Are you gonna eat that?
It's the start of the annual feasting season! I've already gained 3 pounds. This is not good.
My co-workers brought in all kinds of goodies today. We had cookies, pie, nachos with queso, barbecue, breads, cakes, pecans, summer sausage, crackers, veggie and fruit trays, pepperoni, cheeses, and a host of other things. I got hungry just looking at all of it.
One major reason I began bicycle commuting was to lose weight. I'd reached 245 pounds and had a size 40 waistline. The 40s were getting snug so I looked at some 42s. Honestly, when I held them up, the waist looked to be yards wide! Those things should have had clearance lights! I decided right there that I was NOT going to wear 'fat boy' pants, and riding to work started shortly thereafter.
That was twelve years ago. I still struggle with my weight, but it's more manageable now. I hover around 210 and I'd like to get under 200.
Through the holidays, the temptation to over-eat is always present. I wish I could say that there's a magic incantation that wards off temptation, or that there was a simple, easy way to avoid all that food. If I found a miracle diet plan that was painless and didn't involve sacrifice or hard choices, I'd be a rich man.
I've learned that the sight or smell of food triggers hunger pangs. If I can avoid being near the goodies, I have much better self-control. But there are times that's not possible, and when that happens my strategy is to 'strafe and nibble'. I cruise by the food-laden tables in the break area, select a target of opportunity, seize it, and buzz off to my work area to nibble at it. I don't hang around the table because the sight of all that food merely gets me to eat more.
My other strategy is to drink a lot. No, not beer, wine, or anything with alcohol - not that it's possible at work anyway. The flying public, our own management, and the FAA do not condone mechanics having a beer or three at work. I drink a lot of coffee and water - no sodas. Sipping at a drink helps avoid the temptation to nibble. The current favorite is Millstone French roast coffee with a bit of brown sugar for sweetening. There's a very good chance I'll be over-caffeinated by day's end.
Although I knew there would be tons of tempting food in the shop today, I didn't ride my bike to work. Yesterday's tailwind ride took a lot out of my legs. The temperature was unseasonably warm at the mid-60s, and a strong tailwind encouraged me to spin rapidly all the way home. It felt wonderful, but my legs cramped last night. I'll take it easy today.
The other reason to drive was to haul some clothes into the shop and bring along the pecans I bought for our snack pile. There's a pecan grove just north of the airport. I bought 5 pounds of papershells last night. Not all of them are for the shop because Mary likes to use them for baking. She won't let me shell them because I have a definite weakness for fresh pecans. Too many of them try to escape and have to be eaten.
Come to think of it, writing about food is almost as bad as standing at the table next to it! Time for another strafing run.
My co-workers brought in all kinds of goodies today. We had cookies, pie, nachos with queso, barbecue, breads, cakes, pecans, summer sausage, crackers, veggie and fruit trays, pepperoni, cheeses, and a host of other things. I got hungry just looking at all of it.
One major reason I began bicycle commuting was to lose weight. I'd reached 245 pounds and had a size 40 waistline. The 40s were getting snug so I looked at some 42s. Honestly, when I held them up, the waist looked to be yards wide! Those things should have had clearance lights! I decided right there that I was NOT going to wear 'fat boy' pants, and riding to work started shortly thereafter.
That was twelve years ago. I still struggle with my weight, but it's more manageable now. I hover around 210 and I'd like to get under 200.
Through the holidays, the temptation to over-eat is always present. I wish I could say that there's a magic incantation that wards off temptation, or that there was a simple, easy way to avoid all that food. If I found a miracle diet plan that was painless and didn't involve sacrifice or hard choices, I'd be a rich man.
I've learned that the sight or smell of food triggers hunger pangs. If I can avoid being near the goodies, I have much better self-control. But there are times that's not possible, and when that happens my strategy is to 'strafe and nibble'. I cruise by the food-laden tables in the break area, select a target of opportunity, seize it, and buzz off to my work area to nibble at it. I don't hang around the table because the sight of all that food merely gets me to eat more.
My other strategy is to drink a lot. No, not beer, wine, or anything with alcohol - not that it's possible at work anyway. The flying public, our own management, and the FAA do not condone mechanics having a beer or three at work. I drink a lot of coffee and water - no sodas. Sipping at a drink helps avoid the temptation to nibble. The current favorite is Millstone French roast coffee with a bit of brown sugar for sweetening. There's a very good chance I'll be over-caffeinated by day's end.
Although I knew there would be tons of tempting food in the shop today, I didn't ride my bike to work. Yesterday's tailwind ride took a lot out of my legs. The temperature was unseasonably warm at the mid-60s, and a strong tailwind encouraged me to spin rapidly all the way home. It felt wonderful, but my legs cramped last night. I'll take it easy today.
The other reason to drive was to haul some clothes into the shop and bring along the pecans I bought for our snack pile. There's a pecan grove just north of the airport. I bought 5 pounds of papershells last night. Not all of them are for the shop because Mary likes to use them for baking. She won't let me shell them because I have a definite weakness for fresh pecans. Too many of them try to escape and have to be eaten.
Come to think of it, writing about food is almost as bad as standing at the table next to it! Time for another strafing run.
posted by Ed W at 6:03 PM
3 Comments:
Pre 12-25 Santa sign: WILL DLIVR NEED BEER. Post: LAID OFF NEED BEER. Believe it or not, motorists actually try to give beer. Just goes to show ya, all ya gotta do is ASK.
In years past, Santa refused them and asked for dollar bills instead. This year, if ya can't beat 'em, JOIN 'em. Why look at da gift horse in da mouth? If Santa gets more than he can comfortably handle without public displays of DRUNKNESS, he'll crash some X-mas parties at the Day Care Center for the Homeless and share.
It is after all better to give than to receive, right?
I've been gaining weight this month also. I'm 5'9" and I'm up to 160 lbs.
I've been doing bonk training for the last couple of months, and it's been surprisingly effective. I started because I was on a gig where I had to be on site early so skipped my normal pre-ride orange juice and granola bar, and it wasn't till I noticed I'd dropped 5lbs in a week that I realised I had to eat more! Being lighter means I can go faster too, which means I can pedal for further in the same amount of time, or carry more stuff on the bike - handy with winter hitting and extra lights being loaded on my bike!
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