Getting It Together

It’s been quite a while since I asked you all to challenge me.  I have not forgotten about the challenge, trust me.  It’s been on my mind everyday. On my mind as I sat eating leftover super bowl cupcakes.  On my mind when I made runs to Moe’s, for super fat burritos and chips.  On my mind as I used up free time that I should have spent at the food store buying healthy things.  Since my post, I’ve signed up for daily diet tip emails, read each of your advice filled messages and emails to me and filed all of this information in the back of my head under “I’ll take care of this tomorrow”.  As you can see, tomorrow turned into the next day and the next and the next.  Needless to say, the challenge has now gone from trying to eat healthy to trying to eat healthy AND lose weight.  I was screaming in my head on a daily basis, “Get it together Etta”! 

A few weeks ago, I decided to start my first attempt of ‘getting it together'.  I did this by taking a week to write down all of the things I was eating and drinking (not keeping track of my meals is one of my problems).  With just 3 days in I can truly say that I was horrified!  At first my eating habits could have used some improvement, but after realizing exactly what I was eating, I realized they needed a complete overhaul!  YIKES!! 

I’m about to share one of my worst days with you, but must preface it by saying, it was a fun filled day on which I was off from work.  Ok, maybe that’s not an excuse, but it helps get rid of some of my embarrassment.  Loosen your belts, here goes!

                                                                                      

Breakfast

2 pancakes

2 egg omelet with spinach and cheese

2 pieces of toast

1 glass of pomegranate limeade

Lunch

Doritos – no, that is not a typo.  This was my lunch.

1 glass of Low cal lemonade

Dinner

½ order of shrimp with broccoli and white rice

1 glass of Low cal lemonade

Dessert

1 homemade S’more

Exercise

3 mile speed walk

Are you as appalled as I was when I read this?  I think my stomach must have been when I consumed it all.  My insides must have been screaming.  My outsides were too.  My skin looked awful! 

I figured a food diary would be a good start and, thankfully, it was.  I've since taken a hold on my consumption.  Replaced bad with good and fat with fruit.  It's working out nicely and I feel a difference in my body.  Are there days when I'm not so good, absolutely.  But now I am ok with it as most of the days I am on course. 

Thanks again to all of you who sent me your advice.  I read it all and incorporated a lot of the ideas into my diet plan.  I'll be back with a sample day while on my road to healthy eating.

-The Very Full Etta Jams