In last week’s post, I shared about my struggles with binge eating.
And I set a SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) goal to avoid consuming any added sugar in packaged, processed foods.
Find out how I did below!
Day One
The first day implementing my new SMART goal, Monday, was full of temptations.
Much of the struggle was the result of the normal cravings that follow a binge period. Or at least, the normal cravings that I experience.
I’m not sure if everyone who struggles with dysfunctional eating finds it harder initially to switch back to more moderate portions and eating habits, but I’ve always assumed this is typical.
In any case, I know from previous experience that the cravings usually dissipate…eventually!
Here’s what I ate:
- Breakfast: black beans and rice with salsa; strawberries and blueberries
- Snack: granny smith apple with fresh ground peanut butter
- Lunch: homemade red curry lentils with brown rice
- Dinner: chickpea schwarma rice bowl
- Dessert: chocolate-banana smoothie bowl with raspberries, cacao nibs, and granola
What I wanted to eat but resisted:
- A chocolate brownie flavored Larabar; I brought it with me to work as a snack but realized before I chowed down that it, unlike most Larabars, had added sugars
- PopTarts; I had several boxes in my car along with a few candy bars. These were all freebies I had gotten and intended to donate to a local food pantry. Still, catching a glimpse of them every time I hopped in my car was challenging.
- Any of the many ice cream and popsicle options at home. I combatted this craving with the aforementioned smoothie bowl made from naturally sweet frozen bananas.
- Chocolate. Always chocolate. While the chocolate I typically eat is pretty low-sugar compared to leading brands, I abstained to stick to my SMART goal!
Day Two
Tuesday was a breeze.
Just kidding. It was still really hard.
I reminded myself that each day I abstain from binging and eating added sugars, it will get easier. But I still felt that nagging desire to munch of something or have something sweet throughout the day.
Do you ever feel like you just crave something sweet after a meal – even when you’re pleasantly (or overly) full?
I combatted the desire for a sugary treat post-lunch today by enjoying a couple of dried figs. Delicious and 100% natural!
Here’s what I ate:
- Breakfast: an ambrosia apple
- Lunch: leftover chickpea schwarma bowl (I added a little vegan sour cream and extra hot sauce this time – delicious! Plus two dried figs
- Snack: chocolate-banana smoothie bowl topped with strawberries, raspberries, cacao nibs and granola
- Dinner: a large chopped Greek salad (beets, cukes, peppers, tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers, kalamata olives, and stuffed grape leaves) with two slices of toasted sourdough bread. Two dried figs.
- Dessert: a cashew cookie Larabar – no added sugar but the little taste of sweetness I desired after much yardwork in the evening!
Though I noticed a desire for something sweet at several points during the day, I didn’t have as distinct cravings for specific items. And even when A cracked open a pouch of peanut M&Ms this evening, I felt pretty OK not participating.
Day Three
Today went pretty smoothly until the evening time, when A was snacking and I really wanted to join in. I indulged in some Triscuits and then a few dried figs – a better choice than a binge on sugary garbage but unnecessary calories overall.
I did also face temptation when the kids were eating frozen treats for dessert – popsicles and ice cream drumstik cones.
Thankfully, I recently discovered GoodPops, a brand offering 100% fruit juice popsicles with no added sugar!
Here’s what I ate:
- Breakfast: chocolate-banana-mixed berry smoothie bowl topped with raspberries, cacao nibs, and granola
- Lunch: the last of the chickpea schwarma rice bowls
- Dinner: nachos made with blue corn chips, vegan mozzarella, peppers and black beans topped with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, vegan sour cream and hot sauce. I also sampled two of the mini beef tacos that the kids were eating
- Dessert: two GoodPops popsicles (cherry limeade and fruit punch)
- Snack: the aforementioned Triscuits and four dried figs
Given my minor struggles this evening, I’m considering my next SMART goal to be avoiding eating after dinner; I am hoping I can successfully “habit stack!”
Day Four
We have been so busy with yardwork the past two days that I have felt insatiable. I am sure this is mostly the result of dehydration more than actual hunger, but I find myself looking for snacks when I don’t even feel true hunger.
Once again, I found myself craving sweetness after my primary meals. I made a late-night smoothie bowl today – very satisfying but probably another moment of unnecessary caloric intake.
Nevertheless, one SMART goal at a time!
Here’s what I ate:
- Breakfast: two slices of Schar’s gluten-free sourdough toast with a little avocado oil vegan spread and blueberry fruit spread (sweetened with apple juice concentrate only)
- Lunch: two granny smith apples with peanut butter and a small kale salad (massage lacinato kale with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and garlic topped with chopped pecans and fruit juice-sweetened cranberries)
- Dinner: double patty veggie burgers with zucchini fries and a homemade aioli
- Snack: three dried figs
- Dessert: chocolate-banana-berry smoothie bowl topped with granola, cacao nibs and coconut
Day Five
This was another crazy yardwork day (in between running around with the kids). I love summer but this week, summer camp and the start of my church’s Vacation Bible School weekend collided and resulted in a pretty chaotic Friday afternoon/evening.
Here’s what I ate:
- Breakfast: “cheeseburger salad” (romaine topped with a little chopped beef and veggie burger, vegan cheese, tomatoes, and pickles)
- Lunch: leftover roasted potatoes, 4 dried figs
- Dinner: three slices bacon pizza (with non-dairy cheese), an apple with peanut butter
Day Six
I felt insatiably hungry on Friday and Saturday evenings after we spent most of Thursday and Friday finishing up the landscape steps that I’ll share in a later post.
The project amounted to nearly 12 hours of digging, hauling, shoveling, and generally laboring.
Of course I have been prone to feeling “false hunger” in the past, so it is possible that I was soothing a tired body and mind with food without realizing it.
Here’s what I ate:
- Breakfast: a bowl of granola with almond milk
- Snack: chocolate berry smoothie bowl with granola, cacao nibs, coconut, and chia seeds
- Lunch: three thin sliced sourdough toasts – half with cherry tomatoes and balsamic glaze, half with roasted zucchini wedges
- Dinner: taco salad and watermelon
- Snack: a few butter snowflake rolls, half an apple with peanut butter, and a handful of mixed nuts
I realized as I was writing this post that the balsamic glaze contained added sugar and thus didn’t align with my SMART goal. However, I also deviated from the goal when I consumed the bowl of granola.
I didn’t end up making the full week with my SMART goal. By Sunday and the final day of the kids’ VBS event that I helped at/attended, I ended up indulging in the variety of cookies they had available. It was definitely a mindless grazing event.
Plus, A’s mom made delicious blueberry muffins and I had one of those for breakfast.
Nevertheless, I was more mindful throughout the week about what I was consuming and avoided any major binges prior to Sunday.
Given the way the week panned out, I am going to maintain this one SMART goal for the coming week (july 18-24). To aid in my goal, I am going to try to be aware of any post-dinner snacking. I won’t make this an official goal since I want to focus on achieving one goal at a time.
I’ll keep you posted about how next week goes!
Considering setting a SMART goal of your own? I’d love to hear about it. Share in the comments below.