Time for me to sober up! AM I ALONE? Did you overindulge during the holidays and are now trying to fit into your favorite pair of jeans?
I don’t know about you all, but I ate WAY TOO MUCH around the holidays…pumpkin pies, cookies, Braciole, stuffing, desserts galore…and the list goes on and on!! Surprised? I didn’t think so! All so good, yet so bad, when not eaten in moderation. Moderation? I don’t even feel privileged enough to use the word in this post! LOL… Moderation? Oh my goodness, I ate as though I had some right to!
I remember when I was pregnant (which was MANY moons ago), I felt free! I was free to not worry about sucking my stomach in (anyone with me), free to eat more than I’d ever eaten before (and boy did I ever) and free discuss how much weight I’d gained without fear of judgment (most of the time). I was free to admit the fact that I had a craving and ate an entire bag of Petteridge Farm Milano cookies (that’s right-the whole bag…please don’t tell me I’m alone)…I was feeding for two, right? So, what’s my excuse now?
On New Years Day, as I dressed for a much-needed walk, I had to try on three different pairs of pants (stretchy workout pants no less) before I felt comfortable! Ugh! My life, which I love dearly, as a wife/mom/food blogger/host of a cooking segment/aspiring cookbook author and culinary instructor, now has me tipping the scale! Grateful for all things, I knew I’d better get serious or I’d be in trouble…and soon! I mean really, here I am fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to work with NBC on the My Carolina Today show and I’m not able to get my act together and control my eating habits! This should be reason enough to get me motivated! Good grief! Now I have no desire to look perfect, to be 100 pounds or have to abs of steel (daydreaming…although that might not be so bad) but I do want to be healthy and consistent!
I finally flipped the switch. I’m four for four. My friend Sharon Delaney would be so proud of me. She has inspired me to run again. I’ve ran three to five miles four days in a row and feel great! My other friend Amanda Fekety from Empire Eats is on the same journey, so it feels great to have the support of others…I think it’s key! My friends Heba Salama and Ed Brantley are always an inspiration as well! Husband and wife, Ed and Heba were contestants on the Biggest Loser, and have battled their weight for many years. Very successful at weight lost, Ed and Heba are always quick to give good advice in an effort to help others! Their journey has really inspired me! Funny how exercise helps curb your appetite, too! I feel as though the effort I’ve been putting into running helps me to not overeat. Can’t run? Neither could I at first, but with a little practice and speed walking I’m back to a good slow run.
What pushed me over the edge? Okay, I’ll tell you if you really want to know…I’m not ashamed..okay maybe a little, but you know me, I’m about as transparent as a glass of water! My husband Mike and I got a couple of gift certificates to the Olive Garden and decided to go this past weekend. I TRIED to be good…. I didn’t order an appetizer, I made a healthier selection for my entree and then the waiter, who we had a lot of fun with, asked us the BIG question..no, don’t!! “Dessert?” Oh bother! Mike and I looked at one another, caved-in and said…Okay! Simply shameful…what can I say? After all of the disgusting indulgences we’ve been allowing ourselves to eat over the holidays . Here I am blessed with the opportunity to be on television each week, trying to control my eating. It is not a lie when they say the camera adds ten pounds and I certainly don’t need any help in that department! : – )
So Mike and I had a wonderful evening…we laughed… talked…flirted with each other (don’t you love that) and ate some more. We decided we’d order Zeppoli, delicious little Italian doughnuts that Olive Garden served with a hazelnut spread (thanks for that) and then a slice of Lemon Cake. I only ate a little bite of the lemon cake, but the Zeppoli, those delicious little doughnuts, we’re very hard to resist, and although I ate them slowly, I made the choice to eat too many!
As we walked to our car, I looked at Mike and admitted how terrible I felt. I thought my stomach was going to explode! We both admitted that we could have avoided dessert, but what’s done is done, right? Nope! We got in our car when all of sudden we heard a POP! The two clasps on my beautiful wool pants had completely broke and I was now left with only my zipper holding my pants up! As if that wasn’t bad enough, the more time that went by, the fuller I felt (a terrible curse) and my zipper was now becoming uncooperative ! That was it!
And so it began…my re-RE-commitment to being healthy for myself, my husband and my children! If you’re feeling overwhelmed by decisions you made during the holidays, don’t be…just get out and start walking. Start making small changes, changes that you can keep and you’ll soon feel a lot better. When I first started walking, my feet hurt, my back hurt, but I now feel so much better.
Kathy Kreis, my trainer from Club Worx, is dying to get her hands on me, but my schedule has been so crazy lately, I’ve not been able to get to the gym as often as I’d like, so running is about all I can do at the movement. The key is that I’m doing something!
Here are some healthy recipes that I featured in 2010! Perhaps these will help you make healthy choices when writing up your weekly menus! Here’s to a New Year of health and happiness!
Deliciously Healthy Sloppy Joes
Refreshing Watermelon, Feta and Olive Salad
Hello, I’m Elise Johnson and I’m so glad you found your way here! From my own experience, cooking and eating together as a family nurtures and strengthens family relationships quicker and stronger than any other way. Join me as I continue my grandmother’s legacy of
inter-generational cooking by inspiring families and friends to make memories in the kitchen. 