Day 384 - Beware Of Good

What it is about May I have no idea. But one constant at work each May is that co-workers bring in candy to sell for their kids various school or social causes. Boxes like the one pictured there are all over the office here. That one sits at the end of the aisle I work in so I have to pass it a dozen or more times a day.

And pass it I do. Nothing of value there, nothing good.

Well, for sure it looks good, tastes good, even the packaging appeals to me as good. But I know better, in the end eating anything out of that box will be no-good for me.

So many things in life appear to be good, but in reality are no-good for us if used. Candy is just one example. There must be others, here are a few that come to mind...

The easy ones along the same line as candy would be ice cream, cake, pie, basically all desserts. They look amazing, smell divine, tempt us as sinful without doom; but sin is what they are waistline doom is what they get us.

Fast Food applies here. It is not that it's appearance is what looks good, but the convenience of the meal is what appeals as good to us. However convenience is not good for us in all aspects of life. Convenience in food preparation, e.g. electric blender vs. hand mixing utensil, good way to go more often than not. Convenience in food via a meal in a bag in a jiffy; not so much.

How about meal-replacement bars/protein-bars? Probably not fair to lump all into a single judgement here. First lets state that these come off as looking good to us for many reasons; they are packaged to look like they are beneficial for us, they are described as a better choice amongst alternatives, and they too are sold as a convenience item. Actually I think the 2nd of those three selling points is more true than shady; choosing most such bars over a candy bar is a better choice given just those two; usually. Instead, the lesson here is that there are many varieties of these bars out there. Some are actually almost-good for you. But when you get into the nitty-gritty of the ingredients, most are not good for you. Certainly not a good alternative to a whole food meal or snack.

Here is a good one from my lunch yesterday...

Broiled salmon with squash & green beans. Looks good smells great. You see what else is there, lower-right; that white sauce is cucumber sauce. "Cucumber" sauce! Cukes are healthy veggies right, sounds like a good sauce, it is made from cucumbers after all! But NO, cream is the base of this sauce, not-good! I ditched it and replaced it with some pico de gallo. Sauces, dressings and the like are notorious for being packaged & described as good choices, safe choices to use in your diet. Reality however is that a vast majority of them only deliver good flavor at the expense of good nutrition.

Of course, any of the above can be enjoyed in moderation. Moderation is something I am a believer in as it falls in line with my belief that we need to have fun, enjoy each day fully. If on any given day you truly feel you need to satisfy your want for some candy, have it. But beware that candy is a bad thing that looks good, so think before you indulge and determine when to stop before you start. Two Snickers, a Kit-Kat and a Three-Musketeers is well past the point of moderation; trust me I know from experience.

What examples do you have of 'good' we need to beware of?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 368 - Three Something Wednesday

Not much response to the riddle, trivia yesterday. Perhaps a bad selection from the fun bag on my part. Lets give it another day and see if anyone takes a peek back to yesterday for a crack at any of these before I give out the answers. I know one member of my family who I believe peeks in here from time to time should recognize that castle. "Should", being the operative word there.

So what shall we do today?

Lets do something responsible for ourselves, something sincere for someone else, and something a few notches outside of our comfort zones.

Here are my three somethings...

For Myself:
Spend some time in reflection upon a commitment I've made? No More Fast Food.
A year ago yesterday I made that commitment. For the last 8 months of 2010 I bet I didn't eat a fast food meal more than 5 times in total. Here in 2011, I bet I've had a dozen. While not a all out fall of the wagon collapse of this commitment, I think it is safe to say I have a limb or two hanging over the wagons edge.

Today I am committing to getting those limbs safely back within the wagon but reaffirming to that commitment to change. Next week I expect to be released from the hold I've been placed on from lifting weights and strenuous exercise while I recover from last weeks surgery. I will be ready; man I can't wait to grip that bar and knock it around. Fast food will not benefit me in any way towards reaping maximum benefit from that exercise. Choosing to eat No More Fast Food will!

For Someone Else:
I am hoping others, YOU,  who read this will join me in this sincere act for someone else.
The someone else is Lynda over at Taking Less Space. In her post linked there from yesterday she stepped up bravely and owned up to having slipped up hard on the diet yo-yo. Please go read for yourself and help her any way you can.

For Lynda, this is what I have for her to ponder this day... Think, just stop and think quietly (after you read this post of course). Listen to the voices inside right now, who do you hear? I am willing to bet the $3.49 in my pocket that your Evil Inner Dialogue is back and louder than ever. Now listen harder to that evil, can you identify what its been feeding off of that has pumped up it's volume in your head? Find it, whatever it is, and focus on improving/eliminating that one loudest source of evil. For now, forget about all the other sources of angst, today they are not important. One day, today, you can choose to find & fix the primary root of your weight gain. This you can do, today, tomorrow and any day you choose.

Outside My Zone:
I'm going to have some fun with this one, I can't help myself; sorry (not). I have a personal purchase to make soon; not going to say what it is here to protect surprise factor from onlooking eyes. In most buying situations I do not haggle price much if at all. This item does have some room for price haggling. So I am going to haggle my face off.

The amount I may be able to haggle down is irrelevant as I have no intention of making the actual buy today, my need today is product comparison. The fun will come from observing the reactions of the store sales people as I drag them through a haggling that is really more of a hazing.

Do you have three somethings?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 115 - Happy Meal Hornets

Is feeding kids fast food child abuse? Is over feeding kids abuse?

Good morning everyone, some heavy questions huh. I suppose you could say my day started out heavy, at least mentally. On the drive into work I heard a radio commentary where consideration ought to be given to legislating that smoking around kids is a form of child abuse. Now, let's hit the brakes for a moment. It is not my intent to debate smoking as a topic. Certainly if you'd like we can dabble in that direction, go for it. However hearing this commentary gave me cause to wonder similarly about how we feed our kids.

Let me spit ball some thoughts at this blog page, I used to be the champion spit-baller in the 3rd grade, you've been warned.

Parents/Guardians are responsible for feeding their kids...

Not everyone is in an economic situation which allows them to feed their kids perfectly balanced/portioned meals daily...

So is it ok for those with less economic means to feed their kids lesser food while holding those with greater economic means to a different standard of care for feeding their kids?...

Not everyone accepts the notion that fast food is as absolutely unhealthy as many would have us think...

Fast food is unhealthy, my opinion, there just is no way to consider the core menus of the most popular fast food joints as healthy; but some do try...

Leave Ronald McDonald's clown alone, he is not a pusher akin to the dope dealer, is he?...

Abuse is to treat in a harmful, injurious, or offensive way according to the dictionary...

But legally, what constitutes abuse?...

How can feeding your kids be considered abuse?...

Feeding your kids is smart, feeding them well balanced/portioned meals is preferred...

Feeding your kids fast food is certainly choosing to feed them lesser quality of food, but isn't it just that, a lesser choice made?...

Over feeding kids into obesity, say 6,781 calories a day diet; is that abuse?...

If not that amount, what amount of over-feeding is where it becomes abuse?...

Addicting, by feeding our kids fast food are we providing them with an addiction that they will have to live with or break someday?...

If exposing kids to over feeding, or fast food, is equal to pushing them into addictions; then what about video games, violence on screens, and sunshine?...

And I can go on...

So, there is a big hairy dose of fried fury for thought.

Myself, I don't think there are easily definable boundaries for abuse when it comes to feeding our kids. Beating our kids, surely that is more easily definable as to what is abuse.

Feed your kids, start with that; get them fed any way you can. Then if you can feed them healthier choices you should. But mandating via legislation that you have to feed them as healthy as you can or else you are abusive; I am not ready to go there.

It is a blurry set of lines that separates what we as parents/guardians of kids have to do and what we should do. In general where it is blurry, I tend to want to leave it up to the parent to make the decision, not a legislative body whose purpose is too often blurred by interests that are far from the point of the matter being legislated.

Ok, enough from me. If I go any further this will become all too political and I try to not get into political debates here. Why I deviated on that guideline today I do not know.

Feed your kids, love your kids, laugh with your kids, and buy them Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Championship t-shirts for crying out loud!

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 97 - Playing Favorites

Food has been on my mind this week, so, lets stay there. I've come to learn you have to eat healthy; have to. Otherwise you aint healthy, it is that simple; no?.

That said, where is it said that you can't ever eat the unhealthy stuff you like? You know what you like, right? And you know then know if it is healthy or not & how much and often you can eat it, right? I would assume the answer to those questions is yes for most. If you don't ponder and research. Or lets us know what food it is you are unsure of, plenty of folks here willing to share their thoughts on it I bet.

Whatever anyone says, don't ever just completely never eat something you like just because it is unhealthy.

So what are your favorite foods that are not the healthiest for you but you still enjoy from time to time?

Myself, well here are some of mine...

Breakfast: Four-egg omelets stuffed with four cheeses, four meats accompanied by four slices of rye toast, I used to call this the 4x4-Squared Delight. I do still eat omelets, but, it will be a while before I eat this behemoth again.

Lunch: Bacon Double Cheese Burger w/ fries, a simple all-American favorite. Not just any burger but you have to get one of these at a tavern; do that and it is twice as awesome'licious. Is that a word? If so, how many calories are in that word??

Snacks: Candy Bars, especially Snickers, Kit Kat's, Reece's PB Cups and Almond Joy. I used to get all four, sometimes two of each, and eat them all on one thirty-minute drive. Super sad, I know. Candy bars still have a place in my diet, but one or two a month at most.

Dinner: Fried Chicken & Dumplings, easily a 3,000 calories feast before adding side dishes. And yes, I used to have seconds, and thirds on the dumplings. How many servings of dumplings can you pack in at one sitting? My tops, FIVE!

Dessert: Chess Pie, omg my Great-Grandma made the best-est pies ever made. She made pies from scratch at the Maid-Rite in Christopher, IL for years and years. People would pay her to make them pies on the weekends from her tiny apartment kitchen. Whatever it took to survive the depression doldrums she used to say. Pie can be easily worked into your diet as you can control the size of the slice, right?

Late Night Snacks: Taco Bell drive thu. Especially if too many adult beverages had been consumed, this was the place to feast on the worst food on the planet while ones taste buds were numb and dumb. So fast food, I have committed to no more fast food and have no intention of doing any anytime soon. But if i were to open my mind to fast food again I'd say treat it like candy bars, once or twice a month. Not once or twice a day which I have done before.

Ok, I must go get some breakfast now; oatmeal and fruit awaits me!

Enjoy whatever it is you eat today and remember it is Ok to enjoy the unhealthy foods you really like once in a while.

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 74 - Semi Complete

The last day of June is here. Half of 2010 is just hours away from being history. Did you hear me; HALF! Where does the time go?

Seriously; Where does the time go?

For me it used to get thrown away waiting 6 cars deep in a drive-thru line for a Big Mac value meal and 2 double-cheeseburgers off of that lovely dollar menu (where was that when I was in college?). The doubles were my appetizer before the Big Mac main feast; anyone else do that before?

Time was also given up to watching hours, 4-5 hours an evening, of TV. Crap like reality shows and how-to shows. Did I really need to learn taxidermy & how to grout tile on the same day? Will there ever be a time I do either; let alone do them both on the same day?

Oh let's not forget those hours I punted by napping on weekends if I didn't have anything else to do or because I was stuffed from stuffing my face. Just how relaxed does one person need to be? Plus dreams from naps aren't as good anyhow.

That's where too much of my time used to go to waste when this year began. Today Big Mac's have been replaced by balanced & portion controlled choices, most TV time has been replaced by blogging, and extra sleep has been replaced by weight lifting & walking.

How is today different for you from your days just six months ago?

Did you make any resolutions on Jan. 1, 2010 (I didn't) and if so how are you doing against them?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!!

Day 40 - Progress Picture Day

My 10% Progress pictures are up finally, they are HERE or above via the link for MY PROGRESS PICS. I had the day off of work for the most part, hence the casual attire for a Wednesday. Hmmm, I don't see much difference, but it is only 10%.

Yesterday I stopped and filled up my gas tank. Now that's not too exciting or worthy of blog space is it? Nope, I agree, silly me. Kind of like posting on Facebook that you are 'Getting gas' when doing so; like anyone cares.

Well here is why that is important, at least to me. Across the parking lot from the gas station is a Culver's. Mmmm, familiar with this semi-fast food chain? Home of the 'butter-burger', which really isn't worth it's hype. They also are known for their frozen custard which deserves more hype.

Many many many times, I mean many, I have hit this particular Culvers drive-thru and grabbed a frozen custard for the rest of the drive home. And none of those times, I mean none, did I intend that frozen custard to be a meal replacement. Hmmm, the frozen custard diet, has a nice ring to it. No?

Those visits were purely impulse, just a feeding frenzy as if I were a shark in a pool of bloody custard flavored fish. Yeah, I put no thought into that analogy. Drawn to the place like a magnet, especially when I first stopped for gas next door & had a few torturous moments to stare at the place while gassing up.

Back to yesterday as I'm gassing up & yes I was staring at Culvers. I look at the marquee for the custard flavor of the day; OMG it is Chocolate Carmel Twist, that's a good one! And then it happened; I looked away before the gas tank was full. My mind went on to other things, the Blackhawks I think. Ok, so I looked away, not worthy of blog space. Well then how about this... Without conscious effort my mind, body and spirit stepped up as never before; I left the gas station, drove passed Culvers, past temptation, and didn't look back. Huh, who am I?

I am Patrick, nice to meet you by the way, who on Day 2 of this mission committed to NO MORE FAST FOOD, that's who. What else was I supposed to do?

I'm thinking NSV.

Who is in control of you today?

Responsibility 199 - Gotta Do It!

Day 2 - Need for Change

Good morning. Change is on my mind this morning. This challenge will take many many weeks to accomplish. Perhaps more than a years worth. Well if I do it in a healthy manner it definitely should take anywhere between 1 & 2 years. Lets hope closer to 1 than to 2... CHANGE, back to change.

In realizing the journey will be a long haul I figure that I need to make changes to my lifestyle that I will commit to absolutely to help me along. The question is what change to make first? Another question, how many changes do I have to make to bring about the results I seek? Certainly there is more than 1 that I should make. Heck, if there was only 1 change I needed to make to pull this off then this would be a snap, wouldn't it? Truth is I don't know how many changes I need to make. But, I figure I need to make 1 change to get started. And if I commit to making 1 change per week then at some point they'll all start working together and making a difference. That is my hope anyhow.

So here it is, CHANGE 1...

• NO MORE FAST FOOD

Fast food is not the evil that some would have you believe. The notion of suing fast food chains because they made you fat, or taxing fast food because it increases the burden on society to care for the obese among us is just insanity. Fast food is a choice, a personal choice we make for reasons of our own volition plain & simple. I am obese because I chose to make bad decisions when it came time to decide what to eat, whether to exercise or not, etc... not because fast food restaurants are all over the place.

That said, I realize that fast food is definitely a contributing factor of my obesity (I called it a 'condition' in my day 1 post - truth is that condition is my obesity so I shall call it what it is going forward). I chose to allow fast food to be a factor to my obesity, and, now I chose that it will no longer be a factor. From this day forward I shall absolutley no longer trade dollars for unhealthy calories at fast food restaurants.

Responsibility 199... Gotta do it!!