Getting back on the nutrition wagon.

I've been with Austin Adventure Boot Camp since October '06. I've lost weight and now I have officially plateaued. I'm about 25-30lb shy of my 'ideal' weight. I say 'ideal' because I've gotten incredibly comfortable in the size I am right now. Which is great! But when I think about the goal I set out to reach I wonder if my saying I'm comfortable here is just a way for me to avoid the stress of achieving my weight loss goal. Probably. So I must move forward.

But why the plateau!? Well, I have to say my attendance over the last few months has been less than stellar. But also I've stopped paying attention to what I am putting into my stomach.
Yup, that's me. Mindlessly eating.
And it has to stop.

But what do I eat? Ever since I found out that I was allergic to everything and revamped my eating I've been on a carb overload, not because of any reason except that I love carbs. Plus, now that I have lost the majority of the weight I don't even know how many calories I should be eating. I had done an online calculator and it said somewhere in the 1700-1800 calorie range. *shrug*
So I contacted Nanaz and set up an appointment for a RMR test.
During this test you lay still (without napping) and just breathe while you wear a little mask. This mask is connected to a tube and the tube is attached to a machine and based on your breathing and I'm sure some other science that includes a calculation of my height and weight and how active you are, it spits out (with some help from Nanez) the number of calories you need to survive and the number you need to maintain your current weight.

So how did the online calculator do? VERY POORLY. AT 1700 calories I was eating 300 calories less than my body needs to just run. Not moving. Just laying there. SO in essence I've plateaued because I'm not eating enough calories. My body thinks I've abandon it!!
So with this knowledge, the plan is more lean proteins! More leafy greens! And don't trust internet calculators!
Next week I am going in to have my Vo2 Max test to find my prime workout heart rate and I'm excited. I've been wearing my heart rate monitor during class but I've not been paying attention nor, do I know how to read into the percentage of fat burned. Knowledge is power!
I'm really looking forward to the new meal plan too. Nanaz is going to set me up with different choices so I can pick and choose what I want out of what I need.

All very scientific and very interesting. I am looking forward to getting off this plateau!
If you are like me and have no idea what to eat, contact Nanaz, She's got some specials just for Boot camper so let her know what you need!

Snack Attack!

We've all had one of those days when you've had a great work out, been true to your healthy eathing and are feeling awesome up until the moment you see your co-workers chomping down a handful of potato chips or devouring fresh cookies. Tiff's Treats you are still my Waterloo. What to do when the snack attack hits?

I discovered this week that a bit of drained tuna in water on a rice cake isn't so bad when it's topped with salsa verde. And I've eaten sugar free Jello with a sploosh of fat free whipped topping, too. It's sweet enough to satisfy me when the candy machine has been calling my name. Peanut M&M's used to be my afternoon treat until I compared the nutrtional value and realized I was eating almost the exact equivalent of a McDonald's hamburger. It's true. P'nut M&M's and a Mickey D's burger each have the same calorie content. The M&M's have 4 grams more fat, a gram less of carbs and far less protein but far higher sugar.

These days I'll go for a high protein, low fat & low cal option and make a small bowlful of edamame. I like mine unshelled, so it takes longer to eat. I do use a bit of soy sauce as a condiment but I have to be cautious with sodium so it's more of a dash than a soaking.

It's a bit tricky working out what snack item is best for your needs. Sticking to a healthful eating plan doesn't mean giving up all good tasting foods, though. It's more of a challenge to find something that will satiate my taste buds but it isn't an impossibility. What works for you? Leave me a comment with your fav guilt-free snack.