Cookin' It Up

Food is an important part of a balanced diet. - Fran Lebowitz

I made a conscious effort to cook more at home this week.  Not only is it easier on my pocketbook but it's also much healthier for me.  I can control what I am eating and how it is being prepared.  I need that to keep myself on track with my slow but sure weight loss (down 10 pounds since March - YIPPEE!).

Most of the things I make are modified versions of my favorite foods - turkey burgers, oven-baked chicken tenders, whole grain and flax pancakes.  I'm not much of a cook but I try to make things that are tasty but good for me.  I don't want to give up flavor because I have to watch what I eat.

I had to celebrate my Mexican-American heritage on Cinco De Mayo with some Mexican comfort food but I didn't want to go out and have a plate of greasy nachos (although it was very, VERY tempting to do).  Instead, I made some delicious fish tacos at home.  They were super easy and filling.  I used tilapia filets, added a black bean and corn salsa that I made and topped with shredded cabbage and cilantro.  I also sneaked in a little touch of avocado.  I was pretty proud of myself!

I'm trying to keep the cooking at home thing easy because, I know myself, and if it isn't easy I won't stick with it.  I don't have time to do the whole gourmet cooking thing and, quite frankly, I don't want to be in my kitchen for hours at a time.  It needs to be simple, fresh and healthy.  So far so good!  It's pretty encouraging!

The healthy cooking plus regular walks will continue to give me the results that I need.  Slow and steady wins the race!

Happy Trails!
Valeka   

  

Doin' It

Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's the little details that are vital.  Little things make big things happen.  -  John Wooden

What a great month March was!! I became more consistent with my workouts, continued being mindful of how much I eat (psyllium husk in water before each meal is my new best friend. The fiber fills me up and keeps me from over eating), AND I've eliminated a lot of stress from my life.   

I must say - it's all coming together nicely. As a result, I'm officially down five pounds for the month!  I don't quite SEE a change in my body yet but I'll take the weight loss.  Five pounds may not seem like a lot but it's better than a GAIN any day!  I lost the equivalent of this sack of potatoes.  It's five pounds gone which will help my joints when I walk, wog or run.  Besides, I never liked potatoes very much anyway :-) 

I'm very pleased with my progress and know that April will be just as great if not better!  I must admit, hearing about friends that ran races this past month further fueled the fire in me.  It is something that I miss doing and the only person keeping me from it is me.  For the last two weeks, I have been walking (with a few "sprints" thrown in) twice a day.  Splitting my work outs throughout the day makes it feel less overwhelming and I get more done.  The added bonus is that Big Baby is loving it!  I know that she and I will be in running shape soon!  

Happy Trails!

Valeka  

Lying to Ourselves

Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves. - Eric Hoffer

It's rarely intentional.  Heck, most of the time we don't even realize we are doing it.  And it's an easy thing to get caught up in because there really is no concrete evidence that we are even doing it.  We try to convince ourselves that we aren't depressed so that we won't upset others or because we think it will just go away.  We say to ourselves that we haven't put on weight when the waistband of our jeans is cutting into our muffin top.  We fool ourselves into believing that the extra slice of pizza won't "hurt us" because we will "work it off tomorrow".  Sometimes, tomorrow doesn't come and the only person that gets hurt by the lies is US. 

Deceiving ourselves is easy to do.  We hope that our reality will change and that our self-deception will be inconsequential.  We have no one to be accountable to but ourselves and since we are already lying to ourselves, another little white lie won't make a difference, right?  WRONG.  Most of us try to be honest and not lie to those we love so why do we treat ourselves differently?  I know that I have done it and, as much as I try not to, still do.  But I'm doing better (and that's no lie).

One of the most important things in breaking the habit is to have a few people in your life that will be honest with you - even when it's hard or ugly.  A great support system is crucial and if you have that in your life, use it!  The next step is to have a sit-down with yourself.  Ask yourself why you feel it's okay to lie to yourself.  For me, staring at myself in a mirror and having a heart-to-heart was a major step in the right direction.  Although I did this months ago, I still periodically have the "come to Jesus" talk with myself to keep me in line.  I realized that I owe myself the same honesty and truth that I give to others.  I'm just as worthy of those things as are the other people that I love because, I love myself too.  

Weight loss and wellness are certainly about what we take in from a nutritional standpoint but it's also about what we take into ourselves spiritually.  We must take care of ourselves physically and mentally to make it all work.  We all fall off the wagon and that's okay as long as we don't fool ourselves into thinking that we didn't or that it wasn't a big deal.  Be honest with yourself but don't beat yourself down.  There is a difference.  Tough love is acceptable but don't chastise yourself because doing so causes the cycle to remain.  If you know you are going to be "mean" to yourself because you ate three cookies instead of one, will that make you want to come clean about what you did?  Probably not.  

Treat yourself with love,patience and respect.  You will be amazed at how well you will do on your path to wellness.  

Happy Trails!

Valeka