Day 114

I was poking around online and came across a brochure for the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)'s Guidelines for Cancer Prevention http://www.colorectal-cancer.ca/IMG/pdf/AICR_Guidelines_for_Cancer_Prevention.pdf.

The three main guidelines for cancer prevention are:
1. Weight: Aim to be a healthy weight throughout life.
2. Physical Activity: Be physically active everyday, in any way, for 30 minutes or more.
3. Diet: Choose mostly plant foods, limit red and avoid processed meat.

The brochure explains that a healthy diet helps fight cancer, as well as exercise through regulating hormones directly fights cancer. Both of these factors also help control weight, so they have double the impact in helping prevent cancer.

I'm so very interested in living a healthy life with the goal of preventing cancer and heart disease. Although there is a genetic component that increases my risk of developing both of these, lifestyle plays a huge role in prevention.

How have I applied this to my life?

I look back at the guidelines and what races through my mind are messages that I do not like: you're exercising, you're really trying to lose weight, you're eating healt...
The end of that word was supposed to be 'hily, as in, "you're eating healthily." I am not.

I thought starting this blog and having this accountability would help push me and motivate me to do everything right, to make sure everything was in place, to be a perfect example. I have the worst eating habits ever! This is not a new realization, but I find that through the weeks I become complacent, and I feel like I have the luxury or the entitlement to eat some ice cream everyday because I love it. Then as I sit here right now I think about the hundreds of calories I pack away, no less nutrient starved sugar & fat, that I'm putting away daily. I feel as if I'm just inviting the cancer to move in, rent free.

How can I be so terrified of getting cancer, yet allow myself to put these things in my mouth? I don't think it's a question of want...as in a recent previous post, it's a question of that stowaway to want: do. I'm not doing anything to ensure I don't get trapped by my laziness and willingness to allow myself to have these bad foods AND to not introduce more good foods.

I'm not a natural cook, and recipes like vegetables and lentils for every meal of everyday does not appeal to me. I am a meat lover--give me a fillet Mignon, blue, and I'm in heaven. I do not like all that fake veggie meat; I'd rather just eat veggies. I just don't know how to prepare grains and veggies as a main meal. It doesn't make sense to me in my meat and potatoes head.

What's my plan? I'm going to search for recipes and suck it up. If I have to start with veggies and lentils for the next month, then it's a start. Yes, I want to enjoy my food, but I think it's more important to start somewhere healthy and then try to modify it after the fact. I could grow to love these lentils, beans, and grains; I am open to the possibility, I'm just scared of failing. My fear has kept me from so much that I'm learning that I just have to jump. Take that leap and try, try, try, try, try. A little pat on my back here--heck I'm jogging now and NEVER thought that possible. That's pretty decent motivation. :)

So-1. Maintaining a healthy weight...that will come with continuing my exercise and fixing my diet.
2. Getting physical activity...I'm so close. The guideline says "everyday." I'll make a very big effort to push on those days I want to relax. I can take a stroll--it counts. It may not be vigorous exercise, but it's light exercise. It's moving my body, my blood, my breath.

3. Choosing mostly plant foods and limiting red meat...This is my struggle. My homework assignment is to make a meal plan for the next week, and begin to include more plant based meals, and eating ice cream less. What does this mean? I can have 3 desserts next week. I can have 2 red meat dishes next week. I'm going to get in my 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.

Wish me luck.

Meals
1 bowl honey nut Cheerios
1 cup skim milk

3 cups of water

1 can of spaghetti
4 English muffins
4 tsp Becel margarine
4 cups of water

1 small pumpkin pie blizzard

2 bean burritos with sour cream--Taco Bell
1 fries supreme
1 chicken chalupa
2 cup of water

Exercise
50 minutes treadmill--3 minutes walking : 2 minutes of jogging
40 minutes lower body machines
15 minutes stretching

Notes:
-I'm jogging. I'm jogging. I'M JOGGING!!!!!!!!!!!