What’s your kryptonite?

*warning* you can see my geek showing a bit in this post!

What do Superman, Wonder Woman, and Daredevil have in common?

Well, Superman has a weakness to the powerful green rock.  Wonder Woman was rendered weak by having her hands tied together...by a man.  Daredevil was crippled by too much noise. 

Every superhero has a weak spot that keeps them from being at their best, and while I’m no superhero…I too have an Achilles' heel.

Hello, my name is Catherine and I have weaknesses. I like ice cream. I haven’t said no to a french fry in years.  Sierra mist runs through my veins.  I visit the barista at the local coffee shop so often that I know her son’s birthday and the type of dress she wants for her wedding.  Rap music from the 90’s is my go to for karaoke (“Baby Got Back” and “Ice Ice Baby” are my jams), and if “Jump” by Kriss-Kross comes on I will shake my butt and throw my hands in the air NO MATTER THERE I AM OR WHO I AM WITH.

That last part should totally make you all want to immediately be my friend: D I’m a blast at parties!

Anyhow, the point I’m trying to make is that there are areas in my life and choices that I make on a daily basis that make losing weight difficult.  Denying my self something just because it “might” be unhealthy has never worked.  I have found, however, that if I can relate it to something tangible…like numbers I have an easier time staying away from it. 

Haagen-Dazs makes this terrific chocolate-peanut butter ice cream that comes in this hand-held size container.  The serving size on the nutrition label says 3.5 servings of a half cup each. Ummmm ok if you say so.  It’s embarrassing to admit but the old me could polish off one of those containers with little effort.  It’s so easy to just take off the lid and eat it all without realizing how many calories you’re digesting.

Calorie King is this amazing website/ book/app that has every food from the grocery store and fast food joint that you can think of.  I keep a food journal and calorie king has been a life-saver.  My calorie intake for the day ranges from 1500-1700 calories with an allowance of 33-37 g fat.  By the way, that Haagen-Dazs container holds 1311 calories and 87.4g of fat.

Seeing numbers like this allows me to turn away from my weaknesses feeling better about myself and what I’m trying to accomplish.  When I've had a bad day and want to turn to food for comfort, knowing how much it is going to cost me makes saying “No thanks” so much easier.  Occasionally, I do indulge in a weakness but it’s with restraint instead of wild abandonment. 

For me, recognizing what my weak areas are and finding a way to deal with them has really helped my focus and commitment.  I can identify what I’m doing wrong and fix it before I start to wallow in self pity and give up.  Setbacks are a part of this.  I know that I’m going to screw up. I’m going to get frustrated, but going back to my old ways isn't going to help either. 

I just got to have a little faith in the process and in myself.

<3 - Cat