Grab 'n Go Snack

I've been feeling thinking a lot about stress lately.  Or rather, stress, distress, and my reactions.   Basically, feeling too much stress I become overwhelmed and I eat much more than I need.  When I feel in distress, I don't eat.  I'm just not hungry.  Neither is good.  I mean, losing weight to a lack of appetite would mean the weight would return when the appetite returns so I need better coping strategies. 

I've decided the big one would be to just

be more prepared. 

Having healthy snacks on hand is one thing, but having them already prepared in a way that I can grab and go (like I would grab a handful of goldfish that always seem to be laying around), has got to be

the single most important thing

I can do for myself

if I want to be healthy.

And because I do, the next biggest thing would be to remember what I truly want in the moment: to eat more than I need to satisfy a fleeting feeling, or to be healthy?  

I really need to get in the habit of bringing what I want into focus in times of stress. 

So here's something I'm trying this week, a grab and go snack full of a variety of nutrients.  A bag of this mixture came home untouched from Hailey's school.  There is this awesome parent of one of the kids in her class that volunteered to make healthy (and gluten-free for her son) snacks for the 3rd graders for each day of their standardized testing.  So when Hailey brought this home I took one look at it and knew she wasn't saving it for later. 

It isn't particularly eye-catching or even salty or anything but it met my snacking craving - you know, the one where you just want to bite down and munch, munch, munch?  The cereal meets that crunchy need, the raisins meet the desire for something a little sweet, and the nuts provide lots of protein, fiber and fat to really satisfy hunger.  Here's the break down:

1/2 cup rice Chex cereal (50 calories - as opposed to 150 calories of that amount of goldfish crackers)
1/4 cup golden raisins (130 calories)
1/4 cup natural almonds (160 calories)

Mix ingredients together, separate into two small snack bags or containers for later snacking or leave it all in a bowl on the counter to grab on the go!

I'm thinking I could use this idea as a base and substitute different dried fruit, nuts and cereal for variety.  Feel free to leave a comment with your combination ideas!

What's Working: THINKING POSITIVELY

{Week 5}

Today I weighed in at almost 2 pounds down. 

I had to do it twice because I couldn't believe it. 

It's been a busy, stressful weekend for me and I don't feel like I've been focused enough.  But I like what I see

- it's not a number I've seen since before Braden was born! 

So I guess I'll keep with the plan this week

and keep thinking about what's helping me to lose weight.

 

 

 

 

Thinking Positively

 

Getting and keeping my head in the game can be tricky between the day in-day out of

meals,

diapers,

tantrums,

sick kids,

lack of sleep,

me being sick,

husband traveling,

time management,

household chores,

behavior management,

pain management,

 kids extra-curricular activities*gasp*

 

I think you get the picture.

 

Yes, I think I obviously need to find some "me" time - BUT, until then, half of eating healthfully- maybe more - is all about the thoughts.  Our self-talk is powerful!

 

I wrote a quote down a while ago that goes along with this:

"If you hate being fat, start hating the thinking and behavior that made it so." 

Change comes from the inside-out.

 

I have found this to be

one of the most difficult things to change

and it takes vigilance to stay on top of any negative thoughts that creep in whether it's from

old habits,

an incorrect self-image,

or triggers from the environment.

 

If you've been "trying" to lose weight, stop and listen to your self-talk throughout the day. I say it's difficult, but the funny thing is, it's completely within our control.  Self-talk can work in a positive way, too!

Up Next: IGNORING THE EXTREME

Too Camera Shy

Have you noticed that when and if I put a picture of myself on this blog it is from the shoulders up, or hidden behind a child?  Actually, pictures of me are few and far between because I'm usually the one behind the camera, which has suited me just fine the past few years.

Here I am yesterday, all too willing to smile for Hailey because I knew the camera wasn't going to capture it all...

 

But I'm so tired of that self-conscious point of view!  So I'm starting something new here because I've started and stalled on my own weight loss attempts countless times in the past 8 months.  I could continue to accept underlying reasons of why I can't lose weight (PCOS, lack of sleep, stress, injured feet, etc.) or I can focus on what will work.  Putting it all out there (ok, not all but you know what I mean) just might be helpful.

Weekly posts starting this Monday exploring why it seems so ridiculously complicated to lose weight when it is supposed to be simple as calories in vs. calories out, and a hopeful shift in my thinking as I seek motivational insights.  And shorter daily updates of successes (or maybe sometimes the struggles). 

This feels like my last thread of hope.  Someday I hope to look back at these posts and see how far I've come and find the inspiration to never ignore a few pounds of weight gain again.  A few pounds adds up over time - well, it can work in the opposite direction, too, right?!