Life Unmastered
The Cheesecake Saga and The Battle for a Balanced Lifestyle
It's time to make a lifestyle change! Join us as we navigate the complexities of snacking habits and their impact on our health. Dotted with laughter and insights, we bring to you stories of transformation and the infamous cheesecake debacle that caused quite a stir!
We've battled the gym, braved the post-vacation fitness lull, and even ventured into creating a home gym on a shoestring budget. We share these tales, along with practical tips to purge your pantry, cut out waste, and embrace a healthier lifestyle.
But it's not all about fitness - eating healthy and doing it on a budget is a challenge in itself. We weigh in on the cost of convenience versus home cooked, the world of meal prepping, and the art of getting kids to eat veggies! And let's not forget those holiday seasons that throw a wrench in our wellness plans.
We're sharing our healthy eating struggles (and there's lots of them) so that you know you're not alone and so that you can keep us accountable - let's do this together!
Thanks for joining us for your weekly dose of confidently unqualified advice!
Let's keep the conversation going! Connect with us below!
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lifeunmasteredpodcast
Email: lifeunmasteredpodcast@gmail.com
Website: www.lifeunmasteredpodcast.com
It's time to make a lifestyle change! Join us as we navigate the complexities of snacking habits and their impact on our health. Dotted with laughter and insights, we bring to you stories of transformation and the infamous cheesecake debacle that caused quite a stir!
We've battled the gym, braved the post-vacation fitness lull, and even ventured into creating a home gym on a shoestring budget. We share these tales, along with practical tips to purge your pantry, cut out waste, and embrace a healthier lifestyle.
But it's not all about fitness - eating healthy and doing it on a budget is a challenge in itself. We weigh in on the cost of convenience versus home cooked, the world of meal prepping, and the art of getting kids to eat veggies! And let's not forget those holiday seasons that throw a wrench in our wellness plans.
We're sharing our healthy eating struggles (and there's lots of them) so that you know you're not alone and so that you can keep us accountable - let's do this together!
Thanks for joining us for your weekly dose of confidently unqualified advice!
Let's keep the conversation going! Connect with us below!
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lifeunmasteredpodcast
Email: lifeunmasteredpodcast@gmail.com
Website: www.lifeunmasteredpodcast.com
You don't even know how good you have it. Like I wish I could just cut out sweets for a week and go on a jog and just magically lose 10 pounds.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's a little harder than that.
Speaker 1:I mean, obviously I'm exaggerating a bit, but it really is so much easier for men to lose weight than it is for women.
Speaker 2:What you call easy, I call willpower. Oh gosh.
Speaker 1:So we're not going to move forward until we address your little willpower comment. Oh, you're not special, it's literally just science.
Speaker 2:Where are you getting this from?
Speaker 1:Science. Okay, women have plenty of willpower. It's just. We are different. You are built differently, your body metabolizes differently. Obviously, not all women and all men are exactly the same, but traditionally it is easier for men to lose weight than it is for women.
Speaker 2:So I would agree with you on this. It does seem that way because you weren't incredibly far off. It does seem like I cut out sweets for a week or something and then you're upset at me because I'm bragging about belt loops.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's incredibly annoying. So this week we're going to be talking about eating habits and lifestyle changes. Michael is actually in the process of making a lifestyle change, and we're all just kind of going to follow him along with it, so we thought this would be a good topic to talk about, since it's something we're literally in the middle of right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's one of those things that obviously we are not experts by any means and anything that we say here is just something that we have found in our own lives, in our own experiences. But I have been realizing that I myself am a snacker.
Speaker 1:You are the biggest snacker, and you've always been.
Speaker 2:Yes, I have always been. In fact, one of the first pieces of health advice I received, I was a young lad, maybe eight years old.
Speaker 1:A very young lad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a young whiffer snapper, and I distinctly remember I was eating flaming hot Cheetos for breakfast on my couch watching TV, and a woman who my grandpa had brought back from the bar the night before was absolutely disgusted that I would eat Cheetos for breakfast.
Speaker 1:So some random flusy was giving you health tips.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I'd consider them health tips now, but at the time she was just upset and telling me what I can and can't do, which was really weird, because one I never saw that lady again.
Speaker 1:Did you shout? You're not my mom.
Speaker 2:No, I didn't. I was just so sad. Who is this lady telling me what to do? And you just came home with somebody at a bar the night before, Like who are you to be handing out advice? And if you're going home with guys that look like my grandpa, you're probably not the healthiest person to begin with.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm happy to say that I have never witnessed you eating Cheetos for breakfast, so you've come a long way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, already by myself. I'm growing up.
Speaker 1:But I will say that I have picked up terrible snacking habits from you. I blame this fully on you, although we were much worse in our dating days than we are now that we have been married with kids or older.
Speaker 2:Well, there was more time for snacking back then, but that is fair. I mean, I think when we were dating. If you were to describe my perfect weekend, it involved movies, video games and like $100 store runs to buy like pork rinds, ice cream, cheetos, and it would just we'd go through that like that Saturday.
Speaker 1:Do you remember when we went to the store and but ourselves just the two of us a giant cheesecake?
Speaker 2:Yes, I do remember this. This is the moment that almost broke our relationship. I.
Speaker 1:Still don't understand why I think it's such a big deal. So we got a, we got a cheesecake and it was like six different flavors flavors, but they're all like chocolate based yeah so we got home and I'm like stoked about this and I all already didn't think that you were like Wanting this you just kind of like got it because I wanted it.
Speaker 1:Yeah so I was like this is my cheesecake and you're gonna like have some with me, so I don't feel bad about it. So we got home and I take the lid off and I grab a fork and I just take a bite right out of the middle because I wanted to taste all six flavors at the same time.
Speaker 2:This is who I'm married to, this ridiculous Person who just decided that she tasted every piece of the cheesecake at once. So any piece you now get to eat already has a bite mark out of it.
Speaker 1:I mean, you're gonna put bite marks in it when you go to eat it anyway, it's not the same. I, just I. So Michael comes into the kitchen after this and he is mortified. Yeah, he, he's beside himself. He can't believe it. And still to this day, I'm like why is this such a big deal?
Speaker 2:But most people that we tell agree with me that it's a big deal.
Speaker 1:I feel like it's 50 50, so we're definitely gonna have to have you guys. Let us know who is like right here. Not that there's a right and wrong but there's a right and the wrong, but we want to know we do want to know would you take a bite out of the center of the cheesecake, or is that just like Not okay?
Speaker 2:I'm surprised this didn't make it into the argument episode, because I forgot about this. We'll have to talk about this later.
Speaker 1:It still makes you upset.
Speaker 2:I'm so upset right now.
Speaker 1:So anyway, that just like goes to show we we would just go to the store randomly and buy a cheesecake for no reason. Yeah in addition to like cookies and jerky and candy and man we had spent so much money like Sam's Club runs. Those are dangerous.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do not go there hungry.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Sam's Club has the best Snack aisle any candy that you grew up like eating. They have buckets and buckets of them, and I would buy everything there, except my teeth are literally falling out at this point like I can't eat it anymore, and so, because of the cost of dentists, I cannot eat candy anymore.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that doesn't really stop you.
Speaker 2:I just doesn't. It's so good.
Speaker 1:So for Father's Day I had gotten Michael this like assortment of candy, and I did not know that he was about to start this 40 day fast. Yes, I'm cutting out candy. So I handed to him. To what it was? It two days before you were gonna start. Yeah and so he made it his mission to finish it within the two days. But you did it, so we you pushed your starting day back a little bit. He wasn't gonna pass up on this thing a candy.
Speaker 2:Do you know they started putting nerds candies and like little Gooey bunches.
Speaker 1:I did, I got you those and they are amazing.
Speaker 2:So good, so good.
Speaker 1:They are yeah, oh gosh, there's so many bad ways to treat yourself so, anyway, you started your lifestyle change Because You're just like we're getting older, you're not feeling good, you're starting to feel really tired. Mm-hmm in the mornings, no matter how much sleep you get, you're just, you don't have the energy levels that you are wanting to have, especially that you need with the kids and work and all that stuff. And so, besides those things like what's making this be like, okay, this is it. I'm gonna make this lifestyle change.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, for me, it it goes back, obviously, to when I was a kid. But I realized that, like, as you grow up, you understand certain habits and things that you do. There's a reason for it, right? Like my parents were the same way, where they were snackers. My mom was a huge snacker, like, so I picked that up from them and Our kids were. They're the same way. And without, even even though, like, usually my snacking is like late, late night snacking, like they're already in bed, which is the weird part but you can see, like, oh, my kids are gonna struggle with this too, because their favorite foods are like All the classic little kid foods, but they wouldn't eat anything else. It was like I'm only gonna eat pizza, I'm only gonna eat mac and cheese or chicken nuggets or chips or cookies or this. And you start realizing like, wow, I'm not setting the great example for them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I mean our kids are healthy and they do eat Fruit and stuff. Now like a vegetable carter is better than than Jace but, they see this stuff in the pantry, even though it's not being eaten in front of them and we will catch them being bored or whatever, and they're like I want a snack, yep. And it's like you're not actually hungry, but it's like I'm hungry. I'm hungry and really it is. It's just like I'm looking for something to do. Let me snack. It's like like it's built into them almost.
Speaker 2:I do that all the time.
Speaker 1:Yeah and we'll. We'll see them just standing and browsing the pantry.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like as if they're just opening the fridge or whatever, like hmm, what do we have to eat here? Yeah, you're not supposed to do that yet You're six.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and so, like we need to. We need to figure this out because if we keep this up, our kids are just gonna do the same thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think a big red flag for me personally was I remember being at a birthday party with the kids and there were fruits and vegetables there, which is fine, but all of the other kids like ran to the vegetables and were eating them.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's, let's be real her. I think that the parents gave them vegetables doesn't matter, but they ate them willing.
Speaker 2:They didn't have to wrap them in candy, so like it was definitely like whereas with if we tried to give that our kids at the time, like a celery stick or something, you think we were coming at him with a crucifix it was just like they were gonna run and they did not care.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they're like what is this orange thing? Yeah, so, for you know various reasons. We want to make this change, and Michael Definitely got us kicked off, but the very first thing that you cut out.
Speaker 2:Was was beer. Yes, well, alcohol.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:Cuz. I tried that once. To cut out beer and just switch to whiskey only Doesn't work as great as you guys would think, like you naturally think it's like oh, it's great, I can drink less, less calories, but whiskey's, uh, that's. That's a feisty mistress.
Speaker 1:Well, especially the way that you drink it. You usually don't drink less.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it just hurts more.
Speaker 1:So he started his like 40-day Thing and you're just gonna keep going on because it's working for you. Yeah, very much so and now you're in the middle of no candy, no pastries.
Speaker 2:Just candy and pastries?
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah so I kind of like this what you're doing, cutting out one thing at a time. Yeah and getting a hang of that and not just going cold turkey on everything.
Speaker 2:Sure.
Speaker 1:I think this is gonna work really well.
Speaker 2:It seems to be like stacking on itself, like that's, it's fun because you do one, and then all of a sudden it's like, well, what if I just sprinkle this in and it doesn't seems like such a mountain, it's, you're already doing something and I think it gives it less Diet vibes and more lifestyle vibes.
Speaker 1:So it's gonna be. It's gonna take longer, but that's okay because this is gonna be a long-term thing. Yeah, hopefully.
Speaker 2:Yeah and, honestly, energy levels are key and it's just Already. It seems like I'm able to get up earlier, I'm able to do more activities late into the night, where it's like either working on the podcast or what have you and or read like I'm not just falling asleep already in a book at like eight o'clock at night. So yeah, I am, I am seeing benefits.
Speaker 1:So do you think that the fact that your mom semi-recently Developed diabetes is impacting this decision?
Speaker 2:Definitely. I mean, I'm Obviously we're all very aware of our parents and health issues and stuff like that, but something very similar Happen with when my grandpa years ago I used to smoke and my grandpa got diagnosed with cancer and I stopped smoking like a week later. So this was a little bit delayed because I think my mom was at diabetes for a couple years now. But the thoughts been there. Like it, if I'm sitting there watching TV or movies and just snacking and going from like oh, I just finished a bag of pork rinds, I'm gonna go top off with a whole thing of ice cream like in the middle of it, I'm very much aware of like what, what are you doing to yourself?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'll like without fail. Every time you're done, You're like why did I just do this? I feel awful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, no, it's so bad and like, and then you down it with a coke, like. Why are you doing this to yourself?
Speaker 1:You're just like trying to get diabetes, yeah it really is just you it's.
Speaker 2:It's not good.
Speaker 1:I will say I keep myself pretty busy in the evenings now, fortunately, or else I would have probably been right next to you doing all these things because I used to and I think that has helped me. Like, having my hands busy and being preoccupied with things keeps me from that boredom which then Goes into the snacking.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:Yep. So maybe you should stop playing video games. Like maybe video games bore you and you just don't realize it.
Speaker 2:There's a good chance. That's a thing. Yes, you might be correct and that's a different episode, I think, but we have talked about that too, of like I Kind of need to start doing some more adult things, so yeah, so what are we gonna be doing to?
Speaker 1:we talked a little bit about her already, but what are the big things that we're gonna be doing to make these Changes?
Speaker 2:well, I think, obviously cutting out the food and little by little, but also it food all together.
Speaker 1:We're just gonna stop eating oh yes, no, some foods are good.
Speaker 2:You can still eat some. But cutting out candy, cutting out pastries. Obviously the alcohol is a big one, but from there the next step would be working out. Yeah so it's not so much as we're taking the food thing and starting there, but I really want to get involved in some more physical activities.
Speaker 1:So a year ago we signed up for a gym membership.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:At this place down the street from us. It's this really big gym. They had child care there and I think and like pools and all this thing. There's like a. It was like a Hangout place. They had a cafe and everything.
Speaker 2:It reminds me of like I don't know oh, I'm not gonna date me but when I was little and I'd watch sitcoms, gyms were still fresh then, so it's like early 90s. I don't think they were as popular and they would always call them like the health club. So like that's. What that reminds me of is that it's like a health club.
Speaker 1:That's funny, but it was like it really was like a club. They had all these different things and they had this program for the kids and I was drawn to it because With your membership you got too free not free, but you got two hours of child care.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So I could go and do my full workout and then sit in their cafe for an hour and read or do whatever I wanted to sit by the pool without the kids get a solid break. Yes, and so I'm like this is amazing and it was. It was, but I Mean and I was doing so good, and then we went on vacation and man vacation, just like you, go into vacation mode. Like I'm on vacation, all things go out the window.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna enjoy this, but there are no calories on vacation, yeah.
Speaker 1:When I come back, I'm getting right back into it, and that never happens.
Speaker 2:We talked about that, though. How hard it was gonna be. I think you were good to go after the vacation. We had in-laws stay with us like a couple weeks after coming back from vacation and that was it. It was like that was too long about the period.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it was a Couple things. Also at Villa, they changed the hours for child care which totally threw off my whole routine. But speaking of routine, I think that when it comes to working out and even you know eating and meal prepping and all that stuff having routine is so key, because what is it that you call it? You're like greens, your green zone, your green zone.
Speaker 2:That is not my thing. I watch a lot of. So now that I'm on this kick, I watch a lot of like YouTube videos about like bettering yourself in more than one way. It's like more than just like physically or eddy-wise or anything else, and I I'm sorry I don't remember which video I saw this from, but they were talking about the green zone, which is basically like your best time of the day to be productive, and it for some people it'll be in the morning, other people will be in night, but for me it's definitely morning. I think you're more of a morning person for the green zone too, because we have kids. By the end of the day we're in all red.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's interesting I would agree with that that my green zone, whatever that Technically is is in the morning, but I'm a night owl. Yeah, yeah, that's so weird, isn't that weird I, but I think it's because, being a mom, I stay up way later than I need to be, because I have this time to myself at night. All my work is done. Our my chores are done, you know the house is cleaned up, whatever, and I can just sit and do whatever I want, and so I just like extend that, extend that, extend that.
Speaker 2:I get it. I get it. It's like a little vacation without tiny little hands touching you everywhere.
Speaker 1:Yes, exactly so. I think that's why I'm like a true night owl, but not productive in the evening morning.
Speaker 2:Shawna does not like it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I feel like it's hard for me. I feel like there's so much that I want to fit into that time in the morning and I just can't. There's too much like I have to get work done in the morning. I got to get the kids dropped off, all these things that need to be done, and there's just not enough time by the time I get all the things done that I actually have to do. I'm in this like I'm tired.
Speaker 1:Yeah and although I have time now in the afternoon, working out is the last thing I want to do.
Speaker 2:It doesn't help that it's 90 outside either.
Speaker 1:I mean right now.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, but what's?
Speaker 1:my excuse in the winter.
Speaker 2:Well, we're not there yet Just being honest let me defend you.
Speaker 1:But I think that when we can find this routine like last, like I was saying, last year we had such a solid routine Mm-hmm, it was perfect, and then the vacation and then the hour changes threw it off and that threw everything off. And I get that. You have to be able to be flexible because things aren't just gonna be, you know, cookie cutter all the time. But having a routine, I feel like for me, is key.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we've, and we've done this off and on, and I think we usually have like a six month period when we're like really like into it. We got this and then like a year and a half off or like the holidays hit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but like life happens, you know, that's the hard part. The last time I was really into this was right before Jace was born and I can remember a Like we had just got home from the hospital, I had not worked out in a week and a half or something like that, and you and Jace were at home and I'm like okay, well, I have some free time, he's asleep, I'm gonna go work out. And I Remember like lifting weights and like in mid set, putting them down and being like my newborn and son is at home. And I'm here like lifting dumbbells, like how dumb do I look right now? Just like, oh yeah, this is important, it's not, I mean it.
Speaker 2:Your health is important, but not at that point I could have gone for a jog for 20 minutes or something. I didn't need to be gone for two hours I. Guess yeah so you know what I quit because of you and the baby.
Speaker 1:Thank you, did I ask you to? Know, Okay, just trying to figure out how much blame I really have here.
Speaker 2:I mean, if anyone's to blame, we know it's me, we know the snacks are me. I will rant about how we spend too much money on food and then, like that's on Friday night, come home Sunday and be like get in the car, we're going to Costco. This is true.
Speaker 1:But I think that doing these like small changes, you're creating these new habits and I think that over time that will help that when we do hit those holidays and those like hiccups in a routine. Mm-hmm it'll be easy to kind of like fall back into them because it that's your normal.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think that's the idea behind. It is like If it's your habit and it's what you're doing, and then what's funny about it is your tastes and your wants Do change naturally right. So the more you do it, the easier it does get which we have actually experienced that recently.
Speaker 1:When it comes to me and my Alcohol preferences it's true which I'm not a drinker not at all but when I do, it's typically I gravitate towards something super sweet. Mm-hmm and now I want nothing to do with the sweet stuff, so I just now I don't know what to drink, so I'm just like, okay, yes, I'm not drinking.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're like I don't care. You're like you've graduated past sweet, but you haven't graduated into like Merlot, so you're like I don't care. Yeah, exactly Now, I just want to like hold the glass and look pretty. Yep.
Speaker 1:So we with the gym, you your next phase is gonna be the gym, but we canceled our membership because things got weird over there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's funny because we spend all this time like worried about our kids and who's watching them or like do we know them or what's happening in about? We were a couple months in de Villa before we really like sat down and thought about it and we're like wait a minute. We're always wondering where our kids are and like who's talking to them or what's going on. But we were totally comfortable just dropping them off with random strangers for two hours a day Because they were able to fill out a job application.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, I think what happened is that you know we spend all this extra money to send the kids to a private Christian school that teach them the same beliefs that we have. Mm-hmm and yet we and we, we pay attention to who, we know, what friends, we are watching our children as well, and then we just have, like these children, like other children, watching our children.
Speaker 1:Yeah like we have no idea what's being said. In two-hour chunk is a long time, every single day, sure? So we heard some things, some neighbors told us some things and we're just like, okay, we didn't do our full due diligence here. There's some great things here, but also this is not working. So we decided instead To create, like this, mini home gym. Yes and it got used for like.
Speaker 2:Two weeks.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, that was also a Costco Situation and Costco is smart. You guys you got to watch out for Like people who sell you stuff because they know it's. I think it was right after the first of the year, everybody has their resolutions.
Speaker 1:Everyone's got the workout. I'm not a resolution.
Speaker 2:How convenient gym equipment on sale on sale right here. What a good deal, yeah and I mean I will say, if you're gonna look into buying some equipment Costco, I think Sam's was pretty reasonable for what you got. Those were the places that seemed pretty cheap.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we looked at shields and dicks and stuff and they were so expensive.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like sporting good stores like they wanted, like $85 for some yoga mat or something.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was crazy.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm like I think I could. I think I saw this at TJ Maxx for like 10 bucks yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we looked, but I actually I think you did get it from.
Speaker 1:I did. I didn't stand in that line no.
Speaker 2:I won't stand in the line at TJ Maxx. You can't pay me to stand in that line.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you won't even go anymore if you hear that's where I'm going.
Speaker 2:No, it's terrible. I don't understand why there's always like 80 people in that line.
Speaker 1:You know what? It doesn't bother me, because they've got all kinds of stuff to look at. Can't do it in the line.
Speaker 2:Just the kids touch everything, everything. They they're touching all of those things and I can't move them away from it because we're in line.
Speaker 1:Oh see, it doesn't bother me.
Speaker 2:I know that's a mom skill.
Speaker 1:Okay, we're getting distracted here.
Speaker 2:Sorry.
Speaker 1:So we've got our home gym now, which has been so great for collecting dust over the last few months. But it's not a coat hanger, it's not we.
Speaker 2:We've we have not made it a coat hanger and I have used it. I tried to use it Up until this point, maybe twice a month. That's why my biceps are so big.
Speaker 1:I lifted weights one day. Yeah and look at these muscles.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I just did it for like ten minutes.
Speaker 1:But, but seriously, michael will lift weights for the first time in like six months. One time, what you'll do like two reps. He'll come into the kitchen with his like sleeve up, like you see these muscles, yeah, and I'm like, are you being serious right now. He's like, no, I'm serious, look at them.
Speaker 2:I I full on will turn my body to get through doors, like whether I I'm just like look how big I am.
Speaker 1:But you're also partly serious. Oh, I'm dead serious.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I, I do it for you baby. But like I really do think I'm that big after like two times, like if I work out twice in a week and I get to cross it off my calendar that that's what I had scheduled to do, I'm huge.
Speaker 1:Yes, I know you are. I am all bulk and you know it also huge, your massive head.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not the first time I've heard.
Speaker 1:So anyway, um wait, the kids love that we've got this home gym and they want to do it with us, which is great for them to be able to see us doing that, but also so hard to get through a workout if they're awake. Yeah, I thought oh, you're doing push-ups, let me sit on your back. See if you can do it with me on your back.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and usually I have like the dogs in there with me, which was fine when it was dewy because you so little, but when King sits on your chest and you're trying to do a sit-up, you're not getting up. So but yeah, I can. Even the kids like they'll stand at the window and just stare at me like almost with popcorn, just like you're working out dad.
Speaker 1:They're just motivating you that one looks heavy. But with me they try and do whatever I'm doing with me, and it's just so stinking cute.
Speaker 2:You can't focus I can't focus.
Speaker 1:I just like want to sit and watch them do it. Yeah this is better. I'm just gonna watch you do it cuz you're so cute. So, yes, we're gonna work on this, try and find a routine that works for us in our green zone, but in addition to that, we are also going to be purging foods.
Speaker 2:Oh, I can't wait for the purge. There's so many things in our pantry that don't need to be there. Yeah and I don't just mean because it's bad for us, I mean because it's been there and it now has things growing on it.
Speaker 1:That is not. That is not true.
Speaker 2:I threw away some limes the other day. We had lines in the pantry exactly Exactly two days ago, I threw away an entire bag of limes that I think I used two of them.
Speaker 1:I honestly didn't even know that those were in there.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, so I guess we do have some we got a purge. Yeah, so we're gonna the thing that we always come to when it comes to purging the pantry, because it's not gonna be the first time that We've done a purge. Yep is Do we eat everything? And then, when we're over it, then toss it, or do we just?
Speaker 2:Cut our losses yeah.
Speaker 1:Like I'm, you know how I am when it comes to waste.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, and you, you. When I purge the pantry, I want to purge everything because of space, or I don't want to eat it, or Whatever it is. I just want it clear. I hate the clutter, you See dollars. I do you just see like there's five bucks I didn't need, there's ten bucks that we wasted and so you can't do it.
Speaker 1:That's exact. That's exactly what happened.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:I'm just like oh wait, we would, we spent money on this but that's how we get here.
Speaker 2:That's why we need to purge Like we just got a. We got to stop ourselves before we get in the store.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we've gotten better with not shopping hungry.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's. That's definitely like rule number one now for us Is we always try to eat before we go to the store.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So in addition to the purging the gym, cutting out certain things, I we're also going to be doing a few things to kind of help when boredom calls.
Speaker 2:I've been doing chores like that has been my number one go-to thing.
Speaker 1:Which I think is great, but it also stresses me out. Why because I love that you're doing these things. But It'll be so random like you just get up and start cleaning something and I'm sitting on the couch and I feel like I have to get up and help you clean.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I know I get that, but in reality it's because I'm about to like eat a fistful of like starburst or something like I need to, like I'm gonna clean a bathroom, I'm gonna vacuum, I'm gonna do something and like, if you do it, or just distract yourself for like 10 to 20 minutes. This seems to be like one of the rules I learned on YouTube like if you Deny yourself temptation for like 10 to 20 minutes, it'll usually pass.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but you get on this like kick. You're like, okay, I clean the bathroom, but then you just like keep going and I'm like, can I? I just want to sit here and relax. And you're like you don't have to get up and I'm like, yes, I do. If you're cleaning, I have to get up and clean too. But I'm trying to get better at letting you just clean.
Speaker 2:You've gotten phenomenal. I think, Like I know how this is like sounding, but trust me, like I think you mastered that. Like day one of marriage, you are a much better Vacuumer than I am, I will say, because I don't know how to do the lines.
Speaker 1:I don't know how to get like that clean every time I vacuum the carpet, you're like, oh my gosh, how did you do?
Speaker 2:that I'm like. How did I?
Speaker 1:make straight line.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's amazing.
Speaker 1:I don't understand it and this is where I'm like okay, Are you just? Are you doing this so that I Think that you think I've got some magical power and you can't possibly vacuum because I do it better?
Speaker 2:You just did not marry a very smart man.
Speaker 1:But we're also gonna make it a group activity, so we're gonna be doing family walks. I'm taking King to the park with us and throwing the ball, hiking, exploring.
Speaker 2:I love hiking. It's so fun and it's nice that, like, the kids are getting to an age where they can actually do it. And I'm not terrified they're gonna fall off the ledge of all ledges.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and none of this is new. None of this is like some secret that we have. It's all just like normal Things that everybody Should and can do yeah, but it works. Right, well, yeah, we'll find that out.
Speaker 2:Well, it's working, we've made it. I think I'm on to day three of no candy, so it's working.
Speaker 1:It is only day three. It feels like it's been so long.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it does feel like forever.
Speaker 1:So I'm excited to be setting this new example for the kids. I think I honestly think this is gonna be hardest on the kids. Yeah and it's not that they're these like super unhealthy kids, like when you look at them they just look like fine. But we have Allowed some bad habits to creep in. I don't even know how this started, but, like Jace, every time he finishes a meal breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:He's like look, I ate on my food. Can I have a piece of candy? Actually, take that back. I know how this started. He wasn't eating anything at all.
Speaker 2:Remember so we bribed him with candy.
Speaker 1:We bribed him with candy.
Speaker 2:This just became a podcast about what terrible parents he does eat so much food now. Yeah like I don't understand. He turned six and you cannot feed him enough food.
Speaker 1:So maybe it was just a phase that we needed to get through, but instead we we gave him this horrible habit. Yeah, but we've gotten really good already about being like no, you can't have candy after.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I bring me up and I think that's a good point too Is we've struggled with this on and off and, like I said, I've been struggling with this since I was a little kid. But a lot of it really is like genetics and stuff, because it's like by no means are. If you were to look at any of us and say, oh, they're incredibly unhealthy or whatever it is, but it's just more of we don't want to build those habits and, like I don't want to be low on energy all the time. I don't want to be the way I was so much, and so I want that life abundantly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think that just life itself having a job and kids and you know all the things that come with Life- adulting, yeah, adulting. Just naturally makes you tired, and we don't need anything to add to that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think that you're right. That's what it is and I know it sounds silly like we just had some epiphany like you get more tired the older you get. So you have to like curb that, though, and give yourself some actual energy Reserves and like feed your body the appropriate fuel. Otherwise, your starting level in the morning is gonna be red zone.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly. So what do you think is going to be the hardest part about all of this?
Speaker 2:for us personally. Yeah a 40 or not a 40, but choosing to spend the money on healthy food.
Speaker 1:So healthy food is more expensive so much more expensive, but for you, who is our, you know Budgeter Michael? You guys wait till we get to an episode about finances.
Speaker 2:Oh, you will hear some things.
Speaker 1:But just a little sneak peek. He does our budget and he looks at it daily and he tracks things to the penny.
Speaker 2:I do.
Speaker 1:So I'll be like spending whatever, and he'll be like what was this charge for? You know 3612. I'm like Like I don't know whatever, like I'll tell him it and then he'll take it out of the budget, like to the penny, which I guess that's fine, like if we're balancing and everything, but it's like we're not a huge corporation that has to report to the government that we spend an extra 12 cents.
Speaker 2:It like safe way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but if anybody did come for our records, they would be incredibly impressed. They would so he's always trying to get it. You know, save money so we can put more into savings and pay off debt and all this stuff. So when it comes to grocery shopping, that's where it really he pushes for it the most because that's like the one.
Speaker 2:Like it's not a set bill, like we have an amount each week that I'm okay spending on groceries, but anything we don't. It's like a party.
Speaker 1:Yeah, cuz he gets really excited because that's that extra money that we can put towards.
Speaker 2:Everything else, whatever else yeah.
Speaker 1:So I'll, you know, be excited to show him the receipts when I know I had a good we hit our goal and I I never, ever do our grocery planning, trying to like stay under a budget. I just put what we need on the list and I go get it.
Speaker 2:Yep and hopefully for you, I stay into whatever budget you have on whatever you're doing is working so but we start throwing some like Major organic fruits and vegetables and stuff in there and we're gonna go over instantly.
Speaker 1:Is our? Are we going organic?
Speaker 2:I don't want to.
Speaker 1:I mean, I guess I just I never really pay attention to that, I just buy whatever looks the prettiest. I think we just buy whatever has the sale sign on it no not when it comes to fruits and vegetables. I just get whatever like looks Not run. Yeah and we don't buy fruit. We buy a lot from Costco, but we do not buy fruits and veggies. Costco will not have our endorsement on Perishables now well meets yes but it's yes, fruits and veggies, we get them home or baked goods. Yeah, or baked goods.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:We get them home and everything's got like mold on it in like a minute. Yep, I like didn't we just buy these? So, anyways, if you think about getting a Costco card, be aware of this. Yeah, but anyway, our bills for the grocery store are definitely going to increase if we're gonna be Eating healthier, because you can't just be making hamburger helper and Living a healthy life.
Speaker 2:The other thing you just can't be doing when you're eating healthy is the convenience factor. Like I feel like all healthy foods need to be prepped like you have to, like, cut up a watermelon, you have to cut a pineapple, you know you have to wash Great, so whatever it is.
Speaker 1:How many watermelons have we gotten that never end up getting cut?
Speaker 2:too many, too many. This is, watermelons are the plague of man's existence, because everybody has had a watermelon just rot on their counter. Because they looked at it and they were like I should really cut that. And you know what they did. Instead they opened a bag of chips.
Speaker 1:Every time I come home with a watermelon, michael's like why? Yes so are you actually gonna cut it this time, like yes, I will? No, anything with mangoes, the watermelon. I've actually gotten like I watched some like YouTube video or something and got it down on how To quickly cut a watermelon, but mangoes I can't. I hate cutting mangoes are so time-consuming.
Speaker 2:So I just refuse to buy them anymore.
Speaker 1:They're so delicious though but we have started this new thing already, where we come home from the grocery store and Immediately prep all of our fruits and veggies do it right away we Peel them, cut them, put them in containers, and it has been so great one. We are way cutting back on the amount of waste that we have so that we just throw away because it sat on the counter To all. Four of us are eating so many more fruits and veggies now. It's convenient now.
Speaker 1:It is convenient. Carter yesterday just pulled out a container of cucumbers and just like ate the whole thing. She ate something green, she I should it. I mean she's good all by herself, she, she is good. We, we shouldn't be proud. I mean, yes, good for reading them. Yes, but really, if we can get Jayce eat a vegetable, that would be the real look, look.
Speaker 2:All I'm saying is, if we can celebrate Jayce Getting past kindergarten and into first grade, then we should be able to celebrate Carter eating cucumbers.
Speaker 1:Oh, I'm not saying I'm not celebrating her like I'm proud of her for doing it. I'm just saying it's something that she has always done when?
Speaker 2:she's been a lot better than Jayce was. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Jayce has, I don't think I ever eaten a vegetable. He is so, so picky he is but anyway, having all of this food prepped has been great, and I want to continue to do that, but when it comes to prepping fruits and veggies, it's not that hard. It's a little time, but that's it. Prepping our meals, though, for lunch is, is like. I think we did it one time and it was great, but then you're like I don't want to spend my whole afternoon doing this.
Speaker 1:Yep on the weekend dinners. We've always I've always planned out our dinners, make sure that I have everything that we need from the grocery store and we know we're having ahead of time.
Speaker 2:So dinners Not to yeah, I'm not worried about that.
Speaker 1:It's those lunches, because right now you gravitate towards cup of noodles and Sandwiches and like half a bag of chips or whatever.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we both work from home, so it's kind of like whatever's in the cupboard is what we're gonna throw together real quick.
Speaker 1:I just don't eat well, that's one way to do it well, not really though, because it screws up like how your metabolism, whatever. But and it's not that I just, it's just like nothing sounds good or I'm busy or whatever, so I just don't. But then by the end of the day it's like this like weird spot where it's almost dinner, way too late for lunch, and then that's where I just start snacking, like try to fill my stomach with something. So if I have those prepped meals for lunch, you know, you're gonna have success will have success.
Speaker 1:So I told Michael we can prep these meals, but I'm already cooking dinners every night by myself. I'm not about to start meal prepping. I hate cooking dinner as it is. You do, so I'm not about to add this to my list. We can do it, but you have to do it with me.
Speaker 2:That's fine. I will make that commitment that I will be in the kitchen with you while we meal prep.
Speaker 1:No, no With me.
Speaker 2:Yes, I will be there with you.
Speaker 1:So the beginning of this year Michael said he wanted to cook more, like learn how to cook some things. Yeah so we're gonna learn how to cook some lunches together.
Speaker 2:That's fine.
Speaker 1:I mean we're halfway through the year we got to get on this. I think this year you've mastered two types of meats.
Speaker 2:Try, tip and steak and I cook them the same way and I don't know if that quite qualifies. Okay, it does. We have two different recipe cards for those, so it qualifies.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we're gonna, we're gonna add meal prepping and teach you all kinds of stuff then so let's recap this adventure, this lifestyle change adventure.
Speaker 2:I would say that the first thing we had to do was understand that old habits die hard indeed. The second thing honest assessment of where we're at we suck Yep. And the third thing would be how do you go about making the change group? Effort group effort and From there, hopefully by this time next year I really won't be able to fit through a doorway because my arms would be too big.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I just don't skip leg day.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, what am I gonna do about leg day I?
Speaker 1:Don't even know, just bench press. Wait, wait, you know, bench press your legs.
Speaker 2:Nope, you're doing it wrong.
Speaker 1:I am yeah, stop talking now.
Speaker 2:Good to see that gym membership was working out for us.
Speaker 1:I had a trainer too. I guess all that went out the window, but we did all of this today, putting this in this public.
Speaker 2:Domain yes, yeah.
Speaker 1:So now everybody knows what we're doing. It's out there and we have some Accountability.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so keep us accountable. We don't want to disappoint the people. That's right. They're watching and listening and they're gonna expect updates. Yeah, I'm sure of our failures.
Speaker 1:That's what they're gonna be waiting for I can't wait to see them eaten.
Speaker 2:Here comes Halloween, thanksgiving and Christmas. We'll see how this works out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we could not have picked a worse time, that's the best time.
Speaker 2:The worst time is the best time.
Speaker 1:See, people have it right why they start in January? Because all the holidays have passed.
Speaker 2:Well, you would think so, but that doesn't work for our family, because you have my birthday, our anniversary, your birthday, then you have Easter, then Jason's birthday.
Speaker 1:It's just keeps going, yet it does.
Speaker 2:It just keeps going. There's a holiday every month, so there is no good time. Today is the day.
Speaker 1:Today is the day.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Let's do it All right, I'm ready, let's go.
Speaker 1:All right. Well, let's see if we can do this. We'll keep you guys updated, but if you guys enjoyed today's episode, which we hope that you did, we would appreciate if you guys could please leave us a Five-star rating and a kind review. Wherever it is that you listen to podcasts, if you have any input on our lifestyle change things that worked for you, any suggestions or tips or tricks, we would love to hear them. You can send us an email at life unmaskedardpodcast at gmailcom, and We'll be putting up a poll on Instagram to hear what you guys all think about the cheesecake incident.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and how right I was.
Speaker 1:Yeah, or how you would do it the same way that I did that's gonna be a very, but either way. I am like excited to hear what everybody else thinks put this one to rest.
Speaker 2:Bye.