Food, food and more food!

I've been thinking of what Dr. J had to say about listening to your body. That you need to cut out sugar and all the bad stuff...you can't just magically expect it to happen. I think he has a good point. And, that's probably something I didn't emphasize. This is where my plans diverge from the intuitive eating plans I've heard about (disclaimer...never read anything else about intuitive eating besides what I hear from y'all. Not saying it doesn't work. Just never tried).

It's not that I'm saying that I'll eat whatever I want and expect to eat better. What I'm trying is eating the "better", cleaner, healthier foods and seeing how I feel and what my body craves. I know that after trying it out that it's what my body will want. I just need to rely on it and trust it. How does this sound different from a "diet" or a food plan, I'm leaving myself open so that I don't feel like I'm denying myself of things. If I want pasta, I'm going to have it. No ifs, ands or butts about it. If I want "bad" foods, I'll have them. But, I'm trying to make a conscious effort to chose things that are good for me and really seeing what happens to my body as I do them. It's an experimental approach...really paying attention to how you feel before and after eating. No zoning out.

It's going to sound dumb to some people, but the thing I'd have the hardest time giving up that I know I really need to is coffee in the am. Afternoon sodas too. I've done it before - loved it - but I have an easier time getting the work done that needs to be done when I have the bad legal drug. What I don't like are the heart palpitations that come with it.

So, my first goal this week is to have less caffeine. It's not that I have that much, but the am one really gets me going. I will also plan to eat more fish and chicken, less red meats and definitely less processed meats (i.e., hot dogs and brats). But, the caffeine is the focus of the week.

Snow, part 2.

Visit day was good. Even though it wasn't snowing a lot, it was windy (we get up to 40-50 mph winds with our windy days) and cold (I believe 30's).

I've never used video here, so if it works it'll be a miracle! lol. But, here is an idea of the snow fall. My hubby is trying our baby girl (aka dog) to go potty. The wnow is gone now...that's the joy of TX.
Forgive the shaky camera work...my hubby was using our camera, not the video camera.

You would never guess that she was born, bred and raised as a TX girl. She sure loves the snow! Maybe it's her German roots? ;)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Yes, I know I live in TX, but where I live it does snow here. It's not common, but one year we even had about 4 inches on the ground. Never mind that it cleared up the next day, but we still got it. The funny thing is that we havent had snow all year. That is, until today. Now, it's not bad (I'd show pictures, but my camera is at home and I won't be home until @ 9 tonight), but it just so happens to coincide with people visiting to join our graduate program. The one full day they're here and it's cold and snowing for the first time this season. I think it's supposed to go back to 70-80's Sunday. Go figure. It's the curse of visit day.

Diets

I have been trying to do more intuitive eating and less dieting. I don't think I do well on diets (well, I don't think anyone does, but I really don't). I just begin obsessing about food and being a little, well, crazy. I constantly focus on the foods I'm not "supposed" to have. All.the.friggin.time. Exhausting.

But, I'm finding it hard to intuitively eat too. It's not the intuitive eating program, but it sounds similar in the most important ways. I'm supposed to be relying on myself and listening to my body. Problem? My mind is saying "screw eating healthy, let's eat ice cream!!" And, french fries. And, all the things my body is not craving but my mind is. It's also difficult to try and slow down and take things one step at a time when you have a lot of weight to lose. And, when you're not happy with your body. I go between eating for comfort instead of nutrition and panicking about being too over weight.

It all makes me tempted to diet again. It seems easier. After all, the intuitive type of eating inevidably forces me to come to terms with my emotions and stop hiding them with food. It's much easier to ignore the problems. Except, nothing really gets solved. And, it never works in the long term.

So, I will stick to trying to the trust my body. I just need to give it a chance to tell me what it needs.

HYC update

I've been back a day. Costa rica was gorgeous. I would go back in a heartbeat, but I think our next big trip will be a cruise or to Brazil. My SIL is marrying a Brazilian and I'm so excited for her. She offered to go with us either on a cruise or to see Brazil, but not for a little while. It'd be nice to see the country from an insider's point of view.
But, I'm warning you out there - you don't know a person until you live or travel with them. A good friend of mine is no longer a friend because of this trip and it's too bad. But, life is too short to waste time with people that try to make you feel bad all the time. Why is it that when people are miserable they try to make you feel that way? I guess I'll never really know, but at least I can work to make my life more peaceful and less polluted.

In other news (and, yes, to change the subject)...we borrowed his parents food dehydrator!! I'm so excited, as you can tell by all the !!! :) They gave us a dehydrator cookbook, so we're going to try out a few things - I love banana chips and of course home made beef jerky. Yummy. But, do any of you still use one? What do you like to make with it? I think they went out of fashion a while ago, but I don't care. It's another way to have heathier options.

Vacation

Hola! I am in the gorgeous country of Costa Rica!! It's been just wonderful. I am sick of course (bad cough and congestion), but really...how bad can it be in Costa Rica!

We are here with my dad, his girlfriend, my best cousin friend and her husband. They went on trips yesterday and today. Me and the hubby have just been taking it easy (being sick and poor college students...you know how it is!). Enjoying the ocean, ocean views (the above is from our balcony)and getting rest for the body and soul...that's what I'm talking about! We did find some locals to take us to a good spot for snorkling then fishing for several hours though. And, right around the resort there are "wild" iguanas

monkeys (howler...boy, are they weird sounding for such a little thing!),

a long nosed cousin of the racoon, etc.

Oh, and snorkleing around here has the most amazing fish...and even a small jelly fish..ouch!

The only thing is that everything is expensive and it's mostly American stuff. So, if you come to Playa Hermosa, Playa de Cocoa or Playa Panama anytime soon be aware that you have to look for culture. I guess that's true of any vacation spot, right?

Anyway, ifI have your address, I'll try to send out a post card soon so look out for that in the next couple weeks!

Take care, and I hope y'all are having a great week. I miss reading everyone's posts and I'll try to catch up next week when I'm back in TX.

Hasta luego!

Costa Rica & HYC

2 days until I go to Costa Rica. Well, until I drive from TX to IL to meet my family, then go to CR on Sat.Backwards, yes, but this way we can all travel together. And, given that the place of stay is in my dad's name, it would not be good if we arrived and they didn't! We are riding to the airport in style though. I've never been in a limo, and my cousin got a limo to drive in to the airport. It's at 5:30 am...so I doubt partying like a rock star is in order. lol. I guess at least I get to experience it.


How come I've never had any students talk about Costa Rica, and out of the blue someone talks about how they saw a bridge collapse and seeing people pummet. And, no...I didn't tell them I'm going there. Ack. I'm sure we'll be ok.

Actual HYC update: things are at a standstill. I still am focusing on stopping before I'm uncomfortable.

I don't know about internet connections, so I probably won't be back until it's time to post the lovely photos. If I get some internet action going on, I'll keep you posted throughout.

Friday Update

Have you ever noticed that one crabby, crappy person can derail your good mood in a heartbeat? Maybe I'm just a little more sensative than the rest, but I just had that. Not to say that I was in a great mood, but after an encounter with a confrontational cranky person that thinks he's cooler than he is I've found myself irritated and cranky myself. Really, it's fine to say something if someone's annoying you, but to be so agressive is unnecessary. Why are people such jerks? I just got a reminder of why I don't hang out with people in the department.

Ok, enough venting.

Weekend: the hubby works all weekend except for tonight, so a couple friends are going out with us to play pool. Now, I'm terrible at it, but it's something to do and I usually have a good time with it.

We are one week away from our trip. Did I tell you guys about it? We're going to Costa Rica for spring break! How exciting, right? The wind has been out of my sails for a little while now. (probably the real reason that I let the jerk above get to me) I'm hoping that I can get recharged and find my spunk again. Being on the beach for a week should help with that!

HYC

I'm convinced that my back feeling better after jogging is due to jostling the vertebrae into place again. That or the poor posture I usually have. Or, it could be giving my feet a rest from the suckier shoes that I usually wear. Ok, maybe I don't know...lol... but I'll keep doing it as long as it feels good. The one problem I'm having lately is that it's been cooler. And, I think that's what my problem was that one day I said my lungs were on fire. So, I'm going to plan to do my videos when it's lower than 70 (I'm a big ol wussy, but hey...that's me!). I haven't been so good at doing things when it's colder - just keep waiting for it to get warmer!


It's clear after this week, and after months of struggling, that I'm not giving the healthier eating a very good shot. I don't know if I'm ready to give up my crutch. I recognize when I'm getting full, but it just seems to impossible that I can really be full with that little food. I guess I have some mind adjusting to do. So, that's my goal. To recognize when I'm comfortable (not full, full) and stop then. If I need more a short time later, I'll eat the rest of what's on my plate.

Now that I'm thinking about it..I may just take the small plate instead of a large one to "trick" myself and not feel like I have to finish the huge mound that's on the big one!