So, after my attempts to find the perfect diet and exercise regimen, while training for a half marathon and staying healthy were once again settled by Weight Watchers. I tried many different things this Summer and I finally found that by sticking with WW, I was able to drop 15 pounds I had put on over the past year or so. This time I'll keep it off!
I found that when I was in the midst of my dieting, food basically took over my thoughts. I was constantly thinking about what I'd eat next, what I could eat if I was dining out that night, and what I shouldn't eat. As a result, I believe I ate a lot more than I actually needed to.
When we get wrapped up in our goals, they consume our thoughts. With dieting, this makes it nearly impossible to achieve your goal because the exact thing you don't want to over-indugle in, is the thing that is streaming through your head all day long!
I've found that since I have a pretty intense workout schedule, running 3-4 miles daily, an 8-12 mile weekly, and lifting weights biweekly, it is important for my body to get the proper nutrients to nourish and restore my strength post-workout. This means enjoying a serving or two of whole-wheat carbohydrates, filling up on lean protein, and incorporating vegetables into my lunch and/or dinner.
Throughout the summer, I tried eating eggs for breakfast everyday because I've been told how good they are for runners. They are full of protein, and can be prepared easily and quickly. Though I enjoy eggs, I discovered that this breakfast may not be the best one for me because of my sweet tooth. Sweets for breakfast? No, let me explain.
Peanut butter is one of my favorite foods, and learning that it is a great power-food for runners and for weight loss was great for me. Because of my sweet tooth, I found peanut butter to be the perfect snack. I'd crave peanut butter all day, and I'd find myself snacking on it by the tablespoon in the late afternoon. I decided after a run that I was going to go back to an old favorite breakfast I've enjoyed for many years. This decision to change my breakfast to incorporate peanut butter helped ease my sweet tooth. Now, my breakfast, which is a 100-cal multi-grain english muffin with 2 TBSP of natural chunky peanut butter and pieces of banana on top, really eases my PB cravings! Since I know I will be able to have my favorite food every single morning after my workouts, it is an easy way to get this craving out of my head.
Though eggs are a great power-food, filled with protein and nutrients, they get a little boring to me. Sometimes after a long run I'll add some scrambled eggs with cheese to my PB-banana-english muffin breakfast. I'll also keep omelettes in mind for a quick dinner idea when I am away at school and don't get to eat my mom's delicious cooking every night. But for now, my breakfast is filling, satisfying, and nutritious. It gives me the energy I need after my workouts and it extinguishes cravings. Sounds decent to me.
