So, as it turns out, Tosc and I are going to VEGAS in a few weeks! Whee! Oh, pipe down, we're not getting MARRIED. Good lord. Pull your heads out of your asses. However, my sister IS getting married! YAY! Can you guys think of anything qu-ITE as awesome as a shotgun, April-Fools-Day wedding in Vegas? Cuz I can't. POW! Take that, friends and family! I do feel for her though.
Sister: Guess what?
Friends/Fam: Shut up.
Sister: No, really.
Friends/Fam: Whatever. APRIL FOOLS, EH? Nice try.
Sister: Seriousl-
Friends/Fam: Fuck you.
Good times. Anyway, the time seems ripe for a mini health kick!
First, an update on the health kick struggles of the past year(ish). I am actually feeling much better, although that could easily be my waning proximity to the last few horrifying years. I still feel like we go out to eat (and drink) too much, but I've been more consistent about exercise, which just makes me feel better all around. Here are some things that have been helping:
Health kick blogs: I still read a ton. One that I particularly appreciate is
Sarah's. I really relate to what Sarah writes; she's a great example of someone trying to use health and fitness to enhance an already happy life, without letting it take over. That's my goal as well. Also, she does a lot of diet experimentation, which I find so interesting. You really do have to find what works for you (and what DOESN'T), food-wise. Plus! She posts food pictures!
Weight training: I ordered
The New Rules of Lifting for Women, on
Sahara's recommendation, and I'm working my way through it. I skipped most of the diet-y schizz, as I'm wicked opinionated about nutrition as it is, and the last thing I need is to become more obnoxious in that particular arena. The cool thing about this book is that it encourages women to train like guys. Right on. So, basically, I should be jacked in no time. Look for that to happen any day now. Ish.
Less running: This is harder than I expected it to be. Running is a straight-up fitness CRUTCH for me. It's convenient and quick and mindless. On days I would typically run, I've been substituting an
incline walking workout, or this motherfucking thing:
The "stepmill". Have you guys SEEN these? It's a no-shit REVOLVING STAIRCASE. WHY GOD WHY?
Anyway, what I'm trying to do is substitute more interval-type stuff, and basically work harder for shorter periods of time. I'm calling this a WIN, because even though I haven't really run in weeks, on Wednesday I completed my work-mandated 1.5 mile run in 11 min, 30 seconds. Um. That is better than last year by a full minute! *Shaggy-style HUH?* Less is more! Up is down! Walking is the new running!
Cooking toys: I finally bought the meat grinder attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer, which is something I've wanted for ages. Sad but true. MEAT TOYS! They make me so happy! Ahem. Also, grinding meat is oddly satisfying. I put a whole pork tenderloin through that sucker last weekend! Fargo style! I'll tell you what is NOT satisfying, though, and that is CLEANING Meat Toys. WAMPITY WAMP WAMP. I apologize for that entire paragraph, meat-avoiders.
So, for the next month, I want to focus on meal-planning and eating at home. Also, in theory I want to drink less, but does that really seem wise when one is training for a Vegas Vacation? I think not.
26 comments:
jealous of your meat grinder - I've wanted ones for ages. We keep saying "we should stop eating meat" and then promptly forget all about it because THERE IS NO WAY. Can you please please let us know what you end up making? After years of making everything at home, I'm thoroughly bored with cooking and need new ideas so we can stop eating crap on the nights we just don't feel like cooking anymore.
Wait, is your sister's wedding actually of the shotgun variety? For real?
Well, she's not PREGNANT, or anything, but yeah, they just decided to haul off and do it.
I have NO IDEA why you would pine for/need a meat grinder. Not a clue. It's kind of in the "deep fryer" category of appliances for me. Hee.
That stair climber thing looks pretty spiffy.
If it's not GENUINE shotgun, it misses the trifecta of wedding awesomeness it could have achieved with shotgun/AprilFool's/Vegas. There's still time for her to get knocked up.
Why is the spellchecker underlining "trifecta"? Am I doing it wrong?
That whole "meat toy" paragraph made me laugh out loud in the bad "too much more of this and I will be looking for a new job" kind of way. So thanks for that.
And congrats to your sister, although I am (more than) a little disappointed that she's not pregnant, as that does lessen the NEED for a shotgun at her wedding.
OK I'm 40 and a mother of two and yet, that entire meat grinder paragraph made me laugh like a 12 year old boy. When the hell is my sense of humor going to mature?
Heh. I have that meat grinder attachment with the hilarious "sausage stuffer" kit. JD snagged them when the home goods e-tailer he worked for went out of business. I would have preferred the ice cream maker attachment, but I guess JD shares your love of meat toys.
Whatever job you have that mandates 1.5 mile runs? DO NOT WANT.
I want your meat toys, though. Wait, what?
I have The Fear of the stepmill. I've used it a few times but prefer to space out a little when doing boring gym crap and, um, THAT is NOT an option on this thing. Surely, though, the adrenaline rush I get from The Fear helps out with the cardio training part of it, right?
I want that sausage stuffer thingee too, mostly because I'm dying to replicate a homemade Philly Cheesesteak brat I had last summer.
All of this Meat Toy talk reminds me that I need to get a picture of the new sex store in my neighborhood that is strategically placed between a SUSHI RESTAURANT and PLANNED PARENTHOOD. TFS.
What, pray tell, are you doing with your meat grinder? I mean, what are you meat grinder needs?
Personally, I pureed some chicken in the blender for my 9-month-old last week and I just about died at the chicken smoothie I had created.
Well, I just use a lot of ground meat in recipes, as it turns out. I make meatballs, and meatloaf, and breakfast sausage, and we have taco/burritos about once a week, etc. I almost never have ground meat on hand, but I pretty much always have steak or pork roast or whatever. Also, I like ground ham and SPAM for pizza burgers and ham balls. Plus, it's a lot cheaper to grind up a pork or beef roast than it is to buy ground meat. Like HALF as expensive.
Also, CHICKEN SMOOTHIE!! Oh god. Technically, you are supposed to be able to make baby food with the thing, but obv I have no need for that mess at the moment. I guess I could make DOG food, if I were so inclined (NO).
I see your point on the cheapness of grinding your own meat, but I don't think I could do it. After the chicken smoothie incident of 2010, I'm thinking that baby gets to be a vegetarian until finger food time.
SPAM ball? Intriguing...by which I mean that sounds gross :)
ugh i have been SLACKER MCGEE on the work out front, and i feel absolutely awful. my pole classes start again on monday, thank god, so that will hopefully kick me back into gear.
April Fool's Day wedding. Love it!!
Also, you can focus on drinking less AFTER the Vegas Vacation. ;)
I agree, drink less AFTER Vegas!! You would be proud of me I've been working out consistently for 4 weeks now. That's a post high-school record for me! It feels good! The dieting though....never going to happen.
Thanks! I definitely feel as if the whole health thing greatly enhances my already happy life. I never wanted it to take over, though, and am glad it hasn't - and honestly, I'm really just too lazy to be too fanatic about it.
I have a fondness for the stepmill or the other stair thing that's similar (but easier to deal with). I don't know what they're called. All I know is I started exercising partially because I wanted to be able to climb stairs without dying, so I started on those things. Made sense at the time. They're my go-to/comfort/crutch machines now. Running, on the other hand, is killing me.
Ooh, thanks for that link, I'm looking for more fitness-y type blogs that are just like a regular person trying to get fit and not, you know, like some mega-fitness maniac thing? Like, I dont' know, a particular blogger who may be linked on my sidebar - dude, where does one GET the time to workout for 2 hrs every day? When they have a kid?
Anyway. If you have the time, could you link your top 3 or 5 fitness links? I need to find more and I'm too lazy.
My mom had a meat grinder, and I swear the best part of childhood was watching her grind up ham and pickles to make into some kind of delicious/awesome ham salad sandwich.
Your 1.5-mile time is FANTASTIC.
Re: Sister/family convo:
LMAO!!
A revolving stair master!! I bet it's WAY better than the regular one at my gym, which I hate with a burning passion.
Also, I've got the fitness thing down lately, for the most part. It's diet and nutrition where I suck ASS. Processed foods? Cheese? Ice cream? I'm there.
My mom TOTALLY had a meat grinder and I JUST remembered that repressed memory when I read Pickles and Dimes' comment about that ham salad.
We ate that on some soft white bread back in the day.
WOWZA. lmao.
meat grinders rock!
Just missing you Tess and wanted to say HI!!!! Hope all is well.
Are you getting hitched out in Vegas this weekend? ;)
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