Posts by date : January 2019
Fatty’s Frustration
Want a humbling experience? Stay in a place the puts a mirror directly across from the shower. As you step out of the shower you see a chubby, naked monster coming to devour your children. Only to realize- oh, hey, that’s me! And I’m fresh out of children to sustain myself on! And, of course, if it was during the holidays all you’ve been doing is eating well. And by “well” I mean cookies, candy, fatty food, and rich sauces- not “well” as in vegetables, fruit, lean meat, and salads. How do you recover and get back on track after all the fun of the holidays, parties, and just sheer irresponsibility? My solutions to go from scary monster to sexy beast:
- Cook for myself. During the holidays, there are parties, events, travel, and family functions everyone goes to. It’s difficult to avoid those family traditions you’ve had your whole life. And most of them will be bad for you. But when I cook for myself, I know what goes into it. I can also make healthy food that doesn’t taste like dirt and depression.I started mixing my favorite comfort foods with veggies, so that I get the best of both worlds. I love cheesy potato soup, so I made potato soup with cauliflower. ½ potato, ½ cauliflower, I used Greek yogurt instead of cream, and I topped it with cheese rather than mixing it in. I have found that mixing in the cauliflower with my potatoes gives me more servings of veggies, allows me to eat a food I love, and yet gets me more vitamins and nutrients that keep me healthy(ish). Finding a way to make my favorite foods healthy is a challenge that I embrace. And also- it allows me to indulge on the things that aren’t all that good if you try and make it healthier (like Pop-tart ice cream sandwiches).
- Increase my heartrate. I come home and walk every day. My goal is 15,000 steps a day. But actually running- getting that heart rate up, will hopefully keep the waddle at bay. Losing weight has always been a priority for me. It was what started me on my fitness journey. But I keep with it not just for the weight loss. I saw women at the gym who were 80 years old, lifting weights, running, and doing fitness classes right alongside me- and sometimes outdoing me! I want that. I feel like if I quite moving, I will stagnate. If I get my heart rate up, add running to my daily walk, it will help keep my heart healthy, and me strong into old age.
As I try to get back on track, I have found things that work for me. I also have goals I need to set to get better. I mean, I’m pretty awesome. BUT- who can’t improve? Losing weight, improving your health, and adapting to change- those are hard things. But with work and dedication, I think I can do it. And I also hope I can keep my sense of humor about it. I started this blog in 2013- 6 years ago!! And I’m still trying to lose weight. Yeah, it’s hard. But I think being able to look at the journey in a funny way helps. And I laugh at myself constantly. So- here’s to more work! And here’s to me becoming more awesome!
Fatty’s Fortitude
I’ve been gone for too long. I realized when I looked in the blog that it had been more than a year since I had written anything, and I knew it was a bad thing. People need to be inspired by my failures! Who doesn’t feel better about themselves when watching other people fail? So I knew I needed to get back to my fitness blog. I’ve done a lot of new things, failed at some, was super amazing at others, and also- now I’m old. So being old, chubby, and on a fitness journey provides for an interesting blog. And since it’s the start of a new year, it gives me a chance to set fitness resolutions. Most likely, since it’s a New Year’s resolution, it will last a month and become a vague memory of things I can claim I never promised to do. But if I make it a blog promise, I guess others can call me on it. Which sucks- strangers telling me what to do is unsettling. But, it might help keep me on the best path. So, here are my goals:
1. First and foremost: be better about my blog. Try and write every other week. Blogging about my journey keeps me exercising, eating a little (tiny, bitty) bit better, and also lets me laugh at myself. And sometimes, it makes others smile too. Inspiring others to pretend they can do things, like I do, helps people- I think. So there’s a bonus in that.
2. Clean up my diet: by no means, EVER, will I give up junk food. NEVER. GOING. TO. HAPPEN. But I do know that my meals can be better, and fresh food is better than microwave meals and hot dogs (although I’ll still eat those). I think the concept of “Meatless Mondays” would be one that is doable for me. Giving up meat completely is very unlikely for me. Yes, cows are adorable, but steak is delicious and I’m not going to stop enjoying it. Even if I had pet cow, I would STILL eat steak- just move the cow to a pasture far away so it can’t judge me with with giant, doleful eyes. But one day a week of a vegetarian diet is something I am capable of doing. And it also allows me to get more creative with recipes, and to try new veggies. YEAY new things.
3. Lift weights: I have been great with walking. I have a goal of 15,000 steps during the week, and 10,000 on weekends. And I almost always hit it. But as of late, I have been very bad with my weight training. I lift heavy things a fair amount, but I have been remiss in my specific training. I need to be better on all fronts when it comes to that. Weights can also help with my getting old issue. I mean, it won’t stop me from aging. Nothing can do that (YET- maybe someday I can stop it, with unicorn blood or alien slime- but so far, nothing stops it). But lifting weights can help slow, or even stop, many of the muscle and bone issues that come with age. If I can do that, its kinda like a fountain of youth. And with #2- cleaning up the diet, the slow decent into old age decrepitude can be prevented. At very least, it allows me to age with grace (as gracefully as I can, which is not much, but maybe age with less ungainliness).
4. Finally, take care of my mind. This doesn’t sound exactly like a fitness goal, but really, it is. Another issue with aging is memory, and stress can age you prematurely. It also takes a toll on your health. I put a language app on my phone, and do that daily. But I feel that adding yoga at the end of my workouts has really helped in the past. It allows me to stretch, but also to pay attention to my breath, and not focus on work, or tasks, or home concerns. It just allows me to clear my mind and relax. And stretching can assist with my balance, allowing me to not be as worried about falling and breaking a hip. Because now I’m past 30 and slowing creeping toward death.
So far, my goals have been going well. I even did a meatless day today- I know, I know, it isn’t Monday, but it worked out OK. Of course, with time, inspiration lags and frustration sets in. But, I hope this year, I can improve myself and do better each day. Now- on to being awesome!
Recent Comments