Good Habits

I went out for a walk today, to get in my mere mile. I was wondering whether my modest goal was preventing me from aiming at a more ambitious one. Just to prove it wasn't, I went on to take a longer walk and elected not to listen to the iPod, but instead continue my inner dialogue that had got me that far.

I have been reflecting on my resolutions, and also diving into my history. Today I set out to enumerate the good and healthful things I already do, the fruit of resolutions past.

I weigh myself every single day. I have for years. Knowing the facts and charting progress is considered essential to making changes. I've got the facts on this one, for sure.

I don't do doughnuts. This is comprehensive- I don't do bagels either, or cereal or even oatmeal. I listened to my body and permanently changed my eating habits. Basically, I've learned that carbs in the morning make my body and mind crazy, so only by exerting inhuman willpower could I end up having an ok day calorie-wise. So much easier to eat eggs or cheese or steak or tuna--or even nothing--first thing in the morning than to make myself crazy. Those few days a year I go off course in the morning are usually based on a conscious choice about the rest of the day (Christmas morning Julekage) or else some reckless self destructive urge. What I've gotten better at the past few years is planning ahead to make sure I've got the right food in the house for a good start to the day. I'm pretty good about lunches, too. I try to bring a meat and vegetable leftover from home, or else go out and buy a salad. Lately, however, lunch has slipped a LOT. I blame a combination of food trucks for easy access to deliciousness, and the very high stress and unhappiness at work. So this is an area of focus for me. Right now, I've got a fridge full of lunches for the week. I still have a very high emotional attachment to after dinner sweets, and so very often that is my downfall in the calories department. But that is another story. This is about the good stuff.

I try to incorporate vegetables into dinner, and fruits into snacks. I have improved a LOT in these areas in the past couple of years. The fruit push has definitely been driven by the fruit loving family I buy and prepare food for. My brother in law is also a big vegetable guy, wanting leafy (cooked) greens at every single meal. The kids are maturing, and eating some more of the cooked vegetables. I get a bag of overpriced local veggies delivered every other week and I try very hard to make sure they get used up. I'm in Whole foods a couple of times a week. For a while last year, my secret evening wicked snack was blueberries and mascarpone, a quarter cup of each mixed together and savored slowly. I will have to look for when the South American blueberries are coming back. Cherries from Washington state are one of my favorite snacks, and of course there is local peach mania at the appropriate time. Right now, my girl has a thing for pomegranates, and she prepares them and we split 50-50. Try eating a half a pomegranate one seed at a time with a spoon. That can satisfy a non-hunger snacking drive, or at least keep you busy for a good long while. Fruit juice and a crunch and chew. Very satisfying.

I like to exercise. Not always, and often the desire to be a slug is overwhelming, but I know more than just intellectually that I like exercise. I feel it, I want it. This started for me in the early 90's, in my forties. Before that, i liked doing active things, but i specifically did not like "exercise". Now, I do the strength training at the gym, and took the advice of a friend not to give up the one thing that really works for me consistently. And walking is my go-to comfort exercise. Twenty years ago, it would have been inconceivable to put those words together ("comfort" and "exercise"). Now, the reason I've got the one-mile resolution is because I know it works. I sorry I'm not running, and I will try (sorry Yoda) to get back to it, but I know I want to move and today is a good example of exercise to both de-stress and to fuel the creative juices.

I have an increased awareness of how I look, and how clothes look on me, and how they make me look and feel. I have a lot more confidence in selecting my clothes every morning. I put a big mirror in my bedroom a couple of years ago, and I use it. I get rid of clothes I don't like, much more ruthlessly than in the past. If not returnable, screw the money anyway. Launch it to a new life, and stick with stuff I like.

I think and read and write about this stuff, and I've gotten a lot more social about it. While of course I have a lot more private stuff I think and write about, for diet and exercise and general health both being mindful and more social is really good. So thanks, guys.

So I weigh too much. So I'm not as fit as I would like. I still do many more things right than I used to do, and I'm making improvements all the time.

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