You Don't Miss What You Don't Have

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder…”

That’s what people in long distance relationships say. Well, I’ve never been in a long distance relationship, so I have no idea. Tonight, however, I’m tackling my relationship with food– or at least, taking note of it. And I’m hoping in that relationship, “Out of sight, out of mind” will apply.

I like sweets. I used to go through my day from my morning coffee sugar high to my afternoon sugar fix to some sort of dessert. On special occasions, I’d never skip the cake. And at restaurants, I always look at the dessert menu.

My trainer, Bill, asked me to keep a food journal. It’s been shown that the simple process of tracking what you eat will cause you to eat less. Bill wants to know:  What am I eating? When? How much? And how do I feel afterward? 

My trainer has also asked me to take on a personal challenge. Can I walk into our next session on Friday 2.2 pounds lighter? Can I effectively rid myself of those eating habits that make me retain water and crave more junk food?

Well, I’ll tell you this- since I began preparing for kettletell, I started paying attention. I learned that my daily “half-powder non-fat” hazelnut latte probably contributed about 6 grams of fat– first thing in the morning! I still get lattes, but the sugar-free, fat-free kind.

I’ve always known that I would never be able to eat just one french fry; I now make sure to eat a side salad, in addition to any other fruit and vegetables I eat, every day.

I realized that I had stopped drinking water regularly ever since I left a job that had a water cooler; I’ve been drinking 64 ounces of water daily more often than not. And I make sure I’m taking my multivitamin and other supplements every single day.

The result of this preliminary change in nutrition? I feel less bloated.  Just this morning, my neighbor asked me if I was losing weight! (Woo hoo!)

I have more energy. I don’t need to take a daily nap with my son– although watching him sleep still tempts me. I try to stay active with the little guys, even if it just means parking farther and pushing them around the parking lot in the double stroller.

These are the rewards of mindful eating that I need to keep in mind when I’m tempted, like tonight, by something extra special:

I didn’t eat the cream puffs, which is a good start. I still had a mini chocolate chip oatmeal cookie from Diamond Head Market, though. (Shhhh! Don’t tell Bill!)

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