cheating

Good evening! How has everyone been? I hope you all had a lovely Hump-day.

At the office, I enjoyed a salad and the best taco/wrap ever.

Salad (mixed greens, red pepper, squash, carrot, and golden raisins), whole wheat tortilla with hummus, squash, and avocado

The key to amazing avocado? A sprinkle of sea salt brings out the flavor like cuh-ray-zee. And after my lunch, I enjoyed a piece of baklava from a local Mediterranean restaurant!

Pistachio Baklava

After lunch, I got some more work done and then dropped the puppy off at home before babysitting. And Jeremy was home! He finished his exams and will be at home sporadically over the next few weeks before I move out. So nice to see one of my best friends

During the afternoon/babysitting, I nibbled on a piece of dark chocolate, a pear, a handful of crackers, and a large brownie that I made with the kids!!

In order to get rid of some of the brownie, I went for a swim once I was relieved of nanny duties. I did a quick 2000m in 30 minutes and headed out of the pool. I haven’t swam in a while (I haven’t been in the mood) but I was today and it felt great to be back in the water. I also thought the chlorine would serve the dual purpose of killing my face rash (it is marginally better now).

And eventually after my swim I was hungry so I made a light dinner that was kickin’.

Grilled cheese & artichoke sandwich (Laughing Cow wedge and artichoke hearts on wheat); broccoli and black beans with red pepper flakes and paprika

So why the title of tonight’s post? No, I am not referring to an ex boyfriend (who shall remain anonymous) or the infamous cheating on a diet. I am actually referring to cheating on your relationship with yourself.

I was swimming and had 100m left in my warm-down and considered skipping it, cheating. Who would know? No one but myself.

But then I would be cheating myself. If the point of my epic change was to improve my health and fitness, it was a commitment to change my relationship with myself and improve it. So if I cheat during a workout, who am I really hurting? Myself. I am cheating on myself. I am the only one who can be hurt in the end by cheating on my relationship with myself. So while skipping 100m in a swim might not be a huge deal, it made me think of other ways I sometimes short change myself and end up hurting myself. When you don’t put yourself on the top of your priority list, you are cheating on yourself. If you don’t give your body the rest and recovery you need, you are cheating on yourself. If you eat something and then feel guilty and depressed about it, you are cheating on yourself. Engaging in behavior that damages your health and overall well being is damaging to your relationship with yourself. Healthy living, to me, is all about my relationship with myself and my journey to love myself. You have to love yourself and commit to loving yourself without cheating.

In the end, it is all up to me. I am the only one who can improve, or damage, my relationship with myself.

I love food

Well who doesn’t? And if you don’t like food, step away from my blog and never come back. I kid, I kid (kind of).

Last week I heard a snippet on the radio about the top 10 foods Americans hate. I don’t remember all of them or in their order but was shocked when some of my favorite foods appeared on the list: bleu cheese, beets, brussels sprouts, and hardboiled eggs! What are you eating, America?????

Oh... right. (source)

Well hearing this got me thinking last week. And then I came upon the magical words in Tamara‘s lastest entry “my new favorite foods” and I knew I had to dedicate a post to my favorite foods.

So here you have it, the foods I love:

1. Sweet potatoes — I’ve always loved you, and always will. You’re not so much new as much as I’ve begun to rethink your possibilities and appreciate you on a deeper level.

2. Dark chocolate — I’ve never been a huge chocolate fan, the milk stuff was just too sweet for this gal. When I switched to your dark, lusciousness I was hooked.

3. Greens — I’d like to have a 3-some with spinach and kale, please.

4. Greek yogurt — You’re so much richer and more exotic than your Yoplait relatives. This has long term potential, my Mediterranean lover.

5.  Rolled oats — Oh Mr. Quaker, you’re such a naughty boy. I grew up eating the instant, sugary crap they try to call “oatmeal” but, between me and you, you’re the Full Monty.

6. Squash — How did I hate you for so many years? Yellow, Butternut, Kabocha, and even zucchini… I have misjudged you and for that I am truly sorry. However we see each other enough to make up for it.

7. Nut butters — I have always loved you, PB. But when you brought your relatives over for breakfast I knew I loved the whole family. Breakfast in bed soon?

8. Brussels sprouts — You poor babies, you are so misjudged and misunderstood. Just let Meredith cook you up and things will get steamy

9. Eggs — Incredible and oh-so-edible. You are there for me when I have no idea where to get my protein from and when I have no other meal inspiration. I have and will always love you.

10. Bananas — Even if you weren’t phallically suggestive, I would still love you. Your potassium is sexy and I have always, always been a fan. Keep it up.

There are, obviously many, many more (grains, more fruits, beans, etc) but now at least you know my top 10. And for the record, I oppose America in the judgement of bleu cheese, beets, brussels sprouts, spinach, hardboiled eggs, and any other foods they deemed unworthy.

Of course my dinner last night consisted of one of my top 10.

Brown rice penne pasta with primavera sauce (canned tomato, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, squash, broccoli, black beans, and parmesan)

I was reading the package when I realized the pasta I’d been calling “whole wheat” was actually wheat and gluten free! Its brown rice pasta! Cool, huh? I really liked it! It takes a bit longer to cook but the texture definitely holds up to overcooking.

And this morning I had a bowl of Bob’s Red Mill 7 grain Hot Cereal that contained a mashed banana, chocolate soy nut butter, and jelly!