June 24, 2008 at 1:46 pm (Nutrition, Rants and Vents)
Tags: diet, eating, exercise, food, good vs bad, habits, Nutrition, Rants and Vents
I’ve been thinking about the habit of labelling or categorising food and behaviour as good or bad. The other day I blogged about how I love sushi (yum!) but the rice isn’t that great. There I was, the great-hater-of-labelling, demonising my favourite food because of the dreaded C word … CARBS.
For years I demonised peanut butter (FAT) and eggs (FAT) and pasta (CARBS) etc.
I demonised my food and my behaviour – did I walk to work? Did I deserve that chocolate? Once I’d eaten the chocolate, I’d beat myself up about how ‘bad’ it was, even if I enjoyed it. So usually, I’d eat the chocolate or [insert food of choice] and then end up taking away all the enjoyment.
I still find myself thinking about good days and bad days and I want to stop that. I want to stop the idea that in order to be ‘good’ I have to eat such-and-such and do X number of reps.
Life happens. Life needs to happen. And life is neither good nor bad. It just is. I need to be able to enjoy a meal out with my parents, accept that they brought me delicious Australian chocolate (anyone who has not experienced Tim Tams is missing out!!) and that, you know what? I can have one at a time, walk away from the fridge and enjoy it.
I find myself slipping more and more into the good/bad ideology the more I’m around my mother. The other day I told her that she was looking really good (things are all about appearance in her world) and her response?
“Oy, I’ve gained so much weight on this holiday. I need to lose 5kgs and then I’ll look good”
My response to that was “Mom, the words are thank you. That’s all you had to say” (wrong? maybe)
But you see, with her, it’s all about if you deserve to feel/look good. If you’ve been on good behaviour, you can accept compliments. If not, you don’t deserve it.
I don’t want to fall into that trap. Being away from it for 8 months made me forget how toxic it is. Now I’m more resolved to work hard but let life happen.
(Sorry about the rambling)
4 Comments
June 24, 2008 at 8:48 am (exercise, fitness)
Tags: age, diet, exercise, fitness, health, injuries, weight training
My father has been training with a personal trainer for about 3 years now. He goes 3 times a week for 30 minutes and gets in cardio and weights (how, I’m not sure!) and that’s all his exercise. He’s 61 years old with a bit of a beer belly (less now though) and the balance of a 90 year old I sometimes think. He used to be really active when he was younger and then let it slide and really only got back onto the fitness train 5 years ago.
Today he joined me for my training session with J and I was very careful to make sure that he knew that he didn’t have to do anything he didn’t want to do or feel comfortable with. I told him that I get my cardio in for 25-30 minutes before my training – all he needed to do was warm up. Nope, he got in 25 minutes of cardio.
Then we started training. First, J had me doing lunges on the Smith machine with 20lbs for the first set. I did it and then it was Dad’s turn. Oy. Two lunges in he twisted slightly and strained his quad. That was it. There’s my dad, limping along and my trainer looking at me asking “did I break him?” LOL
So we sent him to the bikes to keep the muscle stretching as there was no ice around and he was determined not to go home and I continued legwork. Then he joined us again for upper body work.
And proceeded to pick up weights that were too heavy and refuse to budge. I’m all for pushing yourself – heck, I push myself everytime – but I start lights and move up in weight. So there I am working along and my dad is pushing himself and I know that he’s going to hurt like heck tomorrow. He hasn’t trained for 3 weeks and strained a muscle and probably pushed himself a little too hard just to prove that he could do it.
And this is the problem I have and I think the reason many people don’t weight train.
They try it once, push themselves with heavy weights, hurt like heck the next day/week and never do it again.
The important thing is to know yourself and know your limitations. My dad is 61. Yes, he’s a strong guy but his body is not as young as he thinks it is. He has a bum knee and a damaged shoulder. He has bad balance and while his upper body strength is good, he is still 61 years old. Even he admitted yesterday that he keeps forgetting that.
I’m not advocating staying within your comfort zone but just be aware.
2 Comments
I'm a twenty-something Aussie who was living in Canada and has now moved to New Zealand and trying to be somewhat strong and healthy while I navigate the perils of living with my Boy, freelancing and planning a long-distance wedding without losing my mind. Welcome!
