Wilson and I have now been back in the US for two months and our life still feels pretty nomadic. I guess that is partially because we don't "live" anywhere yet in a traditional sense. We have had a home in our beloved Tahoe, but it was temporary. So tomorrow, we are on the move again through So. Cal., Colorado, Wisconsin, and who knows?
In our American life, exercising so far has been easy relative to our international traveling existence. We don't have jobs and we have a season pass that is good at 9 different ski resorts in California, Utah, and Colorado. These 2 happy conditions have led to a lot of exercise via skiing.
Also, running is not the sometimes hazardous and frequently annoying activity that it was in many of the countries we traveled. Thus, on non-ski days (or if you are Wilson -on ski days), we have been pounding trails and pavement in Nevada, Utah, California, and most recently for me Washington DC. Even Washington DC can be very conducive to trail running -- you can get lost in those trails.
Thus even though I am getting my exercise fix while being an American nomad, I am more challenged by the food piece of fitness. In the US, I feel as if I am surrounded by huge portions, sugars and grains. Many of the huge portions are my own fault -- I cook a huge pan of fried rice and then happily eat two plates because it is there and delicious. Then while at the airport, I succumb to the Cinnabon because it has been "forever" since I had one of those. I eat the double-chocolate walnut cookie at Au Bon Pain because I feel exhausted by the stress of the job search. Foods that my biology craves and that I haven't had access to tempt me at each turn.
Then when I eat the Cinnabon, I realize that it tastes flat and doughy. The double chocolate walnut cookie takes me all of 90 seconds to consume its 400 calories and then I feel slightly ill afterwards. And I usually feel ill after that second plateful of fried rice too.
I guess my US honeymoon of food is over and it is time to return to the basics of more vegetables and less sugar and grains. With all the information about sugar as an addictive irritant or gluten as a mild to extreme allergen, many of our friends have adopted much more vegetable and protein intensive diets. And these friend look and seem great! Maybe it is time for me to do the same (or at least to say "no" to the always disappointing Cinnabon).
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I wanted to follow up with you about the fitness goals we set in the fall. How's that going? email me. Love to hear about your adventures! Come swing by here in the summer again. We'd love to have you.
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