Saturday, June 25, 2011
Crash
Nothing puts life into perspective like a tragedy. It's hard to believe that I felt the walls were tumbling down on May 20. In reality, they didn't actually crash until later that evening when my mother fell in the bathroom and had to be rushed to not one ER, but two due to the need for a trauma unit. Five weeks later, we are still living in the remains of this disaster. What was originally a fractured arm and face has turned into a compound (exposed bone) fracture and pneumonia. It looks as if life might return to normal in the near future, but in the meantime, we are digging through the rubble and have come to realization that weight loss or gain is a minor part of what's important when faced with the stress and trauma our family has endured. I think back to the days when I wasn't sure what to cook only to realize that it's been over five weeks since I actually prepared a home-cooked meal. My exercise during this time has consisted of trekking across the hospital parking lot and hauling my mother's belongings all over a medical facility. Thinking about those days when I dreaded my morning walks with Cedric reminds me of just how lucky I was to have them. I long for nothing more than the time and energy to repeat those jaunts. Soon. Very soon. I feel that recovery is in the wings. I can only hope and pray that life will begin to resemble what was once taken as normal. Soon.
Friday, May 20, 2011
When the Walls Come Tumblin' Down
This has not been a good week for us. I laid in bed this morning trying to come up with a clever way of saying it, but in the end, I decided to announce it as such: This week sucked!
I started our fifth week with a head full of allergies. Eventually, my sinuses wanted in on the game, so I ended up dizzy in bed for nearly two days. Unlike many folks, I don't do the relax thing very well. I was going nuts. However, I was so sick that I ended up sleeping more those two days than I have in the longest time. I'm a big believer in listening to my body's signals, and this time, they weren't whispering ... they were screeching! As a result of being dizzy and full of allergies, I wasn't hungry. I mean, I had been having problems with my appetite before that time, but now, it was full-force no hunger. My one saving grace was a box of Edy's strawberry bars. Now those ... those tasted divine. They were the ONLY things I could handle. Unfortunately though, while I was slurping down strawberry bars, the rest of my team was chowing on pizza, Chinese food - you name it! All hell broke loose in the kitchen.
Fast forward to mid-week. I was still a little wobbly and felt as if I had consumed several glasses of not-so-good Cabernet. However, I managed to go out and about to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary. I had planned on having a salmon salad, but you know what sounded good to me? Beef. I just couldn't help it. I wanted the hamburger sans bun with asparagus and mashed potatoes. O.M.G.!!!! It was the best food I'd had in a REALLY long time. I'll confess here, but will deny it elsewhere - I actually moaned a little as forkful after forkful of this little piece o' heaven hit my tastebuds. I was still a little dizzy, but I was alive again!
Now it's Friday, and I'm coming to terms with the fact that this week was a bust. Yesterday was a disaster! We not only ate out at lunch, but my daughter and I met friends for dinner at Showmars and then retreated to Red Mango for dessert. It was a full-fledge eating revolution! The upside to all of this eating is that it's pretty obvious that I've regained my appetite! I've also learned that our eating habits fall apart when we're not all on the same page. I had convinced myself that our new food and exercise routines had started to become second nature to us. Apparently, they haven't. It's really shown me how easily five weeks of work can unravel. But wait - don't think I'm discouraged or upset. I look at this week as an assessment of how we're really doing. I don't take the findings personally. Instead, I now recognize areas of our new lifestyle that need to be tweaked and refined. Today begins a new week. We may not be much slimmer than last week, but we're definitely a lot wiser.
I started our fifth week with a head full of allergies. Eventually, my sinuses wanted in on the game, so I ended up dizzy in bed for nearly two days. Unlike many folks, I don't do the relax thing very well. I was going nuts. However, I was so sick that I ended up sleeping more those two days than I have in the longest time. I'm a big believer in listening to my body's signals, and this time, they weren't whispering ... they were screeching! As a result of being dizzy and full of allergies, I wasn't hungry. I mean, I had been having problems with my appetite before that time, but now, it was full-force no hunger. My one saving grace was a box of Edy's strawberry bars. Now those ... those tasted divine. They were the ONLY things I could handle. Unfortunately though, while I was slurping down strawberry bars, the rest of my team was chowing on pizza, Chinese food - you name it! All hell broke loose in the kitchen.
Fast forward to mid-week. I was still a little wobbly and felt as if I had consumed several glasses of not-so-good Cabernet. However, I managed to go out and about to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary. I had planned on having a salmon salad, but you know what sounded good to me? Beef. I just couldn't help it. I wanted the hamburger sans bun with asparagus and mashed potatoes. O.M.G.!!!! It was the best food I'd had in a REALLY long time. I'll confess here, but will deny it elsewhere - I actually moaned a little as forkful after forkful of this little piece o' heaven hit my tastebuds. I was still a little dizzy, but I was alive again!
Now it's Friday, and I'm coming to terms with the fact that this week was a bust. Yesterday was a disaster! We not only ate out at lunch, but my daughter and I met friends for dinner at Showmars and then retreated to Red Mango for dessert. It was a full-fledge eating revolution! The upside to all of this eating is that it's pretty obvious that I've regained my appetite! I've also learned that our eating habits fall apart when we're not all on the same page. I had convinced myself that our new food and exercise routines had started to become second nature to us. Apparently, they haven't. It's really shown me how easily five weeks of work can unravel. But wait - don't think I'm discouraged or upset. I look at this week as an assessment of how we're really doing. I don't take the findings personally. Instead, I now recognize areas of our new lifestyle that need to be tweaked and refined. Today begins a new week. We may not be much slimmer than last week, but we're definitely a lot wiser.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Not Letting Our Past Get in the Way of the Future
I'm not on a diet. I know this, but I have to confess that my lack of hunger has concerned me a little. You see, I had an eating disorder in high school. I was a purge girl. I never did the binge - far from it. However, I would purge anything and everything I ate. This went on throughout my entire junior year. But wait. I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me rewind a few years.
My mother was a chronic yo-yo dieter. I can't remember a time when she wasn't on some sort of fad diet. She tried everything from eating nothing but grapefruits to some nasty cabbage soup thing. I vaguely recall her downing gallons of grapefruit juice with cayenne pepper or something. She did it all. I honestly can't recall if she ever lost weight, but I know she never kept it off.
One of my clearest memories of my mother's food obsession comes from an afternoon after she'd picked me up from swim practice. I was a freshman in high school and swam on our school's team. Anyone who has swum competitively knows that you'd eat your arm after practice - you're THAT hungry. Well, we had to stop for groceries after practice. My mother was on an anti-sugar kick at the time and wouldn't let us eat anything sweet. I was starving, and luck would have it, I had a little cash on me. While my mom roamed the aisles of Eisner in search of food, I high-tailed it to the bakery and grabbed a donut. I paid for the donut and sneakily avoided my mother while I wolfed down this delectable pastry. No sooner had I stuffed the last bite in my mouth than I felt a hand grab my arm. It was store security. I was being taken to the front office and accused of shoplifting. The Eisner employee paged my mother to come to the office. Thankfully, I had kept the receipt for the donut. Unfortunately though, my mother discovered that I had consumed a donut. That was an offense that a receipt couldn't rescue me from.
My mother started on the Atkins Diet during the summer prior to my junior year. I was never overweight throughout high school. I was a size 7 and weighed less than 120 pounds. However, my mother thought it would be a good idea for me to go on the Atkins Diet with her. I kind of enjoyed it at first. I mean, I got to eat a ton of meat, got special snacks like pork rinds, and I was getting thinner and thinner. And then something happened. I started purging. It was almost as if I'd given up a desire to eat. I couldn't stand it, and when I was forced to do so, I purged. It became so routine that I couldn't consume a meal without having to excuse myself. I had been chosen as a Rotary Exchange Student alternate for the following year, so I had loads of events over the weekends. I dreaded these because I couldn't keep food down. What had once been the one thing in my life I could control was no longer controllable. I had convinced myself that I couldn't eat. This disease had overtaken me.
It was just a month or two before I was to leave for England when my life improved. In thinking back on the whole thing, I have to confess that I can't remember what happened. I did it myself, but I'm not sure what the turning point was. I know that my junior year was probably one of the most difficult for me. I had some tough decisions to make that year, and I was awaiting word on whether or not I would get to spend the year abroad. In retrospect, I recognize that my eating disorder stemmed from the unknown and lack of control I had in my life. However, I'm not quite sure how I overcame it. I just remember being scared to travel one minute, and once I was in England, I could control my eating habits.
So here I am thirty years later with a lack of hunger. I know that I'll never go back to that junior year, but I can't help keeping it in the back of my mind. I think having an eating disorder is like any other disease. You can hold at bay, but you're always susceptible to its return. I remind myself of this every meal that I'm not hungry. This is also another reason I don't like to think of what we're doing as a "diet." I never want my daughter to inherit this disease.
My mother was a chronic yo-yo dieter. I can't remember a time when she wasn't on some sort of fad diet. She tried everything from eating nothing but grapefruits to some nasty cabbage soup thing. I vaguely recall her downing gallons of grapefruit juice with cayenne pepper or something. She did it all. I honestly can't recall if she ever lost weight, but I know she never kept it off.
One of my clearest memories of my mother's food obsession comes from an afternoon after she'd picked me up from swim practice. I was a freshman in high school and swam on our school's team. Anyone who has swum competitively knows that you'd eat your arm after practice - you're THAT hungry. Well, we had to stop for groceries after practice. My mother was on an anti-sugar kick at the time and wouldn't let us eat anything sweet. I was starving, and luck would have it, I had a little cash on me. While my mom roamed the aisles of Eisner in search of food, I high-tailed it to the bakery and grabbed a donut. I paid for the donut and sneakily avoided my mother while I wolfed down this delectable pastry. No sooner had I stuffed the last bite in my mouth than I felt a hand grab my arm. It was store security. I was being taken to the front office and accused of shoplifting. The Eisner employee paged my mother to come to the office. Thankfully, I had kept the receipt for the donut. Unfortunately though, my mother discovered that I had consumed a donut. That was an offense that a receipt couldn't rescue me from.
My mother started on the Atkins Diet during the summer prior to my junior year. I was never overweight throughout high school. I was a size 7 and weighed less than 120 pounds. However, my mother thought it would be a good idea for me to go on the Atkins Diet with her. I kind of enjoyed it at first. I mean, I got to eat a ton of meat, got special snacks like pork rinds, and I was getting thinner and thinner. And then something happened. I started purging. It was almost as if I'd given up a desire to eat. I couldn't stand it, and when I was forced to do so, I purged. It became so routine that I couldn't consume a meal without having to excuse myself. I had been chosen as a Rotary Exchange Student alternate for the following year, so I had loads of events over the weekends. I dreaded these because I couldn't keep food down. What had once been the one thing in my life I could control was no longer controllable. I had convinced myself that I couldn't eat. This disease had overtaken me.
It was just a month or two before I was to leave for England when my life improved. In thinking back on the whole thing, I have to confess that I can't remember what happened. I did it myself, but I'm not sure what the turning point was. I know that my junior year was probably one of the most difficult for me. I had some tough decisions to make that year, and I was awaiting word on whether or not I would get to spend the year abroad. In retrospect, I recognize that my eating disorder stemmed from the unknown and lack of control I had in my life. However, I'm not quite sure how I overcame it. I just remember being scared to travel one minute, and once I was in England, I could control my eating habits.
So here I am thirty years later with a lack of hunger. I know that I'll never go back to that junior year, but I can't help keeping it in the back of my mind. I think having an eating disorder is like any other disease. You can hold at bay, but you're always susceptible to its return. I remind myself of this every meal that I'm not hungry. This is also another reason I don't like to think of what we're doing as a "diet." I never want my daughter to inherit this disease.
Monday, May 16, 2011
My Personal Conspiracy Theory
While making the multitude of food changes in our pantry, fridge, and freezer, I'm more convinced than ever before that there is a corporate conspiracy occuring in our country. My husband is probably cringing as he reads this because he thinks I'm slightly mad every time I bring this up, but I'm going to rehash regardless of his embarrassment.
I've suspected for years that something horrible has been happening to the food in our country. It seems like more and more people I come into contact with have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Even more distressing is the number of kids I know who have developed this adult on-set form of the disease. Two of the biggest factors of Type 2 diabetes are genetics and weight. You can't do anything about the luck of the draw on your gene pool, but you can on the weight. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) (2011), there are 18.8 million diagnosed diabetics in the United States. They also predict there are 7 million others who are undiagnosed.
I had gestational diabetes while I was pregnant with my daughter. I was extremely motivated to immediately get my diabetes under control because I was an older mom, I wanted a healthy baby, and I didn't want to give birth in a hospital. Rather than run to a doctor, the first person I sought help from was a dietician. Thankfully, she was good at her job because I went the full pregnancy without diabetic medication. Plus, I had a healthy baby that weighed a little less than seven pounds. It wasn't always easy, but doing the right things kept me drug-free and ensured me of a midwife birth.
Those of us women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy are well aware of the future risk of getting Type 2 diabetes in the future. According to the NDIC (2011), there is a 35-60% chance that I will develop Type 2 diabetes. Trust me, this is something that is always in the back of my mind, and I have my blood sugar checked annually to ensure that I'm in the clear. In fact, this statistic is one of the motivating factors for my current change in diet and exercise habits. I've escaped the bullet for nearly 13 years, but I know that the gun is still loaded.
So ... let's talk about my conspiracy theory. But first, let's think about the grocery store. Walk into your favorite grocery. What do you see? In most stores, there is a perimeter lined with produce, milk, meat, and maybe a bakery. What about the inner part? It's mostly processed foods, isn't it? Now, let's take a stroll down the snack aisles. You see oodles of enticing treats, don't you? I mean, there can't just be Oreos anymore - they have to coat them in chocolate! Why, my Easter fav Peeps have been defiled by a coating of milk chocolate! What? A candy made entirely of sugar wasn't BAD enough for us?! It's hard to go to the grocery without being assaulted by these types of processed and unhealthy choices. The manufacturers keep making NEW and IMPROVED versions of their treats. All of this adds up to one thing - OBESITY! And where does the road to obesity take us? DIABETES!
Pick up most any magazine and you'll find ads for all sorts of diabetic drugs or testing supplies. It's a BIG business! Ask anybody who's had to buy these things - even with insurance, these drugs and supplies aren't cheap. And the problem is - if you're a diabetic, these products are necessary to live. It's not a choice. I snidely joke to my family that if we had money to invest, I'd put it all in diabetic pharmaceuticals and supplies. According to the NDIC (2011), we spent $174 BILLION in both direct and indirect diabetic expenses in 2007. The medical expenses for a diabetic are double those of a non-diabetic. We're talking some serious money. If you owned Pfizer Labs (Glyset), Bayer (Precose), GlaxoSmithKline (Avandamet, Avandaryl), Takeda Pharmaceuticals America (Duetact, Actoplus), Novo Nordisk (Prandimet), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Kombiglyze, Metaglip, Glucovance, Glucophage), Merck & Co (Janumet), Amylin and Lilly (Byetta), Novartis Pharmaceuticals (Starlix), or Shionogi USA (Fortamet) ... I mean ... wouldn't you want to keep diabetes stats high? Call me crazy, but I'd love to know if any of these diabetes drug folks own or invest in any snack companies. It's definitely food for thought!
Some interesting diabetes resources:
How to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes: http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/preventing-type-2-diabetes
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/#Estimated
Type 2 Diabetes Treatment: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-treatment/DA00089
Monthly Prescribing Reference - just because it's interesting to read all about the drugs our MDs prescribe: http://www.empr.com/
I've suspected for years that something horrible has been happening to the food in our country. It seems like more and more people I come into contact with have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Even more distressing is the number of kids I know who have developed this adult on-set form of the disease. Two of the biggest factors of Type 2 diabetes are genetics and weight. You can't do anything about the luck of the draw on your gene pool, but you can on the weight. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) (2011), there are 18.8 million diagnosed diabetics in the United States. They also predict there are 7 million others who are undiagnosed.
I had gestational diabetes while I was pregnant with my daughter. I was extremely motivated to immediately get my diabetes under control because I was an older mom, I wanted a healthy baby, and I didn't want to give birth in a hospital. Rather than run to a doctor, the first person I sought help from was a dietician. Thankfully, she was good at her job because I went the full pregnancy without diabetic medication. Plus, I had a healthy baby that weighed a little less than seven pounds. It wasn't always easy, but doing the right things kept me drug-free and ensured me of a midwife birth.
Those of us women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy are well aware of the future risk of getting Type 2 diabetes in the future. According to the NDIC (2011), there is a 35-60% chance that I will develop Type 2 diabetes. Trust me, this is something that is always in the back of my mind, and I have my blood sugar checked annually to ensure that I'm in the clear. In fact, this statistic is one of the motivating factors for my current change in diet and exercise habits. I've escaped the bullet for nearly 13 years, but I know that the gun is still loaded.
So ... let's talk about my conspiracy theory. But first, let's think about the grocery store. Walk into your favorite grocery. What do you see? In most stores, there is a perimeter lined with produce, milk, meat, and maybe a bakery. What about the inner part? It's mostly processed foods, isn't it? Now, let's take a stroll down the snack aisles. You see oodles of enticing treats, don't you? I mean, there can't just be Oreos anymore - they have to coat them in chocolate! Why, my Easter fav Peeps have been defiled by a coating of milk chocolate! What? A candy made entirely of sugar wasn't BAD enough for us?! It's hard to go to the grocery without being assaulted by these types of processed and unhealthy choices. The manufacturers keep making NEW and IMPROVED versions of their treats. All of this adds up to one thing - OBESITY! And where does the road to obesity take us? DIABETES!
Pick up most any magazine and you'll find ads for all sorts of diabetic drugs or testing supplies. It's a BIG business! Ask anybody who's had to buy these things - even with insurance, these drugs and supplies aren't cheap. And the problem is - if you're a diabetic, these products are necessary to live. It's not a choice. I snidely joke to my family that if we had money to invest, I'd put it all in diabetic pharmaceuticals and supplies. According to the NDIC (2011), we spent $174 BILLION in both direct and indirect diabetic expenses in 2007. The medical expenses for a diabetic are double those of a non-diabetic. We're talking some serious money. If you owned Pfizer Labs (Glyset), Bayer (Precose), GlaxoSmithKline (Avandamet, Avandaryl), Takeda Pharmaceuticals America (Duetact, Actoplus), Novo Nordisk (Prandimet), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Kombiglyze, Metaglip, Glucovance, Glucophage), Merck & Co (Janumet), Amylin and Lilly (Byetta), Novartis Pharmaceuticals (Starlix), or Shionogi USA (Fortamet) ... I mean ... wouldn't you want to keep diabetes stats high? Call me crazy, but I'd love to know if any of these diabetes drug folks own or invest in any snack companies. It's definitely food for thought!
Some interesting diabetes resources:
How to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes: http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/preventing-type-2-diabetes
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/#Estimated
Type 2 Diabetes Treatment: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-treatment/DA00089
Monthly Prescribing Reference - just because it's interesting to read all about the drugs our MDs prescribe: http://www.empr.com/
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Stumbling Our Way to the Finish Line
Our second month has brought about some new challenges. I'm beginning to wonder if we'll ever find that dietary happy place. You know the one where meal planning is easy because everybody likes everything you cook? Is there such a place?! Well, for me, my stumbling block has to do with hunger. You're not going to believe it because it's not what you think. My hunger problem is that I'm NOT hungry. Okay, okay, stop throwing things at me. I used to long for this problem. However, now that I'm here, it's kind of an issue. I need to take oodles of supplements - all of which require food. Also, as many of us know, our bodies require food in order to maintain or increase metabolism. Without food, our bodies go into starvation mode and basically stop burning fat. So, my lack of hunger is a bit of a problem.
I don't know if it's because nothing seems to taste good anymore, or my food options have been drastically reduced. Truth be told, I don't think it's either. My hunch is that it's because I'm eating good food that isn't laden with chemicals. I remember how stunned I was when I first eliminated gluten from my diet. I couldn't believe how un-hungry I was. I could go all day without eating. Now that I've gotten rid of the majority of sugar from my diet, I'm having the same reaction. Is this a bad thing? I don't think so, but I'm still struggling to eat in the morning. Actually, I'm not hungry until late afternoon.
What's the solution to my problem? I'm still working on that one. I know it sounds crazy, but I find it difficult to eat when I'm not hungry. This is such a stark contrast to where I've been. I mean, there were times when I'd consumed an entire bag of chocolate toffee popcorn without realizing it was empty until my hand hit the bottom. So being at this point in my dietary life is pretty remarkable. I'm not willing to start mindless eating again. Instead, I think I'll make a list of foods that I really enjoy. Maybe I'll start there. Any ideas are definitely welcome. In the meantime, I'm rejoicing in my newfound freedom from food. It's kind of wild not to be thinking about it all the time. I know it's a good thing. I really do. Now, I just need to tweak it a bit.
I don't know if it's because nothing seems to taste good anymore, or my food options have been drastically reduced. Truth be told, I don't think it's either. My hunch is that it's because I'm eating good food that isn't laden with chemicals. I remember how stunned I was when I first eliminated gluten from my diet. I couldn't believe how un-hungry I was. I could go all day without eating. Now that I've gotten rid of the majority of sugar from my diet, I'm having the same reaction. Is this a bad thing? I don't think so, but I'm still struggling to eat in the morning. Actually, I'm not hungry until late afternoon.
What's the solution to my problem? I'm still working on that one. I know it sounds crazy, but I find it difficult to eat when I'm not hungry. This is such a stark contrast to where I've been. I mean, there were times when I'd consumed an entire bag of chocolate toffee popcorn without realizing it was empty until my hand hit the bottom. So being at this point in my dietary life is pretty remarkable. I'm not willing to start mindless eating again. Instead, I think I'll make a list of foods that I really enjoy. Maybe I'll start there. Any ideas are definitely welcome. In the meantime, I'm rejoicing in my newfound freedom from food. It's kind of wild not to be thinking about it all the time. I know it's a good thing. I really do. Now, I just need to tweak it a bit.
Friday, May 13, 2011
The Fruits of our Labor
As we finish up week four of our Fat2Fit program, I am compelled to reflect on what we've accomplished during this first month. And it's been a lot! My daughter was the biggest loser this week with a FIVE pound weight loss. I am so proud of her. My pride is not just from her amazing loss this week, but it's from the fact that she is beginning to think about what she eats and to recognize the difference between boredom and hunger. But wait ... I'm getting ahead of myself!
This week saw an enormous loss in my daughter's weight - five pounds for a loss of eight pounds this month! My husband lost another pound, making a total loss of nearly nine pounds. Me, not as good. That said, I am losing inches. My clothes are all bordering on baggy. I can't put my hands in the pockets of my black pants because if I do, they start to fall down. My "big pond" jeans are seriously saggy. Even my shirts have some extra fabric. It feels good. I don't care if the scales don't reflect my efforts because my clothes do.
The biggest accomplishment of this first month deals with lifestyle changes. It's almost unfathomable to think that I haven't touched even a kernel of chocolate caramel popcorn for an entire month. It's wonderful looking inside the fridge, freezer, and pantry. Not only is there room in all three, but the choices of foods are completely different to what the offerings were a month ago. Open my fridge today and you'll find organic strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. You'll also find glass bottles filled with water that we use at dinner. I'll post pics of them this weekend, but they've become a wonderful addition to our meals. There are tubs of non-fat Greek yogurt and a crisper filled with fresh organic vegetables. It's beautiful! The freezer is equally stunning. Nearly all of the meat is gone. The only things left are frozen vegetables and some fake meat items. It's the most empty it's EVER been! Look inside the pantry and find granola, trail mix, and nuts. There isn't a single untouchable. This is a first. And most importantly, nobody is complaining! Not a single whine begging me to get "good" food; no cries for some "real" snacks. Everybody is happy.
Perhaps the best achievement this first month is that people are conscious of when and what they're eating. The highlight of this first month happened this afternoon when my daughter told me she didn't want something to eat because she wasn't hungry. In the past, she'd have eaten it regardless of hunger. Not anymore. She's thinking about her food choices, too. She ate fast food twice this month. She contemplated what she wanted both times and threw away food when she was full. This was inconceivable a month ago. She'd always been a "Clean Plate Club" member. Not anymore. There are lots of things that don't happen anymore. That's a good thing!
I'm proud of my family for adapting so easily to the changes. I'm confident that we'll continue to be great losers as we move into our second month.
This week saw an enormous loss in my daughter's weight - five pounds for a loss of eight pounds this month! My husband lost another pound, making a total loss of nearly nine pounds. Me, not as good. That said, I am losing inches. My clothes are all bordering on baggy. I can't put my hands in the pockets of my black pants because if I do, they start to fall down. My "big pond" jeans are seriously saggy. Even my shirts have some extra fabric. It feels good. I don't care if the scales don't reflect my efforts because my clothes do.
The biggest accomplishment of this first month deals with lifestyle changes. It's almost unfathomable to think that I haven't touched even a kernel of chocolate caramel popcorn for an entire month. It's wonderful looking inside the fridge, freezer, and pantry. Not only is there room in all three, but the choices of foods are completely different to what the offerings were a month ago. Open my fridge today and you'll find organic strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. You'll also find glass bottles filled with water that we use at dinner. I'll post pics of them this weekend, but they've become a wonderful addition to our meals. There are tubs of non-fat Greek yogurt and a crisper filled with fresh organic vegetables. It's beautiful! The freezer is equally stunning. Nearly all of the meat is gone. The only things left are frozen vegetables and some fake meat items. It's the most empty it's EVER been! Look inside the pantry and find granola, trail mix, and nuts. There isn't a single untouchable. This is a first. And most importantly, nobody is complaining! Not a single whine begging me to get "good" food; no cries for some "real" snacks. Everybody is happy.
Perhaps the best achievement this first month is that people are conscious of when and what they're eating. The highlight of this first month happened this afternoon when my daughter told me she didn't want something to eat because she wasn't hungry. In the past, she'd have eaten it regardless of hunger. Not anymore. She's thinking about her food choices, too. She ate fast food twice this month. She contemplated what she wanted both times and threw away food when she was full. This was inconceivable a month ago. She'd always been a "Clean Plate Club" member. Not anymore. There are lots of things that don't happen anymore. That's a good thing!
I'm proud of my family for adapting so easily to the changes. I'm confident that we'll continue to be great losers as we move into our second month.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Never Watch a Documentary about Food at 1 am
I won't deny it. I am a hypercondriac. There, I said it. I am one of those people who Googles health symptoms on my Blackberry in the middle of the night. Those are the moments when I really wish I had an iphone! That Blackberry screen is so tiny. Or maybe it's because I'm pretty sure I have a degenerative eye condition and that explains why I can't see the small print. Or ... No, no, no - I can't go there.
My recent scare was a brain aneurysm. I know, I'm smart enough to realize that if I was having an aneurysm that I wouldn't be writing this. But for some reason, I allow myself to get worked up over fears of ailments that I have no real control over. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who does this. Please - even if you have to lie!
I had a whopper headache last night. It didn't feel like my usual headaches; it was pretty much all on my left side. Now common sense told me this was sinus and weather related. However, of course, I was convinced that I must be having an aneurysm. As a result, I got up and watched television. Maybe not such a good idea.
I had heard a number of friends talking about the documentary, Food, Inc. I never get TV time at my house, so it was fun to have the livingroom, television, and Netflix all to myself. I snuggled up with my trusty Poodle beside me and began watching this much anticipated doc. I read Fast Food Nation when it first came out nearly six years ago. I remember it like yesterday. My husband was at a conference, and I couldn't sleep. I'll never forget calling him in the wee hours of the morning to declare that we'd never eat meat again. I was utterly repulsed. Even though eventually ate meat again, I continued to have Schlosser's images in my head.
The opening of Food, Inc. is very tolerable. I knew that corn was in a good amount of our foods, but I seriously had no idea it was in pretty much everything on our planet - even batteries! Naturally, I immediately ran to the pantry to look for the many corn ingredients disguised as other additives. To quote one of my daughter's favorite books, "Zoo-wee mama!" That stuff is EVERYWHERE. Food, Inc. wasn't exaggerating. This brought to mind my extremely high fructose levels. I had assumed they were off the chart due to my love of fruit. Wrong! I'm now convinced that corn plays a role in this.
And then came meat. I thought that I was prepared for it, but like most things you enter into feeling confident, I immediately realized that I couldn't handle it. I made it through the chicken houses ... barely. And then came the cows. I just couldn't do it, folks. I don't know if it's because I was "having" an aneurysm or because it was 1 am, but I had to change it to Easy A. I might go back later this week, but we'll see. I endured enough to realize that my decision to go meat-free is a good one. Initially, I made the decision for health reasons, but now, I can easily say that it's much more. Maybe it's the image of a bazillion chickens crammed into a dark, narrow barn. Or perhaps it's the food they're fed or the disease they encounter. I don't know. I just know that I'm glad there isn't much flesh left in my freezer.
My recent scare was a brain aneurysm. I know, I'm smart enough to realize that if I was having an aneurysm that I wouldn't be writing this. But for some reason, I allow myself to get worked up over fears of ailments that I have no real control over. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who does this. Please - even if you have to lie!
I had a whopper headache last night. It didn't feel like my usual headaches; it was pretty much all on my left side. Now common sense told me this was sinus and weather related. However, of course, I was convinced that I must be having an aneurysm. As a result, I got up and watched television. Maybe not such a good idea.
I had heard a number of friends talking about the documentary, Food, Inc. I never get TV time at my house, so it was fun to have the livingroom, television, and Netflix all to myself. I snuggled up with my trusty Poodle beside me and began watching this much anticipated doc. I read Fast Food Nation when it first came out nearly six years ago. I remember it like yesterday. My husband was at a conference, and I couldn't sleep. I'll never forget calling him in the wee hours of the morning to declare that we'd never eat meat again. I was utterly repulsed. Even though eventually ate meat again, I continued to have Schlosser's images in my head.
The opening of Food, Inc. is very tolerable. I knew that corn was in a good amount of our foods, but I seriously had no idea it was in pretty much everything on our planet - even batteries! Naturally, I immediately ran to the pantry to look for the many corn ingredients disguised as other additives. To quote one of my daughter's favorite books, "Zoo-wee mama!" That stuff is EVERYWHERE. Food, Inc. wasn't exaggerating. This brought to mind my extremely high fructose levels. I had assumed they were off the chart due to my love of fruit. Wrong! I'm now convinced that corn plays a role in this.
And then came meat. I thought that I was prepared for it, but like most things you enter into feeling confident, I immediately realized that I couldn't handle it. I made it through the chicken houses ... barely. And then came the cows. I just couldn't do it, folks. I don't know if it's because I was "having" an aneurysm or because it was 1 am, but I had to change it to Easy A. I might go back later this week, but we'll see. I endured enough to realize that my decision to go meat-free is a good one. Initially, I made the decision for health reasons, but now, I can easily say that it's much more. Maybe it's the image of a bazillion chickens crammed into a dark, narrow barn. Or perhaps it's the food they're fed or the disease they encounter. I don't know. I just know that I'm glad there isn't much flesh left in my freezer.
Food, Inc. clip - WATCH AT YOUR OWN RISK.
DISTURBING IMAGES
DISTURBING IMAGES
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Cleaning out the Freezer
Making the change from being an all-out flesh-eating family to a very limited one is actually kind of fun. My freezers had been full of the stuff. I'm talking FULL! I even had an inventory list so I'd know what was in there. Well, thanks to my dogs' raw diet, the only meat left in the garage chest freezer is for their meals. And even then, that's not a lot - mostly bones and a few bits and pieces. For the most part, it's pretty empty. The fridge freezer is pretty much the same. The big, bottom drawer still has a few packs of beef and a couple things of chicken breasts - but that's it. The rest of the freezer has fake corn dogs, fake chicken nuggets, and the dogs' raw patties. It's kind of shocking to look inside these two freezers which had been packed to gills at one time. I was constantly fighting for freezer space. Not anymore. It's almost as if the freezers are like us - trimmer.
Switching to a vegetarian diet has been really easy for us. It's almost as if we had been waiting for the right moment to make the change. My daughter and I still eat fish at least once a week, but other than that, we're doing the meat-free thing. My husband is happier, I feel healthier, and my daughter is having fun trying new foods. Well ... some of the new foods!
I was a little nervous about finding vegetarian meals that my family would enjoy. However, thanks to several veggie pals and the local library, I've started a nice collection of easy recipes. Easy is the key word, thank you! I'm astonished by some of the cookbooks that call for 30 or so ingredients. Umm ... I don't think so! Thankfully, I've found some realistic recipes for folks who don't want to spend a fortune or all day in the kitchen. Below is one of my family's fav meals:
Nachos
1 large onion, chopped
1 29 oz can Trader Joe's LF Organic Salsa-style Refried Beans
1 4.5 oz can Trader Joe's Chopped Green Chilies
Approx 2 cups LF Mexican-blend Cheese
Trader Joe's Green Salsa
1 chopped Tomato (optional)
Fat-Free Sour Cream (optional)
Chopped Green Onions (optional)
Sliced Black Olives (optional)
Trader Joe's Organic White Corn Chips
1. Saute onions in a little olive oil. Be careful not to brown them.
2. Spread refried beans evenly in a 9x13 shallow baking dish. Layer onions, chilies, and cheese. Drizzle top with salsa.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove. Serve w/FF sour cream, tomatoes, chopped green onions, black olives. Delicious!
Surprisingly, this is an amazingly filling meal. Best of all, it satisfies those "I'm hungry for Mexican" cravings without the "I've just eaten a boatload of chips, salsa, and a greasy fajita" guilt. It's meals like this that make my family pleased to have gone meat-free.
How about you? Any chance you might try a meat-free meal this week? I find vegetarian cooking to be easier to prepare, cheaper to buy, and healthier for my family! I'll post some more of my yummy meat-free finds. If you have any that you'd like to share - please feel free to post!
Switching to a vegetarian diet has been really easy for us. It's almost as if we had been waiting for the right moment to make the change. My daughter and I still eat fish at least once a week, but other than that, we're doing the meat-free thing. My husband is happier, I feel healthier, and my daughter is having fun trying new foods. Well ... some of the new foods!
I was a little nervous about finding vegetarian meals that my family would enjoy. However, thanks to several veggie pals and the local library, I've started a nice collection of easy recipes. Easy is the key word, thank you! I'm astonished by some of the cookbooks that call for 30 or so ingredients. Umm ... I don't think so! Thankfully, I've found some realistic recipes for folks who don't want to spend a fortune or all day in the kitchen. Below is one of my family's fav meals:
Nachos
1 large onion, chopped
1 29 oz can Trader Joe's LF Organic Salsa-style Refried Beans
1 4.5 oz can Trader Joe's Chopped Green Chilies
Approx 2 cups LF Mexican-blend Cheese
Trader Joe's Green Salsa
1 chopped Tomato (optional)
Fat-Free Sour Cream (optional)
Chopped Green Onions (optional)
Sliced Black Olives (optional)
Trader Joe's Organic White Corn Chips
1. Saute onions in a little olive oil. Be careful not to brown them.
2. Spread refried beans evenly in a 9x13 shallow baking dish. Layer onions, chilies, and cheese. Drizzle top with salsa.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove. Serve w/FF sour cream, tomatoes, chopped green onions, black olives. Delicious!
Variation on Super Nachos in Glycemic Index Cookbook for Dummies - GREAT cookbook!
Surprisingly, this is an amazingly filling meal. Best of all, it satisfies those "I'm hungry for Mexican" cravings without the "I've just eaten a boatload of chips, salsa, and a greasy fajita" guilt. It's meals like this that make my family pleased to have gone meat-free.
How about you? Any chance you might try a meat-free meal this week? I find vegetarian cooking to be easier to prepare, cheaper to buy, and healthier for my family! I'll post some more of my yummy meat-free finds. If you have any that you'd like to share - please feel free to post!
Blurry Days and Mondays
I know, I know. It's not Monday; it's Tuesday. But yesterday was a blur, so I've decided to start the week over. Why was yesterday a blur? Could be because I stayed up until 4:15 am finishing my final exam paper. While this might okay for your average college student, but as a nearly 49 year old ... well, let's just say that yesterday wasn't pretty. Actually, it might have been; I just wasn't awake enough to get a good glimpse!
The upside to my all-night writing spree is that I'm free. FREE!!!! I have no more journal articles to read, no more reading response papers to write, no more classes to interfere with our evening meals.FREE!!!! Maybe it's because this class was so challenging and intense, but I have to admit that I feel at least 20 pounds lighter. A huge weight has been lifted. As a result of feeling so light ... or light-headed, I went a little crazy yesterday. This time, it was definitely Charlie Sheen crazy. I was truly winning! Well, that is until I woke up this morning and realized what I'd done. Confessions - we all went to our favorite Mexican restaurant where we ate endless amounts of chips and salsa. No margaritas, mind you. But yeah, those chips were flowing. Portion sizes were reduced because we went for lunch, but I happily confess the sins of my celebration. It was delicious. I mean - REALLY delicious. I don't want to do it again for a long time, but it was exactly what I needed. Ready for more? Yes, there is more. Well, since my mother abstained from my family's lunch time excursion, and you know, I had to include her in my celebrations, right? We went to Red Mango for some scrummy frozen yogurt. I made a small parfait of strawberry frozen yogurt with strawberries, blueberries, and slivered almonds. Divine. Bliss. I LOVE Red Mango. It was the perfect ending to my blurry day.
Did I wake up full of remorse? Naw. We're all allowed to pull a Charlie Sheen once in a while. In retrospect, it could have been much worse. I had refrained from consuming my usual bags full of chocolate tofffee popcorn, I exercised on Sunday, and I didn't eat anything except my Mexican meal and yogurt yesterday. In all, I probably consumed about the same amount of calories as I would on a "normal" day. I don't feel guilty, and I'm definitely not going to beat myself up about going out for a scrummy meal and yogurt. I had earned it. I'm going back to my usual routines today. It's okay. But the memories - ahhh - the memories. Yep, just what I needed.
The upside to my all-night writing spree is that I'm free. FREE!!!! I have no more journal articles to read, no more reading response papers to write, no more classes to interfere with our evening meals.
Did I wake up full of remorse? Naw. We're all allowed to pull a Charlie Sheen once in a while. In retrospect, it could have been much worse. I had refrained from consuming my usual bags full of chocolate tofffee popcorn, I exercised on Sunday, and I didn't eat anything except my Mexican meal and yogurt yesterday. In all, I probably consumed about the same amount of calories as I would on a "normal" day. I don't feel guilty, and I'm definitely not going to beat myself up about going out for a scrummy meal and yogurt. I had earned it. I'm going back to my usual routines today. It's okay. But the memories - ahhh - the memories. Yep, just what I needed.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
I Second that Emotion
One of the best things about monitoring your food intake is that you get a really good look at not only what you eat, but also why you eat. I grew up in a household where food was love. In fact, I'm pretty sure I even heard my mother utter those very words at some point, "Here honey, eat this. Food is love." Anyone who has ever worked with me knows that I live this mantra. When a colleague is having a rough day, I am always there with a handful of Hershey Kisses or a bag of M&Ms. My remedy for any ailment is chocolate ... or a cupcake ... or a cookie.
As I work on the final exam paper for class this weekend, I find myself longing for something sweet and tasty. I'm not hungry. I just want the comfort and love of my good friends, Hershey and Snickers. I find it difficult to focus on the task at hand because all that sits beside me is a La Croix and a bag of nuts. I keep looking over at them in hopes that they might magically transform into something more appealing. But alas, they haven't.
I've never completed a project without the help of my good buddies. This is a first for me. Normally, I sit and munch while I work. I never really taste the handfuls of snacks after the first bite or two. But they're a vital part of my work ritual. It's difficult resisting the temptation to hop in the car and head to Trader Joe's or Harris Teeter. I've never had a substance abuse problem, but I'm beginning to understand the psychological effects of one. It's crazy how our minds attempt to work against us in moments of weakness.
I know that I can complete this paper without eating a bag of M&Ms or chocolate popcorn. My creativity and content knowledge don't flow from these sugar-laden snacks. I'm smart enough to know this. However, fighting the distraction and constant hankering for them is going to be a challenge. I can do it. I know I can. I just have to convince my brain that I can.
As I work on the final exam paper for class this weekend, I find myself longing for something sweet and tasty. I'm not hungry. I just want the comfort and love of my good friends, Hershey and Snickers. I find it difficult to focus on the task at hand because all that sits beside me is a La Croix and a bag of nuts. I keep looking over at them in hopes that they might magically transform into something more appealing. But alas, they haven't.
I've never completed a project without the help of my good buddies. This is a first for me. Normally, I sit and munch while I work. I never really taste the handfuls of snacks after the first bite or two. But they're a vital part of my work ritual. It's difficult resisting the temptation to hop in the car and head to Trader Joe's or Harris Teeter. I've never had a substance abuse problem, but I'm beginning to understand the psychological effects of one. It's crazy how our minds attempt to work against us in moments of weakness.
I know that I can complete this paper without eating a bag of M&Ms or chocolate popcorn. My creativity and content knowledge don't flow from these sugar-laden snacks. I'm smart enough to know this. However, fighting the distraction and constant hankering for them is going to be a challenge. I can do it. I know I can. I just have to convince my brain that I can.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Mother's Day Tradition - BROKEN!
Mother's Day means a trek to Costco to pick up one ... maybe two cartons of the most enormous triple-chocolate dipped strawberries. We're talking PURE decadence at its best. These delicacies are total bliss. Pop a couple on a plate, cut them in half, and chow down. Repeat until the entire dozen is consumed ... in less than an hour.
This year is different. I will not make my annual shopping excursion to Costco even though I know these scrummy delights are filling at least one cooler on this Mother's Day weekend. No, I refuse to fall victim to the call of the chocolate strawberries. I must continue to resist. This weekend, of all others, I must stay focused on my family's losses over the past three weeks. I must remind myself of how loose my pants feel. I cannot heed the call of temptation. Instead, I will satiate my desire with a beautiful parfait of organic strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream. My parfait will be tastier than those chocolate Costco berries. Yeah. Sure. Uh-huh. Well ... that's what I'm telling myself!
This year is different. I will not make my annual shopping excursion to Costco even though I know these scrummy delights are filling at least one cooler on this Mother's Day weekend. No, I refuse to fall victim to the call of the chocolate strawberries. I must continue to resist. This weekend, of all others, I must stay focused on my family's losses over the past three weeks. I must remind myself of how loose my pants feel. I cannot heed the call of temptation. Instead, I will satiate my desire with a beautiful parfait of organic strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream. My parfait will be tastier than those chocolate Costco berries. Yeah. Sure. Uh-huh. Well ... that's what I'm telling myself!
What's for Dinner this Week?
5/7 - Saturday:
DIY Pizza or Salmon w/rice and asparagus
5/8 - Sunday:
Super Nachos, Salsa, Salad, Guacamole, Chips
5/9 - Monday:
Eggplant parmesan, rolls, salad
5/10 - Tuesday:
Chicken curry w/rice and vegetables
5/11 - Wednesday:
Cabbage soup, bread, salad
5/12 - Thursday:
Bean burritos, salsa, guacamole
5/13 - Friday:
Shrimp fried rice or subs
DIY Pizza or Salmon w/rice and asparagus
5/8 - Sunday:
Super Nachos, Salsa, Salad, Guacamole, Chips
5/9 - Monday:
Eggplant parmesan, rolls, salad
5/10 - Tuesday:
Chicken curry w/rice and vegetables
5/11 - Wednesday:
Cabbage soup, bread, salad
5/12 - Thursday:
Bean burritos, salsa, guacamole
5/13 - Friday:
Shrimp fried rice or subs
Friday, May 6, 2011
We're a Bunch o' Losers! YEAH!
The third week was definitely the charm! We were all a bunch of losers today. While the weight losses aren't phenomenal, the inch losses are considerable. There's a whole lot less of my family! Here are the stats:
Mom:
Total Weight Loss: -.4 lb
Waist: -2.5"
Hips: -3.5"
Chest: -3"
Right Arm: -3.5 cm
Left Arm: -1.5 cm
Right Thigh: -4.5 cm
Left Thigh: -6.5 cm
Dad:
Total Weight Loss: -7.8 lbs
Waist: -.5"
Hips: -4.25"
Chest: -2"
Right Arm: -3 cm
Left Arm: -1.5 cm
Right Thigh: -1 cm
Left Thigh: 0
Daughter:
Total Weight Loss: -3 lbs
Waist: -2"
Hips: -4"
Chest: -5"
Right Arm: -2.5 cm
Left Arm: -1.5 cm
Right Thigh: -7.5 cm
Left Thigh: -6 cm
Mom:
Total Weight Loss: -.4 lb
Waist: -2.5"
Hips: -3.5"
Chest: -3"
Right Arm: -3.5 cm
Left Arm: -1.5 cm
Right Thigh: -4.5 cm
Left Thigh: -6.5 cm
Dad:
Total Weight Loss: -7.8 lbs
Waist: -.5"
Hips: -4.25"
Chest: -2"
Right Arm: -3 cm
Left Arm: -1.5 cm
Right Thigh: -1 cm
Left Thigh: 0
Daughter:
Total Weight Loss: -3 lbs
Waist: -2"
Hips: -4"
Chest: -5"
Right Arm: -2.5 cm
Left Arm: -1.5 cm
Right Thigh: -7.5 cm
Left Thigh: -6 cm
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Nearing the End of Week Three
I think I can, I think I can! Just like the little choo-choo who had to climb up that hill, my family and I keep repeating this chant. I think I can, I think I can!
Well, this week has been a breeze for me. My exercise routines and eating habits have begun to become a part of my lifestyle. I can't even be naughty when I want to! I walked to Dairy Queen last night and ordered a medium twist ice cream in a cup. I took a few bites and had had enough. I realized that my goal was to walk the 1.3 miles to the ice cream shop - not eat the ice cream. Sadly though, this has not been an easy week for the rest of my team. My daughter struggled at the beginning, but she recovered thanks to her newfound love for organic red raspberries. I might need to take out a second mortgage to buy enough for her, but at least she's discovered a treat that is healthy and most importantly - the she loves. She no longer feels deprived when she looks in the pantry or the fridge. It's my husband who is really starting to lose steam. He started the week by making a trek to Chick-Fil-A on his way to work. I had to chuckle when I received his guilt-filled email on Monday morning. I assured him that it was okay. I mean, geesh, didn't he see me wolf down those Peeps the week before?! It doesn't make you a bad person to say 'yes' once in a while. Unfortunately though, my husband doesn't quite get that. He seems to feel that failure is a domino effect. One downfall leads to another and then another ... This is a hard mentality to break, but I think it's an important one to work on. We all have moments of weakness be it food, clothing, books, what have you. I think it's healthier to focus on the recovery rather than the failure.
Overall, this has been a week with lots of reflection. After much discussion, my family and I have decided to begin eliminating meat from our diet. We all recognized that for the most part, we don't actually like meat. Well, most meat! I love beef. I always have and probably always will. However, I don't like what beef does to my body. I also have great love for cows - which being a rare beef lover ... well, the two don't mix. My grandfather raised cattle when I was a child. They were the most gorgeous Angus. I remember falling in love with one of them, naming it, feeding it, petting it - only to discover several months later that George was on my dinner plate! The rest of the family has willingly embraced the idea of going vegetarian. I realize that it will be a slow transition, but I think that it will be a good change. Thankfully, I have a number of friends who are vegetarian and willing to share their wisdom with me. When I was a vegetarian in college, I was pretty much all on my own. There wasn't an array of meat substitutes. Times have changed. Today, loads of folks are meat-free for a myriad of reasons. Best of all, there are lots of options for meatless dining.
I've also amped up the exercise this week. I did something I hadn't done in a very long time. I walked over a mile to the shops. Now, I've walked over a mile on the treadmill, but walking with my daughter and pup in tow was a great experience. First of all, it's been ages since I've been able to walk like that. Again, I credit my fab Naturopath for getting me started on some super effective supplements. Secondly, it gave me some super one-on-one time with my kiddo. We homeschool and we're together all the time, but going on this walk gave us uninterrupted time to talk. And good lord almighty, did she talk! I swear that the child didn't draw breath the entire time. It was great though. I loved every second of it, and I intend to make it a weekly event. Cedric enjoyed it, too. He's never sniffed such a variety of smells in his life. Plus, he LOVED the attention once we got to the shopping centre.
In addition to the outdoor walks, I've started doing an exercise video. I had to chuckle when I first started using it because I had flashbacks of working out to Jane Fonda tapes in my youth. Well, I stopped into Ross the other day and came across a 5 mile walk kit from Leslie Sansone that included the DVD, weights, and a couple of bands. I'll confess that I feel like a total dweeb doing the workouts, especially when I really start to get into it and clap along with them. But you know what? It's fun! And the workout is great! I'm totally beat up after doing it. It's turned out to be one of the best $7 investments I've ever made.
So ... tomorrow is the moment of truth. Will I lose weight and/or inches? Don't tell anybody in my family, but I really don't care. I feel better. I move better. My clothes fit better. I don't need numbers to dictate how I'm doing. I know that I'm doing good things for my family and for my body. That's all that matters!
Well, this week has been a breeze for me. My exercise routines and eating habits have begun to become a part of my lifestyle. I can't even be naughty when I want to! I walked to Dairy Queen last night and ordered a medium twist ice cream in a cup. I took a few bites and had had enough. I realized that my goal was to walk the 1.3 miles to the ice cream shop - not eat the ice cream. Sadly though, this has not been an easy week for the rest of my team. My daughter struggled at the beginning, but she recovered thanks to her newfound love for organic red raspberries. I might need to take out a second mortgage to buy enough for her, but at least she's discovered a treat that is healthy and most importantly - the she loves. She no longer feels deprived when she looks in the pantry or the fridge. It's my husband who is really starting to lose steam. He started the week by making a trek to Chick-Fil-A on his way to work. I had to chuckle when I received his guilt-filled email on Monday morning. I assured him that it was okay. I mean, geesh, didn't he see me wolf down those Peeps the week before?! It doesn't make you a bad person to say 'yes' once in a while. Unfortunately though, my husband doesn't quite get that. He seems to feel that failure is a domino effect. One downfall leads to another and then another ... This is a hard mentality to break, but I think it's an important one to work on. We all have moments of weakness be it food, clothing, books, what have you. I think it's healthier to focus on the recovery rather than the failure.
Overall, this has been a week with lots of reflection. After much discussion, my family and I have decided to begin eliminating meat from our diet. We all recognized that for the most part, we don't actually like meat. Well, most meat! I love beef. I always have and probably always will. However, I don't like what beef does to my body. I also have great love for cows - which being a rare beef lover ... well, the two don't mix. My grandfather raised cattle when I was a child. They were the most gorgeous Angus. I remember falling in love with one of them, naming it, feeding it, petting it - only to discover several months later that George was on my dinner plate! The rest of the family has willingly embraced the idea of going vegetarian. I realize that it will be a slow transition, but I think that it will be a good change. Thankfully, I have a number of friends who are vegetarian and willing to share their wisdom with me. When I was a vegetarian in college, I was pretty much all on my own. There wasn't an array of meat substitutes. Times have changed. Today, loads of folks are meat-free for a myriad of reasons. Best of all, there are lots of options for meatless dining.
I've also amped up the exercise this week. I did something I hadn't done in a very long time. I walked over a mile to the shops. Now, I've walked over a mile on the treadmill, but walking with my daughter and pup in tow was a great experience. First of all, it's been ages since I've been able to walk like that. Again, I credit my fab Naturopath for getting me started on some super effective supplements. Secondly, it gave me some super one-on-one time with my kiddo. We homeschool and we're together all the time, but going on this walk gave us uninterrupted time to talk. And good lord almighty, did she talk! I swear that the child didn't draw breath the entire time. It was great though. I loved every second of it, and I intend to make it a weekly event. Cedric enjoyed it, too. He's never sniffed such a variety of smells in his life. Plus, he LOVED the attention once we got to the shopping centre.
In addition to the outdoor walks, I've started doing an exercise video. I had to chuckle when I first started using it because I had flashbacks of working out to Jane Fonda tapes in my youth. Well, I stopped into Ross the other day and came across a 5 mile walk kit from Leslie Sansone that included the DVD, weights, and a couple of bands. I'll confess that I feel like a total dweeb doing the workouts, especially when I really start to get into it and clap along with them. But you know what? It's fun! And the workout is great! I'm totally beat up after doing it. It's turned out to be one of the best $7 investments I've ever made.
So ... tomorrow is the moment of truth. Will I lose weight and/or inches? Don't tell anybody in my family, but I really don't care. I feel better. I move better. My clothes fit better. I don't need numbers to dictate how I'm doing. I know that I'm doing good things for my family and for my body. That's all that matters!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Man v. Food or Food v. Man?
My daughter watches much less television now that we've begun our "Fat2Fit" program. However, she still has some shows that she absolutely MUST watch. You're probably thinking the Disney Channel or Nickelodeon, but nope, they're food shows. Her favorite is Man v. Food, a program with the primary goal of eating enormous amounts of food in a limited amount of time. Now don't get me wrong, I think Adam Richman seems like a perfectly great guy. However, the premise of the program is seriously disturbing. Take a look!
This show repulses me on so many levels. Most importantly, I find it incredibly disturbing that my daughter thinks Adam Richman is a hero. How can I teach her about healthy food choices when someone she idolizes consumes this Emmenecker sandwich? We're talking a 12" wide deep-fried pork tenderloin, 2 Buffalo chicken tenders, an angus steak cheeseburger, Applewood smoked bacon, a slab of Texas beef brisket, 2 fried cheddar cheese cubes all smothered in white cheddar sauce topped with a spicy pickle and served with a pound of waffle fries. Did you get all that?! On ONE sandwich! Oh - and he has 15 minutes to chow down the entire combo. I don't know about you, but my question is WHY. Why would somebody eat something like this and why does anybody want to watch another person consume it? My next question is WHAT. What do shows like this teach us about food? Is food a sporting event? If you've ever watched the show, you'll know there are observers cheering Adam on to his success.
I don't know. Call me a spoilsport, but I just don't think television that glamorizes overconsumption of unhealthy foods is a good thing. Obesity is such a prevalent problem in our country that I think there should be more shows promoting healthy eating. It may not be as sexy or fun, but at least its host might live a bit longer.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Celebrations Don't Need to Be Naughty
This is the night I've been awaiting for four months ... the end of the semester! The class has been extremely interesting, but it's also been phenomenally challenging. Seriously tough. I've read 44 academic journal articles, written 12 response papers, completed three projects, led a class discussion, and suffered through the most difficult midterm ever. Whew! And now ... it's over. I still have the final exam, but I suspect that it'll be a piece of cake after all I've endured.
Class let out early tonight, so I stopped at Trader Joe's for some celebratory treats. As I wandered through the aisles, I surveyed all of the delectable tempations that only Trader Joe's can concoct. It was exciting to let my eyes wander, knowing that one of these delicious treats would land in my basket. I walked the aisles with a bag of my all-time fav, chocolate toffee popcorn, in hand. It's been a solid three weeks since a kernel of that tastiness has passed my lips. Just the thought of it sent shivers down my spine. I LOVE TJ's chocolate toffee popcorn. I'm telling you L-O-V-E! I must have devoured at least a couple cases of that stuff over the holidays, and probably another case or two after. I joke with the TJ staff that it's so addictive that I'm fairly certain that it has crack in it. Might as well. It's one of those treats that you grab a handful of only to discover minutes later that the bag is empty.
So, I'm walking around the store with my chocolate toffee popcorn firmly grasped in one hand. And then it hits me. I don't know if it was the blog or just good common sense, but I couldn't keep hold of it. I simply couldn't do it. I gave the bag a fond look, let out a whimper, and gently, oh so gently, put the bag back with its siblings.
That chocolate toffee popcorn was sort of like a bad relationship. You know the kind where you know it's bad for you, but you can't resist? Well, I resisted tonight. I told it to go back home and stop harrassing me. It was a sad moment; I won't deny it. That chocolate toffee popcorn has gotten me through some rough times. It was always there for me, you know. It was my old friend, my stand-by. If I'd brought it home though, I knew where it'd end. I knew that it wouldn't be around to see me in the morning. There'd be nothing but an empty bag and lots of guilt. Instead, I opted for some sensible chips with nothing but potatoes and oil. They're low-fat and will definitely still be around when I wake up. So, they're not as fun and tantalizing as the chocolate toffee popcorn, but at least I won't hate myself in the morning.
Class let out early tonight, so I stopped at Trader Joe's for some celebratory treats. As I wandered through the aisles, I surveyed all of the delectable tempations that only Trader Joe's can concoct. It was exciting to let my eyes wander, knowing that one of these delicious treats would land in my basket. I walked the aisles with a bag of my all-time fav, chocolate toffee popcorn, in hand. It's been a solid three weeks since a kernel of that tastiness has passed my lips. Just the thought of it sent shivers down my spine. I LOVE TJ's chocolate toffee popcorn. I'm telling you L-O-V-E! I must have devoured at least a couple cases of that stuff over the holidays, and probably another case or two after. I joke with the TJ staff that it's so addictive that I'm fairly certain that it has crack in it. Might as well. It's one of those treats that you grab a handful of only to discover minutes later that the bag is empty.
So, I'm walking around the store with my chocolate toffee popcorn firmly grasped in one hand. And then it hits me. I don't know if it was the blog or just good common sense, but I couldn't keep hold of it. I simply couldn't do it. I gave the bag a fond look, let out a whimper, and gently, oh so gently, put the bag back with its siblings.
That chocolate toffee popcorn was sort of like a bad relationship. You know the kind where you know it's bad for you, but you can't resist? Well, I resisted tonight. I told it to go back home and stop harrassing me. It was a sad moment; I won't deny it. That chocolate toffee popcorn has gotten me through some rough times. It was always there for me, you know. It was my old friend, my stand-by. If I'd brought it home though, I knew where it'd end. I knew that it wouldn't be around to see me in the morning. There'd be nothing but an empty bag and lots of guilt. Instead, I opted for some sensible chips with nothing but potatoes and oil. They're low-fat and will definitely still be around when I wake up. So, they're not as fun and tantalizing as the chocolate toffee popcorn, but at least I won't hate myself in the morning.
A Year Goes Fast When You're Feeling Good
Mother's Day brings great joy to my life. No, I'm not going to get all schmaltzy about being a mom, though I do indeed enjoy that role. Nope, Mother's Day marks my first anniversary of being gluten free. It's hard to believe that it's been nearly a year since my decision to eliminate gluten from my diet. I mean, it's become totally natural for me, and I'm never tempted to return to my previous life of chronic stomach pain, embarrassing tummy rumbles, and other problems. Getting rid of gluten seriously changed my life.
How did I discover my gluten intolerance? It's a long story that all boils down to my being a cheapskate and deathly afraid of medical tests. I was still seeing a regular physician this time last year. I told her of my issues, and she set me up for an ultrasound of my gallbladder. I went home and did some research on gallbladder problems. Hmmm ... my problems didn't really match up with what I was reading. But alas, I went to the hospital for the ultrasound. Now, this is where you catch a true glimpse of my nature. So, I'm registering for the test when the clerk informs me that I hadn't met my deductible for this type of procedure. Naturally, my first question was, "How much will it cost?" Get out the smelling salts, folks. "It should be around $675," she said. I didn't faint. Instead, I said, "Thank you very much, but I think I'll pass." I high-tailed it out of that front door and headed back home to do some more research.
During my initial investigation on gallbladder problems, I came across information on celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and IBS. I began reading more on these topics. Initially, I suspected IBS, but after reading more about it, I decided that this was not my problem. I then studied celiac disease and immediately felt like I'd found the winner. As I ran down the checklist of symptoms, I had no doubt that my problem was with gluten.
I immediately eliminated all gluten from my diet. I mean - ALL gluten. In fact, I was so paranoid and unskilled at identifying gluten that I pretty much got rid of everything except fruits, vegetables, and meat. Okay, I won't lie or dress it up - the first two days were ugly. I was detoxing. My head hurt, I was a mega-bitch, and my stomach felt like someone had sucker punched me. But on the third day ... on that third day, I felt great. No pain, no tummy issues, nada ... nothing! I have never looked back. I will never go back. I don't care how tempting that slice of pizza might smell or how beautiful that slice of cake - nope, no way, not eating it.
I was never officially diagnosed with the disease, but I don't care. I know that I feel better as a result of eliminating gluten from my diet. When I asked my physician if I could be tested, she informed me that I would have to eat gluten again for a month. I responded with gales of laughter. Nope. I'm fine without a diagnosis. I'm content in not knowing. I don't need a medical diagnosis to recognize my body's inability to absorb gluten. Do I recommend self-diagnosis? No, but this was the first time in decades that I had actually felt good, and I wasn't about to go back. However, I am concerned for my daughter who already displays similar problems to mine. Celiac is an inherited disease, so I will have my daughter tested.
What about you? According to the Celiac Disease Foundation (2011), 97% of us go undiagnosed! "Celiac Disease is one of the most common genetic conditions in the world. Celiac is a multi-symptom, multi-system disorder, activated by eating gluten - proteins found in wheat, rye and barley. Symptoms vary and are not always gastrointestinal," (Celiac Disease Foundation, 2011). Here is a listing of symptoms from the Celiac Disease Foundation website - http://www.celiac.org/
CLASSIC SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE
•Abdominal cramping, intestinal gas
•Distention and bloating of the stomach
•Chronic diarrhea or constipation (or both)
•Steatorrhea – fatty stools
•Anemia – unexplained, due to folic acid, B12 or iron deficiency (or all)
•Unexplained weight loss with large appetite or weight gain
OTHER SYMPTOMS
•Dental enamel defects
•Osteopenia, osteoporosis
•Bone or joint pain
•Fatigue, weakness and lack of energy
•Infertility – male/female
•Depression
•Mouth ulcers
•Delayed puberty
•Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
•Migraine headaches
SOME LONG-TERM CONDITIONS THAT CAN RESULT FROM UNTREATED CD
•Iron deficiency anemia
•Early onset osteoporosis or osteopenia
•Vitamin K deficiency associated with risk for hemorrhaging
•Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
•Central and peripheral nervous system disorders - usually due to unsuspected nutrient deficiencies
•Pancreatic insufficiency
•Intestinal lymphomas and other GI cancers (malignancies)
•Gall bladder malfunction
•Neurological manifestations
I strongly encourage you to contact your physician or medical provider if you suffer from an array of these symptoms. I assure you, once you see what life is like without stomach pain, you'll have no problem giving up gluten.
Celiac Disease Foundation: http://www.celiac.org/
Living Gluten and Grain Free Blog: http://ourplacelivingglutenfree.blogspot.com/
How did I discover my gluten intolerance? It's a long story that all boils down to my being a cheapskate and deathly afraid of medical tests. I was still seeing a regular physician this time last year. I told her of my issues, and she set me up for an ultrasound of my gallbladder. I went home and did some research on gallbladder problems. Hmmm ... my problems didn't really match up with what I was reading. But alas, I went to the hospital for the ultrasound. Now, this is where you catch a true glimpse of my nature. So, I'm registering for the test when the clerk informs me that I hadn't met my deductible for this type of procedure. Naturally, my first question was, "How much will it cost?" Get out the smelling salts, folks. "It should be around $675," she said. I didn't faint. Instead, I said, "Thank you very much, but I think I'll pass." I high-tailed it out of that front door and headed back home to do some more research.
During my initial investigation on gallbladder problems, I came across information on celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and IBS. I began reading more on these topics. Initially, I suspected IBS, but after reading more about it, I decided that this was not my problem. I then studied celiac disease and immediately felt like I'd found the winner. As I ran down the checklist of symptoms, I had no doubt that my problem was with gluten.
I immediately eliminated all gluten from my diet. I mean - ALL gluten. In fact, I was so paranoid and unskilled at identifying gluten that I pretty much got rid of everything except fruits, vegetables, and meat. Okay, I won't lie or dress it up - the first two days were ugly. I was detoxing. My head hurt, I was a mega-bitch, and my stomach felt like someone had sucker punched me. But on the third day ... on that third day, I felt great. No pain, no tummy issues, nada ... nothing! I have never looked back. I will never go back. I don't care how tempting that slice of pizza might smell or how beautiful that slice of cake - nope, no way, not eating it.
I was never officially diagnosed with the disease, but I don't care. I know that I feel better as a result of eliminating gluten from my diet. When I asked my physician if I could be tested, she informed me that I would have to eat gluten again for a month. I responded with gales of laughter. Nope. I'm fine without a diagnosis. I'm content in not knowing. I don't need a medical diagnosis to recognize my body's inability to absorb gluten. Do I recommend self-diagnosis? No, but this was the first time in decades that I had actually felt good, and I wasn't about to go back. However, I am concerned for my daughter who already displays similar problems to mine. Celiac is an inherited disease, so I will have my daughter tested.
What about you? According to the Celiac Disease Foundation (2011), 97% of us go undiagnosed! "Celiac Disease is one of the most common genetic conditions in the world. Celiac is a multi-symptom, multi-system disorder, activated by eating gluten - proteins found in wheat, rye and barley. Symptoms vary and are not always gastrointestinal," (Celiac Disease Foundation, 2011). Here is a listing of symptoms from the Celiac Disease Foundation website - http://www.celiac.org/
CLASSIC SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE
•Abdominal cramping, intestinal gas
•Distention and bloating of the stomach
•Chronic diarrhea or constipation (or both)
•Steatorrhea – fatty stools
•Anemia – unexplained, due to folic acid, B12 or iron deficiency (or all)
•Unexplained weight loss with large appetite or weight gain
OTHER SYMPTOMS
•Dental enamel defects
•Osteopenia, osteoporosis
•Bone or joint pain
•Fatigue, weakness and lack of energy
•Infertility – male/female
•Depression
•Mouth ulcers
•Delayed puberty
•Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
•Migraine headaches
SOME LONG-TERM CONDITIONS THAT CAN RESULT FROM UNTREATED CD
•Iron deficiency anemia
•Early onset osteoporosis or osteopenia
•Vitamin K deficiency associated with risk for hemorrhaging
•Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
•Central and peripheral nervous system disorders - usually due to unsuspected nutrient deficiencies
•Pancreatic insufficiency
•Intestinal lymphomas and other GI cancers (malignancies)
•Gall bladder malfunction
•Neurological manifestations
I strongly encourage you to contact your physician or medical provider if you suffer from an array of these symptoms. I assure you, once you see what life is like without stomach pain, you'll have no problem giving up gluten.
Celiac Disease Foundation: http://www.celiac.org/
Living Gluten and Grain Free Blog: http://ourplacelivingglutenfree.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 2, 2011
Trying to Transition
There's nothing to make you re-think what food you consume than getting sick on something you've eaten. And yep, I'm speaking from experience ... recent experience! Although the past 24 hours have been less than pleasant, I will admit that I've had time to consider my diet and the possible toxic foods within it. As a result, I have begun exploring the possibility of making the transition to a vegetarian diet.
Being vegetarian isn't a new lifestyle for me. I've always been an animal activist, and in college, I couldn't stand the thought and the hipocrasy of eating animals. Well, this was all well and good until I started having fainting spells and finally discovered that I was insanely iron deficient. I wasn't surprised. I mean, I was the vegetarian who happily consumed McDonald's French fries, donuts, cookies ... everything except anything of any nutritional value. But I was young and foolish. My only concern was that I wasn't consuming animal flesh.
Here I am more than two decades later contemplating making this dramatic dietary change once again. This time though, I am a bit wiser and lots more knowledgeable. I have begun reading books on how to transition into a vegetarian diet. I am looking for alternative sources of protein and foods to eat. Vegetarianism is not the novelty it was when I was in college, so I don't think I'm going to resort to dinners of French fries and cakes. Truth be told, I can't. I am gluten intolerant and can no longer eat many of my old "vegetarian" staples. This is actually a blessing more than a curse though. I won't be tempted to resort to these nutrient-empty foods.
I started the transition tonight with a bean dish that was well-received by every member of my family. My husband has always wanted to be vegetarian, so he was especially appreciative of my meal selection. Overall, I'm optimistic and excited about the change. That said, my daughter and I both agreed that we would eat fish once a week, but for the rest of the week - meatless. In the meantime though, I'm going to clean out the freezer and keep researching recipes. Feel free to share any cookbook suggestions and/or favorite recipe sites for vegetarian meals.
Being vegetarian isn't a new lifestyle for me. I've always been an animal activist, and in college, I couldn't stand the thought and the hipocrasy of eating animals. Well, this was all well and good until I started having fainting spells and finally discovered that I was insanely iron deficient. I wasn't surprised. I mean, I was the vegetarian who happily consumed McDonald's French fries, donuts, cookies ... everything except anything of any nutritional value. But I was young and foolish. My only concern was that I wasn't consuming animal flesh.
Here I am more than two decades later contemplating making this dramatic dietary change once again. This time though, I am a bit wiser and lots more knowledgeable. I have begun reading books on how to transition into a vegetarian diet. I am looking for alternative sources of protein and foods to eat. Vegetarianism is not the novelty it was when I was in college, so I don't think I'm going to resort to dinners of French fries and cakes. Truth be told, I can't. I am gluten intolerant and can no longer eat many of my old "vegetarian" staples. This is actually a blessing more than a curse though. I won't be tempted to resort to these nutrient-empty foods.
I started the transition tonight with a bean dish that was well-received by every member of my family. My husband has always wanted to be vegetarian, so he was especially appreciative of my meal selection. Overall, I'm optimistic and excited about the change. That said, my daughter and I both agreed that we would eat fish once a week, but for the rest of the week - meatless. In the meantime though, I'm going to clean out the freezer and keep researching recipes. Feel free to share any cookbook suggestions and/or favorite recipe sites for vegetarian meals.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Our Fat2Fit Menu - Week 3
Sat - 4/30: DIY Pizza or Steak Kabobs w/Rice and Broccoli
Sun - 5/1: Greek Lemon Chicken, Greek Rice Pilaf, Carrots, Salad
Mon - 5/2: Super Nachos, Salsa, Salad, Chips
Tues - 5/3: Salmon w/Avocado Salsa, Carrots, Salad
Wed - 5/4: Grilled Steak w/Horseradish Sauce, Baked Potato, Broccoli, Salad
Thurs - 5/5: Eggplant Parmesan, Rolls, Salad
Fri - 5/6: Pomegranate Flank Steak, Rosemary roasted vegetables, Carrots, Salad
Sun - 5/1: Greek Lemon Chicken, Greek Rice Pilaf, Carrots, Salad
Mon - 5/2: Super Nachos, Salsa, Salad, Chips
Tues - 5/3: Salmon w/Avocado Salsa, Carrots, Salad
Wed - 5/4: Grilled Steak w/Horseradish Sauce, Baked Potato, Broccoli, Salad
Thurs - 5/5: Eggplant Parmesan, Rolls, Salad
Fri - 5/6: Pomegranate Flank Steak, Rosemary roasted vegetables, Carrots, Salad
Back in the Saddle Again
Song of the Day: Back in the Saddle Again by Gene Autry
Well, we did it. We're back on track! I woke up, threw on clothes, latched leashes, and the pups and I hit the road amongst a neighborhood filled with yard sales. The pups found the extra cars and people pretty interesting while all I could think was how silly I must look with "jumped-out-of-bed" hair and mismatched shorts and t-shirt. Oh well. It'll give them something to post on Facebook!
We've started this morning with a quick weigh-in. The good news is that my weight didn't change. I'm the same as last week. While this might be depressing for some folks, after the many meals out, changes to plans, and of course, my Peep addiction. I'm thrilled that my daily exercise kept up with my naughtiness. My husband was a bit of a loser this week - not much though. He dropped .4 of a pound. My daughter has yet to rise in order to weigh-in. I'll post her progress later tonight.
Upon reflection of this week, I can easily identify reasons why our weight loss was minimal ... or in my case, non-existent. Besides the numerous changes this week, I also realize that I need to change up our dinner plans to avoid boredom. I went to the library the other day and checked out a boatload of books. One of the most interesting and helpful is called The Complete Idiot's Guide - Glycemic Index Cookbook. I found oodles of yummy and healthy recipes in this cookbook. You'll see when you take a peek at my menu plan for the week! Another thing I intend to do this week is eliminate family dining. I know my daughter adores having all of the food on the table, but I have learned that when the food is there, people will eat it. Instead, I will serve food on our dinner plates and immediately box any leftovers for lunch. Out of sight, out of mind.
I'm hopeful that week three will bear the fruit of our efforts. I go into knowing it though that weight loss won't happen on it's own. It's going to take more than planning; it'll take STAYING on that plan! Wish us luck!
Well, we did it. We're back on track! I woke up, threw on clothes, latched leashes, and the pups and I hit the road amongst a neighborhood filled with yard sales. The pups found the extra cars and people pretty interesting while all I could think was how silly I must look with "jumped-out-of-bed" hair and mismatched shorts and t-shirt. Oh well. It'll give them something to post on Facebook!
We've started this morning with a quick weigh-in. The good news is that my weight didn't change. I'm the same as last week. While this might be depressing for some folks, after the many meals out, changes to plans, and of course, my Peep addiction. I'm thrilled that my daily exercise kept up with my naughtiness. My husband was a bit of a loser this week - not much though. He dropped .4 of a pound. My daughter has yet to rise in order to weigh-in. I'll post her progress later tonight.
Upon reflection of this week, I can easily identify reasons why our weight loss was minimal ... or in my case, non-existent. Besides the numerous changes this week, I also realize that I need to change up our dinner plans to avoid boredom. I went to the library the other day and checked out a boatload of books. One of the most interesting and helpful is called The Complete Idiot's Guide - Glycemic Index Cookbook. I found oodles of yummy and healthy recipes in this cookbook. You'll see when you take a peek at my menu plan for the week! Another thing I intend to do this week is eliminate family dining. I know my daughter adores having all of the food on the table, but I have learned that when the food is there, people will eat it. Instead, I will serve food on our dinner plates and immediately box any leftovers for lunch. Out of sight, out of mind.
I'm hopeful that week three will bear the fruit of our efforts. I go into knowing it though that weight loss won't happen on it's own. It's going to take more than planning; it'll take STAYING on that plan! Wish us luck!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Picking up the Pieces
Watching the royal nuptials this morning gave me a sense of hope. Yes, I know that there is real news and much more important issues and events, but watching these two young people who are obviously besotted with one another exchange vows made me smile all day. I couldn't get Jerusalem, probably one of the most British songs I know, out of my head. I sang it while I cleaned house, I hummed it while grocery shopping, and even now, I have it running through my mind. Having earworms usually annoy me, but not today. The song revived memories of the beauty and the splendor of the morning and left me feeling that while there are bads things happening around us, moments of happiness exist.
This morning reminded me of perseverance. Despite tough times in his life, Prince William endured and came out a winner. The same can be said of his relationship with Kate. Throughout their courtship, they hit rough patches, but they always came back stronger. Perseverance. I realize it's a stretch, but this got me thinking about my family's journey toward fitness. We've tried numerous times to be successful in our quest, but never managed to get back on track. Not this time though. I'm determined to get us healthy. I'm not giving up. I will persevere.
This morning reminded me of perseverance. Despite tough times in his life, Prince William endured and came out a winner. The same can be said of his relationship with Kate. Throughout their courtship, they hit rough patches, but they always came back stronger. Perseverance. I realize it's a stretch, but this got me thinking about my family's journey toward fitness. We've tried numerous times to be successful in our quest, but never managed to get back on track. Not this time though. I'm determined to get us healthy. I'm not giving up. I will persevere.
We Interrupt this Blog for the Royal Wedding
Let's just say it now - this week has been a bust. There have been multiple interruptions, the Royal Wedding at 6 am notwithstanding. Therefore, I interrupt this morning's blog entry and weigh-in in order to beg forgiveness. We will have our official weigh-in tomorrow morning, but alas, do not expect great results. I fear that the disruptions of the week have wrecked havoc on our weight loss goals. Fear not though, as I picked up an array of health and cooking-related books at the library yesterday. So just wait. I intend to redeem my family next week. In the meantime, enjoy the beauty and joy of the royal nuptials.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
We're All Aboard the Crazy Train
Song of the Day: Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy couldn't have said it better. We are definitely all on a crazy train here. It's been one of those weeks. You know what I'm talking about, I know you do. You have plans for the week, you know exactly what you're doing, and then ... BAM! Life's pretty plan gets thrown out of whack. Well, that's been my week. And here it is Thursday, a day before our second week's weigh-in, and the plan is still changing. When making our list of meals, I'd totally forgotten that I'm meeting friends for dinner. It's a monthly dinner date, and I'm excited to see them. But then again, I weigh-in tomorrow. Such a dilemma. How can I eat smart but still have a good time with my pals? Can I trust myself not to go crazy?
Dining out can be a challenge for anyone with special dietary needs. Trust me, even when I'm not trying to control portion sizes and calorie content, I struggle with eating out because of my gluten issues. There's always a fear of cross-contamination, and then there's the lack of options. C'mon, those of us with allergies and special needs know what it's like to place an order. You feel like Sally in Harry Met Sally. It's never easy.
What strategies can I use to make tonight's dinner part of my "fat2fit" diet? The first thing I'm going to do is look at the menu before I go. Nearly every chain restaurant has their menu available on-line. Even better, most also include nutrition information. Unfortunately though, the restaurant we're meeting at doesn't have nutrition info. Instead, they indicate what foods are "healthier." Let's take a look - http://www.showmars.com/menu/SHOW_menu_3_08_r2_sm-p2.pdf Hmmm ... what do I want for dinner tonight? It looks like the "healthier" options all involve chicken. Figures! Now, I have to decide what kind of chicken do I want? Will I feel full if I get the grilled chicken salad? Probably not. I wish I was one of these people who can survive on salad, but alas, I need something more substantial. Instead, I think I will opt for the Grilled Chicken Pita sans pita bread. This will give me a grilled chicken breast with lettuce and tomato on the side. Although I'd love it, I'm going to pass on the tzatziki sauce. I'll make it a combo with a baked potato with light sour cream that I'll bring with me. Of course, no butter, but then again, I don't like butter on my potatoes! Because I don't drink soft drinks, I'll get an unsweetened iced tea. There, I'm dining out without going crazy. What do you think? Sound like a good "fat2fit" menu? I'm going to have a night out with my friends, but I'm also going to stay on track to healthy eating. What about you? How do you eat out but not board that crazy train? I'd love to hear your tips and secrets.
Ozzy couldn't have said it better. We are definitely all on a crazy train here. It's been one of those weeks. You know what I'm talking about, I know you do. You have plans for the week, you know exactly what you're doing, and then ... BAM! Life's pretty plan gets thrown out of whack. Well, that's been my week. And here it is Thursday, a day before our second week's weigh-in, and the plan is still changing. When making our list of meals, I'd totally forgotten that I'm meeting friends for dinner. It's a monthly dinner date, and I'm excited to see them. But then again, I weigh-in tomorrow. Such a dilemma. How can I eat smart but still have a good time with my pals? Can I trust myself not to go crazy?
Dining out can be a challenge for anyone with special dietary needs. Trust me, even when I'm not trying to control portion sizes and calorie content, I struggle with eating out because of my gluten issues. There's always a fear of cross-contamination, and then there's the lack of options. C'mon, those of us with allergies and special needs know what it's like to place an order. You feel like Sally in Harry Met Sally. It's never easy.
What strategies can I use to make tonight's dinner part of my "fat2fit" diet? The first thing I'm going to do is look at the menu before I go. Nearly every chain restaurant has their menu available on-line. Even better, most also include nutrition information. Unfortunately though, the restaurant we're meeting at doesn't have nutrition info. Instead, they indicate what foods are "healthier." Let's take a look - http://www.showmars.com/menu/SHOW_menu_3_08_r2_sm-p2.pdf Hmmm ... what do I want for dinner tonight? It looks like the "healthier" options all involve chicken. Figures! Now, I have to decide what kind of chicken do I want? Will I feel full if I get the grilled chicken salad? Probably not. I wish I was one of these people who can survive on salad, but alas, I need something more substantial. Instead, I think I will opt for the Grilled Chicken Pita sans pita bread. This will give me a grilled chicken breast with lettuce and tomato on the side. Although I'd love it, I'm going to pass on the tzatziki sauce. I'll make it a combo with a baked potato with light sour cream that I'll bring with me. Of course, no butter, but then again, I don't like butter on my potatoes! Because I don't drink soft drinks, I'll get an unsweetened iced tea. There, I'm dining out without going crazy. What do you think? Sound like a good "fat2fit" menu? I'm going to have a night out with my friends, but I'm also going to stay on track to healthy eating. What about you? How do you eat out but not board that crazy train? I'd love to hear your tips and secrets.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Never Give Up
As I forced myself to get out of bed this morning, totally not wanting to go on my daily walk with the pooches, I started thinking about how lucky I was to be taking these walks. You're probably a little confused by that - woman doesn't want to walk but thinks she's lucky. Huh?
I was diagnosed with severe bone-on-bone arthritis in both knees nearly two years ago. Since that time, my knees have become more and more painful. I tried medication that quelled the pain for an hour or so but not much more. The worst part was that I was extremely limited in what I could do. I was fortunate enough to be chosen as an NEH Scholar this past summer and to spend a month in Salem MA just outside Boston. I was elated! I'd never been to this part of the east coast and looked forward to exploring Boston, Maine, New Hampshire - all of it. My bubble burst on the first day when we did a walking tour of the city. I was miserable. Actually, I wish I had been miserable because what I felt was much worse. The pain and the humiliation of not being able to do what the other group members did was horrible. I had always been fairly fit and active in my youth. And now - I looked like my 80 year old mother as I attempted to make it from one block to another.
I returned home after my month-long wake-up call and immediately contacted my orthopedist. He agreed that I needed something more than oral meds. We began gel shot treatments that day. I was pleased how my knees seemed to improve each week with these shots. The final injection had been made; I was done. My orthopedist warned me that I would never be able to do what I had physically done in the past - no 5Ks, no running, no heavy exercise. I was okay with that because I could finally go on short walks and strolls at the mall. A few months passed and then it all stopped. This time, the pain was worst than before. I could hardly stand up. Seriously. It was horribly embarrassing. It took me a minute or two to get my knees stable enough to stand up. Grocery shopping was unbearable. I'd known for a while that knee replacements were in my very near future. However, I wasn't ready for that. I would have to endure several more series of gel shots and try other treatments before my insurance would pony up for new knees. I wasn't convinced that this was the route I wanted to take, but I knew that I had to do something ... and fast.
I have always been a fan of natural remedies. That said, I've also always totally sucked at taking daily vitamins and supplements. I would start out with good intentions, but I'd find that the smell or the size of the vitamins would put me off of them. I also really suck at swallowing pills, so this was another reason for my previous failures. Knowing that I had a choice of more shots and eventual surgery or choking down pills, I made the decision to see a local Naturopath in February. This was absolutely the best decision of my life. I spent well over three hours with my ND on this initial visit. Surprisingly, she didn't do a physical exam. Instead, we talked about my diet, my medical history, my exercise habits, my meds ... she covered everything! At the end of our chat, she prescribed a myriad of supplements and additional testing. I don't know if it's because I was hopeful or just unwilling to give up, but I went home ready to give this last shot my best effort.
Nearly three months later and guess what? I'm not ready to run a marathon or even a 5K, but I am no longer in constant pain. I can also take not one daily walk ... but two! Sure my knees ache after a really long stroll, but it's not the unbearable "keep you awake at night" pain of the past. And yes, my knees still sound like rocks crashing together when I stand up, but I can stand without fear or pain. Plus, the multitude of supplements I take throughout day - piece of cake! No smell, no taste, easy to swallow. I say a special thank you to this phenomenal healthcare professional every single day. I don't know if she realizes just what a change she's made in my life, but she has. I no longer feel like I'm 80 years old and ready for a wheelchair. In fact, I feel better now than I've felt in the past five years. It's amazing what being pain-free does for one's spirit. It gives you a whole new outlook on life.
I think it's important to remember that there is always hope. I've seen some pretty dark moments where I'd break down in uncontrollable tears because I couldn't do "normal" activities with my daughter. I've also been in a state of chronic pain that left little hope of relief. But somehow, I managed to see a glimmer of sunshine, a small flicker of light. So yeah, on mornings where I would much rather stay in bed, I have to transport myself back to the time not too long ago when I had no choice. That's when I hop out of bed, throw on my walking attire, grab the leashes, turn on my ipod, and hit the pavement. I'm sure I'll wake up while I'm walking!
Special thanks to my fab ND, Dr Crystal Abernathy - http://abernathynd.com/
I was diagnosed with severe bone-on-bone arthritis in both knees nearly two years ago. Since that time, my knees have become more and more painful. I tried medication that quelled the pain for an hour or so but not much more. The worst part was that I was extremely limited in what I could do. I was fortunate enough to be chosen as an NEH Scholar this past summer and to spend a month in Salem MA just outside Boston. I was elated! I'd never been to this part of the east coast and looked forward to exploring Boston, Maine, New Hampshire - all of it. My bubble burst on the first day when we did a walking tour of the city. I was miserable. Actually, I wish I had been miserable because what I felt was much worse. The pain and the humiliation of not being able to do what the other group members did was horrible. I had always been fairly fit and active in my youth. And now - I looked like my 80 year old mother as I attempted to make it from one block to another.
I returned home after my month-long wake-up call and immediately contacted my orthopedist. He agreed that I needed something more than oral meds. We began gel shot treatments that day. I was pleased how my knees seemed to improve each week with these shots. The final injection had been made; I was done. My orthopedist warned me that I would never be able to do what I had physically done in the past - no 5Ks, no running, no heavy exercise. I was okay with that because I could finally go on short walks and strolls at the mall. A few months passed and then it all stopped. This time, the pain was worst than before. I could hardly stand up. Seriously. It was horribly embarrassing. It took me a minute or two to get my knees stable enough to stand up. Grocery shopping was unbearable. I'd known for a while that knee replacements were in my very near future. However, I wasn't ready for that. I would have to endure several more series of gel shots and try other treatments before my insurance would pony up for new knees. I wasn't convinced that this was the route I wanted to take, but I knew that I had to do something ... and fast.
I have always been a fan of natural remedies. That said, I've also always totally sucked at taking daily vitamins and supplements. I would start out with good intentions, but I'd find that the smell or the size of the vitamins would put me off of them. I also really suck at swallowing pills, so this was another reason for my previous failures. Knowing that I had a choice of more shots and eventual surgery or choking down pills, I made the decision to see a local Naturopath in February. This was absolutely the best decision of my life. I spent well over three hours with my ND on this initial visit. Surprisingly, she didn't do a physical exam. Instead, we talked about my diet, my medical history, my exercise habits, my meds ... she covered everything! At the end of our chat, she prescribed a myriad of supplements and additional testing. I don't know if it's because I was hopeful or just unwilling to give up, but I went home ready to give this last shot my best effort.
Nearly three months later and guess what? I'm not ready to run a marathon or even a 5K, but I am no longer in constant pain. I can also take not one daily walk ... but two! Sure my knees ache after a really long stroll, but it's not the unbearable "keep you awake at night" pain of the past. And yes, my knees still sound like rocks crashing together when I stand up, but I can stand without fear or pain. Plus, the multitude of supplements I take throughout day - piece of cake! No smell, no taste, easy to swallow. I say a special thank you to this phenomenal healthcare professional every single day. I don't know if she realizes just what a change she's made in my life, but she has. I no longer feel like I'm 80 years old and ready for a wheelchair. In fact, I feel better now than I've felt in the past five years. It's amazing what being pain-free does for one's spirit. It gives you a whole new outlook on life.
I think it's important to remember that there is always hope. I've seen some pretty dark moments where I'd break down in uncontrollable tears because I couldn't do "normal" activities with my daughter. I've also been in a state of chronic pain that left little hope of relief. But somehow, I managed to see a glimmer of sunshine, a small flicker of light. So yeah, on mornings where I would much rather stay in bed, I have to transport myself back to the time not too long ago when I had no choice. That's when I hop out of bed, throw on my walking attire, grab the leashes, turn on my ipod, and hit the pavement. I'm sure I'll wake up while I'm walking!
Special thanks to my fab ND, Dr Crystal Abernathy - http://abernathynd.com/
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Dinner on the Run
I realize that I am very fortunate to be able to prepare family meals nearly every night of the week. I remember how difficult it was when I taught full-time, so I truly appreciate the opportunity to have a home-cooked, unprocessed family meal most every night. I guess that's why Tuesday nights are so difficult for us. I am finishing my Master's degree and have class on Tuesday. This means that I can't do my usual sit-down family dinner. While my schedule is disruptive to our dining routine, I've tried to keep some semblance of normality by making an early dinner for my daughter, mother, and me. My husband has to come home to prepare his own meal. Sorry, dear!
The joy of making dinner for just us girls is that we get to eat foods my husband doesn't like. For instance, we're having wild-caught silver coho salmon, baked potatoes, and a salad tonight. Having lived through one fish dinner with my husband holding his nose with each forkful of fish, I am none too sad that he won't be joining us. Sadly though, fish isn't the only thing my husband won't eat. He will never say that he is a picky eater, but he is. He doesn't like beef, pork, or fish. He also isn't fond of potatoes, fruit, and a myriad of other foods that the rest of us adore. Mind you, he likes foods that we're none too fond of, too. He's very content with vegetarian burgers and roasted chickpeas. Blech! Tuesdays allow him the pleasure of consuming his favorite foods in peace. While nights like these aren't ideal in creating a family dinner routine, I certainly appreciate that they allow us freedom to eat what we like.
The joy of making dinner for just us girls is that we get to eat foods my husband doesn't like. For instance, we're having wild-caught silver coho salmon, baked potatoes, and a salad tonight. Having lived through one fish dinner with my husband holding his nose with each forkful of fish, I am none too sad that he won't be joining us. Sadly though, fish isn't the only thing my husband won't eat. He will never say that he is a picky eater, but he is. He doesn't like beef, pork, or fish. He also isn't fond of potatoes, fruit, and a myriad of other foods that the rest of us adore. Mind you, he likes foods that we're none too fond of, too. He's very content with vegetarian burgers and roasted chickpeas. Blech! Tuesdays allow him the pleasure of consuming his favorite foods in peace. While nights like these aren't ideal in creating a family dinner routine, I certainly appreciate that they allow us freedom to eat what we like.
Let's Talk About Food - Part I
When was the last time you thought about where your food comes from? I'm not talking about what grocery you bought it from, but I mean how your food got from Point A to Point B. Have you ever considered this? If not, it's probably time that you did. Most of the food we consume has either been covered in pesticides or is filled with chemicals and food colorings. BLECH!
I remember when organic foods first hit the stores nearly a decade ago. They were usually double or triple the price of their non-organic equivalent. It was considered pretty extravagent back then to even consider being an organic household. Plus, the selection of foods was pretty limited, and the produce was usually wilted. I thought it was crazy for folks to buy these overpriced products. I'd look at the organic cabbage that was tiny, droopy, and about three times as expensive as the beautiful, shiny, huge head in the non-organic section. I mean seriously, who would buy the organic one?!
It's taken me nearly ten years to discover that organic food isn't just an upper class delicacy. Instead, I've learned that eating organic food is vital to healthy living. Not convinced? Let's look at it this way. Inventory the food you consume in a day. Okay, now let's look at the amount of pesticides you consumed. Let's say you ate a slice of toast with jam and an apple for breakfast. According to What's on my Food (2011), there are 16 pesticide residues in the the wheat used to make your toast. SIXTEEN potentially harmful pesticides in ONE food group!! Take a look - http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=WF The jam doesn't get off either. According to Organic Food Info (2011), "the average non-organic fruit contains more than 20 pesticides." Let's say you're eating strawberry jam on your toast. Strawberries are #3 on the Environmental Working Group (2010) Dirty Dozen list. So, before the day has actually begun, you've consumed close to 56 pesticides!
Okay, maybe you're still a naysayer and aren't buying into this whole organic thing. Let's talk about the potential harm those pesticides have on your body. Pesticides have been linked to cancer, obesity, Alzheimer's, birth defects, hormone system effects, nervous system toxicity, among other ailments (Organic Food Info, 2011 and Environmental Working Group, 2010). I'm a prime example of the effects of non-organic foods. According to a Fatty Acid test done in February, my body is filled with inflammation. Those of you who know me are aware that I have severe bone-on-bone arthritis in both knees. When my ND informed me of my test results, I automatically assumed she was referring to the inflammation in my knees. Not so. The tests show that I also have severe organ inflammation. I was on the road to chronic disease if I had chosen to maintain my lifestyle of non-organic foods and grain-fed beef. These diseases include cancer, Alzheimer's, and organ misfunction. Kind of scary for someone my age. Are my years of self-inflicted abuse reversible? I sure hope so. I'm trying to make changes with diet, exercise, and supplements. It's never too late to start over again.
Here are some excellent links on changing over to an organic lifestyle:
Organic Food Info - http://www.organicfoodinfo.net/
Environmental Working Group - http://www.foodnews.org/
What's On My Food - http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/index.jsp
Dr. Oz - http://www.oprah.com/oprahradio/Where-Does-Your-Food-Come-From
Want a handy dandy shopping guide of EWG's Dirty Dozen? I have printed and laminated a small supply of this outstanding list to attach to your shopping bag. Email me at mystbnards@yahoo.com or leave a comment asking for this list. I will happily send you one!
I remember when organic foods first hit the stores nearly a decade ago. They were usually double or triple the price of their non-organic equivalent. It was considered pretty extravagent back then to even consider being an organic household. Plus, the selection of foods was pretty limited, and the produce was usually wilted. I thought it was crazy for folks to buy these overpriced products. I'd look at the organic cabbage that was tiny, droopy, and about three times as expensive as the beautiful, shiny, huge head in the non-organic section. I mean seriously, who would buy the organic one?!
It's taken me nearly ten years to discover that organic food isn't just an upper class delicacy. Instead, I've learned that eating organic food is vital to healthy living. Not convinced? Let's look at it this way. Inventory the food you consume in a day. Okay, now let's look at the amount of pesticides you consumed. Let's say you ate a slice of toast with jam and an apple for breakfast. According to What's on my Food (2011), there are 16 pesticide residues in the the wheat used to make your toast. SIXTEEN potentially harmful pesticides in ONE food group!! Take a look - http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/food.jsp?food=WF The jam doesn't get off either. According to Organic Food Info (2011), "the average non-organic fruit contains more than 20 pesticides." Let's say you're eating strawberry jam on your toast. Strawberries are #3 on the Environmental Working Group (2010) Dirty Dozen list. So, before the day has actually begun, you've consumed close to 56 pesticides!
Okay, maybe you're still a naysayer and aren't buying into this whole organic thing. Let's talk about the potential harm those pesticides have on your body. Pesticides have been linked to cancer, obesity, Alzheimer's, birth defects, hormone system effects, nervous system toxicity, among other ailments (Organic Food Info, 2011 and Environmental Working Group, 2010). I'm a prime example of the effects of non-organic foods. According to a Fatty Acid test done in February, my body is filled with inflammation. Those of you who know me are aware that I have severe bone-on-bone arthritis in both knees. When my ND informed me of my test results, I automatically assumed she was referring to the inflammation in my knees. Not so. The tests show that I also have severe organ inflammation. I was on the road to chronic disease if I had chosen to maintain my lifestyle of non-organic foods and grain-fed beef. These diseases include cancer, Alzheimer's, and organ misfunction. Kind of scary for someone my age. Are my years of self-inflicted abuse reversible? I sure hope so. I'm trying to make changes with diet, exercise, and supplements. It's never too late to start over again.
Here are some excellent links on changing over to an organic lifestyle:
Organic Food Info - http://www.organicfoodinfo.net/
Environmental Working Group - http://www.foodnews.org/
What's On My Food - http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/index.jsp
Dr. Oz - http://www.oprah.com/oprahradio/Where-Does-Your-Food-Come-From
Want a handy dandy shopping guide of EWG's Dirty Dozen? I have printed and laminated a small supply of this outstanding list to attach to your shopping bag. Email me at mystbnards@yahoo.com or leave a comment asking for this list. I will happily send you one!
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Call of the Peeps
With every holiday comes the day after sale. And of course, Easter wouldn't be Easter without Peeps. And nothing beats these delectable marshmallow treats quite like finding them at half price.
As a younger gal, I remember stalking the morning after Easter candy sales in search of marshmallow chocolate eggs for my daddy. Those were his Easter weapon of mass destruction. The love of marshmallow delights is in my blood. It's only natural that I crave Peeps throughout the Easter season. Oh, those pastel-colored, sugar-coated chicks and bunnies. To quote Homer Simpson, "ulggggggh."
While I shamefully confess that I did indeed answer the call of the half-priced Peep, I want you to know that I didn't go crazy. Nope, I just needed one final taste of the Easter season, one small row of those delicate chicks. Alas, they have been consumed. Farewell, my pastel pals. Adieu, my sweet marshmallow creatures. We'll see you again next year.
As a younger gal, I remember stalking the morning after Easter candy sales in search of marshmallow chocolate eggs for my daddy. Those were his Easter weapon of mass destruction. The love of marshmallow delights is in my blood. It's only natural that I crave Peeps throughout the Easter season. Oh, those pastel-colored, sugar-coated chicks and bunnies. To quote Homer Simpson, "ulggggggh."
While I shamefully confess that I did indeed answer the call of the half-priced Peep, I want you to know that I didn't go crazy. Nope, I just needed one final taste of the Easter season, one small row of those delicate chicks. Alas, they have been consumed. Farewell, my pastel pals. Adieu, my sweet marshmallow creatures. We'll see you again next year.
A New Week, A New Day
So, yesterday wasn't exactly exemplary. However, I am not discouraged and am confident that we will get back on target today. This is a busy week for my family. First of all, I have a hefty project for school that is due tomorrow. I'm nearly finished with it, but I still feel the pressure to tweak and perfect it. I also begin a new week of homeschooling with my daughter. We took last week off for spring break, so I'm pretty sure that it will be slow-going the first couple of days.
We are adding a few new activities to our school routine. One is the morning walk which has pretty much become a way of life for us. It's kind of funny how I started this blog as a form of accountability. Well, the dogs are holding us to the walks. I don't care if there isn't time or if I'm too tired, I HAVE to take them on their morning and nightly walks. My Standard Poodle, Cedric, is the best fitness coach I've ever met. Seriously. I'm sure he was a trainer in a previous life. He won't leave me alone in the mornings until I've tied my sneakers and latched up Snow's harness. You should see him, too. I've never seen a dog get more excited than when he sees me reach for the leashes. He truly adores his time on the pavement. Snow does, too. We're definitely quite the sight - Standard Poodle on one side and Toy Poodle on the other.
In addition to the walks, I've built in time to head to the pool at least three times this week. I mentioned in a previous post how swimming is essentially "mental health" for me. Well, I think we all need to add some "mental health" time to our day. I'm really looking forward to it.
One thing I did to prepare for this upcoming week was set up my ipod with new music and books. I recently purchased a new laptop, and as a result, I lost a lot of the music on my ipod. So, in preparation for the numerous walks I intend to take this week, and the time I plan to spend in the pool, I have loaded my ipod with oodles of new songs. It's nice to have my old music back. In addition, I purchased a couple more books. I absolutely LOVE my audiobooks. I joined Audible nearly a year ago and have a fab collection of novels on my ipod. If you love to read but don't always have time - check out Audible at http://www.audible.com/ I listen to books when I clean, when I cook, when I do chores, when I drive ... I listen to them any chance I have. They're addictive though - so beware. I have gotten my mother hooked on them, too. She finds that she can't stop listening and often stays up all night to finish. Anyway, check them out if you're looking for a change of pace for your ipod.
So, you know how I've been attempting to get off my tush and work out a bit? Well, there was an interesting story this morning on NPR about those of us who have to sit all day at our jobs. Be sure to take a look - http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135575490/sitting-all-day-worse-for-you-than-you-might-think?sc=fb&cc=fp I don't know about you, but I'm definitely going to take a break every hour to march and disco dance (see the animated graphics in the story!) Seriously though, those of us with sedentary jobs need to take a break every hour. You run 30 minutes a day? Doesn't matter if you have a sedentary job. Read the story; you'll see.
Well folks, my morning walk is complete, and I'm ready to start the day. Instead of tacos for dinner, I will use the thawed chicken breasts to make what I should have made last night. No excuses tonight! I'm ready to have a successful and productive day. How about you? Ready. Set. Go.
We are adding a few new activities to our school routine. One is the morning walk which has pretty much become a way of life for us. It's kind of funny how I started this blog as a form of accountability. Well, the dogs are holding us to the walks. I don't care if there isn't time or if I'm too tired, I HAVE to take them on their morning and nightly walks. My Standard Poodle, Cedric, is the best fitness coach I've ever met. Seriously. I'm sure he was a trainer in a previous life. He won't leave me alone in the mornings until I've tied my sneakers and latched up Snow's harness. You should see him, too. I've never seen a dog get more excited than when he sees me reach for the leashes. He truly adores his time on the pavement. Snow does, too. We're definitely quite the sight - Standard Poodle on one side and Toy Poodle on the other.
In addition to the walks, I've built in time to head to the pool at least three times this week. I mentioned in a previous post how swimming is essentially "mental health" for me. Well, I think we all need to add some "mental health" time to our day. I'm really looking forward to it.
One thing I did to prepare for this upcoming week was set up my ipod with new music and books. I recently purchased a new laptop, and as a result, I lost a lot of the music on my ipod. So, in preparation for the numerous walks I intend to take this week, and the time I plan to spend in the pool, I have loaded my ipod with oodles of new songs. It's nice to have my old music back. In addition, I purchased a couple more books. I absolutely LOVE my audiobooks. I joined Audible nearly a year ago and have a fab collection of novels on my ipod. If you love to read but don't always have time - check out Audible at http://www.audible.com/ I listen to books when I clean, when I cook, when I do chores, when I drive ... I listen to them any chance I have. They're addictive though - so beware. I have gotten my mother hooked on them, too. She finds that she can't stop listening and often stays up all night to finish. Anyway, check them out if you're looking for a change of pace for your ipod.
So, you know how I've been attempting to get off my tush and work out a bit? Well, there was an interesting story this morning on NPR about those of us who have to sit all day at our jobs. Be sure to take a look - http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135575490/sitting-all-day-worse-for-you-than-you-might-think?sc=fb&cc=fp I don't know about you, but I'm definitely going to take a break every hour to march and disco dance (see the animated graphics in the story!) Seriously though, those of us with sedentary jobs need to take a break every hour. You run 30 minutes a day? Doesn't matter if you have a sedentary job. Read the story; you'll see.
Well folks, my morning walk is complete, and I'm ready to start the day. Instead of tacos for dinner, I will use the thawed chicken breasts to make what I should have made last night. No excuses tonight! I'm ready to have a successful and productive day. How about you? Ready. Set. Go.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Holidays! Need I Say More?!
It's interesting how holidays have a way of wrecking havoc on one's plans. While I wish I could lay full blame on the fact that today is a holiday, I must stand up to the plate and confess that the real problem was that I had no interest in cooking. There! I said it!
The morning started out late. I mean ... really late. I didn't serve brunch until nearly 11 am. I hadn't even fed the dogs, so if you're a neighbor and heard my Saint Bernard putting up a fuss this morning, I truly apologize. That said, I have to admit that I outdid myself on the brunch front this morning. I made pancakes, biscuits, eggs, and bacon. Now, I'm going to tell you a secret, but you have to promise not to tell my family. Today was our final big Sunday brunch for a really long time. I used the last of the bacon and biscuit mix, and I have no intentions of replacing either. I love that my daughter enjoys our big family breakfasts, but they're not special anymore. Do you know what I mean? At first, it was a real treat for everyone. Now, it's an expectation that there will be a huge Sunday spread. I'll whip one up once in a while, but from now on, Sunday breakfast will be slimmer and trimmer.
Although we got a late start on the day, my daughter and I surprisingly fulfilled our agreement with the pups and took them for a walk. I don't know where you live, but it's hotter than blazes here in North Carolina. Whew!! We were all shocked at how hot it was on the walk. Snow, our Toy Poodle, looked as if she might pass out. Thankfully, she doesn't weigh much, so my daughter carried her part of the way. Let's just say that we all learned a lesson about waiting to take our walks in the morning. A very sweaty lesson!
Okay, so let me tell you about dinner. I was prepared to make a spiff meal of roasted chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, and carrots. I mean, I actually remembered to take the chicken out of the freezer first thing this morning. I had it all planned. But then things happened. First, I kept smelling something fishy in the kitchen. Hmmm ... I hadn't made fish since Friday. What could it be? I poured baking soda down the garbage disposal, emptied the trash, and even lit one of my favorite lemon Yankee Candle tarts. Ugh! I could still smell something not so pleasant. While cleaning the kitchen, I detected that the smell was coming from the potatoes. Blech! I immediately tossed them in the garbage and then realized that I had no potatoes for dinner tonight. Okay, that was the first hitch in my plans. The other real issue was that I really didn't want to cook tonight. I'd made a big breakfast and was pretty much sick of the kitchen. We've all been there, done that. So, we ordered from a nearby Chinese restaurant instead of risking kitchen burn-out. The difference though was that we ordered separate dishes that would be served family style. My husband opted for the Hunan chicken while my daughter asked for chicken lo mein. My mother ordered rice noodles with chicken, and I got the chicken with mixed vegetables. Dinner was sort of like going to a very limited Chinese buffet. Although two of the meals came with egg rolls, I asked that none be sent home. I hate to throw away food, and even more importantly, I hate to be tempted by it! We completed our little buffet with a small bowl of strawberries with whipped cream. A perfect way to celebrate this Easter holiday.
In all, tonight's dinner was a hit. It wasn't exactly as I'd planned, and I'm pretty sure that we all consumed a bit more than we should have. But hey, it's a holiday. Tomorrow is a new day.
Let me rewind before I get myself into even more trouble.
The morning started out late. I mean ... really late. I didn't serve brunch until nearly 11 am. I hadn't even fed the dogs, so if you're a neighbor and heard my Saint Bernard putting up a fuss this morning, I truly apologize. That said, I have to admit that I outdid myself on the brunch front this morning. I made pancakes, biscuits, eggs, and bacon. Now, I'm going to tell you a secret, but you have to promise not to tell my family. Today was our final big Sunday brunch for a really long time. I used the last of the bacon and biscuit mix, and I have no intentions of replacing either. I love that my daughter enjoys our big family breakfasts, but they're not special anymore. Do you know what I mean? At first, it was a real treat for everyone. Now, it's an expectation that there will be a huge Sunday spread. I'll whip one up once in a while, but from now on, Sunday breakfast will be slimmer and trimmer.
Although we got a late start on the day, my daughter and I surprisingly fulfilled our agreement with the pups and took them for a walk. I don't know where you live, but it's hotter than blazes here in North Carolina. Whew!! We were all shocked at how hot it was on the walk. Snow, our Toy Poodle, looked as if she might pass out. Thankfully, she doesn't weigh much, so my daughter carried her part of the way. Let's just say that we all learned a lesson about waiting to take our walks in the morning. A very sweaty lesson!
Okay, so let me tell you about dinner. I was prepared to make a spiff meal of roasted chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, and carrots. I mean, I actually remembered to take the chicken out of the freezer first thing this morning. I had it all planned. But then things happened. First, I kept smelling something fishy in the kitchen. Hmmm ... I hadn't made fish since Friday. What could it be? I poured baking soda down the garbage disposal, emptied the trash, and even lit one of my favorite lemon Yankee Candle tarts. Ugh! I could still smell something not so pleasant. While cleaning the kitchen, I detected that the smell was coming from the potatoes. Blech! I immediately tossed them in the garbage and then realized that I had no potatoes for dinner tonight. Okay, that was the first hitch in my plans. The other real issue was that I really didn't want to cook tonight. I'd made a big breakfast and was pretty much sick of the kitchen. We've all been there, done that. So, we ordered from a nearby Chinese restaurant instead of risking kitchen burn-out. The difference though was that we ordered separate dishes that would be served family style. My husband opted for the Hunan chicken while my daughter asked for chicken lo mein. My mother ordered rice noodles with chicken, and I got the chicken with mixed vegetables. Dinner was sort of like going to a very limited Chinese buffet. Although two of the meals came with egg rolls, I asked that none be sent home. I hate to throw away food, and even more importantly, I hate to be tempted by it! We completed our little buffet with a small bowl of strawberries with whipped cream. A perfect way to celebrate this Easter holiday.
In all, tonight's dinner was a hit. It wasn't exactly as I'd planned, and I'm pretty sure that we all consumed a bit more than we should have. But hey, it's a holiday. Tomorrow is a new day.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
It's the Little Things
We've all had a really good second week start on our "fat2fit" program. My husband and daughter went to see Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 today. They split a nachos rather than purchase individual treats. It wasn't exactly on the food chart, but hey, they substituted it for both of their snacks today. Brownie points for planning ahead!
I'm working on a big project for school, so sadly, this has been a mostly sedentary day for me. I intend to remedy that in a few minutes. My daughter and the pups are excited to go for our nightly walk. It's funny how quickly the dogs have grown accustomed to our new routine. It's almost as if they know when we go. I'm pretty sure they use the dishwasher as a cue!
Dinner was a hit. I made gluten-free spaghetti and served it with some of the organic squash we received from Absolute Organics on Thursday. I also made a delicious salad from the organic green leaf lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, and scallions they brought. We are so fortunate to have such an outstanding organic resource. Even better - it delivers! I feel the same about our local farm co-op. It's comforting to know that the foods I'm serving my family are free of chemicals and pesticides. I've planned a future blog entry on the importance of reading labels and buying organic. I used to scoff at the idea, but not any more. But that's for another day.
Today, my family filled up on yummy pasta. This may not be a new idea for some of you, but it's one I thought I might share for those of you who add ground beef to your spaghetti sauce. Actually, I also do this when I make tacos. I brown my ground beef with garlic and chopped onions. After it's cooked, I rinse it off in the colander and then in small increments, I put it in my Blendtec and hit pulse several times. You can use your regular blender, food processor, or food chopper. This make your ground beef REALLY fine. Don't pulverize it! You want tiny pieces though. Not only does this help create a lovely texture for your sauce, but it also stretches the amount of meat you need. You will surprised just how far a pound of ground beef can go when it's finely chopped.
I wanted to make this an extra special dinner, so I set the table with candles, put out champagne glasses to be filled with La Croix, and set up my ipod to play Puccini. My family enjoyed the the little details like candles and fancy glasses. However, I'm not so sure they enjoyed my opera music blaring in the background. Actually, I think what they didn't like was when I sang along. Oh well, it's the little things that will always make this meal so memorable.
I'm working on a big project for school, so sadly, this has been a mostly sedentary day for me. I intend to remedy that in a few minutes. My daughter and the pups are excited to go for our nightly walk. It's funny how quickly the dogs have grown accustomed to our new routine. It's almost as if they know when we go. I'm pretty sure they use the dishwasher as a cue!
Dinner was a hit. I made gluten-free spaghetti and served it with some of the organic squash we received from Absolute Organics on Thursday. I also made a delicious salad from the organic green leaf lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, and scallions they brought. We are so fortunate to have such an outstanding organic resource. Even better - it delivers! I feel the same about our local farm co-op. It's comforting to know that the foods I'm serving my family are free of chemicals and pesticides. I've planned a future blog entry on the importance of reading labels and buying organic. I used to scoff at the idea, but not any more. But that's for another day.
Today, my family filled up on yummy pasta. This may not be a new idea for some of you, but it's one I thought I might share for those of you who add ground beef to your spaghetti sauce. Actually, I also do this when I make tacos. I brown my ground beef with garlic and chopped onions. After it's cooked, I rinse it off in the colander and then in small increments, I put it in my Blendtec and hit pulse several times. You can use your regular blender, food processor, or food chopper. This make your ground beef REALLY fine. Don't pulverize it! You want tiny pieces though. Not only does this help create a lovely texture for your sauce, but it also stretches the amount of meat you need. You will surprised just how far a pound of ground beef can go when it's finely chopped.
I wanted to make this an extra special dinner, so I set the table with candles, put out champagne glasses to be filled with La Croix, and set up my ipod to play Puccini. My family enjoyed the the little details like candles and fancy glasses. However, I'm not so sure they enjoyed my opera music blaring in the background. Actually, I think what they didn't like was when I sang along. Oh well, it's the little things that will always make this meal so memorable.
Our Fat2Fit Menu - Week 2
4/23 –Sa | 4/24-Su | 4/25-M | ||
B | Greek Yogurt & *Granola | Greek Yogurt & Granola or Oatmeal or Pancakes & Bacon | Greek Yogurt & Granola | |
L | Beef Kabobs, Salad | NO LUNCH | Grilled chicken salad | |
S | Apples w/Caramel sauce | Trail Mix | Mango or Watermelon | |
D | Spaghetti with meatballs, Squash, Rolls, Salad, Strawberries with whipped cream | Grilled chicken, Mashed potatoes, Carrots, Apple Crisp | Tacos, Salad, Salsa, Guacamole, Chips, Tropical fruit salad | |
S | LF Popcorn or LF Chips | LF Popcorn or Dark chocolate pomegranates | Fruit Sauce (apple or any combination of fruits) | |
4/26-Tu | 4/27-W | 4/28-Th | 4/29-F | |
B | Greek Yogurt & Granola or Pancakes | Greek Yogurt& Granola | Greek Yogurt & Granola | Greek Yogurt & Granola or Pancakes |
L | NO LUNCH | Beef fried rice | Grilled shrimp salad | NO LUNCH |
S | LF Cupcake or Fruit Sauce | Orange slices | Trail Mix | Tropical Fruit Salad or Mango |
D | Grilled salmon, Baked potato, Strawberries with whipped cream | Eater’s Choice! Please give me 24 hr notice of your dinner selection. | Chicken fried rice, Vegetable rice noodles | DIY Pizza or Beef kabobs, Brown rice, Broccoli |
S | LF Popcorn or Dark chocolate pomegranates | LF Cupcake or Popcorn | LF Cape Cod Potato Chips or TJ Lentil Chips | Popcorn or Dark chocolate pomegranates |
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