A Little Experiment

After a crazy first half of the week, I'm taking the night off (after I post this) and unplugging and hopefully going to sleep early. My friend was kind enough to remind me that I was getting over-emotional which is a side effect of being overly tired. Ooops, fun got in the way :-D

I have been mixing up my meals this week, trying to figure out what could curb some cravings and avoid a pattern of nibbling and grazing which I'm worried is getting me into trouble. I found this meal plan online and while I do not advocate for the use of a cleanse, harsh diet, etc., I have learned a couple of things this week through my little experiment. This link may be triggering for some but I wanted to share something that helped me return to some clean eating.

• In the last couple of weeks, the amount of nibbling (a bit of nut butter here, a chip there, extra fruit, etc.) started to feel out of control and if I structure my meals better, I'm far less tempted to graze
• Protein at lunch curbs my snacking tendencies and holds me over far longer in the afternoon. Today, I didn't eat my snack until 4 hours after lunch and I wasn't famished like I normally am.
• Meals with multiple components help me to take my time and enjoy each part. Today, lunch had 3 parts and I enjoyed them all over the span of an hour and felt satisfied and refueled after it.

Would I do this structured meal plan every day? No. But it was a reminder to eat good, clean foods and provide my body with the protein, nutrients, and energy it needs.

In other news, pilates as another great class. Not only do I feel myself getting stronger, I'm also improving my form. I also rushed to pick up my bridesmaid dress before class and it feels good to have it in hand. I'm so relieved that tomorrow is my Friday at work!

What do you guys think about the new post arrangement the past few days? Do you like the food pictures at the end of the post or interspersed how they have been previously?

For breakfast I had 2 slices hi-fiber GF break with 1/2T nut butter, 1 tsp 365 fruit jam, and 1.5 egg whites with a sprinkle of cheese:

I started lunch earlier than usual at 11:45am but didn't finish until 1pm. I had a salad with spinach, romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, beets, 1/2oz feta and dill with an Italian vinaigrette, pear, and 4oz chicken breast with my homemade taco seasoning:

My snack before pilates was plain yogurt with cinnamon and almonds mixed in.

And, I had a craving for rotini pasta and tried a new organic version from Lundberg Farms. I loved it and am excited to eat it again soon. This meal of a serving of pasta with tomato sauce, cheese, and a huge salad was really filling and satisfied my usual craving for carbs and salt in the evening.

 

I'll be enjoying some blueberries for dessert. I'm going to assume you know what those look like ;)  I'm off to unplug and enjoy some quiet. My batteries need recharging before my big travel weekend!