Nutrition

I don’t track what I eat.  I don’t count calories, carbs, fat, ect.  I don’t diet.  I have no weight loss goals.  But, I do not eat like most people.  I forget this, and I struggle with helping people on diets.  I forget how hard it is to give up something that makes you happy.  If I had to give up coffee or my glass of wine, I’d become a scary monster that no one would want to be around.  So, as I was sitting in a lunch meeting, I noticed how my meals differed from others, and decided to, for a day, track what I want to eat, and what I really eat.  I mean, who really wants to pay attention to tracking nephritis progression in a mouse model?

Breakfast:

Wanted:  Iced Carmel Mocha with bagel and cream cheese.

Ate: Protein smoothie with strawberries, Super food, and spinach.  And coffee with Splenda and organic whole milk

10am snack:

Wanted:  Bagel from meeting and Orange Juice

Ate: Dark chocolate almonds and water

Lunch:

Wanted:  Egg salad sandwich with BBQ chips and a chocolate cookie, with a rootbeer

Ate: LO Salmon with peas and carrots, and a nectarine with water.

2pm Snack:

Wanted: Twix and Dr. Pepper

Ate: Peanuts and water.

Dinner:

Wanted: Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and corn on the cob

Ate: Roasted Chicken breast with Strawberry Salad and mixed vegetables, with ice tea sweetened with Splenda.

Dessert:

Wanted: Brownie with vanilla ice-cream

Ate: Sugar Free Chocolate PB Pudding Pie and Apple Cinnamon Hot Tea

Now the fun part.  Nutritional Summary for what I wanted to eat (assuming I ate one bagel, not the 2 I listed):

Total Calories: 3,760

Total Carbs: 431

Total Fat: 186

Total Protein: 123

For what I actually ate:

Total Calories: 2,468

Total Carbs:124

Total Fat: 93

Total Protein:177

So, you can see, that I ate less total calories, less carbs, more protein, and less fat.  Now, I have to admit, it was really difficult to even think about what I would want to eat.  I found myself saying, "Oh this sounds good, but ug, I'd feel bad afterwards."  Now, I find myself wanting salmon, and it being a treat when I get to eat it.  But, when it comes to the weekend, and we have birthdays, and dinners out with friends, I can eat a piece of cake and feel no guilt, or planning my next run.