Healthy Choices

Way back at the beginning of the year, I posted a blog on why I don't make New Year's resolutions.  The timing, being completely arbitrary, is at a piss-poor time of year for those of us in northern climates.  Stress of the holidays, short days, and bitterly cold temperatures don't exactly encourage one to get out and be active. 

Especially when you don't like winter activities, like skiing or skating.  Basically, I hate winter and everything about it except how pretty the trees look with fresh snow (evergreens) or frost (hibernating deciduous trees).

On May 1st, I decided that along with a new job and finishing school it would be a good time to start being active and trying to eat healthier.  Gone for the most part are nights out or fast food (we do have a "cheat" exemption once every 3 weeks, but then the rest of the day is planned around it, calorically speaking).

We bough a blender.  And actually use it to make smoothies.

We bought a digital scale, and I use it when planning meals or to ensure portion control when adding calorie dense foods.

I read labels (Ms. Plato is starting to more as well) to decide between similar products.  Usually, the lower calorie choice will win out, unless there's something else on the label that's more important than the difference in calories (sodium content, for example).

I feel like a douchebag when I reach for a nutrient guide on the rare times we eat out or when making beverage choices at Starbucks. I didn't even know light drinks were an option.  Or than I could be excited that a grande had only 140 calories (or the tall we had last night for movie night was only 100).

We bought bikes and have taken up riding.  It's been a pain with the wet, rainy weather, as we don't want to ride in the rain.  We store the bikes in our spare room, and everywhere in the apartment is hardwood, so....dry days only.

Still, for all the work and effort and lack of Doritos, bags of chips and dip, occasional cans of pop, it's worth it.   Since we've started, I've lost 11 pounds.  I started at 195lbs, which might not seem like a lot, but compared to when I was a teen or even my early 20s, that was a 30lbs weight gain since I met Ms. Plato.

Few of my clothes fit me properly anymore, which is fine as I bought them all to fit a 195lbs Plato.  I need new clothes anyway, as I tend to wear mine into the ground before I replace them.  I'm cheap like that.  It's almost that time.

Better yet, it's inspriring Ms.Plato to stick to it.  I've been making changes slowly and introducing more working out a bit at a time.  One, we were horribly out of shape.  If we had to run across a road, we'd be out of breathe.  We're both stubborn and rarely know when to quit, so it's entirely possible that if we went all out, we'd jog or ride ourselves into a heart attack.

Now, we can go biking for an hour at a moderate pace and not feeling like we might die.  Which is nice; when we get home we still need to carry the bikes up 2.5 flights of stairs.  No elevator in the building, so it's us against gravity all the way.

This has meant that we don't get alot of time to play games though.  My WoW time has been cut way back as I also have to complete a corresponce course so I can't write my professional exams next year.  All in good time.  I'm mostly sure WoW and video games will still be there once I get free time again.

Have a great long weekend and eat something yummy for me!