Day 95: Feed Me!

I ran 4 fast miles tonight after work and then headed out to meet a friend for dinner. Immediately after running, I'm not usually that hungry; but all the rest of the time (since I've started putting down serious mileage) I'm as ravenous as a bear. I have to eat small bits every 3-4 hours. Fresh pineapple and cottage cheese for breakfast, then an egg white an hour later. Then a yogurt around 11 am. Then turkey and soy cheese on a whole grain tortilla at 2 pm. Then an orange or some blueberries with a square of dark chocolate and herbal tea at 4 pm. For dinner, I do sushi with brown rice and seaweed about 4 nights a week. The other nights, I eat chicken and tons of vegetables. I crave spinach, kale and Swiss chard. I've always been into greens but since I started running, I have to have them every day. Thoughts of sauteed kale with raisins and pignoli nuts sometimes interrupt my work.

Since I haven't lost a pound in weeks - actually, I've gained two this week - I started counting calories to make sure all my mini meals weren't adding up to a big problem. But they're not. I'm eating enough, but not too much; and frankly, now that I've stopped feeling lightheaded when I run, I can't imagine eating less. I do sometimes indulge in very bad foods but, in moderation. Like today, I just had to have a hamburger and there's a place by my office that has the best hamburgers in the world. They make a mini version (like White Castle size) so I just got one of those and split a salad with a friend - probably 800 calories with the dressings, all in; but still, I burned 500 calories on the treadmill tonight, walked to and from dinner... We shall see what the scale says tomorrow but, I'm not optimistic.

When all my intense cravings started a few weeks ago, I figured that was my body's way of trying to get some key nutrients I needed so I started taking vitamins. I've often taken vitamins before, sometimes for months at a time; but then I'd forget for a few days in a row, and the regiment would get interrupted. So, I'm now taking a multi vitamin, multi-Omega capsules, biotin, vitamin D, and calcium on the days when I haven't gotten enough from my food. For a week I also took Bio-K yogurt drinks which are vehicles for 50 billion live good bacteria - or at least that's what spending $5 for 3.5 oz of yogurt is supposed to get you. Not sure if the pills and potions are helping (though since taking the Bio-K my chest cold has finally gone); but I do love taking the Omegas, especially. I think they are important and I sometimes feel I notice a difference in my cognitive fluency and sense of well being when I've ingested them the night before.

I know the answer is that I need to see that nutritionist I was referred to last month. We traded calls a bunch of times but the ball was left in my court and I think I dropped it - probably so I could run to the fridge and grab a snack! Must put that on my list of important personal loose ends to tie up tomorrow.

In fairness, while I'm not seeing the number go down on the scale, we all know that "the clothes" are the measure of the woman... I've just ordered some Petite 10 pants from J. Crew and we'll see how those fit; I'm guessing a little bit snug but buttonable. Size 14 down to a Petite 10 would feel like progress! On the other hand, I hope I'm not setting myself up for disappointment by underestimating my size. Wish that postman would step on it and get here with my new pants (and self-esteem!) already.