Alright folks. The first big heat wave has arrived in New England (thank goodness!) In my years of life thus far, I have determined that the first really hot day of each year is quite possibly the happiest day to ever exist ever in history. Yes, happier than Christmas. Yes, happier than that rare day you miraculously wake up rested. Yes, happier than a slinky on an escalator (I stole that from a commercial...because it's hilarious).
This is what I do on the first hot day of the year: I get so excited and just want to be outside all day and not do anything except be outside. Wellllllll, that's not very smart. In order for you to not be stupid like me, I'm going to give you some suggestions on staying safe in the heat. Let's hope you follow them**:
1. Dehyration
2. Burns
Let's start with dehydration. This one is easy people. Just keep water with you and drink it a lot. I know this makes you pee more, but it's worth it. Trust me. (And please get out of the pool to pee...please...I'm literally begging you. No one wants that on them so stop it.) When the temperature in our environment is high, our body temperature rises as well. Most of us know that our organs, including our brain, are not very good with extreme temperatures. They are kinda dumb in fact. The silly organs just kinda stop working in extreme temperatures. So our body tries to fix the whole sitch by sweating (or shivering in cold weather). This increases blood flow to our skin and cools us down. What is sweat though? basically, it's water and salt, right? correct. Our body still needs water to function correctly so we have to replace that water that we are sweating out. Salt and other necessary electrolytes are super important too. Na is a key component of one of the biggest pumps in our bodies. If it fails, we're screwed. Drink lots of water and get electrolytes!
Okay, this one is tough to talk about--burns. We live in a society where natural tans are considered beautiful and sexy. Sure they are. But UV radiation is definitely not the best thing for our skin. And think about it people, your skin is your body's LARGEST defense from the environment. Wear sunscreen. Wear sunglasses (gotta protect those eyeballs too). Ladies (and gents for that matter), put on face lotion every day that has at least an SPF of 15. The skin on our face is sensitive, especially around our eyes. Avoid early onset of wrinkles and sunspots by protecting your skin. I'm gonna need to follow this advice as well--I'm not that innocent (oh lord, Britney is now in my head. God help me.) I am lucky enough to not have the type of skin that burns easily. Tanning causes damage to the skin too--so be careful. be smart.
Now go have fun in the sun! Summer is here!!!!!
**Keep in mind that these suggestions are for people who are healthy and of an adult age. If you are elderly, a kid, or have certain illnesses, you need to be SUPER cautious with the sun. The sun makes the world go round but it can also cause a lot of damage to our bodies if we don't interact with it appropriately.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Mexican restaurant? Nope...I'm on a diet.
I can't count the number of times I've said that (or at least thought it). Most of you probably have too at some point. Who doesn't love some delicious Latin food though? I honestly can't think of one person I know who doesn't love the taste. Let's not lie--they might not like what happens after consuming the food...but they sure do like it on the way down. Why shouldn't us lifelong dieters be able to enjoy that deliciousness too?? We should...
The problem with going to a, let's say, Mexican restaurant is that it's pretty difficult to make healthy choices. Here are a few tips to help you still get your Mexican fix and not feel guilty afterward:
1. Try not to eat the chips and salsa.
I know I know...it's delicious. But there's really no way to eat this appetizer and still come out high on the healthy-o-meter. Order a glass of water or a glass of unsweetened iced tea and chug it as soon as the waiter puts it down. This will make your belly feel full until your meal comes out. If people at your table want the chips and salsa, dominate whatever conversation is going on--don't stop talking to keep yourself occupied. Or, have them take it to THEIR side of the table--out of arms reach (if you're like me and have T-Rex arms, that won't be difficult).
2. Order a la carte.
These restaurants feed us as if we are about to go into hibernation. And somehow, we end up eating it all. That my friends, is called gluttonous behavior. Basically (and I'm guilty of this too...every time), they put enough food to feed an entire country in Africa in front of us and we go to town. If you order a la carte, the servings come out smaller. Every Mexican restaurant I've ever been to has had an extensive a la carte menu. They have it for those of us who feel like we need something extra. Instead, use it to make your own meal!
3. Stay away from hard shell tacos.
Those babies are deep fried. Need I say more?
4. Fajitas are a fairly safe choice.
Granted we don't know exactly what's in the sauce they cook it in, but it's probably one of your best choices. You've got veggies, grilled meats, and YOU control the amount of toppings you put on it. It's a gimme.
5. Go for the healthier tortilla option.
Some restaurants have a gluten free or whole wheat tortilla option. If they do, take it. Now listen, they don't taste as yummy as the normal kind. I'm not gonna lie to ya. But do you want your tortilla to be the best part of your meal? or what's inside that tortilla to be the best part of your meal? what's inside it, silly!!! Plus you're the one reading this right now...you should be willing to make mini sacrifices.
6. Don't order a margarita.
If you don't know why, then we should talk. By drinking a margarita, you might be having fun, but your blood sugar is gonna go through the roof. When I say 1500 calories in one drink, I'm really not kidding. Not worth it...trust me.
7. Eat more beans, less rice.
Beans actually have health benefits to them. The rice used in these restaurants is refined which basically means you're eating empty calories. Have a few bites of the rice if you must, but go for the beans first. Beans, beans, they're good for your heart. The more you eat, the more you...(go ahead and laugh like a 10-year-old boy...it's fine)
8. Add pepper, not salt.
ESPECIALLY in a Mexican restaurant, peeps--you should want a little spice. If something isn't satisfying you, add pepper to get that extra little kick. It works.
I hope you found these tips helpful. Give them a shot next time you go to a Mexican joint. Don't be skeeeeeered. Stay Strong!!
The problem with going to a, let's say, Mexican restaurant is that it's pretty difficult to make healthy choices. Here are a few tips to help you still get your Mexican fix and not feel guilty afterward:
1. Try not to eat the chips and salsa.
I know I know...it's delicious. But there's really no way to eat this appetizer and still come out high on the healthy-o-meter. Order a glass of water or a glass of unsweetened iced tea and chug it as soon as the waiter puts it down. This will make your belly feel full until your meal comes out. If people at your table want the chips and salsa, dominate whatever conversation is going on--don't stop talking to keep yourself occupied. Or, have them take it to THEIR side of the table--out of arms reach (if you're like me and have T-Rex arms, that won't be difficult).
2. Order a la carte.
These restaurants feed us as if we are about to go into hibernation. And somehow, we end up eating it all. That my friends, is called gluttonous behavior. Basically (and I'm guilty of this too...every time), they put enough food to feed an entire country in Africa in front of us and we go to town. If you order a la carte, the servings come out smaller. Every Mexican restaurant I've ever been to has had an extensive a la carte menu. They have it for those of us who feel like we need something extra. Instead, use it to make your own meal!
3. Stay away from hard shell tacos.
Those babies are deep fried. Need I say more?
4. Fajitas are a fairly safe choice.
Granted we don't know exactly what's in the sauce they cook it in, but it's probably one of your best choices. You've got veggies, grilled meats, and YOU control the amount of toppings you put on it. It's a gimme.
5. Go for the healthier tortilla option.
Some restaurants have a gluten free or whole wheat tortilla option. If they do, take it. Now listen, they don't taste as yummy as the normal kind. I'm not gonna lie to ya. But do you want your tortilla to be the best part of your meal? or what's inside that tortilla to be the best part of your meal? what's inside it, silly!!! Plus you're the one reading this right now...you should be willing to make mini sacrifices.
6. Don't order a margarita.
If you don't know why, then we should talk. By drinking a margarita, you might be having fun, but your blood sugar is gonna go through the roof. When I say 1500 calories in one drink, I'm really not kidding. Not worth it...trust me.
7. Eat more beans, less rice.
Beans actually have health benefits to them. The rice used in these restaurants is refined which basically means you're eating empty calories. Have a few bites of the rice if you must, but go for the beans first. Beans, beans, they're good for your heart. The more you eat, the more you...(go ahead and laugh like a 10-year-old boy...it's fine)
8. Add pepper, not salt.
ESPECIALLY in a Mexican restaurant, peeps--you should want a little spice. If something isn't satisfying you, add pepper to get that extra little kick. It works.
I hope you found these tips helpful. Give them a shot next time you go to a Mexican joint. Don't be skeeeeeered. Stay Strong!!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Squeeze a wee bit o' exercise in
Here's a secret: We are all busy people. We have a lot going on and more to do. We also have to watch our shows...you know the ones: Walking Dead, New Girl, Game of Thrones, HIMYM, Breaking Bad, etc. DVR and other on-demand type of programs have allowed us to watch those shows whenever we want (which is awesome). But now, we are missing out on even more precious time that we could use to do something healthy for ourselves by letting our dinners marinade in our tummies.
Here is my trick: STAY in front of the tv during the commericals and let the commercials play through!
What? You're nuts, Anti-Unhealthy. Stop it.
No. I'm for serious. During each commercial break, do a different exercise:
Push-ups
Crunches
Planks
Squats
Lunges
You can do them in any order you want and however you want. Try doing them in sets of 10 and resting for 10 seconds. Or try doing them on a per commercial basis--hold your plank position until the first commercial is over, rest 10 seconds and go back up until the next one is over, etc. etc.
You'll be sweating by the end. And if you make a habit of this, you WILL notice a difference.
I know it's hard to commit to doing something like this after working all day. I know all you wanna do by that point in the day is sit on your big comfy couch in front of your fabulous tv and veg out. I know. I get it. Me too.
But, it's not as hard as it seems once you get started. Let's not lie, during commercials, we do 1 of 3 things: get a snack, pee, or fast forward. All of those things can wait.
Give it 1 shot and see how you like it.
Consider this your new "fast forward" button for the commercials. :)
Here is my trick: STAY in front of the tv during the commericals and let the commercials play through!
What? You're nuts, Anti-Unhealthy. Stop it.
No. I'm for serious. During each commercial break, do a different exercise:
Push-ups
Crunches
Planks
Squats
Lunges
You can do them in any order you want and however you want. Try doing them in sets of 10 and resting for 10 seconds. Or try doing them on a per commercial basis--hold your plank position until the first commercial is over, rest 10 seconds and go back up until the next one is over, etc. etc.
You'll be sweating by the end. And if you make a habit of this, you WILL notice a difference.
I know it's hard to commit to doing something like this after working all day. I know all you wanna do by that point in the day is sit on your big comfy couch in front of your fabulous tv and veg out. I know. I get it. Me too.
But, it's not as hard as it seems once you get started. Let's not lie, during commercials, we do 1 of 3 things: get a snack, pee, or fast forward. All of those things can wait.
Give it 1 shot and see how you like it.
Consider this your new "fast forward" button for the commercials. :)
Thursday, May 2, 2013
What would you do if a Zombie was chasing you?
RUN!
Okay, if you had an awesome Zombie-killing tool or if you were Daryl (if you don't get that reference, go away. or watch Walking Dead), then you'd probably attack. But let's say a huuuuuuuuuuuuge mob of zombies was chasing you...you'd totally run.
In case you haven't heard, there is this pretty fantastical app called "Zombies, Run! " You should install it on whatever device you use to listen to music while you run.
This is why...
It tells you a story and makes you part of that story while you run. The setting is a Zombie apocalypse (no surprise there), and you join an existing group of survivors who are just trying to...well..survive. You have to run to go get supplies and/or just get away from zombies. Your runs are classified as "missions". Prior to starting, you can set an average time that you'd like a mission to be and that's what it has you do.
The app tells this story while you're running, motivates you, and plays 1 song in between each set of dialogue. Also, during the music, this weird voice pops up and announces a supply you picked up. It says, "collected a (fill in the blank)." The most common item I seem to collect is a sports bra. (reallll subtle hint, Zombies, Run...reallll subtle).
Anyway, if you are like me and get bored while running, try this app. It might give you just the twist you need to stay motivated.
Zombies!!! RUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!
Okay, if you had an awesome Zombie-killing tool or if you were Daryl (if you don't get that reference, go away. or watch Walking Dead), then you'd probably attack. But let's say a huuuuuuuuuuuuge mob of zombies was chasing you...you'd totally run.
In case you haven't heard, there is this pretty fantastical app called "Zombies, Run! " You should install it on whatever device you use to listen to music while you run.
This is why...
It tells you a story and makes you part of that story while you run. The setting is a Zombie apocalypse (no surprise there), and you join an existing group of survivors who are just trying to...well..survive. You have to run to go get supplies and/or just get away from zombies. Your runs are classified as "missions". Prior to starting, you can set an average time that you'd like a mission to be and that's what it has you do.
The app tells this story while you're running, motivates you, and plays 1 song in between each set of dialogue. Also, during the music, this weird voice pops up and announces a supply you picked up. It says, "collected a (fill in the blank)." The most common item I seem to collect is a sports bra. (reallll subtle hint, Zombies, Run...reallll subtle).
Anyway, if you are like me and get bored while running, try this app. It might give you just the twist you need to stay motivated.
Zombies!!! RUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Back to that sugar thang
So I recently watched this documentary that everyone should watch. It's called Hungry for Change, and it's on Netflix so there's no excuse not to watch it.
Basically it explains, in detail, the effects that sugar has on your body. It also goes into other negative things for your body (smoking, etc.) which are interesting. But I really want you to pay attention to the overall message of the documentary. ANYone can come back from ANYthing--so don't think it's too late. Just make the change.
One criticism I have is the expectation to eat the way they explain it at the end. If you have a busy lifestyle and limited income, it is nearly impossible to eat the way they suggest. There comes a point when you HAVE to just consume pre-packaged foods or something manufactured so that you can get something in your stomach.
My challenge for myself (and for you) is to go to the point that is comfortable for your lifestyle: eat fresh/non-packaged foods as often as you can and within your financial limits. If you do that, then you are doing yourself a favor.
That's all for this week. I'm not gonna make you waste your time reading my opinions anymore when the documentary explains it perfectly.
HUNGRY FOR CHANGE...go go go go go.
Here's the website. enjoy!
Basically it explains, in detail, the effects that sugar has on your body. It also goes into other negative things for your body (smoking, etc.) which are interesting. But I really want you to pay attention to the overall message of the documentary. ANYone can come back from ANYthing--so don't think it's too late. Just make the change.
One criticism I have is the expectation to eat the way they explain it at the end. If you have a busy lifestyle and limited income, it is nearly impossible to eat the way they suggest. There comes a point when you HAVE to just consume pre-packaged foods or something manufactured so that you can get something in your stomach.
My challenge for myself (and for you) is to go to the point that is comfortable for your lifestyle: eat fresh/non-packaged foods as often as you can and within your financial limits. If you do that, then you are doing yourself a favor.
That's all for this week. I'm not gonna make you waste your time reading my opinions anymore when the documentary explains it perfectly.
HUNGRY FOR CHANGE...go go go go go.
Here's the website. enjoy!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Thoughts through tragedy
For my readers who don't know me on a personal level, I live in the Boston area--several miles from the Monday attack. If you don't live in Boston or have never lived in Boston, you don't know how big of a deal Marathon Monday is. It is a huge day for the Boston community and has been for years. I haven't had the privilege of being able to watch it live yet. Here's why:
1. My first Marathon Monday was shortly after I had moved to the area. I had no clue what a big deal it was (learned quickly thereafter from several Bostonians).
2. On my second Marathon Monday, I had to work and fight the absurd traffic. That taught me to take the day off to avoid traffic and to go watch it live.
3. This was my third Marathon Monday. My plan was to go watch it in the city with the manfriend, but he ended up having to go to work. So I decided it was better for me to watch it from home rather than to brave the city alone. My gut led me in the right direction :(
No word can truly describe the range of emotions around what happened on Monday. Now, there will forever be a before and after for Boston--before April 15th and after April 15th...The people who were there experienced unnecessary physical AND emotional damage from which they will never be able to fully recover. To those who lost someone dear to you, my heart goes out to you. To those whose life is intact, but body is not, I cannot imagine what you are going through. Some of my fellow dancers can attest to this sentiment: losing a leg is one of the worst things that can happen. Yes there are worse things, but when you are a dancer...I mean a dancer down to your soul...you come alive when you dance. For that to be taken away is unimaginable.
The important thing, folks, is that we all have to mourn. Mourn for those who have lost their lives. Mourn for those who have lost limbs. Mourn for ourselves. Mourn for our city. Mourn for a nation. Mourn for those who have lost faith in humanity. Let's drown the evil with the good.
I feel so much sorrow for all those affected: Those of us who are part of the city. Those of us who were at work. Those of us who were at home. Those of us who were there and witnessed the chaos and sadness. The hero inside all of us comes out the most during tragedy. There were heroes in the crowd that day. Normal people who ran toward the blast rather than away from it. I sure hope I would be one of those heroes: someone whose instinct is to help rather than to run away. Think if we could channel the courage and strength we feel during an event like this and use it on a daily basis to better this world. Think of the differences that would be made! We'll no longer be waiting on the world to change...we would be changing it!
This is the first attack since the tragic event that changed our modern history--9/11. Our lives changed that day. We witnessed the loss of thousands of innocent lives. We witnessed hatred develop. We witnessed tragedy. But New York is a strong city. We came together as a nation, forgot about politics, and rallied our efforts to bring that strong city back to its feet. Boston will do the same.
I'm going to leave you with something I posted on my Facebook the other day. Stay strong Boston--for you, for our city, and for those who lost so much on that day.
1. My first Marathon Monday was shortly after I had moved to the area. I had no clue what a big deal it was (learned quickly thereafter from several Bostonians).
2. On my second Marathon Monday, I had to work and fight the absurd traffic. That taught me to take the day off to avoid traffic and to go watch it live.
3. This was my third Marathon Monday. My plan was to go watch it in the city with the manfriend, but he ended up having to go to work. So I decided it was better for me to watch it from home rather than to brave the city alone. My gut led me in the right direction :(
No word can truly describe the range of emotions around what happened on Monday. Now, there will forever be a before and after for Boston--before April 15th and after April 15th...The people who were there experienced unnecessary physical AND emotional damage from which they will never be able to fully recover. To those who lost someone dear to you, my heart goes out to you. To those whose life is intact, but body is not, I cannot imagine what you are going through. Some of my fellow dancers can attest to this sentiment: losing a leg is one of the worst things that can happen. Yes there are worse things, but when you are a dancer...I mean a dancer down to your soul...you come alive when you dance. For that to be taken away is unimaginable.
The important thing, folks, is that we all have to mourn. Mourn for those who have lost their lives. Mourn for those who have lost limbs. Mourn for ourselves. Mourn for our city. Mourn for a nation. Mourn for those who have lost faith in humanity. Let's drown the evil with the good.
I feel so much sorrow for all those affected: Those of us who are part of the city. Those of us who were at work. Those of us who were at home. Those of us who were there and witnessed the chaos and sadness. The hero inside all of us comes out the most during tragedy. There were heroes in the crowd that day. Normal people who ran toward the blast rather than away from it. I sure hope I would be one of those heroes: someone whose instinct is to help rather than to run away. Think if we could channel the courage and strength we feel during an event like this and use it on a daily basis to better this world. Think of the differences that would be made! We'll no longer be waiting on the world to change...we would be changing it!
This is the first attack since the tragic event that changed our modern history--9/11. Our lives changed that day. We witnessed the loss of thousands of innocent lives. We witnessed hatred develop. We witnessed tragedy. But New York is a strong city. We came together as a nation, forgot about politics, and rallied our efforts to bring that strong city back to its feet. Boston will do the same.
On April 14, 2014, I plan to run that marathon. Why?
Because some people will never get the chance to walk or run or dance again. I'm running it for them. I'm running it for those whose lives were cut short. I'm running it for Boston.I'm going to leave you with something I posted on my Facebook the other day. Stay strong Boston--for you, for our city, and for those who lost so much on that day.
"It's really hard to function normally knowing that so many people were brutally harmed for no reason. Less than 24 hours ago so many people thought they would get to watch an inspirational event and then wake up to go to work the next day...just like us. That didn't happen. Someone decided they had the right to change that path for other people. Some people will never live their lives the same way... due to the horrendous injuries they endured. The reality and severity of the situation is so sad and so disheartening. Times like this should remind us just how lucky we are to have 1 MORE DAY, just how lucky we are to be HEALTHY, Just how lucky we are to be able to WALK, and just how lucky we are to be able to GO TO WORK. For some people, that was all taken away from them in a matter of seconds. And the same thing could happen to any of us at any moment. So take this time to mourn for those who lost so much, to provide aid to those who need it, and to cherish the time we have with those we love. I love you, friends...from the bottom of my heart and cherish each of you dearly."
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Sugar is the Devil: Week 1
Day 1: mayyyyyyyyyyybe successful
So my calculations put me right at 30g for the day. The hardest part was the coffee-to-tea switch. I can drink green tea without Splenda, but I can't drink coffee without Splenda. What I didn't realize is how much I depend on coffee mentally. It has been a part of my daily routine for years. At least I can get my caffeine with green tea and I do like the taste...but it's not coffee. Freakin mental addiction. My first big battle will be transferring the positive associations my brain makes with coffee to green tea (and to not get tired for no reason by noon, which totally happened today). As far as other drinks go, I don't really drink juices and I really only drink diet soda with Jack Daniels, which is not common at all either.
Total grams of added sugar: 30
Day 2: praying to the gods of will power
SOMEONE BROUGHT CUPCAKES FROM EASTER TO WORK AND LEFT THEM IN THE KITCHEN FOR ANYONE TO EAT!!! ohhhhhhhhhh emmmmmmmmmmmm geeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I hate this person. They look absolutely delicious, and I see them every time I go into the kitchen to heat my tea up again! If I can overcome this, I can overcome anything. Put an angry hulk in front of me and I can overcome him. Today was quite intresting actually. I got home from work and ate 2 string cheese and a slice of 7-grain bread with a bit of apple butter on it (delicioussssssss). Then I ran, cleaned, and watched tv. I didn't list a play-by-play of my evening to be like one of those people who doesn't understand that the purpose of facebook is not to put your daily agenda online for all of your "friends" to see. I listed that because the funny part is...I didn't get hungry or WANT to eat until 9pm. That is SOOO not like me. Seriously--it was like I was a different homo sapien.
Total grams of added sugar: 15
Day 3: tough early, easy late
My tea this morning was delicious...so delicious, I wish I had a bigger cup so I had a second cup of it. (yes, I know that wasn't a real sentence.) The cupcakes are still in the kitchen but they don't look as delicious now. That could be because I don't want them anymore, or it could be that they aren't as fresh anymore considering they were made at least 4 days ago. I had cottage cheese and grapes for breakfast and then some almonds. Totally got hungry by 10am...fail. I wonder if this is my body starting to realize I'm changing things or if it is because I only ate 15g of sugar yesterday? Either way, I'm gonna push through the hunger until lunch time. After work, I just didn't get very hungry. It was very weird. I wasn't hungry and I wasn't craving anything. For dinner I had sushi wrapped in cucumber instead of rice (say what?!) I didn't know that was possible...until tonight. I'm not gonna lie, it's not AS good as normal sushi, but it gets you your sushi fix without the added sugar--worth a shot.
Total grams of added sugar: 14
Day 4: monster in my belly
I woke up this morning to a monster in my belly. A loud, obnoxious, insatiable monster. But I told it to shut up and started my day with some awesome green tea, a banana, and 2 hard-boiled eggs. It did a pretty good job--must be all that protein! Today was the first day I got really hungry after work. Here's the funny thing: every other day prior, my lunch consisted of 4 grams of sugar or less. BUT today, my lunch had 7 grams of sugar in it! I'm thinking that might have something to do with the hunger I felt after work--maybe hunger and sugar are directly proportional? The more sugar at lunch, the more hungry after work? Also, the manfriend made an amazing impromptu dinner. He called it Healthy Fried Rice. A recipe will be coming soon for sure because it has ZERO SUGAR!!! Downside: this was the first evening I had a huge craving for something sweet. But I resisted...win.
Total grams of added sugar: 14
Day5-- Free Lunch Friday temptation
First, I have one thing to discuss. Last night, I had a crazy dream about sweets. I completely failed on this de-sugaring journey in my dream. Basically, I ate like 5 chocolate chip cookies...okay, "ate" is an understatement--I demolished them. Thank goodness it was a dream. I have NOT failed! Today is Free Lunch Friday at work so there is still time to fail. Get this people, I resisted pizza. PIZZA. I said no to pizza at Free Lunch Friday. One of my proudest moments in life. no joke. And I finished my day with the lowest sugar count to date:
Total grams of added sugar: 8
So there is a glimpse into my first 5 days of "Sugar is the Devil". Stay tuned for more updates...
So my calculations put me right at 30g for the day. The hardest part was the coffee-to-tea switch. I can drink green tea without Splenda, but I can't drink coffee without Splenda. What I didn't realize is how much I depend on coffee mentally. It has been a part of my daily routine for years. At least I can get my caffeine with green tea and I do like the taste...but it's not coffee. Freakin mental addiction. My first big battle will be transferring the positive associations my brain makes with coffee to green tea (and to not get tired for no reason by noon, which totally happened today). As far as other drinks go, I don't really drink juices and I really only drink diet soda with Jack Daniels, which is not common at all either.
Total grams of added sugar: 30
Day 2: praying to the gods of will power
SOMEONE BROUGHT CUPCAKES FROM EASTER TO WORK AND LEFT THEM IN THE KITCHEN FOR ANYONE TO EAT!!! ohhhhhhhhhh emmmmmmmmmmmm geeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I hate this person. They look absolutely delicious, and I see them every time I go into the kitchen to heat my tea up again! If I can overcome this, I can overcome anything. Put an angry hulk in front of me and I can overcome him. Today was quite intresting actually. I got home from work and ate 2 string cheese and a slice of 7-grain bread with a bit of apple butter on it (delicioussssssss). Then I ran, cleaned, and watched tv. I didn't list a play-by-play of my evening to be like one of those people who doesn't understand that the purpose of facebook is not to put your daily agenda online for all of your "friends" to see. I listed that because the funny part is...I didn't get hungry or WANT to eat until 9pm. That is SOOO not like me. Seriously--it was like I was a different homo sapien.
Total grams of added sugar: 15
Day 3: tough early, easy late
My tea this morning was delicious...so delicious, I wish I had a bigger cup so I had a second cup of it. (yes, I know that wasn't a real sentence.) The cupcakes are still in the kitchen but they don't look as delicious now. That could be because I don't want them anymore, or it could be that they aren't as fresh anymore considering they were made at least 4 days ago. I had cottage cheese and grapes for breakfast and then some almonds. Totally got hungry by 10am...fail. I wonder if this is my body starting to realize I'm changing things or if it is because I only ate 15g of sugar yesterday? Either way, I'm gonna push through the hunger until lunch time. After work, I just didn't get very hungry. It was very weird. I wasn't hungry and I wasn't craving anything. For dinner I had sushi wrapped in cucumber instead of rice (say what?!) I didn't know that was possible...until tonight. I'm not gonna lie, it's not AS good as normal sushi, but it gets you your sushi fix without the added sugar--worth a shot.
Total grams of added sugar: 14
Day 4: monster in my belly
I woke up this morning to a monster in my belly. A loud, obnoxious, insatiable monster. But I told it to shut up and started my day with some awesome green tea, a banana, and 2 hard-boiled eggs. It did a pretty good job--must be all that protein! Today was the first day I got really hungry after work. Here's the funny thing: every other day prior, my lunch consisted of 4 grams of sugar or less. BUT today, my lunch had 7 grams of sugar in it! I'm thinking that might have something to do with the hunger I felt after work--maybe hunger and sugar are directly proportional? The more sugar at lunch, the more hungry after work? Also, the manfriend made an amazing impromptu dinner. He called it Healthy Fried Rice. A recipe will be coming soon for sure because it has ZERO SUGAR!!! Downside: this was the first evening I had a huge craving for something sweet. But I resisted...win.
Total grams of added sugar: 14
Day5-- Free Lunch Friday temptation
First, I have one thing to discuss. Last night, I had a crazy dream about sweets. I completely failed on this de-sugaring journey in my dream. Basically, I ate like 5 chocolate chip cookies...okay, "ate" is an understatement--I demolished them. Thank goodness it was a dream. I have NOT failed! Today is Free Lunch Friday at work so there is still time to fail. Get this people, I resisted pizza. PIZZA. I said no to pizza at Free Lunch Friday. One of my proudest moments in life. no joke. And I finished my day with the lowest sugar count to date:
Total grams of added sugar: 8
So there is a glimpse into my first 5 days of "Sugar is the Devil". Stay tuned for more updates...
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