I’m a food-aholic. Eating is probably my favorite activity and the first thing I grab when I feel stressed or tired or bored.

Luckily I was able to stave off extra pounds until a few years ago. Confined to a desk 40 hours a week and minimal (if any) workouts packed on around 15lbs of extra weight. I felt sluggish and was disappointed that all of my pants were way too snug (I even took to unbuttoning the top button around 3pm every day).

This transpired right around the time I was planning my wedding and, like most brides, I desired to lose weight and look magnificent in my form fitting gown. I set about joining a gym and went religiously 5 days per week. After about 6 weeks I noticed I didn’t lose anything. What was I doing wrong?

I remembered reading about keeping a food journal and decided it might be a good idea. I couldn’t imagine carting around a Mead notebook, so I bought a really pretty journal similar to this one:

The first week I wrote down every little thing I ate – including every spoonful of sugar in my coffee, bite of dinner as I was cooking and every M&M I snuck from the office candy bowl. At the end of the week I used Calorie King to calculate all my calories. I then learned that all those little ‘bites’ I thought didn’t count – really did. I found out that the tiny slices of cheese I had before dinner added up to 600 calories. That meant in 5 minutes I ate all of the calories I burned on the treadmill the hour before. I also learned that the four Cafe Mocha’s I drank from Starbucks that weekend were over 500 calories – EACH!

Once I learned my offenses, I set about trying to change them. I started drinking non-fat lattes from Starbucks – tall not grande. I stopped buying cheese. I also stopped buying any other foods I knew I would mindlessly eat – like chips and salsa. I ate fish for dinner and salad. I drank black coffee at restaurants before my meal came so it would ruin the flavor and I would eat less. I cried the whole first week.

Then I realized the reason I always failed in the past was because I went 100% and then cheated – beat myself up – and then polished off a whole pint of ice cream. To avoid this ’set up for failure’ mentality, I went about eating better and exercising realistically. Here are a few things that worked:

Eating at home most of the week. Even the ‘healthy’ choices at restaurants are often cooked in butter. A chef even told me that most soups have bacon fat as an ingredient!
Checking out the restaurant website before going and checking the calorie count.
Stay away from creamy salad dressings. If you must have them, get it on the side and dip just a little.
Eat slowly and stop when you’re filled. I used to scarf a huge bowl of pasta and then afterward feel like I would throw up. Now I try to be mindful.
Don’t give up favorite foods – just eat smaller portions. I used to eat 4 pieces of pizza – now I eat 2 with a green salad.
Chew gum or drink a cup of tea to keep your mouth busy and away from mindless munching.
If you want something, wait 30 minutes. If you still want it – then have it! Most times you’re attention will move to something else.
Eat fiber cereal as a snack at night with non-fat milk. I like Special K with strawberries.
Spend money on cut up veggies and fruits so they are ready to go (and you don’t have the excuse that they aren’t ready)

Happy Eating!

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