Week 7 In My Mouth

Not My Apple

What do you put in your mouth?


I thought I was pretty good paying attention to what I eat. But I’ve soon come to realize that I eat what ever I want. And the reason I can do that? First it was because I was pregnant with my son. I exercised, I ate healthy, but those extra treats were burnt quickly by the fact I was growing a baby. Time went on I realized that I can still have those treats because I am breastfeeding a boy who wants to eat all the time. Bonus for me. Now months after finishing nursing I am realizing that I cannot pick up what ever I want and shove it in my mouth!

I exercise pretty hard in my Capoeira class. For that reason I can also ignore what I eat. Can you imagine the body that I may have if I actually paid attention!? I’ve been riding this pregnant/nursing new mother train too long. So my goal this week was to pay attention, not change anything, just feel, smell and watch what goes into my body. And you know what I found out?

I eat a lot of food that isn’t even mine!!

I am the main food buyer, preparer and planner in my family. I generally make healthy choices, I don’t overly use sugar and there has been a microwavable meal in my freezer for 2 years. I also know that I can’t handle junk food in the house so for the most part choose not to take it home from the grocery store. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t make it into our house. I have people that I live with that tend to like things that I can’t resist. (There is that sarcasm again) I have a husband who loves chocolate almonds and can keep a whole bag from Costco going for months. I have kids who have been exposed to chips, candy and cookies. (Are you sure I can’t just keep them in the house forever to protect them from the outside world?) I on the other hand, cannot have these things hiding in the cupboard or fridge without them calling my name… “Michelle, eat me up, I’m here in the cupboard waiting for you to enjoy every delectable morsel!” “Michelle, I’m still here, it’s only been 1 hour since you snuck a handful, come on your husband will never know there is any missing” “Michelle, Michelle, Michelle” Aargh!

This is NOT my food!

So there is that problem. I also found another problem… I eat less than appealing food. Would you eat food that has been left on someone’s plate that has been chewed on, slobbered on and has a resemblance of an art project rather than a meal? I do. Its food that will never see the digestive track of my kids, it food that has been left by them because they’ve decided ½ way through their meal that they don’t like what I’ve made. So what do I do? I grab it and eat it because I don’t want it to go to waste.

This is NOT my food!

One more thing. I sneak sweets away from my kids while they are not looking. It’s not because I have to have it, it’s because I don’t want them to have it! As much as I want them to enjoy a treat here or there, I am the one who has to deal with the repercussions. Be it the sugar high, the nagging for more or the idea that they just won’t want to eat nutritious ever food again. So instead I put it in my body so they won’t have to.

Again… this is NOT my food!

So now that I have established that I need to not only watch what I am eating, but I’ve got to make sure it MY food that I am eating. No more listening to those chocolate almonds, no more munching on regurgitated lunches (come on, you know you’ve done it too) and no more Mrs. Nice Guy!

I’m also getting serious. Tina has somehow convinced me that I will be able to participate in this year’s Vancouver Sun Run! So this May 9th along with over 55 thousand people and the Fitness on the Go Team, I will run/walk 10 kms around downtown Vancouver.

So now that I’ve added running to my repertoire, I have to be more scheduled. Sundays I will meal plan, and train with Tina. 1 day a week I will run and 3 days a week I will do Capoeira. My husband and I tend to tag team the care in the family I often see him come in the door as I am on my way out. The only way I’ve managed to train with Tina is 7 am on Sunday mornings, and my run is now 6 am before my husband is off to work.

With all this added exercise, I want the time I use to be the most effective it can be, I concentrate on me, my breathing, and I push my muscles and heart to work hard. So that means the time I am not exercising I will take the time to be aware of my meals, my rest and my good parenting skills. I really believe that all this is making me a better parent!

I will tell you one thing though…I’m not sure what I’m more scared of, realizing how much food I snack on, 10 kilometres or 55 thousand people!