Eat More, Weigh Less

In my last post, I shared how I was swimming more because swimming actually makes me hungry.  As a general rule, I only eat because I have to, not because I am hungry.  But swimming flips the switch on that rule.  I eat because I’m hungry when I swim.

I wish I was a bigger person who didn’t get bothered by the number on the scale.  I can list to you 20 non-scale victories pretty easily (and there are many more than 20.)  But doggone if that scale doesn’t “get” to me.  I don’t know if that is because I am an analytical girl (Acocunting degree) or maybe it’s just because I am a woman.  Who knows?   So anyway, we used to weigh weekly and now there is no set date. 

I was weighed and measured maybe 6 weeks ago.  So in my mind I was like, “Well fine, if I’m not going to be weighed any more, let’s live on the edge a little.  Easter Sunday we went out to breakfast.  I stayed well within my boundaries with 3 eggs, hash browns, and 2 bacon.  But as a norm I do NOT eat bacon or hash browns.  Then on Monday for lunch, I was tired of having chicken so I finished off the chicken enchiladas (that I had made for the rest of the family).  Really, honestly it was a double serving.  But hey, I was hungry.  I swam that morning.  For supper, I did fine.  I ate my chicken and veggies, but I made spaghetti and french bread for my youngest.  Darn if that boy didn’t leave that garlic bread sitting in the toaster oven, smelling all delicious and what not.  Finally right before bed (around 9:30 ish) I couldn’t take it anymore and I ate that bread.  

To some of you maybe this doesn’t seem bad, but I am an OCD person when it comes to my nutrition and I stay true to the book of what I am supposed to eat.  I had not had a piece of garlic bread in over 15 months and I had only had enchiladas once in the past 15 months.  I felt like quite the Rebel.

Do you remember my post about how trainers have a sixth sense?  OMG – Tuesday morning, I get up, eat my breakfast and indulge with two cups of coffee WITH cream.  I head to Kickboxing and then training.  As soon as I walk in, Ryan points to the scale.  I was like, “WHAT?  NO WAY!”  I almost walked out.  In my mind, I was like, are you serious?  The one day I decide to indulge (Monday) comes back to bite me in the butt with a weigh-in on Tuesday?  Seriously it had been like 6 weeks since we weighed in.  And I had an absolutely full belly from the breakfast and two huge coffees.

Well my weight was exactly the same, but my measurements were down immensely.  2 inches off the waist, etc.  He was thrilled!  And all I could think was “Why are you thrilled?  My weight is exactly the same?”  He was saying, “We broke the plateau!  You see that, don’t you?”  Um, yes, but no, but maybe, but no.  

So I asked, can I come in Thursday morning early before I eat breakfast and weigh.  He said, “It’s up to you.”  I had to really think about it because if my weight was the same, I’d be disappointed and kind of a bear to be around.  But if it was down, then we’d be back to Ryan’s always right, and I’d be happy.   I decided to go for it and weigh and my weight was down 2.6 pounds.  Darn, if that boy isn’t right!  I am inching closer and closer to one-der-land and it feels great.

My aha moment of the week came on Thursday when I was doing 30 seconds of rope slams and 30 seconds of kettlebell swings for 20 minutes straight.  I said, “So, do you think it’s the swimming then, that broke the plateau?”  But really before he could even answer I said, “OR, was it that I was hungry because of the swimming and I ate more?”   Ding, Ding, Ding, we have a winner!  He starts exclaiming, “THE LIGHT BULB HAS GONE OFF!”    

Even after 15 months this concept is a difficult one for me to grasp.  I guess for 54 years and 3 months, I was schooled to eat less.  1000 calorie diets were good – no more than 1500 calories.  For the past few months, I was at 1950 calories and sometimes it was hard for me to eat that much.  However after I swim, I am looking for food all day long.  With the exception of that Monday, I make the right choices with my food and my calories in are easy to attain and the results followed.

Friday I asked if we could sit down and go over the food and macros again.  I just wanted to understand better what my options were for snacks, etc,   However, I walked out of there with a higher daily calorie count then I had walked in with.  I was not expecting that and again that messes with my mind.  But I know it works, so here’s to proving it.