Every step is a new lesson, right? I’m closing in on day three of eating only the calories I’m “allowed”, ignoring whatever calories I “earn back” from exercise.
I recognize that this is a slightly disordered way of looking at and thinking about food, but for me it’s a stepping stone because I’ve learned something pretty powerful in the last three days. I’ve reduced my daily calorie intake by 500-700 calories, andI’m not any hungrier than I was before. I don’t feel weak. I don’t feel more tired. No headaches, no dizziness. Other than a nagging sense of being generally unsatisfied, I feel fine.
In other words, I didn’t need that extra calorie intake at all. I really, really thought I did.
And as for that feeling of satisfaction? I just don’t think it should be coming from food, you know? So maybe this is the lesson I needed to learn, that food isn’t where a sense of satisfaction ought to be coming from? Or at least that I have to find new ways?
Thoughts?
I agree. I do love my food rewards (I admit it), but this week I just didn’t have that urge to indulge in food for all my hard efforts all week long. Sure, I’ll still have my cakes and pies, but something about my food outlook has definitely changed. We are BOTH unstoppable.
Yes we are! The longer I push myself to really recognize my needs, the better I feel!
Just please be careful and listen to your body. I’m just getting back on track with eating and into the gym, pushing my body really hard. I wasn’t eating my exercise points because I was eating low calorie filling foods (veggies and chicken, not processed low fat stuff) and I actually got really shaky on Friday. I’m not saying that you should eat your exercise calories no matter what, just please listen to your body and not a number on a screen. Also, I have found that MFP overestimates calorie burn. I’ve been entering my exercise at 2/3 of the actual time and it’s seemed better, and eating up the calories hasn’t been as hard. I don;t know about you, but I find that when I’m eating “clean” it’s harder to eat all my calories.
I promise to be careful! I’m feeling awesome these last few days, so I think I’m definitely in the right place.