I learned yesterday that my husband also hates to "eat out of a microwave" and thinks that it is "unhealthy." So, I have a new challenge of coming up with lunch ideas that he can take to work and eat (so he's not going out to eat every day.) He also says that although it's nice that I'm coming up with lists of food for him, I should be getting up extra early to prepare them for him too. Grumble grumble-not gonna happen.
Today, however, I got up on time and packed both of our lunches. We had fat free cottage cheese (1pt per serving), quinoa salad from Costco (value unknown) and cilantro lime shrimp from Costco (2 points per 4 oz serving).
Trying to find no heat needed meals has left me really frustrated. I have this thing where "everything's a side dish." Salads, even meaty salads, are not a main course. Same goes for soups. Speaking of soups, I'd never realized just how many low calorie options Progresso has. Holy cow. Eating a broth-based soup as a first course helps increase feelings of fullness. Maybe when I'm packing our lunches in the morning I should put the soups in a tupperware? Maye if it's in a Tupperware vs a can he'll feel better about it? Plus, each can is two servings anyways.
Wraps: http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/printable-recipe/419
Beef Jerky: Costco's "Steak Strips" are 1pt per ounce.
Sandwiches: Chicken Salad Sandwich Turkey Club Sliders
Salmon Salad (I would probably make it into a salad sandwich) Egg Salad (also would make into a sandwich)
Salsa-fied Tuna Stacks - Mix 1/4
cup flaked albacore tuna (packed in water and then drained) with about 3
tbsp. salsa. Divide the mixture between two rice cakes (or crackers, if you can't stand rice cakes). The whole
thing has only about 150 calories!
Hard-Boiled Egg Whites
This just in: He changed his mind. He'll eat leftovers, just not frozen foods. I guess now I have to plan what we're going to cook for the week...
Friday, December 2, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Resume Building
So, this is something I've wanted to write for a while, especially after I helped my husband with his resume a few months ago. With his resume and interview skills, he found a job in 5 days. We began submitting applications on Sunday, and he had a job by Friday. Note: My husband never attended college. When I looked for a new job in March, I found a new job in 8 days, and I graduated with a BA and tons of accolades and honors. I worked with a career services professional at a college in writing my resume, which is where I learned most of these skills. I have also helped inmates write their resumes and practice for interviews.
Basics:
It is not the quantity of applications you submit, but the quality. You can't write one resume and send it off with every application. You can't rush and answer the essay-style questions on the application. Some applications are your initial interview, just in written form.
My husband and I both have multiple versions of our resumes. For him: one that highlights leadership/management skills, one that highlights customer service skills, one that highlights food service and hospitality industries. For me: ones that highlight my work with children, my work in corrections, my skills in a professional office setting.
Expect to spend at least two hours working on your resume, and multiple drafts. Expect to spend at least half an hour on each application you fill out.
Use keywords. If the job posting says they want someone with x, y, and z, make sure the words x, y, z are in your resume/cover letter. Tell them what they want to hear. They told you what they are looking for, so give it to them, and give it to them in an easy-to-digest format. They are reading HUNDREDS of applications, they don't want to have to dig for what they're looking for in your resume. Oh, employers will also just have a computer program scan your resume. Literally, keywords. If you don't have enough of the ones they're looking for, a real person will never review your application.
Employers are looking for two things: who you are (personality traits) and skills. I typically put this in an "overview" or "skills section." One example:
Short and sweet. No one wants to read your novel of a resume. Don't use sentences: use bullet points. It's easier to scan for key words. If you're applying for an entry-level position, one page is sufficient. If you're applying for a position that wants 3-5 years experience in the field, a longer resume that highlights all the experience they're asking for is needed.
Use strong verbs. Drop the "I". Make sure every bullet point starts with a strong verb. If you were a flagger for a construction company don't put, "flagged behind concrete trucks." Instead state, "complied with industry regulations and insured safety of crew and motorists." You just told me that you understand the importance of your job, that you can be trained and learn to follow instructions. You're not "just a flagger" you are a central part of making sure that we don't get cited for failure to follow safety protocols. You keep people safe. This word and skill choice is especially important if you're changing fields. The specifics of your job won't matter as much as the broader idea. If you had a summer job as a lifeguard and swim instructor, don't say "responsible for teaching group swim lessons." Tell me about how you had to provide individual attention to students while also ensuring that the group remained safe and on-task. This shows people skills, attention to detail, and ability to multitask. You can see both the forest and the trees.
Also, verb continuity of tense. Don't go from: "meets cleanliness standards" to "answered telephones" to "balancing budgets." It either needs to all be present, or past, or ing.
Play to your strengths. Education matters. Especially when you're applying for your "first real job." Put your education at the top. It will explain why your work history is short/menial. "This person has all these great skills, but why has she been working in a restaurant/at the mall for the last 7 years?" "Ohhh. She was putting herself through HS and college." It also says a lot about your character. "Ohhh. She's hard-working. She has time-management skills." Working while you go to college is impressive. It also tells your future employer that you've hopefully learned some people-skills for working with other people and have experience managing conflict among coworkers and job stress. If you've held a job before, you're less likely to have unrealistic expectations for work conditions, raises, benefits, etc.
Make it easy to read. This goes along with the bullet points, but also use font sizes and bold/italics and indentations to tell me what I'm reading. Underline the name of the company, bold the job title, something. A lot of this depends on how your resume is structured. Did you have multiple positions within one company? You want to emphasize that they valued you enough to promote you, so make clear distinctions in the timelines, job duties, and job titles.
Another bonus to your formatting is that you can gloss over negative parts of your resume. Were you unemployed for 6 months? Give only information on years employed instead of months and years. Also, they don't need to know EVERY job you ever had (unless they ask for a complete work history), but if you only managed to work for a company for 3 months, that looks bad on your resume, so just pretend it didn't happen if you had strong employment sandwiched on either side of those 3 months. If you're going to do month and year write out August 2005 instead of 08/05-03/07. It looks like numbers and squiggles and requires more effort to comprehend than August 2005- March 2007.
Have someone else read your resume. You might know what you were trying to say, but the HR rep might not understand the jargon of your field (unless it's a keyword on the job posting).
This probably isn't comprehensive. Any other suggestions for having a good resume? I'll do some posts on interviews next.
Basics:
It is not the quantity of applications you submit, but the quality. You can't write one resume and send it off with every application. You can't rush and answer the essay-style questions on the application. Some applications are your initial interview, just in written form.
My husband and I both have multiple versions of our resumes. For him: one that highlights leadership/management skills, one that highlights customer service skills, one that highlights food service and hospitality industries. For me: ones that highlight my work with children, my work in corrections, my skills in a professional office setting.
Expect to spend at least two hours working on your resume, and multiple drafts. Expect to spend at least half an hour on each application you fill out.
 | |
| This is your resume. Better make it good or no one will read it. | Photo Source |
Use keywords. If the job posting says they want someone with x, y, and z, make sure the words x, y, z are in your resume/cover letter. Tell them what they want to hear. They told you what they are looking for, so give it to them, and give it to them in an easy-to-digest format. They are reading HUNDREDS of applications, they don't want to have to dig for what they're looking for in your resume. Oh, employers will also just have a computer program scan your resume. Literally, keywords. If you don't have enough of the ones they're looking for, a real person will never review your application.
Employers are looking for two things: who you are (personality traits) and skills. I typically put this in an "overview" or "skills section." One example:
|
Skills
Personal Skills:
Experience working with diverse populations, respecting the sensitive nature of
their needs and situations. Detail and goal oriented. Able to work
independently and within a team setting, multi-tasking while prioritizing tasks
as necessary to ensure all work completed in a timely fashion. Excellent
communication skills, written, in person, and over the phone. Highly trainable
and able to learn new tasks quickly.
Office &
Computer Skills: Phone, Reception, Data Entry, Auditing, Meeting Minutes,
Spreadsheets/Reports, Executive Support, Ordering, Commissioned Public Notary, 90WPM,
Proficient in MS Word, Excel, Visio, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Publisher.
Research Skills:
Structured interviews, literature reviews, manuscript writing, coding data,
etc.
Short and sweet. No one wants to read your novel of a resume. Don't use sentences: use bullet points. It's easier to scan for key words. If you're applying for an entry-level position, one page is sufficient. If you're applying for a position that wants 3-5 years experience in the field, a longer resume that highlights all the experience they're asking for is needed.
Use strong verbs. Drop the "I". Make sure every bullet point starts with a strong verb. If you were a flagger for a construction company don't put, "flagged behind concrete trucks." Instead state, "complied with industry regulations and insured safety of crew and motorists." You just told me that you understand the importance of your job, that you can be trained and learn to follow instructions. You're not "just a flagger" you are a central part of making sure that we don't get cited for failure to follow safety protocols. You keep people safe. This word and skill choice is especially important if you're changing fields. The specifics of your job won't matter as much as the broader idea. If you had a summer job as a lifeguard and swim instructor, don't say "responsible for teaching group swim lessons." Tell me about how you had to provide individual attention to students while also ensuring that the group remained safe and on-task. This shows people skills, attention to detail, and ability to multitask. You can see both the forest and the trees.
Also, verb continuity of tense. Don't go from: "meets cleanliness standards" to "answered telephones" to "balancing budgets." It either needs to all be present, or past, or ing.
Play to your strengths. Education matters. Especially when you're applying for your "first real job." Put your education at the top. It will explain why your work history is short/menial. "This person has all these great skills, but why has she been working in a restaurant/at the mall for the last 7 years?" "Ohhh. She was putting herself through HS and college." It also says a lot about your character. "Ohhh. She's hard-working. She has time-management skills." Working while you go to college is impressive. It also tells your future employer that you've hopefully learned some people-skills for working with other people and have experience managing conflict among coworkers and job stress. If you've held a job before, you're less likely to have unrealistic expectations for work conditions, raises, benefits, etc.
Make it easy to read. This goes along with the bullet points, but also use font sizes and bold/italics and indentations to tell me what I'm reading. Underline the name of the company, bold the job title, something. A lot of this depends on how your resume is structured. Did you have multiple positions within one company? You want to emphasize that they valued you enough to promote you, so make clear distinctions in the timelines, job duties, and job titles.
Another bonus to your formatting is that you can gloss over negative parts of your resume. Were you unemployed for 6 months? Give only information on years employed instead of months and years. Also, they don't need to know EVERY job you ever had (unless they ask for a complete work history), but if you only managed to work for a company for 3 months, that looks bad on your resume, so just pretend it didn't happen if you had strong employment sandwiched on either side of those 3 months. If you're going to do month and year write out August 2005 instead of 08/05-03/07. It looks like numbers and squiggles and requires more effort to comprehend than August 2005- March 2007.
Have someone else read your resume. You might know what you were trying to say, but the HR rep might not understand the jargon of your field (unless it's a keyword on the job posting).
This probably isn't comprehensive. Any other suggestions for having a good resume? I'll do some posts on interviews next.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Your One Stop Breakfast Idea Shop: Breakfast Blog Post- Take Two
With our work schedules, my husband and I eat all three meals away from each other. Yesterday, he had two eggs (4pts) and toast (3pts) with butter ("It's such a small amount of butter. I won't count that." - However, he had extra points leftover at the end of the day that he didn't eat, so it all evens out in the end?) This morning, he asks me what he should have for breakfast today. I couldn't come up with anything. He doesn't like my staple breakfast foods (yogurt- 2-3pts or Oatmeal- 4 pts). Another problem is that I horde food at the office, so Kashi Blueberry Waffles (2 points for 2 waffles) weren't even an option today. So, I left the house determined to come up with some more breakfast options for him.
The best breakfast has protein, complex carbohydrates (whole wheat vs. juice) for slow-release of energy, and dairy (to delay feelings of hunger so you don't have to eat lunch quite so early).
1. Kashi Blueberry Waffles 1 point each. They're whole wheat and they're DELICIOUS. I do like to top them with something. I tried Laughing Cow Cheese, but it was NOT tasty. I've been using homemade Concord jelly (points value unknown) and Fat Free Cool Whip (1pt for 2 tbsp IIRC). Because I really struggle to get enough protein in my diet, I'd like to try to make some Tofu Whipped Cream as featured on the Biggest Loser. I am a carbo-junky, so this is a good sweeter option that I don't have to feel so guilty about. HG has tons of recipes for french toast, but I'm trying to pretend that they don't exist because I am trying so hard to ditch the carbs and have more protein. She also has amazing swaps on IHOP and Denny's breakfasts, just go to the site and search for yourself.
2. Omelets.
10. Skillets. When we go out to eat, my husband really likes to order these, so here's a better-for-you, at home version.
11. Oatmeal. I love oatmeal. Jake hates it. Kashi's Oatmeal is SUPER filling, so filling that I actually have a hard time finishing a bowl of it vs. Quaker's oatmeal where I need to eat 3 to feel satisfied. Hungry-girl has a lot of oatmeal recipes, but they all require a stove, and I just don't think that oatmeal should require that much effort: it's freaking oatmeal. I guess I just come from a generation where all oatmeal is instant and why should there be any other kind? Obviously, my blog suggestions are for the Epically!Lazy, such as myself because I do not cook. Ever.
12. Fruit + _______. There is no reason not to have fruit as part of your breakfast. It's easy. No cooking, not refrigeration. Just grab and go. So, add fruit to all of the other suggestions! It's 0 points, and it makes you feel full. Plus, the natural sugars give you a quick energy boost in the mornings, while the complex carbs help your energy stay steady throughout the day.
I like to have some peanut butter with my banana or apple. I will also spread laughing cow cheese on my apple wedges. I will also have a protein shake with a banana for breakfast. A word of caution though, do NOT buy the JIF single serving peanut butters. They are 8 points each. WTF. If I spoon 2 tbsp out of the jar for myself it's only 5! I need to go to whole foods so I can try the Justin's NutButter single serving packets. They also have multiple flavors, which sounds like a nice variety for me. (My husband also hates peanut butter.)
13. Cereal. :-( I feel like cereal is the Debbie Downer of breakfast foods. The serving sizes (typically 1/2 a cup, if you're lucky 3/4) are way to small for the nutritional values. They're not sufficiently filling. The consensus is don't eat cereal. But if you must, these are my suggestions: Life Cereal: 3/4 cup (no milk) for 3 points. I've been told that Kashi cereals tend to me more filling than others. I've had their Granola Summer Berry and it's pretty tasty, but it's also 6 pts for 1/2 a cup. I also must say that I HATE the Kashi Honey Sunshine one. Tastes like springy cardboard. Bleh. So bland. But I would be willing to give some of their other varieties a try. Amy says, "The Kashi cinnamon toast crunch is actually not bad if you eat it fast, but if you let it get soggy it's worse than the original." and "I just recommend never eating cereal..."
14. Juice. It's like cereal - Don't do it. Because it's so high in sugars they're a LOT of points for a small serving size and one serving is NEVER satisfying; I guzzle it down so quickly. Instead, use sugar-free crystal light. They've got tons of flavors and they're colorful and tasty and guilt-free. Also, V8. There is 0 reason not to have a V8 with every meal. The original ones are really low points (1-2 pts depending on serving size). Chug a quick one if you really can't stand the flavor and you've gotten in more fruits and veggies. Beware of the V8 fusion fruit juices because they're 4-5 points depending on variety. They're pretty tasty too though. Also, I really like the Bolthouse Farms Carrot Juice (they sell giant bottles in sets of 3 at Costco for like $6 because I know they're ridiculously expensive at the regular store). They're 2 pts for 8 ounces. Although it sounds strange, it's actually really good. It's slightly an acquired taste, but not too badly, and it's really creamy and naturally sweet. Mmmmm.
P.S. I hope you enjoy this blog, because writing it made me so freaking hungry. Ooh, also, when I went on Thanksgiving vacation, I learned two new words. "Hangry"- I'm so hungry I'm angry, so get some food in me right now before I introduce you to the beast. and "Fungry" - I'm so freaking hungry right now, I'm desperate enough to eat at McDonalds... Okay, maybe not THAT bad. ;)
Also, thanks to Amy and Carolyn for their contributions to this post.
What is it like feeding the people in your household? Picky eaters- like my husband? Lazy/no time/no cook- like me? Let me know if there are other foods that you eat for breakfast that I missed.
Monday, November 28, 2011
The Holidays Don't Have to Be A Diet Disaster
So, we have made it past Turkey Genocide Day. How did you do? If you did well, celebrate and remember that it is possible! If you did not so well, move on. It's in the past and you've got to focus on how to manage your weight now, not how you did it in the past.
Personally, I weighed 131 before my trip (which is the lowest I've weighed thus far). I was afraid to get on the scale. There was a scale at my parents' house that I could have used, but it was in the living room and I couldn't weigh myself there because I don't wear clothes when I weigh and it was "too much work" to move it somewhere else. I also put off weighing myself when I got home yesterday too. But, this morning I braved the scale, and I weighed 132.7 today. I typically weigh 133-135, so by my standards, I didn't really gain weight, it's just a normal fluctuation. I drank wine. I ate desserts. I had rolls. I didn't drink enough water. I didn't have to starve myself or feel left out or restricted.
I tell you all this because I want you to know that it IS possible to manage your weight. Even when you're traveling and have to eat airport/plane food. Even when you're in someone else's house with their food options instead of your own. Even at the holidays.
Don't be afraid of the scale. Just because I don't know what I weigh, doesn't mean I didn't gain the weight. The same goes for tracking. Just because you don't write down what you ate, doesn't mean it didn't happen. When you look up the points and track, you learn more about the impact everything that you eat has, and maybe you'll choose differently next time. You're only trying to fool yourself, which hurts yourself. Honesty is always better than self-delusion. Even if you've done poorly, track it. Even if you've used all your points/calories for the day and week, track it. Because at the end of the week, you'll know why you got the results you got. It's much better to know why, than to have forgotten what you ate and say, "Man, I'm doing everything right but I still can't lose weight!" If you do that often enough, you'll start to believe that you can't lose weight "no matter what you do" when really, it's what you're doing that's the cause. Better to admit you had a bad week and didn't have the best self-control, than to confine yourself to a lifetime of obesity because you've convinced yourself you can't lose weight. You can lose weight. Anyone can lose weight.
I truly believe that weight management is a mindset. Your success is dependent on your determination.
Have you decided that you can't get under 200 lbs? Have you decided that you can't lose more than 20lbs? You lose 20 or get under 200 and suddenly, mysteriously, the weight starts creeping back up again? It's not a mystery! It's self-sabotage! You do it to yourself! Do you allow yourself to make excuses? There are no valid excuses for why you can't lose weight. I don't care how old you are, I don't care if you're disabled or injured, you can control your eating, and you can find alternative ways to exercise. I don't care if it's the holidays. There are plenty of healthier for you options for holiday foods. You don't have to overeat at holiday meals, you can still control your portions and enjoy your food. You can indulge, but don't over indulge and make sure to pick your indulgences wisely. Do you really need a GIANT piece of cake, or is one slice sufficient. Is the 2nd piece of cake really any better than just one? Would I rather have store bought cookies in the office, or homemade pie at Mom's house? Just because food is a part of the holidays, doesn't mean that you have to eat everything offered to you.
I think that too many people have decided that the holidays are about food (and spending tons of money on crap you neither need nor really want). This is false. The holidays are about those you love, not food. It's about letting them know you love them.
Make new holiday traditions. View staying healthy at the holidays as a challenge and make it a team effort. What will make your holiday more memorable? Knowing you did something as a group to improve your health and fitness, or eating buttery mashed potatoes? The pride of knowing you lost weight and exercised over the holidays will endure much longer than the memories of what you ate. Incorporate exercise into your holiday events. Do a group 5k before your feast. Go for a stroll or go caroling afterward. There are healthy ways to make tasty meals. You don't have to compromise flavor for health (may I suggest hungry-girl.com).
Eat before your feast. Eat light but filling meals and snacks throughout the day and you won't be starving and end up gorging yourself at the big event.
Donate your holiday feast leftovers to someone in need. In Salt Lake City, there are elderly folks with no family who would still like to enjoy some traditional holiday food. A group will come pick up your leftovers and ding-dong ditch platters of food on the doorsteps of these folks. Email heyysug@hotmail.com for more information if you're interested. :-) Now you're not stuck eating yourself sick on the same stuff for a whole week. You can enjoy your potentially not-so-healthy holiday dishes at your family feast, but you don't have to overdo it for the following week. It's not going to ruin your weight loss to enjoy the dishes once, but to consume unnecessary items all week is when things become disastrous.
Don't wait until "The New Year" to get your diet on track. There is no time like the present! If you don't hunker down and do it now, why would you do it then? Especially when you'll have the convenient excuse that it's a New Year's Resolution and who really expects those to be successful anyways?
I joined WW on Dec 22nd last year. My husband joined WW the day after Thanksgiving and in the middle of our vacation. If you can't imagine your holidays without over-indulgences on food, what does that say about you and your priorities? You can enjoy unhealthy foods in moderation without ruining your holiday season.
Personally, I weighed 131 before my trip (which is the lowest I've weighed thus far). I was afraid to get on the scale. There was a scale at my parents' house that I could have used, but it was in the living room and I couldn't weigh myself there because I don't wear clothes when I weigh and it was "too much work" to move it somewhere else. I also put off weighing myself when I got home yesterday too. But, this morning I braved the scale, and I weighed 132.7 today. I typically weigh 133-135, so by my standards, I didn't really gain weight, it's just a normal fluctuation. I drank wine. I ate desserts. I had rolls. I didn't drink enough water. I didn't have to starve myself or feel left out or restricted.
I tell you all this because I want you to know that it IS possible to manage your weight. Even when you're traveling and have to eat airport/plane food. Even when you're in someone else's house with their food options instead of your own. Even at the holidays.
Don't be afraid of the scale. Just because I don't know what I weigh, doesn't mean I didn't gain the weight. The same goes for tracking. Just because you don't write down what you ate, doesn't mean it didn't happen. When you look up the points and track, you learn more about the impact everything that you eat has, and maybe you'll choose differently next time. You're only trying to fool yourself, which hurts yourself. Honesty is always better than self-delusion. Even if you've done poorly, track it. Even if you've used all your points/calories for the day and week, track it. Because at the end of the week, you'll know why you got the results you got. It's much better to know why, than to have forgotten what you ate and say, "Man, I'm doing everything right but I still can't lose weight!" If you do that often enough, you'll start to believe that you can't lose weight "no matter what you do" when really, it's what you're doing that's the cause. Better to admit you had a bad week and didn't have the best self-control, than to confine yourself to a lifetime of obesity because you've convinced yourself you can't lose weight. You can lose weight. Anyone can lose weight.
I truly believe that weight management is a mindset. Your success is dependent on your determination.
Have you decided that you can't get under 200 lbs? Have you decided that you can't lose more than 20lbs? You lose 20 or get under 200 and suddenly, mysteriously, the weight starts creeping back up again? It's not a mystery! It's self-sabotage! You do it to yourself! Do you allow yourself to make excuses? There are no valid excuses for why you can't lose weight. I don't care how old you are, I don't care if you're disabled or injured, you can control your eating, and you can find alternative ways to exercise. I don't care if it's the holidays. There are plenty of healthier for you options for holiday foods. You don't have to overeat at holiday meals, you can still control your portions and enjoy your food. You can indulge, but don't over indulge and make sure to pick your indulgences wisely. Do you really need a GIANT piece of cake, or is one slice sufficient. Is the 2nd piece of cake really any better than just one? Would I rather have store bought cookies in the office, or homemade pie at Mom's house? Just because food is a part of the holidays, doesn't mean that you have to eat everything offered to you.
I think that too many people have decided that the holidays are about food (and spending tons of money on crap you neither need nor really want). This is false. The holidays are about those you love, not food. It's about letting them know you love them.
Make new holiday traditions. View staying healthy at the holidays as a challenge and make it a team effort. What will make your holiday more memorable? Knowing you did something as a group to improve your health and fitness, or eating buttery mashed potatoes? The pride of knowing you lost weight and exercised over the holidays will endure much longer than the memories of what you ate. Incorporate exercise into your holiday events. Do a group 5k before your feast. Go for a stroll or go caroling afterward. There are healthy ways to make tasty meals. You don't have to compromise flavor for health (may I suggest hungry-girl.com).
Eat before your feast. Eat light but filling meals and snacks throughout the day and you won't be starving and end up gorging yourself at the big event.
Donate your holiday feast leftovers to someone in need. In Salt Lake City, there are elderly folks with no family who would still like to enjoy some traditional holiday food. A group will come pick up your leftovers and ding-dong ditch platters of food on the doorsteps of these folks. Email heyysug@hotmail.com for more information if you're interested. :-) Now you're not stuck eating yourself sick on the same stuff for a whole week. You can enjoy your potentially not-so-healthy holiday dishes at your family feast, but you don't have to overdo it for the following week. It's not going to ruin your weight loss to enjoy the dishes once, but to consume unnecessary items all week is when things become disastrous.
Don't wait until "The New Year" to get your diet on track. There is no time like the present! If you don't hunker down and do it now, why would you do it then? Especially when you'll have the convenient excuse that it's a New Year's Resolution and who really expects those to be successful anyways?
I joined WW on Dec 22nd last year. My husband joined WW the day after Thanksgiving and in the middle of our vacation. If you can't imagine your holidays without over-indulgences on food, what does that say about you and your priorities? You can enjoy unhealthy foods in moderation without ruining your holiday season.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
How to Lose Weight When You're Busy
There is no such thing as "too busy." I work 80 hours a week, and still exercise, and lost 35 pounds.
You are not lacking in free time, you are lacking in motivation. When there's a will, there's a way.
I work 80 hours a week, so I exercise on my way too and from work by commuting via bicycle. I also do frequent "rounds" of the building to make sure everything is secure. I jog up the stairs, and sprint when I am circling the grounds. Be creative, you can find a way to improve your health. Some offices will allow you to use an exercise ball as a chair.
You are not lacking in free time, you are lacking in motivation. When there's a will, there's a way.
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| Photo Credits |
Benefits of Sitting on the Ball
Sitting on an exercise ball, your body is constantly making small adjustments with the postural muscles, abdominals, gluteals and leg muscles. It is "active sitting" rather than the slumping and poor posture we develop even in ergonomic desk chairs.
As far as "not having time to cook," I get that. I don't cook. My spouse does. But he has tailored his dishes to allow me to eat and he'll cook enough that I'll have leftovers as lunches for a few days. I also like to bring frozen meals to work with me. I like the steamers vegetable bags. I also really enjoy the full meals that healthy choice offers. Especially the one with chicken tenders and gravy in it. It's a "guilty pleasure" without the guilt!
I also found these recipes on the Hungry Girl website. They're microwave recipes, so I can make my own food at work. I love it! Cup o' Chocolate-Coconut
Bread Pudding -I couldn't find the link for this one, but I have the recipe saved. E-mail me if you want it.
Caramel Bread Pudding for Two -I couldn't find the link for this one, but I have the recipe saved. E-mail me if you want it.
Apple Pie
Egg Mugs
Mississippi Mug Pie
Caramel Bread Pudding for Two -I couldn't find the link for this one, but I have the recipe saved. E-mail me if you want it.
Apple Pie
Egg Mugs
Mississippi Mug Pie
Monday, November 7, 2011
Controlling Cravings
Cravings are a part of life. They are not a bad thing. Don't beat up on yourself for feeling them. Cravings don't have to be avoided at all costs either. Remember, moderation is the key.
I HIGHLY suggest the website http://www.hungry-girl.com She sends out daily e-mails with recipe swaps and grocery store finds. It's been a great help. I use the site when I'm experiencing cravings a lot. "I want _______, show me a way to make it healthier."
When you start to feel a craving, ask yourself the following questions:
Are you really hungry right now? Or do you just want to eat? Do you want to eat because you're bored? Am I really just thirsty? Do you want to eat because you're stressed/emotional and want some comfort?
I wouldn't say that I am an "emotional eater," but I definitely eat when I am stressed out. I eat for comfort. I listen to my cravings, definitely. I eat chocolate. Sometimes almost every day. And yet, I still lose weight. If you can identify WHY you're feeling the craving, it can help you control it. I can enjoy one piece of dark chocolate, and be fine. But you have to ENJOY it. Go outside and slowly, luxuriously eat that treat. Go slowly on the cake. Savor each bite. Make it last.
If you're feeling cravings because you're bored, find something to do. Take a break from work and go outside and walk around the block, clear your mind, call your mom while you're doing it. Distract yourself from the obsessive thoughts about quesadillas. If it doesn't go away, have a quesadilla for dinner. It's not the end of the world.
Many Americans are dehydrated and the body responds by telling us to eat, because hopefully we'll eat something with a lot of water in it, or that we'll wash the meal down with water. Another way to respond to cravings is to follow the good health guidelines (servings of water, fruits and veggies, diary, and good fats). If you're feeling hungry, and you haven't had all your servings of good stuff yet, take that as the opportunity to meet it. The fruits and veggies are 0 points, so they keep you full/are a great snack. I view water as the body's cleanser. It flushes all the bad stuff out of the system. Most Americans are dehydrated, which slows down the metabolism. Lots of water keeps the body working to process it, and cleans out all the gunk that's inside. A yogurt as a snack is good too. I hadn't been doing the good fats very well, and my cholesterol levels are showing that. Working out will also be good for you.
A good thing to ask yourself is: "In the big picture, is eating this burger? (or not eating this burger) going to make or break my life or my weight management?" Making a "bad" eating decision on occasion is not going to ruin your weight loss. I always prefer the term weight management because one day you're going to stop losing weight, and have to maintain the same weight, and if you can't successfully make that transition, what's the point? Slow and steady wins the race. If you can control your cravings, by giving in to them occasionally, but ignoring them more, you can better succeed. I've maintained by weight for 3 months now, and I've actually lost a few additional unintentional pounds. I still eat my "junk." I don't starve myself. I actually go out to eat A LOT. I've just learned how to make better eating decisions. Choose quality and flavorful foods. Is this a unique, delicious dish that is worth the $ and calories? Or is it bland and run of the mill and I should choose something better?
A friend made an excellent suggestion to me: If the banana/apple on your desk doesn't sound good to you, you're not really hungry. Use that as a litmus test for if you're Bored!Hungry, or wanting a specific food even though you're not hungry. Sometimes, I eat pro-actively, "I am going to make sure I'm full before the birthday party at work, so I'll only have one helping of cake."
I HIGHLY suggest the website http://www.hungry-girl.com She sends out daily e-mails with recipe swaps and grocery store finds. It's been a great help. I use the site when I'm experiencing cravings a lot. "I want _______, show me a way to make it healthier."
When you start to feel a craving, ask yourself the following questions:
Are you really hungry right now? Or do you just want to eat? Do you want to eat because you're bored? Am I really just thirsty? Do you want to eat because you're stressed/emotional and want some comfort?
I wouldn't say that I am an "emotional eater," but I definitely eat when I am stressed out. I eat for comfort. I listen to my cravings, definitely. I eat chocolate. Sometimes almost every day. And yet, I still lose weight. If you can identify WHY you're feeling the craving, it can help you control it. I can enjoy one piece of dark chocolate, and be fine. But you have to ENJOY it. Go outside and slowly, luxuriously eat that treat. Go slowly on the cake. Savor each bite. Make it last.
If you're feeling cravings because you're bored, find something to do. Take a break from work and go outside and walk around the block, clear your mind, call your mom while you're doing it. Distract yourself from the obsessive thoughts about quesadillas. If it doesn't go away, have a quesadilla for dinner. It's not the end of the world.
Many Americans are dehydrated and the body responds by telling us to eat, because hopefully we'll eat something with a lot of water in it, or that we'll wash the meal down with water. Another way to respond to cravings is to follow the good health guidelines (servings of water, fruits and veggies, diary, and good fats). If you're feeling hungry, and you haven't had all your servings of good stuff yet, take that as the opportunity to meet it. The fruits and veggies are 0 points, so they keep you full/are a great snack. I view water as the body's cleanser. It flushes all the bad stuff out of the system. Most Americans are dehydrated, which slows down the metabolism. Lots of water keeps the body working to process it, and cleans out all the gunk that's inside. A yogurt as a snack is good too. I hadn't been doing the good fats very well, and my cholesterol levels are showing that. Working out will also be good for you.
A good thing to ask yourself is: "In the big picture, is eating this burger? (or not eating this burger) going to make or break my life or my weight management?" Making a "bad" eating decision on occasion is not going to ruin your weight loss. I always prefer the term weight management because one day you're going to stop losing weight, and have to maintain the same weight, and if you can't successfully make that transition, what's the point? Slow and steady wins the race. If you can control your cravings, by giving in to them occasionally, but ignoring them more, you can better succeed. I've maintained by weight for 3 months now, and I've actually lost a few additional unintentional pounds. I still eat my "junk." I don't starve myself. I actually go out to eat A LOT. I've just learned how to make better eating decisions. Choose quality and flavorful foods. Is this a unique, delicious dish that is worth the $ and calories? Or is it bland and run of the mill and I should choose something better?
A friend made an excellent suggestion to me: If the banana/apple on your desk doesn't sound good to you, you're not really hungry. Use that as a litmus test for if you're Bored!Hungry, or wanting a specific food even though you're not hungry. Sometimes, I eat pro-actively, "I am going to make sure I'm full before the birthday party at work, so I'll only have one helping of cake."
Friday, September 16, 2011
Read and Be Well Rounded
Read this article on "Gay Rights." I find it relates to my anniversary post on why marriage matters.
Some quotes from it that I really liked:
"So stop it with your 'sacred institution' argument and open up some history books.
You want deregulation? Let's deregulate marriage.
If any of my sons were gay, that's perfectly okay. We would accept him for who he is, and love him just the same. I don't worry about that. What I do worry about is this: if I did have a gay son, how could I explain to him that people don't want him to have the same rights as everyone else? How can I explain to him that if he wants to grow up, buy a home, and start a family, he might need to move to a state that doesn't reject him? How can I explain that people believe he is an abomination whose perverted lifestyle will lead him to an eternity in hell? How would I feel if my son killed himself because he was bullied, maligned, ridiculed, and made to feel as if he had no place in society? maybe if our state's leaders stop sending the message to our children that they are unwanted, maybe we can save the life of a child. Isn't that worth it?"
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Exercise and Weight Management
I dislike the thought of exercising to lose weight. I prefer eating to lose weight. Because you don't HAVE to exercise, but we do have to eat. Injuries, fatigue, bad weather, etc. can all cause decreased exercise, but we still eat. Plus, exercising causes an increase in hunger and the perception that we can eat more. By eating to lose weight, you learn about food, you learn about your body, and you practice and form habits of what to eat, how often, how much, etc. Learning to eat is necessary for weight management, because we will continue to eat forever, and if we don't know how, we'll gain the weight again.
However, exercise and weight management are perfect for each other. Studies show that people who exercise regularly maintain their weight loss with much more success than those who don't. I didn't used to believe this... But now I do. I have been on maintenance for a while now, and I'm doing very well. I have been doing 80% of my commuting via bicycle, plus my 1-2 additional fun rides. I haven't been counting points. I haven't been eating perfectly either. I think that the reason I haven't gained any weight despite my eating habits is because of the cycling. I think it's jump-starting my metabolism in the mornings, and then creating afterburn (when your metabolism continues to work harder post-exercise).
However, exercise and weight management are perfect for each other. Studies show that people who exercise regularly maintain their weight loss with much more success than those who don't. I didn't used to believe this... But now I do. I have been on maintenance for a while now, and I'm doing very well. I have been doing 80% of my commuting via bicycle, plus my 1-2 additional fun rides. I haven't been counting points. I haven't been eating perfectly either. I think that the reason I haven't gained any weight despite my eating habits is because of the cycling. I think it's jump-starting my metabolism in the mornings, and then creating afterburn (when your metabolism continues to work harder post-exercise).
Friday, August 26, 2011
Guest Post: "Heartbreaking"
Mark,
I started to write this email on the 22nd: the last day that I ever talked to you. I have waited until now to send it, because I wanted to make sure that I got it just right, and I hope that you have cooled off enough to read it.
I want you to know that this is not some “4th quarter Hail Mary.” One thing that you failed to consider when you said that our friendship may never be again- perhaps I don’t want it. You are not the person that I met all those months ago. Stop and take a good hard look at your life. Are you happy with where it is and where it is going? If so then I am better off not coming along for the ride. You have some serious soul searching to do. You have always known how I felt about you, and for a long time you played along, always leaving the door open to possibility. I am not sure if you really did think it was a possibility or if you were just playing along for the fun of it. I will probably never know. I don’t know if you are gay or straight or bi or a prostitute for that matter. I know that you are one of those things, but I am not even sure that you know which one. When you decide, and I mean really decide what you are and what you want, then we can talk.
When I saw you last night with her, that was pretty much the nail in the coffin. You have never fought so hard to see me, nor been as excited. In fact for the past month I have not felt loved or wanted merely tolerated as a necessary evil.
Ever since you told me about the “lists” that you give to people I often wondered what would be on mine. Today I found out. I listened to your list, I hope you will take the time to read mine.
I am sad that it is over, yet glad that it is resolved. That is what was really upsetting me. Not knowing and me are just not good together. I feel like you always left the door open just a crack. Even in the car just last week you told me that the reason you shut the door (you know what door I am talking about) was because of stress and once you were through that stress it might open again.
I am not sure why you always left the door open a little, maybe you were just telling me what I wanted to hear, or maybe the door really was still open and you were scared or unsure. It would not really matter anyway, because I could no longer take the unknown. I said it once before, I always felt like I was not looking for anyone else, but you were.
I took a slightly different approach to my list than you did, I learned it from you. You told me that you are always telling others to look for positives in the situation. That is what I chose to do.
I believe that you can choose how and what to remember.
This is what I am taking from our time together.
First, I felt connected to you the first time that I saw you. I remember that you came in right before close and wanted to tan. I had just turned someone else away because we were closing, but I let you tan. I could not turn you away. I remember one time where you kept letting people tan before you so that we could visit longer. That made me feel special.
I felt wanted in a way that I never had before when you accepted my friend request on facebook. Probably the highlight of my year was when you out of the blue friended me on foursquare. You sought me out. We both used it religiously until you finally asked for my number. Never in my life has someone that I so desperately wanted to ask for my number actually asked for it. I don’t know if you noticed but after we exchanged numbers we both stopped using foursquare. Maybe it was just a coincidence, maybe you were just tired of using it, or maybe you were trying to connect with me further.
When we went to Owl Bar and we talked about the gay/straight issue and you just said, “I am straight, but willing to see where this goes” I don’t think that I have ever been that happy in my life. You kept asking me to ask you questions over and over again. I can only think that there must have been one particular question in your mind and you were trying to get me to ask it. I will never know what that question was.
All I know is that on the way back to your house you hung up on her multiple times and ignored her calls and texts. In that moment I felt like I was all that mattered to you. That same car ride you pointed out multiple times that you had kissed to guys. I remember your comment that you were giving me ammunition for later.
When we got to your house you lingered in the car. You got out twice and came back, you hugged me, and the second time you came back you shook my hand. I think that if I would have asked you to come back to Salt Lake with me you would have. I also think if I would have asked to kiss you, you would have let me. Maybe that was the question you were trying to get me to ask, I will never know.
I don’t know if I will ever have as perfect a night as that night was again. I cannot imagine a better first date, even if it were only a date in my eyes and not yours. I remember that is when you told me you were going to take me on the full moon chair lift. It sounded so perfect.
There were many other such nights. I remember when we just drove around and you showed me where you used to work and the amphitheater. I remember another night when you were taking me back to my car and at the last minute you made a detour and we went to that park with the swings and sat there swinging and talking for a while. I felt that neither of us wanted that night to end.
Those nights were all great but nothing will ever compare to the Owl Bar. Everything was fresh and new and good. We started to make plans for the future, we talked about you moving in. That night things were perfect and happy, life and not actually become part of our relationship yet.
We had so many great adventures in the beginning. I still remember the first time that we drove through the alpine loop. You told me about how the trees were one of the largest living organisms because they were all basically one tree. I still have those silly pictures that we took when it was way too dark to actually see anything. You mentioned the peace gardens and that was something great to share with you as was the sculpture garden. It was always so cool to me to introduce you to new things that you had never done before. Remember the restaurants? Faustina, Frida Bistro? The Chalk Art Festival? All of those experiences were so amazing.
I remember the night of the wedding you wanted so badly to go to habits with that girl and she certainly wanted you to go. She even came back to get you. You asked me to give you just one night and I told you that you were free to do as you pleased. I remember sitting in the car with her standing outside waiting for you. I knew that you were going to leave, but you stayed. You told me that going home with me went against everything that you had ever been taught about being happy. But, yet I made you happy, so we went home.
I remember one of the nights that she came over before she got there you gave me a kiss on the cheek for recognizing a line from the Princess Bride. You did not have to do that, but you did. In fact every single time I kissed you on the neck, you never once tried to stop me. You initiated just as many hugs as I did. And you always let me cuddle. When you stayed in my bed I slept so well. We did not do anything but just having you there meant so much to me.
I remember watching Step Brothers with you and her. She was lying on the floor and you laid down beside her. You told me to come over too and I did. I laid next to you and we were about as close as you can be. In that moment I felt loved and important. I think that honestly that night might have been the last time that you chose me over a girl.
I think that same night, before she got there, you told me that you could not be gay because you wanted a family. You quickly added, “Well I guess we could adopt”. I would like to think that at that moment you were actually considering a life with me, even for a moment. Up until that point every time the subject came up it was never because you did not want it. It was always some other reason: family, kids, the church, your friends, etc… It was not long after that when you started with the definite it is not going to happen, I am straight.
The only negative thing from our time together that I am going to choose to remember is the night that it all went to hell. It was the first night that I met Whitney and it was only a few days after you got your license back. You drove to my house drunk.
I could not believe how irresponsible it was of you. From that night on it became all about girls and partying. I tried to be part of that world with you, but it just did not work. It was not me, and honestly I do not think that it is the you that you want to be, but it is so easy to be that person.
I once commented that I wished I had known you in your wilder days. You told me that you were a different person and that I would not like that person. We probably would not even be friends.
That is what I was referring to when I made the comment about irresponsible unemployed Mark. When I met you, you had goals and dreams. We even built goals and dreams together. That was the Mark that I fell in love with, and I try to believe that Mark loved me at least a little too. You are not that Mark anymore. And you are right, that Mark and I will not be friends.
I feel like you are starting to slide back into that person, how many times have you said I am not drinking anymore, yet every night what did we do?
I remember the first time that “you’re my favorite” became “I love you”. I am not sure I will ever know what you meant when you told me you loved me, but I know that you know what I meant when I said it.
I almost forgot our last two adventures. The cascade springs and bridal veil falls day was amazing. I loved it when you told me stories of your childhood. It made me feel like things were going back to normal. Our Tuesday hike up to the waterfall was also amazing. Out there when it was just us things were perfect. There was no one for us to worry about, we could just be. I know that I will visit those places often. They will always be happy memories for me. Perhaps, one day I will find you there.
I know that in the end, I could not give you what you needed. I don’t know what changed. I think that it really scared you when Whitney made the comments about you being gay over text message. I think that for the first time it really occurred to you how other people saw us. It does not really matter if you are gay, straight, bisexual, or asexual. The answer to that question does not really matter. What I do know is that we were closer than you would probably be with any other guy. I think that scared you. I think that you felt that I was forcing you to make a decision that might change your life forever and you just did not want to make a decision like that. It created a lot of tension between us. Maybe I am wrong, but it is easier for me to think that than the alternative.
We have both changed. I am not sure that either of us changed for the better, but I know that we will both pull through this, albeit apart. I would have spent the past few months trying to make you happy, but I am not sure that I would have ever succeeded.
In the end none of that even really matters, what it all comes down to is that when I am hurt or sad I want connection. When you are hurt or sad you want seclusion. Most of the time that is fine, except if we both happen to be hurt and sad, then our needs are mutually exclusive and neither of us really gets what we want.
I think that it is kind of ironic. You wrote me off because you needed space and I could not give it to you. I gave you an ultimatum and you did not like it. I don’t know if you realize that you gave me the very same ultimatum when you said, “when someone tells you that they need space and the friendship is on the line, you have to respect that”. I do not really see how that is any different than what I told you about needing you, the main difference is that I would have never followed through and you did.
I don’t even know if you are reading this or not, maybe I wrote it more for my benefit than yours.
I just wanted you to see my take on the situation. And, I wanted you to know what I am taking from the past few months.
I would rather remember the good times than the bad and so I will. I hope that someday you can look back at the time that we spent together and pull out something positive.
I truly hope that this message has come across the way that I intended it. I do not regret my time with you. I am a better person for the time that I spent with you. I would like to regret some of my actions, but that does not really gain anything for either of us, so I see no reason to.
I hope the best for you. I truly hope that someday you will find someone who makes you happy. Someone who will drive and support you to achieve your dreams and goals. Most of all I hope that you can find someone that you can love as much as I love you. I say “love” not “loved” because I gave you part of my heart and you can never really give it back. I will always have a connection to you no matter what.
I don’t think that you will ever speak to me again, but I am sure that I will see you around. I don’t expect you to acknowledge me at all. That makes me sad, but I accept it.
We started our relationship with a game of questions so I think that it is fitting that we should end with one.
How do you really feel about me?
I don’t think that I will ever know how you truly felt about me. I know that you are mad, but I know that you don’t hate me. I am not even sure that you yourself know the answer to how you truly feel about me. I think that is sad. I can’t help but feel that things started falling apart when people you cared about started to wonder about us, and believe me they did. I think it scared the shit out of you.
Perhaps it is better not to know, I am not sure that I would like either answer. Either you did really love me, but are now gone… sad. Or you never really loved me or cared about me and I was just a stupid boy in love with someone that they could never have… sad
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Why Exercise Can Make You Gain Weight
So, I made it to the top of Emigration Canyon for the first time on Sunday, after having tried and failed on two previous attempts. (Woot woot!) and then we went to the Olive Garden. and then I ate a jelly filled donut. and then I ate a cream filled donut. ...Yeah. I went crazy because I "earned" it. Well, eating like that basically ruined the weight loss benefits of my ride. (Note, it was still good for my heart health to ride, but I overate and ate garbage to compensate for it.) I think this might explain why people who are "working out" and "exercising a lot" see little movement on the scale.
Another reason could be that you're losing pounds of body fat, and replacing it with muscle. However, because people use this as a cop-out excuse, you should actually measure your body fat before you make that claim. I suggest getting a scale that does it for you.
Also, I reached my original weight goal (135). I want to lose more fat, but I do not want to lose more weight. I don't think that losing 10 more pounds is necessarily good for me, Instead, I am going to maintain this weight, and lose 14% more of my body fat (hopefully). I also want to add 20 more pounds of muscle to my body. I have decided to go on maintenance so that I can eat more, because it's very hard to add muscle mass when you're calorie restricting. (and I have a really hard time wasting 40% of my points on protein shakes).
I have signed up for "The Toughest Century in Utah." If I complete it, it will be my first full century (91.5 mi is the most I've done). The beginning of this ride is Emigration Canyon or "Little Mountain" as Jake calls it. Then there's going up and down "Big Mountain." and then you go for a few more miles, and then you turn around, and go BACK up and down "Big Mountain" and then back and up "Little Mountain" again. It's going to be hard. So we're going to practice.
Also, the Trax schedules just changed, so I'm going to have to leave work downtown a little earlier than I had been to make it to the halfway house in time. In that case, I might as well leave with enough time to ride my bike all the way. (It takes me about 35 minutes to ride my bike from one job to the other.) I'm going to try to see if I can do that. It'll mean I have to get up earlier in the morning to pack my clothes and lunch and get my bike set up, so it might take a toll on how I feel since I'm already pretty sleep-deprived some days. But let's be honest, I want bragging rights. Wouldn't it be awesome to be able to say that I've ridden my bike to work for the last 30 days, 60 days, etc. until it snows? Also, if I ride every day, I'll be getting my 30 minutes of cardio daily. :-) I wonder what affect that will have on my body?
Our family has also decided to do an "Abs Competition." We're going to do sit-ups every day until Christmas, and then at Christmas we'll compare. There really is no prize, except it keeps us accountable, and we all want to out-do each other, so the competition is also a motivator. Today is day 3. My bro-in-law says that the 1st week is the hardest. I'm excited to keep going though.
I wonder how fast I can build my muscle mass? I hope that I can continue to increase my exercising and fitness. One day at a time.
 | |
| Or, you might think you're exercising when you're really not? ;) |
Another reason could be that you're losing pounds of body fat, and replacing it with muscle. However, because people use this as a cop-out excuse, you should actually measure your body fat before you make that claim. I suggest getting a scale that does it for you.
Also, I reached my original weight goal (135). I want to lose more fat, but I do not want to lose more weight. I don't think that losing 10 more pounds is necessarily good for me, Instead, I am going to maintain this weight, and lose 14% more of my body fat (hopefully). I also want to add 20 more pounds of muscle to my body. I have decided to go on maintenance so that I can eat more, because it's very hard to add muscle mass when you're calorie restricting. (and I have a really hard time wasting 40% of my points on protein shakes).
I have signed up for "The Toughest Century in Utah." If I complete it, it will be my first full century (91.5 mi is the most I've done). The beginning of this ride is Emigration Canyon or "Little Mountain" as Jake calls it. Then there's going up and down "Big Mountain." and then you go for a few more miles, and then you turn around, and go BACK up and down "Big Mountain" and then back and up "Little Mountain" again. It's going to be hard. So we're going to practice.
Also, the Trax schedules just changed, so I'm going to have to leave work downtown a little earlier than I had been to make it to the halfway house in time. In that case, I might as well leave with enough time to ride my bike all the way. (It takes me about 35 minutes to ride my bike from one job to the other.) I'm going to try to see if I can do that. It'll mean I have to get up earlier in the morning to pack my clothes and lunch and get my bike set up, so it might take a toll on how I feel since I'm already pretty sleep-deprived some days. But let's be honest, I want bragging rights. Wouldn't it be awesome to be able to say that I've ridden my bike to work for the last 30 days, 60 days, etc. until it snows? Also, if I ride every day, I'll be getting my 30 minutes of cardio daily. :-) I wonder what affect that will have on my body?
Our family has also decided to do an "Abs Competition." We're going to do sit-ups every day until Christmas, and then at Christmas we'll compare. There really is no prize, except it keeps us accountable, and we all want to out-do each other, so the competition is also a motivator. Today is day 3. My bro-in-law says that the 1st week is the hardest. I'm excited to keep going though.
I wonder how fast I can build my muscle mass? I hope that I can continue to increase my exercising and fitness. One day at a time.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
To what would you attribute your weight loss success?
Yesterday, I was posed that question by someone who's been trying to lose weight and is working out like crazy, but seeing minimal results.
Have I been successful because of Weight Watchers? Cycling? or Something Else?
My instant answer is I am successful because I tried. Because I wanted to be. But let's be honest, I desperately needed the tools provided by Weight Watchers to be successful. I would have never been successful without it. Weight Watchers all the way. Cycling just allows me to eat REALLY bad stuff on occasion (such as the golden pastrami burger at the busy bee- Yowzas).
The next question was do I pay for weight watchers? Yes, it's $20 a month after the introductory period. and it is VERY worth that $20. Very. I went from a size 12 to a 4. (Though in honesty, my clothes range in size from 4-6, depending on brand, style, and fit.) I am loving being a size 4. I refuse to ever stop being a size 4. :-)
Then, is it hard to stay on track? No. It was easy until summer hit. Then my routine changed and I got lazy/had excuses, and I'm pretty close to my goal, so I've gotten more lax and am taking it less seriously than I was. WW has an app for smartphones (which I don't have), but I think it would be super awesome if I did. I love that you can input recipes and it will give a points value. They also have a database of foods like cheese etc. so even if you don't know the exact nutrition facts for the cheese in your deli sandwich, you can still calculate the points for it.
But do you feel like you're starving or robbing yourself of things you love? No. Never. Not at all. I still eat pizza and cake and whatever else I want. I'm just smarter and more informed about it. We go out to eat way too much, and I'm still losing weight. A lot of it is listening to my body, and thinking about it. I "feel" hungry, but is it because I'm bored, or sad, or stressed, or tired? Do I really need to eat, or am I still full from the last time I ate? I have definitely had to change my eating habits and I've learned to like different foods, but I know that I can still have "bad stuff" (I don't really like to label things "good" or "bad" more like, sometimes foods, rarely foods, and as much as you want foods.) if I want it. I just choose not to want the "bad stuff" most of the time. Or I know different brands/ways of eating it that makes it not quite as bad as it could be, or the mainstream. Honestly, I don't really miss eating the way I used to eat. I don't feel deprived at all. If I want something, I eat it (like the 37 point sandwich I had a few Fridays ago). I just make up for it later (by not eating dinner, because I was till stuffed from my super-sandwich, or by riding my bike to work the next day. It was totally delicious and worth it, by the way.) For me, if I don't see it, I don't think about it and I don't miss it. However, I do suffer from food-envy. If you're eating an ice cream bar, I want one too (so I choose a WW or Skinny Cow one). I can successfully avoid the donuts at staff meetings when I've eaten before-hand. I cannot avoid the donuts when I'm hungry, and they're sitting in the office calling to me for 8 hours.
Honestly, maybe the secret to weight loss is mindful eating. Be aware of what you're eating (it has That many calories?!) and why. If you know you have trouble eating junk food, and that junk food will be available, come up with a plan (like being so super stuffed (on fruits and veggies) that the sound of a donut is not appetizing, or having my WW or Skinny Cow options).
My question to him/her was: Are you using your fancy scale? Maybe you're gaining muscle weight? Is the body composition changing, even if the weight remains the same? I highly recommend that everyone get a fancy scale. There is much more to health than your weight. For example, many obese people actually suffer from malnutrition because they're eating all the wrong things and they're bodies are not getting what it needs. And then there's me:
I have lost over 30 lbs. I weigh under 135. My healthy weight range is 120-150. My BMI is 22.3 (healthy is between 18.5-24.9) In April I had 95 lbs of muscle... I'm down to 92. So, I guess it's not a huge drop considering I've lost 15 lbs since April. I don't have enough good cholesterol and the ratio of good cholesterol to total cholesterol could be better. My blood pressure is also too close to borderline for my comfort. I STILL am 30% body fat (Healthy 21-31%) , so yes, still healthy, but a little too close to the borderline for my comfort. 30% of my weight is roughly 40lbs of body fat. Where the hell is it all? My face is much thinner than I'd like it to be. I've lost what little boobs I had... But I still have my thunderthighs. I had thought that maybe I was "destined" to have thunderthighs, since I'm very near my goal weight and still have them... but seeing that 30% tells me that I still have some work to do. I have spent the day researching how to build muscle mass. It requires weight training, which I have 0 motivation to do alone. It's boring. Give me my bike, please? Did you know that having more muscles protects against osteoporosis? My bones aren't quite as dense as they should be (5lbs, vs 5.3). It's also hard for me to put 4 points into a protein shake... but I'm probably going to start drinking more and more of them again. I'm going to experiment with working out every single day, and see if my muscle mass starts going up...
Also, while I'm giving weight loss advice: Don't do it alone. Being able to talk to others about food ideas, struggles, and tracking your progress with thier's is really good. Weight is contagious. Seriously. The behaviors and habits of the people around you become your own. If your family eats garbage, you're more likely to eat garbage. If one family member starts a diet, the others are likely going to start eating healthier too, even if they're not counting calories, or points or anything else. Look at the families of the people on Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition, they lose weight too. My husband has lost over 10 lbs, without "trying" or concentrating on it to the same extent that I have. :-)
Have I been successful because of Weight Watchers? Cycling? or Something Else?
My instant answer is I am successful because I tried. Because I wanted to be. But let's be honest, I desperately needed the tools provided by Weight Watchers to be successful. I would have never been successful without it. Weight Watchers all the way. Cycling just allows me to eat REALLY bad stuff on occasion (such as the golden pastrami burger at the busy bee- Yowzas).
The next question was do I pay for weight watchers? Yes, it's $20 a month after the introductory period. and it is VERY worth that $20. Very. I went from a size 12 to a 4. (Though in honesty, my clothes range in size from 4-6, depending on brand, style, and fit.) I am loving being a size 4. I refuse to ever stop being a size 4. :-)
Then, is it hard to stay on track? No. It was easy until summer hit. Then my routine changed and I got lazy/had excuses, and I'm pretty close to my goal, so I've gotten more lax and am taking it less seriously than I was. WW has an app for smartphones (which I don't have), but I think it would be super awesome if I did. I love that you can input recipes and it will give a points value. They also have a database of foods like cheese etc. so even if you don't know the exact nutrition facts for the cheese in your deli sandwich, you can still calculate the points for it.
But do you feel like you're starving or robbing yourself of things you love? No. Never. Not at all. I still eat pizza and cake and whatever else I want. I'm just smarter and more informed about it. We go out to eat way too much, and I'm still losing weight. A lot of it is listening to my body, and thinking about it. I "feel" hungry, but is it because I'm bored, or sad, or stressed, or tired? Do I really need to eat, or am I still full from the last time I ate? I have definitely had to change my eating habits and I've learned to like different foods, but I know that I can still have "bad stuff" (I don't really like to label things "good" or "bad" more like, sometimes foods, rarely foods, and as much as you want foods.) if I want it. I just choose not to want the "bad stuff" most of the time. Or I know different brands/ways of eating it that makes it not quite as bad as it could be, or the mainstream. Honestly, I don't really miss eating the way I used to eat. I don't feel deprived at all. If I want something, I eat it (like the 37 point sandwich I had a few Fridays ago). I just make up for it later (by not eating dinner, because I was till stuffed from my super-sandwich, or by riding my bike to work the next day. It was totally delicious and worth it, by the way.) For me, if I don't see it, I don't think about it and I don't miss it. However, I do suffer from food-envy. If you're eating an ice cream bar, I want one too (so I choose a WW or Skinny Cow one). I can successfully avoid the donuts at staff meetings when I've eaten before-hand. I cannot avoid the donuts when I'm hungry, and they're sitting in the office calling to me for 8 hours.
Honestly, maybe the secret to weight loss is mindful eating. Be aware of what you're eating (it has That many calories?!) and why. If you know you have trouble eating junk food, and that junk food will be available, come up with a plan (like being so super stuffed (on fruits and veggies) that the sound of a donut is not appetizing, or having my WW or Skinny Cow options).
My question to him/her was: Are you using your fancy scale? Maybe you're gaining muscle weight? Is the body composition changing, even if the weight remains the same? I highly recommend that everyone get a fancy scale. There is much more to health than your weight. For example, many obese people actually suffer from malnutrition because they're eating all the wrong things and they're bodies are not getting what it needs. And then there's me:
I have lost over 30 lbs. I weigh under 135. My healthy weight range is 120-150. My BMI is 22.3 (healthy is between 18.5-24.9) In April I had 95 lbs of muscle... I'm down to 92. So, I guess it's not a huge drop considering I've lost 15 lbs since April. I don't have enough good cholesterol and the ratio of good cholesterol to total cholesterol could be better. My blood pressure is also too close to borderline for my comfort. I STILL am 30% body fat (Healthy 21-31%) , so yes, still healthy, but a little too close to the borderline for my comfort. 30% of my weight is roughly 40lbs of body fat. Where the hell is it all? My face is much thinner than I'd like it to be. I've lost what little boobs I had... But I still have my thunderthighs. I had thought that maybe I was "destined" to have thunderthighs, since I'm very near my goal weight and still have them... but seeing that 30% tells me that I still have some work to do. I have spent the day researching how to build muscle mass. It requires weight training, which I have 0 motivation to do alone. It's boring. Give me my bike, please? Did you know that having more muscles protects against osteoporosis? My bones aren't quite as dense as they should be (5lbs, vs 5.3). It's also hard for me to put 4 points into a protein shake... but I'm probably going to start drinking more and more of them again. I'm going to experiment with working out every single day, and see if my muscle mass starts going up...
Also, while I'm giving weight loss advice: Don't do it alone. Being able to talk to others about food ideas, struggles, and tracking your progress with thier's is really good. Weight is contagious. Seriously. The behaviors and habits of the people around you become your own. If your family eats garbage, you're more likely to eat garbage. If one family member starts a diet, the others are likely going to start eating healthier too, even if they're not counting calories, or points or anything else. Look at the families of the people on Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition, they lose weight too. My husband has lost over 10 lbs, without "trying" or concentrating on it to the same extent that I have. :-)
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Is there a universal answer to weightloss?
So, I get a lot of questions about what my secret for weight loss is, or advice, etc. For the post part, it's "just buckle down and do it." Because that's what most of the problem is. People are stuck in the wanting to lose weight stage, without wanting to do anything to change it... Uh... Yeah.
But once you're out of that stage, there are TONS of tiny things to learn and remember to help along the way... To increase your success and to keep you motivated. These are my oft-repeated tips in a nutshell:
Expect to lose 1-2 lbs per week (or roughly 5 lbs per month). If you lose more than that consistently WW will actually increase your points target so you lose the weight in a safer manner.
The most important things are to remember that it's a marathon and not a sprint, and that it's a lifestyle change, not a diet. Even if you only lose .5 lbs in a certain week, every .5 adds up. and the longer you take to lose it, the more ingrained the habits will be, and the longer the weight will stay off. So if I have a milkshake or hot dog or something, I'm living and enjoying my life, and I'll be more successful in the long-run because I won't go off my "diet." Also, it might be beneficial to compare your new habits, with the old ones. So instead of beating yourself up over having some pizza, realize that you ate fewer pieces than maybe you would have in the past, and that's progress.
You have to track everything. It's actually pretty easy because you can just google food items or restaurants if you don't have the nutrition info handy. WW also has points values in their database for lots of stuff. It will teach you so much about food that you may not have known before. It definitely did for me. I didn't pay attention to what I ate at all.
Another great thing was that I had another friend that was doing WW, and my mom was too. None of us "joined together," but it was good to be able to ask for advice on food/brag about progress. I think that having other people around is a great motivator.
I've also noticed a pattern that every 100 calorie pack I've looked the points up on is 3 points. It's not 100% firm that 33 calories is 1 point, but it's a useful tool if I'm away from my computer and wondering the points of something.
At the same time, who am I to give YOU advice on your weight loss? What works for me, might not be what works for you. Or, the difficulties that I have might not be the difficulties that you have...
But once you're out of that stage, there are TONS of tiny things to learn and remember to help along the way... To increase your success and to keep you motivated. These are my oft-repeated tips in a nutshell:
Expect to lose 1-2 lbs per week (or roughly 5 lbs per month). If you lose more than that consistently WW will actually increase your points target so you lose the weight in a safer manner.
The most important things are to remember that it's a marathon and not a sprint, and that it's a lifestyle change, not a diet. Even if you only lose .5 lbs in a certain week, every .5 adds up. and the longer you take to lose it, the more ingrained the habits will be, and the longer the weight will stay off. So if I have a milkshake or hot dog or something, I'm living and enjoying my life, and I'll be more successful in the long-run because I won't go off my "diet." Also, it might be beneficial to compare your new habits, with the old ones. So instead of beating yourself up over having some pizza, realize that you ate fewer pieces than maybe you would have in the past, and that's progress.
You have to track everything. It's actually pretty easy because you can just google food items or restaurants if you don't have the nutrition info handy. WW also has points values in their database for lots of stuff. It will teach you so much about food that you may not have known before. It definitely did for me. I didn't pay attention to what I ate at all.
Another great thing was that I had another friend that was doing WW, and my mom was too. None of us "joined together," but it was good to be able to ask for advice on food/brag about progress. I think that having other people around is a great motivator.
I've also noticed a pattern that every 100 calorie pack I've looked the points up on is 3 points. It's not 100% firm that 33 calories is 1 point, but it's a useful tool if I'm away from my computer and wondering the points of something.
At the same time, who am I to give YOU advice on your weight loss? What works for me, might not be what works for you. Or, the difficulties that I have might not be the difficulties that you have...
Thursday, July 14, 2011
When to ask for help
No man is an island. Social support is the key to human survival. Studies have shown time and again how important other people are to our lives.
Months ago, I had to sit my husband down and have a talk with him about my feelings about how he eats. I think I've written about it before, so I'll be brief. I felt really deprived when I was watching the way he was eating. He was putting temptation in front of me, and I'm really bad at abstaining from junk when I have easy-access. I had to tell him that I needed his support to lose my weight, and that his eating habits were making it really hard for me, and that it was also putting added strain on our relationship. Since then, I've been trying to redirect him to get him to lose "Mike": our baby that he's carrying. Because he looks like he's pregnant, and Mike talks. It's kinda funny. You can never force someone to do anything, they have to make the decisions for themselves, but you can give them enough encouragement, that eventually they make the decision. My husband is finally there. He said that Mike is going to be gone by Christmas. Then he said by August. I am doubtful about August, but Christmas is nice. He's already lost 10 lbs, without counting points, but by snacking less in the middle of the night.
We've been watching the Tour de France, which is really encouraging for our cycling, because it makes us want to ride more and harder and faster. Which I love. We haven't done an organized ride since May. :-( I gotta get back in the saddle. I haven't ridden in 7 days. :-(
A coworker of mine joined WW a few months ago, and for the first few weeks, she did really well, even getting to her pre-pregnancy weight. But after that milestone, she started gaining weight again. Her life is really hectic right now (divorce), so that's making it even harder. Additionally, half of our coworkers are Islanders. Islanders EAT. They eat and they make enough for everybody. They force you to take their food. It is a LOT of peer/cultural pressure to EAT. One of her best friends is an Islander. So they eat. How can you turn down free-food? Especially when your stress and depression says, "It'll make you feel better?" We've started running laps around the building again, and I rode it with my odometer to determine how many laps to a mile (about 7). When we run, we have the privacy to talk about our stress and our issues. She also asked me to text her every morning to remind her to track her points and what she eats. Right now she says she's barely eating though.
Another woman I know (who is a compulsive/emotional eater and over 350 lbs) has decided to lose weight too. She's started reading the labels of her foods. She's reading the blog for help and inspiration. and she told her boss. Who now makes her take walks around the building on her breaks. and takes the salt shaker away from her when they take lunch breaks. She reports that the more people she tells, the better she's doing. Because they're there to help her. To push, and motivate, and hold her accountable. I am a lot more likely to jog around the building when I have a partner, then when I'm alone. I feel less silly. and we both know we should do it so we force both of us to do it. Instead of it having to be me alone motivating myself. It also gives this woman a great sense of pride because she has people checking in on her. Instead of beating herself up and calling herself names and being depressed about where she is, she has people saying to her "Good job! Great decisions! I'm so proud of you." and she has people that she can talk to, and brag to about how well she's doing. It has done so much for her self-esteem. To take control of her life, to be self-sufficient. She had the opportunity in April to work with a personal trainer for free, and she didn't. :-( But she's taking the help she can get now. Better late than never.
Months ago, I had to sit my husband down and have a talk with him about my feelings about how he eats. I think I've written about it before, so I'll be brief. I felt really deprived when I was watching the way he was eating. He was putting temptation in front of me, and I'm really bad at abstaining from junk when I have easy-access. I had to tell him that I needed his support to lose my weight, and that his eating habits were making it really hard for me, and that it was also putting added strain on our relationship. Since then, I've been trying to redirect him to get him to lose "Mike": our baby that he's carrying. Because he looks like he's pregnant, and Mike talks. It's kinda funny. You can never force someone to do anything, they have to make the decisions for themselves, but you can give them enough encouragement, that eventually they make the decision. My husband is finally there. He said that Mike is going to be gone by Christmas. Then he said by August. I am doubtful about August, but Christmas is nice. He's already lost 10 lbs, without counting points, but by snacking less in the middle of the night.
We've been watching the Tour de France, which is really encouraging for our cycling, because it makes us want to ride more and harder and faster. Which I love. We haven't done an organized ride since May. :-( I gotta get back in the saddle. I haven't ridden in 7 days. :-(
A coworker of mine joined WW a few months ago, and for the first few weeks, she did really well, even getting to her pre-pregnancy weight. But after that milestone, she started gaining weight again. Her life is really hectic right now (divorce), so that's making it even harder. Additionally, half of our coworkers are Islanders. Islanders EAT. They eat and they make enough for everybody. They force you to take their food. It is a LOT of peer/cultural pressure to EAT. One of her best friends is an Islander. So they eat. How can you turn down free-food? Especially when your stress and depression says, "It'll make you feel better?" We've started running laps around the building again, and I rode it with my odometer to determine how many laps to a mile (about 7). When we run, we have the privacy to talk about our stress and our issues. She also asked me to text her every morning to remind her to track her points and what she eats. Right now she says she's barely eating though.
Another woman I know (who is a compulsive/emotional eater and over 350 lbs) has decided to lose weight too. She's started reading the labels of her foods. She's reading the blog for help and inspiration. and she told her boss. Who now makes her take walks around the building on her breaks. and takes the salt shaker away from her when they take lunch breaks. She reports that the more people she tells, the better she's doing. Because they're there to help her. To push, and motivate, and hold her accountable. I am a lot more likely to jog around the building when I have a partner, then when I'm alone. I feel less silly. and we both know we should do it so we force both of us to do it. Instead of it having to be me alone motivating myself. It also gives this woman a great sense of pride because she has people checking in on her. Instead of beating herself up and calling herself names and being depressed about where she is, she has people saying to her "Good job! Great decisions! I'm so proud of you." and she has people that she can talk to, and brag to about how well she's doing. It has done so much for her self-esteem. To take control of her life, to be self-sufficient. She had the opportunity in April to work with a personal trainer for free, and she didn't. :-( But she's taking the help she can get now. Better late than never.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Another reminder why there's more to health than weight
We had our health fair at work yesterday. They did blood draws, etc. We also took an online health assessment survey. Apparently I am too stressed, and my nutrition is bad. Still. Really, my nutrition is bad? Grrr. I'm just not as consistent as I should be. I prefer fruits to veggies. Some days I don't eat any, and some days they're all I eat. and I still love my sweets. Can't get rid of my sweets. As I have changed my eating habits, I have become VERY particular and picky about what I eat. I prefer this brand/type of frozen veggies or meals to that one. and I get grumpy if I'm stuck with the wrong brand. :-(
Coincidentally, Thursdays are my weigh in days, so yesterday I weighed in and I've lost a total of 30 lbs! Yay! 30 lbs! 30 was my original weight loss goal. I think I'm going to lose 5-10 more pounds. After I got home, we went on a bike ride too. My health fair said that I'm still not getting enough exercise, or the right kind of exercise. My HDL levels are extremely low. My overall cholesterol is good, but I have very little of the good kind of cholesterol (like, I have less than half of what I should have.) But there's an easy way to fix that, keep my heart-rate in the target range when I work out (my heart rate typically goes EXTREMELY high when I work out.) and I need to get more healthy fats (like flax seed or fish oil, and I have supplements of both of those, I just haven't been taking them).
I am getting acupuncture done next weekend and I've never done it before. So we'll see how that goes. and hopefully by next year, I can get my numbers even lower!
When I had my screening, a coworker was like, "you're the healthiest you've ever been, aren't you?" Which is pretty much true. and then he pointed out that I'm the only person in the company who is at a healthy weight. (Which isn't true. There's 2-4 other people who don't appear to be overweight... but when there are 20ish others who are CLEARLY overweight... Yeah. Very unhealthy workplace unfortunately. :-( ) Just because I'm the healthiest I've ever been, doesn't mean I'm done with taking care of my health. It doesn't mean that there isn't more progress to be made. and just because I may be healthier than my peers, doesn't mean that I'm not still unhealthy in some respects.
Coincidentally, Thursdays are my weigh in days, so yesterday I weighed in and I've lost a total of 30 lbs! Yay! 30 lbs! 30 was my original weight loss goal. I think I'm going to lose 5-10 more pounds. After I got home, we went on a bike ride too. My health fair said that I'm still not getting enough exercise, or the right kind of exercise. My HDL levels are extremely low. My overall cholesterol is good, but I have very little of the good kind of cholesterol (like, I have less than half of what I should have.) But there's an easy way to fix that, keep my heart-rate in the target range when I work out (my heart rate typically goes EXTREMELY high when I work out.) and I need to get more healthy fats (like flax seed or fish oil, and I have supplements of both of those, I just haven't been taking them).
I am getting acupuncture done next weekend and I've never done it before. So we'll see how that goes. and hopefully by next year, I can get my numbers even lower!
When I had my screening, a coworker was like, "you're the healthiest you've ever been, aren't you?" Which is pretty much true. and then he pointed out that I'm the only person in the company who is at a healthy weight. (Which isn't true. There's 2-4 other people who don't appear to be overweight... but when there are 20ish others who are CLEARLY overweight... Yeah. Very unhealthy workplace unfortunately. :-( ) Just because I'm the healthiest I've ever been, doesn't mean I'm done with taking care of my health. It doesn't mean that there isn't more progress to be made. and just because I may be healthier than my peers, doesn't mean that I'm not still unhealthy in some respects.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Barriers to taking action
I received this comment today about yesterday's blog:
"oh MAN. that blog post hit me right where it counts. the issue of homelessness has been such a huge topic of interest to me, and such a struggle. I want to love them just like I do everyone else, but I almost ALWAYS give in to fear. I fear the awkward exchange that might take place. I fear what others may think as they walk past. I fear the silence I might encounter, etc. But averting my eyes and pretending I don't see doesn't help."
The complicated issue for me of homelessness is recognition. I want to help, but I don't want people to think I'm helping to show off. You know? I want to ask my coworkers who leave the building if the homeless guy is still there, so I can bring him lunch, but I don't want them to think I'm asking for attention/recognition. (I almost NEVER leave my desk. I don't take lunch breaks.) I don't want to seem like I'm bragging by talking about it... I want to inspire others, but I do not want to be an inspiration- if you understand the difference?
I feel slightly guilty for taking pleasure out of it. I was 2.5 hours late to work today, so I didn't see him, I guess he moved somewhere else, idk. I am hoping to build a rapport with him and to get to know his story, but again, that's for my personal gain: because I have always been curious about the issue.
When they ask for money, I tell them that I never carry cash, but that there's a down the street, and what would they like? A jacket? Shoes? Something to drink? Have they eaten today?
I feel that this action is more meaningful... But that could just be a cop-out to making myself feel better about it. I do not trust that they won't go buy drugs, booze, cigarettes, or junk food with the money. I am controlling... I know that. I want to make sure that they're getting proper nutrition by handing them fruit or a prepared meal. I don't want to give someone $1. I would rather spend $20 on lunch or a gift card to a restaurant, etc.
I also feel that handing them some change is TOO easy. There's no personal interaction. Does the homeless person feel cared for when you drop them some change? Do they feel more human when we stop and ask about their needs? I have no way of knowing, but I have my assumptions.
I have really only had interactions with 3 homeless people, one being the guy in yesterday's post.
One day, when I was walking downtown, a woman approached me (she was very close to me, in my face, I thought she might try to mug me) and asked for some money for bus fare. I told her that I didn't have any money to give, but that I would walk with her to the trax station (right across the street) and buy her a ticket. She got this demonic look on her face and yelled "WELL FINE!" and RAN off. She honestly looked like she was possessed, the look of hate on her face and how rapidly her demeanor changed when I offered my alternative. It was very disconcerting.
In college, I knew I wasn't going to use up my meal plan, so I used it to buy a bag of no-cook, no-refrigeration needed groceries and then I took it to the homeless guy I saw every day. He said "God Bless You" when he took the groceries. I also stopped at a place that had a "now hiring" sign up and asked for an application. They were very excited, thinking that the application was for me. They acted like they wanted to hire me on the spot. I told them that the application wasn't for me, but for the homeless guy who frequents the area. They pretty much said not to bother. That experience really opened my eyes to the barriers that homeless people experience to finding employment. White, middle-class America thinks that they should just get a job and fix their own problems... But if employers aren't willing to give them the opportunity? WTH. We've got some problems here. How is a homeless person supposed to get a job if they can't clean up and look presentable for an interview? :-(
"oh MAN. that blog post hit me right where it counts. the issue of homelessness has been such a huge topic of interest to me, and such a struggle. I want to love them just like I do everyone else, but I almost ALWAYS give in to fear. I fear the awkward exchange that might take place. I fear what others may think as they walk past. I fear the silence I might encounter, etc. But averting my eyes and pretending I don't see doesn't help."
The complicated issue for me of homelessness is recognition. I want to help, but I don't want people to think I'm helping to show off. You know? I want to ask my coworkers who leave the building if the homeless guy is still there, so I can bring him lunch, but I don't want them to think I'm asking for attention/recognition. (I almost NEVER leave my desk. I don't take lunch breaks.) I don't want to seem like I'm bragging by talking about it... I want to inspire others, but I do not want to be an inspiration- if you understand the difference?
I feel slightly guilty for taking pleasure out of it. I was 2.5 hours late to work today, so I didn't see him, I guess he moved somewhere else, idk. I am hoping to build a rapport with him and to get to know his story, but again, that's for my personal gain: because I have always been curious about the issue.
When they ask for money, I tell them that I never carry cash, but that there's a
I feel that this action is more meaningful... But that could just be a cop-out to making myself feel better about it. I do not trust that they won't go buy drugs, booze, cigarettes, or junk food with the money. I am controlling... I know that. I want to make sure that they're getting proper nutrition by handing them fruit or a prepared meal. I don't want to give someone $1. I would rather spend $20 on lunch or a gift card to a restaurant, etc.
I also feel that handing them some change is TOO easy. There's no personal interaction. Does the homeless person feel cared for when you drop them some change? Do they feel more human when we stop and ask about their needs? I have no way of knowing, but I have my assumptions.
I have really only had interactions with 3 homeless people, one being the guy in yesterday's post.
One day, when I was walking downtown, a woman approached me (she was very close to me, in my face, I thought she might try to mug me) and asked for some money for bus fare. I told her that I didn't have any money to give, but that I would walk with her to the trax station (right across the street) and buy her a ticket. She got this demonic look on her face and yelled "WELL FINE!" and RAN off. She honestly looked like she was possessed, the look of hate on her face and how rapidly her demeanor changed when I offered my alternative. It was very disconcerting.
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