Filling the Void

Without an exhausting trail run on the weekends I’ve been madly trying to fill the void. So far, I haven't had a ton of success with that but hey, it’s a transition; it’s gonna take some time (and with time I will be running again and then yipeee my weekends will have Purpose). So what have I been up to with myself?

For one thing I have been seriously tackling losing weight. When I was training I simply couldn’t bear to track every goo and bar and then say no to my after run hamburger and pint. Now I am not training, summer is coming and who on earth wants to go buy fat shorts? I am not going gently into that good night, no way, no how.  So. I started a food diary on myfitnesspal.com and have taken to it like a new sport. Thus far I have lost 2 pounds, yay me.

Like all sports, it has not been easy, quick or painless. It has been a steady one pound a week though. Tracking calories has the added bene of really motivating me to find some activity so that I can earn a few “extra” exercise calories because I. Am . Hungry. Srsly. Hungry.  But, my clothes are fitting better. The shorts that I couldn’t fit into before, I STILL can’t fit into, because it’s gonna take more than 2 pounds. But the ones that I could? Those are fitting and feeling much better. I’ll take it.

Because my Sundays are now wide open spaces, and I am counting calories, and I am fiscally conservative,  I have begun to make my lunch every Sunday and Wednesday. Here is my action plan: throw a slew of veggies on the grill. (Note that some one in my family (coughkidscough) inadvertently set MY camera to take black and white photos, so instead of having the greens of asparagus, the white of zucchini and the browns of mushrooms I present to you shades of gray. Not all that appealing. My apologies.)

These things were gorgeous.

After the veggies I throw on the chicken:

Then I chop up the whole mess and throw it in a glass bowl, serve it over half a cup of brown rice and TA-DA!! two healthy lo calorie lunches, at your service.

A few losing weight thoughts:

• I am hungry almost all the time AND it is ok. Apparently, if you cut back 500 calories a day to lose one pound a week, you're gonna be hungry. Accept it and it doesn't hurt as much, at least that's my motto.

• I am eating healthier than ever because I eye every food and consider what my 130 calories is buying me. So, banana with a teaspoon of almond butter is IN, piece of pastry? OUT.

• I still have a couple glasses of wine once a week or so. On those days I eat even healthier and try for a little extra activity.

I hope to have a "went for my first run in awhile" blog post, but until then this is what I've got.