Where I get my groove back

Day four with no sugar - and feeling fine. Had a plain cafe latte with NO sugar this morning, and it was not bad. The first few sips I was a little eh about it, but I got used to it. It's all about getting my taste buds reprogrammed. I had leftover lasagna for lunch, and it was even yummier than last night! Got my KB workout in this morning, 520 swings, one minute on/off, alternating between the 8kg and the 12kg. Did a snatch set in there with the 8kg, and one of my 'two handed swing, flip it upside down, catch it by the handles and squat, flip it back out, catch and swing' sets. Make sense? I should probably post a video of that one. It's great for the glutes. 

So, feeling pretty good. Starting to recognize real hunger vs. bored/emotional hunger. None of this is seeming so hard - yet! Each day I get behind me with no sugar, good food choices, and exercise, I feel such a sense of accomplishment. It seems like it should just get easier from here on out.

I read a lot on different exercise/fitness/diet blogs about choice. This is a word used a lot, tossed around a lot, (including by me) but I've never really thought about what that means. I've been thinking a lot about it, and I've come to a few conclusions:

1.) I feel like I have a better chance at succeeding with and staying committed to my food goals. Why? Because I am actually choosing to. I am not trying to - or half-assed committing - or justifying a treat because 'I've been so good'. I am full on, balls-out, choosing to eat a certain way. There are certain things I have just taken out of the equation, and I have certain parameters that I work within. And eat within. 

2.) I have a serious sweet tooth. And, given my absolute luck in having a blessedly fast metabolism, I have never really, truly had to watch what I eat. It wasn't until my 30's that I started to notice "Whoa, you mean I can't eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's every night?" I have, for the last few years, let my cravings control me to a point where I let myself think I had no other choice. I was effectively, letting my cravings run the show. It's like a light bulb turned on, and I thought, I truly eat this way because I want to. This is all totally, 100% in my control - and I can make the choice to stop. Right now. So I did.

3.) Nothing I have been doing is a new discovery for me. I have read the same stuff over and over. It's all totally common sense. But I feel like I just 'got it'. I don't know, it all clicked and I thought this is it. My light bulb moment.

Today I woke up with a miraculous thought: I can do this. I'm not saying that I don't want a bag of Reece's Pieces, like right now. I'm not saying that I don't miss my nightly bowls of ice cream, or a slice of my unbeatable homemade pie. And I'm not saying I'll never eat sweets again, either. I'm saying that for the immediate future, I really feel I can do this, it's in my grasp, and it feels so concrete- this image of my I have at my pre-baby weight - that I can taste it (pun very much intended). 

So that's it. Everyday I make the choice to not eat sugar. To eat more veggies, less fat, lower carbs. And each day I succeed, I feel stronger - not a physical strength, but in my head. 

Oh, and I had the ultimate test this afternoon - I went up to our local gourmet food shop, to get my dad a fancy schmancy chocolate bar to take for his night shift at the IRS (he works a hellish 7-3am shift, and has serious health issues besides). Let me tell you, as I was standing in front of row after row of imported chocolate bars, I thought, Man, I could eat one of these right now, and no one would know! But then I thought: I would know! So I purchased the treat for my dad, a small chunk of French bleu cheese to have with my fruit tonight for 'dessert' and some new tea. And went on my merry way. And felt good about it, too!!