Mo' Bettah Steff: Phase 3... Living the Good Life

Somehow, magically, my guestimative calorie-counting (while completely ignoring the fat numbers) consumption of a beer-and-pizza diet for the last three weeks resulted in weight loss, and I am a very, very grateful thoroughly Canadian girl who really does love the occasional beer-fueled manual labour sessions. Fuel crisis? Pfft, we've got beer!

(Beers I drank this work experience, by the case: San Fran's Anchor Steam (x2), Newcastle Brown Ale, Brazil's Brahma. Worldly, no?)

Now, however, comes the hard part: continuing the weight loss when not having four-day weekends filled with manual labour. I watch television for a living, and eat at my desk, so my job's one of my major enablers, man.

And, unexpectedly, a challenge-cum-inspiration arises. My father, who nearly died from a diabetic episode 15 months ago suddenly seems to care about life again and says he's radically changing his lifestyle to lose weight... no more sneaking McDonalds or slathering fat into his meals. He's cut out butter, mayo, cheese, and bread. And he says he's doing it because I've inspired him. I so totally did not see that happpening.

Now I'm feeling so guilty... Beer and pizza for three weeks, and there's Pops cutting out everything and being all focused.

I'm a recovering Catholic feeling well-deserved guilt, meaning I'm pretty much crippled by it. Wow!

But it's cool. I'm so glad I've finally gotten my dad invested in life a little. I've kind of come to this place where I fully accept he could go at any time... and I was expecting him to do just that. He's fightin', though. I'd really, really love to have a father who appears to enjoy life again. There's nothing sadder than seeing those you love feel as though life is a chore to fight through. So tragic, that.

And my father's sudden optimism and passion invigorates me to get back on program here in a hurry. Can't have my father, who can't exercise, beatin' my ass here. I'm right back in the swing of the exercise thing now. It's slowly beginning to command more and more attention in my life. I'm liking this feeling of power that comes from knowing I'm physically strong. And how, man. Wow.

What's great is that the bottom of my belly, which was always the hardest to do anything to, is toning like nobody's business now. All my problem areas are. And I can't even tell you how confused I am about it. Beer and pizza. Makes me think I need me a career in the housepainting bizness, man.

So enter the new phase of Mo' Bettah Steff. This month's focus is simply getting on page both physically and dietarily. I want to not just eat the right numbers, I want to rekindle my passion for cooking. I want to make good, healthy, fresh food. I want to practice active gratitude by not only trying to eat everything I make, but to use everything I have. Like, tonight saving my basil stalks and tossing them in the freezer so I can make a nice vegetable stock on the weekend as a soup base for healthy but easy eating next week.

Part of the eating wiser thing comes from just being aware that there's a growing food crisis in the world and I need to reduce my waste and practice smarter food skills for fiscal reasons, too. And I can get healthy in the process.

Also, I'm a big fan of the "Slow" food & lifestyle movement, and this month focusing on using my time for both activities and cooking means I'll have a slower life, too. Over all, that's something I'm aiming toward as a longterm life goal. We live too fast today. It's fucking crazy. Problem is, most people go lemming-like into the dark chaos of modern life and don't realize that every "on" switch naturally comes with an "off" switch as well. You hold the power, man. Me, I am at one with my "off" switch. It's balancing the two I have troubles with. How to be equally on and off, that's the question.

All of these things are significant cogs in the wheels of change in my life. Health, environment, wellbeing, fresh food, time management, money sense... What can I say? Sounds like a nice, healthy life, right? Yeah, hence the gameplan.

Speaking of, part of my getting-a-life plan comes into effect this week, too. Joining a casual women's athletics group. The first basketball game's later this week.

I promise myself I'd be throwing it in high gear for April. I granted myself excessive slack and sleep on this just-passed long weekend. Oh, did I ever. But I figured I could use the rest, and then would put pedal to metal for... well, the foreseeable future. Thus the focus on a good diet this month, too. Going to be needing that where I'm going, baby.

Whew. Gonna be a long summer. (If this motherfucking sub-seasonal stretch of chilly-ass nipple-perkin' goddamned weather ever subsides. I ride a scooter, for fuck's sake! Bring on spring!)