Eat to Live, or Live to Eat?

Has it really been almost 2 years since I last posted? So much has happened. But back to the subject.

 

The subject has been talked about so much. Americans often have been criticized about living to eat. Even people like Cassey Ho talk about eating healthier foods. But let's face it. Food is yummy. It's one of the more affordable luxuries out there. Yes there is a lot to be said about portion control. But the way life works for the average American, we usually only get one good meal out of the day. We hit the ground running in the morning. Lunch is often short or rushed. So we try to make up for that lack of time to really sit down to eat, by pigging out. Also there is the too tired or not enough time to really make something good problem at night also. So we often go for quick and unhealthy. In large quantities, since we have been unintentionally starving ourselves all day. But this is the time when they say you should eat lighter. But we all know that's hard and a little unfair because of all the reasons I mentioned. Yes I lost weight when I ate a healthy breakfast and lunch. But I still ate most of my food intake at night. The only reason I ate a decent breakfast then, was because I was working at a school cafeteria. It was torture on an empty stomach. I found myself snatching food destined for the trash that was still in the pans I was going to wash. Eating before work curbed that, but I got up so much earlier to be able to eat, that I was miserable. I know there are people that get up way early because they want to work on their looks before work or school. I'm more of a roll out of be and get ready quickly person. Then there are my current jobs. Breaks are not always an option and could be interrupted 500 times. Not really ideal to have a good meal. One of my jobs there is only a microwave to prepare food with. No water. Nothing else. I usually just bring a sandwich. I use to bring soup to my one job, which is healthy, but I rarely have time to eat it. So I usually end up grabbing something quick and unhealthy there. Not good for my body or wallet. I would love to have a cute little yummy bento to eat for lunch. But that requires time and effort I don’t have.

 

Here’s the story. I have Fibromyalgia. Not as bad as most. But bad enough to screw up some things in my life. Long story short, when I get home I’m beat. There isn’t much left in me. If I push myself too hard, I go down. I can’t afford to lose time at work, so I baby myself. Maybe a bit too much. I come home. Pop something quick in the microwave and cruse the net till bedtime. I don’t have it in me to make a decent meal. Even on days off when I have a million things to do, I end up sleeping all day. I do like working out, but getting the energy to do it doesn’t happen often. I tend to over do it when I do work out, as kind of making up for lost time. I would like to work out after work, but sometimes I’m worthless the next day if I do. In a perfect world, I would get up on time. I would eat a good breakfast. I would put on makeup and do my hair. And get to work early. Then after work, I would go work out. When I get home, I would take a shower, make myself a good dinner, and do a few chores. But it isn’t a perfect world and I’m just tired.

 

But back to what I was originally saying. For a while I was using My Fitness Pal it started to get frustrating. Like I was shaming myself for eating more than what I was allotted. I couldn’t eat whatever I wanted, or very much of it. Because it would go over my calories. It seemed unfair. I would pour through menus trying to find something I could eat. Not what I wanted to eat, but what I could. I like bacon. I love my grandma’s fried chicken. Yes there are alternative ways to make chicken, but it’s not the same flavor. It’s hard to be satisfied when you crave the flavor, and can’t get it. Some people show their healthy meals on Instagram or Facebook and I look at it and not find it appetizing at all. I’ve been told I can have the foods I crave if I eat them in smaller amounts. That takes a lot of will power. Because you want more. If it’s there, you want to finish it. I’ve been told drink a lot of water before you eat. Fill up on veggies or a salad. I don’t have time to pee every 10 min. And the veggies/salad isn’t always available. I’m working on a healthier tweak on my favorite foods, but I haven’t been able to do that of late. I’m stuck in a poor man’s, retail worker’s rut. If I can figure it all out, I will share it. But right now I’m wandering frustrated, over weight, and hungry. Who else feels me?

 

Laters! Savvy?

 

-Aislin

Going….Hippy?

Well, that’s what my hubby would call it. I have took it upon myself to cut additives, preservatives (artificial ones), and high fructose corn syrup out of my diet. It is much tougher than it sounds. Seriously. Especially when you don’t always have a lot of time to cook food. Or your hands are all messed up from carpal tunnel and they either hurt too much or you are dropping things because of it. I went to Wal-Mart with my sister and she had to wait while I read label after label. I wanted sub buns, or something like it, so I could try to recreate Donatos’ Big Don subs. I looked through the deli bread. All three demons were present in everything. So I went to the bread aisle. Still the same thing. The only thing that matched my criteria, was Sunbeam’s Natural 10 bread. That is only simple sandwich bread though. So I was out of luck with the sub buns. Then I went to get the lunchmeat. The only ham and salami that didn’t have all that stuff in it, was Hormel’s lunchmeat. It says on the box that it has not preservatives. On to the provolone. Sargento, was the only choice. Then the dressing. Donatos uses a white looking house Italian. I went all through all the dressings in the aisle, and ended up getting the Organicville Balsamic and Olive Oil dressing. It tastes good, but it’s kind of funny that I had to pay more for organic, because all other brands put all those bad extras in their product. You would think it would be cheaper for them not too and much more common. But moving on. Other products I found there are: Wal-Mart’s generic, and Mike sells Kettle Cooked Chips. V8 Fusion, Dannon All Natural Yogurt, Jennie O Turkey Burgers. Lipton Pure Leaf Ice Tea (not on website), Nutella, Frenches Yellow Mustard, and Tyson Chicken Nuggets and Tenders.

I can’t seem to find a list of foods that are like this. I have been kicking around creating one. But one thing is for sure. I will be going back to Target to get food for now on. They have more natural and organic options. Not that I’m hung up on organics, but they tend to not have any bad stuff in them.

I admit I’m trying to slip into a more earth conscious state of being. I’m trying to use a clothes line. I’ve switches to reusable BPA free water bottles. Using my Britta filter, so I will buy less water bottles. When I get the house cleaned back up, I would like to start recycling again. I try to buy local. It’s a work in progress, and I think I’ll find it hard to drag my husband along. He’ll probably just call me a hippy and then go back to what he was doing. I’m not forcing him to follow my change in diet. He would rebel if I did. I admit, there will be things that suck. Eating out, at least fast food wise, is not an option for me anymore. It sucks, but I’m hoping it will be healthier for me. One thing I can’t give up is Coca Cola. I’m addicted to it. I’ve compromised with myself and I only drink one cup a day and I will buy Mexican Coca Cola whenever I can, since it is made with real sugar instead of High Fructose Corn Syrup. The rest of the time I drink tea, water, or juice. I’m going to try to live through work without Monsters. Time will tell if that works or not. Maybe if I get healthier, my energy will go up.

Some things I might just have to make myself, to save money. Bread, jelly, applesauce. Though my grandma makes the best applesauce. I might just ask her to make a ton for me. I already asked her to save some apple butter for me the next time she makes it. I need a bread machine though. I doubt I will be lucky enough to find one at a garage sale, so like a new clothes line, I’m going to sell off some stuff and save up my money for one. Too bad I can’t earn one with Coke Points.

But that will be it for now. I will try to keep updating on my progress and listing foods as I find them. Laters! Savvy?

-Aislin

The Attention Demon

Have you met him? We all have been in his grasp before. Of course he is figurative. It’s along the lines of the Green Eyed Monster of jealousy. We have all wanted attention at some point and at varying degrees. But some are grabbed by it more than others. Some want attention, period. Both dogs and humans. It doesn’t matter if it’s negative or positive. To this demon, attention is power. If they get that attention they win. I will not point out any individuals or groups, to avoid giving them power, but I bet you will have ideas who they are.

They can be both good or evil. Pleasant and abrasive. You could be happy to give them that attention, or angered at the thought of them. The focus of that attention doesn’t even have to be there to have their effect. It can weasel into your head and roost there like a song. You don’t want to think of it sometimes, but it’s still there. That is part of their power. Some know they have that ability, that power. They will do anything to get that hold, to win. I wish we could take that power away from them. Decide as a whole to ignore them. If they have done something to get attention, maybe their name should not be mentioned, so they don’t get any direct attention. Unfortunately, our desire for knowledge conflicts that.

Don’t you just wish sometimes that if you ignore them, choose to forget them and in turn they cease to exist. Like Freddie Kruger on Nightmare on Elm St., or Mab on the Merlin mini series. But unfortunately that doesn’t happen, so we can just act like we are ignoring them. The fun part of that, is that it ticks them off. One would hope that they would eventually give up because of that. But of course it doesn’t always work like that. It’s a nice thought though.

 

Laters! Savvy?

-Aislin

Apocalypse 2012!

OooooOOOOOoOoh! LOL

But anyway. My husband and I have been watching all these documentaries about survivalists and people preparing for the apocalypse. And of course we listen to Coast to Coast. We both like Art Bell more than George Noory, but that is neither here nor there. So we hear about it a lot too. All these people scared of the end of the world or a big events that will destroy civilization. I.E. a “The Stand” or “Walking Dead “ scenario. They believe that they have to build shelter that will survive a nuclear explosion and sustain them for years.

I don’t believe in all of that but like my dad said, we should prepare for large storms. Back when the tornados tore through our area, we where left without power for a week. The phones where down. The only phone service we had was cell, which I had to charge in my car. We had to be creative. Mom and dad cooked on the grill, which thankfully it was warm enough for. We had enough candles to use for light at night, thanks to my mom. But even with that, all work on anything stopped when the sun went down, because even with the candles there was not enough light.  We only had hot water because the water heater was gas. We were taking care of reptiles from the pet store, so we had to heat rocks over candles to keep them warm and had to take them out in the sun during the day. The long and short of it is that, that was just how resourceful we had to be with just the power out. It could have been worse. If that would happen now, Brett and I would be screwed. Plus, Brett would go insane without his video games. LOL We have candles, but a limited amount, and not enough open space to use them. We don’t have a grill, and most of our food, we make by microwave, so we are screwed there.

It just comes down to, we all need to be more prepared. Not just that, because of prices and recalls and food scares, we need to start growing our own food, and being more independent on things. We all need to be better stewards to the land. We can’t leave it all up to the farmers. Back in the world war 2 days people had vegetable gardens in their back yard. They canned what they didn’t eat right away. They kept food costs down and food was there when they needed it. Usually when natural disasters hit, they effect things a whole lot longer than a day or two. People panic and hit the store buying stupid stuff. And with doing that, leave nothing behind for those who need it. Example, the recent earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan. I was felt throughout all of Japan for weeks. The areas that were barely effected by it, lost gas service for days. Because no one keeps more than a day or two worth of food at home, they all made a run on the stores. They cleaned them out, hoarding everything they could, so there wasn’t enough to go around. There were no food shipments coming in, or it was being diverted to disaster areas. It’s not even over there. The majority is back to normal, but the places hit the worst, people still are without homes and have limited resources coming in. All over this is happing every year. So many are unprepared.

I know I’m not the one that should be preaching this. My house is a mess and the only attention I’ve paid to my gardens since I moved into this house is with a weed whacker and loppers. What room do I have to talk if I can’t even keep my house clean and my yard maintained. I understand this. It’s nice to say I want a storm shelter, garden, wind turbine, and vegetable garden. It’s well another thing to actually get up off my ass and do it, let alone keep it going. I’m just saying we all need to try to do these things. I need to make the effort. I would like nothing more to spend my days surfing the net and taking care of the house. Trolling the garage sales on the weekends looking for stuff I can sell on eBay or use at home. I know that the only effort I have made was to buy a reel mower, which I ended up giving to my parents. But the truth is that things are the way they are now. I’m trying to keep myself strait, while making the monies and taking care of my husband. I tend to be so tired, that the house gets put on the back burner. Then I look around at the mess that has built up and feel over whelmed. Excuses, excuses.

I know what my family would say about that. Not nice things at all. Believe me, I have been hearing them all my life. It’s different when there isn’t someone cracking a whip behind you. It’s different on your own. But people have been doing this for years, and I should be no different. My sister is going to help me get my house cleaned up this weekend. Hopefully it’s the jumpstart I need. Time will tell. What about you? Are you able to be more self sufficient?

Aislin’s Day Off

Ok maybe I should start earlier than today. See I got a burr up my ass and I wanted a change so I decided to cut my hair. So yesterday I went to my mom and she cut my hair.
 
Yep I really had her cut it. She took 14in off. All of which are going to Locks of Love. The end result is this.
 
Quite a change. So lets go on to today. I got up this morning and sent my Brett Brett off to work. Then I decided to lay back down, since I was tired. I slept till about noon and then got up to get ready to go see my sis.
 
Instead of having to brush out and braid my hair, I just ran a brush through it real quick and this was the result. Cool huh? I was surprised.

I ran out the door to go see my sis at her work, stopping to get some Starbucks on the way. Mmmm Starbucks.

Then my sis put gel overlays on my nails to strengthen them up so they will grow out more. The only problem is that my knuckles have been hurting me so the ached the whole time. Don’t they look pretty.

After that we were hungry so we went over to KFC to get lunch. I saved the biscuit for Brett since it wasn’t part of my diet.

After that I had to go to the barn and clean stalls. It isn’t that cold yet, I still worked up a sweat cleaning a few stalls.

On my way home I stopped off at Marsh and got groceries. See how neatly everything fits in the back of Shamrock. ^_^

So after I got home I had wash the sweat off from working out at the barn so I took a shower, while my Brett Brett told me about his day. I brushed out my hair and it did it’s curly thing.

So that’s my day off in a nutshell. Tomorrow I have to be in at work at the butt-crack of dawn. It’s kind of sad but at least I had a good day.

Also I have a new food blog, Cook Healthy or Die Hard. Go check it out. Laters! Savvy?

-Aislin

Once again into the land of retail.

So yeah, now that I’m working in retail again I remember how it use to be. The tiredness. The what day is it. The back pain that makes me a massage junkie. But yet I’m comfortable with it. I’m worn out. Getting use to working again. Working out at the barn. Trying and failing to keep up with things around the house. I gave up a day off to get more hours, which makes me grumpy. But I’ll survive.

I went up and saw my grandma. Her birthday is Friday, so I wanted to go spend some time with her. The sink is messed up again. Need to fix it. I also need to tame the jungle that is our flower bed. So much to do, not enough time or energy to do it. Sooo tired. Laters! Savvy?

-Aislin

Oppressive Humidity

That’s what the weather channel describes the humidity in our area as. It’s so bad that our little window air conditioner is spitting water because of condensation.

I have to be at work early tomorrow so I have to keep this short. I have a new job. I’m also working part time cleaning stalls to board Katelin so I don’t have to get rid of her. Though her vet bill from moving her was not nice at all.

I’m still hyped a little from work. I’m working retail again and part-time, but at least it’s something.

Well that’s about all. Time to go wash my face, brush my teeth and hope I can get to sleep fairly quickly. Why am I never tired at night even after a 8 hour shift? Laters! Savvy?

-Aislin