"I always said I could make it and be who I am/There's a new look in sight/what a change for a modern [wo]man." --Night Ranger, The Secret of My Success
Oh, OK, Night Ranger...80's...Michael J. Fox and Helen Slater (think move, circa 1987, same title)...80's... Sigh, I loved the 80's. I had so much fun during that era...although there were things that pissed me off during that era, too, come to think of it. Am I the only person who can't wait for the New Year to bring a new decade? 'Cause after Bell's Palsy, this one was a lemon and I want my money back. (Oh, Meatloaf, wherefore art thou?)
Anyhow, I'm down to 157 pounds now. When I started this blog I was 12 pounds heavier, and that was only a few months ago. TWELVE POUNDS...go to the grocery store, take one of those produce scales, and keep loading it up...and get a good visual for what 12 pounds is.... And I've lost four of those pounds over the last two weeks ALONE!
So what's my secret? It's something that I'm going to cover quite a few ways in future blog posts. That's why you totally want to spread this blog around to your neighbors, friends, co-workers, anyone who has a weight loss and/or a general health issue. Because since I was bedridden the first few weeks of this Bell's Palsy nightmare, I'd read a book a day, to a book every other day, on health, fitness, nutrition...and I'm still knocking them down, folks! My loss can become your gain (well, unless you want weight loss, in which case, my loss can be your loss TOO). Whatever works.
I've converted my eating from mostly meat and starch to more vegetables and fruit than not. Now, stick with me here. I'm not suddenly going to go Veggie Commando on you and freak out about organic produce versus non-organic, and that you should become some ovo-lacto vegetarian purist. I'm not saying there isn't credibility for that kind of argument...I just know that, well, gee, I kind of still like meat and all.... So if you do, too, you can breathe a sigh of relief. I'm not going pork postal on you.
In the meantime, let me start this thought on my blog and continue with future posts, since I never mean to write a mini-novel but then, shucks, I kind of do. And you have work that you're probably eschewing to read this, so...awkward! This is supposed to be a quick hit of whining and opining and we fade to black until tomorrow, right?
Jesus, I'm already several paragraphs into this. How does this always happen to me...?
Anyway, I know better than to spout extremes to the American public. You can be 100 percent right and be 100 percent alone. And I'd be the biggest hypocrite, so, while I'd make a wonderful politician, I'm trying to downplay the stress in my life not up it, since that apparently will help my health improve in the meantime. So, just consider my initial suggestion and we'll look at it over the course of this week in more detail: look at how many vegetables you eat in a day. (Relax, I'm not going to club you over the head with a goddamn food pyramid, just answer the question). Now, if you tried to put potatoes and corn in there, take them out of the equation. Why? Because when your body breaks down these veggies, they're actually starch...and starch breaks down into (cue up the high school science teacher theme music) SUGAR. That's right. That's why diabetics have to beware these starchy, carby foods. Because they have to be extremely careful with their sugar intake.
So, come on now, it's just you and me. Actually, what the hell--it's only YOU reading this. I'm really not here anymore; I've already posted this thing and I'm probably wearing a lampshade on my head to entertain Steven Ames, who's up from a nap. You're by yourself, you can be (and should be) honest with yourself. So, how many vegetables do you eat in a day? If the answer is none, one or two, you're doing yourself a huge disservice. You'll learn why in future posts, but for now, take a good hard look at what you eat. Most of it is meat and potatoes, right? Can you really count the pickles and two bits of onion that you get when you get that drive-thru burger? Are you excited if you go to Subway and you build your sandwich with lettuce, tomato and onion, then drown it in dressing? Do you think that LTO even equals a single serving of vegetables? Do you even know the answer to any of these questions?
Because, as you'll learn, as I already have, surprise! The more vegetables (and, hey, fruits) you eat, the healthier you become. The faster you shed weight. And did you know that certain foods honestly can prevent heart disease, stroke, cancer, and inflammatory diseases? Did you realize that if you're currently on medications for high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. that you could reverse the deleterious conditon of your body depending on what foods you're ingesting? Seriously.
There are actual studies done by medical doctors, researchers and scientists, whice have discussed this type of thing at length. I'm happy to share with you what I've learned, a little bit every day, because believe you/me, not only have I lost four pounds in two weeks...I can close my right eye again, after Dr. Troll (see a few posts ago) told me I'd probably not be able to do it for a few months, if at all. My skin is pink and healthy. I have energy that is increasing every day and my joints, which in the past had killed me, are starting to feel better! I'm living proof that every bite and sip you take affects your health!
Now, tune in tomorrow for further details...and please be reassured, that I'm not morphing into some tree hugger who bakes her own dishes in a kiln and has her own self-sustaining victory garden in her backyard. Remember me how I was at my son's first birthday party...hair, makeup, cute dress and high heeled long-legged black leather boots. I'm a Libra. We don't do crunchy granola...although we may, when no one's looking, eat it!
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