Uh-Oh. My Pants Shrunk!

Today started off great. I was up and at 'em at 6 a.m.

By 9: 30, I had put away three beautifully smelling and wonderfully tasting dishes that vegans and omnivores alike would love.

What came next was a 4-mile run, courtesy of the treadmill in my basement that I'm happy to say does more than just collect dust. I took it easy, coming in at just under a 10-minute mile. (BTW, this is day 11 of my 30-day workout commitment.)

Then it was off to shower and dress to get to my sister's for Thanksgiving dinner by 1 p.m.

So far, so good ... right?

I picked out a pair of pants that I hadn't worn in a while and ... they were too tight. So I pulled out a second pair. No go. I ended up defaulting to another that I knew fit perfectly because I had worn them very recently.

The moment was like ice cold water being thrown into my face, and I didn't like it. I'm running, cross- and strength training ... OK maybe not as hard as I have in the past, but I'm in a much better groove now. I also adhere to a whole-food, plant-based diet. What could be the issue, I wondered.

Remember that formula I mentioned a couple posts back -- fewer calories in, more calories out? The answer is simple. I'm eating more that I should. And I know the culprits -- peanut butter and avocados.

I eat way too much of both and while they come with health benefits, they are high in calories. Let me explain how much is too much.

Insofar as peanut butter, I average three apples a day, all with PB and definitely more than a tablespoon at a time. Two tablespoons is about about 200 calories and 16 grams of fat.

Let's talk the green fruit -- I eat about 1-2 avocados a day. I add it to almost every lunch and dinner. A medium avocado is about 240 calories and 32 grams of fat.

Way. Too. Much.

I'm in a good place now. Slip-ups ground me. They remind me that being fit is a daily commitment and you have to approach it with common sense. Just because something contains nutrients that are good for you, doesn't mean you can overindulge. You have to play it smart ... cool. More importantly, you have to understand the nutrition facts of the food you eat. And if you do overindulge, well...it's going to cost you -- more time at the gym, on the path or wherever it is you workout.

And "more time at the gym" pretty much describes my morning tomorrow ... seventy-minutes of cardio combined with strength training (core, triceps and chest). We call this the "post-Thanksgiving workout."