the moderate epicurean

a quest for measured pleasure...

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Another gorgeous September day and I will take it! Makes long walks positively delightful. Along with my iPod - I've had one, technically John's old one, for just about a year and only organized and put my music on it last week! Who knows what the hell I was waiting for...that's such typical, nonsensical, Stephanie-procrastination I can hardly stand it. Ridiculous. But now it's in action, woo hoo! In fact, yesterday I listened to one of my own Feminine Hijinx podcasts and laughed so much and had such a big grin on my face that strangers were smiling at and greeting me. How sweet! Just goes to show that people most certainly respond to your aura...

...which will continue to be full of good energy tonight when I get together with Kim and Suz to record a new FH. It's been a few weeks and we're chomping at the bit, ready to talk naughty and cackle and gossip. Yeah baby!

For dinner tonight? Well, as I said, I'm gently applying the brakes to the speed with which I've been cranking tasties out of my kitchen since starting this blog - who knew a blog could be so fattening? Ack. Love my blog, love cooking and writing about it, love eating the food, of course...do not love the gaining weight part. It's clearly out of balance, and therefore not moderate.

So. As I mentioned below, I've figured out that for me, dinner is the main culprit. I eat pretty lightly during the day, even when blogging, ha. As you can tell from my recipes, I'm a vegetable lover. And not a much of a sweets eater. In fact, I tend to prefer lighter, healthier foods in general. The problem is that I am starving at around 4:30, no matter what I've eaten during the day, no matter how I've spent the day. That is just hungry-time for me, period, always has been. Everyone's different of course.

My previous strategy was to have a snack, to hold out for dinner... But what really ends up happening is that I have the equivalent of two dinners - the (big!) snack, plus the real dinner (and did I mention the tasties while I'm cooking? Those add up fast, and oh how I love them). With wine. Nope! That doesn't work for me. I did a little research first by tracking my calories for three weeks, down to every last bite and sip, on a great (free!) website, FitDay.com. Eating as I normally do, I consume, and have gained weight, eating on average less than 2,000 calories a day. UGH, that sucks. Not a lot of wiggle room there. So much for being able to eat a bit more since I'm 5'11" - it's never been true for me and apparently still isn't (in fact, as I approach the big 4-0, it's of course less true - neato). An hour or more of exercise per day, and between 12-1500 calories, and I weigh what I should. Not easy to maintain, especially when one loves to cook, eat, and drink as much as I do! And when the work I do for most of the day is at my computer (aka on my ass, like most of us). But hey, it is what it is. Time to get more creative! You work with what you've got, sista. And without question my evening - and getting a bit carried away with my passion for food and cooking - offers the most room for paring some cals.

So, I've put the family on alert that full-on dinners are going to be fewer and farther between and most nights we'll stick to lighter, a la carte choices that offer more flexibility for those of us trying to, ahem, lighten up. Nathan and I can still eat together on our nights, since we usually eat before John's home anyhow (he's a go-in-late, stay-late guy). And of course John and I can still have a nice dinner once in awhile, either here or out. But day-to-day, we'll be moderating the full-on dinner experience. However...

...that doesn't mean I'm still not needing and eating delicious and healthy food! I refuse to eat energy bars and drink diet drinks and other fake foods, YUCK, I hate them. Especially anything with artificial sweetener in it, tastes like chemical disgustingness to me. I'm still all about fresh, delicious foods. (With lots more walking and Russian kettlebells for dessert, ha.)

Yesterday, spicy beans and rice made up my snack/dinner. Tonight, crunchy cabbage salad. Tomorrow, perhaps I'll make some soup. Stay tuned...

10 Comments:

At 6:08 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Stephanie,

I seriously can relate to what you are going through. I kind of figured after your Sunday entry that you were not happy with the weight situation.

I am in the same boat as I am starving by 5:00 but my husband doesn't get home until around 6:30 so I end up waiting and being completely famished by the time we eat. Which for me means sometimes I'm a little crabby. Not Good!

My husband always suggests I have a snack but then that equals too many calories so I have taken to working out EVERYDAY! I don't necessarily have the time to workout everyday but I DO which means some chores get put off.

Either way...NOT fun having to watch the calories so closely. I feel your pain!!!

 
At 8:26 AM, Blogger Stephanie said...

Hi Donna! Thanks for the empathy! Yeah, reality, darn. Ha. I so relate to being crabby by dinner time. I do not like being hungry! I figure the bonus of knowing how to cook, like you, is that you get the most enjoyment out of the things you choose to eat. And you're willing to do the exercise to enjoy it with gusto! Moderation - woo hoo!

 
At 9:41 AM, Blogger Maud Bryt said...

Until 3 years ago, I also found that waiting for husband to get home was making me cranky and sluggish. You know my suggestion for anyone who needs energy at the end of the day-- study martial arts. Find an authentic place that teaches the real version of any of the martial arts, and learn how to defend yourself and make your body useful. If you have kids, bring them along also. Tai chi is great for getting in touch with how your body works. Okay, I'm done with my pitch. Where's that soup recipe?

 
At 10:51 AM, Blogger Stephanie said...

Hi Maud! I agree, studying martial arts is a great option, I've taken martial arts classes before and really enjoyed them. My problem: I'm not a class person. It's part of my personality, but I chafe against the requirement of showing up at a class and interacting with people. It's happened with yoga too - I enjoy it while I'm there, and how it makes me feel, but I don't look forward to it. I always am more consistent, and find more peace, when I exercise alone, which is weird, given how extroverted I am in other situations. Also, I need to be outside, fresh air is definitely a part of the recharging of my battery. Even in the winter, what motivates me is to get outside and be in nature. What I miss out on, I know, is the change in outlook on life and overall discipline which you experience through martial arts, and which you demonstrate so beautifully in your documentary (Maud has created a documentary on martial arts, interviewing instructors around the US, it's fascinating). It's still definitely a possibility, if I could find the right spot. My friend Susie was very much involved, and loved it, but her back couldn't take it. Otherwise perhaps I'd drag her to a class with me!

Soup...coming in my next post, I promise. Have a good weekend!

 
At 11:57 AM, Blogger Suz said...

Oh man, I'd be there with you in a heartbeat, sister. Damn my bad back! How I do miss Tae Kwon Do....:-(

 
At 9:11 AM, Blogger Maud Bryt said...

Stephanie and Suzy--
2 words-- Tai Chi.
Take a few classes or hire a private instructor to learn the moves and then you can do it yourself, outdoors or in, but preferably out.
Good for back, breathing, circulation, digestion, all the systems really, and strengthening without being harsh on the body. Okay, now I'll stop.

 
At 4:32 PM, Blogger Suz said...

Thanks Maud! I'd definitely consider looking into that. Originally I was going to do that but wanted something more 'contact'...guess I needed to get out some aggression?! Ha! Here's a question: Tai Chi verses Yoga?

But what do you say, Steph??

 
At 5:33 PM, Blogger Stephanie said...

Knowing you, Suz, and what you like to do, and having done both yoga and tai chi myself, I'd say...tai chi. It has helped my back before, I learned a very simple, easy-to-repeat at home routine in a class, I've even gotten headache relief from it. And you, who can't take ibuprofen or tylenol, OMG, why did I not think of it before??? It's perfect for you. It's a great suggestion, Maud.

 
At 7:01 PM, Blogger Maud Bryt said...

The great thing about Tai Chi is that it's actually fighting, just slowed down, and I like the fighting/self-defense aspect of martial arts. AND you can make it as strenuous as you can, by "sitting" lower and lower, so there's nothing easy about it. Yoga is great, also, of course, and they both come from the same origins I think, in India (and then China, for Tai Chi). I just think there's something so cool about learning how to redirect someone else's energy and actions... as a mom/wife/sister/daughter, can't hurt to know...I take both shotokan karate and tai chi, and it would be an even match between my tai chi and karate instructors, even though tai chi looks less like self-defense, it's all the same.

 
At 7:41 AM, Blogger Suz said...

Thanks so much, Maud, that's great to know. I've always loved the discipline and culture of Tae Kwon Do--or any martial art--and I've missed it a lot. I'm surprised it hasn't dawned on me before to look into Tai Chi again. Maybe I'll just have to do that...!! :-)

 

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