Determined To Succeed

T.G.I.F. my friends! I hope you guys had a great week. Well, it’s finally here – the three-day Memorial Day Weekend.

I know I don’t need to remind you guys that Memorial Day (formerly known as Decoration Day) is traditionally a holiday observed on the last Monday of May and commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. It is because of this ultimate sacrifice I want to begin my blog honoring the brave men and women who fight (and die) in service to our country. I may not believe in some of the reasons our military personnel are pressed into service but I will always support the people who defend my right and the right of every American to be able to say that. So to all of you, thank you for your service to our country and good luck to you all.

Memorial Day Weekend is also the unofficial start of summer and most of us look forward to this weekend for two reasons – the aforementioned  three day weekend and cooking out. For as long as I can remember have always enjoyed the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the many foods we grill and barbecue all weekend long.

Going to my mom’s friend, Rosalyn’s, house we cooked out a lot. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, chips, chicken, cole slaw, beans, greens, you name it. And it was all good. When I grew up I enjoyed going to my friend’s houses to have the same wonderful foods as we sat in their back yards talking about any and everything, solving the problems of the world (we were always right, of course) and enjoying the (hopefully) warm temperatures (sometimes in Chicago you never know what you’re gonna get temperature wise).

But my perspective has changed slightly since those good ol’ days of not worrying about what and how much I was eating. I’ve lost the weight of a grown man since then so of course I go into this weekend slightly cautious. Not because I’m going to deny myself the flavors of the weekend (I am damn well going to have a hot dog or piece of barbecue chicken) but cautious of the amount I eat.

You see, if we aren’t careful, we could easily eat a day’s worth (or more) of fat and calories in just one Memorial Day meal. And there are some of you out there who might be lucky enough to have two or three cookouts to go to. So, just remember the following tips to get you through and keep you on-track:

First, a grilled hot dog on a bun, an eight-ounce hamburger on a bun and/or two chicken drumsticks with skin on all have over 300 calories. If you want to cut calories take away the buns  and go with skinless chicken. There are also low-fat hot dogs, veggie dogs, veggie burgers and turkey burgers that make delicious meals, too, and a turkey burger with all the trimmings is a darn tasty way to grill and cut back on calories.

Second, choose a side dish that isn’t creamy, like cole slaw (which can also have a lot of sugar) or potato salad (with mayo).  I know those are awesome and delicious but remember this is about the amount you eat. So if you’re going to have multiple meats (hot dogs and hamburgers) be willing to cut back on the sides. You might want to try a slightly spicy black bean salsa as an alternative.  I have made this myself and it is not only delicious, but it’s full of protein, fiber (to lower cholesterol and improve gastrointestinal health) and lycopene (tomato containing phytonutrient). It is perfect for cook-outs, and you can even spoon some onto a salad to boost taste and nutritional value.

Third, condiments can kill in terms of calories (and boy do I love alliteration).  Ketchup has the most calories, with an ounce being almost 30 calories, and sweet pickle relish having roughly 20 calories per tablespoon ( and c’mon. I know you and I both tend to put more on than just a tablespoon per hot dog or burger). In the condiment world mustard is your friend. French’s yellow mustard, for example, has zero calories for a teaspoon serving.

Fourth, who can resist their sweet tooth? Show of hands? I know I can’t. My sweet tooth is notorious (and wanted in 29 states). Odds are your cookout or  picnic will have a sweet dessert or two. Remember the golden rule – if you’re gonna cheat, cheat with a liquid. Have a popsicle. Heck, if there’s not one in the house maybe the Good Humor or Mr. Frosty truck will drive by and you can grab one. Although they are empty of nutrition, each popsicle contains only about 40 calories and takes a long time to eat, helping to satisfy your cravings.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to bring your own healthier foods especially if you think there won’t be many (or any) healthier alternatives.Carrot sticks and hummus, baked tortilla chips and that slightly spicy black bean salsa salsa, a three bean salad (remember the darker the bean the better it is for you), cold sliced watermelon, cold Clementine oranges, and corn on the cob (with no butter!) are all great choices. It’s not as rude as you think, especially when you bring enough for everyone to share and can tell everyone of your weight loss goals and what you are doing to achieve them.

Yes, forewarned is forearmed and in the case of a weekend built around enjoying the foods of summer knowing how to control your intake will not only help you lose that weight but also allow you to have and enjoy many, many more Memorial Days to come.

Cravings. What is it about them? They happen all the time, everywhere. Being an emotional eater I’ve had my share of them lately (especially when I had to drop a very unexpected $2K on my car for maintenance) and I wish I could stop. Milky Way bars, egg rolls, cheese fries, Cinnabon, Auntie Anne’s pretzels and more. As I’m writing this, I have a craving for my usual cup of extra cream, extra crunchy (sugary) coffee.

You know how it is when you get a craving for something. Don’t ya? You’re deep in thought about how to save the planet, the report you have to do the next day at work, errands you have to run – it doesn’t matter. Once that craving hits you it’s like all the other thoughts in your head all somehow lead back to that craving and you try to justify it in any way possible…

“It would certainly help me think better about saving the planet/these errands/this report if I had (insert the name/type of craving you have here) in my tummy.”

I even heard from one of my friends on Twitter today who had a taste for birthday cake this morning – even though it’s eight months until her birthday.

Lately, I’ve had one helluva craving for strawberry ice-cream. I don’t know what it is or why but there are times when I’m just sitting on the couch and all I can think about is having a pint of good ol’ bad-for-you strawberry ice-cream. The last time it hit me was just the other night. I was watching the Chicago Bulls get beaten by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Playoffs (I was also craving a little bit of home). I was sitting on the couch wondering how much effort it would take to actually get dressed, drive to the store and purchase a pint. Is that bad? OK, I know the answer to that. “Yes, it is.” But if we had beaming technology I would have been so there at the Wawa (the best convenience stores on the planet) looking over the freezer to find a pint of Haagen-Dazs Strawberry Ice-Cream.

Yum.

I think ultimately I replaced one sweet craving for another. I have done a really good job as of late weaning myself off of Coca-Cola (at least as much of it as I’d been having) so I think at night, when cravings really get bad and my cravings are strongest, instead of reaching for a Coke I want to reach for ice-cream. It just so happens that I’m too damn lazy to get dressed to go get a pint which is a really, really good thing. I have also been doing my best to be Zen about my cravings. I allow myself to have my cravings every now and then so I don’t turn into a miserable, grumpy bastard but I also control them and don’t make them a part of my every day. However, it all means one thing – I soooooo need to go shopping and get some good healthier food in the house. I need to at least follow the advice of the personal trainer, Jorge, I saw recently…

1. Apples and peanut butter is a great mid-day snack.
2. Cheat with a liquid – sugar free Jello, frozen yogurt, water ice or low-cal pudding
3. Cheat with a fat – like eating a cheese steak without the bread, wings, ribs, cheeseburger without the bun

These suggestions may not help me stem my cravings for delicious strawberry ice-cream entirely but seeing my numbers go down gradually on my electronic scale sure as hell does.

Welcome to another Friday and another weekend filled with breaks in the routines of life.

Regular readers know I always worry about the weekends. For some reason I think having just more free time or being out and about makes me feel far more vulnerable to snacking and general bad eating. I do my best to keep in mind that weekends are just other days of the week and that I can control myself just as well. But sometimes that’s crap. When I’m out and about – at the mall especially – I just get cravings that seem uncontrollable.

Oh man, do I ever get the urge to visit Auntie Anne’s and get one of her delicious pretzels with gooey dips. Or at the food court, I could sample the foods of the continents. Who am I kidding? Sbarro, Panda Express and Subway are tempting, albeit mediocre, offerings but ones that I am oh-so-close to having when I’m there.

Or even driving down the street I pass my faves on the gauntlet – the Colornel, the Clown, The King and the Red-Haired Girl.  I feel myself drooling at the thought of a big-ass greasy burger, fries and 98-ounce Coca-Colas.

Sigh. Ok. Deep breath. I am within a hair’s breath of the battle of the final ten, the last ten pounds so I can’t be thinking about all that food stuff. I can’t. I have been asked so many times if I ever stumble on my weight loss journey. If I ever get tempted by foods and if I make mistakes and eat them and the answer is a resounding YES. Of course I do. As I say on my podcasts, I am human and I make mistakes on my own weight loss journey. But I make decisions every single day to be healthier and NOT have this or NOT have that so that I can inch ever-so-closer to re-reaching my 225-lb. goal.

So this morning, as I down my cup of coffee, I take another deep breath and head into the work of the weekend with my goal in sight. And that is such an awesome feeling. I head into this weekend tempted but strong. We are all in this together, and believe me when I tell you guys I am in it, too…

…the same temptations. The same stumbling blocks. The same pounds to lose. I DO know how you guys feel because on days like today I feel EXACTLY the same way.