Hi everyone!
Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It's been a busy couple of weeks (everybody uses that as their excuse, right?) and I haven't had much to say. But this weekend has been wonderful and I want to brag about it.
I love the weekends, for obvious reasons, but the past two days were especially great. Chris and I haven't really done anything that exciting. We took Moe to go get a bath, ran errands, worked outside in the yard, and made homemade fondue. He had today off, which is rare on Sundays, so we took advantage of our extra time together to do grown-up things like shop around town for an area rug and pull weed barrier fabric out of our garden plot. I love that it's the seemingly boring, everyday things that make being married so fun. I also got to spend time with friends last night and we ate a yummy steak lunch with family this afternoon, so those were just bonuses to an already great couple of days.
I know this post isn't much. I just want to express how thankful and happy I am that this weekend was full of laughter and productivity. I think we're kind of getting the hang of this whole adulthood thing. We've got to be if we think wandering around town looking at area rug prices is fun, right?
Speaking of adulthood, a quick update about weight loss stuff: I got some blood work done last Friday and I go in for a follow-up appointment next Friday (I think?). So far I've lost about 5 pounds this month, which isn't too shabby considering some days I really screw up my calorie count and I haven't been exercising regularly. That's about to change, though, because Chris is teaming up with me and we are starting an exercise routine together tomorrow morning. It will just be walking and light weight training at first, but I'm so happy he's doing it with me! He wrote the plan himself and put the schedule on a big fridge calendar, so I guess that means he's pretty serious. Hopefully this will be another push I need in the right direction. I think doing it with someone else instead of doing it alone is going to be infinitely more enjoyable :)
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Duh
I had a mini epiphany this morning. No, it wasn't life changing, but it was enough to get me thinking.
For over two weeks now, I've been tracking my calories, writing down what I eat in a food journal, and weighing myself (almost) every day. In case my last post wasn't enough of an indication, it hasn't been fun. Feeling like a slave to a number and having minor anxiety any time I eat something feels a little demeaning, and not seeing the number go down on the scale is disheartening. But perhaps I've been going about it all wrong.
So far, I haven't really eaten “diet” food. Instead, I've mostly been eating what I normally would eat, but just trying to make the portions smaller and stay under the 2,000 calorie limit. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I took this approach partly because I wasn't ready to give up my favorite foods yet and I wanted to figure out a way to make calorie counting work without restricting myself too severely. But I also wanted to track my regular eating patterns to give the doctor an idea of what I normally eat, rather than look like a dieting angel on paper even if I don't normally eat that way.
Back to this morning: I was driving to work and I felt awful because of the combination of alcohol and corned beef in my system. I could almost hear my stomach contents sloshing around. I realized that the reason I felt so bad was 100% my own fault because of binging on greasy food the night before. Granted, it was a holiday, and who doesn't want corned beef and potatoes on St. Patrick's Day? But a friend had also brought asparagus and a spinach salad. Equally delicious and much healthier. Had I eaten more of that and less of the other stuff, I probably wouldn't have had all the nasty side effects the next day.
But then what do I do after having these thoughts? Get a greasy fast food breakfast to soak up all the leftover alcohol, of course! Ugh. It looks like that college trick no longer works on me. It tasted good, but I didn't feel any better.
Now, when I say I haven't changed my eating habits, I don't mean that I normally eat all junk all the time. I choose fruit and cottage cheese and veggies as sides instead of chips. I drink water almost exclusively, save for my morning coffee and my occasional late night alcoholic beverages. I cook with a lot of vegetables and lean proteins, and I try to pick healthy menu options when I go out. But I don't intentionally buy or cook items that have proven health benefits if there's an easier, faster, fattier option more readily available. So when I decided on the drive home to start making changes to make calorie counting less terrible, it was a huge DUH moment.
At work, I read an article about 24 healthy food swaps that are easy and cheap. For instance: I LOVE cheese and crackers. I can eat them any time of day or night. One of the first suggestions in the article? Swap out the crackers for apple slices. Um ... obviously. Why didn't I think of that? I'm notorious for buying a bag of apples and then letting half go to waste because I never know what to do with them. If I eat apple slices instead of crackers, I still get my cheese, plus an additional boost of fiber and vitamins, minus all the refined carbs.
There aren't any more excuses for me to not be eating healthier things. I'm already accustomed to buying brown rice, so I might as well make the swap to quinoa. I have packets of flax meal in my cabinet I could very easily add to my morning oatmeal. I like poppy seeds, so I'm sure adding chia seeds to meals won't be that big of an adjustment. I love pasta, but I might as well try spaghetti squash to see what all the fuss is about. Why do I cook with butter when I could cook with the coconut oil languishing behind the soup cans? I work across the street from a health food store. There's no reason I can't stock up on things there before heading home instead of trekking all the way out to Hy-Vee, right?
And on that note, I need to stop making excuses for not exercising or waking up earlier, either. One of the reasons I go without breakfast or get crap from the drive-thru is because I don't have much time in the mornings to make something. If I woke up just a half hour earlier, I could cook a healthy bowl of oatmeal or an egg and veggie scramble before I shower. I might even be able to fit in a morning walk. Revolutionary!
I need to quit thinking that I'm still in college. Part of being an adult is making responsible adult decisions. They're not always fun, but they count. Here's to turning over a new leaf.
For over two weeks now, I've been tracking my calories, writing down what I eat in a food journal, and weighing myself (almost) every day. In case my last post wasn't enough of an indication, it hasn't been fun. Feeling like a slave to a number and having minor anxiety any time I eat something feels a little demeaning, and not seeing the number go down on the scale is disheartening. But perhaps I've been going about it all wrong.
So far, I haven't really eaten “diet” food. Instead, I've mostly been eating what I normally would eat, but just trying to make the portions smaller and stay under the 2,000 calorie limit. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I took this approach partly because I wasn't ready to give up my favorite foods yet and I wanted to figure out a way to make calorie counting work without restricting myself too severely. But I also wanted to track my regular eating patterns to give the doctor an idea of what I normally eat, rather than look like a dieting angel on paper even if I don't normally eat that way.
Back to this morning: I was driving to work and I felt awful because of the combination of alcohol and corned beef in my system. I could almost hear my stomach contents sloshing around. I realized that the reason I felt so bad was 100% my own fault because of binging on greasy food the night before. Granted, it was a holiday, and who doesn't want corned beef and potatoes on St. Patrick's Day? But a friend had also brought asparagus and a spinach salad. Equally delicious and much healthier. Had I eaten more of that and less of the other stuff, I probably wouldn't have had all the nasty side effects the next day.
But then what do I do after having these thoughts? Get a greasy fast food breakfast to soak up all the leftover alcohol, of course! Ugh. It looks like that college trick no longer works on me. It tasted good, but I didn't feel any better.
Now, when I say I haven't changed my eating habits, I don't mean that I normally eat all junk all the time. I choose fruit and cottage cheese and veggies as sides instead of chips. I drink water almost exclusively, save for my morning coffee and my occasional late night alcoholic beverages. I cook with a lot of vegetables and lean proteins, and I try to pick healthy menu options when I go out. But I don't intentionally buy or cook items that have proven health benefits if there's an easier, faster, fattier option more readily available. So when I decided on the drive home to start making changes to make calorie counting less terrible, it was a huge DUH moment.
At work, I read an article about 24 healthy food swaps that are easy and cheap. For instance: I LOVE cheese and crackers. I can eat them any time of day or night. One of the first suggestions in the article? Swap out the crackers for apple slices. Um ... obviously. Why didn't I think of that? I'm notorious for buying a bag of apples and then letting half go to waste because I never know what to do with them. If I eat apple slices instead of crackers, I still get my cheese, plus an additional boost of fiber and vitamins, minus all the refined carbs.
There aren't any more excuses for me to not be eating healthier things. I'm already accustomed to buying brown rice, so I might as well make the swap to quinoa. I have packets of flax meal in my cabinet I could very easily add to my morning oatmeal. I like poppy seeds, so I'm sure adding chia seeds to meals won't be that big of an adjustment. I love pasta, but I might as well try spaghetti squash to see what all the fuss is about. Why do I cook with butter when I could cook with the coconut oil languishing behind the soup cans? I work across the street from a health food store. There's no reason I can't stock up on things there before heading home instead of trekking all the way out to Hy-Vee, right?
And on that note, I need to stop making excuses for not exercising or waking up earlier, either. One of the reasons I go without breakfast or get crap from the drive-thru is because I don't have much time in the mornings to make something. If I woke up just a half hour earlier, I could cook a healthy bowl of oatmeal or an egg and veggie scramble before I shower. I might even be able to fit in a morning walk. Revolutionary!
I need to quit thinking that I'm still in college. Part of being an adult is making responsible adult decisions. They're not always fun, but they count. Here's to turning over a new leaf.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Let me tell you something about counting calories
It's awful.
I don't like having to look up every food I eat and make an educated guess of which calorie amount is maybe, probably the right one. I don't like keeping track of every morsel and crumb that goes into my mouth. I don't like staring at My Fitness Pal at the end of the day and seeing that I went over my calorie limit. I don't like having to decide whether to lie about what I ate so I can fit in that extra Girl Scout Cookie at midnight, or just go ahead and eat it and face the calorie consequences in my food journal.
I think I understand now why yo-yo dieters and food and fitness experts seem crazy: because they are. No one willingly subjects themselves to this particular kind of torture and enjoys it. If you do, there's something seriously wrong with you.
Okay, I guess it isn't really torture. But still. For years, I've been heavily resistant to calorie counts or point systems like Weight Watchers because the whole process seemed maddening, and I'd seen too many friends and family members fail in their goals and beat themselves up about it. Now that I'm the one in the doctor's chair and I know that doing these things is all part of the plan, it's hard to do it with a smile on my face. At least not this weekend, when there are food temptations everywhere I turn and I can't bring myself to add everything up at the end of the day. This process wasn't hard at first, but the longer I go, the more it annoys me.
I guess I'll continue writing everything down and tapping away at my phone app (because I have to), but I'm still not convinced this is the best way to go about losing weight or living life. What do I know, though? I mean, have you seen me?
Alright, I'm done complaining. Sorry for subjecting you all to my frustration. This definitely warrants me to start reading The Happiness Project tomorrow, since it finally came in the mail! Maybe there's something in there that will help me change my attitude.
I don't like having to look up every food I eat and make an educated guess of which calorie amount is maybe, probably the right one. I don't like keeping track of every morsel and crumb that goes into my mouth. I don't like staring at My Fitness Pal at the end of the day and seeing that I went over my calorie limit. I don't like having to decide whether to lie about what I ate so I can fit in that extra Girl Scout Cookie at midnight, or just go ahead and eat it and face the calorie consequences in my food journal.
I think I understand now why yo-yo dieters and food and fitness experts seem crazy: because they are. No one willingly subjects themselves to this particular kind of torture and enjoys it. If you do, there's something seriously wrong with you.
Okay, I guess it isn't really torture. But still. For years, I've been heavily resistant to calorie counts or point systems like Weight Watchers because the whole process seemed maddening, and I'd seen too many friends and family members fail in their goals and beat themselves up about it. Now that I'm the one in the doctor's chair and I know that doing these things is all part of the plan, it's hard to do it with a smile on my face. At least not this weekend, when there are food temptations everywhere I turn and I can't bring myself to add everything up at the end of the day. This process wasn't hard at first, but the longer I go, the more it annoys me.
I guess I'll continue writing everything down and tapping away at my phone app (because I have to), but I'm still not convinced this is the best way to go about losing weight or living life. What do I know, though? I mean, have you seen me?
Alright, I'm done complaining. Sorry for subjecting you all to my frustration. This definitely warrants me to start reading The Happiness Project tomorrow, since it finally came in the mail! Maybe there's something in there that will help me change my attitude.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Doctor's orders
Like I said last time, I had a doctor's appointment on Thursday morning to get established with my new doctor and talk to her about making a weight loss plan for myself.
Thankfully, the appointment went really well and I love my doctor. She is kind, funny, attentive, and understanding. I told her how I've struggled with my weight for most of my life, and am at a place where I can't keep trying to do things on my own since that obviously hasn't worked well in the past. Despite my weight, I'm generally a very healthy person, but I can't keep kidding myself that normal blood pressure equals perfect health. Gotta make a change somewhere.
She told me that on average, if a person adds a zero onto the end of whatever they weigh, that's usually how many calories they eat in a day. For me, that would mean I was probably eating around 2,770 calories (on days when I wasn't tracking them). When I would use My Fitness Pal, I was restricting myself to not enough calories, so my body was basically going into "starvation mode" and holding onto my fat cells, hence why I wasn't seeing any weight loss.
For now, the thing she thinks I need most is accountability. She told me to set my calorie goal at 2,000 a day and to write down everything I eat and drink in a food journal. I also have to weigh myself every day to track pounds gained or lost, which isn't so fun, but I guess it's necessary. I've tried journaling in the past and never lasted very long because no one was checking up on me, but since it's doctor's orders this time, I'm being a lot more diligent. I'll go in for a weigh-in with her every month so she can check my progress, and once my diet is better, that's when she'll start talking to me about exercise. (She recommended starting with diet first so I don't get overwhelmed, but I'm still walking and doing light exercise in the meantime.) I'm also getting blood work done later in the month just to rule out any other underlying health problems.
I wasn't the only one who had a doctor's appointment last Thursday. Chris got a checkup with his doctor too, partially because he'd been having some stomach problems, but also because he wants to get healthier just as much as I do. It's so encouraging to know that he is supportive and wants to be right there with me in terms of losing weight and eating better. I really lucked out with this one.
So far, I've noticed that I eat more than I thought I did. In the four days I've tracked my patterns, I've gone a couple hundred calories above 2,000 every time. I don't mean to, but since I'm trying to be as honest as possible, it's kind of embarrassing. I keep forgetting that anything I drink that isn't water contains a bunch of calories too, so those two or three glasses of wine I had Friday night put me over the edge without realizing it. I suppose that's the point of the journal in the first place though -- it forces you to see everything you eat and drink so that you're more aware of mindless snacking and drinking habits.
I'm optimistic about this type of slow, steady progress, partly because it takes a little bit of pressure off me. If nothing else, I hope I weigh at least a few pounds less than I do now at April's appointment!
Thankfully, the appointment went really well and I love my doctor. She is kind, funny, attentive, and understanding. I told her how I've struggled with my weight for most of my life, and am at a place where I can't keep trying to do things on my own since that obviously hasn't worked well in the past. Despite my weight, I'm generally a very healthy person, but I can't keep kidding myself that normal blood pressure equals perfect health. Gotta make a change somewhere.
She told me that on average, if a person adds a zero onto the end of whatever they weigh, that's usually how many calories they eat in a day. For me, that would mean I was probably eating around 2,770 calories (on days when I wasn't tracking them). When I would use My Fitness Pal, I was restricting myself to not enough calories, so my body was basically going into "starvation mode" and holding onto my fat cells, hence why I wasn't seeing any weight loss.
For now, the thing she thinks I need most is accountability. She told me to set my calorie goal at 2,000 a day and to write down everything I eat and drink in a food journal. I also have to weigh myself every day to track pounds gained or lost, which isn't so fun, but I guess it's necessary. I've tried journaling in the past and never lasted very long because no one was checking up on me, but since it's doctor's orders this time, I'm being a lot more diligent. I'll go in for a weigh-in with her every month so she can check my progress, and once my diet is better, that's when she'll start talking to me about exercise. (She recommended starting with diet first so I don't get overwhelmed, but I'm still walking and doing light exercise in the meantime.) I'm also getting blood work done later in the month just to rule out any other underlying health problems.
I wasn't the only one who had a doctor's appointment last Thursday. Chris got a checkup with his doctor too, partially because he'd been having some stomach problems, but also because he wants to get healthier just as much as I do. It's so encouraging to know that he is supportive and wants to be right there with me in terms of losing weight and eating better. I really lucked out with this one.
So far, I've noticed that I eat more than I thought I did. In the four days I've tracked my patterns, I've gone a couple hundred calories above 2,000 every time. I don't mean to, but since I'm trying to be as honest as possible, it's kind of embarrassing. I keep forgetting that anything I drink that isn't water contains a bunch of calories too, so those two or three glasses of wine I had Friday night put me over the edge without realizing it. I suppose that's the point of the journal in the first place though -- it forces you to see everything you eat and drink so that you're more aware of mindless snacking and drinking habits.
I'm optimistic about this type of slow, steady progress, partly because it takes a little bit of pressure off me. If nothing else, I hope I weigh at least a few pounds less than I do now at April's appointment!
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Short and sweet
It might have been Monday yesterday, but this week has already been off to a great start:
-On Sunday I ate dinner and watched the first half of the Oscars with my whole family (minus the hubs). It was delicious and really fun; plus I had access to cable, so I didn't feel totally out of the loop reading all the Oscars updates the next day.
-I have a very slim work load this week, which is a welcome relief compared to the past couple months of seemingly non-stop deadlines.
-I've recently been texting a few different friends I don't normally get to talk to very often. Some I've made plans with, others I've just exchanged words of encouragement with. It's such a nice feeling. People who say texting isn't real communication have no idea how great it is to read an unexpected positive message from someone you care about!
-I spent yesterday evening with one of my best friends eating pizza, baking cookies, drinking cocktails, and watching movies. Who doesn't love that??
-I'm babysitting a little cutie pie named Sawyer tonight, and babies make everything better.
In my last post, I said I'm trying to be more intentional about focusing on things in life that make me happy. Let's just add all of the above to that list. I'm eagerly awaiting my copy of “The Happiness Project” in the mail and looking forward to having a frank conversation with my doctor at Thursday's appointment, so hopefully all these positive vibes will continue through the week! I hope you all have a great Monday too :)
-On Sunday I ate dinner and watched the first half of the Oscars with my whole family (minus the hubs). It was delicious and really fun; plus I had access to cable, so I didn't feel totally out of the loop reading all the Oscars updates the next day.
-I have a very slim work load this week, which is a welcome relief compared to the past couple months of seemingly non-stop deadlines.
-I've recently been texting a few different friends I don't normally get to talk to very often. Some I've made plans with, others I've just exchanged words of encouragement with. It's such a nice feeling. People who say texting isn't real communication have no idea how great it is to read an unexpected positive message from someone you care about!
-I spent yesterday evening with one of my best friends eating pizza, baking cookies, drinking cocktails, and watching movies. Who doesn't love that??
-I'm babysitting a little cutie pie named Sawyer tonight, and babies make everything better.
In my last post, I said I'm trying to be more intentional about focusing on things in life that make me happy. Let's just add all of the above to that list. I'm eagerly awaiting my copy of “The Happiness Project” in the mail and looking forward to having a frank conversation with my doctor at Thursday's appointment, so hopefully all these positive vibes will continue through the week! I hope you all have a great Monday too :)
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Things I like
My previous post was a drag. I know it, you know it, let's move on.
Today, I want to take a minute to dote on one of my oldest and dearest friends, Michael Raymond. We inexplicably became great friends in high school after participating in school musicals together. I'm so grateful for those moments, because otherwise, I'm not sure we would have even known each other existed. Over the years, our relationship has grown and matured into something I think every person my age hopes to achieve one day – we don't get to see or talk to each other often (he lives in New York), but when we do it's as if no time has passed.
He started his own blog around the same time I did and it's really wonderful. You should read it. (It also has the best, most fitting name ever: “That Guy.” Hilarious.) The main goal of his blog is to help him find out what happiness means to him and how to show it in his daily life. (There also are a lot of musical theatre references I don't understand, but that's okay; it's his job.) As part of this journey, he read the book “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubins, and since he follows my blog and knows about my own struggles, he is now sending me a copy in the mail. I'm so excited :)
One thing he's started doing is intentionally sharing at least one thing each day that relates to his happiness journey. Sometimes it's pausing for a moment to reflect and be thankful for the the things he has; other times it's posting a silly song or music video on his Facebook page. It tickles me every time.
Something else he did recently was post a list of things he likes on his blog. As simple as it sounds, it was revolutionary to me. Of course there are lots of things in my life that make me happy, but when was the last time I acknowledged them? When was the last time I had done any of them, even when I know they put me in a good mood? Instead of focusing on what I love, I fixate on what I dislike. Today, that's not going to happen.
In the spirit of opening myself up to new experiences and finding better ways to combat my frustrations, here is MY list of likes. I fully intend on doing more of these things more often so I can be a source of positivity to myself and to others. Hopefully this will inspire you to create your own, too!
THINGS I LIKE:
-Going on long, leisurely walks -- with my dog, with friends, with my husband, in neighborhoods, on nature trails, in parks. Really anywhere.
-Getting manicures and pedicures
-Watching Netflix (though I should do less of that)
-Watching and listening to stand-up comedy
-Going on fun, simple dates that still feel adventurous, like picnics in the park
-Completing a recipe I've never cooked before. Successfully, that is.
-Actually, cooking anything
-Making crafts, even though I don't do it nearly enough (I want to learn how to paint!)
-Having long, meaningful, meandering conversations with friends
-Coffee
-Pizza
-Being outside in nature. I was that kid who wanted to live in the forest with fairies and chipmunks because I watched movies like “Merlin” and “Robin Hood” and “Hook” at an impressionable age.
-Dogs (except pugs and bulldogs because I think they're ugly and they make disgusting noises)
I know there are a lot more, but this feels like a good start. I'm really looking forward to reading "The Happiness Project" and figuring out my own ways to intentionally create happiness in my own life every day!
Today, I want to take a minute to dote on one of my oldest and dearest friends, Michael Raymond. We inexplicably became great friends in high school after participating in school musicals together. I'm so grateful for those moments, because otherwise, I'm not sure we would have even known each other existed. Over the years, our relationship has grown and matured into something I think every person my age hopes to achieve one day – we don't get to see or talk to each other often (he lives in New York), but when we do it's as if no time has passed.
He started his own blog around the same time I did and it's really wonderful. You should read it. (It also has the best, most fitting name ever: “That Guy.” Hilarious.) The main goal of his blog is to help him find out what happiness means to him and how to show it in his daily life. (There also are a lot of musical theatre references I don't understand, but that's okay; it's his job.) As part of this journey, he read the book “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubins, and since he follows my blog and knows about my own struggles, he is now sending me a copy in the mail. I'm so excited :)
One thing he's started doing is intentionally sharing at least one thing each day that relates to his happiness journey. Sometimes it's pausing for a moment to reflect and be thankful for the the things he has; other times it's posting a silly song or music video on his Facebook page. It tickles me every time.
Something else he did recently was post a list of things he likes on his blog. As simple as it sounds, it was revolutionary to me. Of course there are lots of things in my life that make me happy, but when was the last time I acknowledged them? When was the last time I had done any of them, even when I know they put me in a good mood? Instead of focusing on what I love, I fixate on what I dislike. Today, that's not going to happen.
In the spirit of opening myself up to new experiences and finding better ways to combat my frustrations, here is MY list of likes. I fully intend on doing more of these things more often so I can be a source of positivity to myself and to others. Hopefully this will inspire you to create your own, too!
THINGS I LIKE:
-Going on long, leisurely walks -- with my dog, with friends, with my husband, in neighborhoods, on nature trails, in parks. Really anywhere.
-Getting manicures and pedicures
-Watching Netflix (though I should do less of that)
-Watching and listening to stand-up comedy
-Going on fun, simple dates that still feel adventurous, like picnics in the park
-Completing a recipe I've never cooked before. Successfully, that is.
-Actually, cooking anything
-Making crafts, even though I don't do it nearly enough (I want to learn how to paint!)
-Having long, meaningful, meandering conversations with friends
-Coffee
-Pizza
-Being outside in nature. I was that kid who wanted to live in the forest with fairies and chipmunks because I watched movies like “Merlin” and “Robin Hood” and “Hook” at an impressionable age.
-Dogs (except pugs and bulldogs because I think they're ugly and they make disgusting noises)
I know there are a lot more, but this feels like a good start. I'm really looking forward to reading "The Happiness Project" and figuring out my own ways to intentionally create happiness in my own life every day!
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