How I gained weight and what I'm doing about it

I was disappointed to find out the other day that I gained eight pounds. I play tennis about three times a week so I was hoping, mildly, that the physical activity would offset some of my bad eating habits. Apparently not! It's not just vanity, my desire to be at my ideal weight. I simply don't like feeling heavy and sluggish. I also need to keep the pounds down if I am to perform better at tennis since it requires speed of movement.

More than anything, the general cause of my weight gain is unmindful eating. I wasn't really thinking about what I shoved in my mouth; I don't eat a lot, I think, but I eat and drink calorie-dense stuff. I've also relapsed back to my old bad habits due to some changes in my life. In my experience, these are the prime causes of my weight gain in the past! Thought I'd list them down so that we can all avoid them as much as possible.

I have very little time to do proper groceries and cook a healthy meal

Planning and launching a business is harrowing and naturally time-consuming. There’s also a lot of anxiety that comes with it (perhaps a tale for another day) and it affects the way I eat. I barely have time to dash into a supermarket to grab only pasta, canned meat, and processed meat - things that are quick to make in between my work hours. Before, I had at least an hour to make lunch or dinner. Now, I’m lucky if I have 20 minutes for prep and cooking!

I’ve also been eating a lot more fast food than usual. I would normally only eat fast food once a month; twice if I’m feeling indulgent. I avoid it because while Chicken Joy is life, it makes me sluggish and queasy for a couple of days after eating it. In the last few weeks I’ve eaten fast food about twice a week. Yikes. 

Dinners out have also been common. It's mostly due to the holiday season so my eating out should be kept to a minimum now that everything is back to normal.

My chicken fajitas! Are you guys interested in the recipe? I also make salsa with it.

How I’m going to solve this problem: I promise to manage my time better so I can schedule grocery trips and to pre-cook my lunch. For example, I can make chicken fajita filling in one big batch. This will be good for four or five meals. Chicken breasts, tuna, and salmon steak are also easy to make, and go well with most vegetables. I can just pop them in the oven with salt, pepper, spices, and a drizzle of olive oil! I’ll also try to avoid eating out at dinner and ordering fast food as much as possible.

I’ve been snacking during the day and eating dessert after meals

I’m in an eternal struggle against my sweet tooth. I love candies and chocolates (and chips too), so it’s very easy for me to convince me to buy them. I eat them when I’m stressed and bored. This is perhaps the closest thing I have to an addiction. I don’t smoke, drink, or do drugs, but I eat candy like a madwoman.

I’ve also been eating desserts after meals. My paramour loves dessert so I get inggit and order one too. Again, it’s the lack of control that brought me eight extra pounds on the weighing scale.

How I’m going to solve this problem: Instead of buying snacks, I’ll just stock up on fruits I like such as oranges and watermelons. I get the sweetness with lesser calories. I’m not going to remove desserts from my life forever but at least I can try to share the dessert instead of getting a separate one for myself.

I’ve been drinking sugary drinks

My consumption of sweet drinks like frappuccinos, fruit juices, iced teas, and even soda (I didn’t use to drink soda) has also increased. I’m out a lot in meetings and events, and driving through Starbucks and doing a raid of the nearest convenience store has become a habit. 

How I’m going to solve this problem: We come full circle. Mindful consumption of food is the best way I’ve found for me to lose weight. If I simply pay attention to what’s on my plate and glass, I can control what I consume. So, no to sugary drinks! 

And that’s that. This is probably the closest thing I’ll come to a New Year’s resolution lol. I don’t like not being in control of my life, honestly, and food is the easiest reflection of that. Here’s to better, mindful eating in 2016!

Are you happy with your weight? If yes, yay! If not, what are you doing about it?