Sugar Coma
This weekend was quite the sugary feast. Between the two of us we polished off:
- An Oreo creme pie
- A batch of Funfetti cake mix cookies
- Several mini desserts from Carrabba’s
- One pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream
- Small batch of scones
- Several helpings of animal crackers
Before drifting off to sleep, we declared that today would be the start of “Operation Healthy.”
Both of us have been snacking on a lot of sweets lately and I’ve noticed myself feeling more lethargic and sluggish than usual. I can only attribute this to the myriad of indulgent treats I’ve been enjoying daily.
I am all for indulging every day, but in moderation. A cookie or two every day is completely fine, but I haven’t been eating just one cookie. I’ve been enjoying birthday cake at work, baked goods at home and overly indulgent weekends.
Operation Healthy commences today and we’re working together to shift our sweet tooth away from inordinate amounts of baked goods. I love to bake, but a whole batch of cookies chillin’ in a home where only two people live spells trouble… especially when those two people are self-proclaimed cookie monsters.
I will still have my daily treats, but they will be controlled and limited to one or two yummy goodies every day. I don’t want to gorge on ice cream since it only leaves me feeling overly stuffed and lethargic. This decision is not motivated by my weight, but rather by my health and the way I’ve been feeling. I want my energy back! Watch out spinach, here I come! 😀
Workout
I slept like a ROCK last night. I think I yawned my way through BodyPump this morning, and by the time I was actually awake, the class was over. One of the many benefits of early morning workouts!
After the Pump, I took Sadie on a 40-minute walk around the lake near our apartment. Today was apparently “awesome stick day” because Sadie tried to entice me with about five different sticks. She jumped around like a nut job and got quite a few smiles from strangers. Sure, it’s cute when she’s not yours. 😉 Just kiddin’… I love my stick-obsessed pup!
Breakfast
Breakfast was sweet, but healthy! Operation Healthy is in full swing! 😀
Yog + Fruit
Today’s morning meal included a bowl of Greek yogurt, topped with slices pineapple, nectarine and strawberries.
Up Close & Personal
Monday Breakfast
Protein-packed, sweet, creamy, and delicious! Score!
Question of the Morning
- Do you find it difficult to stop eating indulgent foods once you start?
- How to you switch back to healthy eating?
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It’s hard for me to stop eating indulgent foods once I start because they are so good (!) and my body gets used to it and starts to expect sweets. I switch back to healthy eating by getting in a positive and healthy frame of mind, drinking lots of water and limiting myself to 1 or 2 small treats a day! Happy Monday 😀
i think that’s the issue for me, too! they’re so tasty and i think they make my body crave MORE sugar, making it a vicious sugar-cycle!
Yes- sugar is addicting, like a drug! no bueno… 🙁
YES! A vicious cycle for sure! It’s so hard to break, but once you do, you feel so much better. Keep up the good work! 🙂
I definitely agree that there are times after indulging I just want to eat clean and green. The balance makes everything feel better. I definitely try to load up on anything fresh, green, and natural after a little too many desserts. And if I want something sweeter I’d probably make a choice for a carrot cake larabar than a slice of cake.
There are only 2 of us and I only ever make 1/2 or 1/4 of recipes when baking! Try it! much easier portion control.
you are so wise. you’re like a miniature buddha. 🙂
I can totally relate to your operation healthy mission today! I had a weekend of traveling and lots of bad food, and my body needs to feel energy again! Plus, eating healthy foods is delicious! Greek yogurt and fruit =YUM
I LOVE sweets, but after I eat them, I always feel lousy and still hungry. Knowing I’ll feel that way helps keep me away from them. 🙂
Oh it is soo hard for me to stop once I start. I have a bad mentality of all or nothing and I am trying to change that. I know it’s about moderation, but this summer has been indulgent! Once I’m off the junk I don’t even crave it and prefer not to have it. It’s just getting there that is tough! I like Jessica’s idea of only making 1/2 or 1/4 recipe. I love baking and love when others enjoy my baked goods, but if I make a recipe and it’s laying around the house I will pick and pick and pick until it’s all gone. I get excited when I know I am going somewhere that I can bake.. I’ve already planned for this weekend to make cookie brownies (one layer of brownies and one layer of cookie on top) for the guys I am going away with!! This way they will enjoy it and I will be happy!
i’m the same way!!! i love getting together w/ friends. it gives me an excuse to bake indulgent dishes. 🙂
Yes, I definitely have issues stopping once I start. It’s almost like I think “oh well this day has already been unhealthy what is one more sweet?” – it’s not good.
I actually went to sleep with the exact same thoughts as you. I have been overindulging way too much lately and I’ve definitely noticed it in the way I’m feeling/energy level. I’m starting operation healthy right along with you!
I’m totally with you on the Cookie Monster affliction. When I bake ’em, I’ll eat ’em, with wild abandon! My problem always is that once I start getting on a sweets kick, I’ll keep going – I’ll bake or buy one thing, then another the next day, and pretty soon I find my sweet tooth is a-ragin’.
After the inevitable “ugghh” moment (that sluggish feeling you describe) I’ll try to really clean up my diet for a period of time – like try to avoid refined sugar for about a week – and I find that (as tough as it is at first!) it really re-sets my taste for sweets back to a normal level, where I don’t feel like I need 5 cookies every day. Difficult, but my body always thanks me in the end 🙂
I love sweets, but I’m getting serious this week as well to lose a few lbs. It’s so hard once I really start eating bad to stop, but I still need the occasional treat. I’m not a healthy eater, so it’s been a slow adjustment for me.
I usually have to have a healthy “jump start” when I get off track. I’ll start it with a thorough trip to Trader Joes or the farmer’s market to stock up and get inspired 🙂
But I’m much more prone to nacho mountains than cookies… darn temptation! 😉
I find it very difficult to stop once I’ve begun. I think I am going to start my own operation healthy (just got back from an 8miler, what better way to commence?!?). I’ve been noticing that same sluggish/lethargic feeling you describe, along with (get this!) issues with my complexion!!!! I rarely have issues, but lately ny skin looks dull and almost sort of “rough/haggard” and I think all the processed/goodies I’ve been consuming are to blame! When I eat food from the source, I feel so much better! Let this OH begin!
Ohmygoodness that kitty is so cute. And I hate cats, so that’s saying something.
I find it easy to overindulge when it comes to sweets and really the only thing that gets me back on track is to not have them in the house. Sad, but true. I have no control of my sweet tooth.
This happens to the best of us!
I find it easiest to reinvigorate my healthy lifestyle on Mondays when I have more routine naturally built in. The trouble always is the next weekend when I feel I could fall of the wagon again. Argh!
Yup, always over indulge on the weekends and then Monday rolls around and I want to keep eating the same way!
it usually takes one day of me feeling like crap from eating poorly to realize that i’m much happier with healthy eating! i definitely think that indulging is a good thing to do within reason though!
Once you get a on a roll with sweet, it can be so hard to stop.
After the first day of being bummed that I can’t eat cookies all day, I start feeling better and then cookies are only in the background of my mind–and they become much easier to stick to 1 once I remember how good I feel when I dont eat too many!
Once I start to overindulge, it’s definitely hard for me to stop. But then when I start realizing how lethargic I feel (like you) or even when I start to feel physically ill (like last night I felt sick to my stomach from too much pizza), then I know that I have to get back on track. Moderation is great. It’s just all about balance.
I do find it hard to go back to “healthy” eating when I have not be eating so great for a couple of days! I feel like I have to force myself to eat better!
I made your butterscotch bars and they are delish!
yayyy!
I definitely have a sweet tooth and find it hard to stop indulging once I start. How did I stop? First of all, I stopped buying the un-healthy stuff that I loved so much and second, I took on the challenge to adapt and recreate a cookie recipe I had once found into a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that are actually healthy!!! Healthy cookies = AWESOME! I make them maybe once every other week now. My fiance and I devour them, but completely guilt free. 🙂
Want the recipe????
yes please! i just tried to find them on your blog… 😉
I can totally relate. I feel like this summer has been one of indulgences. I’ve had tons of events (wedding, baby showers, birthdays, etc) and we’ve been entertaining a lot. I try to make up for it during the week, but it can be really hard to get back on track. My goal for the next three weeks (before I go on vacay to Punta Cana) is to eat as clean as possible, with the occasional indulgence.
what IS it about the summer??? i swear the heat makes me eat more!
I have the biggest sweet tooth! And just one is never enough! I need at least three of whatever it is. =P
I have to get my mind back around to wanting to feel GOOD again. Especially if I have been indulging in dairy as it leaves me bloated.
yummy treats!! i have a huge sweet tooth and indulde (appropriately) ever day too. i have to to be sane! i’m good at controlling myself and never eating more than 2 cookies or eating a whole bag of m&ms. not sure how i do it, but regretting it later probably has something to do with it.
Ugh, I feel you! My husband and I both have the BIGGEST sweet tooths! It’s actually gotten worse since we’ve gotten married, because I never used to keep that stuff in the house, but he always did, so now it’s around more often, which spells trouble!
I love to bake as well and also have a challenge with moderation when the goodies are fresh out of the oven. One trick that works for me is to immediately freeze the cookies/muffins/goods and defrost just a serving or two at a time. You can also do this with the dough and then bake them fresh each time.
As far as getting back to healthy eating, it helps me if I focus on what I should be eating rather than what I “shouldn’t” (shouldn’t can be kind of a bad word but you know what I mean in this context) be eating. Making huge salads with fun ingredients helps me forget about the cheese or whatever that I left out.
Best of luck!
Speaking of BodyPump, what do you think about the new release?? I went to the release class Saturday and thought it was awesome….LOTS of squats! (i think he said like 144!)
I totally can’t stop myself from taking bite after bite of my “only one bite of brownie”. 😉
That whole thing about only eating a tiny bit of something to satisfy a craving doesn’t usually apply to me, so I try to always make myself a small ramekin of ice cream or take the small piece away from the batch (far, far away!) to help me control my urges.
If I’m going back to healthy, I never fully give up sweets because I know that will just end in a binge!
And Sadie is just so adorable! She makes me want a Vizsla (sp?) when I have a backyard. My puppy does the same thing with sticks, except she’s an 11 lb Boston Terrier who things she can pick up sticks made for 100 lb dogs. So funny! 🙂
That is EXACTLY how I feel about an indulgent weekend (or week!) I want to have healthy food again! 🙂
I am a sugar addict by far. I am trying to do much better because it was getting WAAAAAAY outta control – cake for breakfast, chocolate for lunch, and brownie ice cream sundaes for dinner. And I’m serious. I must have an exceedingly high metabolism but I admit that those foods do NOTHING to fuel my runs. I’ve tried so hard to eliminate junk food at all meals and in-between and now try to eat one or two small squares of dark chocolate with lunch and a small dessert after dinner. It’s really hard though – especially since I live my my preggo sister who is completely into junk food all the time. So, we have a lot of it in the house.
I admit it’s hard but after a few days of complete misery, it becomes easier to say no.
Good luck in Operation Healthy – I’m sure the painful sugar withdrawal will go away in a few days!
i love morning workouts! sometimes i forget i’ve even done them! I’m am such a sugar addict, its awful!! xx
Yes!! Once I start eating something like muffins or something I start craving them and get used to having them. That also happens with yogurt. If I get frozen yogurt one night I find myself craving it the next night. To get myself back into healthy eating I have to just wean myself off of it and ignore the temptation.
i love morning workouts! sometimes i forget i’ve even done them! I’m am such a sugar addict, its awful!! xx
I agree with the majority – it’s definitely hard to stop once I’m on a sweet eating kick. Eventually though my body usually tells me that enough is enough and starts to crave healthier fare.
i love everything sweet – i keep cinnamon in my desk at work! i have several plans of attack but most of it comes down to planning. i know i’m baking something, i decide in advance how many i will let myself have, and then when i eat them, it’s already been “allocated” into my day. when I don’t feel guilty about cheating and it’s an indulgence in my overall healthy day, i don’t feel like i’m “off the wagon”. i also used to 1.5 or double a recipe to have extras around the house when i was baking for a party. Now i don’t do that, so that I know that every cookie/brownie/cupcake i take is actually being taken out of the portion i’m “gifting”. last week at a wedding, i fruit-ed and veggie-ed my way through the cocktail hour because i knew that, for me, dessert is where it’s at! to thine own self be true 🙂
i do think it can be hard to cut back on sugar, especially when over indulging. for me, i usually need the feeling to hit me that i’ve just had TOO MUCH and then all of a sudden i am craving greens and fruit instead.
…sounds like a pretty nice weekend tho 🙂
I always feel so ick after too much sugar too. And it becomes a vicious cycle to break because when you’re low on energy you want a quick fix rush.
I hope you get your mojo back soon. And also – love that you clarified it isn’t about weight and just your health. I don’t want to think what type of crazy comments would have come otherwise.
I want me energy back toooooooo! Hmmm, food for thought 🙂
I always find myself indulging in sweet stuff! It usually only happens on the weekends (which I suppose I am kind of lucky), so the start of a fresh week is really all I need to get myself back on track. I love “Operation Healthy”! I might just call every Monday that 😉
YES!! I had way too much sugar as well this weekend, and can definitely feel the effects. My stomach will hurt, and I will feel really bloated.
Baking is a real problem, because as I’m making whatever it is, I lick the spoon (and bowl) and then will be raging for more sugar by the time the sweets are ready to eat. If I don’t eat a lot of sweets for a few days, my cravings reduce quite a bit!
This is a great idea! Sweets can get at the best of us! I myself am trying to get over my current ice cream love affair. I will have to actually give the whole frozen banana in the food processor thing a go soon.
WOW! the number of comments on this post is pretty comforting – i’m clearly not the only one with a weekend sugarmonster alterego! this is definitely the week for me to get back on track – i seem to have been unable to shake off my holiday mentality or appetite.
my husband also works away during the week, so i feel inclined to celebrate all weekend when he’s back (any excuse!). i desperately need to expand my healthy treat portfolio 🙂
this post is great. Last night while laying in bed after eating 2 HUGE brownies I made a vow to try to cut back on my sweets as well.
I was jogging through the days I have eaten sweets and it seems like I have had way to many consistently for the past week and a half.
I am going to try to follow the rule of a few sweets here and there because I am feeling the same way as you.
Once I start with sweets its hard to stop and those few days of not eating sweets to get read of the need for sugar is really really hard
I agree sugar can be very addicting lol. I’m tend to be bad about the dreaded… CANDY!! Its awful. Once I start its OVER :-). I definitely try to go back to the healthy foods but its hard. Sidenote: Your breakfast looks DELISH! I’ll have to save that for breakfast for myself. 😀