women’s health

And now I’m dieting..

/ christinaparisi / Leave a comment

After doing a month of no alcohol, I was inspired to keep going on my healthy living path.

I knew, however, I’d need some guidance, beyond my healthy, fit husband who helps me stay motivated simply by being himself.

But before I could even ponder my options, the Universe responded to my energy! A research group I’m part of asked me to be in a pilot project for a major weight loss program.

Um, yes please! I wholeheartedly accepted and began this week.

Now, I can’t speak on the actual program, signed a NDA, but I will say it involves a lot of healthy eating, exercising and high moderation of wine and salty snacks – two of my loves.

It’s going… okay. Rough start, I won’t lie but I’m getting the swing of things. Two thoughts have strongly stuck out to me –

  1. I thought I struggled moderating wine… uh, nope. Moderating carbs is not only WAY HARDER but I found a truth about me – I have a true addiction to soft pretzels, kettle chips and sharp cheddar cheese. Well, that and I’m a MAJOR snacker and that stuff adds up QUICKLY.
  2. I drink 64 ounces of water by the afternoon, out of habit and desire, so that part was really easy for me. But what isn’t easy is eating leafy veggies multiple times a day. Damn… that’s where I’m going to struggle….

If you have any helpful hints when it comes to dieting and redesigning your eating/living habits, I’d love to hear yours!

Quitting Alcohol For A Month – Day 16

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I really want a glass of wine, but I’m not gonna do it.

That’s been something I’ve been dealing with lately and this whole going dry thing has really put my self-discipline to the test.

There are so many lovely moments to have a glass of vino, from enjoying it with hearty pasta dishes to sipping a glass by the roar of the Pacific Ocean, from relaxing with a drink after a long day to toasting alongside others after a hard week comes to a close.

But what I’ve realized is that those things don’t NEED wine. Wine just compliments them.

So, I’m resetting my brain essentially to see alcohol for what it is – a most delicious treat that needs to be handled delicately.

Even if one isn’t addicted, it’s very easy to abuse drinking. And the pandemic had made it far too easy for me to indulge…

So, this is where I’m at.

Day 16 dry and feeling pretty damn good… despite the urges.

Thanks for coming along with me!

Gym Observations

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Hi All!

Been a hot minute since I wrote about my weight loss journey. Still rocking the gym five to six days a week and though I am all about pizza and bread and wine still, I have employed moderation to maintain my weight, though still want to shed ten more pounds… (Don’t we all?)

Anywho, as someone who now goes to the gym more than she ever thought she would, I have a few observations about gyms and gym etiquette that I would love to share with my readers, so here goes!

7 Observations From A Gym-Goer

1. Sweat, while a natural body activity, is really disgusting when it’s left on shared equipment. Rule #1 – wipe up your sweat! Though most do, there are those who don’t and they give us germaphobes a run for our money.

2. Mirrors are helpful and hurtful. Yes, they help you eye your form and movement but damn if they are not a constant reminder of where you are versus where you want to be. So, I’ve begun to change the way I think of them to use them as motivation rather than a source of depression.

3. After making a gym visit part of my morning routine, it’s become more enjoyable. At first, I would go whenever I fit it in but I noticed that if I didn’t go before noon, chances were I wasn’t going to that day. For me, the gym is something I like, but not loved, and it takes a lot of energy, which I have most of in the morning. My husband, on the other hand, likes to go at the end of his day. It works for him. Point being, once you figure out what works best for you, the gym is less a nuisance in your day and more a part of it, at least from my experience.

4. I can take the grunters. I can take the full faces of makeup and perfume smells. I can even take the machine hoggers. But what I can’t stay quiet about are the gym-goers who watch stuff on their phones with the volume up. Come on! Of course, we all want to do it, but have some respect and either use ear plugs or simply don’t do it. No one should be forced to listen to your news program or children’s videos or the latest episode of the Kardashians (for the love of all that’s holy!)

5. Machines under the air conditioner are coveted and rightly so. They are the gems, at least for me whose body runs at 100 degrees at all times, and once you figure where these machines are, they will be the best thing to get you to stay at the gym and not leave mid-workout. Well, that and discipline, of course ;)

6. Women can be just as strong as men. I get that genetically, males and females have differences making it perhaps easier for men to gain strength, but let no one tell you men are inherently stronger. Just walk into a gym and you will see that is definitely not the case.

7. I am typically the only one wearing flip flops. I know it’s more dangerous but I don’t use free weights so is it really? the crew at my gym let me slide and I feel more comfortable. (For those who don’t know, I wear flip flops 365 days out of the year, whenever and wherever I possibly can. I even bought a “fancy” pair…)

Do you have any of your own gym observations? Please share!

And stay tuned, the holidays are approaching and I’m going to try to do the impossible – continue to lose weight and be healthy…

 

 

 

 

Losing 20 pounds – post 15

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hey all! I am due for a scale check but I’ve decided to forgo it at this point for several reasons…

The main one being I don’t want to lose focus on the progress I’ve made by paying attention to a number.

Right now, my life is moving fast. My insanely amazing readers are handing in their notes on my book – these are people who care so much about me they’ve taken time out of their life (we’re talking parents, full time jobs) to read my book and offer constructive criticism before I submit to agents – so I am really busy working a day job as I prep for my book published, all the while trying to get my body back in shape.

Point being – I need to stay focused.

Here’s the thing. I eat sandwiches a lot (LOVE THEM in fact) and I’m Italian so pasta and bread are just part of my weekly routine and I am not going to budge on that. I love wine (though i’ve cut back, yay!) and I will pretty much need chocolate when it’s my time of the month if you don’t want me to bite your arm off.

See, I want to be able to eat these things and while I understand I need to do so in moderation, I will never be the person who has a slice of pizza once a month. No. That’s just not acceptable to me.

So… I’ve learned I need to work hard (I go to the gym 5-6 times a week, no shit, ask Don!) to be able to incorporate carbs into my diet on the regular, with moderation of course.

Now, you may be wondering… why no scale?

I am finally feeling the effects of working hard to get my body in shape that I don’t want to disturb my momentum.

My husband telling me the soft is gone and the tone is back means more than a number. The strength I feel when lifting a heavy box means more than a number. Pants fitting looser means more than a number.

And the way I feel about myself…

Yeah. That means a hell of a lot more than a number.

See, I was one of those people who weighed a solid 104 pounds till I was 33 and I ate whatever I wanted, with no concern for freshness, processed-ness and/or chemicals.

I was thin but unhealthy.

Then, I became overweight and unhealthy.

I’ve now realized neither are ideal.

So, what is?

Feeling good in my skin, happy with what I see in the mirror (not anyone else) and a healthy body.

The number on the scale doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t at the end of the day.

I will let you know if I’m back in the 130s next time I write but for now, I’m going to take pride in the fact that I shed unnecessary fat by working hard on my body and when I look in the mirror, I smile.

That’s the important part.

I smile.

As always, thanks for joining me!

 

 

 

My First Mammogram

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First off, I want to apologize – yes, again – for my delaying in posting on my blog. I truly appreciate you, dear readers, and want to explain that for the next six months, I might not be writing as much as normal here because I am editing my novel (while I wait tables and work on freelance writing assignments.) I then will be sending it out to agents and publishers so my time will be a little more limited but this is only a brief interruption. I will continue to post at least once or twice a month.

For those following my Diet Coke addiction, I have to admit I have fallen off the wagon and use this dark beverage for help with my weight loss journey. More to come…

And as for my weight loss journey, expect a new post next week. I’m figuring out my routine much more and will be sharing about it shortly. And yes, I am down a few pounds but lots more to go!

And now, for this post…

I had my first mammogram today. I turned 41 this year and my doctor told me it’s time I do it.

After waiting forty five minutes after my appointment time, I was finally called into a little dressing room area to undress to the waist and robe up.

And then more waiting.

Finally, I’m called – about an hour after my appointment time but I try to use this as training for patience (something I need continual work on.) Why do doctors set so close appointments? The majority of my doctor’s appointments keep me waiting well beyond the appointment time. When did this become acceptable??? But I digress…

My technician (I think that’s what she was…) was to the point. Friendly but distant. Definitely gave the vibe this is all routine for her.

But for me, it wasn’t. For the next ten minutes, my poor boobs were smooshed as they were x-ray’d. With all our technological progress, I don’t understand why this can’t be made a little easier on the chest??

Fortunately, the whole thing went by quickly but every time the tech told me not to breath for a x-ray (4 total), I suddenly became a person who couldn’t hold their breath longer than a second.  I realized it was because I use my breath when I feel stress or pain or uncomfortableness so having that taken away while I was clamped down was the hardest part for me.

The funniest part, though, was at the end, the tech drew closed the curtain so I could put my bra/top back on. Considering she had gotten to know my chest closer than my husband does, I couldn’t help but wonder if that was really necessary.

Overall, knowledge of my body’s health will by far make this whole visit worthwhile but if anyone can make this process more comfortable, please do!!!