This week I’ve been more observant about what we eat. I have an endomorphic (plump) body type and I live with three ecotomorphic (slim) men, who have the metabolisms of hummingbirds. My husband is the same size as he was in high school (I say as I am wagging my fist in air and cursing the fates). My sons seem to graze constantly. They’ll eat whatever is in their path, fruit, cut up veggies, chips, cookies, muffins…the list goes on. My sons aren’t even in their teens yet.
For years I have hidden behind excuses for not eating better. I don’t want to cook two suppers at night (steamed broccoli and brown rice for Mommy, yummy deliciousness for the rest of my family… not that steamed broccoli isn’t yummy, just sayin’). I’m 49 years old (no, really) and I have hypothyroidism, which means my thyroid which is suppose to control my metabolism is sluggish…everything I eat goes directly to…while lets just say calories hang around and turn into fat.
When we participated in the physical assessment at the end of June, the evaluator was quite helpful with tips about how to incorporate healthy eating into my daily plan, without over eating and without starving on some fad diet. He said for my age and weight, I need about 1300 calories a day (yikes, a lot of lettuce, me thinks). Actually, he said NOT TO COUNT THE CALORIES FROM ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE I EXERCISE TO ABOUT 30 MINUTES AFTER….The advice was to eat a healthy “good carb” to give my body the energy it needs to be active in addition to the 1300 cals to maintain life and limb. Yippee, indulgence without consequence. Now you’re talking.
So what’s on my healthy eating periscope?
1. Food that’s unprocessed and organic (yes more expensive, but we are worth the best)
2. Whole grains, not processed grains. I will make my own bread when the weather gets cooler in the fall, but for now, I’ll go to a bakery.
3. Good quality protein, in smaller amounts for me. I might have to cook two suppers. I’ll let you know if that’s a sustainable activity or not.
4. Keep walking and swimming…and really, really try to get to aquasize.
5. Oh yeah, fiber. Not my favorite, but I do enjoy bran flakes with some banana on top (about once a year).
Til next time
P
{ 1 comment }
You can only eat 1300 calories a day (yikes) but as much as you want 30 mins before and after your workout? Was the assessor kidding?
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