Sunday Sweats: Finding my way with food

I've been good with my workouts for a long time now. I enjoy staying active and have found exercise I like.

My diet is another story. I don't like to restrict myself or eliminate things. I don't like having food items that are completely off-limits. Food is not just sustenance for me. It's also a form of entertainment. I like things that taste good ... even if I know they aren't good for me.

But I know I can't always eat whatever I want. I've done that some and it never goes well. I put on weight. And I feel gross.

So I need to find a balance. I'm working on that.

The first step is learning how to correctly categorize food. I sat down with one of the trainers in the fitness facility at my work. She went over some basics and I honestly learned a little bit. I've been putting foods in wrong categories for a long time.

- I thought black beans were protein. While they are a good source of protein, they're also a starch.

- I thought nuts were also a protein. Again, they are a source, but they're a fat.

- I thought cheese was a healthy choice as a snack. It's a fat. 

The list could go on and on. 

She told me she wanted me to look at food more carefully and eat five proteins, four cups of vegetables, one fat, and one starch a day.

I'll be honest -- I ignored her advice for a while. I ate what I wanted but was already thinking about their categories. I tried using a macros counter, but I became a bit too obsessive about it and I often felt bloated.

For the past month, I've been following my trainer's advice. Or at least following her advice more closely.  I've been keeping a food diary and tracking my meals on MyFitnessPal. The one starch a day has made a huge difference. I don't feel as bloated and gross. And the vegetables and protein help fill me up. 

I stick to the plan during the week and relax a little bit on the weekends. So far, it's working for me. 

I'm sure I'll continue to tweak the plan as I see what works, what doesn't, and when I plateau. I also need to make sure to change up my meals so I don't hit a food rut.  

My relationship with food is evolving and probably always will be.

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Last week's workouts
Sunday - Off
Monday - Cardio with Colby (30 mins) + FitFusion (60 mins)
Tuesday - Off
Wednesday - Group run/walk (30 mins)
Thursday - Barre with Britt (30 mins) + RIPPED (60 mins)
Friday - BodyPump (60 mins) + 1 mile on the treadmill
Saturday - Off