Preserving health by too severe a rule is a worrisome malady.

If you saw me right now, eating my microwaved chicken patty sandwich, you may not believe I was making a conscious decision to eat healthier. But, had you seen what ingredients were in the OTHER frozen chicken patty, you might think twice. That's right, I have become a label reader. (In case you were wondering, the brand I am eating, Tyson, is 100% real chicken. The other brands, I'm not even sure what most of those ingredients are)

This year has been a year of change. I quit smoking, I drink less alcohol, I got engaged, and now I'm eating better. I'd add that I started an exercise regiment, but, to be honest, I only stuck with it for about a week. I'm preparing for a lot of other life changes as well, like buying a home. Like I said, a lot of change! It feels good.

Now, I've never been overweight or anything, so that wasn't really my main reason for eating better. It's really just a health issue. I mean, I am/was known for my obsession with McDonald's Happy Meals. I still love them, I just love them less often. I also lived off of preservative rich foods: pizza rolls, pasta using canned pasta sauce, frozen dinners, gas station food, lunchables, etc. If it was easy, I probably ate it for dinner. If I continued this way, I was probably going to die at age 45 with a Hot Pocket in hand.

It started with Tyler taking on the cooking responsibilities. He uses all fresh ingredients, and so I started to really get used to eating better at home. Then, I quit smoking, and in an effort to save even more money, I decided to start bringing my lunch to work. I started bringing frozen dinners, which wasn't overly healthy, but I tried to choose dinners with less calories at first. Then I started reading more into the labels. Eventually, I realized the frozen dinners were not much healthier, just less fattening, and I started making lunches. Typically a spinach salad and a sandwich, or some variation. It's gotten to the point that I'm not sure I am going to be able to get any healthier in the ways of food. I'm considering converting to a pescetarian diet, but, with Tyler doing all of the cooking at home, I think I'll need to have a little leeway. As it stands, I probably am about...70% pescetarian. I'm going to shoot for 80% and leave well enough alone. I like sandwiches, and I can only eat tuna fish so often. I may start with some black bean or veggie patties or something in the future, but then I run into preservatives again, and I want to avoid that.

I really only have two major weaknesses. One, is lunchmeat. I like to buy fresh from the deli, but it starts to go bad way too quickly. I'd buy less, but then I run out after just a few days, and I hate going to the grocery store that often. So, I buy the prepackaged stuff with ingredients that are a mystery.

Then, there's the biggie. Sugar. I cannot for the life of me give it up or cut down. In fact, I don't even want to. It's not like I sit there, eating my cookies, hating myself. No way, I'm PUMPED for that ice cream cone, or cake, or candy bar. IDGAF. Gimme candy! I've read a few places that fruit can be a great substitute. Fuck. That. No way, fruit is not chocolate. Fruit sucks. It's slimy, sour, and gross. The only acceptable fruits, in my opinion, are apples and bananas (I'll eat the occasional couple of grapes mixed in with a chicken or turkey salad, too). And those are morning snacks. Not treats. Thinking about replacing chocolate with fruits actually makes me a little angry. Which is why no one I know personally has ever suggested the transition. I also have to drink 1 diet cola a day. At least while I'm working. Which also has sugar. This, I think I may actually be able to phase out once I get a carbonated water system. I started brewing my own iced tea, so that's where I will get my caffeine. I'll get my carbonation (I don't know why I need carbonation, it's just something I like) from my homemade carbonated water, I suppose.

I'm not having major drastic physical changes, which is fine, since my goal wasn't to lose weight. But, I do feel a lot better. I went from being nauseated pretty much half of the time to almost never. Unless I eat something weird, or I'm really hungover. So, that was a huge bonus. I also have been getting sick much less often, but that could be attributed to my vitamin regiment. Either way, it's all working to my advantage.

I have no idea why anyone might find this blog interesting. I just like to talk about food. Especially candy. So I did. Sorry, dude.

By the way, the food pyramid changed. It's a plate, now.

It's supposed to represent what your plate should look like at any given meal. I call it ruining my childhood memories. Bring back the pyramid!

Television is an invention that permits you to be entertained in your living room by people you wouldn't have in your home.

I'm trying to eat leftover barbeque chicken wings and type this blog. It isn't working out very well. So, I'm switching to leftover quesadilla. Tyler and I have had some random dinners lately that we can't seem to finish. I like those mishmash leftover dinners, though.

Anyways, onto things you may actually care about.

I finished my first book on Kindle a couple of days ago. It was unSweetined by Jodie Sweetin. If you're not familiar, let me give you a rundown. This is the biography of the actress who played Stephanie Tanner on the hit sitcom Full House in the 90's. I am a huge Full House fan. Tyler has had to talk me out of buying the DVD box set (shaped like the Tanner house from the show!!) not once, but twice. I'm still not entirely convinced I don't need to own it, either. So, needless to say, no matter what Stephanie, I mean Jodie, had to say, I was going to read her book. However, it turns out Jodie became a meth addict between now and the taping of Full House. So, you get to read all about her crazy life. It was a really quick and interesting read. I definitely question her reasons behind why she wrote the biography, because of the way it ended and the fact that she relapsed during the writing of her book, but ultimately, it doesn't matter. It's Stephanie. She's a meth addict. What more did I need? I have awarded my stamp of approval.

By the way, reading this book prompted me to look at extra pictures of her online. She became pretty damn hot! Then, I decided I was going to look at other actors from the show. John Stamos? Obviously, still hot. Candace Cameron, REALLY HOT! Bob Saget and Dave Coulier? Still not hot (sorry Alanis, I'll never understand how you could have fallen for Dave. He must have been really funny.) Mary Kate and Ashley? Well, they look cool. Not sure I would say hot, but many people would. I even looked up Nicky and Alex, and what they look like now. Except, the most recent looking pictures I found were of them when they were maybe 10. So, yeah, not hot....yet!

I've been itching to watch Full House for the past week, now. Good thing I have at least 2 seasons on DVD.

This ain't your public service announcement meth head:

"How rude!"

I celebrated my birthday by going to my friend's cabin with some friends. It was a blast, but I am paying for it now. My allergies are out of control, and I have the biggest bruise I have ever seen on my inside thigh, whose origins are something of a mystery. Seriously, the thing is the width of 2 baseballs. It doesn't even look real. In fact, it pretty much looks like a port wine stain, except on my leg.

Anyways, I have to be up soon, so, time for bed!