Food

**Before you read this, please know a few things:
I am very happy with the way I look. I am even more happy with how I feel. I am NOT out to lose weight. I like where I am and have maintained a healthy weight for almost a year now. I attribute it to a healthy balance between good nutrition, exercise, and enjoying chocolate and wine when I want to. I am NOT bragging about how I can eat what I want and stay trim. I have to work my ass off either in my running shoes or in the gym.


I have always had a love affair with food. As a child, McDonalds, soft drinks, and Oreos were a major treat. Once I became old enough to make my own choices, I was like a kid in a candy store. I made poor food choices through college (didn't we all) and into my adult life. I ate when I was stressed from work or as a reward after a hard week. (Remember now, this whole time I am sedentary and did no working out in any form or fashion). It didn't really catch up to me until after I was married. By the time I reached my five year anniversary, I was tipping the scales at a good 150. By the time I got pregnant three years ago, I was definitely 150 and got up to almost 200 lbs right before he was born. Keep in mind that I'm 5'3 and carrying even 150 lbs was not healthy. Not only did I look heavy, I felt like s.h.i.t. I would see pictures of myself and shutter but I'd still eat whatever, whenever. It wasn't until I started Weight Watchers that I finally saw some of that post-baby weight come off.

Weight Watchers was a great way for me to lose weight and I successfully lost about 20 lbs the spring after Webb was born. However, I could not maintain the weight, so up it crept again. This happened several times and then I started running.

Enter Ditch Weight Watchers and Eat Like a Runner.

When I started running the Weight Watchers mentality stuck. I thought about my points and tried to eat within those same perimeters as I had done earlier. I was constantly battling the shakes, headaches, and low energy levels. Thankfully, my husband helped me realize that I wasn't eating ENOUGH! This whole time, I was thinking I needed to count points (which works GREAT for some people) but when you're running 20+ miles per week and strength training, a little salad at lunch ain't cutting it. I realized that I needed to fuel my body with a healthy balance of carbs, protein, and fat. I eat a ton during the day- lots of snacks to keep my body full and functioning. I NEVER skip breakfast and I drink a lot of water. (Most days)

Here is a list of what I eat on a weekly basis:
almonds
walnuts
Fat free/plain Greek Yogurt (Other yogurts are too sweet. I add my own fruit!)
fresh strawberries, apples, bananas, blueberries, blackberries
snack mix- nuts, chocolate, raisins
grilled chicken
hard boiled eggs
humus with cucumbers, carrots, celery
salad greens (romaine, spinach)
tomatoes
black beans
peanut butter (with a banana or apple)
steel cut oats with cinnamon
scrambled eggs
guacamole

Keep in mind there are some weeks that I sure do eat pizza for lunch or have dessert with my dinner. There are many weekends that I enjoy a glass or two of wine or a few beers at dinner. I'll stuff my face with chocolate in a heartbeat. I will enjoy chips and salsa at my favorite Mexican restaurant. I will eat Mimi's homemade key lime pie. Some nights before a long run, I eat like a man. The appetizer, the entrée, the dessert. Yes, please. Bring it. If Webb and I eat Chick-fil-a, darn right I'm having nuggets and waffle fries too. I don't believe in restricting myself and cutting out foods that I love or enjoy. I workout hard so I can enjoy food. I like that running has given me some wiggle room to eat what I want.

The fried pickles after the half marathon last weekend were the best. :)


So, the bottom line in my opinion is to eat. Eat a lot. Eat a lot of the right things, exercise, and enjoy the treats in life. It's too short not to.