After a lengthy gap in posts, I am back to yammer on about the journey that starves, shapes and frankly irritates when it's 11:20 at night and you want something to nosh but know you can't eat until the next A.M.
The last few weeks have been very stressful (in truth the last few months have been) and as an all too human human, that means I can fall victim to stress eating. That undermining urge to graze on all manner of food stuffs that are unfortunate enough to cross one's path. For me it tends to be trips to Tim Horton's and Nutella on white toast too late at night. For others it can be anything and everything else, but what all stress eaters have in common is a need to feel anchored by the treat and maybe even a sense of "oh well, everything's going to hell right now, maybe I don't care about a little extra something on my frame."
The reality is that everyone can be, and at times is, a stress eater. I am by no means obese, or have an eating disorder, but can certainly acknowledge a backslide. The tough part for people who are severely overweight (I think) is that there is perhaps a more fatalistic view - that at that size, there is no getting out so why try? Yet there are countless stories of people who have emerged happier and healthier. One has to remember that no end result comes without a first step. Even if one spends five minutes walking or working out, it's five minutes more than yesterday! If you are ever questioning yourself, please know that you can do it, it just takes that first step.
I found that the best first step is a commitment to a new lifestyle. Day one a year and a half ago, I threw out everything in our home that contained preservatives or was processed. It's not just a question of changing a few things, but remaining in the same basic life. The more drastic the change, the more likely the success. I am back on my natural lifestyle with one exception: I still allow myself a little Nutella, but on homemade whole wheat bread and earlier in the evening!
Being active, halving portions, eating food made from scratch and not munching after 7 - 8 PM will put anyone on the right track. How far you want to go will depend on you! Happy eating and happy health!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Day Two and Day Three
Busy couple of days here. Yesterday I had a quick audition and then hit the gym for my regular workout: 30 minutes on the bike, my super-set weight workout, and then the elliptical for another 30 minutes. I've got to tell you though, I started on that elliptical machine and was so tired from not getting enough sleep and the workout itself that after 5 minutes I'm thinking, "I'm just going to do fifteen minutes, that'll be enough." Then I went another 5 minutes and thought, "Yeah, fifteen minutes sounds reasonable . . ." Then, as I approached the fifteen minute mark, I realized that Bond, and the men who play him, would do the full thirty. So I dug in and kept going and thirty minutes later I jumped off that thing, happy I'd gone the distance.
You know what? That's the thing - the talking ourselves out of things, the legitimization of half steps - that makes us trip up and take longer to achieve those things that are readily achievable. Sure, it's easier not to jump in the car and go to the gym but I always feel better after I've gone. Yes, it's easier to grab the pre-made food, and accessible soda in that can, but I always feel better after I've eaten healthy food. The thing about getting into shape is that it's filled with pitfalls simply because the benefit comes after the effort, not during or even before. You've got to pay up front to reap the rewards that come later. After years of working out, I love being in the gym and seeing the changes and the improvement. I love feeling the change, being able to do something I wasn't able to before. Even if I leave for a while, I always feel right coming back.
I think that's something that many people feel they won't connect with. I think that the gym can be an overwhelming place for folks because they feel like they don't belong, or maybe they're being judged, or that they feel intimidated going somewhere where people seem to know what they're doing with large machines and instruments that seem better fitted for extracting information from enemy combatants. The truth is that everyone in there started out having to learn how to workout. If you feel intimidated, hire a trainer for a few sessions and you'll soon feel like you belong - because you do!
I kept to my diet well yesterday. We had a roast chicken (no skin for me), potatoes, and broccoli for dinner. Later I had my snack of strawberries and yogurt, some cashews, and a piece of whole wheat bread (homemade) and honey.
Today I missed my workout as I had another audition, and then later a root canal - yay! I still ate well all day, and for dinner my wife made a fantastic bourbon chicken recipe over organic brown basmati rice and peas - yum! Same old snack and a lot of water.
I'm ready for the gym again tomorrow and am excited to get back on that elliptical trainer! Hope everyone is feeling upbeat about their own journeys if anyone happens to be on one, and upbeat about yourselves in general!! Happy eating and happy health!
You know what? That's the thing - the talking ourselves out of things, the legitimization of half steps - that makes us trip up and take longer to achieve those things that are readily achievable. Sure, it's easier not to jump in the car and go to the gym but I always feel better after I've gone. Yes, it's easier to grab the pre-made food, and accessible soda in that can, but I always feel better after I've eaten healthy food. The thing about getting into shape is that it's filled with pitfalls simply because the benefit comes after the effort, not during or even before. You've got to pay up front to reap the rewards that come later. After years of working out, I love being in the gym and seeing the changes and the improvement. I love feeling the change, being able to do something I wasn't able to before. Even if I leave for a while, I always feel right coming back.
I think that's something that many people feel they won't connect with. I think that the gym can be an overwhelming place for folks because they feel like they don't belong, or maybe they're being judged, or that they feel intimidated going somewhere where people seem to know what they're doing with large machines and instruments that seem better fitted for extracting information from enemy combatants. The truth is that everyone in there started out having to learn how to workout. If you feel intimidated, hire a trainer for a few sessions and you'll soon feel like you belong - because you do!
I kept to my diet well yesterday. We had a roast chicken (no skin for me), potatoes, and broccoli for dinner. Later I had my snack of strawberries and yogurt, some cashews, and a piece of whole wheat bread (homemade) and honey.
Today I missed my workout as I had another audition, and then later a root canal - yay! I still ate well all day, and for dinner my wife made a fantastic bourbon chicken recipe over organic brown basmati rice and peas - yum! Same old snack and a lot of water.
I'm ready for the gym again tomorrow and am excited to get back on that elliptical trainer! Hope everyone is feeling upbeat about their own journeys if anyone happens to be on one, and upbeat about yourselves in general!! Happy eating and happy health!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Day One
Well day one is in the books and it feels great to be back on the track. I had lived a militantly healthy and organic life for a year so it's funny that returning to that feels more like going home than going back to the junk food world. I did, however, binge this weekend with all of the chocolate bunnies begging to be eaten, and even had a few sodas! I woke up this morning feeling like I had a sugar hang-over and couldn't believe I used to consume that stuff regularly at any point in my life.
So the day started with a weigh-in and I found that over that last couple of months of sliding slightly I was coming in at 164 lbs - not a bad place to pick up from as I had once weighed 197 lbs as of January 1, 2008! I had a bowl of my favorite organic granola - from Safeway of all places. The Safeway Organics brand maple granola is great stuff! Couple that with some Organics brand French Vanilla yogurt and you've got a yummy dessert (just remember to pace yourself because with a 1/2 cup of each you're creeping into the 400 cal range!)
After my bowl of cereal and a quick call to the endodontist to schedule the second of two root canals . . . well you can't have a Bond-like physique if you can't eat all that healthy food, I headed out for an audition and a workout.
At the gym, I decided it was time to continue the refocus I started last week. I have now put more emphasis on cardio and do an hour of straight cardio per workout - 30 minutes on the bike at the beginning, and 30 on the elliptical at the end of the workout. In between I do a twenty minute weight routine that is basically a super-set that hits all upper body parts. For those who don't know, a set is a group of repetitions of any given movement, while a super-set is a series of sets done one after the other with no breaks in between. My super-set consists of chest flyes, one-legged shoulder press, bicep curls, dead-lifts, bent over rows, lat raises, shrugs, and finally dips. I do 8 to 10 reps in each set. Phew!
Leaving the gym, I stopped by the grocery store to restock my kitchen with organic foods and unrefined items like brown sugar, whole wheat flour, brown rice, and all sorts of other things that, done wrong, can taste like cardboard. Although, today I did make a fantastic loaf of 100% whole wheat bread that tastes fantastic that I'm very happy with as it's a new recipe.
I didn't get time to eat lunch today so I supplemented with a 1/3 cup of cashews - all the calories, high in protein and essential fats, and good! For dinner I did some barbecued chicken breasts marinated in some home made BBQ sauce with some roasted potatoes and some corn. I finally rounded out the day with a piece of toast with some honey and another helping of cashews.
All in all, not a bad day for eating - certainly stayed away from the hurtful foods and didn't over-indulge on the healthy ones. That's really the biggest secret as far as I'm concerned: portion size. That is the single biggest error we make in our eating habits these days - we simply eat too much at a sitting. In many ways, we can blame restaurants with their ridiculous servings that have become the new norm. For anyone who is interested in shocking themselves into eating healthier, a great read is the book Fast Food Nation. It will intrigue you and gross you out!
I realize that this post was a little light on the humor, but I promise that I will be funnier in upcoming posts - really! Happy eating, and happy health!
So the day started with a weigh-in and I found that over that last couple of months of sliding slightly I was coming in at 164 lbs - not a bad place to pick up from as I had once weighed 197 lbs as of January 1, 2008! I had a bowl of my favorite organic granola - from Safeway of all places. The Safeway Organics brand maple granola is great stuff! Couple that with some Organics brand French Vanilla yogurt and you've got a yummy dessert (just remember to pace yourself because with a 1/2 cup of each you're creeping into the 400 cal range!)
After my bowl of cereal and a quick call to the endodontist to schedule the second of two root canals . . . well you can't have a Bond-like physique if you can't eat all that healthy food, I headed out for an audition and a workout.
At the gym, I decided it was time to continue the refocus I started last week. I have now put more emphasis on cardio and do an hour of straight cardio per workout - 30 minutes on the bike at the beginning, and 30 on the elliptical at the end of the workout. In between I do a twenty minute weight routine that is basically a super-set that hits all upper body parts. For those who don't know, a set is a group of repetitions of any given movement, while a super-set is a series of sets done one after the other with no breaks in between. My super-set consists of chest flyes, one-legged shoulder press, bicep curls, dead-lifts, bent over rows, lat raises, shrugs, and finally dips. I do 8 to 10 reps in each set. Phew!
Leaving the gym, I stopped by the grocery store to restock my kitchen with organic foods and unrefined items like brown sugar, whole wheat flour, brown rice, and all sorts of other things that, done wrong, can taste like cardboard. Although, today I did make a fantastic loaf of 100% whole wheat bread that tastes fantastic that I'm very happy with as it's a new recipe.
I didn't get time to eat lunch today so I supplemented with a 1/3 cup of cashews - all the calories, high in protein and essential fats, and good! For dinner I did some barbecued chicken breasts marinated in some home made BBQ sauce with some roasted potatoes and some corn. I finally rounded out the day with a piece of toast with some honey and another helping of cashews.
All in all, not a bad day for eating - certainly stayed away from the hurtful foods and didn't over-indulge on the healthy ones. That's really the biggest secret as far as I'm concerned: portion size. That is the single biggest error we make in our eating habits these days - we simply eat too much at a sitting. In many ways, we can blame restaurants with their ridiculous servings that have become the new norm. For anyone who is interested in shocking themselves into eating healthier, a great read is the book Fast Food Nation. It will intrigue you and gross you out!
I realize that this post was a little light on the humor, but I promise that I will be funnier in upcoming posts - really! Happy eating, and happy health!
The Concept
Okay, so here's the deal. Starting January 1, 2008 I decided that I needed to get healthier. I decided to go back to basics and made the change to organic foods and making as much food from scratch as I could. I stopped buying bread and pasta and began making my own. I started making my own BBQ sauces and cooking everything from basics. The main caveat was to avoid processed foods and preservatives. I got back to the gym. I was militant. I lost 50 lbs in about 8 months. It was a much needed weight shed and I dropped down to a low of 148lbs. The one thing that still dogged me however was an inability to drop the last layer of fat over what had become pretty solid muscle. It was the usual suspects at work: love handles and man boobs.
Over the last couple of months with a new baby in the house and stress from the work front, some of our tough principles gave way to ease and I've put back on probably 15 or 20 lbs from my low. Frankly it's something that has really been bugging me because we're still eating healthy and I'm still at the gym, it's just the laxness of the eating habits plus a change in medication.
Today however I turn a new leaf, a leaf I've been very excited about and one that I've been planning for a while now. Watching "Quantum of Solace" the other day with my wife (I'm a huge Bond fan), I looked at Daniel Craig and thought "I wonder if I can get myself looking like that?" For some reason my wife seemed eager for me to try, so I resolved to get back to my more militant eating habits while upping the ante (fewer carbs, no refined foods) and back to the gym with a new emphasis on cardio (which I already hit fairly hard). I also decided to log my journey from blah to a physique worthy of Bond in this blog to keep me motivated, but also to have a record for myself and hopefully enthuse others about healthy eating and exercise!
Now, I'm under no illusions that I will challenge Mr. Craig for the Bond crown, nor that I will even achieve the same level of fitness as we don't have the same genetics (and I'm not using any fat burners), but I think that at the very least this will be an entertaining trip to take with friends. I promise I don't, and won't, take myself too seriously in all of this, and I promise to be funny as I keep you appraised of my progress. Please join me and leave comments, and if you decide to undertake your own trip, let us know how you're journey is going!
Over the last couple of months with a new baby in the house and stress from the work front, some of our tough principles gave way to ease and I've put back on probably 15 or 20 lbs from my low. Frankly it's something that has really been bugging me because we're still eating healthy and I'm still at the gym, it's just the laxness of the eating habits plus a change in medication.
Today however I turn a new leaf, a leaf I've been very excited about and one that I've been planning for a while now. Watching "Quantum of Solace" the other day with my wife (I'm a huge Bond fan), I looked at Daniel Craig and thought "I wonder if I can get myself looking like that?" For some reason my wife seemed eager for me to try, so I resolved to get back to my more militant eating habits while upping the ante (fewer carbs, no refined foods) and back to the gym with a new emphasis on cardio (which I already hit fairly hard). I also decided to log my journey from blah to a physique worthy of Bond in this blog to keep me motivated, but also to have a record for myself and hopefully enthuse others about healthy eating and exercise!
Now, I'm under no illusions that I will challenge Mr. Craig for the Bond crown, nor that I will even achieve the same level of fitness as we don't have the same genetics (and I'm not using any fat burners), but I think that at the very least this will be an entertaining trip to take with friends. I promise I don't, and won't, take myself too seriously in all of this, and I promise to be funny as I keep you appraised of my progress. Please join me and leave comments, and if you decide to undertake your own trip, let us know how you're journey is going!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
