To break the fast this morning, I got a scrambled egg (loaded with Tabasco, natch), bacon, and had the usual English Muffin. This time with a tiny little dollop of butter. Almond butter doesn't really go with the rest of the breakfast. Or does it...?
Anyway, I read just yesterday that participants in a study that had eaten an egg for breakfast ate 400 fewer calories all day than participants who didn't.
I am here to tell you that that little nugget of wisdom is caca.
No way. I can't even tell you the last time I was as stinkin' hungry all damn day as I was today. I had an apple before lunch. I had chips WITH lunch. I had an orange halfway through my afternoon. I chewed gum. I drank water. I. Was. HUNGRY.
As usually happens in situations like this, I turned to the sugar. Snickers Peanut Butter has become my Kryptonie. They're two small squares of fun. And 125 calories for a roughly 1" square - which is half the candy bar. ...and I ate the whole thing. Bugger.
Frankly, I blame it on the egg.
For the record, for a split second, I considered that maybe it had something to do with the fact that, last night, I busted ass working out. I mean, one doesn't get all sweaty and painy and having-trouble-walking-y without some kind of benefit - like eating a Rice Krispie treat or Kryptonite. Perhaps it turns out that my benefit is a slightly boosted metabolism that's ready to do some extra chowing to make up for the work I put into it? Hmmm. That's something to think about.
Or, it's a mean, mean trick.
I can tell you this much. No more eggs.
What do you usually have for b'fast? I do agree that your body was telling you that it needed more to eat because of your hard workout...gotta replenish right? :) It was weird today because usually I get verrrry hungry at around 12:00 when I have cut back on my food intake (aka..dieting). Well, anyhooters, today i didn't have any cereal in the house, no bananas (often don't get many days of perfectly ripe bananas, which are the only ones I will eat, NO green bananas!). Okay, okay back to the matter at hand, nothing else that I usually eat. So I take a tiny little fiber one peach yogurt and two sticks of reduced-fat string cheese. Eat the yogurt and 1 stick o'cheese at 7 at work and am not hungry until 10 when I eat second handy individually wrapped cheese treat. Then...lunch at 1:00pm without being ravenous. I know that "they" say string cheese or any higher protein food is good to eat before exercising or for breakfast, but it hasn't really worked for me before. Now i found the ticket! Well, that and coffee with a bit'o fat-free french vanilla creamer. I was relieved because the last couple of days I have been really fighting the urge to binge or, more precise, the urge to stuff my emotions (a big-time problem of mine that has led to my significantly overweight status. It is a very good feeling to get through a crave attack without feeling deprived because often, in my case, that is where I cave. I mean I can rationalize ANYTHING if it means I get something deliciously junky to eat in a large quantity. So made it through the day food bender- free and wanted to share, if only to remind myself that I can be successful .
ReplyDeleteI usually have an English Muffin with almond butter and sliced strawberries or bananas, and some Stoneyfield yogurt. The almond butter and English Muffin do a really good job of giving me the carbs and protein that I need to get through my morning without being hungry. Some mornings, I don't even eat the yogurt.
ReplyDeleteThe only downside to the muffin and butter is that both are higher in calories and fat. Lynda (who leads our class at work) said that she loves the almond butter despite its higher numbers because of all of its benefits. The total calories and fat for my usual breakfast (including two cups of coffee with regular flavored creamer - I'm no fat free kind of girl!) are right around 500 calories and about 20 grams of fat. 17 of which are from the almond butter. But, when I have a big breakfast like that, I can have a 200 calorie Jimmy John's Unwich (lettuce wrap) and maybe some 120-calorie chips and I'm good to go until dinner. It's all about figuring out what works to keep you satisfied. Maybe try oatmeal. That used to do it for me big time - and it helps lower cholesterol which a lot of people need anyway - but I got bored with it, which is when I switched to the English Muffin breakfast.
GOOD FOR YOU, by the way!!! Isn't it fantastic to have even just one day where you succeed?? First it's one day, then it's a couple...pretty soon it's a week and a couple of weeks, and then it just snowballs!
It really can be hard some days. I find myself eating and eating and eating all day. Never feeling full. I have been trying to notice myself doing that. It is good to have a few smaller "meals" through the day rather than the 3 larger meals a day. I'm trying to get myself to drink more water also. What I have heard before is, when you are feeling hungry, drink water. I've also heard that when you think you are feeling hungry, it could be that you are really thirsty. I would like to say, also, that I have found a template to help me record my food intake. Now I just need to take another step and print it out and use it! Baby steps.... Don't let yesterdays breakfast discourage you!! Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteYou're right on with the water thing! Another tip Lynda doles out is, when you're craving some kind of "less than great" thing (again, Snickers Peanut Butter bar, now in my belly instead of my purse, I'm talking to you...), have a piece of fruit (especially something high in water like an orange or apple) instead. If that still doesn't do the trick, have a smidge of whatever you were craving and be done with it.
ReplyDeleteTry an electronic version too. I have one that's in an Excel format, and I love that stinkin' thing. It keeps track of everything for me - from calories and fat (and puts them in a graph) to activity. It's kind of awesome. myfitnesspal.com has a great system too. AND they have a mobile app - so you can keep it all on your phone! Lord, I sound like a billboard...