Go away baby weight! - Part 2

So, I said I would talk about my eating game plan when it came to losing my baby weight and guess what; it’s not going all that well. What I’ve discovered is trying to follow any kind of eating plan is quite the challenge, yet, going into it, I knew that it would be. That’s why when I committed to losing my baby weight, I focused first on getting my workout routine in place. Now that I have a routine down, since I workout four or five times a week, I've turned my attention to eating better.

Mmm, breakfast! Try with reduced fat peanut butter!

Basically, what I’ve been trying to is eat lighter and eat more often. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I start with an Eggo whole wheat breakfast waffle in the morning, have some kind of snack mid-morning like grapes or carrots, then for lunch I go with a turkey sandwich on wheat bread (skipping the mayo and substituting mustard) or a Lean Cuisine, have another snack mid-afternoon, and then at dinner time, I try to eat a balanced meal with a protein, a starch, and some kind of vegetable whether it be a salad or something cooked like green beans or peas. Along with trying to eat better, I’m also trying to drink a bunch of water, cut down on the alcohol intake, and skip high sugary drinks like Gatorade and juice. Occasionally, I will have a soda and yes, I still drink coffee in the morning. I know I should stop, yet, sometimes green tea just doesn’t quite cut it and I need that cup of Joe.

For the most part, I’ve been sticking to the meal plan during the day, but what’s really been killing me is trying to follow it at dinner time. At the end of the day, I’m tired and I just want to relax with a beer and fill my belly with food that tastes good. Yes, I guess you would say that I am an emotional eater and if I’ve had a rough or long day, I typically want to eat and drink things I like to feel better. Therefore, it can be hard to eat chicken, rice, and a side salad with water when my head and belly want a grilled cheese and a Miller Lite! What I’ve come to the conclusion with the dinner time meal is to just kind of go with the flow. If I want to indulge a craving, I try not to go overboard and overeat. Like, if I want a grilled cheese and a beer, I try to eat just one grilled cheese and be done with it instead of eating as many as I can. Or, if I want a beer, I just drink one to savor it. I’ve also discovered my love for wine again and will substitute a beer with a glass of Cabernet or Merlot. Both are tasty and in moderation, are actually good for you.

Me giving into a craving, oh well, you live and you learn!

There are times though when limiting myself at dinner doesn’t work either and I end up eating and drinking too much, however, I try not to beat myself up over it and tell myself that tomorrow is a new day. I figure it’s all about taking tiny, positive steps in the right direction and I keep telling myself that it’s a process and that I’m not going to be able to change overnight. A Facebook friend helped me realize that. She said that it took me nine months to put on the baby weight and that it will take some time to lose the weight too. I thank you for the advice and the support because sometimes I forget that I need to be patient and not get discouraged. We all know that when it comes to weight loss, if a person gets discouraged, he or she generally gives up and I’m not prepared to do that, not at all. I want to feel and look good again and I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to make that happen. :)

Well, that’s about all that I got for today when it comes to eating and weight loss. If you’re interested in some low fat meals along with workout tips and routines, check out a few of these sites:

Places to find low fat recipes

• http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/mealplanning/u/easyrecipes.htm 
• http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/healthy-living/low-fat-recipes/main.aspx
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/low-fat/index.html 
• http://www.sparkrecipes.com/

Workout routines and tips

• http://www.workoutbox.com/workouts/ 
• http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/10-workout-secrets-expert-exercise-tips 
• http://www.health.com/health/fitness 
• http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles_list.asp?iSel=17

With that, I bid you farewell and until next time, this is Carla the new mom, and tomboy, signing off!