If there's one thing in common that we all have, it's our relationship with food. Now, some might have a really good relationship...others might have a love/hate, still others might have a completely tumultuous relationship.
There are some changes that I've personally made over the last few months that have really helped me feel SO MUCH BETTER. They happened sort of gradually, which allowed for me to get used to a new habit. A habit that I no longer think twice about, and which is pretty easy to maintain.
1. Don't buy bread anymore. I only eat Smart and Delicious Low Carb Wraps.
2. Don't buy cereal anymore.
3. Don't drink juice anymore. (My craving used to be orange juice in the morning).
4. Don't buy granola bars anymore (or granola).
5. Haven't had soda in 4 years (except for a really good Root Beer, no high fructose syrup)
6. My actual "grain" intake during a typical week is probably less than or equal to 10% now.
7. 90% of my food is protein, fat, veggies, fruit (ok, dark chocolate too).
Some other things that I consciously do:
1. Shop separately from the rest of the family. Ok, so this might not be possible for some, but you get what I mean.
2. Set the kitchen up for success: olive oil, veggies, nuts, organic meats, balsamic vinegar, garlic cloves, herbs, cottage cheese, deli meat, salmon, good cheese, avocados, fruit, peanut butter, almond butter, plain yogurt, eggs, frozen fruit for smoothies, protein powder, coconut milk, flax seed, hemp milk, olives, salad greens, beans, salsa, hummus, etc.
I found this great post from a CrossFit Fire in Illinois (www.crossfitfire.com) I have copied and pasted it below!
1. Don't be discouraged that you have been CrossFitting for 'x' amount of time, but aren't losing any weight or aren't seeing any major body composition changes if you haven't properly addressed your diet. The fact that you CrossFit can not be your justification for eating that bowl of ice cream. You see, exercise alone is NOT sufficient for major body composition changes. You can CrossFit until you are blue in the face, increasing your strength and fitness, but if you do not address your eating habits, you will not dramatically alter the appearance of your body. Whether you want to get huge or want to shed some fat before summer, nutrition is what will get you there.
2. Don't let your scale be the judge of your successes. Throw the scale away! The scale will become your worst enemy. You see, if you haven't done much strength training before starting your CrossFit experience, you will see dramatic increases in strength (i.e. muscle) during the first several months if not year. Even if you are dialing in your nutrition and losing that much hated fat, the scale may still say that you are gaining weight. Truth is, muscle weighs more than fat. Judge your successes by how you feel, by how your clothes fit, by how much jiggle you have when you jump up and down in front of a mirror, and by annual blood work results.
3. Don't ask us for nutritional advice and then say, "Oh, I could never give up (fill in the blank)!" If that is the case, then you obviously prefer stuffing your face with (fill in the blank) over being lean and healthy. People, there is no magic pill! There is no "easy" fix! Want to know what is easy? Being fat is easy. Look around you. 65% of the adult population in this great country of ours is overweight. 65%! You have to decide that being lean and healthy means more to you than that box of (fill in the blank). Remember, food is not your friend! Food is simply a means to an end. We eat to live, not the other way around.
4. Don't rationalize the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of your current diet because ours sounds difficult. This usually follows number 3 in a given conversation and looks something similar to, "Well, I already eat pretty clean/healthy except for the occasional (fill in the blank) so I'm going to stick to that." You aren't fooling anyone, not even yourself. If what you are currently doing isn't producing the results you are after, then you must take action. Tweak it, change it, scrap everything and start from scratch; just do something. Doing the same thing over and over though while expecting different results is simply insane.
We get it though. We understand how difficult it can be. You have to accept that fact though and pull up your boot straps.
It isn't easy for any of us. We all have to be disciplined and make sacrifices from time to time if we are going to meet our goals. Nobody is without their food demons. It is perfectly OK, even expected, for you to make some progress, start feeling good, but then stumble and fall down. The key is to get right back up, dust yourself off, and climb back onto that horse.
Now go get 'em!
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