Day 72: Back to Breakfast

Okay, so I haven’t exactly been doing so great at the breakfast thing. But now that school has started, Victoria doesn’t want to eat breakfast either, which is not such a good idea for a third grader who needs to hit the ground running each day. So she and I have to work on that. Really work on that…

I tried asking her what sorts of foods she might like for breakfast. Personally, I am known for juggling my travel mug of coffee and grabbing a granola bar on the way out the door. Not exactly what one might call a good role model. Sometimes breakfast just creeps me out. Can’t explain it. Whatever it is, Vic shares the feeling.

Vic and I are going to have to take baby steps on this one. Last year (or longer ago?) we were all really good at eating breakfast. I’d get up early and have smoothies and ham & eggs on the table by 7am. I look back on that and wonder why we stopped. Then, I ate breakfast for a little while after I named it as one of the early changes of habit in this blog. But it was a habit that I didn’t hold to very well, and now have to revisit.

Breakfast foods sound really good to me during the day, but not so much early in the morning. Yesterday Vic started out with a half piece of toast, and I had a cup of grits. Baby steps. Maybe we will graduate to something good like egg-white omelets soon. I think we can work back into a good breakfast habit. It’s just gonna take some early-morning effort. ;)

Day 4: One Cup of Coffee (ouch!)

Ugh. This is where it starts to hurt. I need to set an official limit on my coffee consumption. With some infrequent exceptions, of course! For the most part, I only drink coffee, tea and water. Mostly water, which is a plus. But I HAVE to have that morning cup of coffee. Er, I mean cups…

I used to drink three cups of coffee a day. I know that sounds like a lot. (Unless you are my dad, and then I sound like a lightweight. LOL!) Usually two cups in the morning, and one in the afternoon. Or one after dinner. Yes, I can literally drink espresso half an hour before bedtime and still sleep like a baby. Although, I have noticed that as I get closer to 40, some decongestants will keep me awake. Go figure.

Four months ago I put myself on a diet. The goal was to get back to pre-baby weight. Hey, I know it’s been ten years. You counting or something?? Anyhoo, along with the diet came calorie and fiber awareness. And out went at least one cup of coffee. All because right before I started this new eating plan, my co-workers brought me a basket of Starbucks goodies for my birthday, and consequently addicted me to the Mocha Powder at 45 calories a serving. Add that to the sugar and milk I insist on adding to my coffee, and each cup carries 90 calories. So I limited myself to two cups a morning. Only one if I ate breakfast simultaneously. This one cup plus breakfast seems to have more appeal than it used to, so it shall be today’s new habit.

Now, in the past if it happened to work out that I had at least 90 calories to spare at the end of the day, I would gladly make a cup of coffee and enjoy it after dinner. This is a treat Dom and I afford ourselves each Christmas season, as soon as the Starbucks Christmas blend is released. The simple indulgence of an evening cup of coffee with the hubster is one I might not be able to give up completely, but I will try not to overindulge and will do my best to limit it to the holidays.

Oh, and I simply can’t pass up the rare opportunity to enjoy a cappuccino on the back porch with my dad, engaged in conversation over computers or gardening. The same way tea and cookies with mom shall never be turned down. There are just some moments of interpersonal connection we should never avoid, and these fall into such a category.

Otherwise, it’s me and my one cuppa joe.

Day 2: Breakfast

Breakfast is not my best meal. I don’t know why, but I can’t seem to get in the mood to eat anything that early in the morning. It’s like the thought of food before I’ve been awake for two hours makes me cringe. But, breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day, so starting today I will make the effort to give my body what it needs.

The problems I run into when I try to implement breakfast are 1) time – there is never enough of it in the mornings; 2) menu – what constitutes a healthy breakfast, i.e. do I HAVE to eat freaking oatmeal every day? and 3) metabolism boost - I am super hungry by 9 am when I eat breakfast at 7, so I have to pack extra munchies to take to work.

You know, now that I look at those three reasons to not eat breakfast, I realize I don’t have much to stand on. I’ve already solved the time problem by not snoozing. (Second day in a row, thank you very much. Dom and the dogs are wondering if I’m ill.) I’m doing a ton of research into healthy food options, so #2 just got squashed. And #3 is really just me whining because I never wanted to change what needed to be changed. Not like I couldn’t use the metabolism boost. I mean, really!!

In the spirit of change for the better, I am sitting here now with a whole wheat bagel and a ramekin of Greek yogurt. And it’s not half bad. I’m surviving. Maybe the trick is to eat before that first cup of coffee. Maybe this will make me want less coffee. Hmmmmmmm…