Thursday night I opened a bottle of wine with the intention of ME having a drink. This was my first "more than a taste" drink that I'd had since I started my weight loss. It was a wonderful Pinot Noir that smelled and tasted fantastic. I had a glass Thursday and Friday nights and enjoyed every pleasant drop. I also noticed some interesting behaviors when I'm feeling foot loose and fancy free under the influence. After not drinking for quite some time, even a very small glass of wine packs a punch for me.
When I drink a glass of wine, I want to eat. Pure and simple. Each night that I had a glass of wine, I instinctively went into the kitchen searching for a snack to pair it with. Thursday night it was beef jerkey -- I was craving protein. Friday night I started with protein and then Honey Nut Cheerios and milk started calling out to me. At first I stopped myself. I recognized this carb-craving behavior before. I never paired it with alcohol, but in this case it was like my body was waiting for my defenses to be down so that the craving monsters could be let out of their cages. I caved in and had a small bowl. It tasted good, but I found myself looking at my actions as though I were an anthropologist. Girl in the wild.
I don't know if this was simply an old habit reawakened, or a feeling I get when I drink, but I learned that I will need to have a strategy around alcohol. Now that I'm fairly certain that enjoying that lovely glass of red wine may lead to grazing, I'm going to have to have a plan in place.
First, I think I'll limit my drinking to 2 days per week for now. On top of that, I'll prepare some protein/vegetable snacks (maybe even some salty olives and pickles) on a plate, party style, to nibble on. I'm thinking that if I lay something out right from the start, I won't go foraging in the kitchen, and I'll feel satisfied. Maybe if I plan to feed the beast with appropriate foods, I'll feel satisfied and won't hear those carbs and sweets calling for me. I sure hope so, because I'm determined to find a healthier way to enjoy my glass of wine that will also maintain healthy food behaviors.
This is my plan for now and I'll see if it makes a difference and let you know. If anyone has faced this issue and developed an effective strategy, let me know.
Have a great weekend everyone!
When I drink a glass of wine, I want to eat. Pure and simple. Each night that I had a glass of wine, I instinctively went into the kitchen searching for a snack to pair it with. Thursday night it was beef jerkey -- I was craving protein. Friday night I started with protein and then Honey Nut Cheerios and milk started calling out to me. At first I stopped myself. I recognized this carb-craving behavior before. I never paired it with alcohol, but in this case it was like my body was waiting for my defenses to be down so that the craving monsters could be let out of their cages. I caved in and had a small bowl. It tasted good, but I found myself looking at my actions as though I were an anthropologist. Girl in the wild.
I don't know if this was simply an old habit reawakened, or a feeling I get when I drink, but I learned that I will need to have a strategy around alcohol. Now that I'm fairly certain that enjoying that lovely glass of red wine may lead to grazing, I'm going to have to have a plan in place.
First, I think I'll limit my drinking to 2 days per week for now. On top of that, I'll prepare some protein/vegetable snacks (maybe even some salty olives and pickles) on a plate, party style, to nibble on. I'm thinking that if I lay something out right from the start, I won't go foraging in the kitchen, and I'll feel satisfied. Maybe if I plan to feed the beast with appropriate foods, I'll feel satisfied and won't hear those carbs and sweets calling for me. I sure hope so, because I'm determined to find a healthier way to enjoy my glass of wine that will also maintain healthy food behaviors.
This is my plan for now and I'll see if it makes a difference and let you know. If anyone has faced this issue and developed an effective strategy, let me know.
Have a great weekend everyone!
2 comments:
Hi Optifast Adventurer. I found your blog off of MFP and lost your username there, ha ha. I'm SimaN2014 on MFP. I've read your blog with real admiration for your success. I'm in a different boat, never been much over weight, but put on some kilos after my daughter was born and I've been getting rid of them this year.
About the wine... I too had not had a real drink in about 2 years since my pregnancy (and I nursed for 18 months and the little monster loved her night time nursing, so a glass of wine was right out). I can relate to it going straight to your head. The nice thing is that limits the calories coming in from alcohol pretty effectively. I don't get so many snack cravings since I have been logging on MFP and my body has adjusted to this new regime. I think your idea of putting together a little package meal with a glass of wine and some yummy munchies or food that go with it is a good one. I track everything on MFP and that means you can pre-log your snack + drink and know you are within your limit and then just enjoy it. You also then know what it means if you have an extra olive or piece of cheese or whatever. That logging is so important because then you can control whether you want to go over your limit that day or not. And if a bowl of honey-nut cheerios fits into your calories (and macros if you are into that), then why not? But you know exactly the size of bowl you can allow.yourself. Me personally, I would prefer something that goes with the wine -- a nice 20g piece of cheese or a piece of well seasoned meat (normal portion) and salad.
I would add, since you've decided on maintenance... Actually maintenance can be hard because you really don't have margin in your weekly calories. It means that if you go over today, you have to eat at a deficit tomorrow. Whereas if you have a small deficit (I'm close to my goal, and eating about a 200 cal deficit), means that you have a margin... If you go over by a little bit you are still at a deficit, or just maintaining for that day. Don't know if that helps, but it's (sorry for the pun) food for thought.
Anyway, hope that helps. Best luck to you and congratulations on your real success! Here's to finding (and defining) the new you.
Hi Sima,
Thanks so much for reading my blog and taking the time to share your story and suggestions on maintenance. I really appreciate it! It is going to be interesting as I learn the delicate dance of eating daily calories to accommodate life. I'm a huge fan of MFP and also log everything - the good, bad and ugly! I can't imagine learning how to stay healthy without this tool and without the support of others. Congratulations of your wonderful time as a mother :-) and on your establishment of a healthy lifestyle. You'll be able to have so much more fun your with daughter, and let's face it, having a two year old requires every bit of energy you can muster, some days.
Post a Comment