(If you are part of the challenge, remember to post a little update of this past week!)
Week 4
by guestblogger Elise
This week was an absolute, miserable failure. I mean, really. A total BOMB.
I have always been a comfort food eater. I eat when I’m sad or when I’m stressed out or when I’m “hormonally compromised,” or when it’s cold outside… and it just so happens that the perfect storm of emotional-eating-worthy circumstances hit last week. I spent a lot of time last week getting a craving, driving to the nearest “dealer” and feeling really sick afterward. I’m talking doughnuts, cake, kraft macaroni and cheese, and there may or may not have been a hot dog in there somewhere. I am not at license to say.
I am hanging my head in shame.
But. I did learn something.
I still need comfort food!
Maybe someday I’ll magically sever my emotional attachment to food, but until that glorious day comes, I need to take some precautions. And I have.
The first thing I did was to get out Dreena Burton’s “Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan,” cookbook and mark some recipes that looked really yummy. And decadent. I modified those recipes as necessary (we live in a small town, and finding gluten free flour is, well, impossible). And then I went to the grocery store and purchased tons of food. I bought vital-wheat gluten, lots and lots of fruit, a little brown sugar, unsweetened applesauce, whole wheat flour, and dairy-free chocolate chips.
And to satisfy my craving, I started to bake. The first thing I made was zucchini bread. I modified a recipe I found here. The only thing I changed was substituting a mashed banana for the 1/2 cup of oil. That modification makes the recipe 133 calories per slice (at 24 slices), with 20 calories from fat. (I shoot for less than 25% of calories from fat, so we’re good here at 15%.) It’s also an okay source of fiber (6% daily value). These slices are VERY filling.
I’m not going to say that it’s good for you. But it’s a lot better than the Krispy Kreme indulgence I had earlier in the week which loaded me up with 600 calories (3 originals) and 50% calories from fat! (Yes. I had three doughnuts. I have no self control. Those things are just not that filling.)
So the lesson I learned from this experience is if I need sugar/comfort foods, it feels better to eat them whole foods vegan style. And I eat less that way too because the fiber makes it more filling.
If you are feeling comfort food pangs this week, try a vegan treat. Let me know how it goes.
This week’s stats could have been a lot worse. I attribute the fact that I didn’t gain more to all the exercise I’ve been doing. Brad, on the other hand, has been eating quite well. It’s his exercise that’s been slacking. So that’s his focus for next week.
Elise:
Starting weight: 146
Goal weight: 125
Last week’s weight: 135
Today’s weight: 136
Goal w/h ratio: .84
Starting w/h ratio: .94
Last week’s waist measurement: 31 in. (at thinnest point)
This week’s waist measurement: 31 in. (at thinnest point)
Brad:
Starting weight: 291
Goal weight: 200
Last week’s weight: 245
Today’s weight: 245
Thanks for keeping up with us. Please let me know what’s working for you in your healthy efforts. Maybe it will help us!
Finally, I’ll leave you with a photo of what we’re having for dinner tonight. I’m stoked because this is a comfort food for me too! It’s just spaghetti squash topped with homemade tomato sauce and roasted broccoli. Yum!
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