Fuel

So, I think that I mentioned that my sister is also losing weight. She is doing an INCREDIBLE job, I'm so proud of her. Anyway, a little while ago I was talking to her about the ins and outs of how she is losing weight and she mentioned that the meals and snacks she eats are called "fuelings" because that's what food is, fuel for your body. I didn't really take that to heart until this last week.

My energy has been LOW. I've been crashing around 10 AM or sometimes even 2PM every day. I had talked to my doctor about it and he told me to NOT take naps (buzz kill) and to develop a more steady routine for bed. (With 4 kids??? HAHAHA!!!) In addition to crashing and needing to take a quick 10-60 minute power nap, I've also been completely exhausted at night. It hits me like a brick wall around 8:30. To say that I've been struggling is a severe understatement. And I've been struggling for a while. I've tried so hard to not take any naps, but I get to the point where I feel like I'm floating and that I just might pass out if I don't lay down and rest. Sometimes I get terrible headaches. It hasn't been good OR fun.

A couple days ago, this conversation about "fuelings" with my sister just popped into my head and it donned on me. You see, I haven't been having snacks. I haven't felt hungry enough to have snacks so, I haven't really been thinking about them. If I have a small breakfast then I tend to get a little hungry, but I just wait it out till it's time for lunch. I decided a couple days ago that I will try to start having snacks between meals to see if that made a difference in my energy levels. Even if I didn't FEEL hungry, I would still have a snack. I've been doing that for 3 or 4 days now and I think that it is actually making a difference. I don't have big snacks, but I give my body something to help it keep going. Go figure, right? HA! I haven't felt like I needed a nap for 2 days. I've had a lot more energy to keep up with my 2 year old and everything that is expected of me here at home, and also have the energy and time to do something for me. I didn't realize that I've been running on half full, or near empty all this time!

I think I have this misconception about snacks. I've always felt that if I eat more snacks, then I won't lose as much weight. I'm afraid that I WON'T lose the weight and that I will continue to gain. I think, up until now, I've been doing fine without snacks. I've had excess weight that kind of made up for not having snacks. Now that I've lost some of that excess weight, my body is starting to say, "Hey, I know you are trying hard and wanting to get healthy and lose weight, but I need energy to help you do that." I'm eating less and it is starting to catch up with me. I need the fuel, the snacks. Tomorrow is my weigh-in day. I will be confronting this misconception head on. Wish me luck!