Relationships are a weight on your shoulders. (and thighs, butt, and midsection for that matter) And before you go thinking that's a negative thing, let me explain! When you first start dating someone, the excitement of being with someone new almost makes you forget to eat. It's a magical time, not only for the two of you, but on your shrinking stomach as well.
I recall barely even being able to stomach a simple garden salad on my first date with my fiance. Sounds pretty pathetic now, as I can match him in the eating department pretty solidly. :( It's just a fact of life that once you become comfortable in a relationship, you start letting things go. And one of those first things to disappear is your HOT BOD!
I've been taking notes lately on my uncanny ability to match my fiance in the food and drink department, and I've decided something needs to give. With all this talk about portion control making such a difference in weight loss, I decided to give it a whirl.
Basically, it's the easiest way to lose weight. All you need to do is look at what your man is eating, and eat half of it. I know it sounds ridiculous and unfair. But is he not double your weight?? Aha...got ya thinking! Did you know your stomach is the size of your fist? That means each time you're stuffing yourself, you're making your stomach stretch. You wouldn't squeeze into way-too-small shoes (or maybe you would), so give your middle section the same respect! We're so conditioned to eating until we're full, but the feeling you should feel after a meal is contentment. Sounds easy right?
So now that we've taken care of the portioning issue, let's tackle what to eat. If you're exercising self-control in the right manner, you can actually eat what you like. Honest! Now don't go on a psycho In-N-Out and Coldstone portion-control binge...but within reason, you can stick to your regular ways of eating. Skip the preservative-infested Zone meals and spray butter. You and your man both get the same steak, potatoes, and veggies--but you get half the amount.
Since it's likely you both won't eat together for all three meals in the day, let's focus solely on dinner. Here's a thought...don't make the meat product the main focus of the meal! Imagine the horror on your guy's face when the meal consists of a...SALAD.
Yep, it's true. There are about a bazillion different combos of salads sure to satisfy your appetite. They're so (here comes the dork in me) much fun, that you'll forget that you were looking forward to Ben & Jerry's. Trust me! Have fun with salads, and they'll surprise you.
Great ingredients to consider: sun-dried tomatoes, baby carrots, nuts, feta, cranberries, quinoa, egg whites, feta, edamame, hominy, avocado. That's just to name a few. And to get you jump-started on your journey, here's a fantastic link my fellow salad fan friend Hillary sent to me from the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/dining/22mlist.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
There are so many options you may never run out. But don't burn yourself out. A good meat-n-potatoes meal never hurt anyone (as long as you run it off in the morning!) and it's good for the soul. Try out portion control, eliminating "diet" labeled foods, and depriving yourself. Just remember how you felt at the beginning of your relationship. The thought of pigging out to an oblivion in front of him would have probably revolted you! Get back into that mindset. Enjoy meals together, but eat til you're content. Remember, your brain reportedly takes 20 minutes to catch up to your stomach! So take your time and enjoy that little fist-sized dinner on your plate!
Rock out with those salads!
Kisses!
Bridie
