Thinking

and planning improvements for these upcoming wintery months. 

About Food:

I changed up what I eat last year and tried the Whole30. Lots of veggies, some meat, but more fish and fowl and eggs. Some fruit. Very little processed food, very little refined sugar, limited fats, limited grains, low sodium. I feel better eating this way but I do go off the rails once in a while... I'm far from perfect and some days (less than before) I do still find comfort in food.

I've started:

• Measuring portion sizes on meats and fats
• Having as regular meal times as possible with no snacks of fruit or Larabars between meals
• Keeping to my food template 
• Staying completely away from nuts. These days I just can't control myself around them.
• Experimenting eating a new veggie once in a while. Organic if possible. This week was tomatillos. Not bad!

About Exercise

CONSISTENCY! I've been lacking in consistency. 

I've started:

• Being active 6 times per week. 
• Using the exercise equipment I have! Even though the streets are so icy here, so few chances for walking outdoors at a brisk pace, I've got a perfectly good elliptical in the basement. 
• Making the basement a nicer environment to work out in. Right now it's your standard 70s wood-paneled fluorescent-lit cave... blah. I'm just happy the previous owner removed the shag carpeting!
• Strength training with my free weights and using the exercise ball to strengthen my core
• Yoga/Pilates for flexibility and stress relief

Someone suggested printing off a blank calendar for each month, posting it on my fridge at eye level to log the exercise I do. A smiley face for a workout or activity completed and a frowny face for slacking off. 

A planned non-scale victory once there is no more ice:

Conquering "Mo-Fo Hill". This is a hill in my neighbourhood that rises 150ft at a steep angle. In 2012, I would be gasping for breath not even mid-way, now I'm almost able to walk up it quickly only taking deep breaths. I want to be able to do it with ease!

Had a talk with my brother who had these words of wisdom, Star Wars-style, as only brothers can come out with:

Year in Review 2013 and Successful January Jeans Results

Glad to see this year go! Although there have been some nice moments, a few great moments, a large part has been an emotional struggle for me.

Good things:

• Trying the Whole 30 in May and discovering that way of eating makes me feel better!
• Using the car only when necessary, not to get groceries or other errands that I can walk to
• Turning to food less and less for comfort
• Relationship with my man and our plans for the future
• My family's support - they are the best! 

Not so good things:

• Not keeping strict control over portion sizes
• Not doing the necessary amount of activity to loose weight
• A sleeping disorder, still dealing with Rice Krispies knees and another health issue
• Dealing with grief
• Didn't do my best every day to work towards my goal of health and fitness

January Jeans Results from 22 November 2013 to 7 January 2014

Starting weight 195.5lbs,  current weight is 190.2 lbs = Success!

I knew that the holidays would be a test. Last year, relatives, in-laws and friends treated me with kid gloves as I was fresh with grief. This year, only my own family would be remembering and would be feeling a little sad. It would have been easy to drown those fleeting sorrows in food, but I couldn't let myself do that. 

Also, some relatives equate the food they make with love, and if you reject the food, you are rejecting them. I was able to limit the tears, yes tears!, from some of these relatives by telling them how important my health is to me and that by over-indulging it is actually harmful. Most of the others understood that with the large number of parties, visits to relatives, get-togethers, ect, my man and I were attending that I couldn't eat everything served.

Thanks to Marion and the participants of the January Jeans Club. Your posts and comments have helped to keep my focus  through this crazy busy,  carb-filled minefield of a holiday season!

Quickie after New Year's post

I'm still on the road visiting relatives and there is no scale for me to track my progress right now. My pants don't feel tight if that's any indication :D

The last celebration is this weekend for the Epiphany or the Three Kings Day. Another big meal and special dessert cake is on the agenda.  I'll be back home on Sunday and will weigh-in on Tuesday for the January Jeans pledge.

My New Years Eve and Day were good and filled with laughs. I did indulge, but I did not over-indulge. There was no point especially when the food at the relatives' party wasn't to my taste anyway. (Three varieties of pasta and white bread sandwiches). I did eat a lot of veggies (hold the dip!) had lots of fruit and had some lightly breaded chicken skewers and a few rounds of bruschetta. I had some desserts and could have really gone overboard there, but I know I would have only regretted it.

 

It is bone-chilling cold here with frostbite alerts for the past few days. -25C/-13F during the day. Much colder at night.  It's so cold outside that my nostrils freeze and can only breathe through my mouth!  Even the snow-man begs me to take him inside at night, ha ha! We expect "warm" weather this weekend. The photo below is by Ryan Remiorz of the Canadian Press showing Ice Fog on the St. Lawrence River.

Exercise strategy while away from home:

- I've been finding shopping malls that open early so I can do some nice, safe, warm walking. There were even some brave ones running, going up and down the stairs and working up a sweat!

- I also went to a gym near my inlaws' place and asked if I could "try out" their facilities for free for a couple of hours.

- Swam a couple of times at the local "Y" and at a hotel that had a heated pool (that felt so good and loosened up my back!)

 

For those facing these cold temps, bundle up, wear your long-johns and keep moving!

Quickie After Christmas Post

Traveling over the holidays and I've now a day at home to grab some prezzies for the next set of relatives, wash some clothes and get other chores done. This morning I weighed in at 194 lbs. Up a .8 from the last time, and honestly, I'm not feeling bad about it. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I did eat food that I normally wouldn't: a few cookies, a couple of candy canes, some ham, gravy on turkey, cranberry, tourtiere (meat pie), lemon meringue pie. 

However, I watched my portions and didn't have second helpings. There was a crate of mandarin oranges from Maroc so I turned to those instead of chocolate. I wasn't able to get in too much outdoor activity due to an ice storm and slick sidewalks. Oh well, we spent a lot of quality time indoors with the family... and that is what the holidays are really all about :)

Holiday treats

Holiday atmosphere in the office and everyone is letting loose.  Lots of treats galore at the little get-togethers, in common-rooms and at assorted desks.  Clients bring in treats for us and colleagues bring in baked goodies and boxes of candies and chocolates.  I admit I did partake of some of the baked goods, but it was planned and I only had ONE, that's it.  I always keep a big mug of coffee or tea at these office party things and smile and join in conversations: no looking and drooling over the tempting treats.  Must remember my January Jeans pledge!

The stock image below is much like the spreads here in the office--just turns my stomach remembering how much of that stuff I used to be able to wolf down!

I love my job and I'm good at what I do... however, I hate that it is so sedentary. I'm chained to my computer and sit a desk for most of the day. I do get up and stretch often (sometimes a downward dog in my cubicle when no one's looking LOL), take a walk or take the stairs, ect., but the fact remains that I'm inactive for a good part of the day.  I have been pondering off and on a job change for something a bit more active, but that would mean a paycut, likely a dramatic one and at this point, my man can't make up the difference on his salary. For now I'm here and have to be active on my own time.

My potlucks and get-togethers with friends have been going very well. Planning in advance helps so much, especially when going to a restaurant and they post their menu online!  It's easy to make decisions ahead of time.  Thanks to Gwen for the tip about smuggling in lemon slices to the restaurant as dressing for salad. This particular restaurant didn't have lemons when my friends also asked the waitress for some.

I did have trouble getting out for walks this week due to the cold and windy weather. I'm not talking a cool breeze here but -30C/-22F (without the windchill) and frostbite warnings. I cut my walk on Saturday short and continued the workout on my elliptical at home.  I'm not fond of the elliptical (or treadmills or cardio classes at the gym) but it's an option when I can't get outside.  I do have to go outside to shovel the snow... which burns a calorie or two. So far this season, we've received over two feet and more is on the way.

Weight this week down to 193.2 lbs. I'm eating the right foods, example of my food plan posted here, but according to the tracking I do on MyFitnessPal, my portions recently are larger than usual and I'm still slacking on the exercise. Will do better this coming week. Remember, every little bit counts!

Weigh-In Wednesday and January Jeans

Stepping on the scale this morning, I knew the number wouldn't be good. The cravings for salty snacks, the fatigue during the past two days, now the cramps, the bloat: I'm at 196lbs.  I know this is temporary water weight, but still I hate to see the number on the scale go up.  Ggggrrrr! I'm going to make sure that number goes down!  I'm drinking lots of water and I'm eating light.  An hour-long walk outside through the snow is on the schedule for tomorrow. 

This coming weekend and through the week next week, there are five different parties: Three with friends and two at work. The food at two of the friends' parties should have a lot of healthy choices, especially since I'm bringing some veggie dishes. The other party is at a restaurant, but I took a look at their menu online and they have very very limited healthy choices. It'll be a Chicken Caesar salad with no dressing for me. Shhh... I'm smuggling in some cherry tomatoes to add to the salad because I can't stand the flavourless pink winter tomatoes restaurants use!

Work is a different story. Both work parties next week are food-fests of baked goods. I'll bring my big mug of coffee and... I don't know yet what strategy I'll use. I do have to be there. I do have to mingle for a good period of time because the bosses will be watching and they do remember who was naughty or nice! 

January Jeans 2014!!! I'll be keeping this mantra in my mind through all these upcoming temptations this holiday season. Spilling out of a pair of tight jeans in a few weeks is not what I want.  I'd rather be forced to have buy a new pair of jeans in a smaller size :)  

Ah Nuts!

This past weekend, there was a little get-together amongst friends and friends of friends. Although the buffet spread had mostly healthy choices, which was great,  there were also some natural nut mixes in little bowls here and there. After taking three handfuls, I stopped and asked myself what I thought I was doing (but I used much harsher language).

I was able to stop myself, analyse the situation and get a grip! I realised I wasn't hungry but there was a lull in the party and I found myself sort of awkwardly on my own. Everyone I knew went off on a beer run or a wine run.  Rather than mingling, I retreated to the nuts. I was just feeling a bit shy, that's all. I got away from the food, grabbed a club soda with lime and went and asked a girl where she bought her cute sparkly pumps. 

See how a couple of minutes of social awkwardness can cost an unplanned 500 calories or more? 

I guess I've grown accustomed to my own group of friends. I haven't been in situations lately where I've had to mingle with strangers in an intimate setting like at a fundraiser, gallery opening or other similar event. Sounds like this could be a New Years Resolution... get out and mingle with new people!

Ghosts of Holidays Past

Some time ago, in the not so distant past, the holidays with my family were a time of feasts, sitting, napping, snacking and feasting again.  Lurching away from the table with a belly full of food was a requirement.   A few times I retreated to a bedroom with a cold cloth on my forehead!

One would have chowed down on turkey with gravy then ham, then a slice of traditional tourtière (meat pie) with chili sauce, some boiled veggies, and mashed potatoes with butter and cream.  And don't forget the cranberry from a can!

Not only were the portions huge during mealtimes, but the desserts... well there were usually at minimum a half-dozen to choose from.  At least two kinds of pie, cookies, bars, squares, tarts,french pastries, cake and don't forget to jack that up with some ice cream!  Usually four or five kinds to choose from.

Large varieties of snacks placed in bowls around the living room were plentiful.  Chips, popcorn, Nuts and Bolts, fudge, Satin Stripe Candy, "Chicken Bones" candy, canes on the tree, and at least two boxes of chocolates were always open: Turtles and Pot of Gold.  We would then gather around the television and watch a dozen cheezy Christmas movies on VHS my Mom rented if she got her way, or watch football if my Dad got his way.  As teens, we would trudge our way down to the basement to play video games.

This was the way for many years we'd "celebrate" the holidays.  This would almost be a binge. Pretty sad, but I know we weren't the only family who celebrated this way.  Or that still does.

When we moved out, as young adults, we'd come back home for a week or two and would be bombarded with food and treats.  And we'd be given a duffle bag-full each of food to take back our respective cities at the end of the holiday. One year, my brother and I decided this had to change.  As adults, we would usually take a long walk on Christmas Eve while the parents were at midnight mass.  This time, he said he was tired of gaining ten pounds through December and January. For a slim guy, that means he has to go up a pants size.  I always gained between fifteen and twenty pounds.  I wore track pants.  Or I wore my black fat pants.

It took an intervention of sorts with my mother and ten years, but things slowly changed.  You read correctly, ten years!

Now moderation is in place:

• There is either a turkey breast or a ham on Christmas Day, not both.  
• We still have meat pie but we have it on Christmas Eve.  
• No more boiled veggies, they are roasted.  
• There is a spinach salad with dried cranberries or pomegranate.  
• One dessert, usually an apple pie or apple crisp. 
• My mom still bakes, but it's for a charity bake sale. She'll freeze one tray of cookies for us but we usually don't eat them all. 
• One kind of ice cream for my brother and mother.  
• No more snacks laying around.  
• There's always a bowl of fresh fruit and two cases of mandarin oranges.  
• If a box of chocolates comes into the house, it's re-wrapped and re-gifted as a present for someone else.  
• We will watch one or two holiday flicks, 
• Go for a walk every day, visit some of the neighbours, check out the crazy decorated houses
• if it's snowing, we shovel out random people's driveways! 

It's never too late to change family traditions. Don't let your holiday memories be of food and lethargy like many of mine.  Let them be of loved ones, laughs and love!

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Wednesday Weigh-in 192.5lbs. The scale is still going down, slowly but surely.