I promised myself that I would be truthful in this blog.
I would tell it like it is including the lesser than stellar moments. This week everything went to Hades in a hand basket full of food.
For those of you who don't know in June 2012 I turn 50. Oh-my-God! I decided to make a small change in my life each week during the next nine months on my journey to 50 and blog about it. My goal is to hopefully figure some things out about me, and prove whether little changes do make a difference over time. Right now my focus is on my lifestyle.
I would tell it like it is including the lesser than stellar moments. This week everything went to Hades in a hand basket full of food.
For those of you who don't know in June 2012 I turn 50. Oh-my-God! I decided to make a small change in my life each week during the next nine months on my journey to 50 and blog about it. My goal is to hopefully figure some things out about me, and prove whether little changes do make a difference over time. Right now my focus is on my lifestyle.
It's like a death scene starring Lucille Ball. Sporadic kicks of the legs. The head pops up. An arm twitches. The eyes open. In other words my inner Sumo Wrestler isn't dying easily. It's been a rough week.
I'm really not sure what was the reasoning for it. I don't know whether I reached my limit of things to think about at one time - meaning 7 changes are too much for me to do at once. What will I be like with 39? Maybe it is hormones. Stress - there was a lot of work stress this week. Or a combination of the three. This is all I know. It all fell apart.
Here are the changes I've attempted to incorporate into my life so far.
I don't think I managed to keep one of those goals this week. I kept finding myself walking like a slug on vacation. I'd get home from work and my water bottle was still full. I even met a friend for coffee and put cream in my french roast. I don't remember my last walk with the dogs. No snacking in the evening was a complete gong show. For example one evening my husband and I had a 'date' night at home. Dinner consisted of a platter of food - Triple Cream brie cheese, Asiago and Artichoke dip, olives, tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, breads, red grapes and wine. I ate slowly alright - dinner lasted all evening. There was a fire and a romantic movie. It was really nice, but too much food. Way too much food. And heavy. Oh, I feel sick just thinking about it.
In other words, I blew it. I failed miserably. AND I spent way too much money on food this week. My cupboards were bare and I mean bare, but still - I spent too much.
How do I feel about all of this? Honestly? Pretty lousy. Out of control. A failure. The feeling of peace and contentment that I was enjoying so much has vanished. But I've lived on this earth long enough to know that success comes out of failure as long as you pick yourself back up and keep going. So that is what I am going to do. Pick myself up and keep going.
Today is a new day and Monday is a new week. I was thinking during the week that maybe I should take a week off of adding another change and focus again on the basics to get myself back on track and yet a change whispered in my ear yesterday and again today. So I am going to keep going and add another change for next week.
I'm really not sure what was the reasoning for it. I don't know whether I reached my limit of things to think about at one time - meaning 7 changes are too much for me to do at once. What will I be like with 39? Maybe it is hormones. Stress - there was a lot of work stress this week. Or a combination of the three. This is all I know. It all fell apart.
Here are the changes I've attempted to incorporate into my life so far.
- Walk with purpose.
- Drink 6-8 Glasses of water
- No cream in my coffee
- Eat slowly
- Walk 6 days per week (with intervals - faster walking)
- No snacking in the evening
- Portion Control (kill the inner Sumo Wrestler)
I don't think I managed to keep one of those goals this week. I kept finding myself walking like a slug on vacation. I'd get home from work and my water bottle was still full. I even met a friend for coffee and put cream in my french roast. I don't remember my last walk with the dogs. No snacking in the evening was a complete gong show. For example one evening my husband and I had a 'date' night at home. Dinner consisted of a platter of food - Triple Cream brie cheese, Asiago and Artichoke dip, olives, tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, breads, red grapes and wine. I ate slowly alright - dinner lasted all evening. There was a fire and a romantic movie. It was really nice, but too much food. Way too much food. And heavy. Oh, I feel sick just thinking about it.
In other words, I blew it. I failed miserably. AND I spent way too much money on food this week. My cupboards were bare and I mean bare, but still - I spent too much.
How do I feel about all of this? Honestly? Pretty lousy. Out of control. A failure. The feeling of peace and contentment that I was enjoying so much has vanished. But I've lived on this earth long enough to know that success comes out of failure as long as you pick yourself back up and keep going. So that is what I am going to do. Pick myself up and keep going.
Today is a new day and Monday is a new week. I was thinking during the week that maybe I should take a week off of adding another change and focus again on the basics to get myself back on track and yet a change whispered in my ear yesterday and again today. So I am going to keep going and add another change for next week.
Week 8 - Chew On This Baby
I'm still eating too fast. When I think about it I'm eating slower than I used to - but still faster than I want to. It's like I'm tapping my foot thinking "Ok, can I take another bite now?" chew, chew, swallow. Gulp some water. Tap, tap, tap goes the foot. Repeat sequence. I read a while back that it is recommended to chew your food 40 times before swallowing. Have you ever tried that? It's ridiculous. The food feels like a version of baby food, and mushy. Horrid.
For example after 40 chews that delicious steak you were enjoying becomes the consistency of pablum with the same flavour. 40 chews is not for me. And to be honest the thought of actually counting the number of chews seems infantile and I am rather mature. So I am going to chew my food until just before it begins to feel revolting.
Apparently there are benefits to chewing your food slowly...
This week will be better ... right? I hope so.
I'm still eating too fast. When I think about it I'm eating slower than I used to - but still faster than I want to. It's like I'm tapping my foot thinking "Ok, can I take another bite now?" chew, chew, swallow. Gulp some water. Tap, tap, tap goes the foot. Repeat sequence. I read a while back that it is recommended to chew your food 40 times before swallowing. Have you ever tried that? It's ridiculous. The food feels like a version of baby food, and mushy. Horrid.
For example after 40 chews that delicious steak you were enjoying becomes the consistency of pablum with the same flavour. 40 chews is not for me. And to be honest the thought of actually counting the number of chews seems infantile and I am rather mature. So I am going to chew my food until just before it begins to feel revolting.
Apparently there are benefits to chewing your food slowly...
- Releases vital nutrients into your body. I read somewhere - I don't know if its true or not - but it was on the internet so it must be right? Anyways I read somewhere that prisoners in concentration camps used to chew water to release stored minerals - that's how they survived starvation. Whether or not that is true, I have read that your body receives more nutrients from the food you eat when you chew, chew, chew.
- Pre-digests your food - "Yummy" Your stomach has less work to do and you get less gas and indigestion. Let me be clear, I don't get gas! Ahem! But, you know this is good to know, just in case.
- Weight Loss - When you chew, you eat slower and get full on less food, spend less on groceries. What? That's like so up my alley. Although my inner sumo will just think its a longer time to eat - yippee! It's all good!
- Helps you taste your food thus making eating more enjoyable - Your taste buds get more time to enjoy every single bite! Yup, until the texture becomes revolting. The trick I think is to stop before that happens.
This week will be better ... right? I hope so.
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