I was reading Fit Jerk’s article on “How to tell your girlfriend or wife to lose weight” earlier on this afternoon while sipping my java, and after I got over laughing at how crudely honest he can be (and very much adored), I thought about the reality of the relationship chub rut. 

If you’ve seen the video of my story,  I let myself go during my last relationship. I didn’t exactly put on pounds during the year I was with him, but I definitely understand how not being confident about your body can affect your relationship with your guy and vice versa.

Honesty Hour. Now this may be hard to conceive of.. but I used to be THAT girl who constantly asked her boyfriend to skip gym sessions by “seducing” him with movie and dinner dates. He’d cave in most of the times.  I wasn’t inflicted with super poor body image issues.. but I knew that my need for constant approval and attention, stemmed from an inner acknowledgement that I didn’t look and feel good. (made worse when you’re walking down the streets aside a model)

But I’m not saying that you should change for a guy. No. I’d always say do it for yourself. But never underestimate how being committed to being fit, and looking great can do for your self esteem, sex life and your relationship. 

Now I’m with Dave, and 30lbs lighter. It’s not just about looking good, no. It’s also about appreciating your other half more. When he’s at the gym, it’s his time. When I’m at the gym, it’s my time. We also love talking about fitness, training and nutrition. We have different views, and theories, which is amazing because it opens my eyes to new ideas. But most importantly, I know that being dedicated to keeping fit communicates a level of self respect that’s so vital for the long term success of a relationship. 

Here’s more reasons why you should get out of your r/s chub rut:

• Sex life. Off the charts.
• More confidence > More mojo > More attraction
• He’d love that you’re taking time to take care of YOURSELF
• Knowing that you look good means not having to constantly seek his validation (honey, does my jeans make me look fat? baby? why don’t you want to take me out to meet your friends? is it because you’re embarrassed of me?)
• Um. … did I mention…. Better sex?
• More options for spending time together <3 > Movies on a couch all the damn time

Some ideas to get fit, sweaty and sexy with your man:

• Get a gym membership with him. Working out together is a great way to motivate each other. Also, what’s sexier than seeing each other pant and pump it out? ;)
• Sign up for marathons, and crazy endurance events with him. (Dave has 10490194 races lined up this year… oh yes. He’s literally the Iron Man while I’m just the Iron Barbie)
• Sign up for sultry salsa classes together. If salsa is not your thing, try ballroom, quickstep, hiphop etc. Partying… with a bottle of Dom Perignon is not counted, yea? 
• Go on a hike together. Or do a weekend drive to get a run outside of the city together. Go get active in the midst of the beautiful nature that surrounds you.
• Wake up early to get a run on the beach and watch the sunrise together.
• Buy a cookbook and commit to trying out one new recipe per week together. Open a bottle of wine, and start cooking together and eating in. :)
• Visit the whole foods grocers together and revamp the contents of your fridge.
• If the both of you fancy some competition, draw out a monthly competition. E.G. whoever clocks in the most hours of working out that month will get a 3 course home cooked meal by the loser. :) yumm

The possibilities are endless. And while if you’re like me, and have gotten so used to getting fit on your own (i.e. gym time is my time), you’re probably resistant to the idea that you need a guy to motivate you to get fit. But, I’d always be happy to chime in that having your beloved other there with you, getting healthy and fit together.. - seriously, it doesn’t get better than that ;) 

davidlamb:

The way I see it is the more we want something, the more excuses tend to disappear. 

(Source: Apartment Therapy The Kitchn)

We are talking about healthy, make-ahead breakfasts during Breakfast Week, and I keep thinking about my all-time favorite: Steel-cut oatmeal. With a little forethought and a few Mason jars, you can make enough steel-cut oats for a whole week in just 5 minutes. The result? Monday through Friday, you have a jar of wholesome oatmeal all ready to go. Pop it in the microwave at work and breakfast is served!

Healthy and full of fiber, with a nutty creaminess that puts the mush of other porridges to shame, steel-cut oats are simply one of the best breakfasts you can eat. They can take some time to prepare, however. If you prepare them from scratch they can take up to 45 minutes to cook.

Some people get around this by cooking them in the slow cooker (here is a great recipe with buttermilk and apricots). Personally, I find that the slow cooker makes even steel-cut oats a bit too mushy, and I usually don’t want to make a big enough batch to fill my slow cooker. So I use a quick, easy overnight method:

• How To Cook Steel-Cut Oats for Breakfast the Night Before

Basically you combine oats and water, bring them to a boil, then cover and turn off the heat. Leave overnight and in the morning simply warm them up. They’ll be perfectly cooked — tender, chewy, and creamy.

Here I offer an idea: Do this just once on Sunday night, and divide the oatmeal between five jars. You’re immediately set up for a week of breakfasts! The great thing about steel-cut oats (well, the millionth great thing, I guess) is that they get even better as they are reheated. They stay chewy and creamy, and a few days in the refrigerator only improves their taste and texture. This is a great project for Sunday afternoon or evening, perhaps while you’re making dinner. Just make the oats, put them in your jars, and you’re good to go!

Make a Week of Steel-Cut Oats in 5 Minutes

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups steel-cut oats
4 cups water
Large pinch salt

Mix-Ins:
Milk or soy milk 
Cinnamon or other spices
Raisins or other dried fruit
Walnuts or other nuts
Jam 
Honey

Equipment

5 pint-sized Mason jars with lids (I used wide-mouth jars)
Large saucepan
Ladle

Instructions

1. Collect your jars and other equipment. I like pint-sized jars for this as they allow a little more room for adding nuts, raisins, and milk later. But you can also use half-pint jars.

2. Bring the oats, water and salt to a boil. Simmer for about 3 minutes then turn off the heat.

3. Ladle the oats and water into the jars. Cover the jars tightly with their caps and rings. Leave on the counter overnight. (This is how I make my oatmeal and I have had absolutely no problems with it, healthwise, but if for some reason you are not comfortable leaving hot oatmeal out overnight, you can also refrigerate the jars. The oatmeal won’t be quite as well cooked in the morning; it will be a thinner, less creamy oatmeal. But it will still be fine.)

4. The next morning, put all but one of the jars in the refrigerator. Take the cap off one jar and stir up the oatmeal inside. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, or until quite hot. Add any milk, raisins, or other mix-ins. Enjoy!

Additional Notes: 
• You can also add your raisins, cinnamon, or other mix-ins to the rest of the jars before putting them away in the refrigerator. Then all you have to do is grab one and go on your way out the door.

Your health is your life.  Make it a priority.

There are a zillion nutrition tips floating around out there.  Here are a few simple ones that have worked well for me over the years.

1. Limit junk food or don’t eat it at all. – Whatever junk food you have in your kitchen, throw it out and replace it with healthy foods and snacks.  Look into other ways to comfort yourself and think of food as nutrition, not entertainment or emotional fodder.
2. Go on a healthy food shopping spree. – Don’t look at prices.  Buy items that are healthy and appealing.  Fill your cupboards, pantry and fridge with healthy foods so you will not feel like your kitchen is empty.
3. Limit eating out. – Most restaurant food has high amounts of sodium, sugar and fat.  There are few exceptions.  Spend more time with family or friends cooking together, or enjoy cooking for yourself.
4. Visit a farmer’s market. – Because farmers markets make buying healthy food fun and interesting.  Most of the produce will be freshly picked, and taste heavenly compared to the refrigerated and thawed produce we get at grocery stores.  Many farmer’s markets have healthy homemade jams, local honey, hot sauce, or pickled this and that.
5. Cut out the white stuff. – Sugar has zero nutrition.  Cut out high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners, too.  Sugar is linked to the growing obesity epidemic in the US and the rising rates of diabetes.  It is also linked to heart disease, which remains the number one killer of people in the US.  Use natural sweeteners in baking like raw honey, date sugar or molasses, which retains high amounts of nutrients.
6. Exercise.  – No level of nutrition can make up the difference for lack of exercise.  Walking counts, as does taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard’s School of Public Health places exercise at the foundational base of his food pyramid.
7. Eat at a table. – According to Michael Pollan’s latest book, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, “No, a desk is not a table.  If we eat while we’re working, or while watching TV or driving, we eat mindlessly, and as a result eat a lot more than we would if we were eating at a table, paying attention to what we’re doing.  When eating somewhere other than a table, stick to fruits and vegetables.”
8. Eat smaller portions by buying smaller plates. – I gave my giant-sized dinner plates to the Salvation Army and bought smaller square plates.  And I eat less because of it.  According to Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, in a study focused on size illusions, “People with a large bowl and a three-ounce scoop dished out 57 percent more ice cream than those given a smaller bowl and smaller scoop.”
9. Cut out ‘beverages’ and drink water. – Water is free, whereas most beverages come with a price – a health price and a financial price.  One popular 12-ounce soda boasts a whopping 150 calories, and it offers no nutrition.  As a treat, drink tea instead of soda.

Remember, it only takes 21 days of doing something to make it a habit.  So pick one of the tips above and start making it a healthy habit today.