Poke-splosion

After just four days of playing Pokemon Go (with a break one day due to extreme exhaustion after work), I have to admit that this game’s addictive.

I don’t play “to win” (capture gyms, etc), but it’s a good game to get out and get exercise and potentially meet new friends. Since I mostly farmed in WoW, it’s kind of like that for me, only with walking and being outdoors. I “catch” the Pokemon, get experience, etc. I’m getting a good mile and a half plus every day that I go out and play in the evening (or morning on the weekends)…now if I could just find an app that had a fun way of getting you to eat better or eat less…but I don’t think anyone’s come up with anything like that. Maybe a game where you get special perks for eating veggies and lose those perks when you eat ice cream. Or something.

Until I went to the local park (we’re in a pretty small town, so there are only a few places that have multiple pokestops and whatnot to catch Pokemon & collect pokeballs), I didn’t realize exactly how popular the game was. I mean, I know tons of people were talking about it, but I didn’t expect the sheer numbers of people wandering around looking at their phones, talking about the Pokemon they were trying to catch.

I also didn’t expect the sheer numbers of adults playing the game. Like, vastly greater numbers than the kids. I know that Pokemon started when I was a teenager, so there are a lot of adults my age or younger who basically grew up with Pokemon. It’s yet another blast from the past in this golden age of nostalgia.

I’m hoping this Poke-splosion helps me lose some of this extra weight, or at least tone up a bit. It would be nice to have the corset that I’m making for Dragon Con fit a bit better. It would also be nice to have people quit asking if I’m having a baby. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t try to be diplomatic with my answer. I just say “No, it’s just fat” and get on with life. I used to try not to hurt people’s feeling and not make them feel bad for asking, but eff that. Maybe people should feel bad for assuming that any woman with a belly is pregnant.

How did I get from Pokemon to preggerbellies? What can I say? That’s just how my mind works.

Off now to get ready for work. Maybe on my lunch break I’ll go for a walk & try to catch a few more.

Smooth over that belly

I’ve started a new “diet” this week. I hate calling it a diet, because I associate that word with depriving yourself of the things you love. Instead, I’m adding something I love to my routine and cutting back on junk.

We recently got a blender for the apartment, and I thought to myself, “You idiot, you love smoothies! Make some damn healthy smoothies & stop eating junk for lunch every day.”

So far, so good. Every day that I’ve made a smoothie for work, I’ve been able to resist the temptation of snacks & baked goods in the break room & just drink my fruits & veggies. And they’re good. I mean they’re not only good for me, but they taste delicious. Pretty easy to make, too. A splash of milk, handful of some kind of veggie, handful or 2 of some fruit, a tablespoon (roughly) of peanut butter–for protein–and a small cup of yogurt to top it off. All things I like, but I have trouble forcing myself to eat fruits & veggies by themselves. This is a way to get myself to eat healthier & enjoy it.

I still eat junk from time to time. An ice cream sandwich here or there if we have them in the apartment. A frozen pizza for dinner if the hubby’s not cooking anything (I know, I know, I could have another smoothie instead, but I’m still not sure how long I can go between meals when I have a smoothie. It seems to work between lunch & dinner, but I don’t know if it would get me through the night.)

What sparked this diet change? I am sick and tired of being fat and gross. I know it’s adversely affecting my health–even though I can’t necessarily feel it–but it’s mostly the shame of seeing myself in the mirror when I’m getting ready for the day. I need to lose my flabby belly. Yes, I know, I need to exercise as well…but baby steps, man, baby steps. I am a creature of habit, so I need to make small changes to my routine until they’re ingrained. Then they’ll be easier to keep up with.

I’m hoping to be at least 20 pounds lighter by Comicon. It’s a lofty goal, but I have three months and a lot of determination. And a blender.

Resolutions revisited

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It’s coming to the end of the year, and as I look at my resolution list I’m both proud and disappointed.

I not only completed the first draft of my novel; I published it as well. I exercised more (not much more, but more than last year). I published a few short stories and flash fiction stories. I sold a few art pieces. And I did more cosplay.

Some of the other resolutions, however, were less than successful.

I gained more weight than I wanted to lose. I didn’t get the tattoo that I wanted, but that’s a trivial thing. And thus far, my marketing sucks.

I’ll try for more realistic goals next year. Perhaps another rough draft? Developing an exercise routine? Who knows. I have a couple of weeks to figure it out.