Got My Arse Nutritionally Handed to Me Tonight

The truth hurts sometimes! I feel like I just got spanked. But, alhamduliAllah, I like it. On my webinar tonight, I learned about meal exchanging for like foods. I also learned that my weekend was a nutritional bomb. In my ignorance, I thought that I did a pretty good job handling my decision-making. However, I now know that I have to be better prepared for time away from home. My meal plan has been designed specifically for me and I need to use the exchange list when making changes instead of choosing different things to eat right now.

In the webinar, I got know how some of my students have felt when I anonymously use their paper or assignment as an example for the class. While the student knows I am talking about her/his assignment and I also know, no one else knows. I have only ever thought about the benefit to the class and that student when doing this, not how the student might feel. When I see glaring mistakes on an assignment, I know that I would be careless to not address them and help the student become better and avoid such mistakes in the future.

In school, I have always been the top student having my papers or assignments used as examples of what TO do not of what NOT to do, so tonight was all new for me. In using my weekend food logs as examples in the webinar, my Nadoona teachers taught me that turkey bacon is not a good protein. Seems simply enough, right? Now, I get that it is not about just having protein or carbs or fat, it is about having the good kinds. I learned that although I thought my choice of baked chicken over fried chicken was enough, I could have made sure to only eat white meat pieces instead of a mix of white and dark meat. (note to self: look up which pieces of meat are white and dark meat). I learned that I really should have chosen on the multigrain waffle instead of the hash brown instead of both. Heck, I should have even bought wheat bread instead of the waffles. So, instead of a C- for the weekend, I have an F. It sucks big butt, too! But, alhamduliAllah, I am learning through these mistakes.

While I failed in some critical areas this weekend, I recognize and celebrate the small victories and progress. I go out of town again at the end of the month; nshaAllah, I will be armed with my exchange list. At the point where I am now, I know that I need the structure of the meal plan tailored just for me.

Overeating vs. Restrictive Eating vs. Intuitive Eating

Instinctive Eating Cycle
Why do I eat? -  Hunger
When do I eat? - When I'm hungry
What? - Whatever I want
How? - Intentionally
How much? - Enough to satisfy hunger
Where? - Living my life

Overeating Cycle
Why? - Triggers
When? - External or emotional cues
What? - Tempting or comfort foods
How? - Mindlessly, quickly, or secretly
How much? - Until food is gone or I'm uncomfortable
Where? - Excess fuel is stored

Restrictive Eating Cycle
Why? - Rules
When? - According to the rules
What? - "Good" or allowed foods
How? - Rigidly
How much? - Allowed amount
Where? - Energy is spent on diet and exercise

I used to be in the overeating area and now I am in the restrictive eating stage. I plan to stay here until I can reset my brain and handle how my emotions trigger food cravings and how I respond. I do not know how long I will practice restrictive eating, but I do look forward to being able to make the healthiest choices and intuitively knowing my portion sizes. MashaAllah to restrictive eating and nshaAllah to intuitive eating in the future.

Yumz!: My Skinny Cuban Dinner

Pollo Vasco, Mojo sin Yuca, and Green Bean Salad

Keeping Food Warm/Cold: Zojirushi Stainless Steel Food Jar

http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-SL-JAE14-Bento-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000246GSE/ref=sr_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1337026904&sr=1-11

I was hoping for something like this to exist, and today at lunch, my homegirl mentioned it. I HATE the microwave at work with the passion and only pack cold lunches, but sandwiches are getting old really quickly. I want to bring real meals for lunch and save sandwiches for lazy days. This system will let me do it.

I am thinking of waiting until fall to by it since I don't like to eat warm food too much in this summer heat, but I will wait and see how many more times I feel like I wished I had this for a warm meal at work.

I Keep Thinking of What I Could Have Done Better

I did pretty well over the weekend, but that hyper-critical part of me who used to be a crazed perfectionist, keeps reminded me of my slip-ups (like with the turkey bacon). But, I keep looking at this to remind me.

I am not going to miraculously never have a small setback or even a bigger setback but taking leaps forward and one step back sounds pretty darn good to me. I have to keep giving myself and Allah credit by really remembering how the weekend would have gone before my outlook changed. SubhanAllah.

5 Ways to Control Food Cravings

5 ways to control cravings

When a craving for unhealthy foods hits, it can be almost impossible to resist. It may seem that your body "needs" this food and won't let you rest until you satisfy your craving. This strong desire to overeat fat, sugar, and salt is called "conditioned hypereating."

Learn to ride out your urge to splurge by following these suggestions:

Distract yourself.
Do an errand, talk to a friend, or work on a project that requires your full attention. The craving period will pass more easily if you don't fixate on it.

Move your mouth.
Chomp on healthy snacks such as raw vegetables, an apple, or a piece of sugar-free gum. Sometimes we just have the urge to chew, and you can fill your mouth without loading up on calories.

Think about what you’re really craving.
Is it sweets? Grab some fruit. Something crunchy? Try celery with peanut butter. Want salty? Baked chips or low-fat popcorn might do the trick.

Walk away.
Remove yourself from the area of temptation. Get out of the kitchen, move away from the buffet table, leave the bakery. Just seeing tempting foods can prompt the desire to eat something.

Work out to work through it.
Go for a walk or get some other type of exercise. You'll avoid overeating and burn some calories while you're at it.

You can still fit in your favorite foods as part of a healthy diet. But learning to curb cravings will help you avoid giving in when a craving hits, so you feel more in control of what you eat and when.

Tips for Emotional Eating

If you're feeling...	Try this instead of eating
angry	Blast your favorite music and dance around the living room. Go for a run or brisk walk to work out your frustrations.
bored	Try out some new exercise videos (check the library for a great free selection). Take a class or look online to learn a new activity or craft. Write a letter or email.
lonely	Call or meet up with a friend. Go to a crowded public space like a café or a bookstore.
stressed	Do stretches, yoga, or tai chi. Go for a walk or hike in a quiet place. Practice meditation or relaxation techniques.