Last year I was not very steady with exercising - with the kids back to school, I seem to have found some inspiration. Here's the problem: my clothes are getting tighter. I realize that I'm probably building muscle or something annoying like that, but I don't want to bulk up. My current regimen (well, okay, for the last 40 days or so) includes about an hour of exercise at least 5 times a week. I combine running with yoga or pilates.
I also have tried to reduce my caloric intake and keep my meals intentional. I am trying to eat foods that have nutritional value - and eat as many fruits and veggies as possible. Breakfast is pretty easy - I usually do fruit and either yogurt or cereal - but lunch is a little more challenging. My mom is very disciplined - she has a little routine that includes: a piece of cheese, two hard pretzels, some fruit and tuna salad or yogurt alternately.
So, my question is: what do you eat for lunch?
This was one of my recent lunches
Heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, feta, cukes, and sun-dried tomato pesto topped with olive oil and lemon juice - it was delicious - but I was still starving.
This was a little better
Black bean and cheddar quesadilla with sour cream
Sometimes I eat soup, simply to increase my veggie intake. I am just feeling a little frustrated - my husband thinks it might take a year or more of running before my muscle starts "eating" my fat or something like that. Of course, like all Americans, I want instant results. My doctor does think I could lose about ten pounds to lower my cholesterol and have a lower BMI - but, how should I do it? After watching the Biggest Loser last night, I feel a little guilty complaining about only ten pounds, but I do feel like I'm doing the right things and not finding any success.
Hmm. My favorite lunch is any leftovers I can wrestle up, along with a hearty salad (HUGE bowl of salad/vegs, small portion of pasta/soup/casserole- whatever's leftover. I try to make raw veggies a mainstay in at least two of my daily meals. I am, gasp, not a huge fruit-eater. I like all fruit- I just prefer veggies for their variety, flavor, and little sugar. I often eat them in the raw to get the most fiber content out of them (fiber, when eaten with a main meal, helps absorb and elimate the fat that you are also consuming at that same meal). I am a HUGE fiber queen. I eat whole grain homemade muffins for breakfast with a little peanut & apple butter, tons of vegs for lunch and supper, as well as some Kashi chewy granola bars (dark chocolate cherry is my fav) for snacks. I generally don't eat dessert except on special occasion and limit my sugar intake daily.
ReplyDeleteI also try to just MOVE daily. Not necessarily run or workout, but constantly walking/moving. It helps me focus less on the act of working out and more on just being active. I like to run, but for me it can become an idol and I get seriously crabby if I break my running schedule- so now I try to limit my running and focus more on walking/moving more. All this said there are certain things I refuse to give up (caffeine, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, pasta) but everyone has to have their vices, right?!
I hope that 10 lbs melts off with ease- but if it doesn't, don't fret- you are petite anyway! And you eat super healthfully. AND we are getting into yummy holiday food season- which always allows for a few more pounds... :)
thanks for the suggestions, Abbie! I'll keep plugging away - I just have some super-cute jeans I really want to wear!
ReplyDeleteI could never, ever give up carbs! I don't eat many that aren't nutritive, but believe me, I could!
I'll try to up my raw veggies and see if that helps!
i start snacking on nuts and trail mix around 10am, a salad, toast and maybe a fried egg around 1:30, more snacks until 5:30, then i go for a 3 mi. run, dinner close to 9pm (i know- we eat later than most people), a bowl of ice cream or another dessert and then time to relax. sigh. i read that the more consistent your meals become, meaning cereal for breakfast, salad for lunch, the easier it is for your body to stabilize your weight. i pity those traveling business folks. they don't even have a fighting chance of consistency.
ReplyDeleteI think that you ARE getting a lot of raw veggies judging from the two examples you gave.
ReplyDeleteLunch at work is whatever I have time to stuff in my mouth and that's not always pretty. I think I'm going to take a leaf out of your book and try to plan more healthy meals for a while. My problem is I could quite happily live purely on carbs and protein.
ReplyDeleteoh, I could totally live on chips - but I do find myself craving fruits and veggies - and cheese!
ReplyDeleteMrs P - do you only get a short time for lunch or do you not really get a break? I pack my girls lunch (apparently "no one" packs in Josh's school???!!) and it's a total pain, but I feel better sending them off with a healthy lunch.