187.4 Food For Thought!

I am staying positive because yesterday, when I didn't write a post, I weighed in at a very pleasing 186.6. And, this morning when I met my friend to take our walk, the first thing she said was how great I looked, and I was wearing shorts! She doesn't read the blog and didn't know of my former discomfort about my legs, etc., so I was very happy. And, I just said thanks instead of going into a long harangue about how uncomfortable I was , blah, blah, blah! There is a new lightness about me now that I "Let It Go!" And, I have truly integrated the knowledge that nobody really cares about all the stuff I carry around about me half as much as I do. Now there's a big admission!

So today I want to mention a book that I have just started working with. My daughter, Alee, suggested that I take a look at it and I am really interested in all it has to say. It is titled Women, Food, and God, and is written by Geneen Roth. She's been writing on women's issues since the mid 80's, in case her name is familiar to some of you. I'd love to hear from you once you have taken a look at it. It has certainly engaged my mind and I think it contains a lot of food for thought! (Yes, I know I did that!)

Hope you've been enjoying this long weekend.

187.2 Here I Go Again, And Again, and Again

The way this blog is set up, every time I put in my weight, it shows me when I had put in the same weight previously. So when I put in the 187.2 just now, I saw that I have already weighed that amount twice during this weight loss journey. Weight loss is not for the faint of heart and it definitely seems to have a mind of its own at times. But every time that I can drop 4 or more ounces in a day, I do celebrate, only not with food.:) So here I go again, staying the course to see 186, then 185 and so on.

I probably won't blog tomorrow. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

188.2 Let It Go!

I was driving home today after a session with Jennifer in which we talked a lot about my need to let go of the past ~ all the stuff that we all carry around dealing with expectations (or lack of), real and imagined hurts, self image issues, etc..

So I am suddenly aware of the license plate on the back of the car in front of me that reads, "LET IT GO"! Why is it so hard to let things go that cause us pain and regret to remember? It's familiar, it can act as an excuse for our current behavior, and it seduces us with its power. The license plate has it right! I need to LET IT GO!

187.6 Asking and Receiving

In yesterday's post I mentioned using my inner spirit to help me continue this weight loss adventure. Part of this adventure and working with Jennifer Scott has been the emergence of this inner spirit within me. You can call this power whatever you are most comfortable naming it. To some it is inner voice, inner knowing, inner spirit, God, Guides ~ you can call it what you will.

Until recently I thought prayer was a one way street. By that I mean that I would bow my head and ask God for help, direction, or a blessing on me and others. It was a one way conversation in which I did all the talking. (For those who know me, this is not a surprise :)!) This is the kind of prayer that I was taught in church and I don't ever remember being told that God would talk back to me if I gave Him/Her a chance to get a word in edgewise.

Learning to use the inner voice, or my Guides as I call this phenomenon, is all about listening once the request for particular guidance has been made. And, it also involves suspending the ego so that the honesty can flow without being inhibited by the ego, dictating what we want to hear.

So how do I do this? I start with a prayer that goes like this: "Dear Guides, I come to you foregoing all ego considerations, all doubts, fears, worries and judgments so that I can receive your divine inspiration clearly and forcefully. Can you help me.............? I am open to receive." Then I take a deep breath, hold it for about 5 seconds, exhale and the message begins to flow within me. I like to do this at the computer and simply start typing what I receive without judgment or thought while writing. I know when the message has been completed because I hear the words, "We rest."

So why am I writing about this in this blog? Because I have been using Guidance to help me all during this process to help me with a wide range of issues in my life as well as weight loss.

I know this is getting really long, but I wanted to share with you what my Guides told me after I asked for help in accepting my imperfect legs and ankles:

"Your imperfections as you call them are important only to you. You wear your ego as an accessory and are so alert to real or imagined criticism or disapproval that it is constantly getting hurt. You are not your legs or your ankles or your feet. You are much more and much less. Your essence is like a light gleaming for all to see and that is the most important part of you. It has no shape, no size, nothing tangible about it. It is what it is and what you allow it to be. Understand that your discomfort with this physical aspect of yourself takes away from your spiritual being and lessens who you are. We understand that you have focused on this for much of your life and felt that it has held you back from being that other you would have wanted to be. Don't give this physical trait power. Get over it and get on with just being who you are. Getting slimmer will help to a small degree but will not really change how your legs and ankles look. The shift needs to happen in your mind, that you are okay no matter what your legs look like. You are not your legs and you never have been and you never will be. Move on and you will be happier and at peace with yourself. Achieving peace within and about who you are is key to living an authentic life and isn't that what you really want? We rest."

And, I feel that shift taking place as I am wearing shorts today and have let go of my concerns. Phew!

188.2 What's Going On?

What's going on here? The scale just sort of rocks back and forth rather slowly in the same arc of about a pound. Why doesn't it want to cooperate and go down a little farther once in a while? I don't have the answer but I am going to continue to ride the arc and see if I can't get it going downward. It does seem obvious that I must be eating too much. What used to be cutting back to half was cutting back enough to cause weight loss along with the exercise, etc. when I first started this weight loss program. Now I think I have to cut back even more. It's sort of like physical therapy. Once I master a certain level of an exercise, the physical therapist makes it more challenging, by either extending the amount of repetitions or making it more difficult by adding more weight, raising the level of the step, etc.. I guess I shouldn't expect weight loss to be any different.

To be honest, I haven't wanted to eat less because I don't like to feel hungry. But maybe I will just have to put up with a little hunger for a while until my stomach shrinks a little more. I don't intend to do anything outrageous or untenable, just cut back a little and see how it goes. Listening to my hypnosis CDs, and engaging my inner spirit to encourage me and guide me will help me stay on track. And, there's always sugar free gum when the hunger sets in and it's not time to eat a meal... and apples, and carrots, and celery, all kinds of good things that are healthy and taste great.

188.0 The Wii Fit and Me.

My recent return to physical therapy is working. How do I know? I pulled out the Wii Fit board, dusted it off, and was amazed at how much better I'm doing on both the balance and the aerobic exercises. Working on balance involves moving my weight backward and forward and side to side on the Wii Fit. One of my favorites is the ski slalom in which I have to ski down a mountain going through all the gates. If I miss a gate or go too slow, I lose points. I also can float a raft down a river trying not to hit the shoreline, while at the same time avoiding the bee that will get me if I go too slow. And then there is the table tilt where I have tilt the table so the balls will drop through strategically placed holes. Speed is important here too because if the balls roll too fast in any direction they fall off the table and I have to start over again.

The aerobic section is really fun because, among several activities, there is step. And I am now doing advanced step and it feels like dancing. Since my back surgeries I'm not supposed to dance so doing step is really fun. You follow the movements of characters doing it with you so there is even a sense of community, a virtual community of people keeping the rhythm and burning the calories together.

The other day I wrote about the study in the WSJ that determined that a gentle nudge from a person or computer can help people keep exercising. The Wii Fit tells me how I am doing and offers tips (if I want to read them).

If you have a chance, try out the Wii Fit. It's fun, gets the metabolism going, and is a great source of encouragement, especially if you are into little virtual people :).

188.0 Great Shape For The Shape I'm In!

It's almost 5 pm and I have been out all day doing health related things. I started the day at the dermatologist's office and passed the total body scan with flying colors, which is really good news since I was raised in California and spent most of my childhood playing outside, and as a teenager, working on getting tan, without a drop of anything to protect my skin. I did ask my dermatologist if I could have a face free of wrinkles like she has. She is a lot younger, but did have a lot of suggestions about products and treatments that might help with the wrinkles. Out here in Scottsdale, so many doctors also sell beautifying products and treatments. Who knew you could go to a hormone specialist or gynecologist and also see a skin aesthetician, in the same office! So I learned about some alternatives to a face lift and then went off to have a hearing evaluation. And, I passed that with flying colors! Next, I went to my eye doctor's office to take the test to see if I had droopy enough eyelids so that insurance would cover the upper eyelid surgery I am seriously contemplating! And, I passed that exam, also with flying colors, meaning that I couldn't see most of the little flashing lights without my eyelids being taped open.

So I'm in great shape for the shape I'm in! I don't like to think I am too vain, but since I did lose the 60 pounds, and want to lose more, I don't want to look ten years older than I did when I was heavier. No, I would never want weight with less wrinkles, but if there are some things I can do to stave off the aging process without getting too carried away, I think I want to do them. (I have definitely decided not to have a face lift!)

I have been thinking a lot about vanity and weight and age. Here's what I've come up with ~ having a healthy body is the most important thing you can do for yourself no matter what your age, and vanity plays into how we view ourselves and our desire to look as good as possible. I know some people who as they have aged have decided that it doesn't matter what they look like or how healthy they are. Think about all those emails you've received that encourage you to eat those cookies and ice cream because you never know how long you will be here! Hello! Your chances of being here longer are going to be better if you are healthy and eat carefully, rather than if you just pig out! So a little vanity is a good thing, and a lot of emphasis on health is important no matter what our age.

187.6 The Long and Short of It

I don't know why I remember the things I do, but the song "Who Wears Short Shorts?" just popped into my head. Thank goodness there is a reason for that. I am thinking about going shopping today for shorts, but definitely not short shorts! So why I am writing about this?

Well, shorts and I make an odd couple. Remember, I am 67, my thighs look like they need ironing and I am the proud owner of cankles. I don't care what length, what color, what brand, or what size I buy, I am not going to look good in these shorts. Last summer I did wear shorts when I went out walking. It was easier then when I was so much heavier, because I thought I was sort of invisible, that it didn't matter what I looked like in them because I didn't look good anyway, if that makes sense.

Things are different now. I am different now. So, I can continue to wear long pants, (in 100+ degree weather that looks quite bizarre), or I can just pretend I have great legs and quit worrying about it! Maybe nobody cares what I look like! Now there's a novel thought.

My weight is coming down and my apple/fiber intake is going up! Happiness in Scottsdale!

189.2 Confidence and Questions

Well now, there you go! I ate an apple, let some anger go, and lost a pound! Wouldn't it be great if that was all there was to losing weight? But from what I've learned, every little change that I make often helps. And, you know, a lot of it has to do with confidence ~ confidence that I really do want to lose this last 20 pounds, and confidence that I can do it.

The clinical hypnotherapist in Jennifer has wondered if I really want to reach my goal. In other words, how did being heavier in the past serve me, so that being free of it might be worrisome for me. What might I be afraid of? Is it sort of like being naked, without clothes to cover real or imagined flaws? She's made me think, as she always does, about what in the world is going on in my world. Maybe these are good questions to ask yourself. Nope, I don't have any answers for you, but thinking about things is always a good place to start. Happy Saturday.

190.2 Hormones Happen!

Jennifer and I were talking this morning about all that is going on with me and why I think I am so stuck. She reminded me that I had told her that my gyn. had said that taking hormones may cause some weight gain issues. And, I did start on a new regimen of HRT after being off of everything for several years. So many things play into weight issues, as you all know, so I can't say that that is the only thing that is going on now, but it certainly could be one factor.

We also talked about how much fiber I am eating and it became obvious that upping the fiber that I eat everyday would be good for me no matter how my weight is doing. I used to eat at least 2 apples everyday and realized that lately I haven't been eating any. I not sure why but at least now I am aware of that change.

We also talked about my tendency to hold in anger, rather than expressing it. And stuffing it down with food is exactly what I used to do so well. I have gotten over doing that on a regular basis, but I still tend to not get the anger out. It takes energy to release anger and I usually feel great, at least physically, after blowing my top. Why do I think I have to be so nice all the time? I sure don't have to be negative all of the time, but I can let my feelings loose now and then.

I just had a picture of myself, standing on the scale, eating apples, and yelling about whatever! Think it will help?

190.0 "The Power of a Gentle Nudge"

There was a great article in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, May 18th about a study that was done at Stanford. The aim of the study was to learn if having a buddy or a support person or even computer voice checking in with folks about how they were doing with their exercise program helped people make it over to the gym more often. What the study discovered is that those folks who had a real person calling them and people who heard a computer voice asking how they were doing both did much better than those who didn't have any kind of support. ("The Power of a Gentle Nudge", by Kevin Helliker, page D1.)

I've mentioned this before and wanted to write about it again in light of this study. If you need someone to care how you are doing, someone to check in with, find a friend or a support person like a physical trainer, a therapist or a nutritionist. If they don't offer, ask if they will give you a call now and then to inquire about how you are doing. Or, I could be that person for you. Send me an email at smbmiller@cox.net and I'll nudge you either with an email or phone call, whatever you prefer. I can always use help, too, so maybe we can help each other.

So, that's it for now. I am off to do the elliptical!

189.4 Making Peace Without Giving Up

Another busy, but much happier day, not because my weight is lower, but because I seem to have made peace with myself about what is going on.

I just came in from doing my water workout. I always love to do it because the water is so warm ~ about 90 degrees. Since I have arthritis, the warmer the water the better, so that my muscles don't contract. It's a time to lose myself in my music, and my exercise, and I feel so good during and after.

We are going out again tonight to have dinner with friends. I am much more peaceful also about eating out now and, I will remember not to order soup, no matter how healthy or good it sounds. I bet I could make a good gazpacho using fresh ingredients only to keep a rein on the salt issue. Hot sauce, a little cilantro, fresh tomatoes, fresh onions, cucumbers, and avocado and more cilantro for garnish might just do the trick. I may have forgotten a key ingredient since I haven't made it for a while so I will check the recipe before I make it. It tastes so good on a warm summer night, and we are definitely into warm nights now.

Thanks to all who wrote or called to cheer me on after yesterday's post. I love my blog readers!

188.7 Low Drone Vs. Fever Pitch

OMG, this is so much harder than I ever thought it would be. These last 20 pounds are an albatross around my neck and I find myself in a hurricane of embarrassment (I'll just get that out there), frustration and consternation that I am so stuck in this place and have been for so long. There are fits and starts of progress but I can't seem to sustain it. My inner voice has told me that I need to turn up the intensity with which I view this goal and finish this, that the volume is set at a low drone rather than the fever pitch of energy that I need to bring to this time in my weight loss journey.

I have lost 60 pounds and that's huge ~ so was I ~ and I do celebrate that, but I really want to get this next twenty pounds off. And yes, we've had house guests and social engagements, and yes, at least I haven't gained the weight back, but NO! I don't want to stay here.

So back to the gym, loving the elliptical, up the water, stay aware and focused, and be grateful for the progress I have made, knowing I want this goal to become my reality!

188.4 What Was I Thinking?

As many of you know, I have had to work to overcome a lot of back issues for the past seven years, and have done pretty well, as a result of surgeries and being able to exercise. And, being able to lose a lot of weight has really made a difference. My back's been so good lately that sometimes I forget that I still need to take care of it.

Yesterday, I was in a hurry to leave to go shopping with Karen, my friend who is visiting from Virginia, and picked up my super relaxed dog to take her outside to pee. Big mistake. I didn't hurt immediately, but by the time I had driven a half hour to get to a special needlework shop, I could hardly get out of the car.

So today I sent everyone off to shop, to go to a museum and enjoy lunch out while I iced my back, walked and "hung" in our pool. I felt really guilty not participating and almost decided I had to go, that I should in order to be a good hostess. I'm so glad I was honest and just said that I couldn't join them. My back feels better, thank goodness, because tomorrow night there will be seven of us here for dinner. Things happen to get in the way of living exactly as we want, but taking care and trying to understand that you can't always do everything you want to do is pretty important. Having gracious house guests who didn't insist on staying home with me was very helpful, too. And, you know, they had a great time without me.

188.4 It Was The Salt!

We have house guests so I will make this short!

Two things are on my mind...since I dropped more than a pound overnight, I can say with confidence that it was the salt and I will not make the mistake of overdosing on pickles ever again! I promise!

And, this morning I broke my all time high elliptical record and was on it for 34 minutes! When I think back to my post entitled "Climbing Mt. Everest", written last November, in which I detailed the exhaustion and pain of working out on it for less than one minute, I am filled with smiles!

Have a great weekend, everybody. Since our friends will be here until Tuesday, I may not post everyday, but who knows?

189.7 The Devil is in the Salt!

This will be short since we are expecting house guests to arrive any minute. But, oh what a let down after yesterday when my weight was better and I had such a great time at Chico's.

When I got on the scale this morning I couldn't believe my eyes, so I got off and got on again. It persisted in telling me I had gained 2 pounds since yesterday morning. Oh, the pain!

And then I remembered that for lunch I moistened my tuna with a little lite mayo and then threw in a fair amount of dill pickle juice. And if that wasn't enough salt, I ate two small dill pickles. On top of that, for dinner I had a bowl of gazpacho that, looking back, I'm sure was full of salt.

So, today will be a low salt day and a lot of water day. I just haven't worried about salt that much lately, but I also haven't been drenching my food in salty pickle juice. Will I ever learn?

187.6 Changing My Shape

Now today was a great day. As you faithful readers know, I have been really struggling to get below 187 pounds. In fact I've been hanging around that number way too long. As you can see above, I did at least drop from around 188+ pounds back into the 187 camp, but that's not what made it a great day.

It all started with my walking buddy giving me two tops from Chico's that she has grown out of because she's losing weight. When I tried them on this morning they fit perfectly, and it occurred to me that maybe it was time to go shopping again.

So off I went and tried on *size 3 pants, the size that I'd bought about 3 months ago. They were too big! At first I thought that that wasn't possible and ignored it until the sales woman looked at me and announced for all to hear that those pants were too big and that she'd get the smaller size. So, now I'm the proud of owner of size 2.5 pants, 3 pairs of size 2.5 pants.

What's really interesting is that when I weighed much less and I didn't exercise like I do now, I usually wore size 14 or 16. So to wear the equivalent of size 12-14 at this weight means the exercise has changed my shape! Now I am wondering if I can get down to a size 2! Of course I can, but it will take time and exercise and more weight loss. What a plan! (And if I can change my shape at the age of 67, anyone can.)

* For those of you who aren't familiar with the way Chico's sizes its clothing, it's marked from 0 to 3.5.

188.0 Tired or Hungry?

Oh, I'm tired! It's been a good day and a busy one so I'm not complaining. I am just tired.

One of the things I've come to recognize while losing weight is that when I am tired I'm much more tempted to eat, and it's not because I am hungry. I think that I think (there must be a better way to express this) if I eat, I won't be tired anymore. That works when your body really needs food, but I don't think it helps if fatigue is the problem, not hunger.

Stretching out for a while or getting involved in doing something is a much better option than heading to the pantry or refrigerator. This is all part of being aware that I write about frequently. When I go into a zone where I don't think first about what I'm doing is when I can really sabotage my efforts. And, I did that just before I sat down to write this blog. Obviously, I'm still learning.

187.8 Sometimes, Sometimes...

Sometimes I wish I had never started this blog with the idea that I would post my weight everyday. Today, for example, is not a good way to follow yesterday's rejoicing that I had finally gotten down to 187.0. I know, I know, our weight fluctuates, etc., but I probably would rather just post my weight whenever I reach a new low, and not make public all the roller coastering I do. But I am aiming to make this a very authentic reflection of what this weight loss adventure encompasses, and that in fact, we are all faced with these ups and downs as we work on weight loss.

The good news is that I just returned from a half hour on the elliptical. I was going to stop after 25 minutes, but got lost in watching Oprah and before I knew it, I was at the 30 minute point. So the question to myself is, why did I stop there? Why didn't I push a little harder, a little longer? I'm not sure, but think it is time to up the ante and see if I can go longer, maybe a lot longer. Sometimes, I do things that don't really make sense when I think them through and this is one of those times. Sometime soon, I hope I'll be writing about a lower weight and a longer time on my dear old friend, the elliptical.

187.0 YAY!

A very welcome Mother's Day present showed up today on the scale! Finally, another all time low!

Hope you are all having a wonderful day whether you are a mom or not. We mothers all have needed and appreciated the support from all of those who have helped us raise and care for our children. Happy Mother's Day to all.

187.4 A Relative Day

We spent today with "the relatives". We don't have a lot of relatives out here in Arizona, but we do have a few. A cousin of mine flew in from Albuquerque, N.M. to spend some time with the AZ relatives. So today we drove Marcia up to Prescott where everyone else lives. I know, it sounds like I am talking about quite a clan. Actually, there are 4 relatives who live up there: my sister Barbara and husband Al, and my cousin Steve, Marcia's brother, and his wife Loretta. And Chris, Barbi and Al's son, was visiting from California. So we had a great group of eight sitting around the dinner table.

What really struck me is that our family is getting smaller, but smaller in a good way. Marcia has lost 50 pounds, Loretta has lost 35, Steve has lost 15, Jeff has lost 30, and I've lost 60! You add that up and it equates to one very large person! We all lost using different methods, but because we are a little older than we used to be, health reasons factored strongly in each person's decision to lose weight. I hope we can gather next year about this time and all have lost even more. This has me thinking that I come from a family of good weight gainers, and now good weight losers. As I often write, who knew?

188.2 The Power of Reflection

I finally bought a full length mirror. It is still leaning against the wall where it will be hung, but that is a huge step for me. Jennifer had suggested I buy one several times over the past many months and I would agree that I needed to, and then not do it. Why? Well, for one thing, I couldn't figure out where to hang it. And, then I had the excuse that we were re-doing the master bath and I needed to wait until that was done. And, I believed that I could see enough of me in the mirror behind the sinks in our bathroom. I could see from about my waist up with no problem and that obviously was all I wanted to see. But no, she wanted me to see all of me, clothed and not clothed. I needed to "own" this miraculous body of mine with all it's flaws and all of it's beauty, and then coming face to face with it, figure out what I wanted it to look like and how I was going to get there.

I think that when we are in our bodies, we probably either idealize them, or make them worse than they are. In my case, I know that I thought I looked okay. After all, I thought I looked okay from my waist up.

Recently I was getting my hair cut and found myself sitting in the chair staring at all of me as reflected in a full length mirror. Ouch! The view of me sitting there was not at all what I thought I looked like. And, that's how most people see me, sitting across from them having a conversation, a drink (of water, in my case), and enjoying being with each other. So, I am more motivated than ever to keep going to reach of my goal of 170. Reflecting on where we are in life or in a quest for weight loss is a good thing. I think I will be a lot more satisfied looking back at myself once I get the next 20 pounds off.

187.2 Changes Abound!

As most of you know, I have been given a lot of support during this weight loss adventure, as I like to call it, by Jennifer Scott, a clinical hypnotherapist. She has been encouraging me to look at all of the changes that have occurred in my view of my self and my body during this transformation brought about by losing 60 pounds. Her hope and mine is that by looking at this list, I will understand the good things that have come from the weight loss and find encouragement to continue. So here is what I have noticed, felt, and experienced as a result of the weight loss:

I can cross my legs now, and I can put my feet up on the dashboard of the car. (I know this may not hold any appeal to you, but I've loved doing this on long trips, especially.) I can get up and down more easily from a chair. I know I can get through narrower spaces and I don't have to worry that I might have to retreat because I can't make it when I thought I could (very embarrassing!). I have more energy, a lot more energy. (Think about it. It was as if I were carrying around a 60 pound bag of sand every where I went. No wonder I have more energy!) People notice me more and that makes me sort of giggle like it's my own lovely little secret, and, I admit I like to look in the mirror more. I like having a more shapely body. I love to wear clothes that don't look like tents, and I like to go shopping and am still shocked that size XL and sometimes size L are too big for me. My feet don't swell so much, and I don't hear myself breathe as I walk. I can turn over in bed more easily, and I can move more quickly, walk much more quickly. I can go upstairs without pulling myself up with my arms. I like the attention and people talking to me about how much better I look and how I did it! I love being able to sit in a seat on an airplane with room to spare and not have my thighs touch those of the person next to me. I know I am not fat anymore, and I don't have that fat lady complex that people are wondering how I let myself get so fat. And, I like to walk around, instead of just sitting all the time so people won't notice how large I am. I can work out, and I can do the elliptical! CHchchchanges abound!

Writing about this has really helped me reflect the changes and I encourage you to write down what you have noticed about yourself since losing weight. If you are just beginning to lose, make a list of things that you hope will be the result of weight loss. No, it probably won't make you rich and famous, but, who knows what unexpected changes you may experience!

190.0 Water or Coke?

One of my readers, Annis, sent me this information about water, and coke. Please read it and take it to heart. Taking care of our bodies, no matter how much we weigh, is so important.



Facts About Water:

#1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
(This likely applies to half the world's population.)

#2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak
that it is mistaken for hunger.

#3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism about 3%.

#4. One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs
for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of
Washington study.

#5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

#6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of
water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain
for up to 80% of sufferers.

#7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term
memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on
the computer screen or on a printed page.

#8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of
colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast
cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop
bladder cancer.

Are you drinking enough water every day?



FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

#1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.
It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric
acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major
contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

#2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the
commercial trucks must use Hazardous Material placards
reserved for highly corrosive materials.

#3. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean
engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Now the question is, are you sure you want that coke?

188.2 Instant Gratification Leading to Long Term Regret

I just received an email from one of my readers with whom I am working on her weight loss. She wrote that she was really mad at herself because in a moment of being angry about a very poorly done repair job on the deck of her home, she ate strawberry shortcake, a lot of strawberry shortcake.

My thought is that what is really at work here is the good old instant gratification impulse that leads to long term regret, especially if the pattern becomes habitual. Part of what I write about frequently is awareness, and if we can plug in that awareness so that there is always a good strong connection, we can stop ourselves before we start to give into that detrimental instant gratification behavior. Here's an idea that might work ~ if you can link anger, sadness, all those emotions that yearn for instant gratification to make us feel better, with walking, or gardening, or shopping, or something you really enjoy doing, you'll begin to break that old pattern.

And, since you probably won't make a perfect transition to your new connection, be kind to yourself and then reaffirm what you intend to do the next time you're feeling bad. Does this make sense?

188.2 Cruel and Unusual Motivation?

Looking at the title of this post makes me a little uneasy and so does what I have done. But maybe it will work. You see, I have really been stuck (not that that's a new situation for me as you know), and I am mad that I can't get more weight off. I love the compliments that I'm getting now, but actually think that is making it even harder to keep this weight loss going.

So what did I do? Well, this morning I took pictures of my thighs and pictures of my back from my neck to my waist. These areas look fine when I am wearing clothes, but not so great without clothes. In fact, both areas are horrible! I do realize that I'm 67 and I'm never going to have great thighs or a great looking back. Talk about crying out for improvement, these areas are screaming at me!

So, I'll hang the pictures in the pantry and in the fridge and see if they don't get my attention before I eat something I don't need and/or will regret. Now, I just have to remember to remove them when we have dinner guests! Oh, the challenges!

188.0 Sleepy Sunday

It's Sunday afternoon, a sleepy afternoon for me. The gal I usually walk with returns late today after being away for two weeks, so we'll be out walking tomorrow morning. I do so much better when I have someone to walk with.

A short post, I know, but I'll be back tomorrow. Hope you are all enjoying the day.

188.0 Taking Care Very Carefully!

Yes, I know it popped it again, my weight that is. And yes, I can explain it with tales of entertaining and going out. But that's life, after all, and I'm trying to learn to live with the stresses and joys of life along with the challenges of dealing with food.

Here's some good news: my body mass index is now at the lowest it's been in years, a measure of 28 as of a couple of days ago. I remember it being 35 at one time, high enough to make me eligible for gastric by-pass surgery. I was considering that as an option when I decided to use hypnosis and awareness to help me gain better control over my out of control eating, and to become aware of why I was eating too much, etc., instead. Recently I learned that a large percentage of folks who have the gastric by-pass surgery regain the weight they lose after the surgery, and I can imagine being one of those people with my history of regaining lost weight. I totally believe that understanding why you have gained weight and why you are too heavy are as important to success as cutting back on how much you eat.

So,I have to continue to take this seriously and slowly and not think I'm failing somehow because I still bobble up and down. I've kept daily records of my weight loss for the last year plus, and I'm winning in spite of the bobbling.

I just came home from a Kentucky Derby Party and shocked and amazed people who hadn't seen me for a while. I was asked several times how I lost the weight. In a social setting like today's, I usually smile and answer "Very carefully!" Taking care of my body has been the primary motivation for me.