I'm just here to report that my weekend is NOT going well for my diet. I'm eating entirely too much and not exercising enough.
At least I'm owning up to it. =\
I'll report more when my houseguest leaves!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Thoughts to Ponder
Maybe I shouldn't cook so much and experiment with recipes. Tonight I made Angel Hair Pasta Chicken from a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com and it was really good. Herein lies the problem, it tasted really good so I wanted to eat a lot of it. The portion size was pretty generous and I was fairly full, but just the fact that it tasted good... I guess I kept wanting to taste it (meaning I wanted to shovel more of it into my mouth). I seriously had an internal battle with myself about whether or not I was going to eat another serving. I did not have any extra calories to account for it and I didn't exercise today, so it was totally out of the question - but I found myself reasoning that if I ate another serving I could work it off tomorrow. That's just crazy talk because I wasn't even hungry! What on God's green earth was making me want to eat that second serving so badly? I'm not sure, but I tried to appease my stomach by eating a giant iced sugar cookie... which was probably the same amount of calories and a lot less healthy than a second serving of dinner.
DAMN!
DAMN!
Eww!
Two of my toenails are totally going to fall off *I think* because of the half marathon. Either my running shoes are a tad too small (which I don't think so because I've never had this problem before) or I should have trimmed my toenails before the race. Weird, because I hate long toenails so it's not like they were these huge claws, but i guess being longer than my normal stubs was enough to bang against the front of my shoe for 3 hours during the race. I would totally take a picture of the bruised big toenail, but I wouldn't want to gross anyone out. LoL!
Did I ever tell you?
That my husband is the epitome of the 'anti-dieter'? Seriously, if he even suspects something is healthy, he will instantly despise it. He doesn't like fruits and vegetables and would die happy if he could eat out every single meal of every single day. Anything I cook that is 'diet', he eats with what almost looks like a grimace. He eats what I put on the table most days, but he lets me know that he doesn't particularly like it. If he could eat burgers, pizza and burritos everyday - I'm sure he would. He also abhors exercise. I've asked him a million times to go to the gym with me, take a walk with me, etc and will always get an exasperated, 'Do I have to?' When asked if he wants to go on a walk, I usually get the blanket answer, 'I've done enough walking in my life.' He's 28. Why such disdain for a healthy lifestyle??
This makes my lfe difficult, especially when it comes to trying to lose weight. I meticulously plan out my meals and grocery lists to incorporate healthy stuff - whole wheat carbs, veggies, fruits, lean meats and water mostly - and I make up a tenative schedule for what workouts I'm doing on which days. All this tedious planning can be easily derailed by my husband not wanting to eat what I planned for dinner ('I don't want fish!'), not wanting to go to the gym with me (or even wanting me to go alone) or by him bringing junk food into the house. He doesn't even have to offer me the junk food, just the fact that I know it's in the house is going to make me want to eat it. I have very low will power against temptation, which is why my best bet is to stay as far away from the crappy stuff as I can. Do you see how this can be a problem? I can't be near bad stuff or I give in quickly to temptation, but my hubby brings it into the home and often encourages me to indulge. =\
*sigh* I can't blame my shortfalls on anyone though. I am in charge of what I put in my mouth. He's really a good guy and doesn't mean any malice, but he just doesn't realize how much his habits effect me. You can't make someone be healthy if they don't want to though. I just want him to eat well and exercise for his own health because diabetes runs in his family. I mean, we just started our life together and I'd like it to last as long as possible! *sigh again* I just wish we were on more of the same page about this.
I have to confess that I ate a really big iced sugar cookie tonight. Totally not in my meal plan, but it stopped me from overeating my dinner. Eh *shrug* you win some, you lose some.
This makes my lfe difficult, especially when it comes to trying to lose weight. I meticulously plan out my meals and grocery lists to incorporate healthy stuff - whole wheat carbs, veggies, fruits, lean meats and water mostly - and I make up a tenative schedule for what workouts I'm doing on which days. All this tedious planning can be easily derailed by my husband not wanting to eat what I planned for dinner ('I don't want fish!'), not wanting to go to the gym with me (or even wanting me to go alone) or by him bringing junk food into the house. He doesn't even have to offer me the junk food, just the fact that I know it's in the house is going to make me want to eat it. I have very low will power against temptation, which is why my best bet is to stay as far away from the crappy stuff as I can. Do you see how this can be a problem? I can't be near bad stuff or I give in quickly to temptation, but my hubby brings it into the home and often encourages me to indulge. =\
*sigh* I can't blame my shortfalls on anyone though. I am in charge of what I put in my mouth. He's really a good guy and doesn't mean any malice, but he just doesn't realize how much his habits effect me. You can't make someone be healthy if they don't want to though. I just want him to eat well and exercise for his own health because diabetes runs in his family. I mean, we just started our life together and I'd like it to last as long as possible! *sigh again* I just wish we were on more of the same page about this.
I have to confess that I ate a really big iced sugar cookie tonight. Totally not in my meal plan, but it stopped me from overeating my dinner. Eh *shrug* you win some, you lose some.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Any Given Sunday
The weigh-in went well on Friday. The first time I stepped on it, it said 208.5 lbs. I was like, 'Woohoo!', but that was short lived. The next 3 times I stepped on the scale, it said 210 lbs. That's fine by me though because it puts me right back where I was before I left for the holidays. Back to pre-holiday weight, but still a little over 10 lbs above my mini milestone of being under 200 lbs. I think tenatively I'm aiming to reach that goal by St. Patty's Day. I just picked that day arbitrarily, but I think it's doable.
I'm still going strong, baby. I went to the gym the last 5 days - 3 cardio days, 2 lift days and 1 pilates class! Yay! Why is it that even though I've been attending the gym fairly regularly for the last few years, I'm sore as if I've never stepped foot inside a gym before. How is that possible? Every muscle screams and aches as if this is the first time I have ever put them through this routine. Strange. I haven't felt this sore in ages, but it's a good kinda pain. =)
Today is my rest day, so I didn't go to the gym, but I spent the whole day cleaning my house since I'm going to be having houseguests this week. That's hard work dammit! I'm done with that now, so I thought I'd pop in and update. Now, I must go input my food for today into the calorie counter...
Adios!
I'm still going strong, baby. I went to the gym the last 5 days - 3 cardio days, 2 lift days and 1 pilates class! Yay! Why is it that even though I've been attending the gym fairly regularly for the last few years, I'm sore as if I've never stepped foot inside a gym before. How is that possible? Every muscle screams and aches as if this is the first time I have ever put them through this routine. Strange. I haven't felt this sore in ages, but it's a good kinda pain. =)
Today is my rest day, so I didn't go to the gym, but I spent the whole day cleaning my house since I'm going to be having houseguests this week. That's hard work dammit! I'm done with that now, so I thought I'd pop in and update. Now, I must go input my food for today into the calorie counter...
Adios!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Cold Feet
Tomorrow is weigh-in day and I'm nervous. I don't know if I'm making the right decision. *bites nails*
It's not that I'm worried about the weigh-in per se because my eating has been good and I've been to the gym everyday. I know I haven't packed on any pounds and I know I'm doing the right thing. So why am I so worried about what I'll see on the scale tomorrow morning? It's because that little number can send me into a frenzy quicker than you can say 'freak out'. For some reason when I weigh myself and see a number that I don't like, it turns my world upside down. I just cannot handle it. I get depressed and want to eat everything under the sun. I know it's just a number and it doesn't really mean anything on any given day (water retention, etc), but the scale - she has such power over me. That's why I've decided to stop the insanity and weigh once a month, but I'm dreading the January weigh-in tomorrow. I hope I"m doing the right thing by even weighing once a month. Maybe I should weigh once a quarter. LOL! If that number sends me into a downward spiral, someone help snap me out of it!
I know, calm down, take deep breaths. I can do this...
I will report the outcome this weekend!
It's not that I'm worried about the weigh-in per se because my eating has been good and I've been to the gym everyday. I know I haven't packed on any pounds and I know I'm doing the right thing. So why am I so worried about what I'll see on the scale tomorrow morning? It's because that little number can send me into a frenzy quicker than you can say 'freak out'. For some reason when I weigh myself and see a number that I don't like, it turns my world upside down. I just cannot handle it. I get depressed and want to eat everything under the sun. I know it's just a number and it doesn't really mean anything on any given day (water retention, etc), but the scale - she has such power over me. That's why I've decided to stop the insanity and weigh once a month, but I'm dreading the January weigh-in tomorrow. I hope I"m doing the right thing by even weighing once a month. Maybe I should weigh once a quarter. LOL! If that number sends me into a downward spiral, someone help snap me out of it!
I know, calm down, take deep breaths. I can do this...
I will report the outcome this weekend!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Quick Rant
Can I just comment on how much I HATE the beginning of the year rush of people at the gym? The cardio machines have been INSANELY busy and I could NOT get a bench at the free weights section the entire time I was there this morning. ARGH! And the locker room is the WORST! Having to wait in line for a shower, fighting for space on the bench, not having mirror space to apply makeup and fix hair, etc. Is it horrible of me to hope that these people hurry up and give up on their new years resolutions so I can get back to my normal routine? =\
I bet the REGULAR regulars are complaining about my return to the gym as well during this busy time. =X I'm just happy I finally got my shit together. Can't we all just get along?
I bet the REGULAR regulars are complaining about my return to the gym as well during this busy time. =X I'm just happy I finally got my shit together. Can't we all just get along?
Today is a New Day
I'm feeling good today. I've been sticking to my meal plan pretty well and I've gotten to the gym several days this week. I feel like I'm finally back on track after all the chaos of the holidays and the race. I'm just one of those people who just cannot get their shit together unless EVERYTHING is together. For example, when I got back from Mexico, my mother-in-law was in town and I just couldn't clean and get my house in order because I felt like I needed to 'host' for her. I just couldn't go about my normal business because having her in the house just threw everything off. After she left, I got my house together and finally started getting everything ready to get back on track, but then a friend of mine came into town to run the race also. I hadn't seen him in YEARS, so we hung out a lot and I had to neglect all my other responsibilities. Also because of the race, I couldn't exercise like I normally do (don't want to risk injury and tire your body out pre-race) or eat like I normally do (no calorie restriction, etc because I needed to carb load for energy before the race).
I made creating a meal plan and grocery shopping a priority that weekend though, which has been a life saver. That is probably the only reason I have been able to get my shit together this week. I planned healthy meals and did all my shopping before my friend got into town Saturday. Then, after the race I started washing all my gym clothes so I would have something to wear to the gym this week. That planning and preparation really paid off and is the reason I'm feeling good today. I put myself first and made my health a priority, which resulted in a lot of endorphins being released at the gym. I've made it to the gym that past 2 mornings before work for 1 cardio session and 1 full body lift session. It just FEELS good to be back on track and back in the saddle. Back to my normal way of life. *GASP* Eating healthy and exercising is my 'normal way of life'? Shocking.
It's amazing how life can change in just a few short years.
My plan right now is to not put too much pressure on myself. I'm just going to try to get to the gym as many days a week as I can (ultiimate goal is 6, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't make it) and try to make the best food choices I can. I find that if I don't put rigid constraints on myself (i.e. I HAVE to go to the gym 6 days a week!), that it's easier to voluntarily do these things. If I put a rigid constraint on myself, I usually end up rebelling and totally going off the deep end. If I give myself the option that if I don't really want to go or can't go for some reason, it's ok - then I don't feel so much pressure, it seems more like fun and voluntary rather than forced. Same with the food, I try to make the best choices and eat the healthy stuff, but I'm not going to go ballistic if I go over my calories one day or eat something that wasn't in the plan for that day. Less pressure, more happiness and fun. It's basically just a mind game I play with myself and it seems to be working so far.
I'm going to be weighing myself on Friday to get a gauge of where I'm at and then I probably won't weigh myself again until some time in February. Again, a small mind game I'm playing with myself. When I weigh too often, I get obsessive about the number on the scale. That little number can send me into a downward spiral in a split second if I see something I don't like and the next thing you know, I'm stuffing my face with peanut M&M's. Even if it was just a fluke thing, like water weight or the million other things that can cause you to retain weight. Thus, I've decided to stop the insanity and weigh once a month. I'm going to gauge my progress on how I feel and how my clothes fit. I want to make it less about weight loss and more about health. Weight loss is temporary but health is for life, isn't it? That's what they say this is supposed to be, right? A lifestyle change? Well I can't make a permanent lifestyle change for a goal that's only temporary, can I? Yes, another mind game. LOL!
So yes, (1) try to get to the gym as many days a week as I can and change it up to keep it interesting, (2) try to make the best food choices I can at all times and (3) do it for health because that's what really matters.
I'm good at playing games with myself, eh?
I made creating a meal plan and grocery shopping a priority that weekend though, which has been a life saver. That is probably the only reason I have been able to get my shit together this week. I planned healthy meals and did all my shopping before my friend got into town Saturday. Then, after the race I started washing all my gym clothes so I would have something to wear to the gym this week. That planning and preparation really paid off and is the reason I'm feeling good today. I put myself first and made my health a priority, which resulted in a lot of endorphins being released at the gym. I've made it to the gym that past 2 mornings before work for 1 cardio session and 1 full body lift session. It just FEELS good to be back on track and back in the saddle. Back to my normal way of life. *GASP* Eating healthy and exercising is my 'normal way of life'? Shocking.
It's amazing how life can change in just a few short years.
My plan right now is to not put too much pressure on myself. I'm just going to try to get to the gym as many days a week as I can (ultiimate goal is 6, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't make it) and try to make the best food choices I can. I find that if I don't put rigid constraints on myself (i.e. I HAVE to go to the gym 6 days a week!), that it's easier to voluntarily do these things. If I put a rigid constraint on myself, I usually end up rebelling and totally going off the deep end. If I give myself the option that if I don't really want to go or can't go for some reason, it's ok - then I don't feel so much pressure, it seems more like fun and voluntary rather than forced. Same with the food, I try to make the best choices and eat the healthy stuff, but I'm not going to go ballistic if I go over my calories one day or eat something that wasn't in the plan for that day. Less pressure, more happiness and fun. It's basically just a mind game I play with myself and it seems to be working so far.
I'm going to be weighing myself on Friday to get a gauge of where I'm at and then I probably won't weigh myself again until some time in February. Again, a small mind game I'm playing with myself. When I weigh too often, I get obsessive about the number on the scale. That little number can send me into a downward spiral in a split second if I see something I don't like and the next thing you know, I'm stuffing my face with peanut M&M's. Even if it was just a fluke thing, like water weight or the million other things that can cause you to retain weight. Thus, I've decided to stop the insanity and weigh once a month. I'm going to gauge my progress on how I feel and how my clothes fit. I want to make it less about weight loss and more about health. Weight loss is temporary but health is for life, isn't it? That's what they say this is supposed to be, right? A lifestyle change? Well I can't make a permanent lifestyle change for a goal that's only temporary, can I? Yes, another mind game. LOL!
So yes, (1) try to get to the gym as many days a week as I can and change it up to keep it interesting, (2) try to make the best food choices I can at all times and (3) do it for health because that's what really matters.
I'm good at playing games with myself, eh?
Monday, January 7, 2008
Feel the Funk
Ok, the new year is supposed to me a motivating time for people to start over and start reaching for their goals, right? Why is it then that I still feel like I'm on Christmas vacation? I could NOT bring myself to get to the gym this morning. I slacked off, ON THE FIRST DAY back in the saddle. That is just sad!
Granted, my knee is tweaked from my 6 mile run yesterday, but there are other things I could have done at the gym. Tomorrow I'm doing one of my short runs in preparation for the half marathon this Sunday. I've been training for this thing for months, but it all went to waste when I didn't run over the Christmas holidays. Ok, I ran once, but that didn't seem to keep my endurance and running ability up to par at all. Before I left for Mexico I ran 10 miles fairly easily, after coming back from Mexico I struggled to get through 6 miles. This means I ate too much and didn't train enough, I'm sure getting uber sick didn't help either.
Whatever, I'm going to do my 2 short runs this week and then just try my damnest at the race on Sunday. I have a good friend coming in town from WAY back in the day and I'm excited to see him. I haven't seen him for years and he's coincidentally coming to town to run the same half marathon I am. I'm looking forward to running the race with him and catching up on things. As long as I finish the race, I've accomplished my goal.
All that being said, I really do need to get serious about this weight loss regimen. I'm so tired of always being on a diet and never losing any damn weight. This is my year to succeed. I think I finally have all the knowledge I need and all the tools within my reach to accomplish this goal. I just have to psyche myself up and get into the right mindset. I think it's hard for me right now because I just got back from a lengthy vacation where I was way out of my relm and still haven't really gotten everything back in order. When my house is a mess, my life is a mess. I feel hectic and disorganized about everything when my house is a mess. I haven't had a chance to clean it and get everything in order because my Mother-in-Law has been in town. I don't mind having her here, but I just cannot get things accomplished when people are staying with me. It's like I feel like I have to be 'on' all the time, like I can't just bum around and take care of my own business. I have to be conscious of this person and their needs, so I can be a gracious host. I feel rude going about my own activities. I don't know, that might sound like complete shite, but that's how my brain works. I think once my Mother-in-Law leaves and I get my house back in order, I'll be ready to hit this thing full force.
I think giving it one more week will give the New Years Resolution newbies at the gym time to get tired of their new exercise regimen and stop hogging all the cardio machines. LoL, just think, I used to be one of those annoying newbie January members that hog up all the cardio machines - now I'm a regular. =)
Granted, my knee is tweaked from my 6 mile run yesterday, but there are other things I could have done at the gym. Tomorrow I'm doing one of my short runs in preparation for the half marathon this Sunday. I've been training for this thing for months, but it all went to waste when I didn't run over the Christmas holidays. Ok, I ran once, but that didn't seem to keep my endurance and running ability up to par at all. Before I left for Mexico I ran 10 miles fairly easily, after coming back from Mexico I struggled to get through 6 miles. This means I ate too much and didn't train enough, I'm sure getting uber sick didn't help either.
Whatever, I'm going to do my 2 short runs this week and then just try my damnest at the race on Sunday. I have a good friend coming in town from WAY back in the day and I'm excited to see him. I haven't seen him for years and he's coincidentally coming to town to run the same half marathon I am. I'm looking forward to running the race with him and catching up on things. As long as I finish the race, I've accomplished my goal.
All that being said, I really do need to get serious about this weight loss regimen. I'm so tired of always being on a diet and never losing any damn weight. This is my year to succeed. I think I finally have all the knowledge I need and all the tools within my reach to accomplish this goal. I just have to psyche myself up and get into the right mindset. I think it's hard for me right now because I just got back from a lengthy vacation where I was way out of my relm and still haven't really gotten everything back in order. When my house is a mess, my life is a mess. I feel hectic and disorganized about everything when my house is a mess. I haven't had a chance to clean it and get everything in order because my Mother-in-Law has been in town. I don't mind having her here, but I just cannot get things accomplished when people are staying with me. It's like I feel like I have to be 'on' all the time, like I can't just bum around and take care of my own business. I have to be conscious of this person and their needs, so I can be a gracious host. I feel rude going about my own activities. I don't know, that might sound like complete shite, but that's how my brain works. I think once my Mother-in-Law leaves and I get my house back in order, I'll be ready to hit this thing full force.
I think giving it one more week will give the New Years Resolution newbies at the gym time to get tired of their new exercise regimen and stop hogging all the cardio machines. LoL, just think, I used to be one of those annoying newbie January members that hog up all the cardio machines - now I'm a regular. =)
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Shocking Epiphany
For the Christmas holidays I went down to San Luis Potosi, Mexico to meet my hubby's extended family. I've been border towns and tourist hot spots in Mexico, but this was the first time I'd really been to a down-home type Mexican city. It was a culture shock to say the least, but I enjoyed every last minute of it.
As background, I've forever been trying to lose weight so I eat pretty healthy foods on a daily basis - lean meats, fruits, vegetables and whole wheat carbs mostly and drink only water. I've been eating this way most of the time for at least 2 years now. I knew the food was going to be different down there and I wasn't going to have access to my normal daily staples of my diet, but boy was I in for a shock.
I love trying new foods and will always try anything at least once, so I dove head first into eating the local cuisine I was served on a daily basis. It was different and way out of the relm of what I was accustomed to, but I loved it. It was delicious and interesting. I ate authentic flautas, pizole, various kinds of tamales, menudo, barbacoa, carnitas, gorditas, enchiladas and tortas, just to name a few. There was Mexican candy galore for the holiday season and I had my fair share of that, as well. Most everyone drank regular Coca-Cola for every meal (I seriously did not see a DIET soda drink ONCE the entire time I was there), but I stuck to my water because I just cannot warrant drinking useless calories when I could be saving them for more food. =)
I noticed as they were cooking that they fry everything in oil or used straight up lard (seriously, lard from a pig). They don't eat many fruits and vegetables on a regular basis besides the salsas and small additions to the main meal of meat and tortillas (sometimes with beans or rice). They almost always drink soda and barely ever drink water. The use the fattiest cuts of meat because they have more flavor. They never do any organized form of exercise. They ate candy and other 'junk' food guiltlessly. They only had full fat milk and cheeses, none of the low-fat/fat free stuff you can get in the US. They drank regular (not lite) beer on a regular basis.
That must be as far to the polar opposite as you can get from my normal way of eating, but all of the Mexican people were what I would call normal weight. I was the fattest person in the room most of the time! How is it that I'm eating healthy foods and exercising several days a week, but I'm fatter than all these other people who eat horrendously and never exercise on purpose? Granted, the women had little to NO muscle tone and were quite flabby, but that doesn't dismiss the fact that they were thin and I'm not! This was really an enigma to me for quite some time while I was down there.
After giving it some thought, I've devised my own reasons why I think they are at normal weights (how true my thoughts are? I have no idea). First off, everything they eat is fresh. There was NOTHING in our host family's freezer except ice trays. They went to the store daily to buy the food they wanted to cook for that day or, as one of my hubby's aunt graciously showed us, they went out to their backyard and gathered/slaughtered what they wanted to eat for the day. There are no preservatives or weird additives in their food. Also, their portion sizes are pretty small. We live in the world of supersize and king size, but they were blissfully unaware of the ways we Americans have created to stuff ourselves with as much unnecessary food as possible. The portions of food on their plates were small and it was very rare for anyone to go back for seconds. Their meat is still grassfed/naturally raised and not pumped full of antibiotics and fed things they aren't supposed to be eating in feedlots. They rarely ever watch TV, I think my hubby's cousin's family had 1 working TV in a house full of 5 people. The only one who ever seemed to watch the TV was the son, who amused himself with cartoons when no one was around to play with him. Other than that, everyone relished in socializing, cooking and doing things around the city. They did a lot of things around the house - cleaned often, did laundry often, fixed up anything that needed fixing, decorated and setup for social events. No one ever did what most Americans do when they are not at work - plop down in front of the TV and veg out for hours. I LOVED that because I really don't like TV. I can't say that I would want to always be moving around and doing something because sometimes I just like to sit down with a good book, but I think I could do without TV on most days. In addition to these things, they almost NEVER went out to eat. They would rather make a fresh, homecooked meal than go out to any restaurant.
All these things seem to add up to the reason why these people were not fat, overweight or obese in the least sense of the words. I, as an American, eat out way to much and, in doing so, probably eat a horrendous amount of additives and weird chemicals used to keep the food fresh. My portions are way out of control compared to my extended Mexican family. I eat frozen dinners for lunch at work, drink protein shakes for snacks and subsist on low fat cheeses and skim milk. Probably most of what I eat comes in a box, can or freezer bag.
Now that I've admitted that - it's just downright sad.
So, taking from the example of my new family members, one of my goals in the new year is to try to eat more natural, whole foods that preferably come from a farmers market, local farm or at least from a health food store. My meals will be made from scratch and will not come out of a box/can/bag, if I can help it. Also, I'm going to focus more on trying to move around and be more active on a daily basis. Walk to someone's desk instead of calling/emailing; park further away from the grocery store/work; work on projects around the house instead of watching TV/reading; cook at home more instead of going out to eat and trying to incorporate more fun exercise into my life (to make it seem less like exercise).
What an eye-opener going to Mexico was for me. I loved it and learned a lot from the experience. It's amazing how much I still don't know and how much I still have to learn. I've got some books on nutrition/food that I want to read to help broaden my horizons even more and educate me on what I'm putting into my mouth and how they food affects my body.
Learn something new every day...
As background, I've forever been trying to lose weight so I eat pretty healthy foods on a daily basis - lean meats, fruits, vegetables and whole wheat carbs mostly and drink only water. I've been eating this way most of the time for at least 2 years now. I knew the food was going to be different down there and I wasn't going to have access to my normal daily staples of my diet, but boy was I in for a shock.
I love trying new foods and will always try anything at least once, so I dove head first into eating the local cuisine I was served on a daily basis. It was different and way out of the relm of what I was accustomed to, but I loved it. It was delicious and interesting. I ate authentic flautas, pizole, various kinds of tamales, menudo, barbacoa, carnitas, gorditas, enchiladas and tortas, just to name a few. There was Mexican candy galore for the holiday season and I had my fair share of that, as well. Most everyone drank regular Coca-Cola for every meal (I seriously did not see a DIET soda drink ONCE the entire time I was there), but I stuck to my water because I just cannot warrant drinking useless calories when I could be saving them for more food. =)
I noticed as they were cooking that they fry everything in oil or used straight up lard (seriously, lard from a pig). They don't eat many fruits and vegetables on a regular basis besides the salsas and small additions to the main meal of meat and tortillas (sometimes with beans or rice). They almost always drink soda and barely ever drink water. The use the fattiest cuts of meat because they have more flavor. They never do any organized form of exercise. They ate candy and other 'junk' food guiltlessly. They only had full fat milk and cheeses, none of the low-fat/fat free stuff you can get in the US. They drank regular (not lite) beer on a regular basis.
That must be as far to the polar opposite as you can get from my normal way of eating, but all of the Mexican people were what I would call normal weight. I was the fattest person in the room most of the time! How is it that I'm eating healthy foods and exercising several days a week, but I'm fatter than all these other people who eat horrendously and never exercise on purpose? Granted, the women had little to NO muscle tone and were quite flabby, but that doesn't dismiss the fact that they were thin and I'm not! This was really an enigma to me for quite some time while I was down there.
After giving it some thought, I've devised my own reasons why I think they are at normal weights (how true my thoughts are? I have no idea). First off, everything they eat is fresh. There was NOTHING in our host family's freezer except ice trays. They went to the store daily to buy the food they wanted to cook for that day or, as one of my hubby's aunt graciously showed us, they went out to their backyard and gathered/slaughtered what they wanted to eat for the day. There are no preservatives or weird additives in their food. Also, their portion sizes are pretty small. We live in the world of supersize and king size, but they were blissfully unaware of the ways we Americans have created to stuff ourselves with as much unnecessary food as possible. The portions of food on their plates were small and it was very rare for anyone to go back for seconds. Their meat is still grassfed/naturally raised and not pumped full of antibiotics and fed things they aren't supposed to be eating in feedlots. They rarely ever watch TV, I think my hubby's cousin's family had 1 working TV in a house full of 5 people. The only one who ever seemed to watch the TV was the son, who amused himself with cartoons when no one was around to play with him. Other than that, everyone relished in socializing, cooking and doing things around the city. They did a lot of things around the house - cleaned often, did laundry often, fixed up anything that needed fixing, decorated and setup for social events. No one ever did what most Americans do when they are not at work - plop down in front of the TV and veg out for hours. I LOVED that because I really don't like TV. I can't say that I would want to always be moving around and doing something because sometimes I just like to sit down with a good book, but I think I could do without TV on most days. In addition to these things, they almost NEVER went out to eat. They would rather make a fresh, homecooked meal than go out to any restaurant.
All these things seem to add up to the reason why these people were not fat, overweight or obese in the least sense of the words. I, as an American, eat out way to much and, in doing so, probably eat a horrendous amount of additives and weird chemicals used to keep the food fresh. My portions are way out of control compared to my extended Mexican family. I eat frozen dinners for lunch at work, drink protein shakes for snacks and subsist on low fat cheeses and skim milk. Probably most of what I eat comes in a box, can or freezer bag.
Now that I've admitted that - it's just downright sad.
So, taking from the example of my new family members, one of my goals in the new year is to try to eat more natural, whole foods that preferably come from a farmers market, local farm or at least from a health food store. My meals will be made from scratch and will not come out of a box/can/bag, if I can help it. Also, I'm going to focus more on trying to move around and be more active on a daily basis. Walk to someone's desk instead of calling/emailing; park further away from the grocery store/work; work on projects around the house instead of watching TV/reading; cook at home more instead of going out to eat and trying to incorporate more fun exercise into my life (to make it seem less like exercise).
What an eye-opener going to Mexico was for me. I loved it and learned a lot from the experience. It's amazing how much I still don't know and how much I still have to learn. I've got some books on nutrition/food that I want to read to help broaden my horizons even more and educate me on what I'm putting into my mouth and how they food affects my body.
Learn something new every day...
Welcome to 2008
It's amazing how fast 2007 went by. So many great things happened and I have tons of great new memories, but I can't help but look at the things I DIDN'T accomplish - namely, my weightloss goal. I lost a total of zero, yes ZERO, pounds in 2007. I had this lofty goal of getting to my goal weight before the wedding and you would think that would be a good motivator, but no. Maybe it was the stress that inhibited me from losing the weight, who knows.
I don't want to focus on the negative though because 2007 was a kick ass year. I accomplished quite a few of my life goals and made some great new friends. Even though I didn't reach my weightloss goal for the umpteenth year in a row, it didn't make this year any less awesome.
Now, technically I don't believe in New Years Resolutions, but I think it's good to have goals for each year to keep you focused and not aimlessly wandering through life unawares. I haven't given this tons of thought though, so this is just going to be a spontaneous brain dump.
1. Buy a bike - It's one of the few activities my hubby will actually partake in.
2. Run a half marathon - That one will be accomplished next weekend, unless an act of God intervenes.
3. Nail down a good weekly exercise routine and stick with it throughout the year (including vacations and holidays!). This routine should include circuit training, cardio and pilates/yoga.
4. Become more educated on what I'm eating and alter my intake to be the healthiest stuff I can possibly provide my body as fuel. (Eat more organic, whole foods and local grocery items)
5. Try new athletic activities to keep exercise new and fun. (At least 3 new activities - #1 being one of them)
I think that about sums up what I'd like to accomplish this year. I'd like to get my hubby more into exercising, but you can't change someone who doesn't want to change. I think I'll work on setting a good example for him and maybe he'll get interested. *crossing fingers* Also, I'd like to try to cook more at home and try a lot of new recipes, but I think that's a given because I love cooking and trying new recipes.
2008 feels like a good year for me. I have high hopes for it and hope I can finally get this weight loss thing under control. I'm thoroughly happy with my athletic progress as far as being able to run a half marathon, etc, but I'm really looking to lose some poundage in 2008. I have good plans and strategies for that, so hopefully all goes well.
I'm sad to say goodbye to 2007 because it was such a great year, but I'm definiely looking forward to good times in 2008. Best wishes to all in the new year!
I don't want to focus on the negative though because 2007 was a kick ass year. I accomplished quite a few of my life goals and made some great new friends. Even though I didn't reach my weightloss goal for the umpteenth year in a row, it didn't make this year any less awesome.
Now, technically I don't believe in New Years Resolutions, but I think it's good to have goals for each year to keep you focused and not aimlessly wandering through life unawares. I haven't given this tons of thought though, so this is just going to be a spontaneous brain dump.
1. Buy a bike - It's one of the few activities my hubby will actually partake in.
2. Run a half marathon - That one will be accomplished next weekend, unless an act of God intervenes.
3. Nail down a good weekly exercise routine and stick with it throughout the year (including vacations and holidays!). This routine should include circuit training, cardio and pilates/yoga.
4. Become more educated on what I'm eating and alter my intake to be the healthiest stuff I can possibly provide my body as fuel. (Eat more organic, whole foods and local grocery items)
5. Try new athletic activities to keep exercise new and fun. (At least 3 new activities - #1 being one of them)
I think that about sums up what I'd like to accomplish this year. I'd like to get my hubby more into exercising, but you can't change someone who doesn't want to change. I think I'll work on setting a good example for him and maybe he'll get interested. *crossing fingers* Also, I'd like to try to cook more at home and try a lot of new recipes, but I think that's a given because I love cooking and trying new recipes.
2008 feels like a good year for me. I have high hopes for it and hope I can finally get this weight loss thing under control. I'm thoroughly happy with my athletic progress as far as being able to run a half marathon, etc, but I'm really looking to lose some poundage in 2008. I have good plans and strategies for that, so hopefully all goes well.
I'm sad to say goodbye to 2007 because it was such a great year, but I'm definiely looking forward to good times in 2008. Best wishes to all in the new year!
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