I am back from San Francisco and boy does it feel good to be home. As a native Californian, I do concur with my comrades that northern Cali has such a different persona than SoCal and let's just say, I'll always prefer the latter.
Business trips = eating nightmare. If you think being 'good' healthwise is difficult on a vacation, it pails in comparison to mandated food for business trips. At least on vacation, your freedom of choice is involved and it's more of a personal decision to not order the pina colada every meal. A business trip, on the other hand, does not allow one to order whatever it is they want. Between receptions filled with cheese platters, wine, and breads and lunches that look worse than cafeteria food, I was in a rut. I basically didn't eat when I should and gorged on the healthy bits whenever they were around. Special K bars became my good friend and even those grossed me out because they are so sweet. As I sit here, typing and eating a frozen banana, I am struck by how much I missed being in my routine and on my own path to health. Health really is a choice and I still can't believe how much I used to not even think of it. If there was a reception, I was eating and having some free drinks. Whatever was served was what I ate and forget about portion control. In 9 months, my mind has really changed.
9 months ago, I was definitely a couch potato and a lazy person. I ate because of boredom and avoided those mirrors (too bad couches don't have mirrors). My husband and I frequently went out to eat, ordered dinner, or did a variation of a TV dinner or quick fix every night. We were both snackers. With the exception of this business trip b/c I didn't have a kitchen to cook my own food, I have not gone to a single restaurant. I have not had one piece of fried anything in over a month. Best part is, I don't miss it. Like I posted before my business trip, I do miss a sub sandwich prepared for me when I simply am not up for cooking, but all in all, I'd say that I am A-ok. The point I'm getting at is that so many things can change in a day, a week, shoot-even when you make up your mind to do something. In these past nine months, I truly believe I approach food, meals, and health in a completely different way. I am better for it. I am healthier for it and so is my husband. 9 months ago, if I had made a cauliflower crust pizza (I changed the toppings up a bit and although it says use only half a cauliflower head, use the whole thing (it was just barely enough for two and I would have LOVED leftovers). Also, make the crust a little bit thicker than suggested:http://www.recipegirl.com/2012/01/16/cauliflower-crust-hawaiian-pizza/) my husband would've thought it was disgusting, not eaten it or eaten it along side of a packet of Top Ramen. But yesterday, he ate it, asked for seconds and then asked when I would be making it again. When you change your mind, you change your life and the lives of those around you.
I read an article a few months ago about people having addictive tendencies by nature. The premise towards weight loss is the same as obesity. Some research suggests that your social circle has a lot to deal with how you approach your food. If you have a group of friends that like to go out to eat all the time or go bar hopping, it almost feels impossible to maintain that social circle when you are trying to cut those parts out of your life. Fear not, your friends are more adept to change than you realize. Like a contagion, healthy choices in your life can also 'infect' the way your friends view health. For example, I've been posting motivational quotes on my page for a few months now. They help me stay positive and motivated to keep at it; a side effect to this is that I have more friends posting on my wall about health or sending me messages about their journey as well. I frequently see posts about people using Map My Run to log a run on FB or share recipes that don't include chocolate covered X, Y, Z. I've even received a text message from a person I haven't spoken to in years thanking me for the inspiration to get fit. They said they felt guilty checking their Facebook page all day long, seeing mine and my friends posts and then not doing anything. It was incredible feedback and made me believe the premise that healthy choices can be addictive to your social circle.
This is not to say that some friends will be adamant about not changing. To each their own. I would recommend you encouraging that friend to just meet up to take a walk or ask to go shopping so that you at least get a lap around the mall in. You might find that the friendship changes a bit because while you are gaining self confidence, a fresh perspective on life, etc. while your friend is still couch potato'ing and eating out. In that sense, your successes may remind them of their failure. If you are open and honest and true friends, you'll be able to nip that in the bud. Just remember, overall, that you are doing this journey for YOU. It is not so your friends will change even though they might jump on the journey with you and become an EXCELLENT support system & activity sharer along the way. You can lead a sloth to water, but you can't make him workout with you and see they live a sedentary life if they don't want to change. :)
When I first began the blog, I remember saying I was doing this for myself and if I got one person to get off that couch, I would feel successful. I do feel successful. I feel like I am no longer alone, even if I still am alone putting in those miles on the trails w/ an iPod as my company. Back in October, I said I felt embarrassed by people commenting on how much weight I lost and that I felt like they all began 'monitoring my progress' and it made me feel like I was under a microscope. Now, when people mention my weight loss and ask what I am doing, I say "I am eating healthy, not dieting, and oh you should join me for a run, or gym class sometime." I now realize that some people comment on the changes to my body because they want to do the same for themselves. I now give them a front and center opportunity to do it. It's up to them to act on it and although a lot of these people are notorious "shoulders," I do have one friend who up and joined my gym and is now training with me to do that half-marathon in June. Who'd a thunk it?! See, I infected her with the health bug and now our friendship is growing and stronger because we can do more activities together that both fit with the lifestyle we want for ourselves. Research confirmed. :)
Ok, ok, ok. So down to the big question: how much weight did I gain on my business trip? The answer below:
So here’s the breakdown:
Weight Today: 167.6
Percent of Body Fat: 37.2%
BMI: 27.5
Water Weight: 45.8%
Weeks to Meet Goal: 33
Beginning Breakdown:
Weight Day One: 207.8
Percent of Body Fat: 44.3%
BMI: 34.2
Water Weight: 40.6%
Caloric Intake Should Be: 2127 cal/day
Weeks to Meet Goal: 73
The answer is ZERO. I did not gain any weight and in fact, managed to lose a little bit. Of course, I have been working my bum off this week to bounce back from the business trip, but I am already back on the saddle and making good decisions. I am confident that the more I run, the more I will lose. The more healthy I eat, the more tools my body has to fight off my fatty cells and boost my metabolism. I feel mentally stronger than I have in the last few months and I actually attribute it to the eye-opening experience I had in San Francisco because I was taken away from my healthy routine and hated it. Others would have seen it as a 'break' and excused themselves from their healthy ways. But I couldn't stand not having something healthy to eat.
Looking to next week, I will be deep in the trenches of half-marathon training and weight training classes. It used to freak me out; now, I cannot wait!
Love w/ all my bum,
CH
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