Staying Healthy: Eating & Exercise (12/19 – 12/25)

Validation! Now that the girls prepare their own meals for themselves every day, or like YaYu (and occasionally Meiling), for their partners as well, they told me last week they finally understand and appreciate all the effort I put into creating healthy meals for the family for so many years. I enjoyed cooking for them again but also was feeling glad to only have to do it for a few days and not full time again. YaYu took over the kitchen on Wednesday to give me a break, and I got loads of help with the dishes and clean up, but last week made me grateful that I am “retired” from cooking other than for Brett and myself.

I worried that some of my bad eating habits might return with the girls here (too big portion sizes, snacking, sweets, etc.) but that thankfully didn’t happen. I kept up with my daily food diary and kept my portions small, avoided meat when I could, didn’t snack other than maybe a bite or two. I surprised myself because this was exactly a situation in the past where all my good efforts would fall apart but didn’t.

It was difficult taking pictures of our meals last week, and many of these pictures are of leftovers enjoyed the next day. I managed somehow to stick to my eating plan, and keep my portions right sized, but I did indulge a bit on Christmas Day because the girls gave Brett and I a big box of chocolates and WenYu and YaYu gave me a BIG container of caramel corn, a dangerous food where I’m concerned. Arggggghhh! Although we enjoyed all our meals while the girls were all here, both Brett and I are looking forward to returning to meatless eating.

Sunday: Spicy black bean bake nachos

Monday: Chili shrimp; pork lumpia; Korean beef potstickers; namasu; steamed rice

Tuesday: Tom Colicchio’s one pan pasta with ham & broccoli

Wednesday: Mabo tofu; steamed rice

Thursday: Grilled Italian sausages; risotto with peas

Friday: Christmas Dinner: Mississippi pot roast; mashed potatoes; green beans

Saturday: “Mexican” mini pizzas (salsa, onion, and pepper jack cheese)

Brett and I thought the girls would decimate the Costco chocolate cake we bought in record time, but like us, a small piece was plenty and we finally finished it last Tuesday. After that I had dorayaki (a traditional Japanese sweet) one evening while Brett and the girls had s’mores, and we all shared apples with toffee dip on another evening before enjoying a lilikoi chiffon pie for our Christmas treat.

I’ve planned meals for next week that continue to use what we have on hand although we’ll be shopping again before the end of the week and I don’t know what YaYu wants to get then or wants for future meals. She’s open to vegetarian eating though so I think we’ll be moving in that direction. This week’s dishes contain lots of Asian-influenced dishes and flavors that YaYu prefers. Brett and I are going to try our hardest to only have meat two or three evenings per week while YaYu’s here, or at least try to have dishes where she can add her own meat and we can skip it.

• Snake Alley noodles

• Fried rice with ham

• Mini pizzas

• Noodle bowls

• Potstickers & rice

• Pad Thai & lumpia

• Tofu in Thai red curry sauce

The few times the weather was nice enough to walk last week, it seemed the girls were out with the car. If the car was available, it was raining, we didn’t get much walking done. There was a break on Wednesday and Brett and I hiked the Old Hapa Road Trail from Poipu to the old St. Raphael church in Koloa and back, about 3.5 miles or so (WenYu and YaYu ran it), and we got a short break on Thursday as well and walked at the park. We did a perimeter walk with YaYu late Christmas Day (lots of walkers but the golf course was deserted. We still found six golf balls). If we weren’t walking there was still plenty of packing, organizing, etc. to take care of and Brett and I ended up on our feet a lot. We’re are looking forward to getting back to our regular walking schedule this week though, weather permitting.

Along the Old Hapa Road Trail

Brett and I have walked over 1,000 miles this year (we’ll have a final total next week). We have been blessed with the great walking venue at Kukuiolono, had a lot of fun hunting for golf balls for a few months, and we’ve done some other great hikes on the island as well. Plans for our last four months on Kaua’i are to continue what we’ve been doing so that we’re in our best possible shape when we begin Big Adventure II in May.