Not much to say this week, I am suffering from both ovulation-related bloat AND munchy issues, just working through each day the best I can. One of the fabulous things about logging food and blogging it for a few years is noticing my weaknesses and patterns in habits that correlate to hormones, environment, emotion, etc etc. I know myself SO much better than I used to, and that knowledge does indeed help me in this area of my life.

Case in point? I bloat up, regardless of eating habits, when I ovulate and menstruate. Two weeks out of the month, with solid eating and activity habits, I retain a good pound or three of water. With that bloating comes carb cravings and irritability. Knowing this, I can pick and choose my foods or activities to satisfy my cravings or head them off, at least being aware of what is occurring. Also - knowing I am NOT a failure with no willpower. I don't just go nuts every once in awhile, there is a real biological basis for it. All good things (it also helps me tell, really quickly, if something is systemically amiss).

I was bloated up to 201.4 this past weigh day, we'll see what the coming week brings. As ever, for always, I take this day by day, behavior by behavior. Three days this past week,for various reasons, I have exceeded my calories. Tomorrow morning I aim to rectify that with my very next meal. I have noticed when I have a big breakfast I still eat the same amount later in the day, but with less calories to spend. I do much better with a big lunch, moderate dinner and snack in the evening, and a light breakfast starting it off. I can eat more early, I am usually physically hungry for it, but holding off and eating less seems to work out much better. Also, I have been lazy about planning my meals ahead and logging them before I eat. No good. It helps me SO much to stay on plan by having a daily plan laid out, knowing what food is coming, monkeying with it if need be, etc etc. The less I plan the worse I do as two weeks ago vs this week (a well planned week vs. a haphazard one) turned out. Noted and acted upon!

I can't yet tell if I am having sugar cravings due to real and artificial sweeteners, I don't do a lot of the former but have been drinking lots of crystal lite, diet dr pepper, and the like. It may be making some of these cravings worse and I don't need that. If, after another few weeks on plan, I find myself stabbing binge monsters in the eye every night after my diet drink, that might be a clue. It is the thing I am honing in on the most right now.

I'm out for the night, bye!