"This is 40" ...are you kiddin' me?

On New Years Day, John, Carla, Steve and I went to see the new movie "This is 40" - a much anticipated viewing as Carla and I are delving into our 40's this year.  The movie was an absolute riot and we each saw parts of ourselves (and our spouses!) in the two main characters!  John thought the scenes where the wife tries to make lifestyle changes in what they eat, and limit use of electronics was a little too close to home!  That being said, John admitted to me earlier that he's thankful for said changes - of course it helped that he's gone down a belt loop and yes, he gives me full credit for that!  Who would have thought it would be me inspiring him to make improvements?  I have been to Curves three times a week since I started the Colin Firth Diet Club and over the holidays it inspired John to make more of an effort to visit his own gym where he holds a membership.  Kudos to you John!  He also asked me when I'll next be making my chicken Parmesan burgers, a new favourite of his.  He was wandering around at lunch and saw one somewhere, but didn't want to buy one because it was deep fried!  I have to admit, it gives me a high knowing that I have some form of power over him and his thought processes now!  He he he!!

Anyways, a new year, a new beginning right?  Last week, as I sat in the waiting room of the Nissan dealership waiting for service on my little red Juke, I was reading, "The Cleaner Plate Club" by Beth Bader and Ali Benjamin.  Thus far, this book seems a good follow-up to "Wheat Belly".  I think it's important to continue reading about good nutrition so the facts remain fresh in my mind when shopping for life-sustaining food!  That being said, nearly 4 hours into my Nissan homage, I begged my neighbour to fetch me a Harvey's hamburger to prevent me from eating someone - I was that hungry!  Back in June when we purchased my car, I was impressed that the dealership had a cafe inside it, and a television showing Euro Cup matches!  I thought this was my kind of car place!  Absolutely I'll bring my new car here for service - add a BLT to the tab please!  When John asked what time to make the appointment for the car I told him to book it near lunch time so I can have a BLT while I wait.  This was the first time my car was going in for service, and I was actually looking forward to it!  This was a job I always left for John to do in the past.  I received a notice in the mail about a recall on the car months ago and brought the notice with me.  The clerk told me that the service would take approximately 2 hours.  I said, "No problem, I've got my book with me and I'll hang out at the cafe and order lunch".  Well, as luck, rather no luck, would have it, the person who runs the cafe disappeared a couple of days prior so - cafe closed!!  No worries, I had a late breakfast so I could stick it out for 2 hours.  Four hours later, I was talking to Carla on my cell and she said Steve was going to pick up Harvey's for lunch.  At this point I was nearly fainting with hunger so I asked if he could get me one.   Finally around 4:30 pm I was told that my car was nearly ready and I could wait outside for the guy to bring the car round to me.   My mind wandered as I stood on the concrete, a light, fluffy snow falling around me.  Is it really true that no two snowflakes are alike?  Is there any protein in snowflakes - other than the yellow kind?  Are there trans fats in people?  Stupid questions I know, but when you are hungry and fed up with waiting in a car dealership of all places - that's the kind of things going through my head!  Now, if that wait was to meet my muse, Colin Firth - that would be a whole different story!  Bring on the hunger baby!!  Ironically, once I got my Juke back, wouldn't you know that the first song playing on the radio was Pink's 'Blow Me' relaying the lyrics - "I've had a shit day...".

OK, back to the "The Cleaner Plate Club"!  For those of you who think you can't make healthy diet changes befitting the whole family, this book states, "It is possible to feed your family well, to encourage your kids to enjoy kale, or tomatoes, or squash, or beans, and to instill in them lifelong healthy habits.  It is possible to teach them that chickens don't have fingers and that the very best foods don't come emblazoned with cartoon characters...It's even possible to do all this without a fight."  - to this I say "Tell me more!!!!" 

In the first chapter there is a section on Exposure.  "Research shows that it can take as many as 15 tries before a child accepts a new food".  Luckily I didn't have to try 15 times to get my kids to eat brussels sprouts - they almost welcomed them the second time around.  Not too long ago, I was hard pressed to get my kids to eat fish, real fish that wasn't breaded or battered to disguise what was inside.  When I was diagnosed as prediabetic about a year and a half ago, I started making salmon for dinner once a week.  It wasn't well received in the beginning but now it is expected and they eat it - and it may very well have taken 15 weeks to get there, but they did get there.  My friend Kelly's husband was diagnosed with diabetes last year and so they have started having salmon once a week as well.  She told me that the kids don't like it so she makes them fish sticks instead.  I guess she gave up too soon.  Is fifteen tries really the magic number?  I explained to my kids why we were eating the salmon - to make mommy and all of us healthier, and you can't really argue that.  Anyways, as a parent with young children, I know all too well, that you have to choose your battles!   I have become the "Nutritional Gatekeeper" in my house.  I do the shopping (of course I do send John out to pick up the few things I forget once in awhile), the food preparation and cooking.  And according to Bader & Benjamin, the nutritional gatekeeper is the most important influence.  I just wish I had known about this occupation much sooner!

Chapter two focuses on shopping strategies.  Now, some of the information was reiteration from "Wheat Belly" - shop the outer isles, focus on the produce section, be wary of labels and false promises, but it never hurts to be reminded!  Fruits and vegetables speak for themselves.  They don't have labels with false claims.  "Fresh broccoli doesn't brag about its high iron and fiber content, and you'll never find apples boasting about their calcium levels."  The last page of this chapter tells about nutritional dilution.  "Wheat Belly" talked about this epidemic, where scientists are so keen to invent strains of food that can yield larger crops, and increased durability and pest resistance.  The downfall is that, by altering the natural state of the product, it loses overall nutritional value through the dilution and cross breeding.  Really, this continues to anger me each time I read about it!  No wonder we live in a diabetic saturated world with accompanying high blood pressure and cholesterol issues.  Well, granted 'they' aren't solely to blame - there is also the "Super-size Me" phenomenon taking over America which isn't helping matters either.  More to come as I continue reading the book...

On Thursday night I made a new dish - Gluten-Free Lasagna Roll-Ups.  They were made with brown rice lasagna noodles.  Brown rice noodles don't taste all that different than your regular brand.  The only difference really is that the water looks milky while you cook the noodles.  I like this recipe because it seems less messy than traditional lasagna since they are individually wrapped - and it could help with portion control.  Have one roll along with a salad and you are good to go!

John  and I loved it, Matthew liked it but thought there was too much spinach in it, Kristen didn't care for it and Jake fell asleep before dinner so he didn't get to try it.  It tastes great as leftovers too!  So I now have another recipe to add to my Wheat-Free repertoire!

Yesterday after Kristen finished her gymnastics class we did our grocery shopping.  I challenged her to pick out something from the produce section that she's never tried before and we would all test it out.  After much deliberation, she chose a star fruit.   Thank goodness for Google - else how would I know what to do with such a thing!  Aren't the stars pretty?  They have a unique taste, not sure we'll be buying them on a frequent basis but it was fun trying another new food!



Today we had a luncheon at church, so I decided to make that Green Vegetable Bake that my brother-in-law Jay brought for Christmas dinner I loved so much!  Normally, I'd be the one bringing a dessert so I'm proud of myself for progressing in my food movement to bringing a veggie dish!





And now comes the moment of truth.  I had my monthly weigh-in at Curves on Friday and although I'm still down, the results weren't as impressive as the last time.  I've lost a 1/4" each in the bust and waist and a 1/2" in the thighs.  Unfortunately my body fat % went up from 33.4 - 34.2.  I'm hoping this was merely the result of Christmas festivities and the numbers will do me proud next month!  The good news is that most of my pants are so loose on me now that I find myself constantly pulling them up, up, up!  And...I can now fit into a couple of pants that I'd long given up on that I found mysteriously hidden in the back of the closet!

Overall though, since the turn of the calendar year, I'm not really feeling myself - a little down in the dumps to be honest.  Maybe it's the pending big "4-0", the fear of finding yet another gray hair, or dare I say it - fear that I'm not up to my own challenge!  For the last couple of years I dreamt of spending my 40th birthday in Ireland and I've come to realize that the dream is just that - a dream.  I've got lots of things to look forward to this year.  A Mediterranean cruise, Matthew's grade 8 graduation, and we are going to be ringing in 2014 with our best friends Carla & Steve and our families at Disneyworld!  Carla put things in perspective for me this afternoon and helped me find my way and be grateful for what I have in life.  As she is the one turning 40 next week, I must applaud her.  She's ready for it!  I can only hope I'm as brave as she when my time comes!

I've gained back a pound and I'm trying not to get too down on myself about that.  On Friday night, Melissa, Glen, Carla and Steve came over.  Carla made her infamous nacho dip and Melissa brought my fave, Dubliner cheese!  Top with some vino and it was a caloric high!  Add to that the birthday cake that I made for Jake's birthday on Sunday and it's no wonder I've gone up some.    I tested my blood pressure at the grocery store yesterday and it was 140/87 so that's not helping matters either.

But...my kids are back at school after the break so I was able to start reading my Colin Firth biography today!!!!!!  Listen to my Mama Mia soundtrack while making dinner and folding laundry - and on Thursday night I will be accompanying Carla to Booty Barre - not sure what to expect from that exactly, but I need to step up my game plan, start thinking positively again and achieve my Colin Firth Diet Club goals!  I can do this!  I WILL DO THIS!!!

And Colin, although you've been quoted as saying, "My singing voice is somewhere between a drunken apology and a plumbing problem", rest assured that I quite enjoy singing (and dancing!) along with you to "Our Last Summer", and in fact, "I like you very much.  Just as you are".