Like You Want to Feel Right Now

The other day Ryan told me something in conversation that really stood out to me. She said we need to eat based on the way we want to feel right now. Basically, we can’t judge everything based on its calories, whether or not we want to lose weight, etc. That will make us crazy! We have to eat to be out healthiest, happiest right now.

I usually stick pretty closely to this, but I’ve been fighting with a few extra pounds and my eating patterns have suffered. I’m thinking about those extra pounds too much. So yesterday I took Ryan’s words to heart and just ate what would make me feel great!

All I’ve been eating for breakfasts are English muffins with AB so I switched it up with naner oats topped with cinnamon, flax and AB. Throughout the day I had a veggie-packed salad with hummus and balsamic dressing, a homemade larabar (these things keep me full!!) and an orange and apple.

I also had several unpictured handfuls of mixed nuts at work that left my belly upset. My body always seems sensitive to particular nuts :(  Anyone else?

On my drive home from work I tried a Kardea Nutrition Bar is chai spice. I can’t even begin to describe how delicious this was! I’ll elaborate later :)

For dinner I had Sweet Shepherd’s Pie with steamed carrots and an unpictured strawberry fruit pop :) I was pooped from the long week so David, the dogs and I hung out in front of the computer with hulu and headed to bed at 10:00 p.m. Watch out- we’re pretty crazy!

Do you eat based on a goal, based on how you want your body to feel now or do you not really think about it?

happiness + 5 tips

Yesterday during a fierce chase in spin class I had a realization: I am completely happy.

No, everything is not perfect- there are plenty of sad and stressful things in my life. But this happiness has to do with my outlook and my actions.

Happiness really is a choice- but its more of a series of choices that bring that old saying to life.

In this post I am going to focus on the health/fitness aspect of happiness. Next to my spiritual relationship, my diet impacts me most.

Some tips I'm using to feel great (and drop a few pounds):

1. Fall in love with exercise. I've been exercising more than normal. It's not because I'm trying to lose weight; it's because I've fallen in love with the thrill of a spin class, power of yoga and fun of routines at home. Now I plan workouts because they're exciting and leave me feeling great.

2. Customize. You already know to eat healthy and you have to eat less (to lose weight), so feel free to get a little sneaky in how you do it. I always crave something cool and sweet in after dinner- and I usually make a smoothie (too many calories when I'm not even hungry) to fill that craving. So most days I will eat my carbs in the morning and afternoon, tons of veggies for lunch, fruit for snacks and then a big hearty green-protein smoothie for dinner. I get dinner and dessert in one- and it is good for me! It tastes like I'm indulging!

3. Find your balance. I never thought I could lose weight without counting calories, but I have by remembering every meal counts and I need to strive for my perfect balance. It's a journey.

4. Flex your schedule. I've switched heavy dinner dates to lighter fare. Some dinner plans I've been able to switch to a craft project or activity (golfing, walking, biking, etc.). Don't miss out on life, but I think you can definitely make changes when possible.

5. Be happy. When I'm happy I want to treat myself better. A tip on how to get there next post.

*Lacey's comment reminded me of one powerful factor: sleep! Sleep definitely helps me feel better and happier. Thanks, Lacey!

photo here and here

What tips do you use in your own life? How much does exercise/food impact your happiness?

Healthier and Happier You

Everything we do should put us closer towards the healthiest, happiest versions of ourselves.

This is how I try to live my life- with exercise, food, activities...

Working to be my best isn't about deprivation. I put it this way:

...Binging on pizza while standing in my kitchen because of a stressful day= NOT GOOD

...Eating pizza with friends at a big, fun party= GREAT

See the difference?

This is why I've found that obsessing over anything just isn't good for you. You will be left blind slighted to everything else! And life is too short to miss out on pizza with friends because of calories and fat grams.

It's about balance and striving toward the healthiest, happiest versions of ourselves. Sometimes that will involve pizza- and sometimes it will be a nice big salad instead. But that is something only you can decide for yourself.

Because of this I want to clarify the After-Dinner Challenge.

I am not saying everyone should eat an apple or nothing after dinner.

I am not saying anyone should deprive themselves if a special treat comes up.

I am saying that after-dinner munching is a big sink of empty and unnecessary calories for me and it's a habit I'd like to lose.

I am saying that if there is a change you'd like to make in your life for the better, do it!

Do what works for you and makes you healthier and happier. If you are on board for the After-Dinner Challenge, great! I am so excited to have you embarking on this 21-day challenge with me! We can definitely do it and it helps to have the support of some great bloggers.

Also: On some weekends I will go out for a treat with my family and friends. During these times my challenge will be put on hold! But on normal nights at home I will definitely go for an apple... and then shut the fridge door.

An After-Dinner Challenge

In response to my last post on Habits quite a few people agreed that limiting after-dinner snacking is a big one for them. So Julie said "Let's do it!"

Since 21 days is standard to create or break a habit, today begins a 21-day challenge to not snack after dinner- other than an apple.

To help us along the way:

- Make sure to include enough protein and sweeter veggies in your dinner to keep you satisfied.

- Drink plenty of water to avoid confusing thirst for hunger.

- Make a list of things to do after dinner to keep your mind busy.

- Keep apples stocked in your kitchen and have one after dinner if you need something.

- Tape an inspirational photo or note on your fridge to remind you of your challenge.

April 7-27 to banish after-dinner snacking.

Are you in?

Leave a comment on this post to tell us!

Edited to add: Do what works best for you. If you eat a steak as a snack right before bed, go for it! I know I mindlessly snack and eat too much when I'm not even hungry at night due to habit. So that's a habit I'd like to break. Some of you are like me and some of you are happy where you are. But do what fits you!

Habits

via

Looking around my kitchen you'll see plain yogurt, unflavored soy milk, healthy cereal, healthy one-ingredient nut butters and plain oatmeal.

If you looked around my kitchen today you would never be guess I was a total sugar-addict a few years ago.

In the past I though plain yogurt tasted too sour, would never touch oatmeal and would only drink tea with cream and 5 packets of some kind of sweetener.

What changed?

Little by little I changed. First I outlawed Splenda altogether. I went from 3 packets to 2 to 1 in my tea. I mixed plain yogurt with microwaved fruit to sweeten it myself. Little by little.

Now I don't miss the old habits at all. I'll try sweetened yogurt and twinge and regular peanut butter tastes like candy. Little by little.

They say it takes 21 consecutive days to break one habit and form another. Your healthy habit might take a year. But you can change habits.

ZenHabits has a great post with 5 steps to effective habit change.

On that list:

2. Create a Plan and Write it Down. It is not enough to say to yourself, “I am going to get more done at work.” Think about it this way: What if you asked a randomly selected working-person, “Are you trying to get more done at work?” Almost everybody would say, “Yes, of course.” And the response would be the same if you asked about exercising more often, eating better, or paying more attention to international affairs. It’s in our nature to want to do better. We almost always want to do better. But wanting isn’t enough. You must make a plan. Write it down. Be as specific as possible. Does Jim plan to go into work early or stay late? Will he eat at his desk? Will he exercise good email and phone discipline? Jim needs to create a plan and write it down.

Still about 10 pounds above my happy weight, I am working on making small changes. I don't always have an after-dinner dessert, but I do nibble a lot after dinner. My new habit change is to either not snack after dinner at all or to just eat an apple. If I am truly hungry I can eat but otherwise I will squash a calorie-heavy habit.

Have you successfully changed any habits in your own life? Any tips? Are there any habits you want to change? What are they?

Goodbye to Yesterday's Habits

Dear Self:

Yes, tomorrow is a new day, a new chance. But tomorrow will not be a day you lose weight if you continue yesterday's habits.

Forget the stress-eating. Food will not take away the emotions or the stress- and your body would rather you didn't try anyway! Enjoy every bite.

Stop the 'poor me' excuses. You can stay between 1,400-1,600 calories and still live. Really.

-Ashley

ps- Have you seen this?

Standards of Portions

There are few things that I love more than a big bowl of crunchy cereal drenched in cool soy milk and topped with a drizzle of maple syrup (light!) and plain yogurt. Mmm!

..but why is that I always have to go back for a second one? 

For as long as I can remember, I always have to go back for a second bowl!

Pizza is another food like this for me. Regardless of the size of my serving, I would feel shorted if I stopped at one. But not all foods are like this. I never make a second bowl of oatmeal or take another apple. 

Do you guys have any foods like this? Foods that you must have a certain amount regardless of other factors? I'd love to hear if I'm not the only one!

by the way- I'm typing this as I eat my bowls of cereal #1 and #2! I told you!

Addicting!

Stop the madness!

Yes, this is madness. I have fallen into this cycle. Headstrong and going great for a few days, when X happens (family stress, money, old habits, big event, pressure) and Boom! I mess up. And I mess up baaaaadddd. So I mess up a bit more, skip my exercise and go to bed. I wake up and woah! I feel like crap. My clothes fit even less and the scale is giving me an ugly number (I will ready my scale every morning. I am obsessive- don't even challenge me on this!). So I plan on letting it not defeat me.. but a tiny temptation/pressure/stress comes and goodbye! Downward spiral. So I do that for a few days, regain my burst of motivation and I'm back on track. For a few days.

You see, I am fantastic when it comes to setting goals, crunching numbers, talking about it and even great when it comes to getting to the gym. But when one ounce of stress/pressure/an event comes into my life, I crumble.

I believe we program our bodies with the way we eat. I plan on doing a month of clean eating/light detox to reset my habits, but that will have to be after my picnic on Saturday. (I'm being realistic here.) But tomorrow... TOMORROW... "I'm craving this!".. "But we're all going out to eat!"... "It is my favorite food!" .. "But the container is open!"... "One bite won't hurt."... "Nobody will ever know" ..and.. "I don't have to tell the bloggers!" will not work.

100% clean tomorrow. THAT'S IT! Pressure me here, people. Tell me to cut the crap. To stand up for what I want. Tell me that I do not have to have 2 pieces of that cake just because it is there!

Detailed plan and take-no-excuses tactic to come.

flickr

Feelin' Fatty

I have my final final exam tomorrow morning and I am looking for any excuse to get out of studying! My mind is only thinking one thing: summer! (Although I will be working full-time and taking summer classes this summer. Hmmm...) Anyway...

Do you ever have those times.... when ___ (brownies, second helping of cereal, second piece of bread, wine, etc.) is in front of you saying, "Eat me." You think, "Oh no. I really don't want you. Thanks anyway." But the You#2 says, "But ______ is yummy. And you CAN have it, really. It won't even count." You say, "Just walk away. You'll feel better for it." But You don't walk away. And you lose the battle to You#2 without a fight. Ever had one of those times?

Well I have these moments a lot. Tonight: I had a great day food-wise, a not so pretty number on the scale, good time at work and just got home from an impromptu trip to the gym (!). I had a big pre-gym snack and was just slightly hungry for dinner. I had tofu marinating in the fridge and fresh asparagus in hand. The 10-minute brown rice was 2-feet away. Perfect, right? mmmm...

I had leftover Domino's pizza and soy chocolate milk.
I even spread some margarine on the crust!

The entire time I was telling myself to stop. "You've done so great today! Save the calories for something yo enjoy!" I just couldn't. Or didn't, but I felt like I couldn't. So I ate and ate and derailed my entire day for tasteless crap.

What do you do in these situations? I try talking to myself, but then I ignore my voice. Please share.

Habits Schmabits!

As I was separating my (black bean!) burger and David was assembling his at Chili's on Saturday, I realized I've never shown you how I eat! Whenever possible, I eat everything separately. Even grilled cheese. I eat the cheese. Then I eat the bread. I like all my flavors separate (and I feel like I am eating more!).

So below I have my bun on one side, the patty by itself and toppings on the other side. I like my regular salads mixed together, but I always eat the big things first (croutons..).
David thinks I am a little cookoo. =)
Do you have any weird eating habits? I can't be the only one!!