Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Evaluating eating habits

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I'm nearing the end of my weight loss honeymoon period. In an effort to make the most of the next three months, I'm spending some time evaluating my eating, exercise and lifestyle habits to see where I can make improvements.

I've already recognized that I need to keep a tighter rein on my consumption of fat. This week, I'm paying attention to my portion sizes and how fast I eat. I definitely eat too fast, and eating too fast leads to eating too much.

Though I limit my carbohydrate intake, I enjoy Ry-Krisp crackers. Two crackers offer 3 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein and no fat. Spreading a half-ounce of cheese on top provides a protein-rich, filling meal. The problem is that when I don't take my time eating, I feel like I have room for two crackers and eat them easily. But then a hour goes by and my pouch starts aching. I sense that it's being stretched by too much food. The feeling is painful and encourages me not to make the same mistake again. Now, I know that my limit is one cracker -- eaten slowly.

As for exercise, I need to work on consistency. I know it's better to work out regularly twice a week than to hit the gym five days one week, two the next and then skip it for three weeks. But my perfectionist attitude, which helped get me to 335 pounds in the first place, prevents me from setting and maintaining realistic goals sometimes.

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