Nutrition

I've kicked off my fitness adventure. I have motivation in me. It's not always there and ...It's about time. I started biking to work. Then I started biking just to bike. I've started playing tennis...I've even jogged.
And I'm seeing some awesome results. I am trying really hard to be active every single day.
I'm also doing the diet part. My opinion about dieting is that it completely SUCKS! I hate feeling hungry all the time. Now, after saying that...let me say that I completely understand that it's necessary. I have to lose weight and to do that I have to suffer and feel the pangs of only eating a bit here and there. (by a bit I mean a normal size)
I am mad at myself for getting so out of shape. I had trouble with my thyroid gland and that part is not my fault...but I probably made matters worse by accepting the weight gain and just living with it. I figured that skinny people are always watching calories and since I got large and wasnt going to change being large...I'd just enjoy whatever food I wanted to eat. I wouldnt have gained as much weight(I don't think) if I'd have controlled my eating.
I have tried getting fit before(many times in fact). At one time my health problems w/ my thyroid prevented it...but now that I've had surgery and take pills for my thyroid I'm very healthy. My thyroid level is normal now and my body should now respond to diet and excersise.
This has been my pattern:
1)Start a diet. 2)Do good for a few days. 3)Have a special occasion that I "allow" myself to eat normal...just for the day. 4)Don't go back to the diet.
or
1)Start a diet 2) only diet for half the day 3) eat normal dinner 4) doesnt work
or
1) start exercising 2) add diet 3) desserts are in the house (halloween candy, cookies,etc) 4)realize that if i'm on a diet...but cheat on the diet...then I'm not really on a diet
or
1) start a diet 2)do good for a while 3)get tired of always being hungry because being hungry sucks

so, yeah. I don't know how many years I've been on a diet or planning to start a diet or taking a break from a diet.

I am now dieting for 6 weeks. I am doing alot of fitness...and I'm keeping to a diet fairly well. I keep thinking "wow, I've been able to keep this up..for long enough this time to see some results".
One thing that's different about this time is that I'm finding out alot about nutrition. I'm trying to do things the 'correct' way. Blending carbs and proteins. I remember trying to get 'fit' by walking everyday to jamba juice. Now that I think about it I probably would burn 300-400 calories(it was a good distance) But then I'd get a Jamba Juice that was 400-500 calories. I couldnt lose weight even though I walked every day.

I always thought I was supposed to give up caffeine and that's one thing that would always throw off my diet plans. Coffee is something I really don't want to give up. I've read a few articles recently, that say caffeine is good for working out and losing weight. So that is very good news.

I have made some changes to my Starbucks fix though.
I was ordering a venti white mocha. That sometimes was a tripple or a quad.
Then I started saying "no" to the whip cream.
Next I asked for 1% milk. Starbucks used to mix these with whole milk but switched to 2% awhile ago...so they made that change for me.
So The 'barista' had an issue w/ me ordering 1%...because they don't have 1%(he had to mix 1/2 2% and 1/2 non-fat milk)
I asked for non-fat milk after that. Lately I've been asking for less 'pumps' of the while mocha. Starbucks uses 5...which is pretty sweet. I asked for 4 pumps for a while. Now for 2 weeks it's been 3pumps.
So currently this is what I order:
Venti, non-fat, 3pump, 3shot, white mocha, no whip, 130 degrees.

Today the barista said: Pretty soon you'll just be ordering latte... I think he might be right. It would be less complicated. I'm really just trying to get the calories down with out giving it up completely. I do enjoy the coffee espresso flavor more now with out the sweetness.

So that's one change. Another is that I've started refering to my meals and food and my "nutrition". In my head I get ready for work and think about what my nutrition will be and put it all together in one bag that I'll spread out into 3-4 eating times. Carrots, 10 calorie jello, chicken lunch meat(no sandwich), carrots, veggies, salad, lean cuisine meals(~180 calories), hardboiled egg, strawberries, nuts....things like that. I'll make sure that when I eat something I have some carbs and some protein every time. If I have 'carb'-carbs I have them early in the day.
When I exercise I make sure to have a snack before (kashi lean protein bar is one of my favorites)and a snack after(a slice of lunch meat and a banana). Dinner: could be a salad: chef style w/ meat and egg.
I used to buy ranch, then low-fat ranch, now fat-free ranch.
Breakfast: cereal with non-fat milk. This week I've made some oatmeal and sliced a banana into it.
Drink: I havent had soda. Maybe 2 total in this 6 week period. I'm drinking water or coffee. OJ a few times. I had a Jamba Juice the other day after a ride(but that was in place on a lunch).
Meat: I havent had any red meat for this 6 weeks. I'm having some chicken. I got turkey breast sandwich meat. I've had, a couple of times, ham. & then Eggs and hardboiled eggs.
Fruits: Bananas, apples, orange, strawberries, pear...
Veggies: Carrots, asparagus, broccoli, beans, salad

I've tried to not eat after 6...but that doesnt always happen if I'm working till 11pm. My lunch is late and then for break 2 at 8pm. If I skip then I might be hungry when I get home and have cereal. If I have 1/2 a protein bar on my last break it's better.