"The "actual" eating plan"

By now you might know that Luiso and I are in this journey together, I'm still grieving the recent loss of my mom to Cancer and my stand on "crap."  So let's go to the eating part of our "journey" - after reading everything under the sun related to eating according every condition out there, I got to the point of getting "beyond-overwhelmed" and decided to do something completely simple...(I thought...) Use common sense.  First, keep the calorie intake less than the outtake. (Of course, making sure the calorie number for the intake meet my levels of "hungriness."  I KNOW that at least at the point I'm at in my life, we can't survive on only 1,200 calories a day.  For those of you that can, and continue to function properly,  More Power to You! Second, like it or not, I have to increase my vegetable and fruit consumption.  Third, (hardest part for me as well...) not eat out as much.  (I'm going to come back to the eating out part later, maybe in another entry, I need to.)  Fourth, I need to move more as well.  For the calorie intake part I set up my goal for the day at <1,800 calories.  Also, I'm not obsessing about carbs, proteins, fat, etc...What I'm doing is, trying to eat as wholesome as possible. And I do need to snack.  For those who knows us well, know that we have had a couple of rough years.  Not bad, just rough. (Like everyone else in this planet...we're not that unique in that sense...) When I quit my job back in 2011 to become a "Real Housewife of Round Rock Wannabe" reality played a very ironic trick on us (and hey, why not? compared to what other people goes through, this is "piece of cake.")  Having 1st World Country Problems is not that bad when you stop to think about it...  Which made me realized part of my Puerto Rican DNA is being a hoarder, emotionally and physically.  We tend to keep and don't get rid of anything, "because you never know when you'll need it..." And in these last 3 "trying years" I found myself doing this.  1) Feeding our family of 4 with $15 or less.  2) "Couponing" 3) Getting more and more into debt to remain "afloat."  As most of you know "debt=stress" and "stress=cortisol" and "cortisol=shutting down your system; plus, an increase tendency to eat your emotions and stress."  I got "hooked" on the "Extreme Couponing" TLC show.  And currently, I know the Target and HEB coupon policies "to the teeth." But one thing I started observing while watching "Extreme Couponing" is that all the people featured there look so unhealthy... I know for some of us, you see this when going to the supermarket and watch some people getting their groceries using government assistance cards, (this topic deserves their own entry...) I digressed...Returning to our "actual" eating plan...we decided to do the following...I lead, and Luiso agreed to eat whatever I served him. I'm calling our diet "an elimination diet" meaning "eliminate everything that we cannot afford..."  Saying this, I plan my grocery and limited cooking skills according to what we can afford, in both, time and money.  Also, I'm trying to incorporate traits to become a citizen of the World and try to avoid GMOs, pesticides, extremely processed foods, company products that exploits natural resources and people, etc. within our limited budget.  However, the other day, Luiso and I were joking about becoming "vegetarians" because the cost of meat and seafood is "up the roof."  (At this time, I don't see us becoming vegetarians...but it is not a bad idea to revisit sooner rather than later.) Also, as part of becoming "better citizens of the World" I'm recycling and using everything we have in our pantry.  Some of the food we have are "good choices" and the other are not.  So we balanced...I'm always been intrigued by the phrase "Beggars can't be choosers."  At this stage of our lives, we need to make the best with what we have.  I read yesterday couple of posts about "Are you really living life...Or are you just paying bills until you die.")  Due to the fact we can "die" at any giving moment, yes, we are just paying bills until we die, but as many of you know, sometimes, we need to take things in all aspects of our lives, step by step and process by process.  I really don't think we currently have the "luxury" of becoming "picky" with what we eat or don't eat, but it doesn't take away from the fact we can practice better choices including how we allocate our budget, priorities and fuel our body (spirit and soul, as well.) 
In a nutshell...we are eating within our means, practicing making responsible decisions, not only to ourselves but always having present the common good of everything.  Sometimes, I need to take things "in compartments" to "handle" what at hand, but I know everything, what I'm dealing with and what I decide to revisit at a later time, have repercussions all around it.  Because everything is connected.  Everything.  "Food for thought..." And that's our "current" eating plan. :)

"No more crap eating" (In the Puerto Rican meaning of the phrase)

Entry #2 Still at -15 lbs (combined) lost

So Luiso and I have embarked in our new "way of life."   We are in week 4 of our new lifestyle and eating style changes.  So far, so good.  Only couple of days of eating "crap" (literally.)  There are couple of things that got me thinking in the phrase "eating crap" which in Puerto Rico we referred to "Comer Mierda"  and we used in various contexts. For example: if you're not doing anything with your life, "estás comiendo mierda" or if you're wasting your time or simply bored, "estás comiendo mierda," if you need to get something done; but instead, you're procrastinating, "estás comiendo mierda" and if you're eating just "junk food" and nothing really nutritious "estás comiendo mierda, as well."  And today, I had an "A-ha moment" which is that I've been "eating crap" in so many aspects of my life that it stinks (literally.)  I have mixed feelings about it.  I feel embarrassed, ashamed, mad, angry, motivated, and determined to continue on my quest to stop "eating crap." (I do think it sounds more "colorful" in Puerto Rican Spanish - "dejar de comer mierda.")
The other day, my brother "from another mother", José Luis wrote on his blog about  how he is starting his career now at 41...And got me thinking..."If he starting his career at 41, crap! I'm in a very "crappy" situation because I'm going "in reverse" with mine." (Ironically, I do love what I'm currently doing in my current job.) Which simultaneously brought me back to Oct. 6, 2004, the day I had "Gastric Bypass Surgery" (to lose the weight once and for all...) Now, I found myself not only going on reverse with my career, but with my weight loss, as well.  Luiso and I, beside being partners in life, have many things in common, we think, analyze and over-analyze everything "that we need to do..."  However, it takes us forever to put those thoughts into action.  I don't know if it is "laziness" or simply "fear."  From what I know from Luiso's background (especially his teenage years) is that he went to a school that I've never heard of (until I met him) and that his friends and acquaintances called him "Mulli" (term of endearment derived from the word "mullido" which in English is "soft, fluffy")  He HATES that "nickname" - however, everyone else around him find it "cute" or "funny." (I hate it, too.)  I also know, living in Puerto Rico all my childhood and teenage years, it could've been worst than "mulli."  (I'm not even going to get into the "bullying" theme) At the end of the day, putting everything in perspective, "mulli" isn't that bad... Going back to our weight loss and more healthy way of living journey, and to stop "eating crap" in all the sense of the word/phrase, we need to identify all the "crap" we have been feeding ourselves.  To our minds, spirit, body, etc.  Because one thing I've discovered in my 41 yrs old existence, is that a lot people are just "full of crap."  And they're not shy to spread their "crap" around.  Also, I would love to go back in time to the moment when I started to believe it and feed it into my body, mind and soul.  Between anger and sprouts of pity, I've decided that I don't want to deal with any extra-crap. In any way.  (Just the necessary one to survive, though....)  While thinking about all this "crap," and doing a "quick" review of my " chubby life" (which has a current total of 40 yrs. because I have 2 yrs. of being "semi-thin".)  Even though experiencing a weight loss of 140 lbs back in 2005-2006, I've never saw myself as "thin." I might have lost the "crap" in my body, but didn't lose the crap in my mind and what I believed I was." Needless to say, it came back, slowly-but surely, all the crap- did come back. 
Now, I need to figure it out and go with the process of "letting go of the crap" - and continue in our efforts to change our life.  The good thing is Luiso and I have an amazing motivation, our boys.  I cannot believe we are the parents of LJ and Edwin Miguel.  And, as they say, your children are the "better, upgraded version of you"  - I don't want them to have to carry our "load of crap," plus theirs.  Because I don't think anyone in the world is exempt of having to deal with "crap."  Sometimes, dealing with "crap" assist us in humbling ourselves and come out "clean" afterwards. But if we can teach them by example how to deal with "it" in a better way, and "scoop it on time" - I'm all in for it. 

On our way to become "Ex-Gorditos"

Entry 1 - 15 (combined) lbs lost... 185 to go...

Luiso and I have been together for almost 8 years.  Wow!!  Time does flies when you're having fun...Or...when you are just going through it "one day at a time" dealing with everything life throws at you.  In these almost 8 years we have been through love, lost, changes, ups and downs, happiness, anxiety, good times, not-so-good times, Autism, "terrible 2's,"  "even more terrible 3's," I think you get the idea.  Last Sunday, Luiso was reading from his "lover" (the phone) an article posted in CNN about a couple who combined have lost >200 lbs and I think he got inspired.  In my case, I got "inspired" when reality knocked on my door, (uninvited) in the most hurtful and difficult way, witnessing my mom die of Cancer and other illnesses.   People deal with grief in different ways, but nonetheless they need to go through their "5 stages."  I jump from stage to stage.  I'm between "anger" and "sadness."  Especially, now that I see the boys in the development stage they are in, I'm "angry" that my mom didn't get to live and share this fun times with them, or with me.  I'm angry that I cannot call her whenever I want to, nor "complain" when she called me 10x a day for no reason (but deep inside, I loved the attention she was giving me.) And when I get "angry," I get "hangry" - and I'm like a Pac-Man when he ate the yellow magic pill.  I can eat anything and everything in front of me.  Luiso on the other hand is way better than me in that aspect.  He can control himself more.  However, he usually follows my lead, which is not a good thing (most of the times, however, I do have 98% of being right...)  As I've said before, "some ideas work better in my head that in reality."  For example: "Eating Taco Bell seems wonderful and delicious in my head until I eat it and get a heartburn "de madre."  Somebody told him in our Honeymoon that the formula for a successful Marriage is "Happy Wife, Happy Life"  but also, sometimes, what in my head will make me "happy" can also harm me.  Going back to our initial point, Luiso, getting inspired by what he read about the overweight couple (with 4 daughters) who got healthy and now they are "clean-eating nuts" and "marathon runners," - said..."we need to blog about progress and our journey."  Which for me, it was "music to my ears."  Those who knows me the longest, know that I love to write.  I might not be the "greatest writer on the block," but I truly enjoyed the written word.  Also, I'm an open-book. However, do to my mom's, "Ponce, Puerto Rico upbringing and my sister's; plus, 3 of my beloved best friends who I deeply admire and happen to be overly private, I felt constrained of my "need to talk and over-share."  But now that my sweet, sexy, amazing husband gave me the "blessing" to "over-share"  here we go!! :D  (Yay!!)

What we want to do with this blog.  1) Become viral and someday- get published (even in Amazon books for free.) (Common' you know that everyone wants to become "viral' - let's be real, if not, people wouldn't write anything on blogs -Think about it! It is when a Beauty Pageant contestant says she wants "World Peace" when she really wants to be a "movie star" and marry a millionaire so she never have to work one single day of her life and get access to all the best Plastic Surgeons.)  P.S.  "I really, really want World Peace."
2) Lose weight for health reasons.  (and to look pretty, too)
3) Be accountable. (in other words, be exposed to public humiliation if we don't lose weight after a reasonable amount of time.  i.e. 6 months.
4) This year, Luiso and I will be celebrating our 7th Wedding Anniversary. I think it is called the "7 years itch?"  Is that the case, at least we think we are with "someone else" with no need to "cheat nor break our God-blessed vows."
5) Because we both want to beat "Cancer" it its face.  Preventive care, people....Preventive care is everything.

So far, we have accomplished the following.  Smaller portions, "blessings in disguise" = me, hating the kitchen/cooking; plus, having to cook everyday have helped us tremendously.)  Inspiration from people, here and far that has gone through their journey.  Facebook, Instagram and social media.  Because it is our "window" to the World.   Eliminating as much artificial stuff as possible.  i.e. Splenda, negative people, etc...Being aware that "everything has an audience" and there is a "study or a diet, for every single person in the World... Word. Saying this, I read everything, get overwhelmed with all the information, try to wrap my head around all the contradictory messages received...''eat wheat, don't eat wheat, eat meat, don't eat meat and so forth."  and just use my Common Sense...

So far, we should be experts in the areas of "getting thin..."We have seen some of our 'life-areas' go "skinny" such as our finances, health, social life, careers, our family, etc.  So, the one we need to get "skinny" the most, is the one we're working hard at it.  Maybe, once we've conquered this one, the rest will follow...(in this case, I wouldn't mind if our health and finances get "fatter" in the good sense of the word.)

At the end of the day, we can't complain, reading this and going through what is "our life" - even our "hardest problems" are "blessings in disguise" and they all are "workable" - not by us, but by the Grace and Favor of God.  Let's continue "praying" and "blogging" this "extra-weight" goodbye and keep believing that "the best is yet to come."

Until our next entry.

By the way....Luiso said: "My name is Luis (Luiso) López, and I approved of this message. :)  and me too!