Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Cravings

So since starting this “Insanity” program, I also have had to change my eating. I have been doing pretty good for the past couple of days. Yesterday, I had peanut butter and strawberry spread on 1 slice of wheat bread, with a cup of OJ before I did my workout. After the workout, I had a whey protein shake with skim milk, and ½ a banana. For lunch I had a small salad, a turkey wrap (whole grain tortilla), and a cheese stick. For a snack I had a special K protein bar, and then a nectarine. For dinner I ate a shrimp pasta I made (whole grain pasta), along with another nectarine. In total, I had about 1525 calories, which is appropriate for the amount of exercising I am doing (in addition to doing “Insanity” in the mornings, I walk for over an hour at night).
One of the things I am really missing right now is cupcakes. I love cupcakes. I used to buy 1 cupcake a day at the local grocer. That got to be expensive, so I would then just buy the 6 pack in efforts to span the cupcakes over 6 days. That was a failure as I tended to eat all 6 cupcakes in one day! I know that was ridiculous. One thing I have had to learn to conquer is my cravings. I crave certain processed sweets.  My belief is that I was taught to crave it (subliminally). So I just have to play some mind games with myself in efforts to change my cravings.
I try to complete a detox once every month or so. My detox consists of eating only fruits, vegetables, brown rice, oatmeal, and egg whites. I commit to the detox for 3-9 days (depending on how I am feeling that week). I usually lose about 5-7 pounds every time (yeah, I know, probably mostly water weight); but the weight loss is not the big deal. My body feels cleaner when I do the detox. I actually feel like my body functions better during the detox (besides the headaches as the withdrawal symptoms). But what I learn during the detox is that I am able to overcome my cravings for sweets, and meat. Usually, after a detox for 3 days, I don’t even desire meat, and sometimes, not even sweets. It’s amazing how you can conquer things when you set your mind to it.  That is one thing I suggest to anybody who asks me about how to lose weight, or conquer cravings. Commit to a detox. It can change your life. Now many have said you don’t need to do a detox very often. I disagree. Or rather, I believe it depends on what type of detox you are doing. To go meatless and sweetless for a couple of days every month is a great idea to me. It has worked for me in helping to overcome cravings, and giving me the added bonus of losing a few pounds at the same time. It is more of a discipline thing, I think. Kind of like fasting. Fasting is definitely a way to get closer to God, to hear clearer, but in actuality, more than anything, it is about denying self. It is about disciplining self to understand that food is not what sustains you, and that you have power to control what you expose your body to.  A detox has the opportunity to work the same way, though the focus may be a little different from the fast; yet the principle is the same.
I’ve said enough for today….until tomorrow….
Also, I do a nutrition bit on an internet radio show every Wednesday at 1:30CST. Check me out:
-Jenelle

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