Monday, September 29, 2014

Diet? What Diet???

My gosh, I have had a hungry week.  Well, not always hungry.  Sometimes just snacky.  Hungry, I can understand - especially on my long run day.  Normally, after our Saturday run, we'll eat breakfast at Blue Baker and then not eat again until late in the afternoon (usually Mexican food, complete with chips and salsa).  The last two Saturdays, though, we've been HONGRY, and have had three meals.  How crazy, right?  But combine super long days (we wake up at 4:00 am) plus expending a lot of energy and it makes sense.  Even with eating three meals, they were all fairly small, so it wasn't like we were on a mega-calorie feast.  However, Saturdays are not a day for me to restrict food, so I don't worry about this being a diet day.

What doesn't make sense is how dang snacky I was last week.  All week long.  No matter what I tried to eat, I kept randomly wanting to snack each afternoon on into the evening, even after dinner.  Which is not the way to lose weight.  Now, I don't keep much in the way of junk food in the house, but for me, having more of anything I planned on eating is not good - it makes me feel like I'm backsliding into my old ways of just plain eating too much.  So there was a mental disturbance going on as well as the physical aspect of being snacky.

After adding up the calories of what I ate each day, I was not overboard in terms of maintenance eating...but I'm still trying to get lighter for running, so losing weight was my goal.  Last week was a wash in those terms.  Am I upset?  Well, yes and no.  Knowing how long it takes to truly lose weight (let's face it, how many people who've had tremendous losses each week have kept it off?), I understand that one week will not be the end of me.  But I'd sure like to nip this snacking thing in the bud before it turns into a month of zero progress.

I might be a little more hungry, overall, because I'm running more - even during the weekdays.  I might not have realized that last week and didn't account for it with what I ate for breakfast and lunch, but I still prefer to eat fairly light meals - anything that leaves me too full makes me feel bad about myself.  So while I'll keep eating my usual meals, I'll work on having more substantial, yet low calorie, snacks on hand - and I'll be sure to have something mid-afternoon, which I didn't previously do.  To that end, I've bought some hummus and veggies (cucumber "chips" work really well) for a healthier, filling snack, and I've also loaded up my fridge with fruit.  Hopefully I can get a better grip on this.  The Houston half marathon is only four months away!

16 comments:

  1. Is it possible you don't eat enough? Seems to me you don't eat much but you do exercise a lot. I would think that's why you are hungry. You might try to eat a bit more at your meals see if that helps against the hunger.

    I love hummus, need to buy it soon again, it's perfect for snacking with veggies. Or put it on a slice dark bread, add grilled peppers and olives -> yum!

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    1. Great idea with the hummus on the bread! And I think I'm eating enough (to lose, anyway).

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  2. Im with Fran!! and yet then wondered about the eating more as you said you didnt like to feel full...

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    1. Yeah crossing that full line makes me feel really bad both mentally and physically.

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  3. I call that a running growth spurt. Just like when a baby has a growth spurt and wants to eat more, I think you hit a running growth spurt. Your running is probably becoming more efficient and we know it's definitely becoming longer distances so the two combined would cause a bigger calorie burn. If you're feeling snacky and you can honestly assess that it's not emotionally driven I say that's true hunger. You are smart to put lots of healthy filling snacks in the house to ward off the dark chocolate :)

    Also, Fran's idea of using hummus for a sandwich spread is a great idea!

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    1. Interesting...and that could be true, as I've been piling on the miles.

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  4. Yeah, that snacking thing? I totally get that. I think sometimes it is a push back from the body when you have been trying to lose for a longer period of time. The body will sometimes just push you really hard since it doesn't want to be in a deficit.

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    1. The body has a mind of its own, that's for sure. But I would like to continue a deficit for a little while longer...or else wake up magically smaller. ;)

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  5. Yep, I can relate. Will be going along just fine, and then I'll have days--weeks--where I just want to eat a little more. I think Lori's right about the body pushing back.

    Also, in the snacking dept.--Quest Bars, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: 20 grams protein, no sugar, 180 calories…those people need to pay me, or at the very least send me some free bars!

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    1. I wish I could eat the Quest bars - they messed up my stomach something fierce, sadly. I do think they should hire you as their spokesperson!!!

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  6. Ha, if I had to get up at 4 am, i'd probably eat more than 3 meals!

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    1. Reminds me of my *ahem* younger days when I'd stay up so late that a second dinner was necessary. ;)

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  7. I find that protein is the only thing to get me away from being starving - just a teaspoon of peanut butter, and handful of almonds, a hard boiled egg. I know its frustrating because you want a small body to run, but you have to fuel it at the same time - wish it were easier! :D

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    1. And I've been pushing protein a lot more with this diet, too! I guess I should add more, and maybe some fat with the peanut butter.

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  8. I think we all have snacky times. I wondered, like Fran if your body was telling you to eat more. Or maybe it is just "adjusting". sigh. Never easy, but hang in there, you are inspiring! Personally, some days, I could eat a house (garage and backyard included) for no apparently reason. Have a wonderful week Shelley!!!!!!

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  9. I did podcast "work" with a Dietician (Dietician Cassie) and she uses a PFC approach. She was also a half marathoner at the time (June 2013).

    Anyhoo- she uses a PFC approach- real foods- Protein (eggs, meat), Fat (avocado, olive oil, salmon) and carbs (fruits and veggies- think sweet potatoes, bell peppers, strawberries) I think that if you follow her on twitter or IG, she posts photos of her PFC snacks.

    I've switched from a 6 meal a day snacker to 3 meals a day- but by using a PFC approach, I can fuel long hiking days (6+ miles) and not succumb to the binge brain or to weight gain. When I walked a half marathon in 2009-20010 all I got was a muffin top and plantar fascitis from the cliff bars, post training biscotti, and more processed carbs.

    Good luck and here's to finding what works. Karen P

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