Both Physio and Chem tests went well – now I just have one more lab quiz and I’m done for the day!
I packed a PB&J on Kath’s Breakfast Bread for lunch. It was thick, gooey, and delicious! This bread is dense and hard to get a thin slice out of so I usually just have 1 thick slice cut in half.
On the side – grapes
And carrots –
And pumpkin yogurt topped with 1/4 cup Kashi GoLean!
All together –
Lunch today was about 550 kcal, 13 grams of fiber and 19 grams protein.
I was extra hungry this morning – perhaps because of the increased blood pressure from back-to-back tests?! As a result it’s taking a while for my lunch to settle. I’m tempted to go get something else from the student union, but I’m going to give it at least 30 minutes first to let things digest. If I’ve learned anything about hunger throughout my weight loss it’s there is never ever harm in waiting to digest for going back for more!
Off to do lab things!
Janna says
You are so right about letting your food digest, because I always think I’m hungry and it’s SOOO easy to overreat that way. Keep up the good work!
Christin says
Thanks so much to Ryane, Brynn, Brianne, and of course Kath for answering my question on friday regarding the pomegranate seeds…I just went back and read the responses, lol! Yes, I did mean the grassy-tasting seed part in the middle of each red part…good to know, good to know…I think I’ll grab a handful right now, in fact! 🙂
Kath, seeing your breakfast bread makes me miss my mom’s homemade bread…it looks so deliciously rich and filling!! Glad to hear your tests are over with and went well! Good luck with lab 🙂
Kate says
I know “real” food is better for you. But it seems everyday, I want the junk food. For example, rather than have cheese and crackers for snack, I want some form of ice-cream. Both snacks come out around the same calories. How do you all control you desire for the low fat junk products.
Sometimes, I see all these girls drinking diet sodas, artificial ice cream, 100 calories packs, etc., whereas, I try to avoid these things and instead eat less of the real thing, but it kinda seems unfair at times. It’s like they look healthy and are enjoying these products. Sorry for the rambling.
Emma says
wow that makes me want a PB n J so badly!
and yay for grapes and carrots…those have been on my menu often lately too!
still waiting to pick up more canned pumpkin! more grocery stores really need to start stocking it!
mel says
just a thought..I think we as women should stop concentrating on the size we wear or the number on the scale (myself included). I am 5’6 and 122-125 lbs- In HS i thought I was fat and totally embarrased that I wore a size 4 (ridiculous!)- needless to say I deveoped an ED and dropped down to 100 lbs and a size 00, but even then I wasen’t happy..I was miserable. I lied to everyone about what I weighted (saying I weighed more and wore a larger size). I remember crying if I lOST weight when before I used to cry if I gained weight. It took me years but I gained the weight back bc I couldn’t take it anymore and I’ve decided size and weight are just a stupid numbers and we shouldn’t give them so much power. We should strive to just be healthy, happy and beautiful on the inside!! have a great Monday!!
Christin says
Kate,
I totally sympathize with you on that!!! I don’t really like those fake treats either…and you know what? I find it is much better to just give in every once in awhile to the real ice cream, etc, because as long as you keep it within a reasonable portion size, it is ok to have discretionary calories!! I see it as a postive thing that you don’t drink diet sodas…just because it’s low calorie doesn’t make it good for you automatically, and diet soda is proof of that…
what I have found works for me is I find everyday healthy substitutes that are similar to the treat I want (such as fage 0% yogurt with berries and honey instead of ice cream, or a larabar instead of a candy bar) for most days, and then on a day when I just really want to have ice cream, I have it, sans guilt or frustration. I say go for the real food! The less processed the better, I just watch the portion sizes, and look for the high protein and fiber contents as much as possible…
Ashley says
Hello, hello! I was wondering whether you use natural peanut butter that you grind yourself at Whole Foods/place like that or manufactured Peanut Butter? Two weeks ago I bought my own fresh ground pb from whole foods and love it except its hard to get creamy even when I stir it. Any suggestions? Also are there any “nut butters” that are healthier or is all natural peanut butter with no additives ground like that the healthiest?
Thanks!
Ange says
Kate and Christin- I fully agre 100% with you!
I cut out artificial sweeteners and I have never looked back. I am so much more mindful of what I am ingesting into my body. I think so many people put srtificial chemicals in their bodies just because it is low calorie or low fat and they really don’t improve their HEALTH (in fact, I think those ingredients are quite harmful to be consuming).
There is a really great article on just this very topic in this month’s ALLURE magazine. They talk abotu this whole dieting trend among women who drink diet coke, 100 calorie snack packs, diet jello, fat free butter, etc etc…all in the name of staying thin.
personally after I cut that out from my daily intake I have never felt better. I believe consuming foods in a natural state is always better. Plus new studies are finding that artifical sweeteners actually SPIKE blood sugar and cause you to become desensitized to the sweet taste (e.g., people who eats lots of splenda will start to think that apples dont taste as sweet anymore).
Just my two cents 😉
Karen says
“There’s no harm in waiting”…love that! Thanks for the simple and powerful reminder.
Betsy says
that pb&j looks fantastic, especially with the pb dripping out of it. it’s a good thing I had my own pb&j to eat alongside reading this or I would have had to run out and buy one!
Julia says
How much pb is on that piece of bread? It looks like a lot. I find 1 tablespoon doesnt go a long way!
Ana says
i totally agree with you guys! i used to eat those diet treats for YEARS as part of my diet. i was more concerned about how much yummy tasting trash i could eat for my calories than the actual nutritional value of the food! now i am eating a more rounded diet (though still struggling to lose those last few pounds!) and have really come to appreciate the taste and texture of food. it’s a whole new experience! though i will still occasionally have those old diet treats, i find that most are no longer appealing and i would much rather have a little of the real thing or none at all!
NCCarter says
This has nothing to do with Kath’s post, but I just had to throw it out there that I am craving a cheeseburger and fries for dinner. My hubby is out of town (in Phoenix – so not fair!), and I had planned on making a nice white bean soup for dinner. I have a bad cold, though, and takeout is just so much more appealing. what to do, what to do….
Tina says
NCCarter– How about a turkey burger (or Boca burger) with cheese and sweet potato fries that you can make in your oven from a real sweet potato? It’s not the “real deal,” but it’s a good option. I’ve actually started liking turkey burgers more than beef burgers. Mmmm…sounds like a good dinner. Maybe that’s what I’ll have tonight!
ashley says
Just a question regarding artifiical sweeteners, how do you ladies who say you won’t use it feel about sugarfree gum? do you ever chew it because technically that’s artificial too. also, has gum ever given anyone on here GI problems? Embarassing question, but I feel like everytime I chew it I get gassy and bloated
NCCarter says
Good suggestion, Tina. Might have to do that. I love turkey burgers. We made “Greek” ones a few weeks ago seasoned with oregano and feta cheese. Very tasty! The 2-year-old ate hers up, too, which is a shock since she pretty much shuns all meat.
Lindsey says
Did the enthusiastic eating blog end?
Emily says
This post makes me want to eat pb&j, which i don’t particularly enjoy usually. I love looking at this site. You’ve given me so many great ideas for my own meals.
I agree with the other ladies who mention that its so easy to eat the lowfat prepackaged foods. I too used to eat them a lot. Then i realized i felt sluggish, and tired, and never satisfied. Now i try to eat for a purpose. Its hard somedays.
NCcarter- i say if your craving a cheeseburger, have one. If you can make it at home, use lean ground beef or ground turkey, and make homemade fries-sweet potato or regular.
Eating should also be enjoyable, if your craving a burger and nothing else will do, have a burger. When you deprive yourself you’ll just crave it more.
Jen (the Simpsons quote girl) says
hey kath, are you going for your master’s (since you have a BA) or doing a second bachelor’s. I am having a hard time with schools that will make me do only a second bachelor’s because of the ADA requirements (practically a BA in itself) or have an MS on top of the ADA work. oh sigh, applying to grad school is tough work and they ain’t makin’ it easier.
are you doing any type of speciality? I want an education component so i can focus on community/in-school education. Since I want to teach but like the idea of youth nutrition, eating disorders, AND prenatal/newborn nutrition, i figure there has to be something where i can get this in and learn pedagogy as well. !!!! aiiieee! i’m digging courses in family and consumer science. i think i just want to be a student forever.
Christin says
Ashley, I don’t like artificial sweeteners, as they have been linked to migraines, which I get regularly, so I cut those out of my diet. I have heard chewing gum does affect your GI tract, but not dure why exactly, or how specifically. maybe Goalie knows?? 🙂
Samantha says
Kate,
I’ve often felt the same way, ESPECIALLY when it comes to ice-cream! But I think that your attitude about full-fat indulgences is great: a balanced diet is all about moderation! And if you can actually stick to small portions of the good stuff, why not have it every now and then?
Try to look at it from the 100 Calorie Pack-Girl point of view: they probably see you eating a delicious, unadulterated treat and think “Gee, she looks healthy and can still enjoy that Ben & Jerry’s… What am I doing with this crap?? It’s not fair!!” I don’t think any of them could honestly tell you that their packaged space-barbie food tastes better than yours… I mean, I eat the stuff sometimes and I KNOW it tastes gross!! I just eat it because sometimes I can’t control myself with the high fat/calorie foods… But I’m working on it!!
Kelly L. says
About sugar free gum…..
I used to be a GUM ADDICT. Seriously, I would always have a piece in my mouth (except when at a social function, dinner, meeting, etc.) Then, I made a decision to start gettting rid of artificial sweetners and start using the real thing. I realized that SF gum had artificial sweetners in it as well and haven’t had a piece in about a month. I kinda quit cold turkey. Another reason I stopped with the gum though is because I find I’m now more in tune with my hunger cues. Gum just masked my hunger and I wasn’t listening to my body. Now, if I need something sweet I’ll have an Altoid or two.
Sure, I’m not going to say I’ll NEVER have SF gum or NEVER have something with artificial sweetners but I have cut back by 90%. Aspartame and Sacharin especially….
Another Kelly says
Kate, I’m the same way. When I first started dieting (I have since lost the weight and an in maintenance) it was diet everything. I’ve personally found I’d rather have the real thing less frequently than the diet version more often. And when I do, I try to make sure it’s under circumstances where I can really savor the flavor and enjoy every bite. So that means having a nice dessert after dinner vs. chowing down on a candy bar quickly at the vending machine. I’ve also found that now that I eat it less frequently I don’t really crave it very much. I also like to make desserts for myself because I think knowing all the hard work that goes into it makes me want to slow down and savor it mindfully. I also have found enough healthy foods that I enjoy eating and like to fix so even when I’m not having dessert, I feel satisfied and happy. I make most of my meals at home and it makes a huge difference because it’s easier to focus on what I can eat vs. what I can’t.
LT says
Hey Kate – I’d just TRY to stick it out as much as possible b/c I swear the more junk food I eat, the more I crave it! And the hungrier it makes me!!
Oh but I would also advise having your own small indulgences (I have to daily), like dark chocolate, homemade banana bread or cookies, or one of my favorites- frozen bananas- it’s just like ice cream to me and it’s sooo much cheaper!
Lindsay says
I agree w/ the convo about artificial sweeteners… I always felt bloated despite eating right and working out… Once I cut out Splenda (I almost always used it at least once a day and sometimes 3-4 times!), the bloating almost disappeared! Now I have acquired a taste for plain tea (both hot & iced) and love it… Coffee I still need a little milk to get me through it though… However I still chew a piece of gum once every few days – but that is my next goal!
Ange says
When I cut out artificial sweeteners, yes, I also cut out sugar free gum. It was hard because I was a gum addict, but I haven’t had any gum in months and months. I don’t even crave it like I used to. If I want something to freshen my breath, I have a peppermint altoid that doesn’t have artificial sweetener in it, but they only have like 5 calories anyways. It is a nice and healthier compromise.
Artificial sweeteners are in practically EVERYTHING now, it is rather annoying. I wanted to try this new weight smart oatmeal the other day and then I realized it was flavoured with artificial sweetener. Of course!
BethT says
NC Carter, I had the SAME craving last week. I had one of Amy’s quarter pound veggie burgers (VERY satisfying and filling!!) and some Alexia oven fries (which are AWESOME if you want quick, frozen fries that are a bit healthier). Yum!
Serena says
hmm, i just realized something. i gave up artificial sweeteners for lent (and i’m not even religious but i always try to give up something), and after reading all these posts, i realized that i have noticed that fruit tastes sweeter to me. i decided to try out regular gum though and found that it’s pretty hard to find non-sugar free gum these days! and it loses its sweetness super fast, so i guess if i try to stick to the no artificial sweetener thing, which i really want to, i may have to give up gum. altoids are a good substitute!
Alison says
I’d love to give up artificial sweeteners but it seems like it’s in almost everything- yogurts, pudding, granola bars- how do you avoid it? Is it just careful label reading? Any good alternative snacks?
Laura says
I quit the artificial sweetners about a month ago and have noticed that I don’t get the late afternoon drowsiness I used to. In fact, I seem to just generally have more energy.
Stacey M says
For everyone’s reference, here’s my personal list of food products that contain artificial sweeteners:
-Quaker Weight Control Oatmeals (:( sooo good, too)
-Dannon Light ‘n Fit yogurts
-KozyShack No Sugar Added Rice/Tapioca Puddings
-Jell-O 60-calorie puddings (the 100-calorie cups do not have artificial sweeteners)
-Diet sodas (of course)
-Snapple Diet Green Tea (Original/Mango/Asian Pear)
-Lipton Diet Citrus Green Tea
-Any sugar-free/diabetic friendly chocolate
Christin says
Alison,
a good general rule when checking labels is to avoid products that claim they are “free” of something: i.e. sugar free, or fat free, etc (think diet foods)…also look at the ingredients…the fewer ingredients there are, the less it was processed, and that’s what you want. The more you process something, the more it is robbed of it’s natural nutrients…when you get something that says something was “added” or was “enriched” (think breads, crackers, etc) it means that nutrients were added in after natural parts were taken out…maybe THE HUSBAND can explain about the wheat berry, its parts, and what is kept in or taken out in different types of flours, but in general, you want to look for the whole grain, or the whole fruit, etc and as few other ingredients as possible to be sure no sweeteners were added, and that you are getting the best quality as possible when it comes to selecting nutrient-rich, sweetener-free foods.
Ashley H says
haha Kath we had pretty much the same lunch but I didnt have pumpkin on hand but I which I did! I also added flax to my pb&j. I like the texture it adds. Have a great day and good luck on your tests!
Ange says
Alison-The truth is if you give up artificial sweeteners there ARE alot of these packaged diet foods you just have to say goodbye to. lol. I actually don’t miss the diet jello and cool whip anymore! I make most of my own desserts and treats now, so I know what goes into everything. I also have found that you can cut back on the sugar that is called for in a recipe and not really notice the difference.
I had to give up diet yogurt which used to be a HUGE part of my diet. What I do now is I buy the real stuff BUT I mix the unsweetened plain kind with the kind with regular sugar (equal parts- eg…1/2 c. plain unsweetened (greek) with 1/2 c. regular sugar kind). This cuts down on the sugar alot. And no artificial sweeteners.
I reaally like the Kashi products because they have natural ingredients, and I also venture over to the organic section to find great oatmeals, cereal, granola bars that are natural as well.
Alison says
Thanks Stacey and Christin! Very helpful! I’ll have to find a new pudding because I just can’t go without it entirely! I’m going to start checking out all my labels more carefully. Thank you!
Christianne says
I just bought some sprouted grain bread at the grocery store today and I don’t know how to store it… It came frozen, do I just thaw it and keep it in the pantry like regular bread or do I keep it frozen and heat it in the microwave when I want to use it? If anyone knows please enlighten me! Thanks!
Ange says
Oh and I meant to add- you can find TONS of great recipes for granola bars and the like on All Recipes.com. It is amazing how simple it is to make your own snacks! You end up saving tons of money this way too.
Elina says
Christianne, I keep my sprouted grain bread frozen and just toast it when I need to use it. I used to freeze bread anyway, because I eat it so rarely. It tastes fresh once toasted.
Romina says
Your breakfast bread looks SO good!!
Christin says
Christianne, I store mine in the fridge, that way it’s thawed, but it keeps WAY longer than at room temp.
hk says
me too, just toss the entire loaf in the fridge, it keeps perfectly for about a week (give or take ?)! enjoy, sprouted bread is truly delish toasted with a bit of apple butter and sliced banana and fresh PB!
Alison says
Thanks Ange for your advice! I sent my previous thank you before your message was posted. That’s a great tip about mixing the sugar flavored yogurt with plain yogurt- genius! I also like the Kashi products and actually just ate a pumpkin spice bar for the first time and it was tasty.
VeggieGirl says
So glad that your Physiology and Chemistry tests went well!! Best of luck on the rest :0)
PBJ on “your” breakfast bread (hehe) + carrots + grapes = totally coveted by VeggieGirl! ;0)
“See” you for dinner!
Betsy says
Christianne-I also just throw it in the fridge. I keep mine for about 2 weeks in there, and it’s fine.
All this talk about sugar free gum is inspiring me to cut out my Orbit! I love it, but and going to try to go without it for a week. We’ll see how that goes…
NCCarter says
Hey everyone! Just had to give an update to my cheeseburger craving. I gave in and got takeout from this yummy little bar/grill near my house. Had fries, too, and it was all really tasty. I don’t eat much red meat at all, but I had really been wanting a good burger for like, 3 weeks! I’m stuffed and happy to have given in. And – not to be overly obsessive, but I did work out for an hour at the gym this morning and then took a 2 1/2 mile walk this afternoon with my friend and our kids. It was 70 degrees here….couldn’t resist!
Christianne says
Thanks ladies! I knew I could count on you guys to tell me what to do!
Jessie says
Hey Kath, let me know what you think of that hazelnut tea from yogi, i got that kind about 2 weeks ago and although its not bad, it is very oddd. its spicy, as if after you drink it its as if you just ate a mild pepper, i find this a very strange sensation in tea. I go back and forth on it, just can’t decide if i like it or not! Curious for your input!!
Kim Mitchell says
Jen. Id need to know what state you live in, but you do not necessarily need a teaching degree/education major to work in a school. You should contact your state department of education and look at teacher licensing requirements. Some fields like science, math, engineering, FL, etc, they may fast track career changers or grant a provisional license. Private schools do not necessarily require certification either. Substitute teaching or work as a teaching asst. is a good entry into the education field/to get a feel for working in the classroom. You may not need to do as much as you think. If you are looking for a school that has the teaching component look into how much support they give you (field placement, teacher test prep etc). Good luck.
living2thetruth4god says
I am so confused on this how many calories should I eat thing. I am 5’4 and need to lose about 15 pounds. I was wondering…if I excercise for 45 minutes 4-5 days a week (walking) will eating 1200 calories help me lose weight?
Julia says
try this calorie calculator:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598
based on someone who is 5’4, 140 pounds, somewhat active you need 1900 just to maintain your weight. 1200 is much too low I think, especially if you are working out. I would aim for at least 1500.
Laurel says
Can someone recommend brands/ places to buy long (longer than hip length) workout tops, preferably sleeveless? I have a couple of jersey-type tops now but one is huge on me (though it’s the right length to cover my behind) and the others are too short–they end at my hipbones. I feel so exposed wearing short shirts and I hate it, especially if I’m at the gym on a cardio machine and there’s a row of people behind me on other machines.
Kath, could you tell us more about your weight training routine? How much do you lift, how many reps, free weights or machines, etc.? I used to do the Body for Life program (I lasted a month only). The food part was awful but the exercise was tolerable. I saw results quickly and liked the weight training part but it was difficult, strenuous and time-consuming.
Kath says
Kate,
Re. craving snacks. I can promise you it only gets easier with time. Victoria Moran in Fit From Within talks about “Fake It Until You Make It.” She basically says if you pretend that your healthy lifestyle is natural your actions will eventually become habit and your needs will match your desires. Although it’s taken a while, this has definitely happened to me. I used to eat a lot more packaged foods and now not only do I not crave them, but I don’t even really want to eat them. So I send you patience vibes and the advice to just keep doing what you know is healthy and it will only get easier.
Mel,
Thanks for the booster on beauty from within!
Ashley ,
We buy Harris Teeter brand PB in a jar. Do you keep yours in the fridge? With the trans-fat free ones you need to keep it chilled or the oils will separately. I LOVE almond butter but I haven’t tried many others because they are so expensive. Luckily Harris Teeter started making a store brand almond butter, but I saw it for TWICE as expensive at EarthFare this week, so you might want to shop around for the most inexpensive nut butters.
Julia ,
It was 1 tbsp, but remember it was a half sandwich so I got more height of PB per square inch 🙂
Ashley,
I used to chew 3-5 pieces of sugar-free Orbit a day and had GI issues for a long time before i figured out that was the culprit. I stopped cold turkey and my problems are gone!! Now if I could only kick the splenda in my coffee….
Jen ,
I’m doing a masters but I’m also completing the whole nutrition “major” that a BS would do too so I’m taking lots of undergrad classes for the R.D. requirements. The masters is only about 10 hours beyond the R.D. so it’s one of those “might as well just get it” situations. I don’t have a specific focus – I’m not sure if we even have that option?
NCCarter,
I enjoyed my burger too!! Glad you got your fix in.
Jessie,
Re. Yogi Teas, I’m actually not really impressed. NEITHER tea was naturally sweet, at least compared to Good Earth (which I think is TOO sweet!) and my Egyptian Liquorice one, which I like a lot. I didn’t dislike either of the Yogis, but they weren’t really what I was expecting.
Living4Truth,
I really like http://www.Caloriesperhour.com ‘s RMR calculator.
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php
Find out what your appx. maintenance calories are and subtract 300-500 from that number – more if you’re well over 2,000 and less if subtracting 500 would put you below 1500. Just my advice by opinion 🙂
Re. Artificial sweeteners,
I really enjoyed reading all of your comments on these. Some of the way I have cut them out are by cutting out diet soda (I used to drink more last summer), eating mostly plain yogurt and sweetened only on occasion, avoiding bars that aren’t make with fruit and nuts. Unfortunately I’ve still got to get over the splenda in coffee hurdle. I think I’ll just give up coffee in general before I’d drink it unsweet. Blech!
Laurel,
I have no idea on the workout tops. But my weight routine varies widely by the day and how much time I have. I generally lift my upper body 3 times a week. Once I do free weights, once I do machines and once I do pull-ups, dips and push-ups. In each session I try to target: biceps , triceps, shoulders, back, chest, and the front shoulder muscles that I forgot the name of! Sometimes I hit all of them, and other times I just do 1 or 2. I really don’t like weight lifting, so it tends to be what I cut out if I’m short on time. I also do abs, lunges, squats, jumps and the occasional leg machines when I remember to. So I guess I don’t really have a set routine! I just try to make each of my muscle groups burn a few days a week.
Kath