Ya know, I'm not typically a cranky person. But, when I AM likely to get cranky is in the mornings, before I've had my coffee and/or my breakfast.
One of the things I'm loving about the NutriSystem program is that other than pouring milk and juice in the mornings, there's very little prep to having breakfast. Mostly I prefer the scones or pastries or muffins, 'cause all I have to do is rip open a package and consume. Easy enough, just the way I like it.
The eggs are okay, but I have to start a few minutes earlier and deal with the microwave; not as convenient, but certainly still not a lot of work, all things considered.
The cereals so far have been great! I don't even mind having to use my own bowls (since we buy paper and/or plastic anyway).
The oatmeal, though... Man, what's the deal with this??
It says, on the package, to add 5 oz of water and oatmeal to a microwave safe bowl and heat on 50% power for 4 - 6 minutes. My husband, the first of us to try the oatmeal, has complained with every packet he fixed. Being the smart-ass that I am, I have deliberately held off on making my own oatmeal just to let him 'work it out'. I felt sure he wasn't reading the package properly, or he was cooking at 100% or something. Typical stuff, ya know?
So, here I was, all set to 'show' him how it's supposed to be done. I carefully measured my water and selected my micro-safe bowl. I made sure to adjust the nuking power and set the time for 2 1/2 minutes, to get a stir in there (thinking that would make the difference) before the time ran out.
When the microwave went off I reached for it, as smug as smug could be, only to discover that the majority of the contents of my oatmeal were now sliding down the outside of my microwave-safe bowl and onto the glass tray of my microwave.
Since I do everything right (hahahahahahahahahaha), I have to find out if the oatmeal is being this contrary with everyone, or if it's just something personal with me and my hubby.
Feedback, please?
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Senior Olympiads Kick Ass!
It seems our televisions haven’t known any channel but 2 (our NBC) during these Olympic games. Since we wander in and out of our house all day long, one or the other of us will get caught up in whatever event is going on at the time and then report back the news of the moment. These games have been inspiring and emotional and—as is to be expected, I’m sure—not without controversy.
In the evenings we’ve forgone our movie watching (I can hear the collective gasp) and have instead kept the Games on. We enjoy the human interest stories from around the world; we like the competition and demonstrations of peak athleticism; plus, we’re familiar with the Tae Kwon Do-Lopez family, so that makes it a little more personal.
Last night, while we were watching some recaps and special interest spots, my attention was drawn to something I’d never even considered before: Senior Citizen Olympiads!
I couldn’t believe it as I watched the mini-doc about these advanced athletes competing in many of the same events in which our current Olympiads in Beijing are competing. And the old folks are kicking some ass!
The geriatric gent they talked with is a septuagenarian who is in better shape than either Scott or I! He is currently the record holder for the 200m track event, and he was joking about some of his elderly housemates, and how at the end of the day they’re in line for the elevators or trickling up the stairs because their hips hurt, or their knees are acting up, or they have a back problem. While he, on the other hand, is dashing around them on the stairs and trucking it right up to his room. He says he feels great, and I have to say he most definitely looks it!
I did a bit of research this morning and discovered that Senior Citizens are taking place in Olympic events all over the country!
In Staten Island, they’re involved in “…basketball, swimming, bocce, golf, pocket billiards, checkers, shuffleboard and even chess.”
Michigan has just wrapped up their 29th Annual Senior Olympics!
New Mexico hosts over 90 event across 26 different sports in 130+ communities!!
In 2009, the San Fran Bay Area will host the Summer National Senior Games!
And these are just a few of the cities and states taking place in this phenomenal demonstration of physical fitness and late-in-life wellness.
Scott turns 50 this year, which is the minimum age to participate in the Senior Olympics, and he’s actually considering becoming involved!
As far as I’m concerned, these Olympiads have given me a whole new outlook on aging. For most of my adult life I’ve claimed that I don’t want to get old; that I can’t imagine feeling twice as bad at 70 as I did at 35. Now I figure it all comes down to feeling good now, and planning on feeling better THEN!
So, congratulations Senior Olympiads on your achievements and triumphs. I salute you in your dedication for living well in your advanced years, and I thank you for the inspiration you have given this nearly-middle aged woman seeking some relief from looking and feeling like crap too much of the time.
See you at the games!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
We're Cooking Now!
For the past week or so, I have been blogging and reading other blogs at the NutriSystem member's section of their website. I've learned lots of invaluable tricks for sticking to my plan. I've also discovered that the online support system --both among members and in relationship to the NS entity themselves-- is amazing.
If you slip-up (and say so), someone is there to help and encourage you to get back on track. Typically, they even have their own slip-up story to share. (It looks as if a lot of folks have the same sort of 'triggers' to cheating, like stress, family gatherings and social situations.)
What I've also discovered --and even had suggested to me-- are recipes involving NutriSystem foods. This kind of surprised me, and even after I got over my initial reaction, I still remained kind of baffled by the idea of taking pre-shopped, pre-cooked (mostly), pre-portioned foods and making something different out of them. I mean, I am REALLY into NS because I don't want to do any of that. I simply didn't understand the rationale, and actually pondered this development for a period of time.
Through discussions with my husband, we determined that perhaps there are folks who simply don't like their options and are customizing rather than stray from their plan. I can respect that. We also surmised that maybe there are folks who just don't feel it's worth it unless they've added their own personal touch. I can appreciate that, too.
There are some very tasty recipes to be had, and I'm sure the more creative members are coming up with more every day. I love reading them, and can typically see how just by adding a little something here and there, or splitting my morning scone and making french toast out of it would make it that much yummier. However, I have absolutely no intention of cooking my way through my NutriSystem plan!
Please don't get me wrong... I completely respect that some folks actually enjoy time spent in the kitchen--I'm just not one of them! Fortunately for me, my husband is also on the program and he is the one to prep our veggies, salads and the like. I have removed myself from as much of this activity as possible. I even tend to be a little 'distant' when I'm eating it now.
See, I figure that if I remain intimately involved with my food, then I will never quite break the cycle I have been trapped in most of my life. To me, the entire process of shopping, prepping, cooking, eating and cleaning up all this food in my life has lead me into a destructive relationship with food. By the time I sit down to eat it, my mood is dependent upon how well the meal 'goes over'. If anyone is disappointed, I'm affected by it. And, quite frankly, other than the sustenance my body needs, I am desperate to end the emotional relationship I've always had with food.
So, while I respect and can even appreciate the desire to dress up NS foods, I will not be taking that route in my trip to healthier living. I'm curious to know if success stats are at all affected by the ratio of those who 'personalize' their foods vs. those who stick to the plan as-is.
If you slip-up (and say so), someone is there to help and encourage you to get back on track. Typically, they even have their own slip-up story to share. (It looks as if a lot of folks have the same sort of 'triggers' to cheating, like stress, family gatherings and social situations.)What I've also discovered --and even had suggested to me-- are recipes involving NutriSystem foods. This kind of surprised me, and even after I got over my initial reaction, I still remained kind of baffled by the idea of taking pre-shopped, pre-cooked (mostly), pre-portioned foods and making something different out of them. I mean, I am REALLY into NS because I don't want to do any of that. I simply didn't understand the rationale, and actually pondered this development for a period of time.
Through discussions with my husband, we determined that perhaps there are folks who simply don't like their options and are customizing rather than stray from their plan. I can respect that. We also surmised that maybe there are folks who just don't feel it's worth it unless they've added their own personal touch. I can appreciate that, too.
There are some very tasty recipes to be had, and I'm sure the more creative members are coming up with more every day. I love reading them, and can typically see how just by adding a little something here and there, or splitting my morning scone and making french toast out of it would make it that much yummier. However, I have absolutely no intention of cooking my way through my NutriSystem plan!Please don't get me wrong... I completely respect that some folks actually enjoy time spent in the kitchen--I'm just not one of them! Fortunately for me, my husband is also on the program and he is the one to prep our veggies, salads and the like. I have removed myself from as much of this activity as possible. I even tend to be a little 'distant' when I'm eating it now.
See, I figure that if I remain intimately involved with my food, then I will never quite break the cycle I have been trapped in most of my life. To me, the entire process of shopping, prepping, cooking, eating and cleaning up all this food in my life has lead me into a destructive relationship with food. By the time I sit down to eat it, my mood is dependent upon how well the meal 'goes over'. If anyone is disappointed, I'm affected by it. And, quite frankly, other than the sustenance my body needs, I am desperate to end the emotional relationship I've always had with food.
So, while I respect and can even appreciate the desire to dress up NS foods, I will not be taking that route in my trip to healthier living. I'm curious to know if success stats are at all affected by the ratio of those who 'personalize' their foods vs. those who stick to the plan as-is.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Being Comfortable In Your Own Skin
Isn't it funny how a simple phrase can take on new meaning after you've lost ten pounds or so?
Today I wore a pair of shorts that I'd put away about 6 weeks ago, thinking: "It is the end of Summer for you, my friends. You're just too uncomfortable!" And they were. They just didn't fit the way I'd thought they had, or should. So I shoved them to the bottom drawer of the dresser (where I rarely go!) and forgot about them.
Until today, that is. It seems that simply by eliminating my twice-weekly Chinese food habit, and in fact swearing off eating out altogether, my shorts have miraculously become more comfortable! Naturally, I guess a good part of that feeling comes from just feeling better about myself. I've been working hard toward my goals and it's already showing! That makes me feel more confident, more comfortable in my own skin.
And for my reward, for working so hard? Those shorts, without a doubt. They never looked better.
My total loss so far is 11 pounds, and I love that I can already feel and see the difference. I'm working my body every day, too, even if it's just laying out the yoga mat and doing stretches and resistance bands for 20 minutes or so. I'm doing something to raise my heart level and warm my body up. About 3x a week Scott and I are walking a mile's worth of laps inside one of the buildings on our property, in addition to whatever other physical activities we manage in the day.
Incidentally, the last 2 days have been BIG temptation days for me and Scott, since we've been off from work and pretty much on the move, getting errands and shopping done. Today we timed it well, so that it fell between breakfast and lunch. We managed to be at Walmart around Scott's morning snack time (guys get a dairy/protein and fruit snack mid-morning) and bought a banana and low-fat cottage cheese. We had already picked up plastic spoons. ;)
Today I wore a pair of shorts that I'd put away about 6 weeks ago, thinking: "It is the end of Summer for you, my friends. You're just too uncomfortable!" And they were. They just didn't fit the way I'd thought they had, or should. So I shoved them to the bottom drawer of the dresser (where I rarely go!) and forgot about them.
Until today, that is. It seems that simply by eliminating my twice-weekly Chinese food habit, and in fact swearing off eating out altogether, my shorts have miraculously become more comfortable! Naturally, I guess a good part of that feeling comes from just feeling better about myself. I've been working hard toward my goals and it's already showing! That makes me feel more confident, more comfortable in my own skin.
And for my reward, for working so hard? Those shorts, without a doubt. They never looked better.
My total loss so far is 11 pounds, and I love that I can already feel and see the difference. I'm working my body every day, too, even if it's just laying out the yoga mat and doing stretches and resistance bands for 20 minutes or so. I'm doing something to raise my heart level and warm my body up. About 3x a week Scott and I are walking a mile's worth of laps inside one of the buildings on our property, in addition to whatever other physical activities we manage in the day.
Incidentally, the last 2 days have been BIG temptation days for me and Scott, since we've been off from work and pretty much on the move, getting errands and shopping done. Today we timed it well, so that it fell between breakfast and lunch. We managed to be at Walmart around Scott's morning snack time (guys get a dairy/protein and fruit snack mid-morning) and bought a banana and low-fat cottage cheese. We had already picked up plastic spoons. ;)
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Cure?
Some time ago I blogged about my recurring (and life-long) skin conditions. Mostly, I have suffered with moderate-to-severe eczema, chronic contact dermatitis (I react to most things I touch!) and severe cystic acne. Dealing with just one of these conditions is enough to keep you busy, but having all 3 of them for the majority of my life has been rough. Some days I didn't even want to leave the house--and I'm a highly social person!
Over the years I've tried many home-remedies, doctor's prescriptive treatments and infomercially-touted cures for my various skin ailments. I've also kept home-grown aloe vera on hand for the secondary stinging and itching that these conditions can cause. Typically, this stuff either worked in small, unremarkable doses or simply not at all.
However, when I posted over at AlphaWomen about my invitation to take part in a clinical study for my eczema (to which I eventually opted out of), I received some encouraging comments and helpful suggestions. One of these suggestions came from my new friend and fellow Alpha Woman Danielle, a.k.a beautymark75.
Danielle suggested I dab apple cider vinegar on the itchy spots, and perhaps even consider ingesting a teaspoon a day. It had worked for her in a similar situation.
At first I was hesitant and spent several days in consideration of trying it out. I mean, have you ever smelled apple cider vinegar? Whew... not something I'm looking forward to translating into a taste, let me tell you. Also, there seemed to be little bits of something floating around in the bottle. I don't like floaties in my Diet Coke, so I was pretty sure I wouldn't like them in my medicinal liquids, either. It wasn't faring well for the vinegar.
But, desperate for something (I was suffering a great deal with my eczema at the time... awful
splits and cracks on my fingertips that made even typing painful) I decided to go for it. I consulted with Danielle and eventually added it to the juice 'cocktail' I was currently taking every morning. I'd already been drinking 6 oz. of grapefruit juice every morning with a 1 oz. shot of pure aloe vera gel (loaded with lots of its own helpful properties), so it was a no-brainer to just add a teaspoon of the apple cider vinegar to the concoction. Furthermore, when my fingers would get itchy, I filled the cap with the stuff, dipped each finger in and then poured the rest into my cupped hand and did a 'wash' with it, without rinsing. (The smell evaporates pretty quickly.)
Well, that's been 3 months ago now, and--although I hate to use the word 'cure'--my eczema is GONE! I mean gone as in it D I S A P P E A R E D! Finito! Hasta la vista itchy fingers!! Good-bye to bleeding fingertips that made it painful just to touch my husband. Good-bye to my worries about meeting someone new and having to shake hands. Good-bye to a band aid on every finger!!
I am so excited about this! Scott's trying to be all clinical, figuring I have an internal PH issue or something that the vinegar has addressed. Quite frankly, I have NO idea why it has worked the way it has, but I really don't care!
It was a gradual improvement, but each little bit was so noticeable to me that it was easy enough to keep track of. Within the first month of 'treatment', my eczema didn't worsen; by month 2 my fingers were all healing, with only minor irritations every 3 to 5 days; this month I have no new eruptions, no itching, nothing.
I've done some research and discovered that medical professionals are concerned with long-term use of vinegar (white or otherwise) because of the acetic acid. However, new studies (as recent as 2006) are revealing that apple cider vinegar can actually help to improve blood pressure and lower cholesterol.
I've also been dabbing it on my face whenever I notice something trying to flare, and--whether simply a coincidence or not--I have managed my acne much better, too. (I still take tetracycline twice a day.) Plus, the clarity of my skin has never been better!
I am a believer! And, thanks to my dramatic results, Scott (whose cholesterol reads like an SAT score) has been adding the daily teaspoon to his juice in the mornings too, for just over 6 weeks now.
Has anyone else experienced miracle cures through home remedies?
Over the years I've tried many home-remedies, doctor's prescriptive treatments and infomercially-touted cures for my various skin ailments. I've also kept home-grown aloe vera on hand for the secondary stinging and itching that these conditions can cause. Typically, this stuff either worked in small, unremarkable doses or simply not at all.
However, when I posted over at AlphaWomen about my invitation to take part in a clinical study for my eczema (to which I eventually opted out of), I received some encouraging comments and helpful suggestions. One of these suggestions came from my new friend and fellow Alpha Woman Danielle, a.k.a beautymark75.Danielle suggested I dab apple cider vinegar on the itchy spots, and perhaps even consider ingesting a teaspoon a day. It had worked for her in a similar situation.
At first I was hesitant and spent several days in consideration of trying it out. I mean, have you ever smelled apple cider vinegar? Whew... not something I'm looking forward to translating into a taste, let me tell you. Also, there seemed to be little bits of something floating around in the bottle. I don't like floaties in my Diet Coke, so I was pretty sure I wouldn't like them in my medicinal liquids, either. It wasn't faring well for the vinegar.
But, desperate for something (I was suffering a great deal with my eczema at the time... awful
splits and cracks on my fingertips that made even typing painful) I decided to go for it. I consulted with Danielle and eventually added it to the juice 'cocktail' I was currently taking every morning. I'd already been drinking 6 oz. of grapefruit juice every morning with a 1 oz. shot of pure aloe vera gel (loaded with lots of its own helpful properties), so it was a no-brainer to just add a teaspoon of the apple cider vinegar to the concoction. Furthermore, when my fingers would get itchy, I filled the cap with the stuff, dipped each finger in and then poured the rest into my cupped hand and did a 'wash' with it, without rinsing. (The smell evaporates pretty quickly.)Well, that's been 3 months ago now, and--although I hate to use the word 'cure'--my eczema is GONE! I mean gone as in it D I S A P P E A R E D! Finito! Hasta la vista itchy fingers!! Good-bye to bleeding fingertips that made it painful just to touch my husband. Good-bye to my worries about meeting someone new and having to shake hands. Good-bye to a band aid on every finger!!
I am so excited about this! Scott's trying to be all clinical, figuring I have an internal PH issue or something that the vinegar has addressed. Quite frankly, I have NO idea why it has worked the way it has, but I really don't care!It was a gradual improvement, but each little bit was so noticeable to me that it was easy enough to keep track of. Within the first month of 'treatment', my eczema didn't worsen; by month 2 my fingers were all healing, with only minor irritations every 3 to 5 days; this month I have no new eruptions, no itching, nothing.
I've done some research and discovered that medical professionals are concerned with long-term use of vinegar (white or otherwise) because of the acetic acid. However, new studies (as recent as 2006) are revealing that apple cider vinegar can actually help to improve blood pressure and lower cholesterol.
I've also been dabbing it on my face whenever I notice something trying to flare, and--whether simply a coincidence or not--I have managed my acne much better, too. (I still take tetracycline twice a day.) Plus, the clarity of my skin has never been better!
I am a believer! And, thanks to my dramatic results, Scott (whose cholesterol reads like an SAT score) has been adding the daily teaspoon to his juice in the mornings too, for just over 6 weeks now.
Has anyone else experienced miracle cures through home remedies?
Thursday, August 14, 2008
My Nighttime Snack
Today was a good day for dieting! I stayed pretty busy, so I had to remind myself when it was afternoon snack time (Scott actually missed it and had double-snack this evening).
So far I'm really pleased with the NutriSystem foods! There hasn't been a single entree I haven't enjoyed. My only real complaint, since I took the 'favorite foods' options which means I let them pick for me (Scott selected his own meals), is that I'm 'heavy' in certain foods. For instance, I got 3 cups of black beans and rice as well as 2 black bean tortilla soups in my month's supply of food (plus free week). Don't get me wrong, I like the black bean just as much as the next bean... I just don't know that I would particularly plan on consuming said beans 5 times in a single month.
Anyway, the food is very good and I plan to expound on that some more later, but tonight I wanted to tell you about my evening snack. All of the snacks thus far have also been very tasty, and I'm particularly pleased that there is a fair offering of both sweet snacks and salty snacks. Tonight I went for salty!
I'm a big fan of pretzels, and these are no exception. They are really kind of like pretzels made from crackers--crisp and kind of break apart-y--and very lightly salted. Very tasty! But...
...these have got to be the thirstiest-makin' snack I have ever had! I kid you not, these pretzels will rob the moisture from your mouth and attempt to steal it from your throat! The crunch is great, the taste is great, and they are surprisingly filling for such a light snack, but wow!
I guess the best thing I can say about them is that they are the perfect snack to choose if you haven't already drunk all your water for the day. You're bound to gulp your way through another 8 oz. or so while eating these!
Sweet dreams!
So far I'm really pleased with the NutriSystem foods! There hasn't been a single entree I haven't enjoyed. My only real complaint, since I took the 'favorite foods' options which means I let them pick for me (Scott selected his own meals), is that I'm 'heavy' in certain foods. For instance, I got 3 cups of black beans and rice as well as 2 black bean tortilla soups in my month's supply of food (plus free week). Don't get me wrong, I like the black bean just as much as the next bean... I just don't know that I would particularly plan on consuming said beans 5 times in a single month.
Anyway, the food is very good and I plan to expound on that some more later, but tonight I wanted to tell you about my evening snack. All of the snacks thus far have also been very tasty, and I'm particularly pleased that there is a fair offering of both sweet snacks and salty snacks. Tonight I went for salty!
Tonight's choice was pretzels!
I'm a big fan of pretzels, and these are no exception. They are really kind of like pretzels made from crackers--crisp and kind of break apart-y--and very lightly salted. Very tasty! But...
...these have got to be the thirstiest-makin' snack I have ever had! I kid you not, these pretzels will rob the moisture from your mouth and attempt to steal it from your throat! The crunch is great, the taste is great, and they are surprisingly filling for such a light snack, but wow!
I guess the best thing I can say about them is that they are the perfect snack to choose if you haven't already drunk all your water for the day. You're bound to gulp your way through another 8 oz. or so while eating these!
Sweet dreams!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Breakfast at feathermaye's!
Good morning!
Today's yummy breakfast:
NutriSystem Breakfast Entree: Apple Strudel Scone
Dairy Serving: 8 oz. fat-free milk
Fruit Serving: 6 oz. grapefruit juice
Additional: 1 cup of coffee*
Results: Full & Satisfied!!
We also drink 8-8oz. glasses of water a day. This helps us to feel fuller longer, plus helps to flush away all the impurities we would normally retain in our systems.
Have a great day!!
*On the NutriSystem program, coffee, iced tea and diet sodas can be consumed in unlimited quantities.
Today's yummy breakfast:
NutriSystem Breakfast Entree: Apple Strudel Scone
Dairy Serving: 8 oz. fat-free milk
Fruit Serving: 6 oz. grapefruit juice
Additional: 1 cup of coffee*
Results: Full & Satisfied!!
We also drink 8-8oz. glasses of water a day. This helps us to feel fuller longer, plus helps to flush away all the impurities we would normally retain in our systems.
Have a great day!!
*On the NutriSystem program, coffee, iced tea and diet sodas can be consumed in unlimited quantities.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The "Before", Briefly
Officially, Scott and I are on Day 10 of our NutriSystem program. Unfortunately, 3 of those 10 days have included social situations that have involved eating. Ultimately, at least 1 meal on each of those 3 days was 'real food'-ruined.
When I do that math, I'm not seeing the value in our investment.
Granted (and a bit of background, since this is my first time to share this), Scott and I spend a fortune on food, for various reasons:
You also have to add in the expense of the 'sides'... even though NutriSystem offers a full menu of meals, including carbs, veggies, and treats, there are still items you will have to shop for, to incorporate into your daily menu. Vegetables, dairy or protein items and beverages encompass the majority of these items.
Obviously, we've decided this was the way we wanted to go. Scott's done 95% of our cooking for as long as we've been together, so I'm sure this is a welcome reprieve for him! I really like the intense structure built-in to the program; I'm such a 'rules' junkie (major dork, you have no idea!) that I thrive in situations like this. (We tried the 6-week body makeover when we were living in the Virgin Islands and the results were amazing! More on this later, too.)
Remember, too, that these are how our cupboards look after 10 days of eating (more or less) of these same items.
We have one more food-roadblock in our way (we're going out for my birthday on Tuesday, and it will most likely involve food and beer). BUT--> we have strictly vowed that THAT day will be the last. We're gonna have to buckle down and stick to it to really be able to judge it fairly.
One of our decisions before ordering was that we would eliminate eating out for an indefinite period of time. It's just way too expensive, even if you do stick to the healthy choices and portion sizes.
So, here we go. Day 11 will be forever referred to as Day 1 on our plan. Luckily, we each got a free week's worth of food in our shipments, so we're all set.
More later!
Next post: Our goals (we have very different ones), favorite-foods-so-far, and exercise
When I do that math, I'm not seeing the value in our investment.
Granted (and a bit of background, since this is my first time to share this), Scott and I spend a fortune on food, for various reasons:
- It's pretty expensive to cook well for only 2 people
- Inexpensive items that are not allowed on our normal day-to-day menu (like salt) require either expensive (and pretty poor tasting) substitutes, or several other (and also expensive) spices used in unique combinations to try and equal the effects of salt on food
- We eat. A lot! Although this is still sort of our downfall (trust me when I say 'healthy appetites'. We are active people, and we love food), we recently discovered a particular combination of foods that allowed us to eat heartily while avoiding the traps of fat content, calorie counts, etc. More on this later...
- We eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Now, I can't completely speak for other parts of the world, but when you live in Texas, "fresh" produce doesn't stay very "fresh" for very long. This means you are making more frequent trips to the store (gas expense) and having to buy in smaller quantities, which is usually more expensive
- We eat out. A lot! We're frequently on the go, and our schedules are tight (plus there's that 'love for food' thing again) that one of us typically suggests getting something 'on the run' and the other of us typically agrees
You also have to add in the expense of the 'sides'... even though NutriSystem offers a full menu of meals, including carbs, veggies, and treats, there are still items you will have to shop for, to incorporate into your daily menu. Vegetables, dairy or protein items and beverages encompass the majority of these items.
Obviously, we've decided this was the way we wanted to go. Scott's done 95% of our cooking for as long as we've been together, so I'm sure this is a welcome reprieve for him! I really like the intense structure built-in to the program; I'm such a 'rules' junkie (major dork, you have no idea!) that I thrive in situations like this. (We tried the 6-week body makeover when we were living in the Virgin Islands and the results were amazing! More on this later, too.)
This is Scott's cupboard in our kitchen (none of the food is frozen or refrigerated, by the way):
This is mine:
Remember, too, that these are how our cupboards look after 10 days of eating (more or less) of these same items.
We have one more food-roadblock in our way (we're going out for my birthday on Tuesday, and it will most likely involve food and beer). BUT--> we have strictly vowed that THAT day will be the last. We're gonna have to buckle down and stick to it to really be able to judge it fairly.
One of our decisions before ordering was that we would eliminate eating out for an indefinite period of time. It's just way too expensive, even if you do stick to the healthy choices and portion sizes.
So, here we go. Day 11 will be forever referred to as Day 1 on our plan. Luckily, we each got a free week's worth of food in our shipments, so we're all set.
More later!
Next post: Our goals (we have very different ones), favorite-foods-so-far, and exercise
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
