Reasons to lose

32 Reasons to Lose Weight:

Looking forward to getting dressed every day.

Having cheekbones. And pelvic bones, and shoulders, and ribs, and bones you never knew you had.

Wearing styles you never thought you'd look good in.

Having the energy to exercise for an hour at a time.

Not being the heaviest one at a family gathering.

Wearing bras whose straps don't leave deep gouges in your shoulders.

Tossing out those big panties.

Not grabbing the queen size when buying stockings.

Turning down tempting desserts, or having just a sliver and moving on.

No longer having to live with those consequences of over-eating: that stuffed feeling, and the emotions that go with it.

Passing one weight milestone after another; seeing fantasy numbers on the scale.

Fitting into your wedding dress.

Looking good in a bathing suit.

Feeling strong because of weight training, and liking the muscle definition in your upper arms (hello sleeveless!).

Not having to "hide" your stomach with the strategic use of clothing.

Tucking in your shirt.

Being a good example of self-discipline for your kids.

Not worrying about running into an ex-boyfriend and imagining that he's chuckling about how you've let yourself go (it's a small world, ladies).

Going to your class reunion without fear of making a poor showing in front of your husband's ex-girlfriends.

Not having a "W" after the size on your clothes...and never going into that department again.

Not avoiding the doctor's office because you know you are going to be weighed.

Not avoiding buying any new clothes because you refuse to buy clothes in the larger size.

Swimming with your children.

Running into your mom's friends and not worrying about getting the "once over."

Finding out you're not big-boned after all.

Not being asked the mortifying question, "When are you due?" when you're not expecting.

Feeling more feminine.

Having more energy for your kids.

Being the most beautiful wife you can be to your wonderful husband who has never made you feel bad about your weight.

Looking (and feeling) ten years younger.

Doing your happy dance on the scale every morning.

Living longer by avoiding high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.

(Feel free to add to this list and pass on.)

More tweaking

I'm having a challenging time with foods I'm not supposed to have for stomach-lining reasons. I take Aciphex every day, so I can usually get away with eating them. Sometimes not. Lately has been not. I've got some stress going on with the health of my mother, who will be 86 on Monday, and for the past several days, the only thing that makes me fairly certain that my chest pain was not a heart attack was that my throat felt like I was a fire-breathing dragon! It's starting to feel better today, so I've got some choices to make. Do I make the lifestyle changes that take things like coffee and tomato sauce off my list? The thing is, I hadn't eaten those types of things. I think a diet soda set it off. Carbonation is also a no-no. So, the enjoyment of certain foods, versus the reality of the situation.
On a happier note, I have lost a few pounds since last week, so that is encouraging. I think this blog is a really big help.

Two Oprah articles

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/debs-style-file/debs-style-file/2008/12/oprah-eats-and-tells-in-the-january-edition-of-her-magazine/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121200907.html

Bottom line: it's hard to lose weight and maintain weight loss. :-(

Monday December 15,2008 Starting Again

Hi everyone! I am feeling determined to get back to my goal weight. I am about 15 pounds away and not feeling comfortable with my body right now. I lost almost 60 pounds over the course of a couple years, several years back, but have regained some over this past year. My clothes are all tight or just plain don't fit and I refuse to go up a size. It is interesting seeing the latest news about Oprah and her weight gain. I can relate because it is so easy to "fall off the wagon" and let the pounds creep back on. It is time for me to do something about it before I gain back all 60 pounds. I'll be 39 in a little over a week and I want to feel and look as good as I did before. One of the things I did when I first embarked on my weight loss journey was to write down all the reasons why I wanted to lose weight. When I was tempted to eat something that I shouldn't, I would look at the list to remind myself why I was doing this. It can be a powerful motivator. Here were/are some of my reasons:

To avoid Diabetes and High Cholesterol which runs in my family.

To feel comfortable enough to put on a swimsuit to go swimming with my children.

To look and feel great in stylish clothes.

To feel strong and athletic.

To feel like myself again and not "trapped" in a body that was starting to feel broken down.

What are some of your reasons to lose weight? Please post them below! It is so motivating to hear everyone's reasons.

New Beginning

Hi, everyone! I'm new to blogging, so please bear with me. I'm starting today to try to become a healthier person. I had a regular check-up with the doctor today, feeling like something that the cat dragged in. I have a number of health issues that require a lifestyle change. Lifestyle changes are no fun, but I think I'm at the point where I have no choice. I'm sure the doctor thinks I got to that point years ago! So I've made it through one day. I know God has a better life in mind for me. He's given me so many blessings. I need to do my part by taking proper care of myself. I hope to have a great testimony to share. I know my writing is a little choppy today, but I'm crazed with hunger. Just kidding!

Good foods for dieters

We all have our favorites. A few of mine:

Fiber One or its generic equivalent -- my store brand is better than the original.
Low-fat low-sugar yogurt, like Lite n Fit.
Cottage cheese -- it's a super-food, high in protein and calcium, satisfying, low in fat, and versatile.
Lean protein deli meat, usually between 50 and 70 calories per 2 oounce serving. Great in salads or by itself for a quick protein boost.
Imitation crab meat. It's not real crab meat, but it is real fish, and I loved it in my salads until my store reformulated their product and ruined it. High in omega 3 fatty acids.
Big, big salads (with that lean protein added), with low-cal dressing or just balsamic vinegar.
Parmesan cheese sprinkled on those salads to give them a little more taste and texture.

Wanna share your faves?

Why modern women shouldn't want an hourglass figure

This is more politics than science.

From Livescience.com:

An imperfect body might be just what the doctor ordered for women and key to their economic success, an anthropologist now says.

While pop culture seems to worship the hourglass figure for females, with a tiny waist, big [breasts] and curvy hips à la Marilyn Monroe, this may not be optimal, says Elizabeth Cashdan of the University of Utah.

That's because the hormones that make women physically stronger, more competitive and better able to deal with stress also tend to redistribute fat from the hips to the waist.

So in societies and situations where women are under pressure to procure resources and otherwise bring home the bacon, they may be less likely to have the classic hourglass figure, Cashdan hypothesizes in the December issue of the journal Current Anthropology.

Hmm. Judging from this article, it appears that the only data in this study are the compiled numbers of waist-to-hip ratios of women in 33 non-Western and a few Western countries. The rest seems to be speculation and feminist spin, trying to explain why more women have a less-defined waist than not.

The author is theorizing that the more shapely shape, though best for attracting males and presumably good for child-bearing, is not as well adapted for breadwinning or functioning in stressful situations.

Why would that be the case? Mothers know that childbearing and raising families are plenty stressful and require lots of strength. Maybe body type doesn't matter at all.

What might be more useful would be an explanation of why the flat stomach has become the holy grail of womanhood. Just look at those Google ads. They're everywhere.