15 August 2008

I'm on the hunt, I'm after you.....

I know how my mind works. I know what I need to know in order to know what I want to know. I also know that I can read the same information presented 14 different ways and get it but not get it. But, I read it a 15th way and not only will the light bulb come on, the whole damn block will light up. I have to understand the why. For example, I've heard all my life that it takes 20 minutes for the message to get from your stomach to your brain that you've eaten. I've never understood that. This is the same body that can transmit pain from my toe to my brain before I even realize I did anything. But it takes 20 minutes to get from my stomach to my brain??? Why???? Then I read in a scientific journal that the signals actually come from your upper intestine. When you eat your stomach starts working and when some passes into your upper intestines the signal is sent to your brain that your full and that process takes about 20 minutes. Now it makes sense and I understand. For most people just knowing that it takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message is enough. Not me. I need to know why.

I've been doing this diet/exercise thing for so long now, I'm afraid some things aren't working for me. For instance, I know that if you go into a state of calorie deficit for an extended period of time, your metabolism will slow down. Even if you weight train, restricted calories will eventually slow your metabolism. I also know that long bouts of cardio don't work. Every marathon I've ever trained for has actually resulted in a weight gain. Your body gets efficient at burning fat but then it's get really efficient at storing it. Not a good combination.

When I started Weight Watchers 12 weeks ago I had high hopes. I have lost 7 lbs, so that's good, and I do feel a lot better, but it's not going like I hoped it would. Now I know a lot of it is me. I'm not following the plan as closely as I can. I have not been working out as much as I should be. But I think it's because there's some of the whys missing for me. I know a lot about the body and nutrition and working out, but I think there are blank spots that I may not be aware of that will clear things up for me. So I'm on a mission to learn. I've started reading a couple of different trainers books to see if I can't get the light bulb moment. I'm not looking for a new program to follow, I plan on sticking with WW because of the support. I'm looking for the knowledge that I think I'm missing that will make this make more sense to me. Once I understand exactly what's going on, I can tailor it to fit me. The signals to the brain thing?? I now have no problem taking like 4 bites of something then sitting and waiting for my brain to get the signal. Now that I know I can make it work for me.

One of the first things I learned already is about measuring food. I measure my food probably 90% of the time. I have a set of measuring cups and measuring spoons that pretty much live in my dish basket and I measure most of what goes in my mouth with them. I also have a food scale that lives on the counter and I weigh things that need to be weighed. So I'm reading and this trainer is talking about how most people use measuring instruments wrong. She says they are really getting a lot more then they plan on because of this. She showed some examples where tiny miscalculations can add up to a lot of calories during the day. It was definitely and eye-opener. So this morning I weighed my food. All nutrition labels have a serving size in measurements and grams. I set my food scale to grams and weighed my little heart out this morning. Wow!!! What a shock. The 3/4 c. of Special K I measure every day is supposed to be 29 grams. My actual weight was 45 grams. That's 16 grams more than I thought I was getting. That's 55 extra calories I wasn't counting. Now 55 calories is not a lot, but extrapolate that over an entire days food and it can add up. It's possible I'm not losing because I'm actually eating more than I think. I always count my morning banana as 1 point or a small one, 101 calories. I weighed my banana this morning and found it weighed over 200 g. That's a 180 calories. That's 80 calories I'm not counting every single day. With the 55 from the cereal that's 135 so far. Finally the milk. I use skim milk and thought I was using 1 cup. Turns out I'm using almost 1 1/4 cups which is an additional 22 calories. That makes a total of 157 additional calories every day just at breakfast. What could it be for lunch and dinner???

So I'm on the hunt. I'm bound and determined to figure this all out and I think I've made a good start. Now that I weighed everything today, let's see how hungry I am at the end of the day :P

1 comment:

Michelle said...

I'm a religious weigher of food. It's the only way I feel comfortable I'm getting the full amount :) Live and learn, right?

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