It’s a killer combination. The January resolution thing, the weight loss thing, the really freaky weather that makes it seem like I should be spring-cleaning instead of putting away the Christmas decorations… it’s a perfect storm of self-improvement, and it’s charging me up and making me want to change the world, or at least to better myself – and, heaven help them, my family.
As if all that weren’t enough, last week, Beloved and I watched Super Size Me for the first time. Yikes! Although I’d read and heard a lot about it, seeing it – and we were glued to the screen for the whole thing – went a long way toward curing us of our fast food addiction.
The same week, I was making my daily trek through Chapters. I like to see what’s new and hot and intriguing and add the titles to my library wish list, but on this particular day the book You On A Diet : The Owner’s Manual for Waist Management leapt out and practically threw itself into my bag. Since it was discounted by 40% with my membership, I bought it on impulse and have been inching my way through it in spare moments. (It’s the first non-infertility health book I’ve ever bought, which is an interesting peek into my state of mind, IMHO.) I found out later that Oprah recommended it, which is ordinarily enough to make me walk quickly in the other direction, but so far it’s been at least interesting, if not as compelling as watching the guy’s liver fail on Super Size Me. If you’re interested, I’ll post a longer review of it when I’m done.
So yesterday I came home the grocery store with a cart full of enthusiasm and – remember this complaint from last month? – no less than FIVE DAYS worth of meals. And not just crap, either – actual healthy meals. And healthy snacks, too. Go, me!!
Beloved unpacked the groceries into the cupboard while I cleaned up the poop in the back yard. (Sidebar: this weather is freaking me out. It’s mid-January and I just picked up half a season of poop from the back yard, which I often do during the January thaw – except I am usually shovelling it off a crust of deeper ice and snow. I have never, in the seven years we’ve owned Katie, picked up poop off grass in January.)
“What’s with all this healthy crap?†he queried from the deck as I shovelled shit into a Glad bag.
“There’s a new regime in town, baby!†I told him.
“Overthrow the regime!!†he responded in mock disgust before returning to the kitchen to put away the rice cakes, veggies, and whole-wheat pasta.
You know what the best part is? I lost a pound. Just one pound, but a pound nonetheless.
My colleague, the commenter otherwise known as Trixie, made my day by likening that single pound to a pound of butter. I like to think I melted it directly off my tucus.
Stand back. There’s no stopping me now.
Go Baby Go!!
Go Dani! I’m hoping your post inspires me to do something similar.
Yay you!
I’m also on the whole grains bandwagon. I bought the whole wheat pasta but I’m afraid to try it. So far I’ve had two “no complaints” tries at brown rice/white rice half and half.
I went to the gym for the first time in a few weeks yesterday. Unfortunately it made me even more tired and cranky at bedtime than usual. Exercise: good for my health, bad for my parenting.
Where do I sign up to get at least even an eensy weensy teensy piece of your enthusiasm?? It’s exactly what I need, a kick in the pants.
A friend of mine said the same to me after they watched ‘Super Size’ so perhaps that’s the therapeutic push I need to get my ass in gear.
P.S. Rice cakes – eeeiuw…BBQ chips – Mmmmmm.
xoxo
Ahh…finding the balance between you and Beloved will be excellent. I find the easiest way to eat healthy is to cheat a bit. I eat VERY healthy at home, so I can have that ice cream, or take out pizza, without any regret or extra pounds. But take that crap food….if you don’t you’ll go nuts and fall off the health bandwagon for sure.
Oh and Madeleine…whole wheat pasta was by far the easiest transition for me. I have the Catelli (spelling?) %100 WW curly-things and they taste like….well…pasta! Make the change…don’t tell family memebers…no one will know. (especially if there is some sauce on it)
way to go Dani! one pound at a time
I nearly bought taht very same book, lemme know if its worth it, OK?
Go Dani!
way ya go. I got that book last month, fanatastic. I also have the other one “You, the owner’s manual” Great books
Madeline, the “Critter Guy” (waves to old friend/new commenter!) is right, the whole wheat pasta was the least scary change to make. Even when you boil the snot out of it, it’s still a little bit chewier than regular pasta, but I don’t think the kids even notice.
Thanks for your reciprocal enthusiasm, everyone. I even went to the gym this morning before work. Woot!
I’m right there with you! When I outlined the meal choices for little Sam last night, he hesitated and then asked “um, can I have something .. delicious?” — by which he means he’s grown accustomed to the never-ending banquet of cheese and chocolate that was featured through the holidays. Whole(grain) new game in town now, baby! I’m using ‘my-calorie-counter’ to keep me honest. It’s congratulating the hell out of me for losing 4 pounds in one week: what it doesn’t know is that I’d gained 6 the week before. I’m astonishing like that 🙂
Delurking to say WTG on the pound loss and yes, please do review the book when you are done. I am currently working my way through that one but I did read “YOU: The owner’s manual” and liked it.
Go Dani go! And yes, Super Size me is a HUGE eye-opener. Pair it with Fast Food Nation and you’re more likely to become a vegetarian. 😉
I think there are a lot of food-related switches that are easy to make. The pasta is a biggie. I remember buying whole wheat pasta about 10 years ago and it was GRoss. Somehow it’s changed. I can’t tell the different.
We eat almost zero white flour now. Minus the bagels the kids get on the weekend. I on the other hand try to stick to the wholewheat/flax.
We are making a few of our own dietary-related changes, including the move towards organic foods.
Hmmm. I think I might have a post on that coming up very soon!
Thanks, everyone, for the reassurance on the whole-wheat pasta. Like Andrea, last time I tried it, it was gross. But it’s the Catelli stuff I bought (after a Star article said it really isn’t bad) so I will cross my fingers and try it.
I LOVE whole wheat pasta! Yes, it’s a bit chewier, but so much more satisfying than the semolina stuff. I also prefer whole wheat bread to white – and discovered that one of our groceries does a whole wheat french bread loaf that is to die for.
SuperSize Me was awesome. I think I need another injection of it. I totally stopped doing fast food after seeing it, but it’s creeping back into my habits. Hard to stay away when you’ve got a child whining for a happy meal everytime you get in a car.
Congratulations!
wahoo. One pound is one pound – and one excellent achievement. I loved the transition to whole wheat pasta. I was less enamoured of the transition to rice pasta (only because I found out I was gluten intolerant), but I don’t notice much of a difference anymore…
you’re doing great!
Go-you! is right!! My husband and I have been on the weight watchers bandwagon since Halloween and he has seen about 30 pounds of success so far. I am down about 10 and one day I was pouting about my lost in comparison to his. We happened to be in the grocery store at the time and he hauled me over to the baking supply aisle and had me hoist up a 10 lb bag of flour. I was surprised at how much 10 pounds really is. Having that perspective is really important!
I love the pound of butter analogy. It’s sad to think that every pound could have been that butter. Good Luck!