Beyond Counting Calories

The 80's were all about aerobics. The 90's were about fad diets. The early 2000's were about pills, shakes, juicers, and supplements. Now it's all about eating the right food at the right time.

I just read the entire Jan/Feb issue of Health Magazine: 2013 Weight Loss Issue. Pick up a copy, there is a lot of good information in there. I'm completely overwhelmed. It seems the trend now is to focus on food and eating right and then get in whatever exercise you can. Notice I said eating "right" and not eating "well." Yes, apparently now there is a right and a wrong way to eat and it all depends on what your ultimate goal is. If you're trying to work out and bulk up, crank up the protein. If you're a runner, more carbs. But actual weight loss is all about the perfect balance of calories, protein, and very specific fortifying (there's a buzz word for you) minerals.

There are just so many rules. I'm supposed to get x amount of whole grains per day, but how do I do that without going over my calorie count? If I make sure I eat a protein every time I eat then how do I get enough of the good sugars? Don't eat this at the same time as that. Make sure you watch your fiber to carb ratio. Pay attention to your folic acid intake, your potassium, magnesium, and vitamin A. It's a whirlpool in my head.

And apparently I've been eating all the wrong healthy foods. You heard me. Sweet potatoes, not carrots. Pears, not apples. Full fat greek yogurt, not low fat normal yogurt. Parsley, not broccoli.

I can't keep up. You know what I want? Cheesecake. I want cheesecake.

Me Time

I had a doctor's appointment this morning so Brian took Caleb to school. After my appointment I had two hours to myself. *Insert shocked face* Any guesses where I went? Grabbed my magic January mug (that gets me free coffee for the entire month of January) and headed to Starbucks, conveniently located inside Target. Ahh.

It's been raining all day so it was really nice to curl up on the couch - alone - drinking my coffee and playing Words With Friends without interruptions while listening to the rain.

My dad stopped by which was nice and stayed for lunch after the boys got home. I'm going to miss having family close enough to just stop by when we eventually leave California. And, I swear, we will leave California.

We will leave California.

We will leave California.

Just Wednesday

So I'm sitting here thinking, "wow, I feel like I haven't blogged in a while. I better get on that." So I opened up a new document... and stared at the screen. What? Since when do I not have anything to say?!

This is impossible.

Nothing super fantastic happened today. Nothing amazing happened yesterday either. I've already discussed that my New Year's resolution was to be less lame. Fail. How can I have a blog worth reading when I'm so lame?! You are all very kind to keep coming back, a few of you have this site on an RSS feed. Bless your heart.

A quick run down of today:

Woke up like a zombie (arms stretched out and grunting, too) because Caleb didn't sleep last night so I didn't either.

Made breakfast for the boys, coffee for me, and took a shower.

Post office run, to my surprise Brian decided to come. Nice to spend the morning together, even if it was running errands.

Target. Because it was on the way home from the post office and they have a Starbucks. But really, do I need a reason?

Work, pit stop at the coffee cart for a non-fat latte which will still probably put me over my calories for the day and I don't even care. Zombie, remember?

CPR renewal class during work hours. Rest easy folks, I can still save lives.

Blogging... still at work... caffeine crash. Can I go home now?

Ten Pounds Before Bathing Suit Season

Seems like everyone I know is on some sort of a diet or health kick right now. I guess it's that time of year. I'm really sick of hearing "New Year, New You." Allison sent me a link to myfitnesspal and when I got to work that night I learned that two of my co-workers are using it too. And they love it. Ok, I'm in.

I've only been using it a couple of days but so far I like it much better than the previous online calorie counter/diet nazi that I had been using. The page somehow actually makes me feel encouraged to enter my calories. Maybe it's lying to me about how many calories were in those McDonald's fries so I won't get discouraged.

Something that I have learned from my many.many attempts at weight loss is that I do much better when I have someone I'm accountable to. So now I've got three friends using the same online program and my sister who has kicked into high gear this hear.

She joined weight watchers and started a blog about her progress. That was probably the smartest thing ever. Nothing like a public blog that puts everything out there (including the heaviest photo of yourself ever taken) to keep you accountable.

So here's to my sister, Allison, and all my other friends, real and virtual, who are on this journey. May we hold each other accountable and not get discouraged when we have one bad day. Here's to making healthy choices and not just counting calories. We can do it.

Life Lessons

I am the youngest of three girls. I never really saw this as a problem, my dad might think otherwise. What I do consider fortunate, though, is that there is a large age gap between us. This not only provided my parents with the added challenge of a newborn while trying to deal with two teenage girls, but also the opportunity for me to learn from my sisters as I grew up. Here are some of the life lessons my big sisters have taught me over the last 30 years, helpful or not.

It is ok to skip a shower and just touch up your make-up when you’re running late. This is half true. You need to at least wash your face. Yesterday’s make-up does not look as good as you think it does.

Be careful when you’re young, nicknames will stick with you To this day my sisters call me Bug and Squirt. Don’t ask.

Doritos and orange juice do not go together. You will throw up. Guaranteed.

Do not marry too young or too fast Those aren’t exactly the reasons why both of my sisters are divorced, but good advice nonetheless. They are each on their second (and last) marriage and both men are far better than the first. I’m 6 years into my marriage and glad I have role models.

Wendy's has the best french fries after you have your wisdom teeth pulled My sister is wrong here. Wendy's has the best french fries anytime.

Euchre is a cut throat game. Take no prisoners.

Ranch dressing is good on everything. Except Doritos. You will throw up.

Family is family, no matter what I live 2,300 miles away but I still made it to my nephew’s graduation and my sister’s wedding. My oldest sister still sends me random packages and presents for my son whenever she sees something cute for him.

Get It Together, Lady

I said I would be less lame this year. Once again, I have failed already. I had an invitation to go out Saturday night. Like, actually out. A legitimate girls night out, no husbands, no kids, just a couple girls at a couple bars having a couple drinks.

I didn't go.

Because I'm lame.

Some of it has to do with feeling guilty for going out. Some of it has to do with how depressed it makes me to think about getting dressed to go out. No matter the reason I had something to do and I flaked. I can only blame myself for being a hermit and a loser.

What did I do instead? I indulged in online shopping. Lame.

To Buy or Not To Buy

I'm going to lose the chunk around my midsection. I will. It's not a New Year's resolution, it's a constant battle and a continuous effort I've been struggling with for the last X years.

The first time Brian deployed I got really serious about it. I only had me to worry about, no kid and no husband to come home and make dinner for or spend time with. I had extra time on my hands. Rather than spend it at home alone feeling depressed about the deployment I went to the gym. I ate better because I was only cooking for me. I lost almost 40lbs.

The second deployment I was pregnant and gained 35lbs. I don't count that.

Now, almost three years after my son was born I am back to my pre-baby weight and have been maintaining that for some time. It's not comfortable like it was pre-baby, though. The numbers on the scale are the same but my shape is different and my clothes still don't fit. I'm unhappy.

I joined a gym. I went twice. I swore I would walk on my lunch break. I've been working through lunch. I make excuses about not having time and everything else a lazy person says.

I think I've convinced myself that if I had some kind of workout equipment at home that I would use it after Caleb goes to bed, or get up 20 minutes earlier in the morning. Times when the past has proven I won't go to the gym because I don't want to go out late or brush my teeth.

But if the eliptical were already there? If the Tony Little Gazelle were just in the other room... Would I use it? Or would it be a waste of money? I found a few on Craig's list for a reasonable price.... can I make that commitment?

I'm A Terrible Person

Today is my ex-brother-in-law's birthday. I don't speak to him regularly. Actually I've only spoken to him out of necessity less than a handful of times in the last few years since he and my sister divorced.

It wasn't a very nice divorce and he wasn't very nice to my sister or their children, but he and I specifically never had any problems. He and my husband always got along well, too. The thing is, though, I will always choose my sister. And my husband will always choose me. It's sad that there have to be sides but there are some situations in which you just can't be Switzerland. The result is the end of a relationship between sister and brother-in-law and between friends.

I still have what I think is a current phone number for him and I almost sent him a text wishing him a happy birthday. I thought better of it, though. The last time I sent him a text just asking for his current address he got all Let's-get-together-when-you're-in-town-I-miss-you-guys on me and I don't want to have that conversation. I don't want to have any conversation. I just want to wish him a happy birthday. Because I'm a decent human being. And I honestly do hope that his birthday is happy. But not enough to actually say it and risk opening that door again.

I Resolve To Resolve

I'm two days into the new year and I haven't made a resolution. Every year I make up something that sounds good and is usually cliche, and I never stick to it. I'm lame. This year I tried to think of something that I could actually do so I wouldn't feel like a failure by March.

I resolve to eat better. No, Rachel brought cheesecake to work on Jan 1. You know I ate it.

I resolve to drink less coffee. No, I just bought a mug that gets me free Starbucks everyday for the entire month of January. I'm two for two.

I resolve to exercise more. Ok, by more I mean at all. I spent my entire morning on the couch. (Which is also where I spent my New Years Eve asleep at 10:30)

I.Am.Lame. I resolve to be less lame. It is a resolution no real measurable level of success. Therefore, I am less likely to feel like a failure. If I do one cool thing this year I can consider myself less lame. Now I just have to find something cool to do. When you're 30 is there still a "cool crowd?" What are they doing this weekend?