- Peanut butter & jelly sandwich
- chicken noodle soup
- 2 handfuls corn chips & salsa
- Lasagna
- Tossed Salad w/italian dressing ~ 2 helpings
- dinner roll
- 2 cookies
- 6 beers over 5 hr period
- 2 handfuls corn chips & salsa
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Food Log
Lunch (12:40 PM, 6)
Friday, April 3, 2009
Playing with Hunger
I read a little more in Breaking Free from Emotional Eating on hunger. Turns out I wasn't far off. You can't really say exactly what it feels like for a person to be hungry. It's something each person has to experience for themselves. Likewise for fullness. Everyone is going to feel different things when they are hungry or full.
Her suggestion was to rate the hunger/fullness experience when you decide to eat. When you decide it's time to consume, figure out on a scale of 1-10 how hungry/full you are and keep that along side the food log. While I had a hard time understanding her hunger rating system (1 being most hungry, 10 being least), I did buy into the concept. I decided a 1 to 10 rating based on fullness fit my mental model better. I know what it feels like to be stuffed and uncomfortablly full, i.e. a "10". I don't know that it makes much difference how the ratings expressed. So going forward my food logs will have a "fullness" factor, 10 being most full.
The author also suggested experimenting with hunger. What happens if you feel really hungry and don't eat? What feelings arise both mentally and physiologically? She describes her body feeling queasy and getting headaches when she's most hungry. I don't know that I've ever experienced that level although I do get a touch queasy when I believe myself to be more hungry than usual along with that pinched sensation. My guess is that I typically eat when I'm about a 5 on the fullness scale.
Her suggestion was to rate the hunger/fullness experience when you decide to eat. When you decide it's time to consume, figure out on a scale of 1-10 how hungry/full you are and keep that along side the food log. While I had a hard time understanding her hunger rating system (1 being most hungry, 10 being least), I did buy into the concept. I decided a 1 to 10 rating based on fullness fit my mental model better. I know what it feels like to be stuffed and uncomfortablly full, i.e. a "10". I don't know that it makes much difference how the ratings expressed. So going forward my food logs will have a "fullness" factor, 10 being most full.
The author also suggested experimenting with hunger. What happens if you feel really hungry and don't eat? What feelings arise both mentally and physiologically? She describes her body feeling queasy and getting headaches when she's most hungry. I don't know that I've ever experienced that level although I do get a touch queasy when I believe myself to be more hungry than usual along with that pinched sensation. My guess is that I typically eat when I'm about a 5 on the fullness scale.
Food Log
Breakfast (7:20 AM, 5)
- Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese
- coffee
- Ham & Turkey club, lettuce, tomato, mayo/mustard
- diet Coke
- bbq potato chips
- 12 oz T Bone steak
- Baked Potato, sour cream and butter
- green salad, balsamic dressing
- fried onion pieces
- scotch and soda water - 2
- scotch and soda water - 4
- Reeses Puffs Cereal - 2 bowls
- left over egg roll
- 2 handfuls corn chips with salsa
Thursday, April 2, 2009
On Being Hungry
Last night I started reading Breaking Free from Emotional Eating and although I didn't get too deep into it (I was tired and fell asleep) one of my first take always was this: eat when you are hungry. The assumption behind that statement is that we eat when we're not hungry primary out of habit or of something mascaraing as hunger, e.g. depressions, boredom, schedule.
Perhaps it's explained later but my first thought was what's it supposed to feel like to be hungry? Is it this pinching feeling in my GI track that I've described? Is it when my stomach growls? Is it when my head says it's time to eat? My immediate next thought was what is being full supposed to feel like? I know what I feel like when I'm over full, but what's that stoppage point feel like?
Those are some really basic questions that get to the heart of eating and stopping the eating process. It's one thing to know what can help trigger and stop the hunger in terms of hormones and higher order processes, but if I'm to eat when hungry and stop when full it'll have to be based on body feelings that I'm not paying attention to right now.
Some other items she mentioned doing I'm doing in this blog: keeping a food log with dates and times. She suggested adding a hunger level along with that and writing down feelings and observations. Honesty in reporting is important also. I have to be honest with myself and others about what I'm doing with my eating.
The book had great reviews, which had a lot to do with why I purchased it. I'm interested in reading more.
Perhaps it's explained later but my first thought was what's it supposed to feel like to be hungry? Is it this pinching feeling in my GI track that I've described? Is it when my stomach growls? Is it when my head says it's time to eat? My immediate next thought was what is being full supposed to feel like? I know what I feel like when I'm over full, but what's that stoppage point feel like?
Those are some really basic questions that get to the heart of eating and stopping the eating process. It's one thing to know what can help trigger and stop the hunger in terms of hormones and higher order processes, but if I'm to eat when hungry and stop when full it'll have to be based on body feelings that I'm not paying attention to right now.
Some other items she mentioned doing I'm doing in this blog: keeping a food log with dates and times. She suggested adding a hunger level along with that and writing down feelings and observations. Honesty in reporting is important also. I have to be honest with myself and others about what I'm doing with my eating.
The book had great reviews, which had a lot to do with why I purchased it. I'm interested in reading more.
Food Log
Breakfast (8 AM, hungry)
- mixed fruit ~ 1.25 cups
- coffee cake
- coffee - 2 cups
- Turkey & sandwich on sourdough w/mayo and mustard
- salad with Asian dressing
- diet pepsi
- Teriyaki Chicken Lo Mein - 2 helpings
- pork egg roll - 2
- lemon aid
- 3 tsp peanut butter
- 3 tsp strawberry spread
- decaf coffee
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Trying to be Good
This evening was challenging. We had a favorite family meal this time: meat loaf, mashed potatoes, gravy and mixed veggies. I usually end up stuffing myself until I feel uncomfortable. This evening we ended up eating later than usual, almost 7:30 PM so I was hungry despite my late lunch.
Problem was I was hungry in my head when I hit the door. Normally I would have had chips & salsa or peanut butter & crackers but I didn't. I did have 2 oz of tuna in 1 oz of olive oil in an attempt to provide a pre-meal, high satiety appetizer. I read about this while investigating where hunger comes from. Figured no time like the present to give it a try.
Well I certainly didn't snack any more until dinner, which was about 2.5 hours after I came home. I did eat 2 helping of everything for dinner, however, but I did stop then even though my head wanted more. I was going to have some carrot cake, but I decided to wait to see if I felt hungry later.
Since it's rainy tonight I can't walk outside and now at a bit passed 10 PM, I'm not really hungry for that piece of carrot cake. I want it, but I'm not hungry for it. I'm not sure this is an "atta boy" since I did eat a bit more at dinner that I really needed but it is a step in the right direction.
Problem was I was hungry in my head when I hit the door. Normally I would have had chips & salsa or peanut butter & crackers but I didn't. I did have 2 oz of tuna in 1 oz of olive oil in an attempt to provide a pre-meal, high satiety appetizer. I read about this while investigating where hunger comes from. Figured no time like the present to give it a try.
Well I certainly didn't snack any more until dinner, which was about 2.5 hours after I came home. I did eat 2 helping of everything for dinner, however, but I did stop then even though my head wanted more. I was going to have some carrot cake, but I decided to wait to see if I felt hungry later.
Since it's rainy tonight I can't walk outside and now at a bit passed 10 PM, I'm not really hungry for that piece of carrot cake. I want it, but I'm not hungry for it. I'm not sure this is an "atta boy" since I did eat a bit more at dinner that I really needed but it is a step in the right direction.
Food Log
Breakfast (10 AM)
- Breakfast burito - wheat wrap, eggs, salsa, rice, beans, cheese and some green squisy stuff
- coffee
- P&P Loaf sandwich - 3 slices, w/lettuce, cheese, pickles, mayo/mustard
- 1 handful corn chips
- salsa
- lemon aid
- 2 oz tuna in 1 oz olive oil
- Meat loaf w/catchup - 1.5 helpings
- Mashed Potatoes w/gravy - 2 helpings
- Mixed veggies - 2 helping
- cup of 1% milk
- Coffee
Eating Schedule Myth
Trying to maintain an eating schedule, e.g. breakfast by X time, lunch by Y time, etc. is a myth, well at least for my life anyway. Where as yesterday I was hungry before 7 AM, this morning I didn't feel like eating until almost 10 and even then I had to force myself to eat (LOL, what a hardship) so I wouldn't skip it entirely.
I had hoped that by eating breakfast I would establish a more predictable eating pattern that eliminated the hi/lows of being hungry at any one point. So much for that wish. On balance I think eating breakfast has helped - I certainly feel I have more energy in the early parts of the AM (provided I eat then) than when I was not eating breakfast. I've tried several different types of foods and although I haven't settled on a favorite the experimentation has been fun!
All that said, I do think it's important to eat when I feel hungry rather than waiting until an appointed time and consuming an appropriate amount of food rather than binging until I get that full feeling. By that time I'll have eaten too much and it's too late to give it back.
I had hoped that by eating breakfast I would establish a more predictable eating pattern that eliminated the hi/lows of being hungry at any one point. So much for that wish. On balance I think eating breakfast has helped - I certainly feel I have more energy in the early parts of the AM (provided I eat then) than when I was not eating breakfast. I've tried several different types of foods and although I haven't settled on a favorite the experimentation has been fun!
All that said, I do think it's important to eat when I feel hungry rather than waiting until an appointed time and consuming an appropriate amount of food rather than binging until I get that full feeling. By that time I'll have eaten too much and it's too late to give it back.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Slow Bloat
I was extremely hungry when I hit the door at 6:15 PM this evening. My big breakfast had long worn off as had lunch and I wasn't being patient about eating. My wife had the pasta chicken dish ready when I got home. I had 2 helpings and really had to force myself not to have a third. Since I was still hungry I decided to wait a bit before eating more. After an hour, I had some milk and a piece of that carrot cake. My GI track still felt empty but I didn't eat anything else.
I had some errands to run in town with my daughter and while I was out started to feel full. As the evening wore on and I went on my walk, I really felt like I'd had too much to eat. I was definitely not hungry any more. I felt really bloated. I'm wondering if pasta or the sauce on it has some delayed dietary effect or if I really ate more than I needed to. I felt great for not having that 3rd bowl, but should I have had less, perhaps just 1 despite how hungry I still felt?
I had some errands to run in town with my daughter and while I was out started to feel full. As the evening wore on and I went on my walk, I really felt like I'd had too much to eat. I was definitely not hungry any more. I felt really bloated. I'm wondering if pasta or the sauce on it has some delayed dietary effect or if I really ate more than I needed to. I felt great for not having that 3rd bowl, but should I have had less, perhaps just 1 despite how hungry I still felt?
Food Log
Breakfast (7 AM)
- 2 eggs over medium
- 3 strips of bacon
- 1 slice toast, margarine and strawberry spread
- 1 cup coffee
- Medium toasted tuna melt from D'Angelos
- Small bag BBQ Potato chips
- medium diet Coke
- Tuscan Garlic Chicken Pasta - 2 servings
- water
- cup of 1% milk
- low fat carrot cake
Out of the Chute
While it doesn't happen too often, there are nights where I have problems going back to sleep. Last night, or rather this morning was one of them. I awoke about 4:30 AM and just could not go back to sleep. At 5 I decided to get up and try to read a bit, perhaps get sleepy. No dice. My son got called into work about 5:30 AM so I took him. By 6 AM my daughter was up. I tried to lay back down from 6-7 AM but I gave up at 6:40.
I was hungry however. That pinching feeling had been there since about 5 AM, so I decided to use my extra time this AM to make a big breakfast like I make on Sunday - eggs, bacon, toast and coffee - no hash browns. I was eating a little before 7 AM and still had plenty of time to do my 3 S's and get my daughter to school on time. And I was seriously awake by the time I hit work. Usually it takes my first cup of coffee at 8:30 AM to come fully awake. Not this AM - I felt like a bull out of the chute. Got a lot of stuff cleared off my work plate before 9 AM rolled around.
I'm certainly not going to guess at what the rest of the day will bring in terms of energy levels and hunger, although I can say I'm starting to get a little hungry now. Typically I get more tired that usual if I have trouble sleeping. I have a 1 PM meeting at our main office this afternoon which means about a 45 minute drive up and back today. It's a nice day for it, however and perhaps the fresh air will keep me perked up.
I was hungry however. That pinching feeling had been there since about 5 AM, so I decided to use my extra time this AM to make a big breakfast like I make on Sunday - eggs, bacon, toast and coffee - no hash browns. I was eating a little before 7 AM and still had plenty of time to do my 3 S's and get my daughter to school on time. And I was seriously awake by the time I hit work. Usually it takes my first cup of coffee at 8:30 AM to come fully awake. Not this AM - I felt like a bull out of the chute. Got a lot of stuff cleared off my work plate before 9 AM rolled around.
I'm certainly not going to guess at what the rest of the day will bring in terms of energy levels and hunger, although I can say I'm starting to get a little hungry now. Typically I get more tired that usual if I have trouble sleeping. I have a 1 PM meeting at our main office this afternoon which means about a 45 minute drive up and back today. It's a nice day for it, however and perhaps the fresh air will keep me perked up.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Little Victories
There's that saying about the journey of 1000 miles beginning with a single step - in my case it's more like the journey of weight loss beginning with little victories. If I don't celebrate them no matter how small I'm likely to forget that this is a journey and not an instantaneous event.
I'll celebrate resisting hot dogs. I know, seems silly but I love Nathan's hot dogs. I know they are not the best for me, but darn they are good on a New England roll with mustard, onions, relish, and sauce. Mmmmmm.. I can usually eat 4-5 of the long ones for dinner along with baked beans and some fries. I try to limit that meal to once a month or so since I can just wolf them down. Well, this evening was the meal and I'm proud of myself for only eating 3 plus the beans and no fries and a diet Pepsi.
Over the course of my readings about weight loss I've encountered articles about waiting 20 minutes in between courses. Ya, right! How about waiting a little bit - say 5 or 10 minutes. So I tried that - taking a break between courses for a few minutes and then resumed. At the time I stopped I wanted another couple of hot dogs. When I resumed I ate one but then started to feel full so I stopped, finished my Pepsi and then cleaned up. I did peek at the carrot cake I made yesterday but didn't have a piece - yet.
So, I'll give myself another atta boy for pausing between courses, eating 1-2 less hot dog than usual and not eating dessert right away - and I walked for 40 minutes even though it was threatening rain outside.
I'll celebrate resisting hot dogs. I know, seems silly but I love Nathan's hot dogs. I know they are not the best for me, but darn they are good on a New England roll with mustard, onions, relish, and sauce. Mmmmmm.. I can usually eat 4-5 of the long ones for dinner along with baked beans and some fries. I try to limit that meal to once a month or so since I can just wolf them down. Well, this evening was the meal and I'm proud of myself for only eating 3 plus the beans and no fries and a diet Pepsi.
Over the course of my readings about weight loss I've encountered articles about waiting 20 minutes in between courses. Ya, right! How about waiting a little bit - say 5 or 10 minutes. So I tried that - taking a break between courses for a few minutes and then resumed. At the time I stopped I wanted another couple of hot dogs. When I resumed I ate one but then started to feel full so I stopped, finished my Pepsi and then cleaned up. I did peek at the carrot cake I made yesterday but didn't have a piece - yet.
So, I'll give myself another atta boy for pausing between courses, eating 1-2 less hot dog than usual and not eating dessert right away - and I walked for 40 minutes even though it was threatening rain outside.
Waited on the Pinch
I intentionally wanted to wait until I felt that pinching feeling in my GI track today to see how long it would take. About 1 PM or so I felt it. That was about 5 hours after eating a light breakfast. I took my time eating lunch, 20 minutes or so. Since I'm not a big broccoli fan, eating a small amount of the leftovers wasn't a huge problem. The corn biscuits and water were good for rounding it off.
Now, however, it's a bit after 2 PM and that pinching feeling is back, although I still feel somewhat full. The GI acidity from early in the day is gone but it still feels a bit rumbly down there so I'm not too sure what to make of my current situation.
With my daughter at home today (she's not feeling well), I won't have the opportunity to grab an afternoon snack at home. If I get feeling too hungry I'll have to find a snack to tied me over until dinner since I don't want to arrive home ravenous.
Now, however, it's a bit after 2 PM and that pinching feeling is back, although I still feel somewhat full. The GI acidity from early in the day is gone but it still feels a bit rumbly down there so I'm not too sure what to make of my current situation.
With my daughter at home today (she's not feeling well), I won't have the opportunity to grab an afternoon snack at home. If I get feeling too hungry I'll have to find a snack to tied me over until dinner since I don't want to arrive home ravenous.
Food Log
Breakfast (8:15 AM)
- pears and cottage cheese
- corn biscuit
- coffee
- left over broccoli cheese and rice casserole ~ 1.5 servings
- 2 corn biscuit
- water
- 3 Nathan's hot dogs - mustard, onions, relish, coney sauce
- baked beans ~ 1.75 servings
- diet Pepsi
- Coffee
- Carrot Cake
Breakfast Struggles
I can just tell that finding an appropriate breakfast food selection is going to be hard. Since I had some leftover pears and cottage cheese I opted for that this AM along with a left over corn biscuit. While I'm not feeling heavy or bloated, I'm getting lots of acid push-back. Yuck. I'm tempted to wash it down with coffee, but at times that kicks back more stomach juices than just leaving it alone. At least I'm not hungry at this point.
I do wonder if there is some relationship between my unappetizing breakfast feelings and taking my cholesterol medicine in the AM rather than at night. I missed last nights, so I took it this morning instead. I'll have to read the bottle on that. Perhaps it needs to be eaten with food.
I do wonder if there is some relationship between my unappetizing breakfast feelings and taking my cholesterol medicine in the AM rather than at night. I missed last nights, so I took it this morning instead. I'll have to read the bottle on that. Perhaps it needs to be eaten with food.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Something to a Big Breakfast?
I'm glad I had that big breakfast today. It gave me a chance to compare my eating habits today vs. usual days of little to no breakfast. While it's not conclusive, perhaps there's something to it since I don't feel like I at that much today by comparison.
I didn't really start to get hungry again until 2:30 PM after I got back from grocery shopping. Normally I would have opened a bag of chips and had salsa while I stowed the groceries. Instead I made myself a bowl of cottage cheese and pears and nibbled on that while putting things away. By the time I was done, I had a glass of lemon aid and feel comfortable. No gnawing pinched feeling. An hour or so later I did have chips and salsa but not a whole bag as usual. I grabbed 2 handfuls of chips, put them in a bowl and ate just those. I did want more when I was done but didn't.
I did make a low fat carrot cake (200 calories per slice vs 500+) for dessert this week and then a broccoli cheese-n-rice casserole for dinner, including some homemade corn biscuits.
Yumm!! Ate about 1.5 helping of the casserole and 2 biscuits. Not bad. Went for my 40 minute walk after and had a medium decaf coffee and 1 small square of the carrot cake when I got back.
I feel like I did a good job managing my eating today and felt like I ate less than I normally do on a Sunday. I'll have to try the "larger breakfast" idea during the week and see how it goes.
I didn't really start to get hungry again until 2:30 PM after I got back from grocery shopping. Normally I would have opened a bag of chips and had salsa while I stowed the groceries. Instead I made myself a bowl of cottage cheese and pears and nibbled on that while putting things away. By the time I was done, I had a glass of lemon aid and feel comfortable. No gnawing pinched feeling. An hour or so later I did have chips and salsa but not a whole bag as usual. I grabbed 2 handfuls of chips, put them in a bowl and ate just those. I did want more when I was done but didn't.
I did make a low fat carrot cake (200 calories per slice vs 500+) for dessert this week and then a broccoli cheese-n-rice casserole for dinner, including some homemade corn biscuits.
Yumm!! Ate about 1.5 helping of the casserole and 2 biscuits. Not bad. Went for my 40 minute walk after and had a medium decaf coffee and 1 small square of the carrot cake when I got back.I feel like I did a good job managing my eating today and felt like I ate less than I normally do on a Sunday. I'll have to try the "larger breakfast" idea during the week and see how it goes.
Food Log
Breakfast (9:30 AM)
- 5 slices of bacon
- 2 eggs over medium
- 1 piece of toast, margarine and strawberry jam
- 1 cup coffee
- hash browns from 2 potatos
- water
- cottage cheese with pears
- 2 handfuls of corn chips and salsa
- lemon aid
- Broccoli cheese-n-rice casserole ~ 1.5 helpings
- 2 corn meal biscuits
- water
- medium coffee
- 1 slice of carrot cake
Sunday Morning Breakfast
Although I've previously posted about not being a breakfast eater, there is one exception - Sunday morning is big breakfast time. Bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast and coffee are the usual fare. I make it then eat it while reading the Sunday paper.
This morning was no exception. I started making it about 9 AM and by 9:30 ish I was ready to eat. Yumm!! Ya, the bacon probably isn't the best for me and I cook the eggs in part of the bacon grease but man is it good. Normally I eat about 8 slices of bacon and 2 slices of toast. I'll give my self an "atta boy" for only consuming 5 slices of bacon and 1 piece of toast. When my stomach felt full I stopped. My head kept telling me to eat, but I had a glass of water to wash the salty taste down and finished my cup of coffee.
Last night I managed to have a small late night snack with friends over drinks. 1 bag of popcorn and a few handfuls of potato chips helped by 4 scotches. I still want that PBJ but I ate only a spoonful of peanut butter and jelly. Better than eating a whole sandwich. I did get in a 45 minute walk between 7:30 and 8:30 PM. Most weekends are much worse on the consumption front so I feel like I'm doing a better job.
This morning was no exception. I started making it about 9 AM and by 9:30 ish I was ready to eat. Yumm!! Ya, the bacon probably isn't the best for me and I cook the eggs in part of the bacon grease but man is it good. Normally I eat about 8 slices of bacon and 2 slices of toast. I'll give my self an "atta boy" for only consuming 5 slices of bacon and 1 piece of toast. When my stomach felt full I stopped. My head kept telling me to eat, but I had a glass of water to wash the salty taste down and finished my cup of coffee.
Last night I managed to have a small late night snack with friends over drinks. 1 bag of popcorn and a few handfuls of potato chips helped by 4 scotches. I still want that PBJ but I ate only a spoonful of peanut butter and jelly. Better than eating a whole sandwich. I did get in a 45 minute walk between 7:30 and 8:30 PM. Most weekends are much worse on the consumption front so I feel like I'm doing a better job.
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