Guest Post!!!!!

So I'm super honored that I've been asked to be a guest in this blog. 

I love food. Unfortunately a little too much. When the weekend checks in there is nothing I love more than going out to eat. I don't want to take the time or effort to make a meal. I mean haven't I earned it over the past week of working? My problem with eating is that it has become a means of entertainment rather than a time of refueling.

We as Americans eat out so much. And to be honest it's hard not to. It's become so convenient. But when are shortcuts in life also the most beneficial choice to go with? They're not. You can go into town and pretty much choose any type of food you could want and eat in any price range you want. So why not? Here's why, because you're not eating intentionally. You are simply reacting too quickly to what your body is telling you rather than slowing down and intentionally thinking about what's best for your body. Eating is just like anything else in life. It's way more satisfying to be intentional about something rather than just doing something. 

I believe if we shift our focus on eating from entertainment to necessity, we would be a lot healthier. Now I know this is all coming from one who is chubby himself but this is something my wife and I are trying to work on. She is a way healthier eater than I am but she's also a way better cook than I am. I believe that healthier people are better cooks and here's why. Healthier people seem to be more driven and do-things-for-themselves kind of folk. They take the time to exercise and prepare meals that their bodies need. They simply do what's necessary to stay in shape and rely on themselves to maintain that. I also believe these people are not only healthier but more successful due to a higher confidence and drive. Things always mean so much more to us when we are the ones making the investment.

So we are trying to be more intentional about our eating and take more personal responsibility in our dining options. Yes it's more time and preparation but I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for and if you make the investment to eat out less and cook more you'll become much more intentional about your eating and not only better your physical health but also emotional health.

Uh Oh, Spaghettios

I lived with my sister, Jamie, and her husband when I was 15. It's a long story, but really what you need to know is that my sister kept my life together when our parents divorced. She taught me just about everything I needed to know about taking care of myself. But I digress...

The food choices when living with my sister were like carb heaven. There was a generous helping of bread with most meals. Lots of pasta, lots of sweet tea... All the good stuff. My personal favorite at the time was Spaghettios with close to a half block of cheddar cheese. This was usually lunch. Oh, and chips. Oh, and we're talking about the family sized cans of Spaghettios. I remember the look on my sisters face when she learned that I could put away a family can of Spaghettios. She said something like, "you ate the WHOLE CAN? And what happened to all the cheese?!" She didn't let me go hungry, that's for sure! It was a memorable time for other reasons, too. At the time, my nephew was just a precious little baby. I learned so much during that season of life.

I gained 30 pounds that summer. When it was time to go back to school, my pants that I hadn't worn all summer didn't fit.  This was my first time putting on weight. It wasn't really until a year later that I realized what I had done to myself. Honestly, the worst part was discovering stretch marks. Since then, I've lost weight and gained it all back twice. Fit to fat, to fit to fat...it's not a healthy pattern.

At this point, I've decided that I really like eating home food. I have saved so much money by not eating out. I feel a lot healthier. 

Tonight for dinner I had baked tilapia, corn, and a lovely salad. My friend Erin came by to visit and it was good to see her. I plan to have a smoothie in a few minutes. I bought a juicer/smoothie maker and it has been worth the $40 I spent on it. I'm thinking strawberries, blueberries, a kiwi, and a just a very small splash of peach schnapps. 

Happy Anniversary

I would normally hardly call one month without eating restaurant food a reason to celebrate, but I definitely feel like I've hit a milestone worthy of my own celebration. As of Saturday this past weekend, I haven't had a meal in a restaurant for a month. 

I have enjoyed lots of fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, lean proteins, and a large daily intake of water. 

Over this past weekend, I was in Georgia at my dad and his lovely wife's house. They have a garden in their back yard and it is impressive. I've included a few pictures for your enjoyment. 

They have apples, peaches, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, fresh herbs... And so on! It was a great visit. 

I travel nearly every day for work and often venture outside of the Knoxville area. This is one of the reasons (excuses, really) iwhy I was spending so much money on meals because I was too lazy to put home made meals together. Last week during my daily travels I found myself passing by every great restaurant on Earth. It was hard to resist, but I managed. Tomorrow night, I am having a delicious pot roast at home with my good friend Robbin. I cut all the vegetables for it tonight and can't wait to enjoy spending time with another friend at my table. 

Story Time: Tales from the Crapped

Story time. 

Picture it: Knoxville, 2003. Two young female college students embark on a series of trips to play music at various places for various purposes - mostly to the glory of God, and to get better at singing and playing guitar. We had a fantastic time and wherever we went, there was normally food to be eaten. So was the case on that Wednesday evening in mid May.

My friend Adrienne Fuller, then Adrienne Snare, can attest to this account to follow. Consider this the warning that this post is not for those with a weak stomach. Prepare yourself. 

For the sake of not embarrassing the restaurant chain at which this story took place, I will leave them nameless; however readers should know that this particular place is not known for the food item I ordered. When you go to a pancake place, get pancakes. At a steakhouse, get a steak or some other beefy selection. Don't go to a Mexican place and order a burger. 

Adrienne and I were leading the worship songs at a church here in Knoxville in the youth group. The kids were a rascally bunch and we liked them a lot. They had a Wednesday night tradition of going to the same restaurant for some after-church hang out time. On this particular Wednesday evening, Adrienne and I joined in for the food and conversation. Little did I know that my food would soon become a conversation piece. 

Since Adrienne was paying (I'd left my money on campus) I decided to order the cheapest but most filling item I could find on the menu, so naturally, I chose a fish sandwich and fries ... at a breakfast place. The dining room wasn't particularly gross, but it was no Panera. 

The food came out from the kitchen and we were all delighted. I took a few bites of the fish sandwich, which we all know was just mechanically separated fish bits and pieces smashed together and then deep fried. Moments later, The Last Bite was in my hand. The Last Bite of anything should be the best. That's the rule. It should make a statement when it gets chewed and goes down the hatch. The Last Bite should make you exceedingly glad you ate this food item. Not so this time, friends. Not so. Suddenly I felt an unusual but strangely familiar crunchy substance between my teeth. I crunched one or two more times before retching at the table to find that I'd been chewing on a human fingernail. That's right. A FINGERNAIL.  I shudder today writing this. I shudder for a number of reasons.

1. It was jagged. It had clearly been bitten off and then spat into the deep fryer to adhere to an unassuming piece of food.

2. It was a thumbnail. A large, dirty thumbnail. 

3. I chewed it more than once before I found out what it was. We all know how disgusting fingernails are - clean or not clean. 

4. I could easily have swallowed it by accident if I hadn't chewed on it like a toothpick.

When I approached the manager to regurgitated the details of the story, she accused me of lying. She asked me to prove that I had indeed found a fingernail in my sandwich, so I lead her to the final resting place of one of the kitchen workers' solid DNA lying there; a foul testament to the glad truth that I would never, ever, ever eat there again. To this day I haven't returned for more culinary punishment. The upside was that Adrienne didn't have to pay for the "sandwich" 

I hope you've enjoyed this regaling of my misfortune. 

Solitude and the Art of Cooking for One

I intentionally spend time alone (a few hours or a whole day) usually once per week - I call the one day, morning, or evening Heidi Day. Lately my Heidi Days have been filled with both planning and relaxation. I find myself thinking about what direction I want my life to go in. You have to be facing the direction you want to go in. I'm not yet sure, even at 30, what my future is about. I do know a few things: I want to live my life always trying to improve, be debt free someday, continue to pursue music, be a good friend... The list goes on. I think about things like this when I purposely spend time alone. It's important to get some solitude in your time diet. 

Next week will be a month on this journey of restaurantlessness ... That's a new word I've created. Someone asked me what the last food item was that I ate at a restaurant: it was an everything bagel at Panera, sliced and toasted with butter and it was lovely. 

Before I go any further in this post, let me say I'm not saying that restaurant food is bad. There are at least semi-healthy options at most places. The issue I normally run in to is portion sizes and my own inability to ask for a to-go box before digging in to a 4 person portion.  Grocery shopping for one is sometimes a challenge but I've been doing it for so long, I think I've mastered the single persons cuisine. The trick is to break meat items up into single portions if they're not already separated. You can buy tilapia and other fish individually packaged. I buy ground turkey instead of beef, and divide each pound into 4 portions. Easy peasy. I take advantage of freezer space and throw a lot of stuff in there. When it's a turkey burger kind of night, I just take one out and cook it. 

Home cooking has its benefits beyond cost effectiveness and health consciousness. You can choose your own portion sizes and you know what spices have been added. "Is there butter in this? MSG? Is this cooked in olive oil? Did anyone back there kick this steak across the floor before putting on the grill?" Yada, yada. You can control every bit of that if you cook at home without having to wonder if it wasn't cooked the way you really want it done based on either preferences or dietary needs.

Grazing. Food is Fuel

I've been there. That Mexican restaurant that has the chips and salsa I think about all day, and then finally 5:00 comes - it's happy hour. Salted margaritas and those lovely chips and salsa. What could possibly be more delectable? I've enjoyed a few baskets of chips and without realizing how much food I've inhaled, the entrees come and I am beyond full. My dad, and probably someone you may know, calls this mindless mowing, "grazing". And for food reason. 

I used to pick on my dad because he had a dry erase board glued to his fridge that always read, "FOOD IS FUEL!!!" He told me that he had to constantly remind himself that food does not exist to comfort, but to fuel the body. He said food is fuel, not therapy. He admitted that he had been eating his emotions, which I also stated in an earlier post, is an issue for me. All these years later, I stand inspired by his dedication to re-training his mind to treat food like fuel. Pretty much, would you cram a handful of dirt in the gas tank of your car? Heck no. Not unless you're what Judge Judy calls an "idiot" (I love her).... We will perform physically, mentally, even emotionally, according to how we eat. 

Today for lunch I had a salad, and some homemade chicken and rice soup. I also had some strawberries and yogurt. I've been eating oatmeal for breakfast every morning and it keeps me full until around 10:00AM. I've tripled my normal water intake and I can tell a difference in my skin. I wish eating better would stop these gray hairs from sprouting. 

Social Media - Being Present at the Table

Nothing screams to others "you're not interesting or important" louder than scanning Facebook at the dinner table. I don't claim righteousness here: I've done it too. A friend once said to me as I was glued to an article on my phone at her house, "if I wanted to hang out alone, I wouldn't have asked you to come over". I took a defensive stance at first, but I realized she was right. I've done this a million times. How many times have I made someone feel as though their company wasn't worthy of my attention because I couldn't set my phone down? 

Yesterday I was discussing this post with my friend Dennis Sanders, and he shared with me that author and blogger Seth Godin (also founder squidoo.com) stacks his phone in a pile with his friends' phones on the edge of the table when they meet up for food. Whoever looks at his or her phone first has to pay the bill. They are intentional about spending time together, free from the distraction that phones can often pose. 

My challenge is this - the next social setting you find yourself in where food is involved, leave your phone hidden the entire time. Don't even take it out to Instagram the cuisine or check the time. Wear a wristwatch. Just try it once. Phones aren't necessarily the enemy of spending time with people, but they can clearly be a hindrance to engaging in a meaningful conversation. I'd like to try to live in the moment a little better in this way. 

Mint.com and The Baudendistels

So far, this no restaurant food thing has been great. I've made some delicious home cooked meals for myself and I've had a few great meals with friends as well. Food at home with friends or family is just magical sometimes. The conversations are always better at home, too. 

Mint.com - I've used mint.com for 3 years now. They have a great app and I use it multiple times a day. I highly recommend using it to track expenses, see trends, and make budgets. It's great. It is not for the denial-struck. It tells the truth and keeps up with how much money you spend on what. Below is a screen shot of my last three months expenses. There are many dollars in "uncategorized" - these are generally checks, and a few cash withdrawals. It is accurate when it shows that I swiped my card 54 times for food purchases, and I can tell you that maybe 8 of those were for groceries. Ouch. The thing I swiped my card the most for was food. Set up a mint.com account and see what your trends are. 

This evening I had dinner with Pete and Margaret Baudendistel. We had crockpot BBQ chicken, asparagus, sautéed onions, and rice. It was amazing. Our conversation was great. We laughed and caught up on life. Have some friends over for dinner sometime soon! 

Back Fat - It Really Is As Gross As It Sounds

Of all the things that could keep me awake at night, back fat is often the culprit. Everyone has a certain position in which they sleep. Mine is like this: on my stomach, with my left leg drawn up to about level with my hip. Usually this is a great way to get comfortable, except when I've gain too much weight and the skin on my back crinkles up into pretty much an extra pair of butt cheeks. Ew? Yeah, ew. I've tried to make it hilarious when describing this to others because back fat really is as gross as it sounds. I've compared myself trying to fit into my clothes (as heard from comedians) to a can of biscuits busting out, toothpaste being squeezed out... It's all funny until I don't want to hug people because I don't want them to feel just how much extra body weight I'm carrying around. I don't like to be touched that much, and this is one reason why.

Food - the food front is going really, really well. I've had mostly healthy food going down the hatch and I can honestly attest that the types of foods you eat, and the frequency by which you eat has a tremendous impact on all areas of your life. We were created to eat a certain way. Food can mess with your moods. This is why skinny, energetic runners get under my skin. They're generally happy because of how well they feed their bodies, and just by eating healthy foods, they have a better attitude, it seems. I'm kind of joining the healthy living club, though. Eating better will likely add years to my life, and that's a very encouraging thought to have.

I'm genuinely enjoying eating at home. It's made me more social. It's made me more mindful of what I'm eating instead of just mindlessly grazing on whatever is in front of me. I am going grocery shopping tomorrow for the first time since I moved into my new place and I have to say that I'm excited! Let there be grapefruit and lots of protein.

I can't really think of much that I'm missing right now by not eating at restaurants. It's been a lot of fun so far... We'll see how well this is going a few weeks from now.

Loneliness and Food... Cry Me A Chocolate River

Truth be told, many single people frequent restaurants because they seek companionship. They are lonely. You'll even find people who are married or in relationships at the bar at Calhoun's or whichever bar/restaurant you choose, and I'd bet that many of them feel alone.. I've been the lonely one there, too. The first person to ever point it out to me that I was frequenting restaurants out of loneliness was Dave Ramsey in one of his Financial Peace University lessons. At first I thought, "what? No. How silly is that? I don't go out to eat because I'm lonely..." And then I would find myself trying to get friends to meet me anywhere to eat. If I couldn't get plans made with anyone, I'd go by myself just to at least be near other people. I didn't care that they were strangers.

Food does offer some comfort. I don't know why. Being with other people while eating is a whole other kind of comfort to me. That's not necessarily a bad thing. But I would avoid solitude even if that meant that my utility bill wasn't going to get paid that month. Ridiculous, I know.

I had a lovely salad for lunch today. I'd like to have some recipes to share with friends who are becoming part of this experiment of Operation Restaurant Deprivation. It occurred to me today that it's going to be super awkward to sit out on company lunch meetings, although I have considered asking if we can do a pot luck lunch instead.

The Smoke Stack

This may be news to some, but I smoked on and off for about 13 years. I started smoking cigarettes when I was 12. My mom's a smoker and it was easy to sneak some here and there. Of course most of my friends at school were hoodlums so we all shared the wealth when we were wealthy with our parents "coffin nails", as my dad calls them.

During times of not smoking, I began frequently eating large amounts of food, not unlike Garfield when he would effortlessly consume stacks of lasagna. I've heard people say that they are afraid to quit smoking because the last time they tried, they gained weight because they ate significantly more food than they did while smoking regularly. The last time I quit smoking, I used m&m's, peanuts, dum dums, reeces pieces, twizzlers, pop corn, potato chips, etc. to ease cravings. Clearly as a result of eating basically nothing but candy and junk food, I packed on big pounds.

Essentially I'm saying that nature really does hate a vacuum and that you can't put down one bad habit without expecting another to develop. I originally heard this idiom from Prof. Ron Wheeler. For my bad habit of excessive restaurant food consumption and purchase, I plan to spend significantly more time in meaningful conversation, playing guitar and writing songs, and reading. I've been eating too much. That's all there is to it. Fortunately, I no longer have cravings to smoke, but I do have constant cravings for BBQ, chicken salad, steak, fried chicken...you get the picture. Nature hates a vacuum.

Today for lunch, I had a turkey sandwich, some pretzel chips, a serving of greek yogurt, and some carrots. It was a lovely lunch. I will say that I noticed every single restaurant in existence between Knoxville and Spring City - that's 150 miles round trip of greasy convenience all around. A Facebook friend told me that he thinks the first 40 odd days will be the most difficult, and I think he's right.

This Sunday I plan to have a few friends over for home food and a game of cards. I'm looking forward to strengthening my friendships this way. Later this week, I will post some more information I gathered from using Mint.com to see the big bucks I've spent at restaurants over the past year or two. Until then, happy home cooking.

Operation Restaurant Deprivation

Introduction to the craziest idea I've ever had...

After running the idea by my good friend Ashley, I have decided to move forward. She suggested I start a blog about it - and this is the beginning. I am abstaining from restaurant food for 365 days. A year of no Aubrey's, no Calhoun's, no Panera, no nothing. This is going to be difficult for me to do. I'm a foodie. I'm an unhealthy foodie. Stay tuned for more delicious details. I plan to report my experience here on this blog.

According to Mint.com, in February of 2011, I spent $400 on restaurant food. I often stupidly wonder where my money goes. Clue #1, it's going to FOOD.  Honestly, not much has changed over the past 2 years since I made that discovery.

Over the next year, I plan to write about money saved, health gained, and anything else that happens as a result of cooking at home, and taking my lunch to work.

The only caveat is that if a friend invites me to have a cup of tea at Starbucks, I will oblige. So to all my friends who I normally meet over a lovely plate of chicken fingers, fries, and a tall cold one, support me on my journey to enlightenment. It should be fun and frustrating. I hope to cook meals for people and play a lot of rummy - that doesn't sound so bad.