While I can't imagine never having another cheeseburger or chicken-anything (sorry Vegs), or imagine living without cheese or eggs (sorry, Veegs), or want to pay a ton of money for a juicer, and did I mention the cheese thing? (cutting out my two favorite parts of the pyramid - dairy and grains - just plain wrong, Paleo. I was lucky enough to be born about 2000 years AD, and I'm sure as hell not gonna let all those pluses go to waste!).
The truth is while I do understand that health benefits behind these diets, I know enough about myself and behavior modification to know that no one can change overnight. I've accepted that while I may never be able to completely give up a food group, it wouldn't hurt to downsize the less than nutrious ones a bit and fill in more better.
Sweets have never been a problem since adolescence. Somewhere between my childhood and tender, bitter years of middle school I lost my craving for sweets, replaced with a viscious desire for anything salty, cheesy, Italian, or Mexican. Do I enjoy the occasional pastry or ice cream scoop? Of course, but I never desire more than the serving size. Whereas I've finished medium pizzas and too much of large pizzas by myself on more occasions than I'm proud of.
So my goals were simple: try to decrease the cheese and grains (without getting rid of them all together), sneak in more veggies and fruits, and try to stick to lean protein sources (red meat about once a week). Few goals that were concrete but not restrictive, something I thought I could handle.
First it helps to shop in the right places - of which Southern California is chalked full. Trader Joe's and the local sunday Farmer's Market are my new stables, and I've stopped into Sprouts a few times as well. I've also heard of completely gluten-free or other such full organic stores which good luck finding in the South.
Second it helps to use the internet for recipes. Did I know I could make a salad dressing I actually like and wasn't full of fat? No, but now I do! Did I know, granted with sauce, you cannot tell the difference between normal pasta and gluten-free pasta? Not a clue, but now I do! Did I know you can pretty much make a burger out of any vegetable known to man? You see where I'm going with this.
However I've learned a few other things too, like stay away from gluten-free tortillas and make your own veggies smoothies unless you plan to add vodka.
Lastly, if you're gonna eat poorly, try to find the better versions...or just accept the extra gym time.
______________________________________________________________________
Back home, hiking was something you did through a lot of woods, a mostly soil-based terrain, places which from the suburban area where I grew up you had a bit of a drive to get to if you wanted something actually challenging.
Now I live on the border of mountians, in less humid air and drier ground. The closest hiking loop is about five miles long, steeper on one end than the other, and mostly open to the sky except for the last quarter mile.
A couple different views from the top!
It's a pretty good view, but the trail does tend to get old a bit fast. So a couple weekends ago I went with a friend to a different hiking area, a small canyon with a waterfalla bit farther east. The "entrance" was a bit off the beaten path, past a couple no trespassing signs, but it was an easier way to get down to the canyon (which was open to the public).
The beginning was a gravel path that sloped down into the canyon.
Along the way there was more graffiti than I had ever seen in my life, as well as a few suspicious caves and finally the begining of the water.
Slowly the gravel ended and we began what would be many, many, many river crossings (also there's Dan!).
Gorgeous spot that I plan to picnic at someday this summer...right under that tree.
Some stepping stones we couldn't figure out if they were man-placed or naturally occuring. Dan often crossed parts like these, while I with a camera often took the safer/wider river crossings.
A look behind.
Finally come across some flowers! And yes, often I stopped for pictures and had to play catch up to a determined Dan.
This is apparently the public and "normal" entrance to the canyon...more or less straight down a mountan side with the help of a series of ropes.
Ain't nobody got time for that.
Almost to the waterfall! I was getting a bit antsy at this point. While the path was shorter than the other hiking trail, it was more challenging, so it took about the same time.
THE WATERFALL! It's way in the center of the picture. The water was pristine and ice cold - I took off my shoes and stepped in to that inner pool up to my calves; my ankles hurt from the cold for the first five minutes. The pool was maybe 4 or 5 foot deep, I'm not sure, but I plan to find out this summer. Shortly after we arrived another group came in bathing suits and got in. To the right of the waterfall there is a rope that goes down to the water and you can use it (and a lot of determination) to get up to the next pool from which that small waterfall falls. According to one of the guys in this other group, the pool up there is a bit deeper and had a natural water slide! I cannot wait to return in the middle of the summer, on a day when that water will feel heaven-sent.
Graffiti Paradise.
*Let's be honest, I just googled other popular diets to make the list a nice rounded five and that came up - it was just too random not to include.
No comments:
Post a Comment