Okay guys it is time to get your guard up! The fall season has started with full blown food assaults from all directions. It starts with state fairs, sports events, holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, parties, Hanukah, Christmas, New Years, the Super Bowl, Valentines Day. I believe in moderation but this is the season for making the conscious decision to eat it or not. It is not just about the food eaten in that moment but about the lasting repercussions; the blood sugar surges, peaks and valleys, the emotional downward spiral, the sluggish energy zap, bloating and the metabolic suicide we commit this time of year.
My food season started early this year in September and hit me like a ton of bricks! First, I hosted a baby shower. I have never even been to a baby shower so it was a huge learning curve. Apparently, it is about the cake, the food and the drink and I indulged in everything. I froze a couple of pieces of the leftover cake (Crisco, butter, and sugar) and saved it for my birthday which was a week later. We ate it at the end of a “foodfest“ birthday. Last weekend, I went to my favorite art fair. I usually just go, look, experience and enjoy my favorite cinnamon pecans (700 calories!). But this year it was different and my guard was down. The week had been stressful, I was tired, and the smell of corny dogs was in the air. Before I knew it, I was half way through a foot long corn dog. It was delicious but 2/3rds of the way through the 14 oz dog, I was done. Within minutes 400+ calories. I was joined by a friend that bought me my favorite cinnamon pecans so I just ate a couple to balance the corny dog salt and fat with something sweet, which turned into more! The next several days, I was several pounds up and didn’t have quite the energy I usually do. The next week followed with friends calling to meet for one special occasion or another. A few pounds turned into 5 and I felt like crap. Eating like this was not daily; just those events with a few minor bad choices in between. I don’t need to mention the quality of the foods I was eating: GMO’s, toxic dogs, preservatives, fillers, sugar laden processed nuts, wedding cake, alcohol. After three weeks on the downward slide, I decided it was time to get back on the wagon: drinking water, eating vegetables, and a renewed desire to feel normal. I have decided for me it is not about moderation, it is about planning, avoiding and logging my food. I am just saying for me. It took 10 days of paying attention to get back down to my fighting weight!
One event at a time. It really isn’t even the season of celebration as much as it is our culture. Americans are all about celebrating and numbing. Our society is full of food cues enticing us and mindlessly convincing us to eat and drink. But I digress…What do we do? Personally I plan. I am a nutritionist so I guess I have to walk my talk at least 95% of the time but I am also part of the party. Knowing calories is a big deal. I know there are celebs and experts on food and the psychology of eating that say don’t count calories and I am not saying get obsessed with it but know your food/beverage calories and at least have a plan. Overindulging on calories consistently is really the same as using a credit card and overspending, regardless of how much money you have in the bank. In this day of apps, there is really no reason not to have an idea about what you are eating. Going to a party? The drink of the night is apple martini’s? Check it out on your app. Less than 3 oz is 235 calories. If you are going to the State Fair of Texas, I doubt the prize winning foods will be on your app but you can just take a bite and call it a 100 calories. http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/food-drink/09-02-13-state-fair-texas-fried-food-winners-cuban-roll-thanksgiving/
Oh BTW, with toxic eating comes a slow down in activity so regardless of your food choices please keep moving! It helps.