I like to be legit in my posts. I want to be real with you guys.
So, here goes.
I enjoy the feeling of a "detox" after a week of eating less healthily than I like. I love feeling like my body is ridding itself of toxins and replenishing itself with nutrients and wholesome foods. As much as I'd legitimately like to avoid the downhill slope that is my eating habits during vacations, sometimes it's inevitable. At SML, one of our guests is admittedly a fairly picky eater. Several members of my family as well as one of our guests try to abide by Weight Watchers-approved meals. It's not always possible for quinoa bowls at linner and granola-and-chia-seed breakfasts to be the norm. Sure, I can bring along my own preferred foods, but who would rather substitute gravel for pancakes and scrambled eggs?
I ate relatively healthy, balanced meals at the lake. I strived for vegetables at two meals, fruit at at least one, low-carb options, lean meats, "skinny" sauces and salad dressings, whole wheat pastas and breads, and low-fat dairy and protein sources. It wasn't mealtime that threw things off last week, nor was it a lack of exercise. Keeping myself afloat for hours on noodles, trekking off to the Wild Blue Yonder in the paddle boat, tubing, and running up and down the hill between the house and the lake sufficed nicely.
It was snacking and drinking that did me in.
I consumed enough beer and Bacardi-spiked lemonade last week to drown a small horse. Anne's mother sent her with pretzel chips and crab dip, thumbprint cookies with patriotic cream cheese frosting, BBQ chips, and more temptations. My family bought fudge-sicles (a rarity in the Lew home), popsicles (the kind that come with about fifty in a net), soda (mostly the diet variety), mini Oreos, pecan Sandies, French fries, chicken nuggets, Velveeta Shells 'n Cheese, and other off-limits-to-A.K. foods so that our guests would feel welcome and comfortable (i.e. not as if they had just stepped into GNC combined with Trader Joe's).
Believe me, it has definitely occurred to me that if I just laid off the booze for a bit, it would be that much easier to (try to) kick this beer belly I'm sporting. As my sister always says, and as the devil on my shoulder reminds me, the years of fratting with pals and spending weekends with less-than-sober memories are drawing to a close. In less than two years, I'll officially be in Big Girl World with a Big Girl Job and a Master's degree. I want to take advantage of those rapidly slimming years and enjoy myself as much as I possibly can. That doesn't mean that I intend to let my weight go to hell or allow my body to fall into disrepair. It just means that laying off the hard stuff probably isn't going to happen anytime soon... at least, not on a permanent basis.
All in all, this week is going to feel good, as I beef up my veggie intake, score some healthy snacks, pack well-balanced lunches, and inhale water like it's my (second) job. It won't be as easy as I had hoped with Vacation Bible School beginning tonight, but I'll make it work. I'm off to eat my first of five dinners at the church, followed by keeping an eye on the church's youngest -- and cutest -- members! Ta ta :)
P.S. How do you detox from a period of unhealthy or less-than-spot-on food and/or adult beverage consumption?
So, here goes.
I enjoy the feeling of a "detox" after a week of eating less healthily than I like. I love feeling like my body is ridding itself of toxins and replenishing itself with nutrients and wholesome foods. As much as I'd legitimately like to avoid the downhill slope that is my eating habits during vacations, sometimes it's inevitable. At SML, one of our guests is admittedly a fairly picky eater. Several members of my family as well as one of our guests try to abide by Weight Watchers-approved meals. It's not always possible for quinoa bowls at linner and granola-and-chia-seed breakfasts to be the norm. Sure, I can bring along my own preferred foods, but who would rather substitute gravel for pancakes and scrambled eggs?
I ate relatively healthy, balanced meals at the lake. I strived for vegetables at two meals, fruit at at least one, low-carb options, lean meats, "skinny" sauces and salad dressings, whole wheat pastas and breads, and low-fat dairy and protein sources. It wasn't mealtime that threw things off last week, nor was it a lack of exercise. Keeping myself afloat for hours on noodles, trekking off to the Wild Blue Yonder in the paddle boat, tubing, and running up and down the hill between the house and the lake sufficed nicely.
It was snacking and drinking that did me in.
I consumed enough beer and Bacardi-spiked lemonade last week to drown a small horse. Anne's mother sent her with pretzel chips and crab dip, thumbprint cookies with patriotic cream cheese frosting, BBQ chips, and more temptations. My family bought fudge-sicles (a rarity in the Lew home), popsicles (the kind that come with about fifty in a net), soda (mostly the diet variety), mini Oreos, pecan Sandies, French fries, chicken nuggets, Velveeta Shells 'n Cheese, and other off-limits-to-A.K. foods so that our guests would feel welcome and comfortable (i.e. not as if they had just stepped into GNC combined with Trader Joe's).
Believe me, it has definitely occurred to me that if I just laid off the booze for a bit, it would be that much easier to (try to) kick this beer belly I'm sporting. As my sister always says, and as the devil on my shoulder reminds me, the years of fratting with pals and spending weekends with less-than-sober memories are drawing to a close. In less than two years, I'll officially be in Big Girl World with a Big Girl Job and a Master's degree. I want to take advantage of those rapidly slimming years and enjoy myself as much as I possibly can. That doesn't mean that I intend to let my weight go to hell or allow my body to fall into disrepair. It just means that laying off the hard stuff probably isn't going to happen anytime soon... at least, not on a permanent basis.
All in all, this week is going to feel good, as I beef up my veggie intake, score some healthy snacks, pack well-balanced lunches, and inhale water like it's my (second) job. It won't be as easy as I had hoped with Vacation Bible School beginning tonight, but I'll make it work. I'm off to eat my first of five dinners at the church, followed by keeping an eye on the church's youngest -- and cutest -- members! Ta ta :)
P.S. How do you detox from a period of unhealthy or less-than-spot-on food and/or adult beverage consumption?
2 comments:
So I'm new to your blog and I think it's great. I have a question though, any advice on almost fainting at the gym on a consistent basis?
As for detoxing, I try and start the week off right with new/clean groceries and no alcohol in my house. Out of sight out of mind.
Hello, welcome, and thanks for reading! I like your suggestion for detoxing -- I do the same myself when I'm at my apartment during the schoolyear. I don't stock alcohol or tempting items. As for the gym, I wish I could help. I'm not a Registered Dietician or a fitness expert. I'm just writing about personal experiences. I suggest speaking with someone at your gym about ways to avoid near-fainting, as well as maybe your primary care physician. I've almost fainted a few times if I got overheated from wearing headphones for an extended period of time, or if my blood sugar has dipped swiftly, but these may not be factors affecting you. Hope this helps!
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