I’m having trouble eating enough. Funny as that sounds, I am not hitting my 1550 calorie mark (the “weight loss mode” allowance) every day. I know that I “can” eat the calories and “should” eat the calories, but there is something in my subconscious that feels seductively good if I stay one or two hundred under my daily allowance…in hopes to lose weight more quickly. Why am I like that? Am I alone in this sick pleasure? Well…it’s backfiring and I’m going to get back to eating more (but staying at the right amount). What is happening is that I’m running out of steam or starving before a meal (even though I would have a snack a couple hours prior). AND, on the days of my workouts I’m having a hard time keeping up with some of the other girls. This is all my fault so I’ve got to change course.

Janis Jibrin, our fabulous nutritionist and co-author of The Best Life Diet, brought this to my attention when she analyzed my food intake last week. When you see the data on paper and realize you are literally not fueling yourself properly (leading to binges almost always)…it makes you think! I would never drive across the country without filling up my gas tank first…so what is my deal? Why do I not treat my body with the same respect as my SUV?

So today, I had an afternoon workout and made sure I ate a very healthy and hearty lunch. Through some funny miscommunication at the gym, I accidentally worked out HARD for 90 minutes instead of 60 and I made it through just fine. Amazing what you can do when you have proper fuel.

So don’t do what I did…yeah, maybe I won’t lose that extra .25 of a pound per week but I also won’t make bigger mistake later. Doing this right is what is important and I have to remember that cheating (either in underrage or overrage of calories) will surely get you somewhere down the line.