Today was a big milestone for me in my dieting advenute.... Today I was able to put on my jeans and actually button them! Yes, I will admit that they were still snug, but I was able to get them all the way up and button them and STILL be able to breath. I didn't have to suck in my stomach to get such satisfaction, either. Before I began my weight loss journey, and the thing that was the beginning of this dieting ripple effect in my life, I couldn't even come close to buttoning my jeans. I actually went to put them on one day before heading out to supper with the family so I wouldn't look like a royal mess and still wound up having to wear my athletic pants because putting jeans on just wasn't an option. That was a wake up call for me and I am so glad that I have began this journey to better understand and love myself.
I never realized how much I ate, I knew it was a lot, but I wasn't sure exactly how much. When I pulled out a pack of poptarts from my cabinet I ate both of them, so thankful that they tasted so good. But how many people actually look at the box to see the portion size? I decided to do it one day and guess what? 1 serving of poptarts is only 1 pastry. Why would they package them in 2 serving portions???? That makes no sense to me. So when I think I'm only eating 200 calories with my 2 pastries I am in reality eating 400 calories! Same thing with peanut butter bars. They are packaged with 2 waffer bars together but only 1 waffer bar is a single serving. So the 140 calories you believe to be eating is actually 280 calories.
By not watching what I put into my body I was doubling my caloric intake and not even realizing it. I have put myself on notice that I must look at every package and every bag before I consume anything so I know that I am only getting one serving. Just like bread, did you know that only 1 slice is a single serving? But in order to make a sandwich we use 2. What we should be doing is eating one serving and then pairing it with a healthy side like a salad or a fruit. The food industry is making it to where it is easy and convenient to over eat. I have become aware of that with everything I eat.
When I eat a bowl of cereal I actually measure out the 3/4 cup and the 1/3 cup of milk before eating. And guess what? It actually filled me up. We always eat with our eyes. It's just like the saying "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach". Yes, they are. So if you only put what you should be eating infront of your eyes than you will be so much more satisfied. And don't eat anything fast, eat is slow and enjoy every bite you put in your mouth. That way your body will be satisfied with taste as well.
Portioning food is a hassle sometimes but when you are dedicated and can see the positive outcome you have it all becomes worth it. Even if you decide not to exercise at all just lower the amount of food you are putting into your body. Go from eating those 400 calories worth of poptarts to only the 200 you should be eating. Your body will still feel full if you take twice the time to eat that single poptart and enjoy every minute of it. Or pair it with orange juice (one serving) or a big glass of water. Water is the calorie free way of helping with the portion control while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Just log one day what you normally eat and then the next day eat the same thing but only eat a single serving of that. Then compare what you logged for those 2 days. How many fewer calories did you consume on day 2 than on day 1? Did you feel any better? Did you drink plenty of water to balance out the fact that you are consuming less (yet still a healthy amount of your daily needs)?
I challenge everyone to consume only a single serving of every food you put into your body for one week. Did you weigh any less? Did you feel less hungry at the end of the week? Starting to do this will lead to a healthier you and a happier life.
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