Hip vs Healthy: Let's get ready to rumble

Hip people eat dinner really late.

I don't know exactly who proclaimed this an edict, but I do know that my stubborn attempt to abide by it, even since becoming a mom, is probably the biggest reason why my exercise routine has fallen by the wayside and my weight is starting to creep upwards.

And there's nothing the least bit hip about that.

Cooking and eating is just another style indulgence for a lot of young marrieds. There's something so sensuous and decadent about dallying in the kitchen, sipping wine, preparing gourmet food and then enjoying the fruits of your labour at some ungodly hour, secure in the knowledge that you'll still be awake hours later to...ahem..work it off.

But indulgent style ain't exactly kid-friendly.

Hip people eat dinner really late.

I don't know exactly who proclaimed this an edict, but I do know that my stubborn attempt to abide by it, even since becoming a mom, is probably the biggest reason why my exercise routine has fallen by the wayside and my weight is starting to creep upwards.

And there's nothing the least bit hip about that.

Cooking and eating is just another style indulgence for a lot of young marrieds. There's something so sensuous and decadent about dallying in the kitchen, sipping wine, preparing gourmet food and then enjoying the fruits of your labour at some ungodly hour, secure in the knowledge that you'll still be awake hours later to...ahem..work it off.

But indulgent style ain't exactly kid-friendly.

After Graham came along Rob and tried to keep the magic alive by focusing all our attention on Graham in his waking hours and then cooking and eating a lovely grown-up meal every night after he went to sleep. But after two and a half years of settling down to eat dinner at 8:30, 9:00 or even 9:30 p.m.(!), something's gotta give. My evening exercise routine has been scrapped due to the time crunch and my weight and energy level are showing the effects of eating too much, too late.

It's a difficult situation. I don't want to stick Graham in front of the television every evening while I cook, but Rob and I have a strong aversion to the idea of many prepared foods.

Are we food snobs? Maybe a little. But our lives have already changed so much since Graham's arrival: I can't help but think that acquiescing to Hamburger Helper might do irreparable damage to my diva soul.

So when the folks at the President's Choice said they would hook me up with a nutritionist who could help me resolve my dilemma I couldn't refuse.

Today is my first day of a four-week Healthy Eating Challenge designed to make sure I get the nutrients I need to fuel a jam-packed schedule working full-time, looking after a toddler and, of course, Shooting for Hip.

And my personal goal is to have those nutrients take the form of an easy, tasty, stylish meal that we can all enjoy together at an hour early enough to allow me to resume my evening workouts.

I'll report on my progress over the next four weeks. I'll let you know if I discover any prepared foods that meet the standards of a couple of former food snobs and I'll share as many tips as I can for maximizing the time available to spend with your family and that part of yourself that remembers when dinner was a delight not a duty.

The hip folks might still be tucking into their appetizers when I take to my stairmaster, but at least I can keep in fighting form should I ever have the energy or the time to work off my meals like I used to pre-baby.

Comments

[Holly]

ooooooo, very interesting. I don't like too many prepared foods either but sometimes nothing else works into the schedule. If I have to go that route it is one time per week only! Can't wait for your next post about this.

[motherbumper]

OMG - send that nutritionist my way when you're done. We need that in our house STAT. This should be a very interesting series.

I'm always on the hunt for good tasting prepared foods. I'll be checkin in on this one.

[sky girl]

Not being much of a cook and always preferring to do something other than cook after Chicka goes to bed, I rely heavily on prepared food.

Let me know what you find.

[kgirl]

For those of us that don't have a nutiritionist handy, this is exactly what my Eat Me column is about - food that is healthy, delicious and easily prepared, for the whole family. It can be done. I even work out 3 evenings a week, after dinner.

[nomotherearth]

Hey - how do I get hooked up with this Healthy Eating Challenge thing? I could stand to lose some weight.

We have the reverse problem with exercise, in that I prefer to do it after work (or after Mr Earth's work), but BEFORE dinner. That makes us eat a really late dinner after the kids are in bed. I'm one of those freaks who actually don't get hungry till 8pm, though. We're still trying to figure out the whole family dinner thing.

[tracey]

Heh. Heh. DinnerTIME. That's funny. Like I have a time to prepare and eat by? Like, on a regular basis? I'm just happy if there's food on the table. Period.

Good luck hon. I'm sure you'll retain your hipness while losing your hips... HA. Get it? Get the lovely Mommy pun I managed to fling out at you even though I am running on coffee tonight?

:)

[Sass E-mum]

This is MY problem too. 8pm is the very earliest we can eat one of us is always commuting - and 6.30-7.30 is taken up with bath and bed routines. It's not uncommon to find us eating at 9pm. I'm looking forward to real food ideas and not just salad.

[Karen meg]

This is tough even with one of us at home (ie.me). I suppose having some work at home doesn't make it easier either; by the time the dad gets home the earliest is 6:30pm. But the running around time after school puts a serious dent into meal prep time.
I'l be interested in seeing how things go for you!