I discovered that I like Chicken Sausage

So, the week of July 4th, I don't know what happened but we ended up eating a lot of hot dogs and hamburgers. Maybe it just seemed that way. I spent the afternoon of the 4th at my aunt's house and had yet another hamburger. Later that night, I wasn't feeling all that great.  No, it wasn’t food poisoning or anything. My family did a great job on the burgers. It was my own internal system going into shock. You can't get more American than hot dogs and hamburgers for the 4th, but I had just over done it for whatever reason. Maybe it was the break from school, the errand running, and the renovation project in the bathroom that made it easier to grab a burger or hot dog rather than take the time to actually think about what I was eating.

For the last sixth months, my overall diet had changed. I had been eating pretty well and healthy up until that week. Returning to class on the 6th, I still felt bad. All the crap I had eaten the previous week was still with me.

The following weekend, we went to the grocery store and I was going to get more hot dogs for one of my "lazy day" of dinners. I looked at the hot dogs and just felt sick. Then I looked higher on the shelf and saw something that peaked my interest. I found Al Fresco Chicken Sausage (think Chicken Bratwurst). The label said all natural, no artificial ingredients, 70% less fat, and gluten free. Hmm...

Usually anything labeled less fat is dry and gross. Yet, my curiosity was peaked. I had a classmate that would have chicken sausage for lunch and it always smelled really good. I didn’t know the brand she got, but it was worth a try, again. Previously, I had tried the Aidell's brand, but didn't like them. There were three flavors of the Al Fresco to try from: Tomato Basil, Sweet Apple w/ Maple, and Italian Herb. I figured the Tomato Basil was the safe bet and grabbed a pack.

 

There are more products and flavors. Go to their website for more information.

I’m never going back to regular hot dogs again. The Chicken Sausage is delicious. Whenever I’ve made them, I grilled them, except for once when I pan cooked it. Grilling is definitely the way to go. They were juicy and flavorful. I was actually surprised. On our next trip, I picked up another pack as well as the Sweet Apple & Maple. I haven’t tried it yet, but I have faith that it will be tasty like the Tomato Basil.

The bonus is that I can actually understand the ingredients:

Calories: 140       Calories from fat: 60

SKINLESS CHICKEN MEAT, WATER, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF SEA SALT, SUGAR, TOMATOES, SUNDRIED TOMATOES WITH SALT, BASIL, TOMATO POWDER, DEHYDRATED ONION, DEHYDRATED GARLIC, PAPRIKA, NATURAL FLAVORS, IN A NATURAL PORK CASING.

Compared to the Hickory Smoked Beef from BallPark:

Calories: 170      Calories from fat: 130(!)

BEEF, WATER, CORN SYRUP, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS: SALT, DRIED VINEGAR*, SUGAR, CULTURED CELERY JUICE POWDER*, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, SEASONING (FLAVOR, MIXED TRIGLYCERIDES, MALTODEXTRIN), CULTURED DEXTROSE, NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, YEAST EXTRACT, PARSLEY, PAPRIKA EXTRACT.

*TO PRESERVE QUALITY

And the Al Fresco chicken sausage doesn’t contain corn syrup like the BallPark brand does. Can someone please tell me why hot dogs have corn syrup, or even sugar for that matter? Both in the same product? That makes no sense. I'm glad I found something better.

Now, all that is left is to switch out my son’s regular hot dogs. I get him the Angus naturals, which isn’t chemical laden, but chicken is still a better protein than the beef hot dogs. Let’s just hope he doesn’t catch on right away. This is the kid that called me out for switching brands of milk, based on taste alone. My fellow Curmudgeon on the other hand? I'm not even going to try.....

 Don't forget, service size is one link, so don't go overboard. With anything, moderation is key.

*Note* I did not receive anything from Al Fresco for this post. I bought their product with my own money and just wanted to give you a healthier alternative for hot dogs and bratwursts. It would have been nice to get some free samples, but this blog isn't that popular. :)

Leggings and Self-Confidence

I have a confession. I’m not as always as confident as I seem. The worst period was the last several years. I often heard comments like, “Gosh, I wish I could be as small as you,” “How do you have so much confidence? I wish I could have that,” “How do you stay so thin,” “You don’t look like you ever had a kid,” “How do you keep your skin so clear and smooth,” so on and so forth.

On the last question, that one is easy. I never wear makeup and I don’t scrub the crap out of my face. For the rest, I was waging an internal battle. Over the last several years, I had gained a little over 30 pounds. Either I carried it well, hid it well with my usual jeans & t-shirts, or people weren’t that observant because the comments still came. Yet, I knew the truth. I was inching closer and closer to being classified as overweight. After that, I knew, if I continued, it wouldn’t be long before obesity set in. Yet, I was in a spiral that I felt I couldn’t get out of. No one, not even those closest to me knew how bad I felt mentally and physically.

Back in February 2013, I ordered a pair of leggings. I had wanted the black cherry blossom design, but the company had discontinued the style, both black and white versions, by the time I saved up for them. The company isn’t the cheapest, but I wanted to treat myself to something nice. I had never worn leggings before, yet figured I would give them a try.

Well, after searching for this particular brand and pattern high and low, I ended up ordering from a shop that sold new with tag, buyer remorse merchandise. I had to settle for the white version because the black version could not be found anywhere. The leggings came in and I immediately tried them on. They mostly fit, albeit a little tight. At that time, I was only up about 20 pounds. I looked in the mirror and ultimately had the thought many people do. I can’t pull them off, I’m too big, etc, etc.  Due to my normal dark wardrobe, I didn’t have a top to go with it, so that pretty much ended my journey with leggings.

I put them in a drawer and left them. They moved with the rest of my clothes 1,600 miles away a few months later, but they still sat and sat. I’d occasionally look at them and think, one day, maybe, I’ll get the courage to try leggings again.

In the summer of 2014, I got the courage and put them on again. They were tighter than before. I put them back. Shortly after, I got winded walking up a hill. In the fall of 2014, things were bad. Although we have a scale, I never used it. A doctor’s appointment weigh-in made me feel really low. Mentally and physically, I knew I had to make some changes and I did.

For eight months, I worked hard, adjusted my diet, and started working out. For my fitness and nutrition course, since we worked out every day, I ended up buying workout leggings just for class. I’d still wear jeans & t-shirts for everything else.

What I learned in class wasn’t just bioenergetics and biomechanics, but how comfortable leggings actually could be.  Now I know why they came back in style. They had been popular in the 80s, but the neon colors of the time were garish and scary at times. I was still young and didn’t go that route, but what were we thinking?

I lost 33 pounds over the last eight months. It was pretty much all that I had gained over the last few years. When that happens, your wardrobe tends to not fit anymore.  Well, I couldn’t very well have my jeans falling off me nor could I pull a Harry Potter and scrunch them with a rope, or belt. That wouldn’t be very comfortable, would it? I supposed it was time to get some things that fit.

I hate shopping. For this female, it is akin to torture. I would usually just hit the Goodwill or thrift store and grab a few things that I figured would fit. This time though, I didn’t know what would fit. That meant trying things on. The horror! Before actually getting clothes though, I had to get a bathing suit for an end of course celebration. Last bathing suit I bought was ten years ago at Al Udeid during our return layover from Iraq.  The problem was, I had no clue where to get a bathing suit. See, if that is any indication as to how much I don’t sop for clothes…

Anyways, I hit the local mall *shudder*. The first store, a popular department chain, didn’t have anything and smelled like dog urine. On our way to the next department chain, my fellow Curmudgeon (C) spotted geeky bathing suits in the window of Hot Topic. He knows me well. I found one there and they were having a sale. I’m a pro at sales and discounts. I looked through their clearance rack of pants and found some I liked. I tried them on and realized that they were “skinny” jeans. Ugh, I’m a boot cut type of gal.

I looked in the mirror anyways, and thought, “Wow, I can pull these off. What?!” Needing a second opinion, I opened the door and asked C if I was too old to be wearing geeky, fandom, Hot Topic clothing. He said, “I’m holding Superman tank tops for myself.” Fair enough. As I was changing back into my regular clothes, I thought to myself, “What would my grandmother say if she were here right now?” She would say, “Who cares if your not exactly their demographic. You like it, you wear it.” Bless that woman. She was feisty and said what was on her mind.  So, a trip for a bathing suit ended up including a couple of pairs of skinny jeans, some tank tops, and a couple of Doctor Who dresses. Things I would definitely not normally wear, not had worn in 15-20 years., not even when temps were 100+ out.

I hadn’t given much thought to the Cherry Blossom Leggings, yet. Granted, last week, I ordered a couple of pairs of leggings from Hot Topic. This Saturday was different. I had a new tank top that I wanted to wear, but it was a bit warm for jeans. I thought about the Cherry Blossom Leggings. “Third times the charm.” It was. The leggings that have sat in my drawer for over two years were perfect. They were amazingly comfortable and I even realized that I could actually get a size smaller if I ordered from this particular company in the future.

I may not be genetically pre-disposed to work myself into six pack abs, but dammit, I can pull off some leggings now!

TL:DR - This long drawn out story isn’t to say that my size aren’t the only ones that can rock some leggings. The point is to say that even the quietly confident, most self-aware people, or those who will say things to build other people’s confidence, sometimes have periods of self-doubt and inner turmoil. Occasionally, it shows in mild, self-deprecating humor. Most times we just work through the battle on our own.  We aren’t the ones who loudly proclaim how great they are and constantly need the spotlight on us. We are the ones who take compliments with a quiet “thank you” and then try to quickly change the subject.

I embrace my geekiness, quirkiness, and fandoms with pride. I may not always match and sometimes my geek/fandom is too much for C, but I don’t care. For a while, I did and I wasn’t comfortable. No matter your size, scars, age, gender, or whatever, I just want to say, rock your style and do it with pride.

Rockin' my Cherry Blossom Leggings for the first time.
My friend's face is blurred for her privacy. I love her, but I don't think
she wants her face plastered all over my blog.

Pushups are evil....but effective

I don’t hide the fact that push-ups are the bane of my exercises. I avoid them as much as I can.  Being in the military made me hate them. The military…ok, Air Force physical test includes a mile and a half run, push-ups, and sit-ups. At least it did when I was in. Depending on your age bracket, you had to do a certain number of push-ups and sit-ups in a minute to pass. They beat push-ups, sit-ups, running, and weight measurements into our head so much that I just started hating it. I look at push-ups with dread and bad memories.

Even a personal trainer’s fitness assessment for their clients includes push-ups in the muscular endurance portion. Instead of being timed, it’s to do as many as you can until you can’t do anymore.

It’s fascinating thinking of the many tests and assessments that include push-ups. Don’t people know that push-ups are evil? How much sense does it make to prop yourself on your hands and toes then repeatedly flex your elbows to 90 degrees and extend them again. Up and down, up and down, over and over until your arms give out.

So, why are push-ups used in so many assessments?

That’s simple. Push-ups are the most basic, easiest exercise to build upper body strength.  For females, we tend to have a stronger lower body, thus we need to build upper body strength. I’m not talking about going all She-Hulk and muscular. I’m talking about being able to lift anything more than 20 pounds. You know, ‘cause groceries get heavy.  

The key is doing push-ups properly to maximize the benefit of them.  More often than not, people perform push-ups incorrectly. Whether it’s not getting the full rotation, dropping or raising hips too far, or even dropping your head out of neutral position.

How do you do a proper push-up?

Well, as usual, a visual aid is provided below in the form of a YouTube instructional video:

 

A proper push-up will work multiple upper body muscles, including but not limited to: Pecs, Triceps, your back & core stabilizers, and deltoids. 

As much as I hate push-ups, I still do them. The good thing is, once you can do a proper push-up comfortably and regularly, there are so many variations that can keep your exercises interesting. A quick Google search can make your head spin with how many different kinds of push-ups there are.

As always, take it slow and don’t jump in at 90 miles an hour. The journey is a winding road, but worth the time, energy, and pain. You’re worth it.

I’m going to leave you with a push-up contest between Beauty & the Beasts Gaston and a guy at Disney World. People say that Gaston won, but proper form and full rotation kicked Gaston’s butt. By my count, Gaston did zero pushups.

Start small, gain big

One day, you’re sitting on the couch eating Cheez-Its and Oreos. You look around at the soda cans littering the coffee table, the empty fast food wrappers, and look down at the crumbs in your lap. You get exhausted just walking to the mailbox and have a hard time breathing in general.

You get inspired to make some lifestyle changes. You can’t live like this anymore. It’s not fair to you and it is not fair to your family.

Congratulations! That’s the first step. Then, you make the second and start walking around your neighborhood every night. You gradually decrease the fast food and replace it with home cooked, healthier meals. Fantastic. You do that for a while and then decide to take the next step and go to the gym. This is where everything falls apart.

You suddenly feel self-conscious, the machines are intimidating, and there are other members of both genders lifting heavy looking weights. You don’t know where to start, so you give up and go grab a burger for comfort.

Don’t do that! The easiest starting point is still at home. Bodyweight exercises are simple and can even help your balance and coordination improve before getting to the equipment in a fitness center.

Once you get to the fitness center, don’t be afraid to ask a staff member about how to use the machines, if you don’t quite feel comfortable using free weights just yet.

Let’s get back to those body weight exercises. I’m going to give you a few just to get you started. These are basic, beginner exercises that shouldn’t be too difficult.  Push yourself, though, and don’t give up.

Note: For how to perform, I’m going to be borrowing some YouTube videos because seeing the exercise is often better than trying to follow typed instructions.

1) Wall Sit - Works quadriceps, glutes, and calves. Hold for 20-30 seconds, increasing by 5 seconds, 2-3 times each.

  

22) Reverse Crunch - Works lower abs (an area often left out). Do 12-15 reps and 2-3 times.

3) Plank Pose - It is simple enough to perform anywhere, and it works your body’s entire core. It also can help to elongate the spine, strengthen the arms and wrists, and increase balance. Repeat 2-3 times.

4) The Superman Pose– The Superman Pose targets the three main muscles that run along the spine and helps to prevent injuries, improve posture, and eliminate back and neck pain. Repeat the exercise 2-3 times.

These are just four basic exercises to get you started. Don't give up and if you need to, get a friend to start 

your journey with you. In that case, don't let each other give up. You can be successful. It just takes time 

and a little bit of pain.

Just remember, sweat is just fat crying its way out of your body.