tripalogue part deux-or the importance of controlling your environment

Hey all,
So we left off with our drive out.
Now we are at my in laws house in Ohio.
I think I did something fairly heinous which was inadvertantly delete all my vacation photos...fun.
hmmm...I made a slideshow with 20 pictures and I think I can get them (some of them) back..but it will take time.
so pictures will have to wait for now...which kind of stinks..but I won't dwell.
My mother in law did a ton of picture taking.

My mother in laws house is a very open and welcoming house.
It is also loaded with all kinds of treats and goodies.
The area is not conducive to exercise.
It would have been different if I had actually lived there or something.
I would have a gym membership.
But I don't, so I didn't.
I wound up jogging every day I was there.
I also wound up saying no to nearly every meal.
I went and bought my own food, even though 'healthy' food had been purchased.
The first night I was there was beef spare ribs with bar b que sauce and mashed potatoes and corn.
yeah.
I had to say no to all of it..
I got..."corn is a vegetable".

No, it's not...corn is a starch.
I didn't say that...I just kind of moved on.
It's just a different way of thinking.
I am used to delineating between starches, veggies, protiens and thinking of food as fuel, not a treat.
It's a strange mindset to many people.
I can't tell you how important it is to control your environment.
I held it together for the three days I was there.
It was hard.
You see, I don't keep candy bars...I don't eat chips.
I don't have Ice cream sitting in my freezers.
I set myself up for success.
I keep my area clean.
I keep good food in eyesight.
I don't buy fast food, order pizza, or eat out every other night.
I set rules for consumption.
A good breakfast full of protien (eggs and/or yogurt) and a starch, either a fruit or a whole grain. two cups of coffee, Lunch can have more starchy stuff...but dinner is protein (lean) and veggies..No more than 1500 calories,and I try for 3 cups of vegetables a day. No sugar except for in my coffee etc.
Yes, I am free to choose...within my constraints.
exercise.
not an option.
one hour a day, 6 days a week minimum.
I was thrown out of my comfort zone.
I enjoyed visiting with my in laws...I am glad my kids got to see their grandparents.
I also got to see what living a healthy life may avoid in the future.
I have no garantees, but i am glad I started.
If I lived there, here is how I would convert the atmosphere.
Gone:
sugared snacks.
No:
candy bars
ice cream
soda
white bread
chocolate covered anything
full fat cheese
pork
(except for tenderloin, an excellent choice)
white flour anything.

Replaced with
Whole GRAINS Not whole wheat
yogurt
veggies...green ones
all kinds of vegetables
peppers
squash
zuchinni
you name it.
fresh fruit
all kinds
2 percent dairy or less
granola bars
nuts
WHOLE FOODS

And I would invest in a good gym membership.
The roads I jogged on...No shoulder whatsoever..
So everytime I got passed by some hillbilly who had never seen a jogger before,
they would beeeeep and yell...get off tha roaaaad...
I would yell..
get off your fat @ss and take a jog.
It was all good.
lol.
Did I mention that it was like 90 and 80 percent humidity..
It was so hot my gum melted IN THE HOUSE.

Tomorrow I will talk about my mom's house.
Hope you all had a great night. I know I did.
I got to the gym. Did 55 minutes on the elliptical and then 13 minutes on the stairstepper.
I did 140 situps and my upper body weights which include:
lower back extensions 3x12 40 lbs
tricep extensions 3x15 60 lbs
flys 3x12 40 lbs
lat pulls 3x15 40 lbs
That's it.

I ate 1470 calories today and burned 700 calories
That would be a 780 calorie deficit.
Hugs,
Chris