It used to be that I could stay skinny while eating anything in front of me. All I had to do was go out and play and I stayed my same, skinny self. I played baseball and football at the nearby park and I ran cross country in school. Lately, it’s not that easy. I’ve just finished 5 weeks of marathon training, running 4 days a week. Going from running 11 miles in the first week to running 14+ this past week. From burning 2024 calories the first week to burning 2523 calories this week. From 230 pounds the first week to 230 pounds this last week.
Wait…what? Let me get this straight…all that extra running hasn’t put a dent in my bodyweight? Before you get all uppity…yes, I do understand all the other health benefits I AM getting from running. However, I started this program with the intent of losing some weight. I don’t have anything against reducing my risk of heart disease, but I want to ditch this gut, damnit. I want to see the health benefit of not putting my feet and legs through the stress of carrying my 230 pound self around all the time.
So if expending more calories hasn’t been enough to do the trick, obviously I need to examine the calories going into my body. Food is actually good for you, so I’m not necessarily looking to reduce how much I eat, but to at least make sure the calories I’m putting in my mouth will be used for something other than filling space in fat cells. So what sorts of things can I change in my diet that aren’t major changes?
Breakfast
No more breakfast burritos or croissant breakfast sandwiches at the company cafeteria. Get some eggs with some vegetables and maybe some whole grain toast.
Lunch
No more croissant sandwiches (yes, I do have a thing for the croissant). Switch it up with whole grain bread instead. Doing so also means I can change from mayo to mustard (mustard on a croissant is just wrong).
Dinner
It’s entirely possible that I don’t need the combo plate at Rubio’s anymore. The burrito is filling enough, I really don’t have to throw in a fish taco to go with it (though they are amazingly good).
Throughout the day
No more sugary sodas…I mean it this time. Stick to what diet drinks I can tolerate (Sierra Mist Free), water and fat free or low fat milk. And no more late afternoon snacks with the guys in the cafeteria that involve Rice Krispies and marshmallows.
That ought to do it. I could switch up and go back to the South Beach Diet or the Abs Diet and I know I’d drop weight, but I think these changes are sufficient for now.