It's Teacher Appreciation Week!

I can't believe another school year has zipped by! It's been a difficult year for teachers here in the Golden State and through out the United States. Like many teachers, my colleagues and I soothed ourselves by feeding each other. I think the ten pounds I gained over the course of the last six months is proof of that. However Teacher Appreciation Week is the gold standard of indulgence for teachers!

All over the State, Parent-Teacher Associations and Parent Teacher Organizations feed the teachers with delicious and, let's face it, fattening food. Bagels, donuts, sandwiches, chips, cookies, muffins. It's a beautiful and highly appreciated gift our parents give to those of us who care for their children. However, those of us who are watching our waistlines need to be careful navigating events like theses.

In my weight loss support group, I notice that my profession is not the only one that seems to invite temptation in the staff room. 400 calorie bagels (without cream cheese!) seem to be standard in most corporate lunch rooms. It's a strange day when the donuts are the least caloric thing on offer nowadays (average donut 200 calories, average bagel 350).

Here's what I do (when I am watching my calories--sometimes I just go for it to be honest):

1. DO NOT EAT THE BAGELS. Most bagels on offer lately are ENORMOUS, made with highly processed flour (which basically converts to sugar in your bloodstream) and beg to be smeared with cream cheese or butter.

2. Do eat anything with protein. Sometimes, people bring in cheese or yogurt to these breakfast/lunch things. Protein is filling and will help your body manage any sugar spikes.

3. Fruit is always a good option. Lately, more fruit has been on offer at our staff snack sessions; if this is the case with your work, go for it!

4. Homemade goods are a good option. For example, a homemade chocolate chip cookie hovers around 50-75 calories. A fancy store bought cookie can run around 100 calories. Also, the portions are usually smaller.

5. Sandwiches: You've been to meetings and conferences and been tortured by the ubiquitous sandwich platter. I usually just nix the bread and eat the inside or tear off the top of the roll and eat it as a half sandwich. Sorry, I don't eat chips--even baked ones.

6. Birthday cake: I love cake--seriously love cake. So, I just eat the cake and leave the frosting on my plate. The average birthday cake with frosting is 100 calories an ounce. Without the frosting, it's half that. Also, there is a lot less sugar in just the cake, so it makes me less hungry (when my blood sugar spikes, I get ravenous!).

7. Conference Food: If you are forced to eat banquet food, here are the pitfalls: the dessert is sometimes placed on the table before you sit down. These desserts are rarely worth the calories. Ask the nearest server to take it away or just walk it to the back of the banquet hall and put it in the garbage. Banquet food is loaded with cheap starches like rice and noodles. Avoid these like the plague, they are soaked in fat! It's better for you to just eat the meat and veg. I always ask what the vegetarian option is, sometimes it's a better option than the regular menu--however usually it is some sort of starch drowning in sauce, like fettuccine Alfredo. Also, ask for more salad, most servers will hook you up with another one if you ask nicely. Finally, scrape off the sauce and dip your meat into it. It tastes just as good, and you probably save yourself 100 calories by not eating all of the sauce.

Here is what I have learned since December: I can never go back to eating the way I used to eat, but I don't have to be on a diet all the time. These strategies are good for anyone who wants to eat healthfully most of the time. I am moving into a mentality that it is okay for me to splurge once in a while, but to not view every special occasion as an opportunity to splurge.

The numbers:

Starting weight 235
Current weight 155
Goal weight: mmm....working on that!

Inner goal: peace.
Outer goal: Run the Nike 1/2 Marathon!

See you soon!