You know you need a break when your husband surprises you with some potted daffodils and all you think is “Great, ANOTHER thing to take care of…”

Can I start this week over again? Please?

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

I’m thinking of doing the 12 weeks again this summer. I just moved from Cleveland back to Miami (Yay!!!) but the havoc of moving has not been kind to my waistline. Especially since I’ve got this lingering cough that pops up any time I try to be active. So I think I’ll come up with some nutrition goals to tide me over until this cough is gone. THEN the gym resolutions start again!

That way my husband can’t ever say the horrific thing that popped out of his mouth earlier this summer after a month apart (he was preparing things in Miami while I still worked in Cleveland): “Whoa! Are you pregnant or just fat?”

No, I did not kill him. Yes, it was very tempting.

A Creature of Habit

Humans are by nature creatures of habit, but I take it to a whole new level sometimes. I’m so used to working from 7-4 and taking lunch at noon that when I had to temporarily switch to 8-5 and take lunch at two, I gained four pounds in three weeks. Everything else in life was the same – my diet, my sleep, my exercise – the only variable was my work/lunch schedule. When I switched back to 7-4 and lunch at noon, those four pounds melted off.

All this tells me something I’ve always known: I suck at change. I’m just not good at it. I hate change. Or so I thought… but right now there is a lot going on in my life (good things!) and the change is coming and it is terrifying… and strangely exhilirating and hopeful. I’ve never felt like that when faced when change before.

When you feel good about life, you feel good about yourself. And when you feel good about yourself, you meet your goals more easily, no matter what they may be.

It looks like there are good times ahead, friends. I’ll enjoy this rollercoaster on the way there all I can.

Cathy 2.0, now with less teeth!

I’ve discovered another weight loss method, but it isn’t one I would recommend. I had my wisdom teeth extracted last week and have lost five pounds in six days. Normally this would either a) thrill me; or b) worry me, because that’s probably not healthy under normal circumstances. But I miss solid foods! If I have to eat another spoonful of apple sauce I might vomit.

Dan convinced me to try eating sushi last night. Normally he doesn’t have to cajole me into eating sushi, but I wasn’t sure I was ready for it yet. Unfortunately, I was right… gumming sushi just doesn’t taste right, and Dan got the spoils of what I wasn’t able to eat on my plate. I don’t suspect him of any ulterior motives… nonetheless, he can treat me to a real sushi meal when I can truly chew again.

In other fitness news, we bought a Wii and Wii Fit Plus a couple of months ago. I’ve been using it fairly consistently, and while it isn’t anything near a replacement for going to the gym, it is a nice supplement to a fitness routine. Especially during blizzards, when you can’t get to the gym anyway. My only problem with the Wii Fit series is that the main way you are measured is by BMI, which I don’t think is a truly accurate way of measuring people, especially women. Other than that, it is fine, especially with upper body exercises. I’ve noticed better toning in my arms since getting the Wii, mostly due to the yoga poses, boxing and kung fu games. I am on exercise restriction until I’m over this pain in my mouth, but I can’t wait to get back on the Wii.

I’ve been hunting up more healthy recipes that I can’t wait to try — once I can properly chew things I’ll test them out and post the winners here.

Selectatarianism

I may have disappeared for awhile from here, but I’m still making efforts to create a healthier lifestyle. Around the New Year, I decided to incorporate more vegetarian meals into my weekly menus. I’m calling it “selectatarianism” — i.e. I am a vegetarian except when I don’t feel like it. While this may not be a hard, fast stance on food groups, it works well for me. I’m doing semi-vegetarianism to be healthier, not because I think humans aren’t meant to eat animals. We are omnivores, end of story.

Either way, I’ve found/made some fantastic recipes. And after a two months on my mostly-vegetarian diet and having my gym pattern fall by the wayside (oops), I’m down a pants size. After another month, the new pants are starting to get a liiiittle loose.

My husband was skeptical about this selectatarianism at first. He was actually out of town for those first two months of this experiment, and there was certainly some teasing if he caught me on a day when I decided I needed a burger… but when he got home, he ate his meat-laden words! He even ate my vegetarian chili, which he had previously requested to try, but with a plaintive “…but can we add real meat to it?”

So without further ado, I present one of my favorite vegetarian recipes. Feel free to give it a try!

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

A dab of olive oil
1/2 pound of Boca crumbles
3/4 red onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 habanero pepper, very finely chopped
1 can (28 ounces) organic crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, drained
1 can (12 ounces) baked beans, undrained
Chili powder to taste (I do about 1/2 – 3/4 a teaspoon)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1-2 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
shredded cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and habanero pepper and let it cook for a few minutes.
2. Add garlic and Boca crumbles. Cook for a few more minutes.
3. Add all remaining ingredients.
4. Simmer for 30-40 minutes
5. Serve; top with shredded cheese if desired.

MMMMM PIE!

I made a delicious pie this week that I would qualify as healthy. Some friends of ours gave us no less than about 15 pears. What do you do with 15 pears? BAKE!

I peeled six pears and chopped them up, mixed them with raisins and chopped almonds, a pinch of cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg. Mix thoroughly, fill pie pan, and bake for about 30 minutes at 425 degrees.

DELICIOUS. And full of healthy things!

Update on my heart!

I got the results back from the echocardiogram and the doctor says my heart is perfectly healthy, aside from that minor defect. The defect hasn’t caused any damage whatsoever. Thank goodness!

12 weeks results

The twelve weeks are over, and I can’t believe how beneficial this program has been to me. I wish all that craziness hadn’t happened towards the end of it, because that derailed me a bit (which I think is understandable, given the circumstances).

Here’s the kicker though — I had my annual physical last week, and I told my doctor about the program. She gave me an EKG for the first time in my life so I could get some additional data for this program. It turns out that I’ve made it through 26 years of life without anyone noticing that I have a minor congenital heart defect! And if it hadn’t been for the BetterU program, I may not have found out for awhile since many doctors don’t consider an EKG a standard part of a physical for people as young as me.

I have an appointment with a cardiologist next week to have an echocardiogram, just to make sure the rest of my heart is healthy. I’m sure it is; the chances of this being an indication of anything bigger are next to nothing because of my age and health habits (not a smoker or drinker, etc.). Nonetheless, I’m glad I found out about it. Thanks, BetterU!

By the way, my bloodwork was so fabulous that my doctor wrote notes next to my cholesterol numbers saying things such as “excellent!” and “this is great!” with big smiley faces. This is the first time I’ve seen this doctor, and I’m happy to say I have FINALLY found a doctor in Cleveland that I like!

Now how about we hear about the results?

Conclusions from the end of the 12 weeks:
1. I did a really good job updating every week until life went haywire for awhile there.
2. Despite this, I kept up my goals as best as I could and did a pretty good job at it, even when on the road, travelling, and in the midst of chaos.
3. I still drink too much diet coke, but much less than I did before the 12 weeks (oh Diet Coke, why must you be so addictive??)

Results from the end of the 12 weeks:
1. I lost between 8 and 10 pounds depending on which scale you go by (I have a feeling 8 is more like it, but I’ll take 10. Why not?)
2. I lost TWO INCHES of my waist at last count. I can’t find my measuring tape at the moment, so my last measurement was about two weeks ago now. Since there is no reason for my waist to have grown, it could even be a little bit more by now. I think that is super impressive!

I think I’m going to keep this blog and update it with my continuing efforts to live a healthier lifestyle. It has been a fun journey, far more beneficial than I expected, and I’m not ready to let it end.

How do the rest of you feel about the program?

Quick note of hope

I was worried that I’d lost all the progress I’d made in my crazy two weeks in Miami, where I was running around, eating badly (or not at all) and generally feeling like Atlas with the world on my shoulders (but in my case it was a giant ball of stress).

But it is not so! I measured my waist for the first time since the halfway point of this adventure, and I’ve lost another inch. I’m down from 33 inches to 31.5 inches. That is AWESOME! And while not as awesome, my BMI is down from 29.1 to 28.3.

I won’t argue with results like that in the best of times, let alone now where I took a 2 or 3 week hiatus from the project. It feels so good to be getting back into my old routines. My body missed good food!

Week: I’ve Lost Count

Everything is still extremely chaotic due to my mother-in-law’s passing. I’m back up in Cleveland for a week and Dan is down in Miami. I’m up to my eyeballs in backlogged work and he’s still cleaning out his mother’s house, filing paperwork with lawyers, and more.

My goals until this is all behind us:
1. Eat as little fast food as possible. I know not eating any at all is not possible, but I want to try and keep it to a minimum.
2. Get to the gym whenever I can.
3. Get more sleep than I’ve been getting.

I know these are pretty basic goals, but I’ve got a lot on my plate, metaphorically speaking.

On the ‘bright’ side, I got a pretty serious case of heat stroke when I was in Miami and spent three days vomiting. Lost seven pounds. Wheeee!

I clearly need more sleep. Sorry everyone!