The Diet
Where there was once a "thinish" type woman, there is now a not so "thinish" woman. Simple story really and a common one. Here is proof of its common-ness. When we moved to Texas 15 years ago, the Goodwill store had a rack of about 5 ft long for XL ladies shirts, about 2 ft long for dresses. Today when I was shopping in there, I was actually shocked at the realization that the store now boasts 3, 20 ft long racks of ladies XL tops and one 5 ft long rack of XXL ladies tops. The dress rack containing XL has grown to 10 ft long and the skirts and pants are both that long. Its nearly the same in the men's department. There are hardly any men's medium clothes any more.
It was frightening really.
My diet is not so much a diet any more. It just is eating. After reading what it said in the book, The Secret, I started practicing that and its very odd, but I have now lost 8 lbs in about 2 weeks time. I just keep telling myself, "Its not about the food" and somehow those 5 words work with me. I might be hungry for a snack but in saying those words, I defeat the urge to eat when I don't need to.
And I keep visualizing myself at 134 lbs. Imagining how it will feel to sit in a chair weighing that amount. How my hands will look, how my body will move through a room, that sort of thing. The pressure is off me somehow and I have been eating so healthy. No preservatives, no white sugar at all, or refined sugars. No meat, for me that's an easy thing, since I don't even like it. Lots of veggies and fruits.
Most folks know its not about the food, its about what's eating you and about our choices. Its about choices. For right now, I feel the most healthy I have felt in years, due in part to my healthy eating, and realizing that over-eating is not about the food, it was about me. Also, Tai Chi has made a huge difference in my health.
Now when I feel stressed, I go do some work. Much better than reaching for something to much on mindlessly.
I still think about how to present my food in attractive ways, to set a pretty table and to take time to eat. To enjoy the meal, the taste of the food and savor the moment.
A pan full of healthy food !
Comments
I am grateful to my grandmother and to my mom for having worked their fingers to the bone to create better economic opportunities for the next generation. It saddened my grandmother to no end that her own mother never had a chance to grow old enough to develop cancer or other illnesses typical of an affluent society. Again, I am truly happy for you that you have a choice and that you can pick and choose which foods to eat and which to consider inferior for human consumption.
Congratulations also on your nice neighbors who will help out with medical expenses. Children, even perfectly healthy ones without special needs, are expensive and get sick every so often. I hope your daughter can keep the insurance a little while longer. Unfortunately, universal healthcare does not exist, and some employers are more interested in their bottom line and their own pockets than the dignity and well-being of their employees. All the best to you, I keep you in my prayers.
Aren't you too blessed to live in Houston where life is so much easier than in so many areas of the world.
I see your son is at UT Austin, that is where our oldest daughter went too. Great school. I have been reading your blog and web page.
Health care is a big issue with our family as it is for so many.