Happy Start of the WEEKEND to all!
Tonight I’m going to do a dinner post…but not just any dinner post….a HIS + HERS dinner post. :)
Tonight, you will see how I modify my portions so I, ahem, don’t eat like a man…and gain all of my weight back!
As many of us know, when we are in relationships, it is oh so easy to gain weight! We get comfortable, he gets comfortable, and suddenly a sundae the size of your coffee table sounds like a good idea.
Eric and I have been in these ruts before. I think everyone has. It is very possible to fall off the wagon– sometimes for weeks at a time- before the health bug clicks and leads you back to the road to health.
Like everything in life, sometimes a healthy lifestyle comes in cycles.
No one said it would be easy. If you have read my Road To Health series, you know that I have shared my struggles over the years.
I recently had a struggle with my groin injury. I was off exercise for 2 months and struggled with tight pants, low moods, and despair. There were times when I thought that I would never be able to get back on track, but here I am, slowly but surely, easing my way back.
And so can you. I know many of you are struggling right this very moment– I’ve read your emails- and I know how much it hurts. These bumps, or as I call them, potholes, in the road to health, are a fact of life. They teach us lessons that sometimes don’t become apparent for a while. I think it is important to ask yourself what you are learning from the experience. There is always a silver lining.
During my injury, I learned how much I take my health for granted. I learned that without it, I have nothing. Therefore, I must listen to my body at all times. If it says jump, I ask how high (lol, joking). I have realized how truly amazing and smart my body is. It warns me when there is danger before I get in too deep. Before that 3 mile run, I had pain. And I chose to run anyways. Oopsie. When I ignore these warning signals, there will usually be trouble. I have learned patience, inner strength, and mental satisfaction. I said many times that I exercised my brain when I was injured! I really did. I used this website as a way to ‘work out’ my feelings and to work my brain. I also dove head first into my Glo Bakery business and researched my little fingers to the bone. This kept me going during a hard time. I think finding something to keep you going when you are having a hard time is a key factor in getting through it.
Spaghetti: His Vs. Hers
Here is how I avoid the Eating-like-Your-Man weight gain trap!
Tonight I was out of St Ives. Veggie Ground Round which is what I usually put in spaghetti sauce- for both of us. So I had to improvise tonight.
Eric got M+M Meats Meatballs in his spaghetti sauce (left), while I made myself a healthier and all veggie sauce (right):
My Sauce (right):
- 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste (no sodium added)
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/3 cup spaghetti Sauce
I’ve said it before and I will say it again- this sauce rocks!!!
His + Hers- A Side by Side Comparison:
Obviously mine is on the left and his on the right. Note that Eric’s side is a piece of toast with Olive Oil Margarine, while my side are carrots. I get more volume for less calories. Score.
Also note that Eric has 2-3 servings of whole wheat pasta, while I have a single serving (approx- I don’t measure things!) of Quinoa.
Eric’s sauce has about 9 meatballs or so. He also dumped about 1/2 cup of Light Parmesan on his sauce. lol.
Guess who had room for dessert?
ME!
It’s all about balance, right?
These cookies taste awesome!
Green Monster Finger Nails:
This is probably not what you want to see, but I had to share. Like I said, my nails have been growing like bad weeds since I have been drinking my green monsters!
It’s SO LONG!!!!!!!
I have to clip my nails so much more now.
PS- I love this nail polish that I bought before my wedding photoshoot! It is ‘O.P.I.’ and it is called “Hopelessly In Love”- how fitting, eh? ;) I wanted something that would give the illusion of a manicure. I also did this on my toes. It turned out that the spa package that Eric got for me didn’t include mani + pedi and they wanted to charge me $60 extra, so I decided to do it myself! In the pic above I just have 1 coat on, but it looks best with 2.
Exercise:
Today I raked leaves for my workout!
Considering my arms were burning after 2 mins. it is a miracle I lasted as long as I did! lol.
HRM Stats:
- 1 hour 15 mins.
- Max Heart Rate: 123 bpm
- Avg Heart Rate: 100 bpm
- Feel the burn: 251 kcals (sure felt like more!)
Even though my heart rate was lower than other cardio workouts, I got a way better ‘strength’ workout today! I know my muscles will be burning extra calories for up to 24 hours to repair themselves. Yay for strength building!
In pictures:
Pick Up Stix:
I collected broken sticks all over the yard. I basically made a huge nest for some animals. hehe.
Sketchie looking out from in (I felt so bad for him!):
He sits in the windowsill for hours a day watching the birds at the feeder. LOL!!!
I raked for about 1 hour out of the 1 hour and 15 mins. I created about 8 huge heaps of leaves.
I’m not even close to being done either! LOL
Me with Sticks:
I finished with some yoga (not really):
All and all it was a nice change of pace! I was getting in a great workout AND I was being productive!
I’m off to work on the Glo Bakery website!! No wedding pics yet, I expect they will come late tonight or tomorrow.
PS- That is funny that so many of you liked that beige flower halter from Bebe!!! I should have listened to my gut, I guess eh?
Have a great night everyone! :)
Tonight’s Question: Are your boyfriend’s/husband’s/brother’s portions much larger than your own? Do you ever wish you could eat as much and not gain weight?
jon eats at least double what i eat! i don’t wish that i could eat as much as he does because invariably i would complain of tummy pains ;-) it’s the tummy pains that worry me more than gaining weight since i burn so many calories on a day to day basis anyway. i guess i sort wish i could eat more but being curled up on the couch unable to move is no fun. so now we know what a “me” sized portion is, and what the boy can/will eat.
My husband will not eat veggies so his plate looks less full than mine but his is filled with meat!
I was at my mom’s the other day and they had no veggies at all. I craved them all day and ate a huge plate of them when I got home.
It’s funny…when I eat with my guy, I watch what he eats and purposely portion myself smaller than what he takes. If we go out for say, sushi (which we typically share), I make sure to leave 3 or 4 extra pieces for him. I’m not sure if this indicates disordered eating, or just a heightened awareness.
YES, Bobby eats like a nut! He’ll eat half a bag of pasta and be like, “wow, that was filling” – and I think he’s CRAZY because that’s about 3-4 servings (depending on the bag)!
Hans actually doesn’t eat big portions but he eats a lot of bread, meat, butter, full fat dairy, etc. That cookie looks awesome!! I hope I can try them soon :)
i love this post! i live in a dorm so i’m not living with a boyfriend or hubby yet but i know it will be an issue down the road… i also love your words of advice and your great outlook! its very inspiring :)
Haha, love this post! You are such an inspiration! Have a lovely night and enjoy those cookies :)
<3 jess :)
xxx
I have been clipping my nails like crazy and hadn’t even thought about the smoothies doing it!
My boyfriend gets full really quickly-so I’ll usually eat the same amount as him or sometimes even more. The difference is that after the meal I’m full for 5-7 hours and he’s making himself another meal after 2 hours.
HAHA!!! Love this :-D
My BF eats WAY more than I do. He has an incredibly fast metabolism, and he’s almost a foot taller than I am, so he can afford to eat as much as he does! I am not jealous at all–I would be sick with all of the food he eats!
Also, I feel your pain with the extremely fast-growing nails thanks to the Green Monster! I am an accountant, and I can’t use my adding machine accurately with long nails, so I have clipped my nails twice in just the past 8 days! It’s scary.
ooh i love your posts so much :D I know so many ppl turn to you for advice and support! I’ve never had a bf, lots of friends, but not like 24-7 togetherness…and it does SUCK that those males can eat so frickin much! Yay for sketchie time
Oh geez. I need to take your advice. I swear I eat as much as hubby does. Perhaps that is why I have to work harder than I used to….hmmm. :) I do agree it is hard not to serve equal portions. They just can stuff it down without ever worrying! My skinny man does :) You are right though….we have to watch it so much more. Love the kitty pictures :) My babies made an appearance online today too!
YOUR CAT IS SO CUTE!
Ps- My brother and dad eat like beasts. My brother never gains weight while my dad….he need to have a few more girly portioned meals.
Happy weekend :)
He can eat SO MUCH it’s ridiculous! We always have his and her portions and he can’t believe how little it takes to make me full and how frequently I eat compared to him. Oh to eat like a man… ;)
Oh, my bubby is over 6 feet, I’m just over 5, and I weigh more than he does, very depressing, but I’m 2x your age. He eats all day, me just 3 times, and, well, I wish I could eat like he does. Wait till menopause…you’ll see, you’ll always be hungry, and nothing will ever make you as thin as you were in your 20’s – 30’s. not fair, but true.
I always serve the hubs bigger portions than my own, and since he doesn’t eat fruit our lunches always look so much different! For lunch he’ll have a sandwich, chips and salsa and a yogurt with granola. I’ll have the same sandwich (but smaller), mixed veggies, and an apple or strawberries and a banana. Sometimes I look at his chips with longing, but I always feel so good after lunch I know I must be doing something right!
I feel like I eat almost nothing compared to my two male housemates. I’ll have a small chicken breast and veggies and they’ll be eating huge burgers, sometimes with mashed potatoes and veggies on the side! Our grocery purchases are so different too. I usually end up with at least 60-70% of my weekly groceries being veggies and fruits while they’ve got a box of meatballs, a box of chicken fingers, a box of burgers, etc. But both of them can eat like that – one’s got a fast metabolism and the other is 6’3 so his body burns so many more calories anyway. I’ve learned that I can’t do that – hence my smaller portions.
I have a hard time when my boyfriend snacks between meals and wants to give me some of his snacks when I know I’m not actual hungry for them.
we always eat the same things at dinnertime (i cook . . . and he always likes it :) ) but i give him more to start with plus he usually goes back for seconds (and sometimes thirds!).
i don’t necessarily think that the types of foods husband/wife eat need to be different — i think BOTH should strive to be healthy (within moderation, of course). just because a man can stay thin and eat a pile of meat & cheese doesn’t mean that it’s a good idea (for cholesterol, heart health, etc). it looks like you do a good job making your husband’s eats healthy, though! whole wheat pasta and low fat cheese :)