Eating Journey

Entries categorized as ‘food/diet’

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

November 10, 2009 · 8 Comments

I have posted about the 7 Tri Lessons I have learned and I came across one of my favourite songs while starting to write this little bloggie.

Work It
Make It
Do It
Makes Us
Harder
Better
Faster
Stronger

Any guesses?

So how am I going to Work It for my next tri in Feb?

TRAIN

training scheduleEAT

Doesn’t that sound obvious? You should eat when you’re training.

However, coming from eight years of dieting and worshiping a scale…I am learning LEARNING to embrace the idea of intuitive eating. I don’t really have much more to write about this, because I am not an expert.

I still struggle fall back into ‘Old Michelle’ ways. However, what I have learned is that I have to FUEL my body. My body is a bit messed up right now and I have to live a damn clean diet because of my health issues. However, I can still overeat on healthy foods–bring on the peanuts :)

I am no longer eating to lose weight, I am eating to fuel.

ENJOY

I am still blown away at times from the comments that I get for you.YOU. and YOU! Thank you for letting me share my journey with you all.

I am here to enjoy it.

I am FINALLY doing exercise for the enjoyment of exercise.

How do you work it harder, better, faster, stronger?

~M

Categories: exercise · food/diet · health · idea · list · thoughts · training
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How to get ready for your First TRI….

November 6, 2009 · 3 Comments

How do you get ready for your first tri? EAT and CELEBRATE!

Yesterday was Madi’s Birthday. Us girls went out for lunch!

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This morning I woke up feeling like I wanted to get the mud flying in my life..and powered up with a bowl like this..1/3 c. rice flakes, 1 tsp chia and flax seeds and 1 TB peanuts (no banana–old pic sorry)

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I had a cup of tea w/ about 1/4 c. of rice milk and 2 carrots before devouring this awesome bowl of soup. Chan Chua: rice milk w/ extra chili and vegetables!

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Then I gave Madi her necklace which I bought her for her birthday..doesn’t she look great!!!!

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I have had another cup of tea. I would like to state for the case, that I have been listening to my body today. Madi and I are going to go out and order pasta tonight…to carb load before the Tri on Sunday :) I have made a conscious effort to eat meals which I know are good for me and also knowing that tonight I am going to enjoy my pasta and not shove my face all day long.

After yesterdays very scary reoccurrence of stomach pains, to the point I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital again, I knew that cheating just isn’t in the cards. It’s not only about my weight–but it’s more about my health. It’s poison to my body and I have finally embraced that this is what I have been dealt, so I am going to make the best of it.

I am off to go for a quick swim tonight at the gym and then for a run tomorrow morning. I am really excited about tomorrow and I am even more excited about Sunday.

Have you ran a race or done something where you were really looking forward to it? How did you prepare? What do you wish that you would have known?

~M

Enjoy.The.Journey Giveaway is still going on…get on it!

Categories: food/diet · health · thoughts
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Procrastination City

November 4, 2009 · 6 Comments

Ok, so I need to get studying. That’s what I’ve said to myself for the past couple of hours..the past weekend.

Why do I do this to myself…

Anyways, I went for a fast bike ride today–9km. I was DEAD at the end of it. I went out for a run afterwards and just couldn’t get going.

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I took four days off this weekend and I think that it’s affected my pysche a bit. I just felt drained today. Totally drained.

I then had 1 1/2 cups of the Potato/Leek/Carrot Soup–freezes well w/ 3/4 c. rice

P1013285I also snacked on about 1/2 c. baked beans and 2 bites of chicken.

I need to get back to this–this is going to be my life for two years.

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Ok..back at it. Must.Take.Test.Tomorrow.

BUT..before then..here are some great posts you should read:

Alright, I am out. Gotta hit the books. Did you know that there are two types of Endoplasmic Reticulum in your cells?…nevermind….

What is a post/blog that you’ve read lately that you’ve loved? Please let me procrastinate more..I beg of you.

~M

Categories: dinner · food/diet · lunch · recipes · thoughts
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For Me…

November 3, 2009 · 22 Comments

While I was down south this weekend I took a bit of time away for myself. I was away from a mobile (cell) phone, the distractions of a man (well lusting after one), away from my blog (tear), away from work.

It was just me chilin’.

It has been a year since I joined WW after a last ditched effort to maintain a 20 lbs weight loss. I had lost over 100lbs by the time of July 09′.

I then started dating a man who said to me ‘I have a problem with your weight’.

Well, being the perfectionist, pleasing, moronic woman who I was at the time, I did WW online and lost that weight, worked out and got down to my birthday weigh-in of 168lbs.

He came back from an trip, before my big weigh-in on my birthday. I remember that day so vividly. I remember him opening the gate and being totally nervous about what he’d think of me. I just wanted him to think that I was good enough. I wanted to be thin.

He said to me ‘wow, you are actually starting to get skinny’.

validation.

I went to the WW meetings after this because I had gained about 10lbs back from by birthday weight. I didn’t want to gain any of the weight back that I had lost.

I wanted to stay skinny–for HIM.

It helped me lose the weight and I was about .2lbs away from being at ‘goal’ before I headed home in 08′ for two weeks in America for Thanksgiving. What happened was:

  • beginning of binging
  • beginning of obsessive thoughts on my weight–to the point that my sister pulled me aside and told me my family was worried about how much I stressed about my weight. I didn’t want to gain weight back for my BF. What would he think?
  • beginning of MAJOR health problems.

Through the better half of 09′ I binged and tried to bring myself out of the depths of hell with my body image. This was sparked by the final comment of our official relationship

‘Michelle, my biggest fear is that you’ll gain all (120lbs) of the weight that you have lost’.

I did the best I could to gain it back.

Throughout this whole time I was on WW. I was ‘dieting’. Actually it was good mornings coupled with binging evenings.

I sought counselling, when to Timor, and came back saying: ‘I am never doing an f-ing diet again’.

I will say this, I AM HAPPY WITH WHERE I AM AT.

However, I want to lose this bit of weight for ME, so that I can get back into a healthy-weight range for my height.
For my HEALTH!
For my CONFIDENCE!
For all women who do it for other reasons then health, added happiness and other people.

I don’t blame WW (I did however for a long time, calling it depravity).
I have forgiven my ex.

Now it’s time to be honest with myself: I am ready to start this weight loss journey for myself. So that I can lose that little bit of weight and emotional triggers that have plagued my life for ten months.

I share this journey, because I want to be honest with you as readers. I want to be honest with myself. I am not going on any crazy diet.

What I will do is add to my life a healthy approach to food and an even healthier approach to me..FOR ME!

~M

Categories: food/diet · health · thoughts · weight
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Tip to Save Calories and Cash When Eating Out ~Amanda

November 2, 2009 · 3 Comments

I am still driving a bus down south…with American Study Abroad students. At this point I am probably wanting to throw pack a couple of glasses of the amazing wine in this region of Australia–but I can’t. I have to drive a bus.

Speaking of indulging…Amanda from Modernation has posted some AWESOME ways to eat out and save..money and inches from growing on your waist. Great tips. Thanks so much Amanda! ~M

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Tips to Save Calories and Cash When Eating Out ~Amanda

Hi Everyone! My name is Amanda and I write the blog Modernation from all the way over in California. Modernation is all about my life and experiences, my love of food and fitness, and strategies for living a healthy and full life. A big thanks to Mish for thinking of me for a guest post this week.

I am a huge foodie. I love cooking meals for friends and family, but also enjoy going out to eat with friends. As fun as it is, eating out can take a toll on both your wallet and your weight if you aren’t careful. Today, with everyone trying to save a penny anyway we can while not sacrificing fun, taste, or nutrition, I wanted to share some of my favorite tips for saving money and calories when eating out.

  • Have friends over before you head to a restaurant for appetizers and a drink. Open a couple bottles of wine and provide a couple simple, healthy appetizers. This is a great way to spend some quality time with friends before heading out. If you have a regular dinner group, rotate whose house you meet up at. Or ask a couple people to bring wine and one or two to bring an appetizer.
  • Order two appetizers instead of an entree. Or better yet, choose one entree and a side salad. Restaurant portions are so big now, that so-called “small plates” are actually perfectly portioned. And I often think the flavors in appetizers are more creative and exciting than many entree choices.
  • Make lunch dates instead of dinner dates. Restaurants often have less expensive and lighter options at lunch.
  • Keep your eye out for specials. Lots of restaurants have specials on certain nights of the week. Whether it is half priced bottles of wine, or entree specials, ask about them and make sure to take advantage.
  • Do not save up your calorie dollars in order to splurge at the restaurant. We have all heard this before, but it is the number one mistake you can make. If your stomach is already growling before you leave, have a snack so you can choose your meal with a clear head, not with your growling stomach.
  • Be prepared. Somehow this tip makes it into all my tips in one way or another. Look at the restaurant’s menu online and plan what you will order according to what works for your budget and nutritional needs. If there is no menu online, do some research on the type of cuisine and what “safe” choices are. You may be surprised!
  • Order with leftovers in mind by choosing an entree that keeps well. Pastas and stirfrys keep better than burgers, sandwiches or salads. When choosing an entree, if you are planning on taking half home (which is always a good idea calorie-wise), make sure it is a dish that you will enjoy the next day. Otherwise you will just wind up throwing it out, which means you are also throwing money down the drain.
  • Use online resources. I discovered Restaurant.com where you can purchase gift cards for restaurants across the country at a discounted rate. You just enter in your city, or your zip code and a list of participating restaurants appears. This is a great way to discover new restaurants in your area that you may have been hesitant to try. They sell a bunch of $25 gift cards for only $10, $50 cards for $20, and $75 cards for $30. There is usually minimum purchase of $35 at the restaurant, but the savings are still significant. And there’s no waiting for the gift certificates to ship or worrying about them getting lost in the mail – just pay and print them right from your computer.

Hope these tips help you the next time you are planning a night out with friends!

Categories: food/diet · idea · list · thoughts
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‘Balance: Health, Life, Study’ ~Ali

November 1, 2009 · 3 Comments

I am currently away, driving a bus full of American Study Abroad Students. Why, Why do I sign-up for these things? Anyways, I’ve asked some great bloggers to help me out while I am away in the middle of nowhere entertaining, un-entertainable 20 year olds. jk-kinda.

This is a GREAT from Ali @ Let the Sun Shine In! about balancing out study and healthy lifestyle choices–I NEED THIS–cause I am going back to school next year. What am I thinking? I think this southern hemisphere is making me loopy. Ok…read away. ~M
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Balance: Health, Life, Study ~Ali

Hello Eating Journey readers!

My name is Ali and I hale from Let the Sun Shine In! The lovely Mish asked me to do a guest post for her and of course I said YES! We discussed briefly a few things I could talk about and now, here I am!

I should give you a bit of background before I jump right in. I am currently in my last year of college in Wisconsin. I love my school but I am definitely ready to go see and do things in my life. I don’t know what that may be now, but I have roughly six life plans :)

Anyways, my major is Community Health Education, so I know a lot about health and wellness. My coursework has included nutrition classes, fitness classes, anatomy and physiology, as well as stress management and sexual health promotion. It is so broad but that is why I love it!

I also like to be active and eat well. Some of my favorite activities are running, spinning, lifting weights, nature hikes, and walking for leisure (with a friend especially!). I love all kinds of food; however the one thing I despise is CILANTRO. I can eat it sparingly but I had a bad encounter with it in Costa Rica when I ate some ceviche covered in cilantro. Let’s just say it was not my favorite dish. In any case, I love all other foods and I enjoy the experience of eating and cooking for/with others.

Which leads me to this post.

When you are in college, the demands can be over-the-top. Often you are getting up at the crack of dawn to either study more, workout, get to class, etc. Then you have a day of on-and-off classes, then work, and finally you come home only to continue working on homework until very late at night. It’s exhausting and can be so detrimental to your health.

So how do you balance this stress-filled lifestyle?

Let me give you a few of my tips:

  • Make sure that you get at least 7 hours of sleep (yes I know that ‘they’ suggest 8, but let’s be real…)

sleep-learning

  • Workout when you can.

exercise

    • If you are an early riser, get up and go!
    • If not, wait and do it between classes- because, honestly, who gives a sh*t if you look sweaty in class- not me and maybe that makes me gross but I’m going to let my freak flag fly then…).
    • If that doesn’t work, go after classes or work, or even late at night (go walk on the treadmill and read some trashy magazines- it’s very therapeutic :) ).
    • If none of this works, recruit a friend to go with on a weekly basis.
    • Eating right and saving money is hard, but you can do it.

    heart healthy diet-saidaonline

      • We aren’t given a lot of options in terms of eating well on a cheap budget, but for god’s sake stay away from the junk! You will perform better if you eat better.
      • Buy sale produce, look for coupons (because I know you have time. Especially if you just stalked your friends on Facebook for an hour.)
      • Buy canned beans and rinse them before eating them- then season them up and have a hot steamy bowl- they are a complete protein :)
      • If all else fails, just be sure that you are eating portion sizes (I believe there are two servings in one bag of Ramen noodles!) and getting some fruits and veggies in during the day.
      • Prioritize the things you want to do, and the things you need to do. Then for the things you need to do, use the 15 minute rule.
        • Work on your stuff for 15 minutes and then walk away. Do something you want for a bit, then come back and work on it for another 15 minutes. This works especially well for those of us who have no self control when it comes to blogging, twitter, Google searching, youtube-ing, etc.
      • Don’t pressure yourself to do perfectly in school or in your personal life.
        • I always try to do my best, but when something doesn’t always work, or I get a bad grade, I try to remind myself, *“is this going to matter in one year?”- Most often the answer is no.
        • If it is yes, then you must vow to do well the next time.
        • When in doubt, just take the next small step! *My parents always ask me this- thanks for putting things in to perspective guys <3

      So there it is. It might seem like I have it all figured out, but believe me, I don’t. I have days where I can’t do what I’d like to do (note that I am not saying should…its ok, and you don’t have to should anything- get what I mean here?) but I know that in time I will do it.

      Be safe, have fun, and enjoy life. You only get one!

      Categories: exercise · food/diet · health · list · thoughts
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      Half-Way ~Jen

      November 1, 2009 · 3 Comments

      I am currently driving a bus full of American Study Abroad students in the wine region of Western Australia. I have asked some great bloggers to provide guests posts for me.


      I have chosen and eclectic mix of guest posters baby-sitters this weekend, because they all have different stories, passions, loves, JOURNIES. I found Jen through my friend Esther and I LOVE JEN! She is a holistic package of real-ness (is that a word), hilarity, honesty, funniness (is that a word) and creativity. (you must check out her photography site. If When I get married, I am flying her out to take my photos).


      Have fun reading Jen’s post. She is a ball of greatness and I am go thankful she was willing to post up on my site! ~M

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      Half-Way ~Jen, Ex-Hot Girl

      Well, hello everyone! The lovely Michelle has asked me to do a guest post on her blog while she’s out on vacation. I’m flattered!

      So… many of you might not know who I am. My name is Jenn and I am also known as “Ex Hot Girl.” I am a photographer, and a crazy chick who’s losing weight in the Midwest.

      What I’d like to talk about today is being halfway through the weight loss journey. Many of us are just starting out; some of us have only 5 pounds to go. For me, I’ve lost half the weight I need to in order to reach my goal.

      Tracker

      42.4 pounds lost.

      42.6 pounds to go.

      Wow.

      It is both joyous and sort of daunting at the same time. I feel really happy, and also kind of sad that I still have so much further to go. It got me thinking about what happens now that I’ve gotten to that halfway point.

      1. I feel really good about my weight loss thus far.
      2. I fit into clothes I haven’t been able to for two years.
      3. I look back at photos of myself and can really see a difference in my face and body.
      4. I feel more confident in every area of my life.
      5. My relationship with my boyfriend is even better because I have more confidence and feel more comfortable with my body.
      6. My sex life is better. Read: Less wobbly bits!

      All of those things are positive ones! But there are also some things about losing weight, and not being to the goal yet that aren’t necessarily good things.

      1. I tend to loosen up on my diet. I am smaller, and experiencing all the good things that go along with it, so I feel like it’s “okay” to eat a cookie. Or, yeah, I’ll have a piece of pie. Or, my personal vice… cheese and crackers. I could sit down with a box of Ritz and a block of cheddar and go to town for a few hours. Seriously.
      2. I slack off on working out. I’m doing so well, and my body is okay right now, it’s not “crucial” that I get to the gym today…

      I can’t figure out exactly what it is about being halfway there that makes me feel like such a slacker. I reached this point by being dedicated to eating well and controlling what went into my mouth. I had “no thanks,” down to an art form.

      Do you guys find that reaching your mini weight loss goals makes you more motivated, or more slackerish? ‘Cause I struggle with this one.

      SO! I’ve decided to come up with a little motivation plan to keep me on track through the remainder of my weight loss journey. Whether you’ve lost five pounds, fifteen, or fifty… if you have further to go, maybe this will help you too! And if you have any other tips or tricks to add to this, please share them. I’d love to hear your advice. :)

      1. Keeping photos of myself at my goal weight on the fridge, on my phone, on my computer desktop. If you haven’t been at your goal weight yet, find a photo of someone around that weight/size and it might motivate you more.
      2. Keeping my skinny jeans in plain view. I have them on my dresser, and I look at them almost every day. Every few weeks I’ll try them on just to remind myself that while I fit loosely into my size 14’s and can squeeze into a 12… I still can’t zip up those 8’s, so I’m not there yet and it’s not time to eat carrot cake.
      3. Watching shows like The Biggest Loser, Diet Tribe and You Are What You Eat (BBC) – it reminds me that physical activity helps to make you stronger and it will increase the effectiveness of your diet plan in losing weight. The success stories are motivational!
      4. Keeping active in the weight loss blogging community. Blogging about my journey, reading other people’s blogs and participating in challenges helps to keep me on track.
      5. Along with that, participating in the Bloggerhood of the Traveling Not So Fat Pants. This one is a huge motivator because I’ve got a pair of 14 jeans that are going out to another woman in a month. I need to be in my size 12’s by then so I can follow through on my commitment to her. On that same note, she’s working hard on her weight loss plan so she can fit into those 14’s I send her by the time they get to her.

      So there you have it! My little motivational tips. I’d love to hear what else you guys do to keep you motivated on your weight loss journey!

      Thanks for having me, and I hope you all have a kick-ass Halloween. :)

      ~Jenn (Ex Hot Girl)

      Categories: exercise · food/diet · health · list · thoughts · weight
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      This Halloween, You’re Getting Jack Sh*t

      October 31, 2009 · 4 Comments

      I am currently driving a bus full of American Study Abroad students in the wine region of Western Australia. I have asked some great bloggers to provide guests posts for me.

      So…here is Jack Sh*t, Gettin’ Fit. If you haven’t followed him..DO! NOW! I command you. Enjoy. Ohh and Happy Halloween–silly Australians have no idea what they’re missin’ out on. ~M (p.s. say a prayer for my sanity)

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      This Halloween, You’re Getting Jack Sh*t ~Jack Sh*t

      Hi, my name’s Jack Sh*t and I’ve engineered a hostile takeover of this space for the day. “Why?” you ask. Good question. I guess because Michelle asked me to fill in for her for the day, and I don’t like to turn down requests from anyone (even Australians*).
      *Actually, Michelle was born an American and later converted to Australianism

      Since we’re right on top of Halloween, I thought I’d do something related, but my research indicated that Australians aren’t as in tune with our spook-tacular holiday as rootin’-tootin’ Americans. Their loss, I say.

      Speaking of losses, Halloween is a tough time of year to try and manufacture one on the weight-loss front, what with all the candy flying around and bombastic costume parties. Anyway, this whole line of pondering got me to thinking about all the various ways that being overweight is like Halloween, which caused me to write this list called “Ways Being Overweight is Like Halloween.”
      Ways Being Overweight is Like Halloween

      • They don’t make the best clothes in your size

      • There’s too much emphasis on sweets

      • You’re annoyed by people who insist on giving out healthy treats

      • Sometimes you get creeped out when you see yourself in the mirror

      • You buy bags of miniature Twix and KitKat bars “for the kids”

      • It’s a celebration of empty calories

      • Can’t walk around the block without stopping at every house and asking for food

      • You hate giving away your candy

      • When you get dressed up, people think you look frightening

      • You wind up eating even the candy you don’t like

      • A lot of people are really against it

      • Insert your own “goblin” joke here

      • You often steal food from your children

      • You want to hide your face

      Happy Halloween to one and all, Happy Whatever to you friendly Australians and, if you get the chance, stop by Jack Sh*t, Gettin’ Fit for a little more weight loss and fitness nonsense. Thanks for letting me play in your backyard, Michelle.

      Categories: food/diet · health · idea · list · thoughts · weight
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      Cake for the Bride

      October 28, 2009 · 14 Comments

      Today my co-worker Jamie arrived back from her vacation in Vietnam. SHE GOT ENGAGED while she was in Vietnam. I said to her, ‘Jaimee, what did you look like when he asked you to marry him?’

      P1013194Nice..James..nice.

      So Ervina and I decided to decorate a huge white board for her arrival today.

      P1013179She needed a chair. Yes, I blew up all of those HUGE balloons.

      P1013177P1013180The I decided to bake her a cake. It was so much fun.

      P1013191P1013196This cake is vegan (frosting isn’t) recipe here.

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      It was so cute. Apparently he was super nervous to propose to her. He didn’t have a ring, so he gave this one to her. How cute. They’re going ring shopping this weekend.

      P1013193We are so proud for her, she’s such a lovely girl.

      ~M

      Categories: dessert · food/diet · thoughts
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      Coach Annie…I’m gonna need a massage

      October 26, 2009 · 14 Comments

      Today has been a bit slow..but I guess that’s how it goes on a humid/rainy day in the middle of spring.

      I ate an orange and about 2 tsp. of organic/natural peanut butter, before heading out to have one of my favourite lunches at Cafe 55. Chan Chua.

      P1013165

      It’s a homemade sweet and sour broth w/ fresh veggies, TONS of chili and rice noodles. My tummy loves it.

      I snacked on 1/2 c. apple sauce w/ 1 TB peanut butter and 1 carrot w/ 1/4. c. skinny hummus. I have been snacky all afternoon–I think it’s avoiding work..really. Opps. I may have bought a Pepsi Max.

      I gave my original triathlon training program to my co-worker Annie to look at. Did I mention that she has ran an Iron(Wo)Man. She’s amazing. A great resource.

      My original training program now w/ modifications

      • Monday: Run REST
        • 15 min run, 1 min walk, 10 min run, 5 min walk
      • Tuesday: Run: 15 run, 1 walk, 10 run, 5 walk
        • Swim and Bike
        • 1.2 km swim (4 x 300m w/ 1 min rests)
        • Bike (10 min steady, 20 minutes of intervals: 2 min hard, 30 sec easy, 5 minute cool down)
      • Wednesday: Swim and Bike
        • Swim: 1.2km 300 warm-up (50swim/50drill/50sw/50pull boyou/50sw/50kickboard) 2×200m w/ 40 sec rest, 4×100m w/ 20 sec rest, 2×50 cool down
        • Bike: 10 min steady, 20 min intervals (40 sec hard, 20 sec recovery), 5 min cool down
        • Swim
        • 1.4 km swim (4x 350m w/ 1 min rests)
      • Thursday: Bike and Run together
        • Bike 30 minutes and 5km run–gonna do them together
      • Friday: TEST RUN
        • 200m swim, 6km bike ride and 2km run–all in spandex baby
      • Saturday: REST
        • Run 20 min run, 1 min walk, 6 min run, 5 min walk
      • Sunday: Run
        • 25 min run, 1 min walk, 10 min run, 5 min walk

      Today I was supposed to go running, but my body is SCREAMING at me to stretch out. You know the soreness where you can’t sit on the toliet..yeah that kind. Also my triceps..hurt to the touch.

      I just booked a massage..YES.

      I am off to the store to buy some yummy stuff for a friend’s engagement afternoon tea on wednesday. I will post the recipe for the most amazing and SIMPLE cake ever! If you like chocolate..you better stick around.

      Do you get massages? What are your thoughts?

      ~M

      Categories: exercise · food/diet · thoughts
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