Moving Is Heck On An Eating Plan!!

Moving is a nightmare. Too much stuff, too few helpers, not enough time.

On top of that, I don't know about you but my eating plan is totally out of whack. I'm tired, and when I'm tired, I tend to eat for energy.

Lord knows I have enough stored energy (aka fat) to manage just fine. But on those long drives to and from the old place, seven hours one way when I 'm towing a trailer, I tend to snack. At least I usually have a bag of carrots and a flat of bottled water, but you know, at some point I usually end up with an Oreo cookie milkshake.

Yes, yes, I know that's the donkey in me demanding some sweet treat to compensate for the drive.

We don't even want to think about the calorie count in an Oreo cookie milkshake. Let's just say, it's well over half my daily calorie requirements. Probably more like three fourths if I'm honest about it.

But the moving will be over in another two or three trips, so I can look forward to unpacking and sorting my mounds of belongings.

I think I'll have a garage sale -- and start a serious workout plan. Well, after I finish unpacking the 40 or 50 boxes of books. That's a workout all by itself...

Swapping Out the High Calorie Foods

I know you've probably seen the book "Eat This Not That!" I've glanced at it, but a lot of it isn't applicable to my life, since I cook and have been avoiding fast foods.

Still, the fact that a McDonald's Big Mac only has 540 calories? Really? So if I left off the sauce and put mustard on it instead, it would be even lower in calories, now wouldn't it?

It's not always the food you eat, but the extras poured over or piled on it that pushes the calorie count up to an unacceptable level.

Back off on the gravy, the salad dressing, butter, sour cream and all the other goodies. I'm not saying don't use them at all, I'm saying to use a little for flavor instead of a lot as a side dish. Gravy is a condiment doggone it!

One tablespoon of salad dressing instead of two. One pat of butter instead of three. One tablespoon of sour cream instead of 1/4 cup. All these changes lead to lower calorie counts and eventually to weight loss.