Kris Mares

I just realized I haven’t blogged in a week! My apologies to those of you who are “loyal readers.” Racer was gone for 12 days racin’, and I was doing double time. I barely got laundry done. I’ve also been battling an eye infection since Sunday. And the weather’s been yucky on and off over the last week. I feel like I’m just now starting to get caught up – whatever that means in a family of 7. Will I ever really be “caught up?”

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, and I am making some changes. I’ll fill y’all in later, but since I mentioned it last week, I felt I needed to again.

1. Incorporate a fresh fruit or vegetable for each meal – I was about 75% here. Mostly fruit or carrots. 
2. Use more seasonings to make meals more interesting – We had some boring meals this week, trying to use up some stuff in the pantry!
3. Eat breakfast every day, cereal no more than 3 times a week – I did eat breakfast everyday, but it was a lot of cereal. Again, trying to use some stuff up.
4. Walk at least 3 times a week – Yes!
5. Don’t eat after 9pm – I know that last night I did, but other nights no.
6. Try at least one new recipe each week – Yep!
7. Do sit-ups or push-ups each day– This is new, so nothing.
8. Drink at least 2 big blue glasses of water a day. – I didn’t do great on this one this past week. I got at least one glass in everyday, but not always 2.

Here are the numbers:

• Starting weight:  204.4
• Initial goal weight:  150
• Current weight:  198.2 (gained 0.4 lbs.)

I’m sitting here this morning drinking my coffee (cream, sugar and a little vanilla extract) and eating grapes. I’ll have some toast too I think. Dinner is in the crock pot (we’re test driving lentil soup tonight). All that and I’m bored. Racer is gone and will be for another week. Last night and the night before I sort of sabotaged myself. While watching tv (it was before 9pm though) I sat and ate chocolate squares (just smaller than a Dove chocolate piece) with blobs of peanut butter on them.

Peanut butter and chocolate is one of God’s greatest taste creations on earth!

And I realized two things – I eat when I’m bored and sad. I am both because Racer is gone. Yes, he’s working, but still, he’s gone. I’m handling it better than I have in the past, but when I’m sitting by myself with no one to interact with, food becomes my partner, my mistress. Food brings me happiness (for the moment) and somehow I don’t have to think about reality – especially when watching “reality” tv!

So, during the season of Lent, Ash Wednesday through Easter, I’ll be concentrating more fully on God and allowing Him to help me break this dependence I have on food for things other than physical nourishment. I’m hoping that God will give me a new perspective.

1. Incorporate a fresh fruit or vegetable for each meal – Didn’t do so hot with breakfast fruit this past week. We’ve been low on and out of bananas. 
2. Use more seasonings to make meals more interesting – Ancho chili powder on pork chops is yummy!
3. Eat breakfast every day, cereal no more than 3 times a week – I didn’t really pay attention to this one, but I’m pretty sure I had cereal more than 3 days.
4. Walk at least 3 times a week – Yes – A few days we walked twice!
5. Don’t eat after 9pm – I did check the clock a couple of times when I went to get a snack, but wasn’t even close to 9.
6. Try at least one new recipe each week – Yep!
7. Walk down the lane with a family member at least one time per week – Changing this one next week to something to do with weight training.
8. Drink at least 2 big blue glasses of water a day. – I didn’t do great on this one this past week. I got at least one glass in everyday, but not always 2.

Here are the numbers:

• Starting weight:  204.4
• Initial goal weight:  150
• Current weight:  197.8 (lost 0.2 lbs.)