This statistic is no joke people and I've learned that the hard way...
This past week was Christmas which meant 11 days off of work, family in town, gatherings around big meals and lots and LOTS of baked goods. I entered the week being 45 days into my TurboFire Challenge - about half way through so I felt like I had done SO well that to let go a little bit would be okay.
Nope. Not the case one bit.
Even though I stayed within my calorie limit most days, what I ate was not quality. Not one bit. White bread, yeast rolls. Chocolate chip cookies. Yellow cake with milk chocolate frosting. Cookie dough batter. Ice cream. Wine. Chocolates.....
And yes... the chocolates....my family gets chocolates from a local company, and around Christmas they come in a 2lb box. We've gotten so good at learning the designs on top of the chocolates that 90% of the box we can figure out and pick through. On the last night of my binge, I went as far to take the chocolates we didn't know and eat half to discover what was inside. Seriously? Disgusting.
I am so, so upset with myself. I have had a major set back... my pants are tight again. I feel bloated... and gross. But this has been a good reminder that I am only human - and it was a real learning process to how quality food impacts our bodies and how we feel. I'm sleeping poorly, I feel pale and over all just swollen. I'm disappointed in myself.
Except now it's time to move on from my pity party and make better choices. I've prepped a few good meals to have in the house, along with healthy snacks. I've made a list and will be headed to the store tomorrow. All junk has been eliminated and it's time to move on. I can not fall into the habit of "tomorrow I'll restart". No. Today is the day to restart. It's time to take charge and do something about it!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Holiday Woes
I don't do well with the holidays. Period.
I don't know when it started, why it started or how it started, but Christmas is a time of year where I end up being really..... sad. Take today for instance. I go into the Giant to purchase food for dinner tonight. Neale is coming over and we are going to check out the lights on 34th Street. While I'm in the Giant, Christmas music is playing in the background and its slow - just instrumental - but slow. As I walk down the bread isle, I come upon an older gentleman. Hunched over, without a wedding band, trying to decide what kind of bread to buy. He just looks so... alone.
Then my brain starts working over time - how do people celebrate the holidays alone? Will I look like that some day? Will Neale? It then moves to my grandmother, how she is now in a home, for the holidays. She won't come to our house for dinner like the last 30 years, instead she'll sit in a home with other people that have Alzheimer's I smile as I think that maybe she doesn't even know it's a Holiday. But, it's Nanny. She will always know it's a holiday in her heart.
In a small way it bothers me when I mention this to people and they look at me with that face of "You're just being silly..." and say "Whyyyyyy?!?!" I want to look at them and say - because it's my feelings. It's how the holiday makes me feel, and you can't do anything about it, so don't judge me like I only feel this way for attention. Most times I don't even say anything.
So here we are upon another holiday... trying to smile and make it through. If anything, at least I have 11 days of break to look forward to. Right?
I don't know when it started, why it started or how it started, but Christmas is a time of year where I end up being really..... sad. Take today for instance. I go into the Giant to purchase food for dinner tonight. Neale is coming over and we are going to check out the lights on 34th Street. While I'm in the Giant, Christmas music is playing in the background and its slow - just instrumental - but slow. As I walk down the bread isle, I come upon an older gentleman. Hunched over, without a wedding band, trying to decide what kind of bread to buy. He just looks so... alone.
Then my brain starts working over time - how do people celebrate the holidays alone? Will I look like that some day? Will Neale? It then moves to my grandmother, how she is now in a home, for the holidays. She won't come to our house for dinner like the last 30 years, instead she'll sit in a home with other people that have Alzheimer's I smile as I think that maybe she doesn't even know it's a Holiday. But, it's Nanny. She will always know it's a holiday in her heart.
In a small way it bothers me when I mention this to people and they look at me with that face of "You're just being silly..." and say "Whyyyyyy?!?!" I want to look at them and say - because it's my feelings. It's how the holiday makes me feel, and you can't do anything about it, so don't judge me like I only feel this way for attention. Most times I don't even say anything.
So here we are upon another holiday... trying to smile and make it through. If anything, at least I have 11 days of break to look forward to. Right?
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Marathon training - and your relationship
Yesterday while completing my last long run in this phase of marathon training I came to a realization. I mean, I run on a trail in the middle of nowhere so I have a lot to think about while I'm out there chugging away.
This time around, Neale is training for his first marathon and I am training for my 7th. Lucky #7 so I call it. Simply because this is my last ever, full marathon. People will tell me - oh, you say that all the time! - but really, this is it. My body just can't take much more of it anymore, not to mention the time commitment. I'm really tired of giving up one day of my weekend to run long distances, nap and be groggy for the rest of the day. I'm also secretly hoping I can plan a wedding and a family in the somewhat near future - and by that I mean within the next 10 years before my child rearing days are over :)
But, Neale and I don't run together. I'm fully confident if we did, we'd kill each other. Well, more like I'd kill him. He runs at a different pace, he's very motivating, however, running has always been a very solitary event for me. So really, I don't want his advice. He doesn't want mine. We won't listen to each other and what it really comes down to, we have different goals. He wants to race his 26.2 miles without seeing anything or even stopping to take a cup of water, while I don't mind doing a run/walk, saving my legs and simply.... finishing.
So yesterday I came to the conclusion that really, just like traveling marathon training will make or break your relationship with your significant other. You will learn lots of things about each other - such as one person may complain ALL the time, the other person may experience pain you've never experienced so you really don't know how to help them, one of you may be more stubborn then rocks and you need to invest in getting your friends to talk to them about things like - nutrition or needing new shoes because we all know - if it comes from you - they won't listen - but it if comes from someone else - it's got to be true!
At the end of these 4 months, Neale and I have certainly learned that we do many things very well together all the time! However one thing we don't do well together is... exercise. Which is funny considering we met at the gym - but really, we have come to agree that we both have different goals in driving our exercise.
And at the end of the day, this is OK. We still maintain that common understand that health and fitness is essential to our lives and we will still support each other in our goals.
It's a good thing this is my last marathon, because I honestly think Neale will never run again when this is over!
This time around, Neale is training for his first marathon and I am training for my 7th. Lucky #7 so I call it. Simply because this is my last ever, full marathon. People will tell me - oh, you say that all the time! - but really, this is it. My body just can't take much more of it anymore, not to mention the time commitment. I'm really tired of giving up one day of my weekend to run long distances, nap and be groggy for the rest of the day. I'm also secretly hoping I can plan a wedding and a family in the somewhat near future - and by that I mean within the next 10 years before my child rearing days are over :)
But, Neale and I don't run together. I'm fully confident if we did, we'd kill each other. Well, more like I'd kill him. He runs at a different pace, he's very motivating, however, running has always been a very solitary event for me. So really, I don't want his advice. He doesn't want mine. We won't listen to each other and what it really comes down to, we have different goals. He wants to race his 26.2 miles without seeing anything or even stopping to take a cup of water, while I don't mind doing a run/walk, saving my legs and simply.... finishing.
So yesterday I came to the conclusion that really, just like traveling marathon training will make or break your relationship with your significant other. You will learn lots of things about each other - such as one person may complain ALL the time, the other person may experience pain you've never experienced so you really don't know how to help them, one of you may be more stubborn then rocks and you need to invest in getting your friends to talk to them about things like - nutrition or needing new shoes because we all know - if it comes from you - they won't listen - but it if comes from someone else - it's got to be true!
At the end of these 4 months, Neale and I have certainly learned that we do many things very well together all the time! However one thing we don't do well together is... exercise. Which is funny considering we met at the gym - but really, we have come to agree that we both have different goals in driving our exercise.
And at the end of the day, this is OK. We still maintain that common understand that health and fitness is essential to our lives and we will still support each other in our goals.
It's a good thing this is my last marathon, because I honestly think Neale will never run again when this is over!
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Holiday Eating
I get a lot of articles from various websites all geared towards what's hot, new topics etc. Lately, the biggest topic I seem to be reading about is "How to Survive the Holidays".
Hmm... How to Survive The Holidays.
In a perfect world these articles to go into detail on how to handle your mom that doesn't eat, your sister that's moody, how to handle visiting more then 3 houses on Christmas - you know, the more practical things you encounter as an adult. But no, they all provide tips and pointers on how to safely eat your way through the next 4 weeks.
How to safely EAT YOUR WAY THROUGH THE NEXT 4 WEEKS.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but those of us that change our habits (ie: working out, eating habits, sleeping habits) are looking to change our habits for life. Not just momentarily. Right? Meaning, in reality if you've "changed your habits" you shouldn't be making December 25th all about stuffing your face.
However, out of all the tips I've received this far here are a few of my favorites:
Hmm... How to Survive The Holidays.
In a perfect world these articles to go into detail on how to handle your mom that doesn't eat, your sister that's moody, how to handle visiting more then 3 houses on Christmas - you know, the more practical things you encounter as an adult. But no, they all provide tips and pointers on how to safely eat your way through the next 4 weeks.
How to safely EAT YOUR WAY THROUGH THE NEXT 4 WEEKS.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but those of us that change our habits (ie: working out, eating habits, sleeping habits) are looking to change our habits for life. Not just momentarily. Right? Meaning, in reality if you've "changed your habits" you shouldn't be making December 25th all about stuffing your face.
However, out of all the tips I've received this far here are a few of my favorites:
- Write it Down
- Keep exercising
- Get junk out of the house
- Offer to prepare the healthy dish
- Maintain portion control
- Don't beat yourself up
We all know I'm a fan of tracking. Mostly because what your brain doesn't remember, your body will. And let me tell you, your body will remind you in the worst ways - bloating, tight pants, buttons that hardly fit. Sometimes all of our eyes are a little bigger then our stomachs. But my all time favorite tip is "Don't beat yourself up." We all love those special treats, so go ahead and have a nibble. Don't beat yourself up. Eating is fun when done in moderation! Don't let one day impact the next 20 after. Don't let one day cause you to forget the last 40 days of hard work and eating right.
I'll leave you with this - more often then not the food we eat with our families during the holidays is food we can actually make at any given time during the year. Whatever that special dish is that you don't have any other time of the year (My mothers chocolate chip cookies) then go ahead and have a few.
That's what makes it special. That's what makes it worth the treat.
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