02.27 - Cheese Confession

I was in a lecture last night and brought an individually wrapped piece of string cheese with me to tide me over. The cheese was still cold from the refrigerated case at the store but I told myself that I had to wait until it was room temperature or warmer (because that's when string cheese-- or cheese in general-- tastes the best). I was a bit impatient, so I held the plastic in my hand and did my best to warm up the cheese but, alas, my hands were a bit cool.

So I quickly slid the cheese into my shirt sleeve and kept it against my arm for about ten minutes. Then I slyly passed the cheese from one sleeve to the next and kept it against my other arm for another ten minutes. When I finally pulled it out for consumption, the girl next to me noticed but I ignored her, peeled away the plastic, and bit into my wonderfully soft cheese as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

02.25 - Give Up, Give Back

I grew up Catholic and was taught to give up something for Lent every year. But after I fulfilled my Catholic Saturday school requirements, I pretty much dropped the practice and only did it around my dad to make him happy. :\ In recent years, though, I've picked up the ritual again . . . but only when I make the sincere effort to struggle and to think about the meaning behind it.

So . . . this year, I'm going to give up meat again (everyday and not just on Fridays, like last year). It was unbelievably hard to do last year, but when Easter finally came around, it was good to know I was able to get over myself for that period of time. And if you know me, you know meat is very nearly my best friend. ;) Anyway, I debated on also giving up cheese this year, but I honestly think I would have an emotional breakdown because so many vegetarian options involve cheese. *dorky smile* Still, in addition to fasting, I want to do something more than I did last year. Luckily, my dear friend HLY gave me this great idea to practically spend time with God daily (something I often forget to do :\). It's sad that it sometimes seems easier for me to take away something I love than to give my time to something I love . . . but I look forward to the days ahead.

02.20 to 02.22 - Active Member of the Clean Plate Club

I realized this weekend why I'm inclined to eat so much. I'm pretty sure it's because my dear parents instilled this "clean plate" mentality in me that I can't seem to get rid of. I just absolutely hate to see good food still left on a plate if I know it's going to get thrown out. It's so bad that I'll force myself to eat four plates of French cheese that smell (and taste) like feet because the three others I'm having dinner with refuse to eat it. It's so bad that I'll eat a party of fourteen's leftover sushi (that even the males at the table will willingly pass to me). It's so bad that I'll take my godchildren's plates and eat the chewed-up and nibbled-on pieces of food that they are suddenly too full to eat. And it's so bad that I'll eat a party of nineteen's excessive amount of leftover pizza (but thank goodness for my buddy PK-- haha).

*sigh* It's a problem, but I feel like it's something I'll probably always have to deal with. So when I end up 500 lbs. with hypertension and high cholesterol, you'll know who to blame. ;) The best part of the clean plate club, though, are the reactions. Haha. Some people are really supportive, some people will help me out (though this is rare), and others will just flat-out tell me to stop because I disgust them. Haha. The latter are the best. :}




These are just two of the five pizzas from this weekend that started off as my friends and nearly ended up my enemies. Ha.

02.19 - Pink Shoe Scandal

I actually motivated myself enough yesterday to go back to the gym the second day in a row. That in itself is an accomplishment, so I absolutely had to go! There was one slight obstacle, though. I forgot to bring sneakers. :\

So I ended up just going down to the gym with a tentative plan to do weights or floor exercises in my socks. But when I saw the calorie-burning elliptical machine, my heart lurched and I just "needed" to do cardio. So . . . I did something I would not wish for anyone else. *sigh* I walked into the girls' locker room where there happens to be a random collection of used gym shoes on top of the lockers, and I nervously (and quickly) took the cleanest pair that was closest to my size and put those puppies on. Haha. They were light pink shoes about a size too large, but they definitely did the job. Haha. The entire time I was on the elliptical machine, I kept looking at the door, praying that my shoes' owner wouldn't walk in. *sheepish look* On the plus side, I burned about 150 calories! Woohoo. :}

02.18 - Walking Oxymoron

I finally decided to go back to the gym at work after about a two-month break! As I headed downstairs, I felt so good about myself and I even got my coworker friend to join me, so I was feeling really motivated . . . until she pointed out that my gym bag is a big plastic Dunkin Donuts bag. *sigh* Who am I kidding? :\

02.17 - Three Plate Minimum

So . . . I'm very determined to begin a lifestyle of healthy eating and working out . . . but this past weekend gave me a bit of a setback-- especially on Sunday. I went to good ol' Old Country Buffet with a couple friends-- and if you've ever been to a buffet with me in the past, you'd know that I have a three plate minimum requirement. It's a way to get my money's worth as well as my stomach's worth. ;) In addition, comfort food is my weakness. :\ So yeah . . . my three plates at OCB were surprisingly delicious and it thoroughly messed with my mind and made me want to forget about my health and GI system. *sigh* I have issues and no one to hold me accountable. Wahhh.



Eatery Info: Old Country Buffet, 6125 N Lincoln, Chicago, IL 60659

02.13 - Reality Check

Recently, several people close to me have acquired gastrointestinal problems that have changed their diets dramatically and have even caused some to shed a lot of weight. After initially hearing about these problems, I felt bad and silently thanked God that I didn't have to deal with them myself. One friend actually teased me and said that I should hope for a GI problem because it would help me stop eating so badly. I laughed it off.

But after continuing to hear about the lifestyle changes that are necessary to treat and deal with GI problems, I'm actually starting to become a bit afraid. The thought of having to give up just one of my fave foods makes me nervous, so I can't imagine incorporating even more drastic changes in diet and eating habits.

These stories hit so close to home that I'm starting to realize (dun dun dun) that I can't take my health for granted. At the rate I'm going, I'm pretty much guaranteed a GI problem in the next year or so. And who knows what more. So . . . I dunno. I think I'm going to try incorporating a bit more good stuff into my diet and reducing some of the bad stuff. I'm not going to go completely crazy on a health kick (because this is me we're talking about) . . . but I'm definitely going to make some gradual changes. Better that I do this stuff now on my own than later by necessity. :\