My Nourishing Breakfast

I'm finding that a good protein packed breakfast is better at carrying me through the day sans hunger and cravings.

My breakfasts of choice has been:

1 whole wheat english muffin + 2 tsp REAL pasture butter
1 egg from uncaged hens

or

1/2 cup oats
7 chopped almonds
local, raw, honey
2-3 TBS heavy cream

I'm convinced that the use of real, healthy fats (butter, whole milk, coconut oil, grassfed meat, free range eggs) is going a long way toward staving off my former cravings.

I still have to check in with my hunger frequently... asking myself, am I really hungry or is this emotional hunger?  Usually I can decide pretty quickly by paying attention to my body (belly growling? shaky?) and thinking about what's going on right now that might prompt me to want to eat (bored? sleepy? stressed?). 

Another thing I've found helpful is dish size... I use saucer size plates instead of the big dinner plates and the smaller cereal bowls (kids bowls, actually).  This way, my dishes are helping to control my portions.

I'm changing my whole relationship with food and eating.  I'm learning why I eat the way I do and how to make the change to a healthier eating lifestyle.

I am still enjoying one cup of my sweet flavored coffee each morning... I know those 160 calories/6grams of fat will serve me better in a more nourishing food but I haven't been able to let go, yet.  Starting tomorrow, I'm going down to half the sweet cream and I'll keep reducing it til I'm only enjoying coffee on rare occasions.

3 weeks, 4 days In: 14.7lbs Down!

As of this morning, I've lost 14.7lbs.

Yay!

I'm still writing down every single calorie and fat gram that enters my body.  It keeps me accountable.

I'm still enjoying healthy fats (real butter, coconut oil, EVOO) to help curb the cravings.

I don't miss the sweets or the soda.

I should mention that this is officially the longest I've ever managed to stay on a weight loss mission... must have something to do with the baby steps I've taken over the last couple of years toward a healthier eating lifestyle.  

Frozen Food Ridiculousness...

I really don't know what I was thinking (in regards to freezer meals) except that I wanted results and I want them NOW (remember, I'm a lack of patience/instant gratification girl).

In case I haven't mentioned before, I follow Nourishing Traditions.  I truly believe that not all fats are equal and that fat is essential to healthy (and lean) bodies.

But I'm also in a hurry to be thinner and therefore healthier.

Am I doing more harm than good by cheating myself in regards to my nutrition in order to lose the excess pounds?

Because once those pounds are gone, I'll be a lot healthier.  (PCOS symptoms will decrease, Insulin Resistance should stabilize, Thyroid function will improve.)

So, being the mostly smart girl I am, I'm going off the freezer meals (even the healthier options still aren't all that great, especially when compared to my cooking).

I'm going to start preparing and freezing my own pre-portioned meals to make my crazy days a bit easier.  I'll be including things like:

*Wild Seafood (I just bought these BEAUTIFUL jumbo wild shrimp... yum!)
*White meat free range chicken
*Grass fed beef
*Whole (soaked) wheat pasta
*Soaked brown rice
*Soaked Quinoa
*Almonds (I love almonds)
*Soaked Oats
*Plenty of fresh and lightly cooked fruits and veggies
*Raw, whole milk
*Real pastured butter, EVOO, and unrefined coconut oil
*Dairy Kefir
*Raw cheese
*Sweetners (in moderation) are limited to sucanat, honey, stevia

A sample freezer meal might be:

1 cup brown rice (218 cals/ 1.5 grams fat) w/ 6 medium shrimp (20 cals) and a sauce made from 1 tsp real butter (35 cals/4 grams fat), 2 Tbs raw cheese (or kefir cream cheese, 90 cals/5 grams fat ), herbs, and mushrooms.  Then I will add sauteed (with 1 tsp olive oil) zucchini, spinach, and asparagus at meal time.


Sweetness Update:  My sweet cravings have DRASTICALLY reduced.  I have enjoyed a couple of frozen treats, but otherwise fruit is doing it!  I enjoyed a cold, crisp, organic fuji apple this morning and it was delicious!  This is amazing because I've spent the last several months craving chocolate like crazy.

Today I enjoyed a cup of Nourishing hot cocoa for snack.  (This is my recipe, but I'm sure there are millions that look just like it... there's not a lot to put in cocoa).

1 cup Raw, Whole Milk (150cals, 8grams fat)
1TBS sucanat (45 cals)
1TBS dark chocolate powder (10cals, .5 grams fat)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
dash of cinnamon if desired

Combine in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir with whisk until desired temperature is achieved, pour into a mug and enjoy!

*I'm suspecting a thyroid issue... I've wondered for a while but frankly, I don't want to toss money at the lab for a test that may be unreliable.  So, I'm going to start NatureThroid and see if that helps alleviate my symptoms (of which there are many, like sleepiness!).

**I'm going to have to start enjoying a TBS of local, raw honey everyday because its seasonal allergy time again.  Yes, I'll journal it and include in my daily totals even though its medicine!

Programs I've Tried

Weight Watchers ~ Worked for the short time I did it, but I'm not for public humiliation and that's what the weigh in meetings felt like. Without accountability I lose track real quick, so not going to the meetings and online didn't work for me.

Jenny Craig ~ I'm sure it would have worked, but it's expensive. And my now ex husband threw a ginormous fit over the price, so it only lasted a week.

Metabolife ~ ICK. I felt jittery all the time.

SlimQuick ~ Ditto Metabolife.

Some eat only rice, meat and veggies program where meetings were held in a church... can't remember the name (limited other carbs get added back in slowly). Worked, but the lack of fiber leads to constipation and what a boring diet, so I gave up quickly.

SlimFast ~ Those shakes leave me starving, plus they are packed full of chemical nasties and gave me belly aches. Yuck.

I never tried Atkins, which is kind of odd considering my Nourishing Traditions mentality... but, I've also been a vegetarian and just can't stomach that much meat for the long run.

I want to eat all kinds of food. This is a life style change, it's about moderation while still enjoying my food. A friend told me that she lost 80lbs by cutting all her portions in half. That's probably a good idea for most of America since we are all over portioned!