Yesterday I started having computer issues which I thought were somewhat resolved until today, when I can hardly post a regular entry let alone links or pictures. Hopefully by Monday I can fix these and get the photos for my first two reviews in place, as well as some links cross-referencing other posts and pages, etc.
I have an Accounting exam tonight that I've hardly studied for, so I'm about to crack the book open now. In other news, yesterday I went to Davis Square to visit a friend, and ended up walking a solid 3 miles (in actuality a little more because I got lost at Haymarket looking for the bus stop and when I got off at Salem, I was two stops too early) throughout the evening. The best estimates I could find said I burned 400 calories by doing so, which is pretty sweet. The downside? I was wearing flip flops and have incredibly sensitive blisters now, and we ended up eating at a burger place. Small victories though, it's like I had one less bite or two of that burger!
Right before I left to go back to the T station, I got into a discussion with said friend's roomie, who is a pretty awesome dude. Seriously, he's wicked fit and looks great in an Under Armor shirt if I do say so myself ;) In any case, we were talking about being healthy and staying in shape, when the subject of significant others came into play. Now my boyfriend, as wonderful as he is, never seems to get on board with eating healthy. On the flip side, he's suggested a few times that we go for a walk or something like that and I've grumbled. I'm trying to get towards enjoying physical activity and have done a great deal more now that I have the Hello Kitty cruiser, but the roomie brought up the point that 'Significant others are either a bane or boon to weight loss'.
I feel like in many ways, my boyfriend Matt and I are banes to one another. He's not into veggies & fruits (aside from a few stray berries or corn and baby spinach) and is very used to eating out for every meal. He balks at choices like sandwiches or salads (even at Panera, he opts for the mac n cheese or unhealthy paninis) whereas I've found that I prefer sandwiches, salads, and the like for weight loss control. It's nice to go out to a decent dinner or lunch every so often, but the two of us really need to eighty-six the pattern of constantly going to Boston Market, McDonald's, and even our favorite sit down joints like MacGovern's or Red Robin (Yum!).
I'm just as guilty as he is though, because I love to be out and about which fosters getting a quick and fat laden bite to eat, or opting to get pizza at Little Caesar's because it's cheap. The fact that his apartment has no real stove/oven is partially at fault too, as you can only get so creative with an old hot plate, microwave, and toaster oven.
Last year I had my first on-campus apartment and will have one again very soon. I ended up cooking there a lot less than I would have liked for various reasons, but this year I am really going to make the effort to make a good dinner a few times a week and kick the Restaurant Diet. While I know well and good that most places offer great lower fat alternatives and that there's always a 'high road' (like picking a chicken sandwich over a double cheeseburger and fries at Micky D's) I can never manage to take it while at these places. Some restaurants do have great salads (I'm looking at you, Longhorn Steakhouse) which is what I usually would order, but at most of our favorite haunts I can't resist the Italian Platter (courtesy of MacGovern's, a trio of stuffed shells, meatballs, and chicken parm with garlic bread), the Boston Market Macaroni and Cheese, or the Royal Red Robin Burger (though I haven't tried their turkey burger yet, and ordering a non-meat veg pattie anywhere sounds nasty).
As I've mentioned before, I did once lose some weight through a complete diet overhaul, but going back down to school and constantly spending time with Matt was what reverted me back to the fat. You try enjoying your garden salad with no-fat balsamic dressing while watching the guy you love dig into some meatloaf or a fried veal cutlet.
Going from unhealthy to healthy was a long and hard process, from reducing the portions and frequency I snacked down to using less sauce/butter/etc while trying to savor the actual vegetable flavor. Once I had achieved this sort of nirvana, I found I craved salads and sandwiches or roasted skewers of vegetables with only the smallest amounts of meat and starches for sides. Cereals, wheat toast, and oatmeal had become the norm for breakfast and I managed to stave off hunger with a well placed apple or granola bar until the next meal.
Getting off the diet was like pulling off a band aid; sure once I ate my first steak or had some ice cream I felt a little bloated and sickly, but after less than a week I had undone what it took me a month and a half to build on. I began to crave double cheeseburgers and McNuggets again instead of a nice salad and half sandwich. The few pairs of size 20 jeans I was just being able to fit into again were getting unbearable tight, and I was back into pairs I had hoped I would be able to donate once I got comfortably past size 18 or 16.
All in all, this only reaffirmed that like any addiction, it's easy to fall off the wagon. Just thinking back to it all now, I pine for the days when my mouth watered for apples and craisins and not cake batter ice cream and Smartfood popcorn. I'm trying to remain optimistic that I can do it since I have done it before, and crossing my fingers that Matt will join me for (some) of the ride.
It's been helping me to blog about my feelings and everything so far, as a catharsis to let the fat out and the fit in.
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