Health is wealth, Dawn. You are doing great. Eating is 100% natural and never your enemy. (You wouldn't punish yourself when you have to go to the ladies room or drink a glass of water, right? Eating is the same thing, its natural and normal for survival.) What you want to do is eat the things your body loves and ditch anything that could spike your blood sugar (which makes you very, very hungry!) And keep the protein and veggies and healthy fats like avocados (yum!) And flaxseed oil (omegas like salmon and makes the BEST salad dressing) because healthy fats tell your brain to shut off hunger mode and they satisfy you. Protein for your muscles. Use beautiful steamed broccoli anywhere you would noodles, or spaghetti squash under your spaghetti sauce. Its SOOO good. Maybe a bit of feta or goat cheese on top. NEVER EAT FAST FOOD AGAIN. Not kidding. This is the exception to eating for survival, this stuff is really, really bad. If I "have" to eat fast food, I run to Kroger or
Walmart and wala, you can get a whole cooked chicken and usually fresh for the price of one fast food lunch, but you get the WHOLE chicken. Do a search for my kale salad recipe. Every single person I have given it to is over the moon for them. A huge bag of kale at Walmart is $2.78. It isn't just surviving, it is Really Really tasty! (I have a friend who is almost too small for XS?! I didn't even know people had that "problem". Anyway she works out with me to keep her anxiety level sane, likes her muscles, and even though she is NOT dieting cuz she does not want to lose weight at all, she eats our kalesalads every day and we can't wait for them. It is soooo tasty. Lightly steam kale til it's still bright green, add some grilled chicken or natural lunch meat turkey for protein, artichoke hearts, beets (definitely don't knock until you try them! We can't run out of them), apple cider vinegar mixed with flaxseed oil and water for dressing, some feta or goat cheese sprinkles on top! If I have steamed broccoli, that goes in it, even asparagus. Whatever you have on hand. I might even pop a spicy BBQ sauce over the top for some zing. Anyway we bring lunch with us everyday because you can't find food this good anywhere to buy. The kale has a ton of really good vitamins and we haven't had a sick day all year. Even my fast food eating husband asks me to make him a kale salad for lunch (he is becoming reformed.)
Almond milk with a piece of frozen banana and a chocolate protein shake and wow 30 awesome grams of protein in less than 2 min to make as you head out the door. Don't be afraid of eggs, even the yoke, they are full of good stuff and the idea that eggs give you heart attacks is from like the 70s. (We don't drive cars or use phones from the 70s, why would the health be any different?)
And of course, walking and running and some weights. Exercise will really help keep the hunger down because it helps naturally to keep blood sugar levels to a safer low. When you have a goal like we do, nothing can stop you! We want to be able to walk all over the parks, and run the 5k, and feel good doing it. Both Twinkie and I have lost over 13 pounds since December. I've taken clothes out that I have not been able to wear for 18 months, it's SO fun, nothing can compare to that. Keep doing your training and remember that one bad day or even one bad week does NOT mean its over or you failed. You pick up the next day or week and you keep living and making progress and every bit, every pound, every mile is a victory.
Happy 5k training every one!