Frugal Finance: Re-Learning How To Eat Healthy

Contributed By Samantha Zeigler, Author of RUNNING AND CUPCAKES

When did my life get so hectic that I cannot make the time to eat properly? Lately I’ve found myself going the easy route – afternoon snack consists of a granola bar, breakfast is a bagel from Dunkin Donuts and a large coffee with cream (hello, that’s dairy! duh!), dinner a soup or salad and sandwich from Panera (if there’s nothing else planned – and lets not talk about their chips).

Granted this is probably only 25% of my eating habits, but there’s also another damn near 25% that consists of sweets. Chocolate, biscotti, gummy bears, you name it, if it’s sweet it’s in my mouth.

After gorging myself on frosting and Easter candy this weekend I was disgusted.

I thought about counting calories (I’ve tried that a few times, and failed. I failed at Weight Watchers too – I hate tracking stuff).

I thought about just weaning myself off of the sweets.

Then I thought – I’ve been working my abs (hard) for the past 5 weeks and haveseen no difference. I feel a difference, I’m definitely getting stronger. But a 6-pack is no good if it’s inaccessible because it’s covered in a fatty layer. (And no I’m not saying I’m fat – but my belly does jiggle, and I dislike that. A LOT.)

Then I read Carissa’s post about how she’s eating clean to get ready for her upcoming vaca. And it dawned on me.

DING DING DING You win! Your abs are hiding because you’re NOT EATING RIGHT.

Well duh.

Yesterday I picked this up:

I haven’t looked through the entire thing, but so far I like what I see. Today I started my transformation.

I am not dieting.

I am not following the Clean Eating Plan to a T.

I am adjusting back to ways of fueling my body for health, for wellness, for my workouts, and for my hidden abs.

I plan on discussing all of the aspects of clean eating and why I don’t want to follow it to a T (other than the fact that me and strict plans DO NOT get along).

I did well today – I am proud, considering I had zero preparation. I decided when I went to bed last night that today would be the day.

I started my day with coffee (of course) with a little bit of Hazelnut Coffeemate (bad – but I ran out of coconut milk creamer and it was my only non-dairy option in the house).

I also drank a 16 oz. glass of lemon water – post coffee, pre breakfast.

Breakfast consisted of oatmeal drizzled with agave nectar and mixed with peanut butter, with one slice of whole wheat bread with peanut butter, and a glass of orange juice. Unpictured because my phone sucks and didn’t save the picture.

Mid morning snack:

Lunch was an egg salad sandwich on whole wheat (95% good – there was mayo) with mini-triscuits and a mini V8.

Afternoon snack:

After yoga I had a banana. Then I made my rendition of the Panera Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich instead of stopping at Panera and just buying it. It helps that my bro prepped all the veggies for me! I had that with a side of Tostito’s heated up with a little salsa and a little cheese on them.

I’m still working on cutting out dairy. I know I need to, it’s just HARD.

So, what do you think? I am very pleased with how I did for my first day, considering I was entirely unprepared and just threw together whatever I could find around the house.

Edited to add: I am NOT giving up the foods I love (chocolate, cupcakes, cookies, etc.) – but I am re-learning moderation and self control!

Do any of you follow “clean eating” or any other type of “diet” plan? What would you do different? Enlighten me!