I went on a nostalgic trip to the grocery store today looking for some of the favourite foods from my past. It was sort of fun, and frighteningly not that far removed from my muscle memory. My wife travels a lot for work and as much as I love her I used to look forward to her trips away as I always had a plan for my time alone. The local movie store used to have a deal (this was back when DVD rentals were still a thing) where you could get 7 movies for 7 days for 7 dollars. I'd swing in there then head to the grocer. There was no plan to purchase food for meals, but rather couch food. Food I would eat while watching movies on the sofa. This was pre Netflix binge watching.
My favourite routine was to buy the cardboard box of Ripple Potato chips as there were two bags in the box. I then would pick up the thick and creamy cream cheese chip dip. My favourite at the time (I still remember) was Peppercorn Ranch, but they don't seem to sell that anymore so I chose my stand in Dill Pickle for the photo above. Then I'd scoop up "dessert" which was one of those McCain frozen cakes. I took the time today to read the ingredients on one of them which isn't something I ever did back then. Let's just leave it at saying the ingredients are..... scary. Then I'd grab a big bottle of Pepsi (not Coke, I was a New Generation Michael Jackson kind of guy) and I'd be all set. If I still had Crown Royal (Rye Whiskey) at home I was in good shape, but if not I would make a stop at the liquor vendors on the way home.
For the duration of my wife's hiatus from home my nutrition would be pretty much what you see in the photo above with the addition of alcohol. If my kid was at home with me I'd wait until she was in bed at night and I'd fed her a proper meal (or what my best guess a proper was at the time) then I'd plop down, stick in a Die Hard movie and refuse to move until my bladder was nearly bursting.
It was pointed out to me that my next post on this site will be post number 100 so I thought it appropriate to revisit where I started for #99. Back then I was around 200 pounds, had heart arrhythmia, high blood pressure, my doctor wanted to give me cholesterol medication, I was on medication for a stomach ulcer and I'd had skin cancer (which probably was the only thing not related to food on that list). My exercise consisted of beer league hockey (with lots of beer). Mostly though I was just sad. I was in a fog living without much direction. I loved my wife and kid, but didn't much love myself. That's not a sob story, just an observation.
I came to realize that the best way to be a great husband, father and person was to focus on yourself a little. Self-improvement and a commitment to change may take some time away from those you love, but it brings back a happier, more committed partner. I stood on a treadmill determined to make a change in May of 2012 after several bouts of failed dieting and change. For whatever reason it stuck. I've kept at it. No it hasn't been all rainbows and sunshine but I'm a better person for it.
If you're reading this fresh from the guilt of some food binge I hope you can pause and consider the idea of investing in yourself. You don't have to be a rock star overnight. If you fail, get up, dust yourself off and try again. Eventually change becomes a habit. I still live in fear of regressing back to my old ways. I don't consider myself an athlete or a trim fit person. I know that binge television watching and potato chip crumbs are never far from my grasp. But each day I make a decision to do something different.
My favourite routine was to buy the cardboard box of Ripple Potato chips as there were two bags in the box. I then would pick up the thick and creamy cream cheese chip dip. My favourite at the time (I still remember) was Peppercorn Ranch, but they don't seem to sell that anymore so I chose my stand in Dill Pickle for the photo above. Then I'd scoop up "dessert" which was one of those McCain frozen cakes. I took the time today to read the ingredients on one of them which isn't something I ever did back then. Let's just leave it at saying the ingredients are..... scary. Then I'd grab a big bottle of Pepsi (not Coke, I was a New Generation Michael Jackson kind of guy) and I'd be all set. If I still had Crown Royal (Rye Whiskey) at home I was in good shape, but if not I would make a stop at the liquor vendors on the way home.
For the duration of my wife's hiatus from home my nutrition would be pretty much what you see in the photo above with the addition of alcohol. If my kid was at home with me I'd wait until she was in bed at night and I'd fed her a proper meal (or what my best guess a proper was at the time) then I'd plop down, stick in a Die Hard movie and refuse to move until my bladder was nearly bursting.
It was pointed out to me that my next post on this site will be post number 100 so I thought it appropriate to revisit where I started for #99. Back then I was around 200 pounds, had heart arrhythmia, high blood pressure, my doctor wanted to give me cholesterol medication, I was on medication for a stomach ulcer and I'd had skin cancer (which probably was the only thing not related to food on that list). My exercise consisted of beer league hockey (with lots of beer). Mostly though I was just sad. I was in a fog living without much direction. I loved my wife and kid, but didn't much love myself. That's not a sob story, just an observation.
I came to realize that the best way to be a great husband, father and person was to focus on yourself a little. Self-improvement and a commitment to change may take some time away from those you love, but it brings back a happier, more committed partner. I stood on a treadmill determined to make a change in May of 2012 after several bouts of failed dieting and change. For whatever reason it stuck. I've kept at it. No it hasn't been all rainbows and sunshine but I'm a better person for it.
If you're reading this fresh from the guilt of some food binge I hope you can pause and consider the idea of investing in yourself. You don't have to be a rock star overnight. If you fail, get up, dust yourself off and try again. Eventually change becomes a habit. I still live in fear of regressing back to my old ways. I don't consider myself an athlete or a trim fit person. I know that binge television watching and potato chip crumbs are never far from my grasp. But each day I make a decision to do something different.
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