It's Saturday! The last day of my week, and the day when I'm planning my coming week. I've brought out my Planner and Lifestyle Journal, and decided to use it exactly the way I meant for it to be used. To monitor my lifestyle as well as my crazy schedule!
So, this morning I sat down and put down my goals:
Professional:
- I want to review my resume,
- I want to make a list of the people who said they would write me reference letters so I can contact them after the spring break
- I want to take out my summer clothes to see what outfits would be appropriate for teaching and for Weigh Watchers.
Nutrition:
- Plan my meals for the week and follow the plan
- Snack on Core foods only (keep my WPAs for meals)
- Cook ahead when I have a minute (Veggie soup!)
- Eat only when hungry
Activity:
- Do 1 hour of "something" every day
- Resistance training at least 3 times in the week
Personal:
- Take time to do nothing
- Prepare the house for renovation
- Go outside and smell the fresh air.
So there, that's my general goal. In the next version of my planner, I want to add a "meal and workout weekly planner" part. I'm not exactly sure how it will turn out, but I'm working on it. For now I still type it up in MS Word.
Weekly Food Plan from 3-23 to 3-29
Sunday:
B: SCO (Steal Cut Oats), Fruits, Apple sauce, milk - Coffee Smoothie
L: System D (that means we each do whatever we want at the moment, no planned meal)
D: Marinated Flank Steak (WW, My Turn Around prog. Cookbook p. 159) - Jamaican-Style Potato Salad (WW, Savoring Summer p. 70)
Monday:
B: SCO, Fruits, Apple sauce, milk - Coffee Smoothie
L: Steamed veggies - Sliced steak - Potato salad
D: Smothered chicken and barley (Core board)
Tuesday:
B: Eggs over 1/2 sandwich - Coffee Smoothie
L: Curried Couscous - Sauteed veggies sticks - Spicy chicken strips
D: Leftovers Chicken and barley
Wednesday:
B: SCO, Fruits, Apple sauce, milk - Coffee Smoothie
L: Curried Couscous - Steamed veggies - Spicy chicken strips
D: Codfish Cazuela with Summer Squash (WW, Pantry to Plate p. 140)
Thursday:
B: Scramble in a toasted tortilla - Coffee Smoothie
L: Bulgur - Salad with minced veggies - Hardboiled eggs (shaped with my molds!)
D: Pork Chops in Tomato Sauce (WW, My Turn Around prog. Cookbook p. 175) - Bulgur
Friday:
B: SCO, Fruits, Apple sauce, milk - Coffee Smoothie
L: Bulgur - Vegetable sticks with hummus - Sauteed Tofu cubes
D: Hunter's Chicken with Roasted Vegetables (WW, Pantry to Plate p. 79)
Saturday:
B: Aram's Cafe Brunch
L: Aram's Cafe Brunch
D: Vegetable and Chickpea Stew with Couscous (WW, Pantry to Plate p. 117)
You'll notice that a lot of recipes come from 2 of Weight Watchers current cookbooks. My receptionist and I both felt like we needed inspiration, so we challenged each others to find 2 recipe in each books to try this week. I'm starting late, but I'm starting!
I haven't put together a definite work out plan since I'm going with the "an hour of something" every day. I do plan to track my foods and my activity in my Planner and Lifestyle Journal, so that I know what I'm doing and how I'm doing as I go. That's what I designed it for isn't it?
So there you go, it's my week. I intend to follow the plan and make it work all week. Stay tuned as I also intend to keep this place going, as with everything else, when it falls aside, everything follows.
Be good n stuff!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Picking ourselves up (part 2)
If you want to read the first part of this, see my previous post: Picking ourselves up (part 1).
So, things got a little out of control, times have been stressful, and now I want to get my behind in gear, big time. Knowing myself and my "all or nothing" tendencies, I want to find a reasonable and maintainable plan that will let me not only GET on track, but also STAY on track. I'm breaking this down in 3 sections: Food n stuff, Activity n stuff, and Personal stuff.
Food n stuff:
I think that the start of all things when it comes to eating right is to plan. I need to make a plan that makes sense, that take my schedule into account. So the first thing will be to start planning my week ahead and stick to my plan.
The second thing that I need to do, is to shop smart. I do that automatically now, but there are some things that seem to sneak in my house that weren't part of our shopping habits a few months ago. Mainly I have to shop in season, because money is an issue these days, and to make sure that I always have safe snacks around.
I need to stop buying those snacks that I know will get me in troubles. Even if I feel strong and solid on shopping day, I have to remember that a few days down the line, I might not have the willpower to stop at one bite. Defensive shopping, that's what I call it!
As far as meal planning, I want to keep my focus on eating more vegetables. Grains and legumes are good, and I certainly plan on eating them regularly, but somehow my beloved vegetables have kind of slipped away. I need to give them first place again.
Finally, I have to take it one bite at a time. Ask myself the question: "Am I eating because I'm hungry? Or for X,Y,Z reason?" If I'm not hungry, then I get lost.
"If hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the solution."
Activity n stuff
Activity is my biggest challenge these days. It's funny in a way because it has always been my strength. I love to exercise, I just can't seem to find my "cruise speed". I have 2 speeds: Full blast, and nothing. I need to find a happy middle, something I can do and maintain without burning out, and without hurting myself.
I think I need to stop focusing on performance, and start focusing on consistency. I'll never compete in anything again. I'm not interested in doing so. I just want my body to be able to do what I tell it to do.
I think I'll go back to something I did a while ago that worked well before my OCD self decided to "step it up". I'll do 1 hour of "something" every day. It doesn't have to be high intensity, it can be either cardio or resistance training. As long as I'm moving for at least 60 minutes, it's good!
That way I can play this game with myself of "cheating". On the days that I really don't want to hit the gym, I go out of my way to find some way to move that isn't "exercise". Generally I end up moving much more than 1 hour. It's fun, it's motivating, and it's moving! Less pressure, more fun, how cool is that?
Personal stuff
I need to organize my time and put together a list of priorities. I've been sitting in stagnant water for too long. Ok, education isn't going well, what does it mean for me? Where am I going? What are my possibilities? Where do I want to go from here?
I need to figure those things out and then make a plan. Nobody is going to come and pick me out of my living room.
I also need to remind myself of the things I have accomplished so far, instead of the things I haven't done. I have come a long way and have beaten any odds that life has thrown at me so far. When needed I DID have the strength to push forward and that strength is still in me today. I can do whatever I set my heart on doing. I just have to keep at it!
Finally, I need to take "me time". I need to do what needs to be done, and then stop. I need time where I'm not figuring out anything. Where I'm not cleaning, writing, preparing meetings, planning food, cooking, making lunches... Nobody can be "on" 24 hrs/day. I need time to just chill out, play, go outsides, something.
Ok, so that's my plan. It's a big order, but in a way it's a simple one. Get back to basics, get back to what works, don't try to overdo things, over think things. Just think ahead a little, take it one step at a time, and pick yourself up real quick if something comes up.
I have been doing this for over 5 years now, I know how, I know I can do it. So... If you see somebody skipping along on the Expressway in Rohnert Park followed by a skinny crazy dog, I just probably didn't feel like hitting the gym that day! AH!
Be good n stuff!
So, things got a little out of control, times have been stressful, and now I want to get my behind in gear, big time. Knowing myself and my "all or nothing" tendencies, I want to find a reasonable and maintainable plan that will let me not only GET on track, but also STAY on track. I'm breaking this down in 3 sections: Food n stuff, Activity n stuff, and Personal stuff.
Food n stuff:
I think that the start of all things when it comes to eating right is to plan. I need to make a plan that makes sense, that take my schedule into account. So the first thing will be to start planning my week ahead and stick to my plan.
The second thing that I need to do, is to shop smart. I do that automatically now, but there are some things that seem to sneak in my house that weren't part of our shopping habits a few months ago. Mainly I have to shop in season, because money is an issue these days, and to make sure that I always have safe snacks around.
I need to stop buying those snacks that I know will get me in troubles. Even if I feel strong and solid on shopping day, I have to remember that a few days down the line, I might not have the willpower to stop at one bite. Defensive shopping, that's what I call it!
As far as meal planning, I want to keep my focus on eating more vegetables. Grains and legumes are good, and I certainly plan on eating them regularly, but somehow my beloved vegetables have kind of slipped away. I need to give them first place again.
Finally, I have to take it one bite at a time. Ask myself the question: "Am I eating because I'm hungry? Or for X,Y,Z reason?" If I'm not hungry, then I get lost.
"If hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the solution."
Activity n stuff
Activity is my biggest challenge these days. It's funny in a way because it has always been my strength. I love to exercise, I just can't seem to find my "cruise speed". I have 2 speeds: Full blast, and nothing. I need to find a happy middle, something I can do and maintain without burning out, and without hurting myself.
I think I need to stop focusing on performance, and start focusing on consistency. I'll never compete in anything again. I'm not interested in doing so. I just want my body to be able to do what I tell it to do.
I think I'll go back to something I did a while ago that worked well before my OCD self decided to "step it up". I'll do 1 hour of "something" every day. It doesn't have to be high intensity, it can be either cardio or resistance training. As long as I'm moving for at least 60 minutes, it's good!
That way I can play this game with myself of "cheating". On the days that I really don't want to hit the gym, I go out of my way to find some way to move that isn't "exercise". Generally I end up moving much more than 1 hour. It's fun, it's motivating, and it's moving! Less pressure, more fun, how cool is that?
Personal stuff
I need to organize my time and put together a list of priorities. I've been sitting in stagnant water for too long. Ok, education isn't going well, what does it mean for me? Where am I going? What are my possibilities? Where do I want to go from here?
I need to figure those things out and then make a plan. Nobody is going to come and pick me out of my living room.
I also need to remind myself of the things I have accomplished so far, instead of the things I haven't done. I have come a long way and have beaten any odds that life has thrown at me so far. When needed I DID have the strength to push forward and that strength is still in me today. I can do whatever I set my heart on doing. I just have to keep at it!
Finally, I need to take "me time". I need to do what needs to be done, and then stop. I need time where I'm not figuring out anything. Where I'm not cleaning, writing, preparing meetings, planning food, cooking, making lunches... Nobody can be "on" 24 hrs/day. I need time to just chill out, play, go outsides, something.
Ok, so that's my plan. It's a big order, but in a way it's a simple one. Get back to basics, get back to what works, don't try to overdo things, over think things. Just think ahead a little, take it one step at a time, and pick yourself up real quick if something comes up.
I have been doing this for over 5 years now, I know how, I know I can do it. So... If you see somebody skipping along on the Expressway in Rohnert Park followed by a skinny crazy dog, I just probably didn't feel like hitting the gym that day! AH!
Be good n stuff!
Picking ourselves up (Part 1)
I've been away from this blog for a while. I think I needed not to think for a little bit, you know, go on automatic pilot and just push through. It works for a while, but never for very long. Now that things are settling down, for now, it's time to look around, dust myself up, and get back on my way.
I've mentioned that a member of my family was sick in the previous post, well, it brought on a lot of worry. I'm far away from my family, and I find it very hard to sit on my own waiting for news. Makes you realize how important your support system is.
The same day my cousin had a major brain surgery, my husband had a panic moment at work. At this point, his salary is the only thing keeping us afloat. It was a horrible panic moment. Do we stay in California? Do we sell the place (in this market?) and run off to Canada? Do I drop everything and start all over... AGAIN??
I don't deal well with stress, even less when it's things I can't control. Last night was the first night I slept all through the night in almost 2 weeks.
In the mist of all that, my "lifestyle" took a hit. I mostly ate well, and I tried to stay active, but if I'm honest with myself, I've slacked big time. I've been going through the motion, not really monitoring anything, and hoping against hope that the scale wouldn't punish me for my misdeed (how's that for turning food into a moral issue, I should listen to myself when I lead meetings!).
This is not working for me. I hate to feel out of control, I hate to feel out of shape, and I hate to hate. I'm addicted to positive thinking, so there!
I need a plan... I've gone through my list of quick fixes that I've tried in the past, and tried to remember which one worked. Can't remember any of them working. Darn! Looks like I'm going to have to do this the old fashioned way: Eat right, exercise regularly.
We did make a few positive moves this week:
The first one was to make a conscious choice, my husband and I, to "think positive". We were dragging each others down, because when one was feeling good, the other was stressing out. Of course, thinking positive doesn't make problems disappear magically, but it does give us the strength to push forward and permit us to use our energy on finding solutions, rather than whining. It has made life much easier and a lot more enjoyable this week.
Another thing I have done is to stop being so sloppy. I took the time to dress myself nicely this week, and to put myself together, not only for work, but also for when I'm home. When you dress sloppy, you think sloppy.
This is not to say that I'm turning into a Fashionista or anything (he he he not really my thing) but rather that I want to feel and look like I have some pride in myself. To be motivated to take care of myself, I have to feel good about myself, right?
Tuesday night, a security officer at the Ross Plaza told me: "It's nice to see that some women still like to look beautiful". AH! Made my WEEK! Bet he wouldn't have said that if I had been wearing my old jeans and beaten up T-shirt!
So we are turning things around, putting the ship back on course, but there is still a lot of "manning the sails" to do. I need a plan to make sure that food, and exercise is what it needs to be. Honestly, my husband is doing better at that these days. He has a 9 to 5 type job, and a gym next door to his work. He also has less free time than I do, which is less time to get in troubles. ;op
Honestly though, he's just better focused than I am right now. Kinda makes my Ego itch really. I need to get back on track. For pride sakes if nothing else. I need a plan for myself, that will be my next post on here!
Be good n stuff!
I've mentioned that a member of my family was sick in the previous post, well, it brought on a lot of worry. I'm far away from my family, and I find it very hard to sit on my own waiting for news. Makes you realize how important your support system is.
The same day my cousin had a major brain surgery, my husband had a panic moment at work. At this point, his salary is the only thing keeping us afloat. It was a horrible panic moment. Do we stay in California? Do we sell the place (in this market?) and run off to Canada? Do I drop everything and start all over... AGAIN??
I don't deal well with stress, even less when it's things I can't control. Last night was the first night I slept all through the night in almost 2 weeks.
In the mist of all that, my "lifestyle" took a hit. I mostly ate well, and I tried to stay active, but if I'm honest with myself, I've slacked big time. I've been going through the motion, not really monitoring anything, and hoping against hope that the scale wouldn't punish me for my misdeed (how's that for turning food into a moral issue, I should listen to myself when I lead meetings!).
This is not working for me. I hate to feel out of control, I hate to feel out of shape, and I hate to hate. I'm addicted to positive thinking, so there!
I need a plan... I've gone through my list of quick fixes that I've tried in the past, and tried to remember which one worked. Can't remember any of them working. Darn! Looks like I'm going to have to do this the old fashioned way: Eat right, exercise regularly.
We did make a few positive moves this week:
The first one was to make a conscious choice, my husband and I, to "think positive". We were dragging each others down, because when one was feeling good, the other was stressing out. Of course, thinking positive doesn't make problems disappear magically, but it does give us the strength to push forward and permit us to use our energy on finding solutions, rather than whining. It has made life much easier and a lot more enjoyable this week.
Another thing I have done is to stop being so sloppy. I took the time to dress myself nicely this week, and to put myself together, not only for work, but also for when I'm home. When you dress sloppy, you think sloppy.
This is not to say that I'm turning into a Fashionista or anything (he he he not really my thing) but rather that I want to feel and look like I have some pride in myself. To be motivated to take care of myself, I have to feel good about myself, right?
Tuesday night, a security officer at the Ross Plaza told me: "It's nice to see that some women still like to look beautiful". AH! Made my WEEK! Bet he wouldn't have said that if I had been wearing my old jeans and beaten up T-shirt!
So we are turning things around, putting the ship back on course, but there is still a lot of "manning the sails" to do. I need a plan to make sure that food, and exercise is what it needs to be. Honestly, my husband is doing better at that these days. He has a 9 to 5 type job, and a gym next door to his work. He also has less free time than I do, which is less time to get in troubles. ;op
Honestly though, he's just better focused than I am right now. Kinda makes my Ego itch really. I need to get back on track. For pride sakes if nothing else. I need a plan for myself, that will be my next post on here!
Be good n stuff!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Could I have learned? Really?
Time of "crisis" where things really hurt me, and feeling out of control are the greatest challenge to me. I used to self medicate (lets not go there) and when I put my life in order, I turned to food. It's legal, its safe, it's even mostly socially accepted right?
When I realized a little more than 5 years ago that that wasn't working either, I was at a loss. Now what? Things were good then though, I was newly married with a wonderful man (who's still wonderful 5 years later *grin*) starting a new life, ready for everything. I joined Weight Watchers, learned to eat, to cook, to control portions. GREAT! I'm an extremist, when I start on something I'm all out on it.
5 years later I'm still looking for steady work in my field, the governor of California just announced that he's cutting millions (and more) in education (I'm a teacher). Yesterday I got a very bad news, a member of my family is very sick. Things are not good. Don't get me wrong, I know that everybody have bad news and hard times. I'm still happy with my life, but lets just say that things aren't bright and sunny right now.
After I got that news, I sat around in a daze for a while... then I thought "Cheetos, that would make me feel better!" I even got dressed, put on a hat (cause my hair was a mess, no time for a shower I need Cheetos!). I went outside and stopped just in front of the door.
"What the hell am I doing? Cheetos?"
I turned around went back inside, washed a bowl of grapes and sat back down at the computer. You know what I looked at? 2 things: Bento boxes, and fairies. Things that make me smile, things that can just give me a break from thinking too much.
Oh, and guess what? It's legal, it's safe, it's socially accepted AND it's healthy!
I got my comfort, my escape, and I didn't eat those freakin' Cheetos! I think I might just have learned something in the last 5 years.
Wouldn't you know it, I practiced Reframing without even thinking about it!
Be good n stuff!
When I realized a little more than 5 years ago that that wasn't working either, I was at a loss. Now what? Things were good then though, I was newly married with a wonderful man (who's still wonderful 5 years later *grin*) starting a new life, ready for everything. I joined Weight Watchers, learned to eat, to cook, to control portions. GREAT! I'm an extremist, when I start on something I'm all out on it.
5 years later I'm still looking for steady work in my field, the governor of California just announced that he's cutting millions (and more) in education (I'm a teacher). Yesterday I got a very bad news, a member of my family is very sick. Things are not good. Don't get me wrong, I know that everybody have bad news and hard times. I'm still happy with my life, but lets just say that things aren't bright and sunny right now.
After I got that news, I sat around in a daze for a while... then I thought "Cheetos, that would make me feel better!" I even got dressed, put on a hat (cause my hair was a mess, no time for a shower I need Cheetos!). I went outside and stopped just in front of the door.
"What the hell am I doing? Cheetos?"
I turned around went back inside, washed a bowl of grapes and sat back down at the computer. You know what I looked at? 2 things: Bento boxes, and fairies. Things that make me smile, things that can just give me a break from thinking too much.
Oh, and guess what? It's legal, it's safe, it's socially accepted AND it's healthy!
I got my comfort, my escape, and I didn't eat those freakin' Cheetos! I think I might just have learned something in the last 5 years.
Wouldn't you know it, I practiced Reframing without even thinking about it!
Be good n stuff!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Carpe Diem
Today I started my spring cleaning!
I realized doing so, that it'll take a lot longer than I thought to do what I want to accomplish. I want to go through all of our stuff and get rid of the things we don't really need, and keep the essential. We live in a condo and we just don't have the space to keep stuff that don't have any use or meaning.
I started with my bedroom closet. The blankies and comforters were easy to get rid of, even the shoes and the purses. When it got to my clothes, that's a different story.
Would you believe that I had a bag of "too big clothes" and a bag of "too small clothes". I was keeping the first one "in case I gain weight" and the second one for "when I fit in them again". Brilliant!
I took all of it and bagged it for Goodwill. I will not keep "in case" clothes. The only clothes I kept are those I like to wear NOW. The stuff that make me feel good about myself, and that are comfortable. I don't have the space for one thing, and for another I will not keep clothes that have a negative connotation for me.
Too big clothes tell me that I don't trust myself to maintain the weight that I am at now. Too small clothes tell me that, though I'm at a healthy weight, I'm not where I feel I should be. Either way, there's a negative tape playing there, and I certainly don't want or need to listen to them anymore!
It's the same with books, with things, with all the stuff we accumulate and pile up because they are "memories" or for "later uses". It's ridiculous the stuff we actually keep!
Memories aren't in things, they are in my head. I don't need a physical reminder. I'm not talking about pictures, or love letters, I'm talking about a ticket for a show that I saw years ago. I remember seeing it, I don't need the ticket!
As for keeping things for later uses, I've learned over time that either you can't find them when you need them, or they are obsolete and you buy something else anyway.
No more of that! I will keep things that are essential and/or are useful now. Later is later, and I'll deal with it when it comes. My priority is to be comfortable, happy and focused in my life now, so that I can be the best I can be, without being dragged down my the overload of stuff.
Seize the day... Carpe Diem
Be good n stuff!
I realized doing so, that it'll take a lot longer than I thought to do what I want to accomplish. I want to go through all of our stuff and get rid of the things we don't really need, and keep the essential. We live in a condo and we just don't have the space to keep stuff that don't have any use or meaning.
I started with my bedroom closet. The blankies and comforters were easy to get rid of, even the shoes and the purses. When it got to my clothes, that's a different story.
Would you believe that I had a bag of "too big clothes" and a bag of "too small clothes". I was keeping the first one "in case I gain weight" and the second one for "when I fit in them again". Brilliant!
I took all of it and bagged it for Goodwill. I will not keep "in case" clothes. The only clothes I kept are those I like to wear NOW. The stuff that make me feel good about myself, and that are comfortable. I don't have the space for one thing, and for another I will not keep clothes that have a negative connotation for me.
Too big clothes tell me that I don't trust myself to maintain the weight that I am at now. Too small clothes tell me that, though I'm at a healthy weight, I'm not where I feel I should be. Either way, there's a negative tape playing there, and I certainly don't want or need to listen to them anymore!
It's the same with books, with things, with all the stuff we accumulate and pile up because they are "memories" or for "later uses". It's ridiculous the stuff we actually keep!
Memories aren't in things, they are in my head. I don't need a physical reminder. I'm not talking about pictures, or love letters, I'm talking about a ticket for a show that I saw years ago. I remember seeing it, I don't need the ticket!
As for keeping things for later uses, I've learned over time that either you can't find them when you need them, or they are obsolete and you buy something else anyway.
No more of that! I will keep things that are essential and/or are useful now. Later is later, and I'll deal with it when it comes. My priority is to be comfortable, happy and focused in my life now, so that I can be the best I can be, without being dragged down my the overload of stuff.
Seize the day... Carpe Diem
Be good n stuff!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Make an effort... how?
Learning and maintaining a healthy lifestyle takes efforts, there's no doubt about that. I've come to realize that you have to put in the time and effort continually because it's very easy to slip back to old habits.
Shrimps with sauteed peppers and broccoli over lettuce. I made sure to use different colors of peppers and to put the shrimp in the place first and then put the pepper mix (which had cook with the shrimps) on top to make it look more colorful. I seasoned it well, and added some cumin at the end to make it smell good. The raw lettuce's texture contrasted well with the cooked peppers and broccoli.
This is store-bought brown rice sushi that came into one of those plastic boxes. I took it out of there, and served it with a bright green side and with couscous. I place those two side by side, then used my little soy sauce dish to make a 3rd "item" and added the sushi at the end. The visual was interesting (and the food YUM-MY).
This was a little less visually interesting, but the smells was incredible! The turkey meatballs were very fragrant and so was the hummus. I added a green salad for color and couscous for a "neutral taste".
After 5 years, I understand that the effort isn't so much with "sticking to it" as it is with "making it worth sticking to". No matter how hard you try, you will not make yourself stick to something for the long run if you can't make it enjoyable and interesting.
That doesn't mean that you can make it fun and exciting all the time. There are times when working out just plain sucks, you're tired, you're hurting and you just don't wanna. Also there are times when you want brownies, fries and a burger, no matter how colorful and pretty your salad is. At those time, yeah, the work is more "stick-to-it-iveness" than creativity. I like to think that as you go, those times are fewer and further apart. That's when the "fake it until you feel it" strength comes in.
For the other times, the idea is to make your chosen lifestyle attractive. It's not a chore that you have to do, it's a lifestyle that you have chosen. Make the most of it!
When it comes to Activity, the trick is always to find something you like to do. It doesn't have to be "formal exercise" as long as it keep you moving! Do some gardening, take your laundry upstairs one piece at a time instead of piling it up. Go walk with a good friend and catch up on the gossips of the week.
You're more into the formal exercise trend? Put the treadmill in front of a TV with a DVD player. What's a better time to catch up on the missed episodes? Going to the gym? Stop by the library and grab some audio books, as you work out, you can catch up on the adventures of your favorite heroes. Take a dance class, a animal step class, a yoga class with your dog! Anything, as long as it keep you moving!!
When it comes to the food, it's the same idea. You can eat lettuce and grilled chicken all the time but that gets extremely boring very fast. Not only you want to vary the foods you eat, but you want to make an effort to make it look good as well as taste good. Eating should be an experience for the 5 senses, not just a tasting experience.
Here's a few examples of what we regularly eat at home. It's nothing complicated or overly exotic, bit I always make an effort to make the food look attractive and interesting.
Shrimps with sauteed peppers and broccoli over lettuce. I made sure to use different colors of peppers and to put the shrimp in the place first and then put the pepper mix (which had cook with the shrimps) on top to make it look more colorful. I seasoned it well, and added some cumin at the end to make it smell good. The raw lettuce's texture contrasted well with the cooked peppers and broccoli.This is store-bought brown rice sushi that came into one of those plastic boxes. I took it out of there, and served it with a bright green side and with couscous. I place those two side by side, then used my little soy sauce dish to make a 3rd "item" and added the sushi at the end. The visual was interesting (and the food YUM-MY).This was a little less visually interesting, but the smells was incredible! The turkey meatballs were very fragrant and so was the hummus. I added a green salad for color and couscous for a "neutral taste".
This is just plain grilled salmon with roasted asparagus. Both were very well spiced and delicious. I also roasted Brussels sprouts and organized the plate in sections. It was interesting looking and very yummy!
These are all very simple plain foods, nothing over the top. The idea is to make a effort to make it look good, smell good, to mix the textures and the flavors so that all senses are put at work! What about hearing you say? Wait until your family comment on your culinary experiments!
Just make a little effort, it doesn't have to be every meal, it doesn't have to be every work out, just every once in a while, go the extra mile. You'll see it'll be worth it. Bet you'll want to do it again!
Be good n stuff!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Is it Saturday again already???
Ooofffaaaahhh It's been a busy week!
It seems that everything conspired against me followed the plan I had made for the week. I worked 3 full days and 3 nights. In the middle of that we're getting ready to start some renovation in our house, so any free time is spent planning and organizing the next 2 months. No time to think!
So looking back, I've had an ok week. I brought lunch to work every day, and stuck to it. Yesterday they had cupcakes for a kid's birthday and I had 1/4 of a cupcake only. That was plenty, eeeww.
Dinners ended up being a lot of "system D" (in my house that means that we each eat whatever we can find), which isn't all that successful really. The choices are healthy, but it's easier to overeat when scavenging.
I was moderately active this week. I didn't end up following my plan because my schedule changed and I didn't adapt fast enough, but it was still an active week.
So, all in all, I'm happy with my week, it could have been better, but I did overcome some challenges and managed to move 1 hour each day.
Today I need to sit down and plan again. That's my plan for today!
Be good n stuff!
It seems that everything conspired against me followed the plan I had made for the week. I worked 3 full days and 3 nights. In the middle of that we're getting ready to start some renovation in our house, so any free time is spent planning and organizing the next 2 months. No time to think!
So looking back, I've had an ok week. I brought lunch to work every day, and stuck to it. Yesterday they had cupcakes for a kid's birthday and I had 1/4 of a cupcake only. That was plenty, eeeww.
Dinners ended up being a lot of "system D" (in my house that means that we each eat whatever we can find), which isn't all that successful really. The choices are healthy, but it's easier to overeat when scavenging.
I was moderately active this week. I didn't end up following my plan because my schedule changed and I didn't adapt fast enough, but it was still an active week.
So, all in all, I'm happy with my week, it could have been better, but I did overcome some challenges and managed to move 1 hour each day.
Today I need to sit down and plan again. That's my plan for today!
Be good n stuff!
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