Kris M Beal | Heart & Humor of Being Human

My GAWD He Eats a Lot!

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Other possible titles:

He’s a Metabolic Machine | I Hate Him
Why Can HE Eat So Much Crap and I Can’t?
He’s Eating. AGAIN. Really?
My Pooch Is Back and It’s All His Fault

So we’re settling in at the farm and enjoying our new co-borrower-shacking-up relationship.

I always sorta knew that he ate a lot (there would never be leftovers when he came over to my house). And I sorta knew that he liked to snack (he would devour the boxes of cereal bars that I had for him).

But I didn’t REALLY know how much he ate ALL THE TIME until I observed first hand – all day, every day, repeat.

For breakfast, he eats a big bowl of oatmeal, 2 bananas, and a yogurt. For lunch he eats 2 sandwiches, tamales, yogurts and cereal bars.  For dinner, he has two BIG plates of meat, rice, & beans. He sometimes humors me with veggies. Then, about 15 minutes later, he eats 2 fruit flavored chobanis and 3 crappy cereal bars. And he snacks. All the time.

Really?

Veggies - She Likes Them! She Likes Them!

OK – back to the point of all this.

My clothes are getting tighter, and the scale confirmed my suspicion. (Note: I am not an obsessive weigher.)

Now it USED to be that I could stop eating out, stop drinking diet sodas, lay off the bread, drink some more water, get off the couch, and I could “lose” the pooch.

Well…. I’m already doing those things. {SHRIEK!!!!!}

• I’ve only been eating out maybe once a week, and when I do, it’s a salad (granted, a big yummy salad, but still, not a crappy/carb loaded meal).
• I’ve been very good with my water.
• I’m eating a healthy breakfast every day (plain greek Chobani yogurt, berries nuts)
• I can’t remember the last time I had a soda.
• I’ve been very good about the bread and grains thing – I’m enjoying our spaghetti over a nice big bowl of spinach rather than pasta.
• AND, I’ve been very consistent with the workouts – I’m loving our new gym!

Don’t get me wrong – the nutrition side hasn’t been PERFECT – but the strays were just incidents and did not evolve to be a habit.

Geesh – I’ve even been eating VEGETABLES!!!! And a lot of them!

But the pants are tighter, the pooch is poochier, and the scale is indicating that my body might be settling in at a different point.

So I had to do a little inventory. What is different now? I realized that a lot of it has to do with food and my changed eating habits because of HIM. {Sorta Kidding}

• I’m snacking a bit – good snacks (mmmmm nuts and dried fruit) – but still snacking more than before
• I’m eating on the regular sized dinner plates instead of my moderately sized pretty restaurant plates
• I’m enjoying a healthy dessert at night – plain Chobani, chocolate chips, and nuts – mmm!
• With the time change, we’re eating later
• Overall, I’ve been eating more nuts, cheese, and chocolate. Not a LOT, but still more than before.

Remember, I’m not a calorie counter. I prefer to be a mindful label reader and eater. That said, my earlier research showed that 1600 – 1800 calories/day should be my target. (I know… that’s totally depressing… When I told HIM, he looked absolutely horrified!)

I’ve realized that it isn’t any ONE thing that’s getting me into trouble. It’s the cumulative effect of lots of little things.

More importantly, it wasn’t about eliminating anything bad, but rather watching my portions of the good.

Did I just allude to portion control?

Sigh…. Really? There was a time that the Power of More of the Good was an effective strategy for me!

So here’s my plan for some little portion control tips:

• Dig out my pretty white restaurant plates and bowls that are a bit smaller – fill them up and feel indulgent!
• Eat dinner earlier
• Sub some toasted flax seed for nuts on my yogurt/berry/crunchy breakfast and on my salads
• Pass on topping every meal with cheese and nuts <winks>
• Rather than prepping a small bowl of nuts and dried fruits, put them in my hand instead
• Pass on dessert some nights – consider some other options….

I’m trying to not be discouraged, because there are a lot of bright sides to my consistency and current wellness level:

• I’m sleeping great!
• My 10 lb medicine ball is feeling light…. And I remember when I gave my 6 pounder to my dad and thought, “Geesh, that was a BIG mistake.”
• I can do more pullups. I’m loving my Rubberbanditz and have been alternating light/reps, heavy/less reps, no assistance – I LOVE pullups!
• I’ve been doing very well with my water.
• Considering I haven’t been “lifting” for a while, I’m quite pleased with my quick progress on bench presses and deadlifts.
• My core is stronger, and my endurance is better.
• I tried on my shorts from last year, and they fit!
• We’re eating a lot of veggies & sitting down for meals together.
• My jumprope is getting much better!

So as much as I’d like to blame HIM for this chapter, I know it’s not true. {Sorta believe that….}

So here’s what the title should be:

I Even Have to Watch the Good Foods…. Go Figure!

Do you have a “Him” or “Her” in your life? How do you manage your food habits around others?