Battle of the Buldge: Unforseen Challenges

Wonderfully, I lost three pounds the first two weeks of incorporating my new “eating strategy.” Sadly, I gained them all back this week.  There were some unforeseen challenges.

1. As stated in my previous post, sitting and eating at a table with no entertainment to distract me is really, really boring. So much so, that I have skipped meals to avoid it. Then I get grouchy, really, really hungry, shrug my shoulders and mindlessly devour Triscuits at my desk. (Pretty sure they’re putting fewer crackers in each box. No way could I finish a full box in one sitting.)

2. Eating is a very social activity.  We often meet friends, hold business meetings and spend time with family over meals.  This is an entertaining distraction that leaves me looking at my empty plate wondering where the food went.

3. Another social activity? Watching a movie at home with the family. Troy made snacks. Abstaining would invalidate his effort.

4. One must taste what one is cooking several times throughout the process. Every Top Chef and self respecting Italian knows this (Honestly, I am neither but want to cook like both).

5. Troy ruptured his Achilles tendon playing soccer recently and had surgery to sew the two pieces back together.  Since then, he has to do everything from bed: work, socializing, and yes, eat. What kind of cold, selfish woman would abandon her injured husband to take his meals alone so she can stick to a new eating strategy?  The scale would testify, not this chick.

6. Stress and fatigue from activities such as catering to an injured man (who doesn’t know what he wants, just that he wants to feel better), while still working, housekeeping, and chauffeuring kids, makes me not care so much about this new eating strategy. This latest episode of stress and fatigue has revealed a long standing pattern: I do great on a diet until life gets all…life-ish, and then everything falls apart.

7. I eat breakfast at work.  As an hourly employee, it is irresponsible to eat it in the break room.  Besides, I really want to start my work day!

For the seven reasons above it is really tempting to give up on this new plan, but I refuse, so let’s take some time to problem solve together.

1. Maybe it’s time to set  regular eating times whether I feel like taking a break or not, to only be abandoned if stomach flu is involved.

2. When eating with others, take a bite, put the fork down until completely done chewing, take a pull on the water bottle, then go for the next bite.  I noticed the other day when eating with friends that we all keep our forks at the ready, and shovel more in when we really haven’t finished what’s already in there. This could be a good strategy as it will give me time to feel full. Could also help with hydration.

3. For snacks during movies or the *Superbowl this past weekend, my thought is to make up a small plate (only modestly domed, no Jenga of food stuffs creatively piled to great heights) of whatever snacks are available and when the plate is empty, you’re done.

4. Yes, tasting food that is being cooked is a must.  However, there is a lot of difference between a taste and a bite. I’m allowing three tastes per meal.

5. Joining Troy for meals is non-negotiable, so the only thing I can think of  is to make up a plate of food that is half of what I think I need.  Once I’m comfortable in my bed, will I really want to go back down for seconds?  This is pitting food cravings against laziness.  It will be fascinating to see who wins!

6. A friend suggested going for a walk or doing push-ups or something of the like to deal with stress.  Sounds great until you add the tired piece. Really, I’m at a loss (obviously or I would have conquered this by now). When stressed and tired eating is very comforting. Totally open to suggestions.

7. This one is tough.  I think it’s time to buckle down and give myself time to eat breakfast at home before work.  It means getting up earlier, but not by much and means fewer dishes to do at work. I’ll give it a go and see what happens.

Honestly, the unforeseen challenges are a little discouraging.  The whole point of this eating strategy was to keep things simple, and now I have to come up with more strategies to uphold the overarching one.  Maybe I should just think of this as starting new habits?

What sabotages your diet/exercise resolutions?  How do you overcome these unforeseen challenges?

*This year’s Superbowl bored me to pieces. I’m just not a football person (This was the first season I could finally admit this to myself, and to the men in my family). Plus I had no emotional investment in either team, which is a  must if there is any hope of keeping my interest.  The closest I came was rooting for San Francisco whose name commemorates the 1849 gold rush when scores of hopefuls came out to mine it. My people were coal miners. Miners are miners, so there you go. Still, I half watched Netflix on my phone only pausing to watch the commercials – which is totally backwards, but made total sense at the time.