A breakthrough? I believe so!

Finally, finally, FINALLY all the good changes I've made to my diet are leading to weight loss.  Oh, yeah, it's only one stinking, measly pound right now, but it's the first time my weight has moved in the downward direction in months.

Here are a couple of changes I've made.  I'm confident that sustaining these changes will propel me forward on this journey.

1) Too much of a good thing is still much.  I've gotten serious about portion control.
I can't say I am measuring everything, but I'm portioning out my favorite high calorie real foods.  I've been obsessed with the granola I make - it's freaking delicious!  I've gotten smart and measured it  into half cup portions and put into individual baggies.   Well, duh.  I've told myself as delicious as it is I can only have one bag per day.  I've been able to handle that.   And meat.  I like protein.  I'm keeping meat portions during meals to the size of the palm of my hand. Ok, occasionally I use my husband's palm size for measuring purposes, but I'm keeping it to the size of somebody's palm!  I am also limiting brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa and couscous to 1 cup portions at meal time.  Yes, it is so much better for you than white processed grains, but that really doesn't mean you can eat as much of it as you want.  Trust me...I know. 

I can't handle this.

2).  Sometimes you've got to admit defeat.    Hi! My name is Jennifer, and I'm a cheeseaholic. (Hi, Jennifer!)  I'm powerless against cheese; therefore, I've made a new rule for myself.  No cheese as a snack or part of a snack.  Did you know that a one ounce serving of cheese is about equal to the size of your thumb?  I know,  right?!  I'm just warming up after an ounce!  Since I can't really handle cheese as a snack right now, I've eliminated it.   As a part of a meal - let's say  on top of brown rice, homemade refried beans, tomatoes, and avocado - sure!  I can handle that.  Incidentally, that is tonight's dinner and I'm really excited about it.

3)  If you aren't hungry enough to eat an apple, you aren't really hungry.  That's one of author Michael Pollan's food rules from his book Food Rules: An Eater's Manual  and it's just really good common sense, don't you think?    If I feel hungry, the *first* thing, I'm grabbing is an apple or some other fruit or vegetable and not my "real" but certainly more caloric Ak Mak crackers, Triscuits, more of my freaking delicious granola, or hummus.  If after the fruit or veggie, I want more then I have it.  But it's a guarantee that it will take less of the next item to leave me satisfied than if I had not eaten that apple. .

4).  I will not phone it in at the gym or on my runs.   Jillian Michaels loves that phrase - "phoning it in" during exercise.  You shouldn't do it.   Be present, be mindful, work hard!  It is so, so easy to get in the mindset of phoning it in, and not even realize it.  It's easy enough to think, "Well, at least I'm running!" or "At least I made it to the gym."  True, it is better than nothing, but if you are investing the time anyway you might as well make it count as much as possible, right?  Right!   Give it all you've got for whatever the amount of time is that you can invest, and watch some magic start to happen.

Me on the elliptical at the gym. I was briefly "phoning it in" for editorial purposes.

 So, I'm in a really good place, I think!  Feeling strong and healthy - ready to see what the coming weeks shall bring!