food is NOT the enemy

After reading Run Like A Mother How To Get Moving-and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity by Dimity McDowell and Sarah Bowen Shea, I realized that I have the wrong perspective on food. These past few months, I have been viewing food as the enemy and that is WRONG! No wonder why I can’t run farther than 5k without feeling depleted. Food is NOT the enemy. Food is fuel. I am trying to reprogram my mind into viewing food as the fuel that keeps me going. As I have mentioned on here before, I have lost over 75 pounds since I became a mom. I admit that I look at food as the enemy sometimes; it is what made me fat before. I know that is not true, I know that my sedentary lifestyle combined with poor eating habits AND having babies is what led to my weight gain, but I choose to blame food instead. I am afraid to get rid of my “fat clothes” which are sitting in a box in my closet. If I do, I feel that I will immediately gain all of that weight back. Also not true, but it is a fear.

When I was training for my half last fall, I looked at food as fuel. I weighed myself once a week just to make sure I wasn’t fluctuating too much. I wouldn’t drink any alcohol the day before a long run in fear that it might make it hard. While I was abstaining from alcohol, I was sure to eat plenty of carbs. I saw my training as my new full time job and I was going to succeed, come hell or high water. Now that I have crossed that finish line, I am looser with my diet and I don’t have any problem having a drink the night before a long run. I’m also looking at food differently. I’m afraid that if I eat too much, I’ll get fat- completely wrong. Food is fuel. If I eat bad food and not exercise then yes, I will get fat. I don’t see that happening. I need to appreciate my body for what it is and accept that the good food that I eat is fuel to get me moving. It is a daily struggle that some day, I hope to win.

Happy Running Y’all!!!

I want to run…away

The other day, G posted here about how she runs so she doesn’t run away. That is me, today. I haven’t showered since the hotel Saturday morning, but I digress…

Friday night, our 10^th wedding anniversary was amazing! I felt like a million bucks (see exhibits A & B). I had the slightest twinge of guilt dropping off L and N at their Atlanta Grandma’s house, but it quickly passed. We hit the hotel; they tried to pull a quick one over us by telling us that we were not eligible for the friends and family rate (thanks Hyatt, we won’t be staying with you ever again!), but I let it slide. It’s our 10^th wedding anniversary! Then we went to dinner. The minute we walked through the door we recognized the greeter, she used to work with J at his last restaurant. The whole evening was spectacular! I can honestly say that the customer service at Ocean Prime Atlanta was above and beyond. Even hubby who works in the industry commented on how spectacular they were. 

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

We started in the bar since we were intentionally early. It’s not every day that I get to sit in the bar with hubby sans little boys, have a drink, and enjoy an appetizer and people watch. It was pure heaven! I was able to eavesdrop on all conversations and wonder why the 30 something hipster chic is sitting with the middle-aged (plus) Russian-American man wearing a seersucker jacket, slacks and no socks. What did she see in him? Probably the free drink! I enjoyed hearing the conversations between a guest and the bartender on the myriad of flavors in the Red Stag line offered by Jim Beam; all while enjoying my cucumber gimlet, white truffle popcorn and goat cheese and mushroom ravioli. I didn’t have to get up to get a second serving, fill water glasses, grab a napkin or listen to whining about how “I don’t like this food”.

We then moved to our table. I apologize for not bringing my camera; I will never do that again. The greeter had champagne sent to us at the table, YUM! Then the server brings us Ahi Tuna Tartar compliments of a guy on the line that J worked with at another restaurant. I can’t get over how small the food service industry is, especially here in the ATL! I guess it’s because we never go out. NEVER. We then ordered steaks, twice baked potato and asparagus. I had a glass of Napa Valley’s finest Cab while J had a Zin, he likes peppery wine with his steak. We finished it off with a fabulous slice of Baked Alaska. I’ve never had it before and it was amazing!

 Baked Alaska

The next morning, I get a text message asking if N can have a baby aspirin. He’d been up all night with a fever and an achy head. I jumped into the shower, got dressed and we checked out. We were able to stop and get a cup of coffee and then get the boys. N has had that fever ALL.WEEKEND.LONG. I took him to the doc this morning only to find out it’s not the flu. It is just another lovely virus compliments of the Petri dish known as kindergarten. He has had a rough three nights, two of which I have spent with him in the office. J had to go back to work yesterday, I have been an on call nurse, maid, nanny, butt wiper, nose wiper, carry me to the bathroom ‘cause I don’t have the energy servant since Saturday afternoon at 12:00 pm. I’m spent. I want to run. My sciatica is feeling much better. I need to run before I run away from this place. Here's to hoping everyone is healthy tomorrow and I can get my run on without over doing it!