Fat Girl Therapy 29 Unraveling the Cookie's Fortune: A Tale of Body Positivity and TikTok

What if the secret to living your best life was hidden in a fortune cookie? Join us as we weave personal stories, TikTok adventures, and the quest for the elusive pumpkin mug into a podcast episode that's as unpredictable as it is enlightening. From the backseat chaos of filming TikTok videos to the surprisingly poignant messages hidden in fortune cookies, we're sharing the unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look into our lives.

Ever contemplated the pros and cons of living off the grid, in a tiny house? Or thought about the implications of eating a vegetarian diet? We tackle these topics with honesty and humor, from imagining our own commune to debating the merits of a loaded potato soup. Along the way, we also take a hard look at the practices of corporations like Instacart, discussing the implications of corporate greed on the cost of food and how we value our time.

But it's not all light-hearted banter and playful debates. We also share a deeply personal reflection on body love, health, and the importance of overall well-being. We challenge the traditional narratives about weight loss and fitness, instead celebrating the joy of self-care and the path to a healthier, happier life. With the help of fitness coach James Cappola, we're discovering the beauty in body positivity and the power of prioritizing health over societal standards. Tune in for a roller-coaster ride of emotions, as we laugh, cry, and share the intimate details of our journey with you.

Clip credit: https://www.tiktok.com/@j_cappola_fitcoach/video/7290936348251278634?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7206710379547313669

@J_cappola_fitcoach

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:45

I brought with me a fortune cookie.

Speaker 2: 0:48

Oh, you had Chinese food.

Speaker 1: 0:50

Yesterday, yeah, but I saw the cookie and I was like, yep, I want one of them. But I thought I would read my fortune with you and all of you listening, and it says but would give me big words that I'm like, are you serious? You want me to read this? You are deeply introspective, imaginative and sensitive. My lucky numbers are 9, 10, 14, 23, 26 and 44.

Speaker 2: 1:24

Play that lottery Right. And then help a friend out.

Speaker 1: 1:30

And then my friend's fortune cookie yesterday says you were going to have a great retirement and I'm like well at least yeah.

Speaker 2: 1:40

So what's new?

Speaker 1: 1:41

with you.

Speaker 2: 1:46

Did you see my video of what it's like driving around my city and then I yell Okay, well, I was doing it as a joke. I actually should post the bloopers of me yelling in my car, because every time I'm like mother ever and then. And then I'm like like it's so embarrassing. I'm then a couple of times like someone caught me, like coming towards me, and I'm like I'm not doing anything. Anyway, two hours later I'm like I think I'm starting to lose my voice. That commitment to that tick tock is just next level.

Speaker 1: 2:25

No, I have not seen that tick tock. I have been so freaking busy I have not been watching tick tocks. Yeah, that's my life.

Speaker 2: 2:38

My life is tick tock.

Speaker 1: 2:41

Complete opposite sides of the spectrum right now.

Speaker 2: 2:45

I don't sound so bad. My life is not tick tock. I just have a free time to be able to scroll.

Speaker 1: 2:51

Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. Dad says he's peaked in your lives a few times.

Speaker 2: 2:56

You know what, actually, the other day, what was? I was making something.

Speaker 1: 3:01

You know what's hilarious is? Dad said you were making something and I'm like probably a salad. And you're like I was making something and now I'm sitting here like probably a salad.

Speaker 2: 3:11

I was like I don't know what to say. It was a salad. He. I was like, oh, I don't know what to do with this. And then he's like, oh, it looks like something that should go in the smoker. But I didn't know who it was at first. I was like the smoker. I was like that would be weird for this. And I was like, oh, at least it's that that was. Um, yeah, it was. He helped me put on some dressing on one of my salads.

Speaker 1: 3:38

Couldn't figure it out, and it was really pretty much the exact story that I heard.

Speaker 2: 3:44

Yeah, it was really good. And then he had to go golf.

Speaker 1: 3:47

Oh, so it was on Thursday or whatever day it was. He's in he does a dirt league. Actually, he's in a couple dirt leagues and then he's in a golf league, so like he plays dirt on Mondays and Saturdays and then he golfs on Thursdays, nice.

Speaker 2: 4:02

I. However, it's so weird that I'm coming over there next not next to well, I guess, because it's not this.

Speaker 1: 4:09

And I'm not going to see you. I know it makes me really sad.

Speaker 2: 4:12

It's only for 24 hours. You got to come over. You got to take the day off and come up to Toronto. Are you here during the weekend? No, it's November 1st. To the second.

Speaker 1: 4:23

What day is that? Wednesday, Thursday.

Speaker 2: 4:26

Oh, it was a weekend. I would have like been like hey, I'm coming down.

Speaker 1: 4:30

There. Yeah, I have a package for you in my car. Yay, Don't think it's a pumpkin mug, though, because it's not a pumpkin.

Speaker 2: 4:41

I didn't know what it was. So, honestly, I was just like that's why I didn't even ask, and I was like I'm like I'm going to get a pumpkin mug.

Speaker 1: 4:49

Yeah, I've been trying to find pumpkin mugs. So and I think I sent this message to you I've been trying to find pumpkin mugs. Rumor has it they only made 50,000 of these mugs. They only send anywhere between half a dozen to two dozen to every Tim Horton's in Canada. That's why they sold out so quickly and eBay is selling them for upwards to $300 a piece. It's insane.

Speaker 2: 5:14

So um, I had a life changing moment yesterday, oh, wow. And it was by a car no not near death.

Speaker 1: 5:24

Going to see a play, oh nice. Okay, those are much better at 50s than near death experiences.

Speaker 2: 5:30

So it brought me to tears. So my my coworker told me is like you should go see this play and it's called someone like you, and I was like okay, like I didn't really know what to think of it. But he was like everyone was in tears after and then I looked it up and it showed a picture of a plus size woman and then two straight, two straight sized people, a guy and a girl, and in my head I'm like, oh, he's recommending it because it's probably something like regarding plus size. He was like everyone in the audience was in tears. I was in tears standing ovation at the end of it, and so I found tickets and I asked Rams if he wanted to go. Didn't expect him to want to go.

Speaker 2: 6:07

And because my coworker said I was going to be in tears, I actually went in and I was tearing up even at the thing. But the play was as if they took a whole bunch of chapters out of my life and just put it on display right in front of me and I lost it. Like it was just. It was insane. So I'm going to I read this already in one of my tech talks, but I'm going to read the playwright's notes to you just so that you can hear it a little bit of what it's about.

Speaker 1: 6:43

Yeah, as soon as you said it, I was like I feel like I should look this up and read it at least.

Speaker 2: 6:47

Yeah, so the play was starring Pranit Akila, jasmine Chen and Stephanie Davis and I posted a very it was a three and a half minute video. I posted a tech talk and I shortened it into like 30 seconds for a story on Instagram and then I tagged them all and he reposted it and I was like, ah, you guys need to know like how much that you guys just affected my life. So the playwright is Christine Quintana and it's called someone. So someone like you is a love letter. To the Romantics, the cynics and the lonely, to the ones who never got asked to slow dance and pretended they didn't care. To the ones who were, but to the ones that were the butt of the jokes everyone else found funny. To the ones who love a city that doesn't always love them back, to the girlies who cry at brunch and the girlies who mop them up and refill the coffee. To the men who bear their solitude and silence. To the, to those recovering from the skeletal, skeletal beauty ideals of the world we grew up in and the ones rewriting the script to the late nights under Vancouver skies, to the life affirming friendships and imperfect love, to laughing in the face of everything that hurts. And we have filled this production with love, because the world needs stories that make us laugh, that make us draw closer to the people in our lives and that reflect back a world where we two are loved. So grab a drink, snuggle up to your partner or your bestie or the stranger beside you, and then it says maybe introduce yourself first and enjoy the show. This is a love letter to you, christine Quintana, and seriously I'm not like to the point that the guy of the play oh gosh, you know what? If you are going to go watch this, just ignore the next two minutes, like I won't give too much away but it will give some other way.

Speaker 2: 8:48

But like the guy in it, he's not from here, he's from Alberta or something and it's based in Vancouver. It's based in East Van and he moved here during COVID and it's about being very lonely and he's on a dating app and the plus size girl, her best friend, is from a toxic relationship. She's pushing her to get on or she wants to be on dating apps and that person's helping her. So the plus size person is pretty much supporting her, writing the messages to this person like really helping her out. Well, what she thinks is helping her out and just the whole thing. Like they end up the.

Speaker 2: 9:30

It's a very interesting story where, like the plus size Isabelle is her name ends up going out on these dates with him instead of the other girl, just because the other girl was too nervous, but it wasn't like he didn't think he was getting catch, right, yeah, so then he wanted to be friends with her because he was lonely. Anyway, the whole thing just reminded me of Rams and I, because he moved here just before COVID hit and he didn't know anyone, but like we were already in a relationship, so that definitely helped anyway.

Speaker 2: 10:01

It was just about like how her as a plus size woman, she put everyone else before her and like doesn't think about her or wants to put herself out there for these relationships. And like even the flashback stories to her, like getting burned in like high school, like at a dance and stuff and it was just.

Speaker 2: 10:19

It just had a really big impact. It on me to where I was. Just like I'm going to stop not believing in myself. And it was like the play that did it, but also just the actress, stephanie Davis. Just how fucking hilarious she was, how confident and amazing she was as an actress and I was just like it may have.

Speaker 2: 10:40

It definitely had me flashing back to me, being like I want to be an actress and like me being told like I wasn't good enough. There's too many people out there that want to do this with, especially being plus size. Like don't do this. Like no one had faith in me. So then I had less faith in myself and then to see representation up there was just so fucking important. Like I'm almost 40, I'm sure this girl is like in her, I don't know, like late 20s, early 30s, and like I'm in, I'm just admiring her and like I'm looking up to her and it's just like, yeah, I'm gonna. I'm just gonna stop saying that I can't do things just because of my size and and and you know what I was already like that there's a lot of things I do do that others don't do do.

Speaker 1: 11:24

I know I was like this is the serious moment. Do not laugh, I could.

Speaker 2: 11:29

and then I am just. There is things that I have not done because of my size, and acting is one of them. I was in modeling and acting from when I was less than a year old until I was fired up 13 for being 20 pounds overweight or whatever it was. So it's just like anyway, the point is is I'm not going to not believe in myself anymore. I'm capable of so much and I'm capable of whatever anyone else is capable of. Yeah, that's the whole point of that. It was just life changing. If you, if you're listening to this it's only on if you're in Vancouver, it's only on until the 29th go watch it. If you can get tickets. It's the world premiere and says, if it is good, maybe it'll get picked up to go on tour. You never know. And if it does, go watch it. And then the soundtrack Rams and I were grooving because it was like they would flash back to the club at UBC and it would just be like that music from 2008 and stuff. Oh my God, it was just.

Speaker 2: 12:32

It was such like the fact that I was crying and then immediately laughing and yeah just my emotions were all over the place and I really should have brought napkins At the end, like I didn't want people to know I was crying, so I didn't want to put my hand in my face and when I finally did, it was just like a river had gone across my face and oh my God, funny. But then when you look back on it, you know why they asked. But I thought it was really cute. So Rams and I, as we were leaving, we grabbed hands as we were crossing the stage and we were exiting and this woman came up behind me and she's like you're not the one that wrote this, are you? And I'm like no, and she's like. I just, she's like, I just thought because you guys were holding hands and I just thought I'm like.

Speaker 2: 13:26

In the moment I was like, oh, that's so cute. But I was still in the moment of it's practically my story and I think it's funny that the playwrights name is Christine too. I actually thought she was coming up to me because she might have saw like my eyebrow video or something you know.

Speaker 2: 13:42

But then afterwards, when I was talking to Rams about it was like oh, she came up to us because I'm fat and you're brown, literally as soon as you were like she came up to me, I'm like, wow, what a bitch like just assuming the first fat person you see is the person who wrote the play and it was just because, also because of Rams being there, and I get it like and I and I just honestly, because in that moment of how I felt about it being about me, I really didn't take it as an insult and I don't think she was being insulting because she was just like that was funny, I just had to ask and I thought it was a cute interaction. Until I really thought about it, I still think it's cute.

Speaker 1: 14:26

So what was it called? And?

Speaker 2: 14:27

where is it playing? Someone like you? And it's playing down at the BMO theater, but it's called. It's like something alley, but the BMO theater, down on first.

Speaker 1: 14:42

That's been a good one.

Speaker 2: 14:43

It's so nice too, like wow, and I had a couple of glasses of wine. Maybe that's why I was crying even more, but that was also very weird for me to have drinks. I feel a little bit like crap today.

Speaker 1: 14:58

I know, actually Was that last night. Yeah, because you texted me earlier today and you're like I'm a little hungover. I'm like you're hungover. What were you doing?

Speaker 2: 15:10

Because also I'm not used to drinking so like two glasses of wine it was enough for me. And then this morning I was like Rams I want McDonald's. So bad.

Speaker 3: 15:19

So I ordered.

Speaker 2: 15:19

Instacart instead and just got like turkey bacon and stuff. And I'm really glad that I did that, like you did. It cost a bunch of money to order Instacart, yeah, but it was worth it Totally. Oh, and then lesson at Instacart. I am pissed. Actually I should read my emails. I order beef stew, the stewing, beef stuff, because I want to make a stroganoff and I just asked the guy like, oh, get like the biggest package that you can. It's labeled at $21 a kilogram and in my head it didn't click because I don't remember the cost in store and it said it would cost like 20 something dollars and I was like, yeah, that makes sense, like I remember seeing that. And then the package comes and I'm reading it because it said, oh, it went overweight because I did ask him to get the biggest one, so it was 23 something. The package comes and it says it's $12 and like six cents on it and I was like that is 100% markup. That is disgusting.

Speaker 2: 16:13

So and like I understand it being on like a can of soup or something and you raise it like upwards of anywhere up to a dollar or like a couple of dollars here and there. But to upmark something that I can actually see the price of the labels on it is audacity. So I messaged them and I said, like that's nuts 100% markup, like I understand 20, 30% even, but what the heck? And they did refund me and they said, sorry that this was incorrect. Here's a refund. But I sent them a message back going are you gonna correct this on the site? Because I am fully aware now that I have been charged in the past, which I'm not asking you for now because I just didn't notice it back then. But, like going forward, if I order this again, like are you gonna correct this? And I haven't heard a reply yet. So, no, probably not, but it's just like if I'm gonna, well, I'm also not gonna that's disgusting.

Speaker 2: 17:03

I'm not probably gonna use Instacart anymore, unless it's like literally an emergency and I need something now and I can't leave the house.

Speaker 1: 17:09

There's already. It just it pisses me off so much that it's like here's a service that we've made that is really going to help people out. It helps people with disabilities, it helps people who are just burnt out at the end of the day and can't do the grocery shopping. And that's just taking advantage of people, because everybody needs food, like you need food to survive and those who are deciding to do Instacart instead of getting takeout and you're trying to be the healthy way, but you're just burnt out and you can't go to the grocery store. Like that is. And the price of food is already ridiculous. We used to buy through Loblaws the PC brand mac and cheese. We used to buy it because it tasted good and it was cheaper than the brand Kraft Dinner. Now it's $3 a box since COVID. It used to be 99 cents a box before COVID and since COVID it has now gone up to $3 a box. Like people can barely afford to live right now.

Speaker 1: 18:07

And you have companies that are like Uber Eats. They do it. They put $5 extra on different foods, like whatever the company has to make their money somehow. I get that, but 100% markup that's disgusting.

Speaker 2: 18:22

Yep, it's like you know, doing even 20% on like popular items that go and stuff. Yeah, I understand that and that would cover cause I was an Instacart driver and honestly, a lot of most of the money comes from the tip and if people aren't tipping, when they combine the orders to make you do like two or three batches, so it's multiple customers and they have to pay the driver to even benefit them to go to the store, like cause that's their gas money and stuff and they are already undercutting them. So like if you made an order, it would come up paying me like $15 to do your shop and that's you already tipping me $10. So the other portion of it is them paying me five something.

Speaker 1: 19:05

And I'm just like, I'm just giving it I feel like that's not legal because they have to, shouldn't they meet minimum?

Speaker 2: 19:09

wage. It's not because you're an independent contractor, so it's your choice whether you take it or not, and how long you do it is like it depends on how long it takes you to do it. Someone could do that in under an hour, or someone normally, for them to make a living. They're not just Instacarting, they're Instacarting while door dashing, or door dashing while Ubering.

Speaker 2: 19:27

It's like it's crazy the way that they juggle these and they'll have multiple phones for it, but so doing that, you would be able to get all those fees by the fact that they pay seven. It costs like $75 or something like that for a year of Instacart Plus. They charge service fees anyway. When you do order, you are tipping and then you already have like all those massive markups. So a lot of that money is going to the big wigs and not even to the people that are doing the shops. And I get it. That's how a lot of businesses work.

Speaker 2: 20:02

But a business like Instacart that's benefiting on a resource that people need is insane to me, and I get it like a lot of the time. It's like, yeah, I'm capable of just going and doing my shopping myself, but if it was only people that couldn't leave their house like I don't it wouldn't be everywhere that it is, and then they would be charging even more insane prices. Like I feel like there's so many people using this. It shouldn't be that insane. I don't know. I totally agree. It's just corporate greed. In my opinion, it all is. It's just like-.

Speaker 1: 20:37

The world is.

Speaker 2: 20:39

Like the landlords going on the news right now and talking. This has nothing to do with their weight.

Speaker 1: 20:44

The landlords. This is fat girl therapy. It just means we're fat and we need therapy.

Speaker 2: 20:51

The landlords going on the news right now and saying, like what about us? I have a mortgage rate of this and that and I need the short term rentals because it's like their mortgage rate because of the interest increases they could be upwards of like $4,000 to $5,000 a month. So they need it to be short terms so that they make that money back. And now they're pissed off because they made in the market. They have like 10 properties and it's like that's your fault. You decided to make an investment in something that you think that was always gonna go up. In an investment, there's always gonna be a loser, and right now it's you, because you decided to invest in something that is something that everyone needs.

Speaker 1: 21:32

You have an entire generation that isn't able to buy a house because so many people decided to invest. So, personally, I don't, I don't think like.

Speaker 2: 21:42

So what it is now is what they're trying to do with. The regulation is to you can only have an Airbnb if it's your laneway home or if it's a room or a suite in your house. It can't be like an apartment that you're like using that no one else lives in. But they're trying to close all the loopholes and everything and I'm sure people are still gonna find a way and people are like, oh, it's gonna create them to go in the black market. I don't know who's going on the black market to get a rental unit Like the mafia.

Speaker 1: 22:16

They have like their own Airbnb service.

Speaker 2: 22:18

Yeah, but the problem is so they're implementing right now fines used to be $1,000 for a fine for an Airbnb violation. Now they've upped it to $3,000. Wow, but the regulations aren't gonna be put forth until going into next year, and next year is elections.

Speaker 1: 22:36

If I did an Airbnb, I don't think I would do it Like I wouldn't just have a random hotel room that I would have to hire somebody to clean, like you know what I mean. Like I wouldn't run it as just an extra place. Oh see, I would Really Cause I would run it as like a cute, like I would do the classic cutesy Airbnb, like old school.

Speaker 2: 22:57

Oh yeah, if that was sorry, if that was the choice I would.

Speaker 3: 23:01

I should have waited.

Speaker 1: 23:02

What were the other options?

Speaker 2: 23:03

No I just thought like that, you just wouldn't do that. I thought that was the whole thing Like you wouldn't do that oh, no, no, no, no.

Speaker 1: 23:08

I'm saying if I ran an Airbnb it would be like a cutesy, like thank Gilmore girls bed and breakfast. I would also like either classic bed and breakfast or run like one of the like you know how. There's some of them that are like hobbit houses or like stuff that's like themed. I could totally run like a haunted house.

Speaker 2: 23:30

Oh yeah, that'd be cool.

Speaker 1: 23:32

And then you could put like projectors up, like really gimmicky stuff like you'd see on Scooby-Doo, like people would totally do that. Spend a night in a haunted house that isn't actually haunted, but like just really play it up. People would do that, for sure.

Speaker 2: 23:47

My dream I don't know if I ever told you this dream of mine it is to own my own hostel and each room would be painted a different theme and I'd have a community garden in the back where, even like part of the community like so I'm guessing it would probably be small town I was always thinking like the island when I thought of this yeah, but it would have like a garden where, even like the community, could come and like be part of it. You know.

Speaker 3: 24:12

I just I love that kind.

Speaker 2: 24:13

I just, oh man, swear to God, if I ever won the lottery, a lot of people would never like you'd probably would, but a lot of people would never hear from me again, Cause I would just go off grid.

Speaker 3: 24:23

I really would.

Speaker 2: 24:24

I don't blame you Don't bug me anymore. I don't want a human. There is this guy I just started following on TikTok who is off grid, tiny housing.

Speaker 3: 24:33

And he has built everything himself.

Speaker 2: 24:35

He collects rainwater and uses that and he has this whole setup where he works from home.

Speaker 1: 24:40

This is what I do often on Sims.

Speaker 2: 24:43

He just he has this whole streaming setup and everything. And also I want to make a streaming setup. He had those cool like square lights, like can you? I need to ask Ken where he got those. But yeah, I just I'm just totally in admiration of this person. I wish I could do that. I want also, if I didn't do, a hostel, I'd want a little like commune type thing.

Speaker 1: 25:06

That's what I've always said.

Speaker 2: 25:07

I just have a bunch of tiny homes and then like a community home in the middle.

Speaker 1: 25:10

Yep, that's what I've always said too. Brandon's always like if we win the lottery, I want a big house. And I'm like, if we win the lottery, we're going to get a force, because I want a tiny house.

Speaker 2: 25:18

If I win the lottery and I build a commune, will you move out here?

Speaker 1: 25:24

You can bring your parents. I'd have to talk to my boss, but probably they're pretty, they're. We're like all over Canada as it is, so I feel like I'd probably be okay, but plus, like Brandon's, like a cabinet maker, so like he definitely got out there. No problem.

Speaker 2: 25:40

Well, all like well, you don't even cause. What do you mean, your boss? I won the lottery.

Speaker 1: 25:45

How much do you think the lottery is, bro? Money goes fast, especially if you're buying a big plot of land.

Speaker 2: 25:52

Investing A big plot of land wouldn't cost that much if you're going into the interior. I'm not talking about living still in Vancouver. I'm talking about going to the interior. We're even on the island Ooh the island would be fun you could buy a big plot of land for like a couple million.

Speaker 1: 26:05

I'm talking like I'm winning like a 50 million thing here and then we have to buy all the houses and then we have to upkeep it.

Speaker 2: 26:13

Invest. I think you don't know how much $50 million is.

Speaker 1: 26:16

I don't think you know how much.

Speaker 2: 26:19

I'm not buying a hotel in New York city, oh my God, logan would make everybody go vegetarian. No, can you try?

Speaker 1: 26:34

Actually, you know what Logan is not one of those like he's not like one of those like vegetarians or vegans that like push it on you, it's just like, this is my choice, but at least respect my choice kind of. Thing which we all do.

Speaker 2: 26:49

To be honest, it's like I've actually I've noticed that I'm going towards a little bit more. I can't even say vegetarian, I would say closer to pescatarian, because when I make, my salads. The topping is normally like chickpeas or shrimp with cottage cheese, and I have put chicken on it. Yeah, definitely, I've made like the chicken korma or something one I can't even remember. But I just noticed I'm eating a lot less meat and it's probably because of prices and stuff, but I just don't crave it as much as I used to.

Speaker 1: 27:21

No, I crave meat. I don't like bacon as much anymore, though.

Speaker 2: 27:24

ever since I was pregnant and couldn't eat it, I don't like it, I will crave a steak randomly, I do like that.

Speaker 1: 27:30

Oh yeah, steak is good shit.

Speaker 2: 27:31

I really honestly. There's so many great recipes for vegetarian or vegan dishes. I just reminded myself.

Speaker 1: 27:39

You know, what I love and I haven't made it in like two years because Brandon doesn't like it and it just makes too much is the spaghetti squash. I love spaghetti squash.

Speaker 2: 27:49

So, shreveen, you said that because I have a butternut squash sitting there and I'm gonna make butternut squash soup.

Speaker 1: 27:54

That sounds good. Make a TikTok, so I can see it.

Speaker 2: 27:58

Then I probably won't make it today.

Speaker 1: 28:01

I'm like ugh, I have been like soup mode activated. I've made twice now this loaded baked potato soup. Is this a diet soup? Absolutely not. It is like 100% fat, but it is, it's just like. So made it for the first time a while back because dad shared I don't know if it was a TikTok or a Facebook video or whatever, but it was just somebody showing it right.

Speaker 1: 28:26

And it uses those frozen, cubed hash browns that I would never consider to use, because in my head it's like hash browns are hash browns, like you cook them in a frying pan, you cook them with eggs, you cook them with other veggies, like hash browns are hash browns and that's all they are. But then I saw this recipe and you dump the bag into the crock pot along with these other things to make loaded potato soup instead of cutting up potatoes, and I'm like holy shit, hash browns are just, they're so revolutionary. So this entire recipe is just a bag of hash browns, frozen hash browns, just a regular two pounds slash one kilogram of the hash browns and then two cans of cream of chicken, one box thing of chicken broth and then one packet of ranch seasoning and bacon bits and half a packet of cheese and then one block of cream cheese, so it's literally like 90% fat, because afterwards you even top it with sour cream and more bacon and more cheese. But when I tell you it is a soup version of a loaded baked potato brah. It is so good. So we made it the first time because dad shared the video and we just wanted to give it a try. And then the second time mom wasn't feeling well and Brandon was just starting to get it cold. So I was like we need some comfort, like soup. So I made it again and it was just like so good.

Speaker 1: 29:55

Harper had two servings of it, and this is when she's in like her picky phase right now. Dad had two servings of it, and this is when he's in like his picky phase Mom ate a whole serving, I ate a whole. Like it's like plus there was leftovers the next day. Like it makes like 10 servings when you put it all into the crock pot. It's so good. Highly recommend trying it at least at some point, because like it's that cozy season Now you know what I mean Like you're not getting into 10s very much anymore of the degree Celsius because we're Canadian. It's like you get home, you don't really feel like doing much because it's darker outside now, so it feels later. But you're coming home to your crock pot, already made your dinner and it's just like it's a comfy, cozy, soupy, fall slash, early winter feeling. I highly recommend it. So, anyways that. Yeah, tell me how your soup goes, because I need more soups.

Speaker 2: 30:53

I know I'll make it and then, honestly, because I'm gonna like wing it as I go, because sometimes I'll switch it up and all of a sudden it'll become like a curry dish, so like, I'll just figure it out when I'm doing it. But I wanna make like a tomato and roasted red pepper one too. I love soup season.

Speaker 1: 31:09

It is the best, Me too, man tomato, a good tomato soup with grilled cheese, oh the best comfort food.

Speaker 2: 31:17

Like about a month ago, I was on a grilled cheesecake for like almost every day I was making them.

Speaker 1: 31:25

I have that with tuna melts sometimes.

Speaker 2: 31:28

I've had a tuna melt since I was younger.

Speaker 1: 31:31

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 31:32

I was just talking about them the other day actually.

Speaker 1: 31:34

I used to make them all the time, like through high school, like me and my friends, that was our go-to was tuna melts. I don't know why, looking back on it, it's so freaking weird, but it was our go-to.

Speaker 2: 31:51

I was gonna ask you what the goals that we had last week. I know that one of my goals was to go swimming on the Monday and I didn't. I just I actually have no excuse. I just decided not to do it.

Speaker 2: 32:06

And it's so funny every time that something comes up in my life, james makes a video about it, but not about me, he just makes a video about it. And I'm like are you in my brain or something? Because get out, I didn't even make a video about it. And he's just like you know, it's really easy to not go to the gym, it's really easy to get the takeout, it's really easy to do blah, blah, blah. And then it was like we're not, it's not about doing the easy things, you gotta do the hard things sometimes. And like you know what, james, how about you Just kidding? I was like yeah, no, I get it, but I wasn't doing very good at tracking.

Speaker 2: 32:43

I did track two of the days, but I was mindful of it. I was actually, since I wasn't physically tracking, I was tracking in my head, because I feel like I've become so used to doing that that I'm adding up the calories and knowing how much is my daily limit Not limit, but my daily goal, I guess. Yeah, because there's no limit, it can go over, and it has. Oh sorry, I'm just burping a lot. I have actually quite a big calorie deficit that even if I know, if I go over I'm still in a deficit, but then of course I'm not in as much of a deficit as it would anyway. This is just. I mean just said the word deficit.

Speaker 1: 33:25

I, I'm just a new track.

Speaker 1: 33:28

I started to. I think I got a day and a half and then it was just like I don't wanna do this. You know what I mean? My brain is like you feel like you need to do this, but you don't want to do this Like you're really before, like two months ago, I wanted to do this. You know what I mean. It was in my head of, yep, let's do this. I was motivated, it was something that I wanted, and right now my body is just like you don't want this right now. Like we know you need it, but it's not something you want right now, and I just let it vibe.

Speaker 1: 34:04

To be honest If I'm being completely honest with everybody, that's, I've noted a few times on the podcast over the last few episodes that it's like I've just had so much shit going on that it's like I really just don't care right now and I don't really want to care right now. And then my brain feels guilty because it's like you should care, but right now it's like why. You know what I mean and I know why and I know how far I've already come and blah, blah, blah. I already know all that. But if your brain is not in it, then what's the point in trying to push it. You know what I mean. Like just take the time to not be in it. Take the time that you need to do what you need to do. And I know I already know after my next time of the month or whatever it's going to be like something's going to snap and I'll be like, yep, I'm into it. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1: 34:55

Like last hell, this time last year I wasn't into it. You know what I mean? November I was like, yeah, I'm gonna try and lose weight. And then I wasn't there. But come January 1st and I went hard up until the end of August when I returned to work. So I had eight months of going hard and doing really well and I think this year alone I had lost just over 50 pounds I think I'm trying to remember, but overall I got to 95 pounds lost and.

Speaker 1: 35:27

But then things went back to old habits and I know I've gained 10 pounds since then. I think I was at the 319 was the highest I saw last week. But my brain was just like it's just too much pressure, like just leave it for now. So that's where I'm at. To be completely honest, I'm not going to make a goal for this week, because I don't want to. I don't want to try and push it and make it feel like this is something I need to do when you're failing and blah, blah, blah blah. I just want to vibe and get through the next couple of weeks and go from there.

Speaker 2: 36:08

On that note, I want you to just open up your TikTok right now and watch the video I just sent you, that James sent. Because I got his permission, I'm going to plug it into the to the podcast here. I just think it's important for everyone to listen to and it's something that we should all probably listen to.

Speaker 3: 36:25

So, that'll be. I'm going to.

Speaker 2: 36:26

Now.

Speaker 3: 36:28

Please stop with the narrative that's showing up for yourself as a waste of time just because you're not getting the exact results you wanted. As long as you keep tying these major expectations to your actions, you're going to be left feeling discouraged every time. Stop ignoring the fact that you feel better, that you move better, maybe you're not hung over all the time anymore, maybe you don't fall into food comas anymore, the aches and pains are getting less noticeable, you're less tired, less drowsy. These are all life changing results that happen from being a healthy individual that you're just not noticing because of how big your thigh gap is or your love handles or your lower belly. So no wonder why you keep giving up, because that sounds like torture.

Speaker 3: 37:12

I wouldn't want to keep doing that either. Am I thrilled with everything on my body? No, but I also love a lot about my body. I love a lot about me and the actions that I do on a daily basis and how I feel, and that's what keeps me going. And as long as I keep going and I keep being consistent, my overall aesthetics and my quality of life is going to continue to improve. That's how this works. There's no end goal. You're going to do this for life, so you might as well make it enjoyable. You've probably tried every diet and work out under the sun, besides actually trying to enjoy your life. I really hope this resonates with some of you, because I know how it feels and I'm letting you know that you can have quality of life and health as well.

Speaker 2: 37:56

So, yeah, the reason why I just think that it's all about health is it's also a lot of the time we're like, oh, you know, because like we want to, with the weekly weigh ins and stuff, or like we're focused on that, but we're not thinking about, like for me personally, like hey, my knee pain is gone right now or something. It's not because I'm losing weight, but I am doing things to help me live a healthier life and go into things like physio and even massage therapy. That is helping me to taking care of my body and doing the things I need and I'm able to move my body a bit different. I'm putting good things into my body and and also feeding myself the things that are the sometimes food or whatever, because that helps feed my brain. You know, like it helps me and I just think it's important to like focus on all the things how we feel and all that. So I just thought it was a really good message and I was like James let me put this in.

Speaker 1: 38:50

Yeah, I totally agree.

Speaker 2: 38:52

For those of you that don't know, that is. That's James Coppola. He is on TikTok at J underscore Coppola underscore fit coach. Him and his wife are a team and they're amazing.

Speaker 2: 39:06

And we've had James on here a couple of times. If you look back into the history, you can see, I think, a couple of times, hasn't it Twice? Yeah, yeah, and if I'm sure that he would definitely be interested, it would probably come by the new year, since this year is wrapping up real quick. But if you guys wanted to have James on again or to have him answer any questions that any of you might have, let us know, because, uh, honestly, he's probably one of the only online fitness coaches that I will always make sure to stop and watch the video of.

Speaker 2: 39:36

Yeah, he's so amazing to say yeah, so positive and doesn't put you down. And you know some things that some of us go like. Oh, we don't like it when fitness coaches say that he just he doesn't, and even if he might have that thought he will push you in like a different direction or approach it from a different way or whatever, and it's just I don't know. It's I never feel judged by the guy.

Speaker 1: 39:59

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 40:01

Yeah, anyway, I just think that that was a thing to leave off on. Do you have any thoughts about it, or?

Speaker 1: 40:07

No, no, you summed it up pretty good, yeah.

Speaker 2: 40:11

Sorry, I feel like our mood just went wrong.

Speaker 1: 40:15

No, I just my brain started thinking of like, because I started like what you were saying when he said before. Then we watched that video and my brain is like, are you making excuses? And honestly, it's like I know I've let the takeout and the ease of takeout and food addiction and everything take over and it's like I know that my next step really has nothing to do with weight loss and it's coming to terms with that of its financially getting back on track and making food at home. And I know and it's not going to be the like the potato soup that I just told you about that would probably be something that I'm going to have often.

Speaker 1: 40:55

It's not low in calories. I think it's anywhere between 400 to 600 calories per bowl. Like, I already know that I think it's 600 calories per bowl, but it's not a matter of just tracking right now, as much as it is just getting on a track. And it's like if I'm trying to focus on weight loss and dealing with how to handle food, it's just not. It's too much. It's too much at once.

Speaker 2: 41:21

It's too much on their food. Weight loss just might come with that.

Speaker 1: 41:25

Oh yeah, for sure I'm not. But that's what I mean I'm not going to focus on. I'm not going to eat the potato soup and then step on the scale and then be upset. You know what I mean. I'm going to not focus on the scale right now. I think it's almost November, it's October 22nd. I think I need to focus on the making foods at home part for the next two months and then January 1st comes and then focus on weight loss again. I think that's what my ideal Plan needs to be.

Speaker 2: 42:02

I think, like it's just like because he was talking about, you know, having these major expectations, and I just feel like it's you know. The takeaway that I personally had was just to like I guess as soon as.

Speaker 1: 42:20

I set expectations. My brain went oh yeah, that's what we were talking about. The one that I thought I got stood out the most is where he's talking about like you're thinking about your thigh gap, like you're not seeing success in other places because you're focusing on this one spot and it's like you need to look at the overall picture of things, not just this one thing.

Speaker 1: 42:39

But I know as soon as we start talking about food and we talk about habits and everything, my brain does go to weight loss and that's why I'm saying I'm not focusing on weight loss right now. I can't focus on weight loss right now. There's other things that I have to focus on and, even though weight loss could be a side effect of focusing on that other thing, this is the other thing that I need to focus on because it's the top priority, because financially end for my health. You know what I mean?

Speaker 2: 43:06

Yeah, it's just like when he's talking about, like tying the expectations. Gosh, you know what? I just have to look at the video again because I need to say what he said. You know, as long as you're tying these major expectations to your actions, you're gonna be left feeling discouraged every time, you know, and that you have to focus on, like that, you feel better in other ways.

Speaker 2: 43:30

So it's like I feel just sometimes like we have this expectation that like we're doing these things and that we're going to see the result on scale, and then we don't, and then it kind of puts us in that bad mood again and it's like, but I am doing all these right things, but we're not looking up the fact that, well, you stuck within your calorie deficit and didn't get takeout all week, or you got takeout only once a week, and we're not putting our focus on the moments like that, because we think that other things should come along with that and that that one thing, that thing that we're doing, isn't good enough. You know it's like, but it is like. Maybe, maybe, like you know and I don't think that this is factual, I'm just saying stuff Maybe we'll be this wait for our entire freaking lives and we could just eat salad every day, and I'm not saying that that is what's going to happen. I don't want anyone that is a troll maybe listening to this and listening back to that. I'm just.

Speaker 1: 44:24

I don't think trolls listen to us, but Could you imagine how much hate do you have to be as a person to?

Speaker 2: 44:32

listen to this.

Speaker 1: 44:33

And the whole time. They're like writing down remarks that they want to leave to us later.

Speaker 3: 44:37

They're like there's such cows they have like a whole notebook for like every episode.

Speaker 1: 44:44

My God, there is such dedication. I was just going to say dedicated. I'd call you a fan at that point. We'll autograph your notebook if you want.

Speaker 2: 44:53

Oh man, I just think that we have to focus really on the small stuff. You know when me and you back in, like, I think, 2021 got really excited when we could cross our legs again and stuff you know, like those, little scale victories have to be a little focused again and I don't know like. I think maybe we should try and say something positive that happened in this last week. We haven't done something like that in over a year. Oh man, and I know it's gonna be hard, because it's been probably just crazy.

Speaker 1: 45:22

It's been insane. You know what, though, chris this morning was like okay, so we have a guest coming on soon and we were arranging when they were going to come and Chris replied to them and was like, yeah, let's do this day. Lisa will let you know the time. But I went back and saw Chris said yeah, let's do this day. So my head went, okay, cool, chris arranged it, we're good. And I stopped reading the email. And then Chris sends me a text and she's like hey, you never told her the time.

Speaker 1: 45:50

And I literally saw that message and I'm like you arranged it. I'm like I thought I went back to the email. I'm like, oh, and then I called her out on it and she was just like well, that teaches you to not read through the entire, or to read through the entire email. And literally in my head I was like bitch, I read 200 emails a day, five days a week, over a thousand emails during the week, and you want me to read an entire email that I thought you had handled? Like what? So that I just sent a gift?

Speaker 2: 46:19

like no, no, no, no, she did. She's like I read 200 emails a day and my response was do you really?

Speaker 1: 46:28

Yeah, literally I was like I am not reading these emails during the week because I have to do this all week. I don't remember why I had to vent about this.

Speaker 2: 46:38

Because in my head I actually thought you had done it, because Lisa had sent me a message the day before saying thank you for replying to that emails. In my head I'm like oh, she read the email. She has to respond.

Speaker 1: 46:49

Now, because most usually at work people are like, hey, I just sent this email, can you action this? Or they tag you in the email, so I just assumed you took care of it. And then you're like do you actually read your emails?

Speaker 3: 47:01

I'm like listen you didn't know email etiquette.

Speaker 2: 47:03

That is not on, yeah, Any time that we have to organize in time, I have to leave it to you. You're a mom. So in the time is all about when you're available. That's fair.

Speaker 1: 47:14

Anyways, we've been arguing about time and emails for five minutes but a positive thing. I mean like Harper just got sick so that she's just coughing all night, the poor girl. Positive, positive, positive, positive positive. I mean it's not like I had a shitty week, you know what I mean, it's just been so busy. Brandon got me the new Pikmin Gang, Pikmin 4. So I played that last night. It was a lot of fun and yeah, so that was a good night. How's that?

Speaker 2: 47:59

Positive for me, honestly, is like just finding new things I like to eat, and that salad that I was talking about that I made online with when your dad was on there was so good and it was just some chopped up veg that I like with.

Speaker 3: 48:12

And what?

Speaker 2: 48:13

it tasted like was what would be inside of a sushi roll, because you know it was like cucumber. I mean there was tomato in there, but like the cucumber and like the imitation crab meat and then with the spicy mayo and then the sesame seeds, it just very much like I should have sprinkled some seaweed on it, because I do have that. But yeah, I just, I think that's a positive thing is just experimenting with food and finding new things that I like that are nutritious for me.

Speaker 1: 48:40

I wish we lived closer so that we could like meal prep together.

Speaker 2: 48:44

Seriously, that'd be so awesome. Like I said, let's start playing the lottery.

Speaker 1: 48:49

Yeah, that's not a money waste.

Speaker 2: 48:51

I moved to Ontario. I would you know you don't have to move out here. I should go to Ontario. Everybody said it. She's moving to Ontario, if I don't have to work in Ontario y'all are there Valid?

Speaker 1: 49:00

valid, all right, yeah, this was fun.

Speaker 2: 49:06

This was good. I'm glad we were able to make the time. Oh, James's video is still playing. Well, you're getting a lot of views, james, yeah, okay, until Thursday.

Speaker 1: 49:18

Yeah, bye.

Speaker 2: 49:20

Bye Yay.

Speaker 1: 49:22

Yay, Ha, ha, ha yay.