On January 2, I awoke with a start – it was almost 7am and my alarm hadn’t gone off at 5:30 as I had requested. And today was supposed to be the day of Getting Real. Oh well, I thought, I don’t mind skipping the gym on such a cold morning. Depression sank in as I envisioned a long day at the office after the holiday break.
During the commute into Baltimore, I had my favorite automobile breakfast – a Quest bar and a coffee from my Keurig machine. This is typically my one and only coffee of the day so I make sure it is a good one. Sixty seconds of waiting for the water to heat, a splash of milk and the artificial sweetener, Truvia , make this a cup of Joe that rivals the $4 it would cost at any coffeehouse. And it doesn’t hurt your wallet OR your diet. Now, if you haven’t tried Quest protein bars, you simply must! For approximately 170 calories, you get 20 grams of protein with only 3 grams of sugar, 24 grams of carbs and 18 grams of fiber (these numbers based on the Apple Pie flavor, other flavors vary slightly). The first rule of dieting, oops, I mean a Healthy Eating Plan is starting off the day with a protein-packed breakfast to get the metabolism started up. Just like your car, your body needs fuel to run properly. And think of your body like the finest Mercedes Benz. Would you put low grade fuel into a Mercedes? No you would not! I urge you to try Quest bars which are available on the Internet or at GNC and Vitamin Shoppe., but look for coupons before purchasing. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is hands down the yummiest flavor. I keep them in my desk for that dreaded 3pm snack craving. Fortunately, living in a paperless society allows me plenty of cubicle space to store all of my “necessities.”
The Quest bar keeps my appetite at bay until almost Noon and I did a good job of ignoring the leftover cookies scattered all over the office kitchen. Lunch consisted of a Southwest Chopped Salad made by Taylor Farms which I purchased at BJ’s for about three bucks. The Southwest salad contains cabbage, romaine, carrots, pumpkin seeds, green onions and a creamy cilantro dressing. The toppings and dressing are included in the bag, so it is super quick and easy and cheap. I add some grilled chicken to it for extra protein. The bag says that it contains 3.5 servings at 140 calories per serving but that’s a lie if this is your main entrée. I ate the entire bag but still didn’t feel much guilt. Including a Crystal Lite Iced Tea, my total calorie count so far thus far for the day is 870. In hindsight, I should have skipped the creamy dressing and opted for something else, but oh well, lessons learned.
And then comes enough snow to keep me indoors for two entire days. The best thing to do in these situations is stay calm and continue eating nutritious foods. Sometimes I do my best cooking when forced to deal with whatever is lurking at the bottom of my frig. I’ve often roasted chopped butternut squash with a swoosh of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkling of cinnamon and a handful of craisins. This time I added fresh, cubed pears and some cayenne. Yes, you heard me correctly, some cayenne. And I’m here to tell you that the cayenne sent this dish into another stratosphere it was that good. Restaurant quality good, in my humble opinion.
Saturday is normally my Cheat Day but I didn’t feel like I had earned that this week even though I spent an hour on resistance training. By Monday I was back in the “I don’t feel like working out” rut and was depressed on Friday when I had only lost a pound. One stinking pound. And that’s ok because I know this is a slow process. Next week will hopefully be better.
Til next time…
Previous updates:
The Weekly Weigh-In: Week 1 – Accountability
I’m sorry but I’d need more than a protein bar for breakfast! I actually eat two breakfasts: one at 4:15 or so (oatmeal or sausage and toast). And yes, I cook while I’m getting ready for work. Then around 8:30 or 9:00, I eat a banana or yogurt.
I agree that a protein bar isn’t enough sometimes. I usually eat a snack once I get to work, usually fruit or steel cut oatmeal with Truvia. The flavored oatmeals are full of sugar.
I so enjoyed reading your article Jennifer, sorry I missed the 1st one. I am definitely going to try the Quest bars – need that protein and fiber in the morning! You have given me “some” incentive to try eating right again – so good luck to both of us – we can do this!!! 🙂
Thanks Connie! I love hearing from our readers. You can still access Week One’s article on this website.
Keep checking in on your progress! Let me know how the Quest bars work out for you. The White Chocolate Raspberry are really good too – sometimes that flavor is hard to find because it is popular.