I wrote this post before our vacation, but never got around to publishing. The sad thing about reading it now is that I haven’t exercised in about a month. I don’t know if it’s psychosomatic or what, but I definitely feel like it’s catching up to me. I don’t have a lack of energy and my clothes still fit, so I haven’t jumped off the deep end yet. If I had to place it, I’d say it feels like a transition from muscle to fat in the same sized package. Like I said, it could all be in my head.
Either way, not exercising in a long time and then watching a friend carve out a 2.5 hour ride amongst a hectic schedule this weekend really made me think. Although I (usually) exercise regularly, I’m not serious enough about it. I talk a pretty big game and I’ve lost over 30 pounds, but that was long enough ago that I need to move on. I have more free time than a lot of people I know so most of my reasons boil down to excuses. If I really want to reach my goals, it’s time to shut my mouth and refocus my efforts. I need to get back to the stuff I detail below and make physical activity a part of life instead of just forcing myself to exercise.
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So, one year since my last update and it’s been a doozy. You probably don’t need an update on everything I’ve been doing (biking and joining a gym) so instead lets talk about my Eating Healthy campaign. I am not obsessed with being a food hippie, but I do try to make smart choices in my daily life. I’m not afraid to eat crap when the situation warrants, but for the most part I work to make sure the food I’m eating is natural and good for me. There are several rules that I tend to follow in an effort to make sure my calories are as beneficial as possible. Again, these aren’t hard and fast laws, but rather building blocks to a healthful diet.
- Never drink calories. The one exception here is coffee, of which I only have one cup a day and in which I put Splenda and low-fat/fat-free milk. If I need some flavor, I will drink a Coke Zero or Powerade Zero.
- Eat when you’re hungry; five times a day for me.
- Keep meals under 600 calories. My two “mini-meals” are far lower because they’re usually fruit or nuts. Dinner is higher and is generally the “big meal” of the day.
- Choose foods that are high in fiber and absent of trans fats.
- Eat local, where possible. It’s amazing the difference local produce and protein have in terms of flavor and satisfaction. Processed and shipped foods are either overly bland or overly flavored (salted) so you end up eating to compensate. This fall will mark our first foray into the world of CSA.
How does all that translate into foods that play a recurring role in my diet? Here are some of the things I’m putting in my body:
- Morning – banana, oatmeal with raw walnuts and a bit of maple syrup
- Lunch – vegan dishes with brown rice, tuna, or healthy vegetarian soups
- Snacks – raw almonds, dried figs, raw cashews, random piece of fruit
Dinner is more complicated and where I could stand to make improvement. It’s usually pasta with home made sauce, a stir fry or a random piece of meat (never beef) with a veggie and a starch. I generally try to stick within the poultry or lean pork realm, so portion control and carbohydrates is my greatest enemy here. I’m hoping all the CSA veggies will help clean this menu up and decrease my pasta intake, but that’s a hard habit to break. We’ll see.
Definitely on the right track with multiple meals and your choice of foods. Only thing that could improve is NOT eating a big dinner. I’m sure you’ve done enough reading to know that’s not ideal. They say breakfast should be the big one, but I simply can’t make that happen…
I’ve been doing a light breakfast, heavy lunch, and super-light dinner… Not too viable with a significant other, I know… The light dinner has been huge. Rarely do I find myself hungry at night. Not having someone else expecting to eat a solid dinner with me allows me to snack, eat nothing, or have a few leaves of lettuce if that’s all I need. I never go to bed hungry…