Another Benefit of Teaching

One of my favorite parts of being back in the teaching routine is that I'm back on a normal eating schedule.  When I first decided to give weight watchers a try I began right as I was starting student teaching.  As anyone who has survived student teaching knows you barley have time to sleep, let alone cram in an hour to workout.  Lets face it, I had bills to pay and every extra spare moment was going into keeping a roof over my head, not time on an elliptical.  While I found myself neck deep in lesson planning, grading papers, and other master's program gargan, the back of my mind told me I had a wedding figure image I wanted to achieve and a new bikini to buy for my up coming spring break to the Caribbean.  Needless to say, in January 2011 I put all my hopes and dreams into the weight watchers program.  Lucky for me, it did not disappoint.  Thanks to a well planned out academic school schedule boredom hunger rarely hit through the winter months (a time when I usually pack on what I call the 5 pound winter coat.)  Days would start with a high in fiber breakfast (usually costing me about 3 points), a well balanced 6 point packed lunch (seriously, lots of food, little points), a get me through the hell of grading papers snack (thank you 2 point skinny cow bars), and still enough points left to splurge a little on dinner with Chipotle, Panera, or Chinese if I chose.  I was feeling completely full and satisfied, and weight was falling off.  It wasn't until I got off this synchronized schedule that I realized how easily I gave into food boredom and how hard it was to stay within my points for the day.

That's why I am welcoming back with full arms the teaching schedule.  Yesterday was my first full day back and I couldn't be happier.  Not only am I waking up early enough to eat a hearty breakfast, I'm also packing myself healthy, nutritious (did I mention huge 6 point !!) lunches and my body feels great come 3 o'clock.  (Think about it, by 3 o'clock I've had less points and feel fuller with my healthy 2 meals than with my itty bitty 10 point kids pizza at Champps for lunch)  By dinner I have enough points to actually eat a meal both Chris and I can enjoy (last night fish filets with Alfredo noodles and carrots-- delicious) and not feel guilty when I opt for dessert.  And slowly, I'm building the willingness to actually go out and buy a battery for the scale to see the results (the thing died well over a month ago and I just thought that was for the best). Teaching is my profession for a reason.  Other than being good at it, it puts me on a schedule that so many different aspects of my life needs.  I dig it!

My healthy 6 Point Packed Lunch:  An Everything Bagel Thin with mustard and deli meat (usually turkey or ham).  A Weight Watchers brand string cheese, Fiber One Bar, and Granny Smith Apple!  The Fiber One bar usually is chocolate or caramel flavored to give my body the "something sweet" most of my meals lack, plus, it beats a cookie!