Alex Smith:
The past two weeks of this experiment have been interesting to say the least. As my schedule became more hectic I noticed the temptation to eat fast food increased exponentially. Going from one job to the next allowed little time for me to prepare food or even grab a healthy bite to eat to go. As hungry as I was at the time, I resisted my urges and remained faithful to this experiment. I have come to a realization that this article (blog, journal entry) is one of the main reasons this experiment has been so successful. Even though this article may only be viewed by my relatives and close friends, it provides something most people struggle with on their own. Accountability. I can’t count the amount of times that I was on the verge of simply giving in and eating just one meal from a fast food restaurant of my choosing. At the last moment though this article comes in to my head and reminds me of how foolish I’ll appear or how much time and effort I will have wasted. It’s this articles effectiveness as my conscience that has brought me to a point where fast food is no longer appealing. I have broken through the wall of my fast food addiction. I was offered fast food last week and easily declined the offer. Fast food has lost all of its appeal to me. All I can see when I view it now is a foreshadowed death at a young age. I am pleased to say that I have no plans or desire to consume fast food or soda again in my life. This declaration is something that means a lot to the kid who was well on his way to becoming the real life version of gilbert grape’s mom.
Nom Nom Nom
There’s one side effect I’ve noticed since quitting fast food that didn’t come to light until this week, and that the difference in my taste buds. Not the size, shape, or color, but the actual flavors of foods themselves. Not only does fast food no longer seem appetizing, but other fatty or junk foods that are found in my freezer or cupboard are now un-appealing. Just from the lack of fast food in my diet my taste buds have adapted to the point where most salty, fatty and junk foods appear and sound disgusting. So it seems that my sans fast food plan has transcended in to making my eating habits at home healthier as well. A side effect I didn’t anticipate, but a very beneficial one none the less.
I mentioned in my last article that my experiment to see how difficult quitting fast food would now have the added element of making my lifestyle healthier. It’s always a wise decision to listen to the advice of those around you. One of my family friends who is also a reader of this article suggested simple steps in my every day routine that will provide with a great start to exercise. This comment happened to fall right in to my exercise plan. Even though I was at one point in my life a very physically fit individual, I am no longer in prime physical condition. So instead of attempting to jump back into an intense exercise regiment and failing, I’ve decided to start out exercising at a beginners level and work my way up from there. The chances of my success increase drastically by not initially setting myself up for failure. The last few weeks I have been parking a greater distance from classes, the grocery store, and work. Even though this change in distance may seem small to some, I have already noticed a change in my fitness level. (Sadly, this shows how out of shape I had really become). Simple, daily tasks like walking up stairs used to wind me. Since I have made the parking change I have noticed that walking up stairs or steep grades in landscape no longer make me feel like Rosie O’Donnell at a Birkenstock sale.
I have also started doing 3 sets of 25 push-ups and sit-ups per night. While I realize these amounts aren’t much, they are more then enough for a starting point for me. I am strongly considering waking up early in the morning before I go to work and jogging for 35-40 minutes, but I really enjoy sleeping. Well since the last articles weigh-in I have lost an additional 2 pounds. I am now down to the slender weight of 245 pounds. Still well outside of the healthy weight for my height but I’m slowly getting there.
The next article I have planned should feature some very interesting insight in to this experiment. For once there will be perspectives outside of my own offered in this article. I’m hoping to have an interview with a health professional completed by then as well as finishing up the book “Fast Food Nation”. These two resources alone combined with the new adventures my life has provided me in the way of food should make for a very interesting next article.
I hope you enjoyed this weeks entry and decide to check back for the future articles.
Thank you for following me along this journey and like always feel free to leave any feedback, personal stories or opinions in the comments or email me at alexsmith@oletoday.com
Hey Alex,
Just wanted to let you know it isn’t just your friends and family reading this. I genuinely find your articles interesting and look forward to them. It’s great that you’re comfortable writing about this online because it’s an issue that I think most of us deal with. Thanks!
As usual the article was great…Glad to hear about those two lbs. you left somewhere. Two lbs. doesn’t sound like much but you didn’t put it on in a day and it ain’t gonna come off in a day. Just think 1 lb. a week is 52 lbs. in a year. AWESOME!~
a good tip to increase stamina is carry one bottle of water with you for one workout.
work out until you finish that bottle of water.
the next time you work out, have two bottles of water at your side.
work out until you finish both bottles of water.
this is a suggestion to change things up.
Alex, you brought up a very good point in one of your articles, “accountability.” Making yourself accountable for your decisioncs is a powerful motivator. Good luck on your journey! I know you will be successful (“Power of positive thinking”…
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