Don't worry, I get plenty to eat

I am really uncomfortable talking about myself. Blogging is easier. Face to face conversation is really hard, especially if it is about my appearance. Once, while dress shopping, the clerk asked what I was looking for. I told her if I knew the wallpaper of the room I was to be in, I would dress to match. I don't like to be noticed. The background is my comfort zone. 

When I had lost enough weight people started to comment on it, I would get all squirmy and mumble something like, "Yeah, I've lost a few pounds." Even after it was upwards of 35, I was still mumbling about a "few pounds."

Now, I'm getting squirmy for a new reason. People are starting to tell me I need to stop losing, or they think I'm going too far or not eating enough. My mumbled responses are, "I'm actually not losing any more," and "Oh, I eat!" 

Lunch today: Peanut butter toast with a lettuce and spinach salad with pork, blue cheese and raspberries. The dressing was made by shaking a little olive oil together with an apple raspberry vinegar. Almonds afterward were a crunchy treat. For breakfast I had an orange, spinach and eggs and peanut butter cup chia seed pudding. My morning snack was an apple.

It's hard to come up with things to say on the spot. It seems so personal to me, and feels a bit critical. Now, I understand people say these things from a place of care and concern, and it occurs to me I haven't done a great job of explaining how my exercise and nutrition work together, so I'd like to lay it out. Hopefully that can help people better understand, and they won't be so worried. 

Before explaining how the meal plans work, I'd like to make this clear, I am not on a starvation diet. If I had to be hungry to do this, I wouldn't do it. The end. I do not like to be hungry, and there is no way I'd still be going strong after 10 months if that were the case. 

Each Beachbody program comes with a meal plan, the newer programs use the portion fix containers to make things as easy as possible. There is a formula for determining your caloric needs based on your current weight, activity level and weight goals. For example, the 21 Day Fix EXTREME has options for losing or maintaining. Once you know your calorie target, you know how many servings, or containers, of each food group you need each day. Hammer and Chisel has options for losing, maintaining and gaining weight. Since it is a more demanding exercise regimen, there are also instructions for adding more calories as needed depending on how you feel. For hunger, add veggies and/or protein. Fruit and healthy fats can provide more energy when you're feeling tired or sluggish. 

I quit trying to lose weight three or four months ago. I had reached a healthy weight and shifted my focus to maintaining a healthy lifestyle while toning up. I did end up losing more weight with my first round of Hammer and Chisel, so for this second round, I have bumped my calories up a bit. According to the formula, I could bump up even more, and some days I do, but I just don't have the time to eat that much in a day. 

So, how much do I eat in a day?

Every day I get 4-5 cups of fresh veggies and 3 cups of fruit. That is 7-8 cups of fresh fruit and veggies — every. single. day. I also have 4-5 servings of protein and 3 servings from the grain/starch group. Three is what is "allowed." It's pretty much a given I go over that most days. I also make sure to get my healthy fats. In addition to all the food, I have my Shakeology. It counts as one of my proteins and also provides all kind of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. 

Also, I don't base my health on weight and calories. I feel great! My energy is up, I am so much stronger, and I sleep better. Between my second and third round of 21DFX, I did not feel great. I was worn out and feeling really depleted, so I took a week off. I did yoga and kept up with my eating until I felt good again. My intention is to keep this new, fit me. Because it is so important, I am being extra sure to do it in a way that is healthy and maintainable over the long term. When I need time off, I take it. If I'm hungry, I eat. I also have one other pretty reliable guardrail: Darren. 

You can bet, if Darren thought what I am doing was in any way harmful, he would not let it continue. He is here every day. He sees what I eat, he sees my energy day in and day out. If you don't trust my judgement, trust his. Seriously, just ask him. He will gladly talk your ear off, providing every excruciating detail, which is more than I can do. Haha! I'll be listening from the background. 

Nickole Dahl is an Independent Team Beachbody Coach.