Weight Loss Tuesday: Break or No Break?
Jul 8, 2009 Weight Loss
Yes, I know it’s after midnight. But I’m still up. And I was traveling last week on Tuesday and couldn’t write. So I’m getting this one in under the wire. Weight Loss Tuesday.
What motivates me?
The last time I lost weight, I dieted for two months straight with no break. I did not cheat once. Not on my husband’s birthday. Not on my birthday. I was driven. I had sized out of most of my clothes and was really panicked. But this time, it’s more for vanity’s sake than anything else. I never tell my kids I’m dieting – if they catch me weighing food or logging my meals, I tell them I’m trying to be healthy. But the fact is I am healthy. I bike, my daily routine takes me up a lot of stairs, I can keep up with my kids. I can fit comfortably in an airplane or theater seat. It’s all for vanity now. And just wanting to look better isn’t as strong a motivator for me as not having a thing to wear or not being able to get up the subway stairs without panting.
Take a break
So, I take breaks. Usually just a day, but I just took a big one, a little over a week. It’s nice to take a break from counting and weighing and tracking. You may ask why I couldn’t have just had a few hundred extra calories a day all along, instead of going hard-core most of the time (1,200 calories) and then going off the wagon. I have no better explanation other than that’s just how my brain works. I suck at moderation, big-time. If you’re good at moderation, then you might be able to get through without breaks. But I do better this way. And I have no trouble getting back on the wagon. By Sunday, I actually wanted to be back on my diet. I had about 1,500 calories yesterday and 1,300 today. Tomorrow I’m going to brunch with some friends, and that will be impossible to count, but I’ll try not to make a total pig out of myself.
Alfredo won’t kill you
Alfredo sauce is good. Really good. Yes, the same stuff that one group famously called a heart attack on a plate. When I get fettuccine Alfredo in restaurants, there’s enough sauce on the pasta for several more servings, and eating that much of it probably would kill you eventually. But I use it at home all the time, in small amounts. I don’t need to put a ton on for great taste. (Sure, I’d love to put on a cup, but I also want to fit into the size twelve vintage coctail dress I want to wear to a conference in a few weeks.) I always have a little container of Contandina Alfredo Sauce in the fridge. A couple of tablespoons (70 calories) is enough to give a plate of pasta and veggies a nice cheesy flavor without blowing my calories. I also use butter, peanut butter, olive oil, and lots of other fatty high-calorie foods in smaller amounts. They make me happy.
So, yesterday I boiled some fettuccine and sauteed the veggies I had in my fridge – shallots, carrots, and tomatoes – in a teaspoon of olive oil and added some frozen broccoli to the mix. I tossed the pasta with the Alfredo sauce and topped it with the veggies. It was a hearty plate, for about 400 calories. It was delicious.
Originally posted on Selfish Mom. All opinions expressed on this website come straight from Amy unless otherwise noted. Please visit Amy’s Full Disclosure page for more information.
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Tags: Fettuccine Alfredo, pasta, Weight Loss
