I've realized that IIFYM isn't going to work right now. I'm too stressed with school, work, and fixing up the house. It's just not happening right now and I think it will only get worse as we get closer to the holidays. I'm going to try intuitive eating with a focus on protein.
The main argument against intuitive eating is that intuitive eating is the reason why most people are fat. That's true, to a point. I know the big reason I eat is boredom. In the past, boredom eating meant candy, baked goods, and sweets. I still eat when I'm bored, and I'm working on that, but now when I'm bored I eat jerky and sunflower seeds. I don't want candy. I don't crave sweets and carb filled baked goods. I crave real food. I can't tell you how badly I want a (Monterrey-jack) cheese burger on a homemade honey-wheat bun with a thick slice of spicy red onions, brown mustard, and spinach. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
I found a great article on intuitive eating on Huffington Post.
I think it took Paleo (i.e. eat some fucking vegetables and stop with the processed junk) and keto (i.e. step away from the bread, fatty) to teach my body what I want and need. IIFYM also brought to light how protein deprived I've been (and probably why that burger sounds so good!). What's the plan now?
GYM:
Monday: racquetball with Dad! This is something I'm actually really looking forward to. I'll go. I want to go. It's going to be great and it gives me a chance to spend time with him.
Tuesday: Best case scenario, I'll hit the gym on Tuesday between work and school. I get off at 4 and class isn't until 6. That gives me enough time to hit lower body. Upper body is too time-consuming once you figure half an hour to drive to the gym and change, then half an hour to drive to school.
Thursday: Racquetball with John! This might be a pipe dream, but it'd be great if he did some cardio. Hopefully we'll do some legs before hand. He doesn't want to lift lower body because he already has a hard time finding jeans that will fit over his muscled thighs.
Friday: Upper body! John will definitely want to join me on Fridays. He's self-conscious of his slim arms. Plus Friday evenings are pretty dead at the gym, especially in the weight room.
FOOD:
I really want to start cooking more. It's starting to cool off now (my kitchen is only 85 degrees instead of 95!) and we've been eating out too much as it is. I'm hoping Thursday-Sunday I'll be cooking dinner at home. I want Sundays to be the day that I make something big that we can either take to lunch or reheat for dinner Monday-Wednesday. The focus of every meal will be protein. No more grilled cheese sandwiches. I also want to start making my own bread again.
FASTFOOD:
No more fast food by myself. No quick dinners grabbed on the way home. I'll eat when I get home.
BLOG:
What do these lofty goals mean for this blog? Good news: You'll be getting more recipes! More cooking means more recipes, and I might as well share them. Hopefully with less stress I'll post fewer whiny "counting macros is hard" posts.
How does intuitive eating factor in to all this? Well, my goal with cooking and eating at home is that I'll be eating more nutrient dense foods. Even home made bread is better than store bread. No corn syrup, no preservatives to extended shelf life, no chemicals and dyes to make it look fresher. I will not eat when I'm bored. I will eat when I'm hungry. I will make myself one serving and put everything away. If I'm truly hungry, I can get it all out and make another serving. I can tell when I'm boredom eating because I don't want to put in any effort. My quesodillas are cheese only, no meat, no onions, no salsa. Just cheese and a tortilla thrown in the microwave. It's not even that good when it's microwaved. Cooked in a pan is way better.
