
• Is it high in the three C’s— calories, convenience and cravings? If so, get it out of your life. Make your home a haven where you can easily avoid fatty, easy-to-reach-for foods you crave.
Hint: Consider removing high-fat versions of these:
- Milk
- Ice cream
- Whipping cream
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Coffee cream
- Full-fat cold cuts/lunch meats
- Hot dogs
- Sausage and chorizo
- Ground beef
- Beef/steak
- Pork
- Bacon
You can only make healthier eating choices when you’re prepared. So the grocery store is one of the most important visits you’ll make on a journey to leaner eating.
It’s always easier to pick the same items off the shelf each time you go. That’s why it’s important to break out of your routine, look around and discover fresh and easy ways to work lean protein into your diet.
Lean protein shopping list (add your own!):
- Sliced low-fat cheese
- Nonfat Greek yogurt
- Frozen shrimp, de-veined and de-tailed
- Nuts, like almonds, walnuts, pecans or pistachios
- Rotisserie chicken
- Hummus dip
- Frozen or fresh salmon fillets
- Seeds, like sunflower, pumpkin or chia
- Lean chicken or turkey breasts
- Peanut butter
- Eggs
- Low-fat shredded cheese
- Turkey sausage
- Cracked wheat
Again, journaling is NOT a form or punishment. It is a form or education! Use it to your advantage.
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