As Time Goes By...

Dear Sisters,

Here I am again. Feeling guilty for the things I've eaten today and for not posting in way too long. I've decided to start using this blog as a journal of sorts. You see, I think regularly of food and of treats and I thought maybe here would be a good place to write down what I think about it. Maybe by doing so I'll be able to make sense of it all and actually be able to find something that works for me as far as eating healthy goes.

So I guess it would be good to start with today. I've been thinking lots as of late about calories and about what a proper caloric intact would be for someone like me. My sister suggested 1800 as a good amount for someone who is mildly active and wanting to drop a few pounds...I think maybe 1500 would be more ideal until I reach my desired weight and then maybe increase my calories then to 1800. I'm not sure what my feelings are on this though. It seems like such a pain to be constantly measuring and calculating what I eat and keeping track of things either on paper or in my head but in reality loosing weight is not an easy, carefree thing to do so the reality is that counting calories just might be part of it.

One of my major problems is I like food. And, I like making good food for my family. I try really hard to put whole foods on the table for my hubby and my kids; making a well rounded meal is pleasurable for me and it gives me a lot of satisfaction in myself when I'm able to do so. I do try to plan healthy meals which include all four food groups and offer a wide variety of tastes and things for my kids to try. This week for instance I've cooked salmon with french bread and bruschetta and salad, last night we ate lettuce chicken wraps (which were heavenly) and fruit salad, and tonight I made crock-pot italian chicken with green salad with cheddar cheese in it. Tomorrow I'm making hamburger soup with cheddar and chive biscuits and we've also got manicotti on the menu this week with broccoli and salad as sides. We make cookies and chocolate cake on a regular basis and I try to make buns and bread often. I've always thought that homemade is better then store boughten so I really try to avoid processed foods when I can and turn to basic homemade foods instead. Cooking like this takes a lot of work but I enjoy it and the result is almost always something me and my family like to eat.

As time goes by I'm beginning to realize that I'm now 31. My metabolism is slowing down, I've had 3 kids, and I like good food. So, where does this leave me? I truly wish I was one of those people who spring out of bed at 5 a.m. bouncing off the walls ready to do an hour workout before showering and having the house cleaned up before her kids get up in the morning. I keep hoping that as I get older I'll begin to love sleep a little less and that getting up in the morning won't be such a chore for me...the sad thing is it probably always will be. And, so the mind games begin. The challenge I now find myself facing is becoming self-disciplined enough to make eating right and exercising regularly part of my life. Something that I just do instead of something I'm always 'trying' hard to get control of. Maybe by the time I kick the bucket I will figure this out. Hopefully in the mean time I'll be able to loose a few pounds and become happier with my self image in the process.

With any luck, one of these days I'll figure this all out.

Have a good night.

Erin

Confessions...of a sugaraholic.

Dearest Sisters,

It's been way too long since I've posted on here.

I think it's because of guilt.

I had the best intentions of starting the New Year out on a 'no sugar' goal.

Who was I kidding?!

I don't even think I made it a week into the New Year...to be honest I didn't make it past the first day. I've realized, as of late, that I'm addicted to the sweet stuff. I eat it when I'm tired, stressed, busy, or just want some.

No self control going on here.

What is my problem? Does anyone out there know if there are support groups for people like me? I seriously want to cut back but just don't know how to do it while convincing myself that I don't really want it anyways.

Any thoughts on this?

Erin

Crystalline Fructose

So, this week, I was label reading on my favorite brand of yogurt, Mountain High Yogurt (buy it if you can...SO good!). It mentioned that crystalline fructose (the type used in their yogurt) has a lower glycemic index than high fructose corn syrup (a common sweetener). Here is a website with some great info:
http://fructose.org/facts.asp
Do you have any favorite "low glycemic index" foods?? I could sure use some suggestions :)

Sisters,

I thought I'd try to start the New Year out right and set some goals on eating better. I'm trying to cut back on my sugar, milk and simple carbs (ie. grains). So far, at only a week into it, I haven't been very successful. I'm a stress eater. When life is stressful I tend to eat sweets and such. Do any of you have an suggestions on what to do instead of eat? I'm a little worried that at the end of this life crisis I'm going to weight 200 pounds.

Not a fun thought.

The weather was sunny today. Lots of snow melted and me and the kids went for a long walk. It was so good to be outside.

Have a good night.

Erin

On a cold day...

Dear Sisters,

I made soup for supper.

Yum.

I love soup on a cold day.

Tonight it was chicken noodle.

Thick hearty chicken noodle soup with homemade whole wheat bread and butter.

It was so delicious.

I had a healthy day. No treats. I'm proud of myself.

How was your day? What did you make for dinner?

Erin

A New Year

This is my SSS blogging debut and I have to say that I am beyond excited to be a part of this movement! So, let me begin by saying that all are welcomed. Even big, preg-o women like me who are forever trying to gain control of sugar cravings and weight. It is a constant battle, simply because I LOVE FOOD (especially things with sugar). There you have it, plain and simple. So, why, if the admission of my love for sweet goodies, is so simple, why is the conquering of it SO profoundly difficult/complex? Am I genetically wired to love sweet sugar? Am I psychologically weak or dependent on food for comfort? Possibly both :) Either way, I totally believe in the power of the mind and the ability to change. Which belief is a great prelude to my New Years Resolution:
1.This year, I will gain self-control over my sugar cravings by reducing the amount of sugar I eat. Not only in the sweet side of food, but in complex carb's as well. I think sugar is addictive and highly disguised in many other foods that come in healthier packaging than what you see at the check-out stand at the grocery store :) This year, I want to be a food sleuth and learn more about how sugar affects the foods I eat and my body. This information will fuel my ability to make better decisions about sugar as I learn the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about sugar :) Bring it, 2010.
2. Lose all of my baby weight...I mean all of it from #1-#3. No more excuses. I honestly feel like getting sugar cravings under control will make this possible. Good-bye, Sour Patch Fruit Salad. I know you have zero real fruit in you anyways....
Good luck to all of us as we begin our journey to achieve our goals this year! Next week, we should discuss findings about sugar and ways to stick to our New Years Resolutions, because no doubt, we are going to count on each other to stick this out--365 of keeping a goal...let's face it, that will feel better than any sugar rush :)
Cheers to our New Year,
Court

Will I Ever Change?

Dear Sugar Sisters,

I'm sitting in a lazy chair at the Cabin.
The Christmas tree twinkles beside me.
Trev was gone snowboarding all day.
The kids and I had fun playing on the ice, making cookies, and crafting together.
It's holiday time.
I think I've gained 5 pounds and we're still on 'vacation'.

Where is my self control I wonder...

...is it lost amidst the wrapping paper and the traveling?
...is it hidden in all the toys?
...is it forgotten underneath the fuzzy sweater?

Will I ever find it again?

Time for a New Year's resolution:

I will be a better eater, exerciser, and blogger this coming year! I will regain my self control and change my lifestyle so that I can be healthier and feel better physically, mentally, and spiritually.

I'm really going to do this.

Wish me luck.

Erin

A Girls Best Friend

Dear Sisters,

The kids are in bed...finally.

I just ate a handful of chocolate chips.

Yummy.

Why is it that a dog is man's best friend...and our best friend is chocolate? It seems so unfair. You don't consume calories by having a dog for your friend, but having chocolate as a friend...especially a best friend. Now, we're just asking for punishment.

Just a thought.

Have a great night,

Erin

Success

Dear Sisters,

Almost two weeks ago Trevor and I decided to try out the paleo diet. I wasn't overly keen on the idea to begin with. Going without milk or grains was not something I thought of as 'fun', but I'm kinda tired of my frumpy baby/mommy body so I thought,

'What the heck, I can do anything for a couple of weeks'.

It's been 10 days.

I've lost 5 pounds.

All of a sudden I love the paleo diet and cutting out dairy and grains isn't so hard. I'm kinda proud of myself. I've even cheated a few times. I guess eating healthy just needs to become my lifestyle instead of something I feel forced to do. Hopefully by the end of all this I achieve the goal I'm working towards. I just want to feel better about myself...any fit into my favorite jeans again.

...I'm craving a peanut butter Oreo Blizzard at the moment. Did you know that they're on sale at DQ right now? I think that place is out to get me...

Have a great night,
Erin

Turkey and Tips

Sisters,

Holiday weekends are always hard for me. Our eating schedule is totally thrown off, there are more people around and definitely more food, the fun is usually planned around food, and well, that means more treats.

This weekend has been a typical Thanksgiving weekend. We've eaten:

Ham

Scalloped Potatoes

Jello Salad

Pumpkin Pie

Turkey

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Stuffing

More Pumpkin Pie

Fruit Salad

Pumpkin Loaf

Pumpkin Tarts

Steamed Veggies

Salad

Buns

And More Pumpkin Pie

Can you say YUMMY?! I love holiday weekends. Not a great weekend for eating healthy, but definitely a great weekend for food, family and friends. I'm so thankful for the good things in my life.

I thought I'd leave you all with a tip on healthy eating tonight.

*If you build a healthy diet buy simply paying attention to your portion sizes, you may be able to control your weight without counting calories. Healthy eating has a lot to do with awareness. Making conscious food choices goes along way to overall weight and health.*

We had a great weekend.

Erin

Hard Times

Sisters,

Holidays are hard for me when it comes to sugar.

We just returned home from a weekend away in St. George where Trev completed his first marathon. How fun and exciting.

He did awesome and in all the excitement I had a brief desire to run one myself...never thought that would happen.

We ate out lots, and at treats a few times. On the drive home after flying into Great Falls we stopped at a gas station to grad some gas and some munchies for the long drive. I bought a large Twix bar with intentions of 'sharing' it with Trevor. In my mindless chatting and munching....

Confession: I ate the whole thing.

Whoops.

Why is it so hard to stop when it tastes so good?

Erin

Reality

Dear Sisters,

I think it's unrealistic to say that in life we should eat NO sugar. After all, I don't believe that is humanly possible or mentally healthy. However, this blog is to help me decrease my sugar consumption by admitting publicly the amount I do eat and the struggles I have trying to control my cravings for it. Also, I was wanting to offer sugar reducing tips and strategies to avoid it, and therefor decrease the amount I eat. I am currently reading about Zone dieting and looking into the idea of the Paleo diet. I find food consumption very interesting and do try to eat healthy. For me it's finding what works best for me to be the hard part. I think the most important part of all this is to be aware of what we are putting into our bodies and how it affects our health.

Today was a pretty good day. Other then the 'healthy' stuff, I did eat a bowl of Mini Wheats for a snack. I avoided the Snickers bar that was calling my name at Walmart today, but just barely.

I am trying to eat better.

Just a thought on all this.

Erin

I LOVE IT

My dearest Sisters,

It's over.

I was a little worried this weekend about how my will power would hold up against

birthday cake.

CHOCOLATE birthday CAKE.

It's Saturday night.

The house is almost put back together.

The yard is still a mess.

The dishes are done.

We had pizza for supper.

And the cupcake container is...empty.

Yup, you heard me empty.

I LOVE chocolate cake.

I love it like I love my children (well not quite).

Someone once asked me if there was something I loved so much I couldn't do without it. Next to Trevor, my kids and the church, I named chocolate cake.

Homemade, warm and out of the oven, I could eat it every day

all the time.

Truth: I LOVE CHOCOLATE CAKE!!!!!

Now you all know. And now I have to admit that I ate birthday cake this weekend, or should I say birthday cupcakes. 3 of them to be exact.

I make good chocolate cake.

I ate it

it was delicious

and I loved it.

At least at the end of it all the chocolate cake is all gone and I won't have to worry about the temptation to consume anymore.

Sincerely,

Erin

Blizzard Anyone?

Sisters,

It's been a busy day. My oldest is turning 7 next week and her birthday party is this Friday. I'm not a big fan of birthday parties. All the hyper, craziness that comes with the party is sometimes more than I can handle. Not to mention the treats and cake that will be lying around during/afterwards. This should be an interesting weekend.

Anyways, like I was saying it's been a busy day. This is how is all panned out...

After dropping my oldest off at school I took my middle child to the skate park so he could try out his new skateboard before hitting the streets to stalk the stores for party supplies. Starting at Nutters, before going to Superstore and ending at the greenhouse. That was my morning. After rushing home for a quick lunch and a shower (because I couldn't get my butt out of bed early enough to do so before going out this morning) me and the two youngest headed to the Doctor's office where we spent the rest of the afternoon before hitting up the pharmacy to fill a prescription for my baby, and then returning to the school to pick up my oldest 10 minutes late. Getting home from school is always a welcome event because it usually means a little down time...except on Wednesdays when my oldest and I have piano lesson from 4 to 5. Upon returning from piano I made supper and then the lot of us worked in the yard until bath/bedtime at 8:00.

Twelve hours later I finally get a break. I'm tired. It's been a busy day. I sit next to Trevor and he turns and says to me:

'I know this is bad, but I really want a blizzard right now.'

O NO! I think quickly before responding....

'I've been wanting ice cream all day'

because, truly, I have.

'What kind do you want?' he asks.

How do I respond to this?

I can't possibly turn down an opportunity to eat sugar guilt free can I?

'Oreo', I say quickly

and then wish I had more will power.

Then it's over. He's gone.

I'm justifying my love for sugar in my head right now:

'But, it's been a busy day and a Blizzard sounds so good.'

'Trev's going to eat one, so I can too.'

'He asked so it's all his fault.'

'I just won't think about it and then I won't feel guilty.'

'With my baby being sick she's been nursing more. I've nursed out at least the amount of calories in a Blizzard today for sure.'

When Trev gets home I'm going to eat my Blizzard....and I'm going to ENJOY it because, it's been a busy day and Trevor just had to ask.

Have a great night everyone.

Erin

Confessions

Sisters,

I guess this is the place I will tell all my sugar secrets to. I'm going to start with the one I'm sure nobody knows. I figure I've got to start slow into this process. Weaning myself off sugar just might be as hard as quitting smoking, or going off crack. After all sugar is an addictive behavior...or should I say substance.

Ok.

Here I go.

Enough beating around the bush.

Secret #1: Sometimes I buy treats and hide them under my side of the bed.

O no.

I said it out loud.

Shh-don't tell anyone.

It was such a perfect hiding place. The kids never look there and neither does Trev. I can sneak treats whenever I think of it and eat them uninterrupted in the quiet of my room. Do I really want to give up that part of my existence? When I was a kid I did the same thing with my Halloween candy. I'd put it in a giant bowl and hide it under my bed and eat it all the time and tell no one where it was.

Old habits are hard to break.

Hopefully after today I will have broken this one.

Day #2 All and all a good day. I did have a bowl of sugar cereal as a snack after picking my daughter up from school. But refrained from eating the chocolate chips that I looked at every time I opened the pantry door. Maybe I should move them to a different location that is out of my direct line of vision. That might help matters.

I'm craving cookies at the moment.

Cookie dough even more so.

It's a good thing it's 9:24 pm and I'm tired tonight, otherwise I might have energy left to do some baking.

Goodnight,

Erin

The Beginning

Dearest Sugar Sisters,

After talking about this idea last night I milled it over for awhile. What better way to control my sugar consumption then by posting it publicly on a blog that everyone can read...even my better half.

I thought:

Surely posting somewhere where Trevor could read what I'm eating would help me control my unquenchable desire for the stuff I love the most?

...and then I thought do I really want others to know this part of me?

In deliberating I've decided yes. This should be public knowledge. I can't be the only one who struggles with such crazy desires.

Cookies for breakfast.

Chocolate chips for snacks.

More cookies before lunch.

A bowl of sugar cereal, that's much to large later on.

More cookies...but with milk this time, after the baby has gone down for an afternoon nap. Ice cream for dessert after supper.

Why do I love the bad stuff so much?

I am usually able to control my love for sugar at least a portion of the day. I'd say only a small number of my cravings turn into the action of consumption. But when you seem to want sugar constantly, a 'small number' can sill be too much.

I try not to bake or buy cookies too often because I and I alone am usually the one who eats most of them (cookies are a weak point in my diet). We buy ice cream on the unusual occasion that we have dessert, but a whole carton of it is rarely consumed durning one meal and so it sits in my freezer speaking sweet nothings to me through the closed freezer door.

This has got to be easier then this...I think to myself.

I am a grown up. I can control myself.

And so the Sugar Sisters has been born. I can do this! I WILL conquer my desire for the stuff that holds me back from the body I wish I had. Post baby I have never been the same, but with the help of my Sugar Sisters I will once again be a trophy wife!

Let's do this thing!!!

Erin

Day 1