My big challenge - portion control

So I'm sitting here thinking that the exercise part of my weight loss/health is going great. My muscles are still sore from my classes this week (everything on the back side of my body, esp hamstrings and shoulder blades). I got 4/5 really perfect workouts in this week and still have the weekend for fun extras (shopping?). And while my eating has been terrifically healthy, I'm not in a calorie deficit, so I'm not really losing weight. It's my hardest thing, eating less. I am a super pro at not eating bad things (usually), but I still over eat. I'm definately a volume eater, needing to stuff my face (thank goodness for popcorn!), not satisfied with one square of chocolate, needing a whole bar. But I would sooner eat chips than a chocolate bar anyway because a chocolate bar is so small! You get me?

So I made this realization that just switching to healthy foods and eating like this is enough to maintain and I am quite happy with that. But to lose weight, I need to eat less. I was all pumped about this, figuring I can do it for the BLBE challenge and then move on. So excited to eat less, ready to start right now, but you can't.

Eating less is a thing that you don't do, ya know? If I was pumped to start exercising I could go out at noon for a walk at least. But to eat less, I can't do anything right now, I just have to not eat (so much). But of course i'm all pumped thinking about food and eating, so it makes me want to eat. Even eating healthy foods I could do something about right now, like eat an apple or something instead of a granola bar. But this is a non-action goal. Tough for me.

So fellow BLBE-ers, I'm asking you to keep me accountable on the portion size thing, on the eating less than I do now. I'm not going to want to tell you how much I'm eating, and I'm going to justify how much I'm eating every way I know how ("my metabolism is high from my muscle mass" "I need more food because I work out so much" "i'm eating fruit for crying out loud, you can't limit my fruit!") but I need you to watch out for these and then kick my ass when I use them. This is an ass kicking challenge, not a make her feel better about herself challenge. In fact, if I do say stuff like that, remind me of my goals, wearing a smoking hot *tight* dress at SILs wedding, being comfortable in a bikini, LOOKING like a fitness instructor. Remind me of how I feel when around my in-laws (like a giant amazon woman), how I love to be the envied one and the one people talk about, how good it feels to go shopping and have things fit. And remind me that having a banana after a full meal does not get me there, and having snacks more than 200 calories keep me from being that person. Yes it's healthy, but it's not weight loss.

In other news (like this is news!) yesterday I got home from work and before even making supper I went and did my interval run. They have gotten so much harder since I went away in August. It's ridiculous how my fitness level has dropped. I remember speed intervals were getting to easy and I was looking for hills or something else right? Well no need to worry about that now! I did 1 min sprints and 2 min recovery, I did a sssllloooowwww jog for recovery, and then for the last couple I even walked. Got home by 6:00 and made supper (which I'm not proud of). Cooled down and stretched while it was in the oven and then had the whole night ahead of me, with my workout done!

So what was my bad supper? Fish sticks and fries. The fries were good, just sliced up potatoes with some seasoning salt (I ate less than 1 medium potato worth). The fish sticks were NOT good, high cal, high fat. I blotted tons of grease off. I ate only 1 fish stick. The protein was dismal, like 7 g or something, 150 calories. So that's not horrible, (the box said a serving was 2, I saw the nutrition and then decided to only have 1, that's a step in the right direction for me, but I really shouldn't have made those at all). To fill the rest of my plate I had some pork 'n beans and a veggie medley with a couple sprays of becel. Glass of milk to finish it off.

At least I don't have those fish sticks in my freezer any more. And I won't be buying unhealthy ones like that again. promise.

Today is going to be a challenge, going out for lunch with work, don't know where. probably can find a salad on the menu. dressing on side. Then hubby and I are having a dinner date at another restaurant somewhere (I've got a big coupon book for buy 1 get 1 free, but a lot of options aren't that healthy - chicken kiev, delicious but I'm sure high cal.). I guess this will be a good opportunity to practice the portion control thing, not eat my whole plate full and then dessert.

And that leads in to my perfect weekend. I'm pretty pumped about it. I'm thawing out some frozen berries with splenda and that will be my delicious treat. NO BARS of any kind. Muffins are in the garbage or freezer. Also have to watch myself on the toast. I tend to eat a lot of toast with peanut butter on weekends. And I don't skimp the PB, nor is it natural kind. It's fine if that's a meal, but it's often a snack on weekends. NOT this one.

Ok so those are my big plans for this challenge and weekend. My WI today was 136.8. So I think that's a .2 gain from last week. not terrible, I had some bathroom issues, plus my muscles are still sore, so may be retaining water (that's how it works right?). It leaves me with 6.8 lb to lose to get to goal 1 (I don't know if this is where i'll want to stay or not.). It'll be pushing it to get it done in a month for the wedding, but still possible. Especially with all y'alls help on keeping me in line!!!