My 14,000 Calorie Surplus

Since my sons have been in and out of my home throughout the summer, I have put on about four pounds.  Those pounds snuck up on me it seemed overnight!  I've had to take a good look as to what I've been doing to deserve this newly stored 14,000 extra calories!  I needed to investigate!

Jordan with Tickles and Rocky

  Let's see, I made them their favorite dinners (last night it was mashed potatoes and gravy and I'll be darned if I'm going to scrimp on the ingredients) a few nights a week and they've had "their" food clogging my fridge and cupboards.  (What's the big deal if I have one small bowl of Cocoa Puffs before bed?)

My overstuffed, junk filled fridge

But, I can't blame it all on them.  As I made one of my typical breakfasts the other morning, I actually looked hard at what I assumed was a teaspoon of peanut butter on the knife poised atop my toast.  I tried to measure it by site then decided to use a measuring spoon.  I was nearly dead on!  But, once I'd finished preparing my toast, I automatically put the knife back into the jar to do my usual  knife dip; that extra lick from the knife before putting the jar away.  I decided to measure my dip.  It was a full teaspoon or more!  OK, it's only thirty five or so calories, but, on a grander scale, it becomes a pound of fat after swallowing the hundredth knife scoop.  What if I didn't do my "knife dip" and instead put the jar away?

Gian made dinner one night.  He told me he was making chicken burritos.  White tortillas, 210 calories; refried beans, 190 calories; avocado slices, 100 calories; plop of sour cream, 70 calories; chicken breast, 90 calories.  (I added fresh vegetables to mine, just for kicks.)

Later in the day, while I made my lunch,  I mindlessly went to the kid's stash, ready to nibble on a few tortilla chips while heating my soup.  It occurred to me that if I simply did not do those little extra nibbles, I could lop off approximately one hundred or more calories.  Hmmm...I'm beginning to see a pattern!

The yummy zucchini bread Cathy made me.  I finally learned to enjoy one slice, not two or more!

A multitude of studies have found that, on average, normal weight people underestimate their daily caloric intake by about 20% and obese people underestimate by 30 - 40%.  Quite a few underestimate up to 50% or more!  (Even those who walk around with their trusty calorie counter will underestimate the amount of calories they consume.)  That said, it is no wonder why so many fitness professionals ask their clients to measure and weigh portions as well as keep an accurate food journal for at least three weeks.  The more aware one is, the less likely they will underestimate, with such glaring disparity, what they put into their mouth.

I've gained a few pounds and I am again mindful to what I am eating and drinking.  I am not going to diet because every time I have ever thought about dieting, I get all weird and start thinking about food compulsively.  Yuck!  No way!  Nope, it's the 10, 100, 5 rule for me.  Bye bye, four pounds!  I'll let you know next Wednesday how it's going!

GianPaolo and his Kirby

Oh, and bye bye Gian!  I am getting him up in a few minutes.  He's driving to his new school in LA.   And, I am once again an empty nester!  So, this will be a good time to be mindful!  Wish me luck!

Eat to live and live with passion

What you’re about to read may contain inappropriate content for some individuals.  Viewer discretion is advised.

My sweet kitty, Tickles, is a passionate hunter.  She loves to kill and dismember voles (a mouse-like mole capable of destroying gardens) and leave me a “trophy” of blood and guts on my beautiful wool carpet in the office.

I have my own passion.  I love being part of my clients’ and students’ positive body transformations.  It isn’t just the body that benefits from these changes, their whole being becomes more positive.  And, most often it results in them finding their passions!  (Pictured above:  My passionate client and friend, Nikki, who started with me in April '08 and a year later lost 84 pounds and ran her first marathon.)

We tried to keep Tickles from hunting by keeping her inside at night.  But, in the morning when I woke and put her outside, she’d resume the hunt.  Hunting is her passion. There is nothing, except keeping her in the house day and night, that will keep her from killing vermin.

When we honor our passions, we are living our authentic life.  And when we live with this kind of authenticity we do not need to stuff our desire to live our passion with food.  When engrossed in your passion you eat when you are hungry; an ‘eat to live’ mentality.  

Think about it, if you lived passionately there wouldn’t be enough hours in the day to do what you love. Time would be more precious.  You wouldn’t think to take time away from your passion to mindlessly eat!

Now, go find YOUR PASSION!