Gum update: For a week, from the time I decided to start cutting out gum, until Sunday, when I took off on my business trip, I didn’t have a single piece of gum. Then, when Sunday rolled around, I went back to the habit. I still haven’t been chewing as much as I did before I decided to stop, but I did go back to it. But it’s better than it was.
The diet drinks, on the other hand, I’ve been using a lot. So that’s another thing to work on. Oy vey. It’s always something. But the drinks, combined with the extra carbs this week, are giving me a headache, racing pulse, and poor performance when I work out.
More of the same. Zoneing and not blogging about it here. I’m managing to keep up with the workout log, but this one is more difficult, for some reason.
So, here are some true confessions about areas I have to work on:
1. Since starting the Zone, I have re-acquired some bad habits, namely: sugarless gum and diet drinks. I probably used those things before, but definitely not nearly as much as I am lately. So I want to work on that.
2. I also fall back on bars and jerky more than I would like. They are definitely useful in a pinch, but it seems like my life is one big pinch lately. So that’s another thing to work on.
3. I’m routinely eating 1-2 blocks more per day than I’m supposed to have. I would like to work on that as well.
4. I still eat almost half of my blocks at night, after grappling. This doesn’t seem to be too big a problem, but it’s something to look at.
So, there are my “problem areas.” I’ll try to work on them one at a time. Gum is first.
Continuing to Zone. Continuing to neglect to log it here, though I’m writing faithfully in my notebook. Yesterday I probably had more blocks than I needed because I had a slice of pizza, but I counterbalanced the carbs with some meat and cheese from an antipasto. Delicious? Yes. Healthy? Questionable. But I’m pretty sure I stayed in the zone.
Then the friends I was with talked in gory detail about colonics.
I don’t have as much internet access as I used to, so it’s harder to make the time to post here. But I am still recording everything in my journal. I’m totally Zoney, though maybe I’m having more calories than I need because I’m choosing from various carbs. Haven’t had a cheat meal since the last time I posted, but bought a box of little ice cream sandwiches for a treat every now and then so I maybe don’t need a whole cheat meal. Maybe. 10 g net carbs (see above about choosing various carbs). So they are good with one block of protein.
Here’s what I have eaten so far today:
8:30am, 3 blocks
3/4 c cottage cheese
1 pear
rice cake w/ pb
apple
12pm, 4 blocks
Greek salad with feta and shrimp
1/2 slice pita bread
4pm, 3 blocks
3/4 c cottage cheese
1 pear
rice cake w/ pb
apple
Man. I am so not psyched about trying to type in everything I have eaten since Thurs, partially because I haven’t been totally Zoney, and partially because I don’t have the patience. So here’s what I ate today:
9am, 2 blocks
2 oz chicken
2 nectarines
6 almonds
1:30pm, 2 blocks
2 oz chicken
2 nectarines
6 almonds
2:30pm, 1 T pb
4pm, 4 blocks
2 bars
9pm, 5 blocks
3/4 c cottage cheese
1 pear
rice cake w/ pb
apple
bar
3:30pm, 3 blocks
3 oz jerky
1 rice cake w/ pb
2 c tomatoes
10pm, 5 blocks
¾ c cottage cheese
1 pear
1 rice cake w/ pb
1 orange
1 c yogurt
WEDNESDAY 9am, 4 blocks
4 oz turkey
16 almonds
1 nectarine
1 c grapes
1pm, 4 blocks
4 oz jerky
16 almonds
2 apples
1 pear
4:30pm, 2 blocks
1 bar
12 almonds
7:30pm, 3 blocks
1 oz turkey pepperoni
2 oz mozzarella
2 c broccoli
2 rice cakes w/ pb
10pm, 2 blocks
2 oz turkey
2 rice cakes w/ pb
Comments: Eating a lot of rice cakes and a lot of PB and almonds lately. Part of it is because I have been cranky and am comforting myself that way (and I’m far better about that stuff than I used to be), and part of it is that my body has been telling me in various ways that it needs more fat. I am probably overcompensating, but I’ll figure out a balance.
Today was a Zone-favorable day, but I relied almost entirely on Balance bars. Not ideal, for sure. I threw in a little turkey, some broccoli and mushrooms and a nectarine, but I was back at the store for the first time in about a month, and I’m just incredibly busy there. If I’m gonna continue to work there, I must figure out a way to eat better.
At the very least, I’m still on track with the Zone. So that’s something.
Comments: Lots of rice cakes. I know they’re unfavorable carbs, but I like ‘em. Doesn’t seem to be affecting my cravings negatively, so I’m just gonna keep eating them.
I know I keep saying I’m back on track, but now that the holidays are over, I’m confident that that’s really true. I got back to LA on Wed eve and stocked up on all kinds of good Zoney groceries. So yesterday was the first day back to eating Zone-favorably, and it feels good already!
YESTERDAY 9:30am, 2 blocks
2 oz sliced chicken
10 almonds
1 apple
Over the weekend I really let loose. I was unhappy about my tournament performance, so I drowned my sorrows in bread and chocolates. Back on track today.
TODAY
3 blocks, 10am
3/4 c cottage cheese
1 pear
1 apple
rice cake w/ pb
3 blocks, 3pm
3/4 c cottage cheese
1 pear
1 apple
rice cake w/ pb
3 blocks, 5pm
3 oz chicken
2 rice cake w/ pb
apple
4 blocks, 9pm
4 oz chicken
2 rice cake w/ pb
2 apples
12:30pm, 3 blocks
3/4 c cottage cheese
1 pear
1 apple
1 rice cake w/ pb
4pm, 3 blocks
3/4 c cottage cheese
1 pear
1 apple
1 rice cake w/ pb
~15 peanuts at various times
10:30pm, 4 blocks
4 oz chicken
4 c broccoli
1 apple
rice cake w/ pb
TODAY 8:30am, 2 blocks
2 oz chicken
2 c tomatoes
10 almonds
10:30am, 1 block
1 oz chicken
1 apple
10 almonds
12:30pm, 3 blocks
3/4 c cottage cheese
1 pear
1 apple
1 rice cake w/ pb
2:30pm
20 almonds
4pm, 3 blocks
3 oz beef jerky
1 pear
1 apple
1 rice cake w/ pb
Comments: Rediscovered an amazing thing called hot sauce. I like the kind that’s more vinegary than hot (been using vinegar on my veggies anyway), and it is amazing. I prefer Texas Pete’s, but I have Tapatilo right now. Good stuff!
8am, 3 blocks
3 oz chicken
1 1/2 c grapes
10 almonds
noon, 2 blocks
Zone bar
3pm, 3 blocks
chicken patty
1/2 bun
7pm, 3 blocks
3 oz chicken
1 1/2 c grapes
10pm, 4 blocks
pulled pork
kettle corn
shortbread cookies
Comments: STARVING today, probably because of tabata workout. Staying with some friends for the weekend, so eating well will take a little more work than normal. But they have Zone-friendly stuff and know I am Zoneing. The kettle corn just kicked ass, and didn’t have as many carbs as I would have thought, actually. The shortbread cookies were just gilding the lily. Didn’t need them, and hope not to be tempted by them for the rest of the weekend.
At the very least (in terms of Zoneing), being here will help me look more at why I tend to eat more poorly when I’m away and with friends/loved ones.
