Wednesday! Not many people look forward to Wednesdays, but I am one of them.
I am keeping this record as part of the commitment I have made to becoming a person in control of his weight. The commitment has two parts: (1) I weigh myself once per week and (2) I keep a journal or food diary and monitor my food intake every day. Before I created a new life for myself, my goal was just to eat until I was full, which I told myself made me happy. It didn’t, really. Now my goal is to be hungry for every meal. As my reward for eating less and getting hungry for meals, what I give myself to eat has to be worth the wait!
My daily food intake and calorie count are:
Breakfast – Strawberry shortcake roll (350)
- 350 calories
Lunch – Greek Gyro (600)
- 600 calories
Dinner – Jambalaya and rice (350); carnitas wraps (250).
- 600 calories
Snacking – tea with half and half (80); Reese’s PB Cup (80); Chocolate caramel candy (55); Nestle Lil drums (110)
- 325 calories
Total for the day: 1820 calories (limit 1800)
Yesterday didn’t go so well. My mind and body weren’t working together. Today, I made sure that I listened to myself. I wanted Strawberry shortcake roll. That was breakfast. Carbs are not an issue on this weight loss program, I don’t restrict myself that way.
And the shortcake roll is really worth eating. I made it myself for Easter. It has a jelly roll cake exterior, a homemade strawberry jam layer, and an inner layer of whipped cream and mascarpone cheese. I didn’t wrap it as neatly as I might have, but it was my first time and nobody complained. So that was probably ok. Anyway, yesterday I withheld the strawberry shortcake roll from myself – I wasn’t listening. I ran out of calories to spend on it. I didn not make that mistake today. I had the cake first. That way it was a reward.
Recently, I’ve noticed I can get hungry around 3-4PM. I’ve been fighting it for some reason, and withholding a snack. I’m not going to any more. If having a snack around that time (within my calorie budget of 1800 per day) will keep my body satisfied with my food control program, that is ok.
I am realizing that learning about yourself takes constant attention and you have to be willing to listen. The reward is big, though. I get a true feeling of accomplishment while I am losing weight, working body and mind and soul together. Really, losing weight is almost beside the point. I am so happy with my self-relationship. My food intake is under a much greater control than it ever has been, and it’s not a fight or starving myself or eating what I don’t want. It’s fulfilling.
-The Doctor