Monday, June 27, 2011

Points or Paleo

I have long said the I can either be on a diet or a budget. It is very difficult to do both at the same time. Healthy food is expensive, and cheap food is bad for you. This is a fact, you can not argue with me on that.  However, I need to get in shape (read: lose like 30 pounds) for my bff's upcoming wedding (and general feel good about myself-ness) AND I need to spend as little money as possible, since I, ya know, don't have a job at the moment. Now I am a smart girl, and fairly organized, but keeping track of both diet and budget and balancing them both leaves me feel like I'm juggling too much. Yet, it must be done and so I am working on it.

So diet - most trainers I have talked to seem to think everyone should be on the Paleo diet. Basically it is "eating like a caveman" with no processed foods, heavy on lean protein and veggies. Problem is, Paleo is sooo restrictive. No legumes (which apparently includes green beans, my like go-to green 'veggie'), no nuts, no carbs, no dairy, limited fruit. I am italian, and I seriously can not go a week without pasta. It is not happening. I will cry. I am already an emotional basket case and you want me to give up carbs? People will die get hurt. It will not be pretty. I like green beans, I love peanuts and almonds and french fries and pizza. And no dairy? I'm a product of the "got milk?" generation. Milk = good. Yogurt = good. Cheese is just delicious. I can not give up dairy. Ask me to cut all this out and I will be very cranky and mean. Not a good fit for me.

Instead, I am trying to do weight watchers. I did it for a bit in college, and I have some friends who are really good about it, so I'm trying to track and do my best. It allows me to not feel all failure sauce when I need to have some mac and cheese. My trainer still thinks I should go full Paleo, but since I got fussed at this morning for having eggs with the yolk instead of just egg whites, I know I wouldn't be able to do it very long and so Weight Watchers it is! P.s. - on the budget side, I am not going to meetings/paying for it. Sorry WW, I just can't afford it, but thanks for the guidelines. :)

On the other side of the see-saw, Budget. I have suspended netflix (+15.00/month), and changed trainer plans at the gym (+50.00/month). I saved $15 at the grocery store today (coupons/store card) and bought 90% fresh fruits/veggies. I need to find some other places to save, and I am waiting for the State to approve my unemployment claim so I can get paid (fingers crossed!).  I have 7 hours at work this week which is way better than 2 last week. I'm trying. It's gonna be tight but I am trying and that's all I can do right now.

On the job front, nothing right now... Tomorrow is application day so I will get some more out tomorrow. And a job fair in July. Just wishing and hoping at this point.


Finally, in FUN news- Went to Austin for Miss Rachel's baby shower and it was fantastic! (Ok so I blew my diet, but we DID go to a CrossFit workout Saturday morning that kicked my butt). It was soo good to see her and I can't wait to meet the baby. We discussed the Paleo v. Weight Watchers debate and I got some further guidance about WW. Got to see Miss Heather & Jenny as well which was super fun. It is important to my mental health to get out and not wallow all the time. Then wedding dress shopping has been set for next week with Mere and I couldn't be more excited. (Ok I would be more excited if I lost 10 pounds by then, but hey). I have been watching some Say Yes to the Dress to prepare ;). I have had a lot of energy this week and I'm trying to take advantage of it before I crash and go back to hibernating.

Have a good week!
:)

2 comments:

  1. I am not a caveperson...why would I want to eat like one? Plus Fred Flinstone, who was a caveperson, didn't look all trim and fit. Just an observation.
    If you can't tell I'm on Team Points ;)

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  2. I'm Team Points as well, and while I totally killed any points I even *could* have had over the course of last week's social activities, I'm calling last week a wash. Things happen, and I'm back in the gym for dance and kickboxing classes, so hopefully I can get back in the diet *and* exercise routine. Who knew grad school would kill my motivation!

    I paid for the $50 3-month plan, because I only wanted to lose 15-20 pounds, and thought that'd be totally feasible with diet and exercise. But turns out, I'm not so great at remembering to track online. So I do things like reward myself with non-food things after little milestones. A good tracking week? Uninterrupted book time with a diet coke. Lose a pound? Go to the pool for a bit. Eat like shit for a week? Pick up back at the gym. Lose three pounds? Spend some time downloading and formatting free books for the Kindle.

    For each five pounds I lose, I'm letting myself go to half price books. (Yeah, I'm ONE pound away from this, assuming this past week didn't kill that.)

    Once I reach goal weight, I'll get me some new shoes. And put my skinny jeans back on.

    But it's super awesome to have a support group. I have a friend who's been doing WW for the year and she's awesome at posting her exercise on FB as motivation for herself and me. I'll blog a little more about it, too.

    Whoa long comment, dude.

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