Clean Eating Challenge
Hola chicas sorry I’ve been MIA lately, but a lot has been going on in life and I have just not had the time to be on Tumblr. Anyways, I just got back from Spring Break! I went to Disney World in Florida with my best friend to celebrate the end of midterms for a much needed vacation. Even though we had a blast, there was a bit too much of this:
{so much meat! [ insert: that’s what she said ;) ]}
And this:
{DROOOOL.}
And not enough of this:
{Shameless gym selfies}
So I think it’s time for a self-imposed Clean Eating Cleanse so, you know, I can look hot in that bikini this summer ;D. If anyone else wants to do this with me, feel free to join!
Hot Bod 101: Clean Eating Cleanse
Meal 1: protein oatmeal (basically just oatmeal with protein powder); egg/veggie omelette; greek yogurt and fruit
Snack 1: serving raw fruit or veggies
Meal 3: portion of whole grains, portion of lean meat, portion of veggies
Snack 2: Serving raw fruit or veggies
Meal 5: portion of lean meat, portion of veggies
Snack 3: Serving raw fruit or veggies
Extras: Lots of water! Plain green tea, black coffee with stevia.
I want to keep it nice and simple, but obviously I will change it up, as long as the foods I eat are in proportion and clean, whole, unprocessed foods. The above plan is simply a guideline to use. I want to keep my metabolism up by eating every couple of hours instead of gorging myself with a couple large meals.
Remember: a year from now, you will have wished you started today. It is never too late to start, so stop making excuses! I get it, it’s so easy just to say, oh I’ll start being healthy tomorrow. Well do yourself a favor and just start now. Starting is often the hardest part in this whole process. Once you get the ball rolling, you can be unstoppable.
Anyways, I have to go soon, but I hope you all have a nice day!
Overeating
These past couple of days have been nightmares in terms of my diet. I’ve been eating junk (think greasy pizza, chips, ice cream, etc.) and LOTS of it. I don’t seem to grasp the concept of portion sizes. The thing is, I only overeat once I start to eat. If I am doing work, busy, etc., I don’t think about eating, even if I am hungry. However, once I do start to eat, it’s hard to stop. It’s frustrating, but I know complaining won’t help. It only helps if I do something about it. So I guess it’s time to brainstorm.
Question: When do I start to overeat?
Answer: After eating a normal portion of something and I am already satisfied/full, I just want more food.
Solution: Put away any other food that I could possibly eat, and end the meal formally, like drink a glass of water and choose some gum (or brush my teeth?)
Question: What are some factors that contribute to me overeating?
Answer: 1.When there is junk food in sight 2. When my roommates buy junk food 3. When I have access to buying junk food 4. When I close my room door when I am eating (that way I have privacy to overeat) 5. When I am watching TV/looking at the computer 5. When I have lots of time to spare.
Solution: 1. DON’T BUY JUNK FOOD. It’s a waste of money, empty calories, and just makes you want to eat more. 2. Vow to not eat your roommates’ snacks/food 3. Put sticky notes on your credit card/cash saying stuff like, “Save this money for cute clothes or something cool- NOT junk food!!” 4. Don’t eat while watching TV or looking at the computer. 5. Set a timer for 20 minutes. This is the amount of time you have to eat. And eat slowly!
Ok, rant/resolution over. Hopefully I can actually apply this to my life -_-
Some Science Behind Overeating
I’m a Bio/Premed major, so I find this kind of information pretty interesting to read. This info is from the article, 8 Reasons You Can’t Stop Overeating:
“Eating foods high in sugar, fat, and salt makes us eat more foods high in sugar, fat, and salt. We see this clearly in both animal and human research,” says Kessler. Sugar and fat are at the core of palatability, and salt is stimulating and reinforcing, he explains. “When you eat foods like this, the emotional part of the brain is activated, and you keep eating it because you want to stay in this state of emotional bliss. You eat beyond satisfaction.”
But really, how do we stop? Eat with structure, says Kessler. For example, carry food with you and plan to eat every 4 hours. If you know what you’re going to eat and when you’re going to eat it, you won’t eat in response to cues and you’ll have more control.
You Head Straight for the Refrigerator When You Get Home
Sometimes, you just want ice cream after a long day. And on those days, you walk into your house intent on taking a carton from the freezer, and enjoy. But if you do that often enough, the mental process changes. It becomes a repetitive habit-driven behavior, and you eat every time you get home, even if you’re not hungry. “Walking into your house becomes a cue that makes you want to eat,” says Kessler. You can understand why this is problematic, considering it’s the place you return to every single day.
But what if you’re actually hungry? “Adults need 100 calories an hour during every waking hour. If you know you’re going to eat dinner in an hour, then eat something that’s 100 calories—and not something that’s so highly stimulating that you’re going to lose control,” he says.
But what if you’re actually hungry? “Adults need 100 calories an hour during every waking hour. If you know you’re going to eat dinner in an hour, then eat something that’s 100 calories—and not something that’s so highly stimulating that you’re going to lose control,” he says.
I also found an article on a new kind of eating called Hedonic Eating
Eating for enjoyment or entertainment isn’t new. We often eat because food is available, it’s free, or we know it’s going to taste good, even if we’re not hungry. But researchers in Italy have identified a specific type of pleasure-driven eating they call hedonic eating. In a small study involving eight subjects scientists found that eating for gratification, rather than physiological hunger, triggers the release of hormones that up appetite, and therefore stimulate continued eating, even after satiety has been reached. In the study blood levels of hunger hormones surged after eating cakes, but not after eating bread, butter, and milk. While the connection isn’t completely understood, the hormonal reaction seems to occur with foods tied more closely with emotional, rather than physical, hunger.
In another recent study published in Archives of General Psychiatry Yale researchers looked at 48 women who ranged from lean to obese. Each woman completed a standard food addiction assessment then, using MRI imaging, the researchers examined their brains when they were shown, and then drank, a chocolate milkshake. They compared these images to those after seeing, then drinking, a tasteless beverage. They found that both lean and obese women who scored higher on the food addiction scale exhibited brain activity similar to that seen in drug addicts. There was more activity in regions of the brain responsible for cravings and less in the areas that curb urges. For some people consuming, or even seeing, certain foods may trigger a physically driven need to eat.
So what can you do? There is no easy fix but the most important thing is to begin to understand your patterns. Start keeping a food diary to record your experiences, draw connections, and develop insights. In my practice I ask my clients to record not just what, how much, and where they ate, but also how they were feeling both physically (hunger/fullness) and emotionally before, during, and after meals.
Found that to be pretty interesting, especially because I definitely overeat just for the sake of keeping that feeling of gratification. I can go long periods without eating, but once I start eating sometimes it feels as if I can’t stop. Anyone else have this problem? I think the key really is to plan your meals ahead of time, portion them out, and allow a certain amount of time [like 3-4 hours] between meals. For me, I just need to learn how to eat until I’m satisfied/full but not too full.
A Healthy Pact
Hey guys, so I wrote this [partially as a joke, mostly serious] for me and my friend. Whenever we are together, all we want to do is eat junk [and lots of it!], and that is basically what we did tonight. I always end of feeling gross and like I wasted a bunch of time. Enjoy!
Pact:
I, FILL IN YOUR NAME HERE, solemnly swear that I will eat clean and exercise from today, November 26, 2012 on. I will eat 3 square meals and with small snacks in between if necessary. I will not “restaurant hop” unless it is a SERIOUS SPECIAL OCCASION. I will stop buying crappy food from Wollaston’s, which, by the way, is also expensive. I will cook for myself as much as I can, and when time does not permit, I will try to eat the healthiest I can. I will give into cravings when necessary, but I will MODERATE the amount I have. I will try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, even if it means dancing in the shower [but try not to slip and fall or else you will become a vegetable…]. I will try to remember to drink lots of water and get an adequate amount of sleep. I will keep busy by being productive, which will keep my mind off of eating unnecessarily. When the desire strikes to eat when not hungry, I will do something FUN [insert fun ideas here]. I will eat well, sleep well, exercise well, and overall FEEL GREAT.
Signed,
INSERT NAME HERE.
