January 20, 2012: 178 lbs - I’ve lost 9 lbs!
I’m starting to crave things, to get urges and stray thoughts that I have to intentionally hold captive.
I tell you, before this week I had never noticed how many fast food restaurants were on the drive from here to my gym.
4. There are 4 drive-up options between here and my trusty treadmill. There’s a Burger King, a Taco John’s, a McDonald’s and a Subway (Ok, not a drive-up, but it’s practically next door to the gym).
NOT THE POINT. Well, no, I guess it kind of is. Crappy food has been all up in my face this last week and trust me, friends, it has been not fun. I’m sure it was there all along, but my awareness has been upped (much to my chagrin). I think it was last weekend when I realized that a lot of the ‘fun’ foods are off the table for the long foreseeable future. That might have spun me into something of a pity party.
Trust me when I tell you that besides a meager bowl of ice cream and one large not non-fat/sugar-free latte while in Oregon, I have been impossibly disciplined in the face of poor food options, sweets specifically. My Medifast meals have helped take the edge off, though. Last night when we were cranking away on our shelf project I made myself a Medifast brownie and I don’t know why, but there was something so freeing about it. Not that I need sweets to be free (yikes) but I think that in order for me to make life-long changes I need to feel like I have room to breathe.
But even on Medifast, I can’t just have a brownie whenever the urge strikes, so I need to address the issue and meet the cravings head on. Here’s the best strategy I’ve found for those moments: Step 1) Drink water. If my mouth just wants to be busy, this helps. 2) Think about when and what I last ate. Is it possible that I am actually hungry? If so, what are some good snack or meal options? How about a Medifast meal? 3) If I’m not hungry, I’m probably bored. Time to do something! Get up and dance, sit down with a book, tackle some email. Do something intentional.
Boredom was the source of much of my (former) over-eating. After the boys were down for the night, I found myself just wandering into the kitchen without a reason. This is now on my no-no list: NO aimless kitchen wandering, especially after dinner.
Another source was restaurant options and portions. Last weekend our family went to IKEA for dinner and to purchase the book shelves we’re installing, and before we went I got online and looked up nutritional information on my meal options in the IKEA food court. I did the same when we ordered dinner from Chipotle. (Did you know: the burrito tortilla from Chipotle is 290 calories? JUST the tortilla! After learning that I am forever converted to the burrito bowl. Amen.)
I am stoked to be down 9lbs in 3 weeks, and I am so encouraged by the choices available to me on Medifast because I know that even though cravings still tempt me, I have so many yummy options to choose from (especially the nursing mothers program – unlimited fruits and veggies!). Sure, cravings hit and those donuts in the grocery case look strangely delicious, but on this plan I really have not been hungry and unable to eat. I find myself gravitating toward the bars, the pancakes, the puddings, the brownie, the soft bake cookie, and the snacky things (MediBites they’re called). I feel like this is something I could do for as long as it takes to lose the weight, and I feel like I could incorporate the meals for the very long term in order to maintain a healthy weight.
O, and I think I’ve found my very favorite Medifast meal: Spice Pancakes with sugar-free syrup! O, I could eat them every day for breakfast (or lunch. or dinner.), and they’re really quick to whip up. YUM.
Random picture from Portland last week:
My Journey to Health:
January 20, 2012: 178 lbs
January 13, 2012: 180 lbs
January 6, 2012: 183 lbs
December 30, 2011, 187 lbs
9 lbs lost!
:: :: :: Let’s chat. :: :: ::
Have you had enough water today?
How do you tell cravings to get lost?
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Want to join me this year on Medifast? If you use the coupon code, OFAMILY56, and sign up for Medifast Advantage, when you order $250+, you’ll receive 56 free Medifast Meals and free shipping! (More details below.)
Disclosure: I receive free product in order to evaluate and comment on my experiences on the Medifast Nursing Mothers Program. Medifast products and the Medifast Program are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Any medical improvements noted while on the program are related to weight loss in general, and not to Medifast products or programs.
Coupon code details: For your first order of $250+, use my code, and enroll in Medifast Advantage to receive 28 free meals. Do the same on your next order and you’ll receive ANOTHER 28 free meals! This offer is only valid if you enroll in Medifast Advantage, and it’s limited to one per customer. It’s not valid with prior purchases, any other promotions or discounts, or for Medifast Ready-to-Drink Shakes. Check out Medifast’s website for complete details on program and discounts.
I find it soooo hard to get through the cravings sometimes!! Guilty of eating pop tarts yesterday…. They made me feel sick I don’t even know why I did it. So frustrating!
Alison, I am enjoying your honesty so much. I know how hard it is to bear your soul when it comes to weight loss. But that is in part where your freedom will come from.
And good for you for identifying triggers and addressing them!
umm BARE, BARE your soul. LOL
AWESOME AWESOME on the 9 pounds — that has to encourage you to steer clear of the temptations! Just curious (and in a totally positive way) — would you still be able to do the Medifast if you weren’t trying them out for free? I’d love to try this, but we just do not have it in our budget to buy the meals, etc..and I know you and Dan have a tight budget as well. What are your thoughts?? Would you do it if you had to pay?
Thanks :) Alison
This is courageous, you. it’s HARD and you are doing it. That. Is inspiring and good and even when it sucks, you are still choosing it and that’s just plain awesome.
My cravings got the best of me this week, although I’ve been better about drinking water and haven’t had soda. I had to buy something to bring to a mops meeting and ended up with a cheese danish and a raspberry danish. Meeting was cancelled and that was tuesday and thanks to yours truly both danishes are GONE. : ( Way to go though!!!
I’m not sure how much leeway you get with Medifast on beverages, but I find that I can take the edge off boredom hunger by taking the time to brew myself a cup of tea. Not only does the hot tea fill me up (and I drink it black or with minimal honey), it takes a good 10 minutes to make!
I realized a while back that I was practically drinking zero liquids a day! So one of the goals I set for this year (I set 53!) was to empty my water bottle(33oz) at least once per day. Still not the rda, but better than where I was! Good luck with the cravings. They’re rough for me!
Great for you Allison!! Just pausing and asking yourself those questions when a craving hits will definitely help you change your habits in the long run. I went through this same thing 3 years ago when I began my weight loss and once I realized the patterns of my cravings and why…mainly dessert after the kids were in bed for the night (because, my goodness…I made it through the day…I NEED a reward!), it really helped. I was able to find rewards that weren’t food related, but things I could look forward to. I STILL struggle with the cravings sometimes and for me it helps to have a few options on hand for when that bubble bath just doesn’t seem to cut it at the end of the day. My favorite things are the FiberOne chocolate brownies, Special K Chocolate Delight, PB Cheerios, 100-cal ice cream sandwiches, and those 100-cal chocolate covered snack pack pretzels. If I cut chocolate and sweets out completely, I just feel too deprived. So I’ve found having better options on hand keep me from running to the DQ that is located less than a half mile from our house and also help me make better choices in weak moments. But, it looks like you are already putting this into practice–yay you! You have an awesome start and wonderful support here and from your family–that is HUGE! Keep it up!
Chew gun, I find if my mouth is busy chewing gum I am a lot less likely to give in to cravings
Do you know if they have a gluten-free option for meals? I would love to do this but I cannot eat gluten without getting deathly sick. My struggle is finding a diet plan that can accomodate this.
YES! They do! I love that it can fit ‘specialty’ lifestyles, such as nursing, diabetic, or gluten-free. Here’s the info from their website on gluten-free medifast plan:
“Medifast for Celiac Disease & Gluten Sensitivity: Over three million Americans have celiac disease, and many more have sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grain products. The Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) has certified a number of Medifast Meals as gluten-free, with more certifications to come.”
Ok – I bite the bullet and ordered my meals this morning. I would never have found the gluten-free option without your counsel. Thank you for the motivation to do this for myself.
My strategy is to log calories, keeping myself to a reasonable goal that puts me at 1lb/week loss. If I splurge at lunch, dinner is super light. If I’m stricter during the day, I get more freedom at dinner. I can eat whatever I want, but reasonable amounts. I don’t have to beat myself up for eating a cookie because I just adjust the rest of the day accordingly. It feels like I’m learning more permanent eating behaviors that way.
Another thing I’ve been trying lately is “spike days”. There’s a whole method behind it but my take is to shave 50-100 calories off each day for six days, then on the 7th day add those calories back in (my “spike day”). I like food, I like to eat, and it’s nice to have that day to indulge a little. If I’m craving something, I promise myself I can have it on the spike day. It is also supposed to rebuild depleted glycogen stores, yada yada yada…
It’s a lot like budgeting money actually. It’s kind of addicting to plan out and log my meals and make sure my bottom line looks good. You find the things that are worth the calories and those that make you feel like you wasted something precious (like the Chipotle tortilla – ouch! Also a naked burrito lover over here!) Hopefully after I reach my goal and go into maintenance mode, I’ll have developed lasting habits.
I second the chewing gum suggestion–when I’m feeling snacky and am tempted to grab some candy or crackers, a stick of gum or two helps soothe that impulse.
9 lbs is AWESOME! Good for you! Cravings and habits are so hard. This month I gave myself a goal to stay away from desserts or sweets of any kind, which is tough for me because I have a real sweet tooth. But it’s just as easy to over do it on the other bad snacks as a substitute! I am really bad at drinking enough water, too, so my husband got me a case of metromint. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s flavored water. It’s not carbonated, sugar-free (and no artificial substitutes). There are several flavors, but my favorite has just mint and chocolate extracts. That’s it! No calories. So, when I really want to munch, but am not really hungry, I have some sugar-free gum and a bottle of Metromint. It’s a bit pricey in my book, so I limit myself to one a day. But as my husband says, it’s an investment in my health, and probably cheaper than all the sugary snacks! Good luck to you!!
Sounds great!! Congrats to you :) I was watching biggest loser and they say that Subway is a good choice if you need something quick, brown bread, turkey, lots of veggies, little or no sauce…. :) keep up the good work – you are inspiring others :)
Watch the gum chewing though :) They say when you chew gum it stimulates saliva production (the greater the saliva to food ratio in your stomach the more likely you are to feel hungry!!! because your stomach will feel ‘empty’) Best time to chew gum is for one hour after a meal and then spit it out!!
It’s SO hard, I know. I’m struggling a bit right now. And I hear you on the Chipotle! I stopped eating the tortilla years ago – ha! And YAY you, you’ve already lost 9 pounds, that is AWE-SOME!!!
1. Not at all!
2. I agree. Boredom is a killer. And being hungry. It’s so easy to eat chocolate when that is all there is in the house. I often go for a walk to the shops when I’m hungry and because I’m so indecisive end up not buying anything. End of cravings + Exercise. It’s a win.
You got this. You’re doing everything right. There will be hard weeks and easy (er) weeks…push through. In five months yyou will be sitting at goal and so glad You made the sacrifice.
Ever since I found out I had Celiac Disease I can’t HAVE what I crave, even if I want it really badly I will get sick. That helps:) I still however find myself snacking on unhealthy things, so I try to drink water. I have several reusable water bottles that are really cute and so I WANT to drink water out of them:) Congrats on making life changes and making them work for YOU! :)
Good for you, Allison! I am so flippin’ happy for you that you are sticking with this…you were oh so pretty before starting hut man, you are gorgeous in that above pic!