So, on my hunt for motivational apps, the first that caught my eye was Eat This, Not That! The Game. It spawned from the popular book series of the same name, whose platform is "The no-diet weight loss solution!" because it doesn't tell you to eat health food per se, but offers healthier alternatives of the foods that we already eat. (A disclaimer in the game actually reads "Warning: this is NOT healthy food..." for one of the alternatives.)
Apparently this app was really popular back in 2010, but me being new to the whole smart phone/iPad world, I've just discovered it.
The game has four editions (classic, kids, restaurant, and drinks) which are each broken down into smaller categories. During the round, you are shown pictures of two food choices with a name or description of each food and you must guess which is the healthier choice. There is a time limit for your choice, and every few seconds that you don't choose, a hint pops up on the screen telling you a break down of calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium in each food.
Honestly, I was a little annoyed that the hints popped up without having to ask for them. I guess I'm a slow reader, but most of the time, the first hint came up on the screen before I was done reading the description of the foods. I really wanted to be able to use my own judgement first to see if I could get it right if I was out a restaurant without any of the info.
Sadly, the answer is probably no, since I was shocked with most of the answers.
Luckily, the game gives explanations for why each correct choice is better either during the round or after you are finished, depending on if you play a casual or a speed round. (I actually took notes!)
Bottom line, I liked the game. It did what I wanted it to, which was to force me to focus on what I eat. I was talking to my mom recently (who has lost a lot of weight herself) and she offered me something to eat. I turned it down because I don't like whatever it was she was offering me. She told me sometimes you have to eat things you don't like because it's good for you. I told her that I can find healthy things that I like. While I already know Eat This, Not That doesn't give you healthy food, it's a start to know that there are better choices for me out there.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
My least favorite question
"Are you going on maternity leave?"
Yes, I got that question from a customer this morning.
I guess I should stop wearing the dress that I wore today because that is the fourth (who's counting) time I've gotten asked something along those lines. Variations include, "When are you due?" and the far less creative, "Are you pregnant?"
It's too bad, I really liked that dress...
I know that I haven't been on point lately, but hearing that kind of question is like deflating my balloon. Or inflating it. And then shoving it under my dress and forcing it to stick out at my stomach. It's a mindset. Looking down at my hands as I'm typing, even they look thick.
Well last week, Hubs and I house-sat for his parent's while they were away on vacation. Being in a different environment made it easy for me to feel like I was on vacation, too. Now home, to force myself to keep my nutrition and exercise at the forefront of my mind, I decided to see if technology would help.
There's an app for that.
I downloaded a few and will be testing them out for a while. Let's see how this goes...
Yes, I got that question from a customer this morning.
I guess I should stop wearing the dress that I wore today because that is the fourth (who's counting) time I've gotten asked something along those lines. Variations include, "When are you due?" and the far less creative, "Are you pregnant?"
It's too bad, I really liked that dress...
I know that I haven't been on point lately, but hearing that kind of question is like deflating my balloon. Or inflating it. And then shoving it under my dress and forcing it to stick out at my stomach. It's a mindset. Looking down at my hands as I'm typing, even they look thick.
Well last week, Hubs and I house-sat for his parent's while they were away on vacation. Being in a different environment made it easy for me to feel like I was on vacation, too. Now home, to force myself to keep my nutrition and exercise at the forefront of my mind, I decided to see if technology would help.
There's an app for that.
I downloaded a few and will be testing them out for a while. Let's see how this goes...
Friday, March 23, 2012
#ThingsUglyPeopleShouldntHave
I joined Twitter around the same time I started this blog, in the hopes of connecting with other people who are trying to make the same life changes as I am. Today, the first day that I've taken to really explore the site, what is the top trend around the world?
Things Ugly People Shouldn't Have
I'm disgusted by this. It's hard to take it as a joke, with such winning tweets as:
"The right to be picky about what they like in a person. Just be happy if someone wants to be with you UGLY."
"Accounts on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr or any other social network where their face can be seen."
"BABIES"
and
"any type of moles or scars that draw more attention to they face.!! Lol"
And it shouldn't be a joke. If you're able to joke about something, that makes it ok, and it is certainly not ok to make someone feel bad about their looks. Ugly. Fat. It's so easy for a person to believe only the worst thing that is said about them.
I think I've been called everything in the ugly/fat category growing up. I've probably even been called worse than I know, it tjust wasn't said to my face. And I'll tell you, it's even easier to turn it around to someone else. Deflection is the simplest defense mechanism. Yes, I've called someone ugly, and even fat, the word that personally hurt me even worse. But that's honestly the worse thing to do, because it's a domino effect. I was bullied, so in turn I bullied, and the person I bullied could've turned to bullying, and so on.
And you can apologize but you can never take it back.
My personal response (and my first tweet of my own) to this trend:
-Cruelty. And I'm talking of course only of people who are ugly on the inside.
But now that it's been about an hour since I saw the topic trending, I'm happy to see that people are having the same reaction as I am. The top three tweets are putting the topic down, and the top tweet proposes to start trending #EveryoneIsBeautiful.
If we have to see some hate in the world, at least we can also see the love.
Things Ugly People Shouldn't Have
I'm disgusted by this. It's hard to take it as a joke, with such winning tweets as:
"The right to be picky about what they like in a person. Just be happy if someone wants to be with you UGLY."
"Accounts on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr or any other social network where their face can be seen."
"BABIES"
and
"any type of moles or scars that draw more attention to they face.!! Lol"
And it shouldn't be a joke. If you're able to joke about something, that makes it ok, and it is certainly not ok to make someone feel bad about their looks. Ugly. Fat. It's so easy for a person to believe only the worst thing that is said about them.
I think I've been called everything in the ugly/fat category growing up. I've probably even been called worse than I know, it tjust wasn't said to my face. And I'll tell you, it's even easier to turn it around to someone else. Deflection is the simplest defense mechanism. Yes, I've called someone ugly, and even fat, the word that personally hurt me even worse. But that's honestly the worse thing to do, because it's a domino effect. I was bullied, so in turn I bullied, and the person I bullied could've turned to bullying, and so on.
And you can apologize but you can never take it back.
My personal response (and my first tweet of my own) to this trend:
-Cruelty. And I'm talking of course only of people who are ugly on the inside.
But now that it's been about an hour since I saw the topic trending, I'm happy to see that people are having the same reaction as I am. The top three tweets are putting the topic down, and the top tweet proposes to start trending #EveryoneIsBeautiful.
If we have to see some hate in the world, at least we can also see the love.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Day 1
My mom has a baby picture of me in a ruffly pink outfit where I swear I can see three tubby little chins.
I never grew out of that baby fat. I've had body image issues and self esteem problems since elemetary school. I remember a specific time in middle school on the first day of Spanish class when we were picking Hispanic names to use in the classroom and a boy suggested I call myself Aida, like 'I-eat-a' lot.
Almost two months ago now, I married one of my best friends. During the months leading up to our wedding I was really motivated to slim down. Not to fit into my dress, since I actually bought it to fit me at the time, but with the plan to have to take it in. I worked my butt off at the gym for about an hour a day in the mornings. At the beginning I was going six days a week and as time went on it was generally only four or five. I tried to eat healthier, and when I didn't have any really healthy options, I forced myself to cut the portion. With all this, I was making successful, albeit agonzingly slow, progress.
What really jumpstarted my weightloss then was when I got a second job. Even though Hubby and I both have bachelor's degrees, we're both in part-time jobs. At that time we were living in his parents' house to save money for when we could get out on our own. I decided to pull double duty and get a second part-time job. I was getting out of one job at 3:30 and going in to the second job at 4. I was always standing and I barely had time to eat. During that time I think I lost nine pounds in about a week and a half.
Our wedding came and I felt better about myself. I was not as small as I want to be eventually, but I was around twenty-five pounds lighter and I really enjoyed myself. It was the best party I've ever been to!
Now, as married life eases in and I don't have a deadline anymore, I've loosened in my resolve to get healthier. Especially because Hubs and I are finally in our own place, and he is far from help. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy. I think I've only washed dishes three times since we've been together. He doesn't get grossed out if I go a little too long between shaving my legs. And for reasons that I still have yet to understand, he loves me.
But as a diet partner, he sucks.
We started our relationship as friends in college. Two A.M. deliveries from pizza places after a party was routine for a while. And he has a passionate distate for anything that is supposedly healthy.
The worst part is, he's not fat. You know, due to the fact that he's a guy and considerably taller than I am.
The other night we were in a weird mood and we decided that we really had to grocery shopping. It was a terrible idea. Among other things, this is what we bought:
-chocolate eclair ice cream bars (for me)
-chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (for him)
-three different types of cookies (or four, if you count two separate flavors of one cookie)
-assorted candies, both chocolate and gummy
-and buttered popcorn
And I sat on the couch munching, watching one of my favorite shows: The Biggest Loser.
Yes, I'm a hypocrite.
As I watch the contestants sweat and cry and work through their own issues, I'm mindlessly shoveling chips into my mouth.
And the saddest part is, that wasn't my wake-up call. The other day I was poking around on Facebook and I saw that a friend of a friend that I sort of knew in college just got married too. And guess what, she wore the same dress as I did. And I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say she's probably a size zero.
And now I'll admit what I haven't said out loud to anybody (does this count?).
I think I bought my dress in a size 18 W.
When I started my journey last year I weighed 217 lbs.
That weight, at 5'6'', gave me a BMI of 35 which put me as second category obese.
Now, after loss, and some re-gain, the scale says 198.6 lbs, which puts me at a 32 BMI, still obese.
I don't believe BMI is the be-all end-all of body analysis, since it doesn't account for body composition (muscle weighs more than fat, and for the life of me, I can't find a BMI calculator that I can compute in the fact that, as Hubs puts it, "you have boobs"...)
So I found my body fat percentage, currently at an estimated 35.2%. In different charts, this either falls under overweight or back to obese.
I realize I'm not huge. Well, most days I do, some days I'm not so sure. I guess I'm average, but that feels bad, too. On a particularly down day, I searched The Biggest Loser online and saw an ad that the show is looking to cast for the next season, and I saw hope. I wouldn't go so far as dreaming of winning, but I want that help. But one of the qualifiers is "If you have at least 85 pounds to lose" and as of now, losing that much would actually put me in the underweight category (can I even imagine?!)
After all this, I'll get to my point.
This is not just a diary of how long I spent and what I did at the gym, or a calorie-counting food journal. And as much as I could say that I don't care if anyone reads it, it's just therapeutic to write, I do hope someone reads this. To think I could inspire someone else, re-inspires me. I've started too many things in my life that I didn't finish because of disinterest or laziness and this won't be one of them. It can't.
I never grew out of that baby fat. I've had body image issues and self esteem problems since elemetary school. I remember a specific time in middle school on the first day of Spanish class when we were picking Hispanic names to use in the classroom and a boy suggested I call myself Aida, like 'I-eat-a' lot.
Almost two months ago now, I married one of my best friends. During the months leading up to our wedding I was really motivated to slim down. Not to fit into my dress, since I actually bought it to fit me at the time, but with the plan to have to take it in. I worked my butt off at the gym for about an hour a day in the mornings. At the beginning I was going six days a week and as time went on it was generally only four or five. I tried to eat healthier, and when I didn't have any really healthy options, I forced myself to cut the portion. With all this, I was making successful, albeit agonzingly slow, progress.
What really jumpstarted my weightloss then was when I got a second job. Even though Hubby and I both have bachelor's degrees, we're both in part-time jobs. At that time we were living in his parents' house to save money for when we could get out on our own. I decided to pull double duty and get a second part-time job. I was getting out of one job at 3:30 and going in to the second job at 4. I was always standing and I barely had time to eat. During that time I think I lost nine pounds in about a week and a half.
Our wedding came and I felt better about myself. I was not as small as I want to be eventually, but I was around twenty-five pounds lighter and I really enjoyed myself. It was the best party I've ever been to!
Now, as married life eases in and I don't have a deadline anymore, I've loosened in my resolve to get healthier. Especially because Hubs and I are finally in our own place, and he is far from help. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy. I think I've only washed dishes three times since we've been together. He doesn't get grossed out if I go a little too long between shaving my legs. And for reasons that I still have yet to understand, he loves me.
But as a diet partner, he sucks.
We started our relationship as friends in college. Two A.M. deliveries from pizza places after a party was routine for a while. And he has a passionate distate for anything that is supposedly healthy.
The worst part is, he's not fat. You know, due to the fact that he's a guy and considerably taller than I am.
The other night we were in a weird mood and we decided that we really had to grocery shopping. It was a terrible idea. Among other things, this is what we bought:
-chocolate eclair ice cream bars (for me)
-chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream (for him)
-three different types of cookies (or four, if you count two separate flavors of one cookie)
-assorted candies, both chocolate and gummy
-and buttered popcorn
And I sat on the couch munching, watching one of my favorite shows: The Biggest Loser.
Yes, I'm a hypocrite.
As I watch the contestants sweat and cry and work through their own issues, I'm mindlessly shoveling chips into my mouth.
And the saddest part is, that wasn't my wake-up call. The other day I was poking around on Facebook and I saw that a friend of a friend that I sort of knew in college just got married too. And guess what, she wore the same dress as I did. And I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say she's probably a size zero.
And now I'll admit what I haven't said out loud to anybody (does this count?).
I think I bought my dress in a size 18 W.
When I started my journey last year I weighed 217 lbs.
That weight, at 5'6'', gave me a BMI of 35 which put me as second category obese.
Now, after loss, and some re-gain, the scale says 198.6 lbs, which puts me at a 32 BMI, still obese.
I don't believe BMI is the be-all end-all of body analysis, since it doesn't account for body composition (muscle weighs more than fat, and for the life of me, I can't find a BMI calculator that I can compute in the fact that, as Hubs puts it, "you have boobs"...)
So I found my body fat percentage, currently at an estimated 35.2%. In different charts, this either falls under overweight or back to obese.
I realize I'm not huge. Well, most days I do, some days I'm not so sure. I guess I'm average, but that feels bad, too. On a particularly down day, I searched The Biggest Loser online and saw an ad that the show is looking to cast for the next season, and I saw hope. I wouldn't go so far as dreaming of winning, but I want that help. But one of the qualifiers is "If you have at least 85 pounds to lose" and as of now, losing that much would actually put me in the underweight category (can I even imagine?!)
After all this, I'll get to my point.
This is not just a diary of how long I spent and what I did at the gym, or a calorie-counting food journal. And as much as I could say that I don't care if anyone reads it, it's just therapeutic to write, I do hope someone reads this. To think I could inspire someone else, re-inspires me. I've started too many things in my life that I didn't finish because of disinterest or laziness and this won't be one of them. It can't.
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