5.05.2008

Need some strategery*

I am a mild-mannered, meal planning, exercising machine Sunday through Thursday. Then Friday hits and it's like - wee-hoo! I am a crazed eating machine. Not crazed, but just not as careful. I know I'm not alone in this out there. I've even read that some "losers" as I like to call us, even recommend being a little more free on the weekends. Sometimes I eat peanut butter - off a spoon! And then I have pickles instead of an orange, and then in complete rebellion, I may even eat toast with butter on it for a snack. What's a girl to do when a strawberry ain't gonna cut it.

This Monday morning, the scale was up AGAIN. Not good. I've been logging my food religiously. I've been exercising, and making good choices. However, I experimented with trying to get in more protein in my meals this week to kick snack cravings, and that helped me a bit, but you guys, at the meals where I was eating 300-500 calories per meal, I still found myself hungry. Not I'm so bored, let's look in the cupboards hungry, but genuinely rumbly tummy hungry. What gives?

I do know one factor of my weekend undoing is alcohol. I'm not drinking a bottle myself and then eating a block of cheese, mind you. But we've been at social events lately, and I've indulged. So I know that if I cut back on the hooch, I should feel less snacky and won't waste calories.

So here are the issues flummoxing me.
  • How many calories to eat? FitDay says that I am burning more than I am eating, which is good. I'm considering that I may need to eat more, since I am doing strength training 3 days a week. Also, in January I was eating a solid 1700-1800 calories a day and losing, so maybe 1500 is unrealistic. Don't know.
  • More cardio? More sweating it out?
  • Should I just learn patience and stay away from the scale for a while?

So what does a flummoxed gal do to regain her sense of action and controlling her environment? She schedules an appointment with a nutritionist! Blammo - done! Then she schedules an appointment with her YMCA trainer - and requests that said trainer will measure her body fat because the flummoxed gal, she is a sadist. Done! Neither of these appointments are happening for 2 more weeks, but they are happening, which is good. Until then, I'll still journal my food, and try and shake up my exercise, and lay off the hooch.

I can't wait to hear what the nutritionist has to say. I think I have the nutrient part down, but I want to look at caloric stuff and lasting longer on said calories now. I'm not so excited about the trainer part, it will be good for me, although way less fun. This whole thing is way less fun right now. I'll just keep reminding myself that patience is a virtue, not peanut butter. *sigh*

*I know how to spell strategy, it is just way funnier to say strategery a la a certain president we know.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Do you know how many calories you are burning with exercise? You have to eat to lose... Eating too few will slow down your metabolism and your progress. I had good results keeping net calories around 1400 per day. Anything lower than that and my weight loss stalled. Exercise also allowed me to eat more which is a good thing. I still love me some food and trying to live on 1200 calories a day made me grumpy and then prone to over indulgence.

Cammy@TippyToeDiet said...

Wow, I love your take charge attitude! Got a problem? Fix it!

I keep reading that fiber and protein will keep you from getting hungry. Doesn't always work for me.

I think you'll enjoy the trainer session. It can be a lot of fun, especially if you get a trainer who likes to have fun training. I've been blessed with that!

Keep your chin up and your eye on the prize! You're still doing a lot of great things for yourself!

Heather said...

alcohol was my undoing this past weekend too! never is kind to the scale. I think its great though you are looking at different things you can work on and trying new things as that is key. it will be really interesting to hear what the nutritionist thinks and Im sure he or she will have some good suggestions.

Teale said...

I have also considered going to a nutritionist... but I feel like I know what I SHOULD eat, it's the actually EATING it part that I have problems with! :)