Can I just be fat again?

Don't get the wrong idea there!

I had a rambling thought this morning on my drive to work... When I started to lose weight 2 years ago, all I had to worry about was cutting calories. Obviously, I also started to make healthier choices (i.e. lean meats, homemade salads, more fruits and vegetables, etc.) in addition to that. I lost the bulk of my weight in 2008, and then spent 2009 maintaining and testing new foods and programs. Now that I am really ready to be fit and tone, I can't just cut calories and exercise. At this point, I have to be very careful about what I eat and the particular workout routines I choose. And, it's starting to piss me off. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the body I have right now. I have worked to give myself a comfortable place to be without having to worry about gaining weight or being unhealthy again. I just miss the simplicity of the beginning. Now I am diving into books that get very specific about what foods and why. With everything else going on in my life right now, I don't want to be thinking about the whys. I realize that I am probably blocking out all of the similar hurdles I experienced back in 2008. Ultimately, I know that I am going to have to continue to educate myself until it is second nature, like the other good habits I developed.

Honestly, I probably could go back to cutting calories again and see some small results. The problem is that I know how screwed up my metabolism became from cutting for an extended amount of time. That is the last thing I want to do again! Plus, if I cut my calories, I would probably starve. I don't overeat, so that's not the problem. The problem is that I don't eat the "right" things. I don't mean that the way it sounds. I need to cut out the processed foods and toxins that most of us have been programed to believe are healthy. 100 calorie bags of chips and popcorn might be portion controlled, but that doesn't mean they're healthy. An apple is a great whole food, but not if it's been grown and bathed in pesticides..

I'm just ready to be there.

On another note, I made it to Spin yesterday. Yay. I also worked in some arms. So, yes, I am a little sore today. I also bought 3 months of tanning, so yay! No more white ass!