Sweet Tooth Sweet Life

A Love of Food, Fitness, & Fashion

Time To Kick It Into High Gear

By 68 Comments

So about a month ago, I was catching up on my home girl Alyssa’s blog (seriously, she’s awesome – if you’re not reading, then you totally should be!). On this particular day, Alyssa mentioned how she was going to be starting a brand new nutrition plan, courtesy of her friend, Jim White.

I immediately went and checked out his website and discovered that Jim has quite a few credentials under his belt…

Jim graduated Summa Cum Laude from Youngstown University in Ohio with a B.A. in Nutrition. He is credentialed by the American Dietetic Association as a Registered Dietitian and certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a Health Fitness Instructor. Jim is currently the National spokesman for the American Dietetic Association and has the reputation of being one of the top health professionals in the area.

As I read through her post and then through his website, I was definitely intrigued but I left it at that and went on my merry way.

A couple of weeks later, Alyssa posted an update to her plan with some FAQ’s. As soon as I read Q6, I found myself all of a sudden becoming more interested.

email

I wanted a plan from Jim!

See, here’s the thing…

  • I know how to eat right…it’s just a matter of doing it and having someone to hold me accountable.
  • If I had a plan from Jim, that would mean I had to report to someone on a weekly basis and do just that.
  • I want (no, I need) to do something about my sweets habit.
  • Most importantly…I’m always up for a challenge. Smile

I immediately got in contact with Alyssa, who then got me in contact with Jim. After speaking with Jim a couple of times, I decided that it was time to for me to get serious, get my butt in gear, and just commit.

SO…I’m now following a brand new nutrition plan of my own and I am super pumped about it. Jim and I have spoken numerous times through emails, as well as on the phone, to get my plan customized to what will work for me.

Here’s a little sneak peek on some of the options that I have on a typical day…

nutrition plan

A couple things I’m already loving about the new plan:

  • My meals honestly are not going to look all that different from what they normally do.
  • I am actually eating more during the day – Jim and I realized that I had not always been eating enough calories during the day, which is part of the reason why I would want more at night.
  • I still get an after dinner snack, if I want it. This time, however, it won’t be ice cream with crushed Oreos and caramel (don’t I wish!).
  • I can still enjoy my alcohol, in moderation of course.

Hey what can I say…I like my booze every now and then. Winking smile

*****

So, believe it or not, I’m actually already on my third day of the plan! Everything you’ve seen the past couple of days has been a part of the plan, and I am feeling great.

100OLYMP

Obviously, Jim and I are going to continue monitoring how I feel (am I getting too hungry, are the meals the right size, etc.) and I will be checking in with him on a weekly basis.

Since I’m working with Jim remotely, I will have to be in charge of weighing in and taking any measurements on my own, which is fine. The only measurement I won’t be taking is body fat percentage, since I’m not cool enough to own one of those snazzy contraptions.

I’ll be documenting all of my progress here on the ‘ol blog, which is also a huge motivator for staying on track. If I’m not making progress, then I have to share it with all of you…and that wouldn’t be very fun!

I spent the majority of 2011 becoming fairly lax with my eating and, in turn, not feeling all that great. I gained some unwanted weight this past year, and have gotten myself so hooked on sweets that I often go to bed feeling less than stellar.

I’m not going to lie to you and say that there isn’t a part of me that is doing this purely for vanity reasons. I’m human, what can I say? But most importantly, I want to feel better…physically AND mentally. So with the start of the new year (so cliché, I know) I’m feeling more motivated than ever to really kick it into high gear! WOOP!

I’m looking forward to sharing my progress, my thoughts, and my feelings about the whole process with all of you. I think it will be a great experience for all of us. So of course, if there’s anything that I missed, or you have any questions, just ask! Winking smile

*****

Breakfast

Okay, now that we’ve got that out of the way, check out which favorite breakfast of mine is still “kosher” with my new plan…

IMG_0480

Ohhh yeah, baby. The egg, provolone, and jam English muffin sandwich is here to stay!

IMG_0486

You should have heard Jim when I asked him about this one…I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m nuts. Smile with tongue out

Workout

I snoozed a little longer than usual today (ironically, with all the talk about excuses  yesterday) and only had about 30 minutes to workout. This called for a “quality over quantity” plan, so I rolled with the Speedy Interval Run.

*****

Now, since I’ve spent wayyy too much time talking about my new plan, I’m totally behind schedule. Crap.

Gotta jet, folks! Catch ya later!

Comments

  1. Ooo that is so cool that you got a plan from him! I remember reading about that on Alyssa's blog. And yay for him going to college in Ohio ;P hehe. That's great that you actually found out that you needed more calories! It's amazing too how much more you can eat when you're eating super healthy things! I would love to do something like this but I can't afford it haha. Hope you have an awesome day pretty lady!!
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  3. I am all about the egg + jelly + cheese combo, delish!!!! Good luck with your new eating plan, I know you will do great with it!! I also always have to have something sweet at night, I love my dessert! I always try to make it a (mostly) healthy dessert though to stay on track :)
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  4. awesome! my traning that I have been working with a few months recently incorporated (more strictly) a meal plan with me, and it gives me some ideas and similarly more so in a format of "6 oz protein, one of the following starchse, etc" which I like a lot! Cant wait to see your progress, love reading about it!
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  7. Woohoo! Know what's weird? Pre-Jim's plan, I wasn't eating enough during the day, either. Which would be why I was shoveling absurd amounts of Love Grown Foods granola down my throat come 9:30 p.m. I'm excited to be plan buddies... does this mean we have to bring our wasa crackers to the blend retreat? ;)
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  10. Good for you! I love that you have been doing this for three days and, I'm assuming, most of us didn't even notice. Thanks for waiting a few days to talk about this -- it makes me see that it is definitely attainable because all your meals for the past 3 days have looked great!
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    • Thanks, Laurie! I figured that'd be a good way to show that you can do something like this without making a huge change :)
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  13. I love the meal plan! It seems so common sense - protein with every meal and add complex carbs/fruit - but that is obvi not what I actually do, I have a hard time getting enough protein. I printed out the meal plan as a reminder for myself. Hopefully seeing the plan and being more conscious of getting protein will help me accomplish that goal. Good luck and thanks! PS - love the blog!!
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  14. That's awesome! I also wonder if I'm getting enough calories throughout the day because I always seem to need to snack like crazy at night - mostly sweets (like you) but sometimes salty snacks too. I'm really trying to get my eating habits under control and so I can get in better shape.
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  15. Wow very cool! It's always nice to look at meal plans in magazines or in books, but truth is that it's hard to know if it's right for you and your body. Having a custom meal plan made specifically for you helps ease your mind that you're getting the nutrition that you need. Can't wait to hear more about the plan and your thoughts along the way!
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  16. this is great, courtney! good for you! i'm looking forward to hearing more about it as it goes on. i need to work on eating more throughout the day so i don't snack so much in the evening as well. i think an after dinner snack is more of a mental thing that has turned into a habit for me. i need to kick that! do you have any specific goals that you're trying to reach or just to overall feel and look better? how long are you planning to follow this plan? you'll do awesome!
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  17. so happy to hear you are making changes and stepping forward to do what you want! I have been so interested in Alyssa's work with Jim and I truly look forward to hearing how things with you, too! I love that we didnt even see a difference in your eats at all! how awesome!
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  20. When he figured out you weren't eating "enough" did he create your nutrition plan focusing on a total number of calories needed per day or based on getting a goal total of nutrients (such as protein, fiber)? sorry if that is a personal question! it's just interesting to see what different nutritionists focus on when creating meal plans!
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  21. Love love this new plan Courtney!!! I too have a serious sweet tooth habit that I've tried breaking (I'm a sweets monster at nighttime after dinner!) and I too think it's because I don't take in enough calories during the day and that's contributing to my snacking and eating more at night...thus then not making me feel that stellar in the morning...it's a vicious cycle! May I ask how many calories he's putting you on? I know each person's calorie levels are different but I'm curious to know to just get an idea...and I've also been trying to increase my calories as well for fertility reasons. And good for you for putting it out there that some of it is for vanity reasons...we all have that weight we look and feel great at and good for you for putting a plan into action to getting to your happy spot :) And P.S. Happy Anniversary to you and Jay!! Can't believe it's been two years already?! :)
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  22. Good luck on your new plan Courtney! Based on the nothing but skim milk and sugar substitute in your coffee, I'm curious to know how he feels about processed/artificial foods. For example, Laughing Cow cheese is a processed cheese. Do you happen to know his view? I'm curious. ;)
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  23. I contacted Alyssa about getting Jim's contact info, but didn't hear back from her on this. She did email me back on something else, so the other email may have just gotten lost. As for cost...how much does Jim charge to come up with a customized plan for you? Also, how do you feel about the no creamer etc in your coffee? What will you be using in your coffee? What does he say about working out on the plan? Do you have to work out every day or so many days/week? I can't wait to track your progress. It would be awesome if you had a tab specifically to this program and you listed your foods/snacks/exercise etc specific to the plan. I know you document throughout the week what you eat, but it would be awesome to go to one page to view this. Can't wait to follow you and hopefully somewhat mimic what you are eating/doing so I can lose some unwanted poundage too! Love your blog! Stephanie
    Reply

  25. I think that is a pretty cool plan! I really can't wait to see how the program goes for you. I eat fairly healthy, but I LOVE sweets, and like you sometimes I can go to bed feeling really sluggish and get up feeling like crap too. Can't wait to see your meals!! Have a great day!
    Reply

  26. I love you and this blog bc I can totally relate. A few years ago I got carried away with losing weight and being thin, then last year I finally realized that thinness does not equal happiness so I made some huge changes in my life most for the better. But I also let myself start to go overboard with the sweets. While I am a much happier and healthier person now I feel like i need a change for more balance. I'm starting the "this is why you're fat and how to get thin and stay thin forever plan" it's all about eating more if the good stuff plus 2 cheats a week. So far it's been great I eat my chicken and greens during the week then sip my wine with a side if froyo on the weekend. Good luck with your plan!
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  29. It's great to see that you are trying to eat healthier, but are you still allowing yourself atleast a treat per day if you crave it?
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  30. I would be interested in getting in touch with him as well. Would you be able to provide info for those of us who are interested? I've used various nutritionists in the past; but, I haven't found them to be as knowledgeable on the fitness aspects. It looks like his experience in both could be very valuable...
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  32. Wow, this looks like a great plan! I, too, gained some extra weight this year and just don't feel like myself anymore. Your "here's the thing" bullet points could have been written about me: I know the facts, I've learned it all, and I even enjoy and already eat very healthfully. BUT I snack too often and give in to my sweet tooth daily because I'm not accountable to anyone but myself. AND -- I'm also always up for a challenge! (That's the whole point of my blog!) SO - I'm right here with you. Although I still lack a "Jim" of my own, I'm getting support and holding myself accountable to good bloggy examples like you. It's a new year, a fresh start, and we can do it :) I look forward to reading how this new plan works for you.
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  33. Use the excuses that I'mtoo tired or just not in the mood. This book definitely seems worth reading. Always can learn somehing new!!
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  34. This plan sounds really great! It always feels good, though, (like you mentioned), to realize when looking at a plan like this, that you already are pretty much eating that way. It's always nice to get a little more direction, though, and any challenge makes life more interesting! Can't wait to hear how the plan goes!
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  36. Love the plan! A friend and I were just talking and agreed that to make a healthy behavior change, the change lasted longer for both of us when our motivation was to be healthy rather than just how we look. I agree with you! Good luck with the plan!
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  37. Hey Courtney! Normally I'm not a huge commenter but when I saw this post, I knew I had to break the silence. I'm ALSO on a nutrition & fitness plan from Jim, thanks to Alyssa's awesome post and re-caps! My options are obviously a little different since I'm vegetarian, but I'm so excited for you! Interestingly enough, I also had the problem of feeling hungry in the evening...like every night. Best of luck to you, I'm excited to see how it works for you :)
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  38. I'm totally late on commenting! But seriously... when I'm giving nutrition advice to people, I don't normally suggest that they cut out food groups COMPLETELY (even "bad" stuff"), but when your body starts demanding and depending on these "bad things", I think it's smart to scale back. And if you're so dependent on it that you can't even scale back, then I definitely condone taking it out! It may not be practical or realistic (or fun!) to remove sweets forever, but I think it's important to at least put them in their healthy, proper state: consumed in moderation :) This month I'm fasting sweets because I too have found that I depend on something sweet after like...every meal! And it's really not helping me any. I've found that it causes my blood sugar to crash, making me need more sugar to pick me back up. So...I'm right there with ya, girl! And in regard to your weight gain....I'm pretty sure no one else can even tell! However, I do know from experience that no matter what your size is, when you gain weight, you just don't feel RIGHT, or NORMAL....you feel off. So you do it for you....there's no shame in wanting/needing to lose a few pounds!! (Within reason :) ) Have fun, Courtney! You'll start to feel great!
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    • Hey Anna! I totally agree with you...there may be some evening where my after dinner snack is chocolate and/or sweet. I don't plan on TOTALLY cutting it out...but it definitely does need to be scaled back because chocolate and I were becoming wayyyy too good of friends. ;)
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  40. Hey Courtney -- Very cool that you signed up with a new plan in the new year! I noticed that this plan seems to have a lot of fat-free dairy (like skim milk and fat free Greek yogurt)...have you read any of the new research that basically debunks the idea that saturated fats from meat and dairy are bad and points to sugars/carbs (like the crazy amounts of sugar in flavored Greek yogurt) as the causes of health disease? You should definitely check out "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes as a starting point if you haven't already...it's a bit dense but it blew my mind and made me approach a healthy diet is completely differently.
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    • Hey Rachel! I actually have not read any of that research, but that is really interesting. Thanks for passing along the info - I'll definitely be checking it out. Happy New Year! :)
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      • You should check out this NYT article as a great starting point! http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?pagewanted=all Excited to hear your thoughts! :) - Rachel
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        • Wow...just finished reading the whole article. That is some scary stuff. To think that sugar could actually be linked to cancer and other diseases? I'll be interested to read a follow-up on the studies that were discussed in the article...have they been published at all yet?
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          • Yes! Read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" or "Why We Get Fat." Both offer extensive research/studies/analysis of that topic. Like I said, they are dense, but I really feel like it should be required reading for anyone interested in nutriton & healthy living!

  41. Hey Courtney, the breakfast looks great esp the egg with provolone. What kind of Jam do you use? My hubby would love this. Thanks Julie
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  43. Hey! I just came across your blog and saw this post! I used to work with Jim when I lived in VA Beach and he and I are actually still really good friends as we are both trainers! Glad to see you working with him- tell him Chuck says hello lol! Great blog as well!
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  44. I'm a little worried. I have struggled with anorexia and honestly the meal plan doesn't sound like that much more food than I eat when i restrict! Are you sure that this isn't motivated by some longing to lose weight because you are healthy just the way that you are and it's good to indulge once a day even in something sweet. My dad for example is a marathon runner and in his fifties and has a Dove ice cream bar every nigh, lives off granola and trail mix and is probably the fittest fifty year old I have ever met. Just make sure that your motivation is pure, and not similar to the motivation that you had when you were struggling right out of college.
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    • Hi Emma, Thank you for your concern, but the plan was actually not very restrictive at all. In fact, most days I was eating more during the day than I was before. I haven't been following the plan for about a month or two now, but when I was I didn't feel deprived at all and almost always still allowed myself a little treat. :)
      Reply

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