Missing my Skinny Jeans

I am facing a struggle right now.  A food struggle.  And it is SO FRUSTRATING!  Sometimes it feels like I make all this effort, make all these changes and nothing is happening.  It feels discouraging and disheartening.  It seems as though I've plateaued. I am stuck and can't seem to drop any more weight. 

Do you know this feeling?  Can you relate to me?  All this effort feels like a waste, making it very tempting to give up.  But let me just say I won't.  My feelings are just that - feelings. I know that it's not just about losing a few pounds, but making myself healthy and strong to fight off diseases that may be from an unhealthy lifestyle.  But it would be really, really nice to fit into my skinny jeans again, know what I'm saying?

My collection of skinny jeans.

This past week I decided that I would write down everything that I was putting in my mouth.  Do you know how tedious that task is?  I am not a fan, but I knew if I did it would reveal something.  And as I predicted - it did.   I am a mindless eater.  Yep, I stick stuff in my mouth without any thought, mostly because I'm bored or I'm afraid I won't get a chance to grab a snack later. Usually I'm not even hungry.  Crazy right?  But how many of us do this?  I'm sure I'm not alone.  And when I do this mindless eating I'm certainly not going for the apples or carrots nope not me, I'm reaching for the cookies, chips, baked goods, you know the stuff that tastes good in the moment but follows with regret shortly after.

So how am I going to deal with this?  How can I overcome my mindless boredom eating? This is the challenge.  But I bet that if I can conquer this I might actually fit into my skinny jeans again.  My weakness if food.  I LOVE FOOD, and I think I am guilty of not paying attention to my serving sizes.  So is there something to learn, Yep you got it.  I have to learn to have a better relationship with food.  That it isn't about eating when I'm bored or feeling down.  But food is the body's fuel.  Not that it can't be enjoyed but I have to see it for what it is.  It is fuel for my body not a emotional fix.  

Maybe I need a hobby - something to keep me occupied, entertained and enjoying life.  I also need to recognize when I am feeling tempted to mindlessly eat and think about what that will do to me.  To be aware when I am eating.  To be more in the moment - if that makes any sense.

So the challenge for me now (and maybe you to) is to PAY ATTENTION!  Pay attention to how I feel when I want to grab a snack, pay attention to what I'm eating and pay attention to how much I am eating. My goal is to change my attitude towards food, and when I fit into my skinny jeans again I will post a picture.

Stay fab!





 

You mean I can eat Healthy and still Save Money?

We all like to save a little money, wouldn't you agree? So that is why today I want to share some of my secrets on how to save money while still eating healthy. I hear it all the time, how it's so expensive to eat healthy – and it can be, but with some time, effort and planning you actually CAN eat healthy and save money at the same time.

I will be honest with you, I usually spend about $110 a week on groceries for a family of four. Sometimes it's a bit more and sometimes a little less but on average that's what it usually is. So what are my secrets? Well let me tell you. These practices work for me but you will have to decide what works best for you. Hopefully you will be able to adopt one or two ideas and keep a little more money in your pocket as well.

1. I shop in a store that price matches. This way I can go to one place and buy what I need at the lowest sale price for that week. Mind you I don't price match if the difference is just a few cents, that's not worth it. However by price matching you can save some decent money on items you need.

2. I usually purchase only what's on sale for most things. That way I have variety in my food week to week and I'm saving money. This is where time and planning comes in for me. I have to watch what I have and how low products are getting. When I have a third left of the product I start checking the flyers for sales. That way I still have a couple weeks to look and compare prices. So far this has worked well for me.

3. I use coupons. It's great to use a coupon on a regular priced item and even better to use it on a sale item. Most times I will check the expiry date and hold onto the coupon until that item goes on sale within that time frame.

4. I buy in bulk when something is on sale for half price or more than half price. For example I really enjoy the Classico sauces so when they go on sale for $1.99 a jar (regular price about $4.29 at Metro) I buy lots to last me for a few weeks. I try to do this with all my non perishables and even frozen items.

5. I also compare regular prices in different stores on certain items like nuts and snacks. I find that on average nuts are cheaper at Costco. So once in a while I will go there and buy a bag. I personally like to buy a different kind of nut or mixed dried fruit each time I go so that I am getting different nutrients and variety. 
   
   
6. Lastly, I fill my freezer. I always have frozen veggies, fish and other items in the freezer as a quick go to when needed. If one week I buy a little less food I know that I have something in the freezer.

That is it! That is how I save money and still eat healthy. I hope this has helped and you can adopt some of my practices so that you too don't have to go broke to eat healthy. This does take some effort and planning but if you are able to give it a try and see how you too can save a bit more in the grocery store.

Let's stay fab!