Hard? Let's Talk About What's Hard

You know, I have always talked about how hard it is to maintain control of my weight and what I eat. Yes, it is hard. Most people never maintain their weight loss because the "call" of sugar, salt, and carbs is so great, and weight lost eventually becomes weight gained.

But it is not nearly so hard as what I saw this weekend. This is hard. I saw a dear family member lying in a hospital bed, bloated to the point of almost being unable to move because dialysis has been unable to keep up with the fluid his body is collecting. He has a blood clot in his leg because he lives his life in a wheel chair. All this is due to diabetes. Living with this is hard.

Another family member is nearly blind and is also on dialysis due to diabetes. Living with this is hard.

In comparison, eating so as to avoid having to live like this one day is not hard. I know that I will have future moments of weakness. I know that I will not always have the picture of the way some of my family lives clearly in my mind.

However, I do hope that from this point on, I will be able to keep my perspectives straight. Avoiding brownies and other such foods so that I can avoid dialysis or blindness, is not hard. Living this those serious things is very hard.

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Take that, #%^%# Brownies!

What those brownies meant for bad,......ok, well, that's going too far. However, while eating the brownies last week was not good, it did not destroy my diet. In fact I have lost almost 3 pounds since that day! So take that brownies. I am still the victor!

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Those #%}£¥ Brownies!

I was not prepared for brownies. They were just sitting there on the table with all the other desserts. They were made just the way I like them. Oh, dear. What to do? What to do? Just a small taste. Yep. That would be ok, I told myself. Just a small taste. I have just a small taste and that will be all.

Well, I had a small taste. Then another one and another one. That first small taste became several small, well, not so small, tastes. I'm sure my blood sugar soared. Sigh.

This was just another confirmation that I have no stopping power when it comes to sugar and chocolate. Just how many confirmations do I need? One small taste is at the same time too much and not enough.

The good news? I did not totally crater. I am still counting points and exercising, and my weight is still heading the right direction. Yea!

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Well, I've been doing the 'Weight Watchers' thing for several weeks now and have reached my first goal! I am feeling better and have more energy. Yes, the things I am winning by losing are beginning to accelerate and I'm enjoying the 'lighter' feeling that comes with weight loss.

I did have a difficult day last week when I had an unexpected day at home. For some reason, I just wanted to nibble all day. I made it through the day without blowing my diet, but it wasn't easy. Whew! That was close!

Holding my Own

It's a monthly event. It is always good and control is hard. I am talking about the monthly birthday dinners we have at my school. The grade levels sign up for the month they would like to bring food, and on that day, all kinds of wonderful dishes arrive.

Overeating at these dinners is always a serious temptation and control is difficult. I have allowed my good intentions to be utterly destroyed over and over.

Yesterday was the day for the monthly birthday dinner. The good news? I did not destroy my diet. I ate a proper amount of the main course, some fresh vegetables, and then a couple of small servings of dessert. Not bad at all, considering....

Yea, me! I won!!!



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Points, Points, Points

Well, I've been counting Weight Watchers points for 5 weeks now. The iPad Weight Watchers app has made counting points easy and convenient. I've been faithful, day by day, recording what I eat and making sure it fits within my daily point allowance. Thus far I've lost almost 10 pounds!

Ok. I do admit that the week before Christmas was not good. Too many goodies in too many places. However, I did not totally lose control and gorge at all.

My clothes are beginning to fit better. Woohoo! I will soon be able to take some of my 'fat' clothes out of my closet and replace them with 'less fat' clothes I have stored in another closet. Wooohoooo!

Losing results in winning!


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My Cardiologist's Million Dollar Tip

That's what he said at my followup exam after my normal (yea!) angiogram. He said my heart had no blockage. However, my triglycerides are somewhat high and the A1-C test showed my blood sugar to be just above normal.

He said, "I have a million dollar tip for you. Lose weight. If you would lose 40 pounds, your triglycerides and blood sugar would be normal."

Of course, I know that. Overweight people know all about the hazards of being obese. Having enough knowledge is never the issue. Making a commitment and sticking with it is the issue.

Still, hearing the cardiologist make those comments got my attention. Hence, I began to give Weight Watchers serious consideration.


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