Thought for the day

This was today's entry in my Thought for the Day Calendar. I found it amusing and timely. Enjoy!

I've copied here the email I sent Margo B-cubed this morning after her data crunch. I once saw a personal philosopy stated as "The number one sin is f-r-e-t-t-i-n-g." In thanks for all she's doing for us, let us chorus our MARGO LOVE!

Oh, Margo B-cubed, we've all had data disappear to Normal Human Negligence. Do not fret, dear lady, we're all your friends. ღ ღ ღ The great value for me is not the money at all; I have no expectation of collecting anything. I just appreciate so much your creating a place where I could have company in my quest. Your number-crunching and attention is such a gift to us that a bobble here or there is insignificant, truly. It's just a game. :-)

New Top 5

Hey! Hey! Good work, Heather! What fun, new leaders. Of course, it was just the pressure getting to me. I'll be back! And I'll quit going out socializing (read: eating) on Sunday nights! My next trick: brush and floss my teeth at 5 pm, to be sure nothing goes into the mouth after that. Pitiful, really, but it works!

Cafeteria at new job

The Orchard, here at Roll Global, serves healthy food, the correct portions, and has posted for every item, the calorie, fat and sodium content.  The food is cheap and prepared to order.
No reason why this should not be a tool in my success.  Eating an egg white, veggie omelet as I type.
I need to scratch my way into the TOP 5!

Super Bowl buffet blues! I GAINED weight this week! But as we've all learned with weight loss, ya' gotta' get right back on the horse that threw ya'. (OMG, I sound like Sarah Palin!) Since by some miracle I am still in first place, I will re-focus by declaring to myself and anyone interested, my most effective tactics, all of which are endorsed by sanity in the form of Dr. Weil, Dr. Oz, Prof. Walter Willett of Harvard, Michael Pollan, etc.

1. Eat a light breakfast, a moderate lunch and no dinner. Just a 50-calorie "clean" snack in mid-afternoon and early evening.

2. As Michael Pollan's superb book "In Defense of Food" says, Eat f-o-o-d, not processed s-t-u-f-f. If my great-grandmother wouldn't recognize it, I no longer sabotage myself by dragging it home. Unlike Grandma, I throw out the sugar and all flour, even whole wheat, which is so processed it spikes the Glycemic Load. Across the 5-million-year history of primates, our bodies developed to metabolize nuts, berries, beans, greens, unprocessed grains, fruit, lean meat rarely, and frequent fish. Since humans always had to live by water, fish has always been primary. Grilled, of course, or baked!

3. A mouthful or two of any food may be all I really need/want right now. If I sit down with a small bowl of low-sugar granola, yogurt and fruit, I don't have to eat it all, I can save the other part for my afternoon snack. Portion control!

4. It's easier to do what I'm doing because I don't have to cook for anyone else and be around their tempting food. I salute every one of you who runs a family and works in addition to taking care of yourself. Bless you, ladies, for doing the most important job in the human species---mothering!

Diet Envy

Since I've began to change my lifestyle habits, I've begun to experience what I have termed "diet envy." While in New York celebrating New Year's Eve, my friend became offended when I declined a pork chop, and told her that I no longer consume pork. Her reply was "What did you turn Muslim on me or something? Tell me why you don't eat pork!" I didn't feel like I had to eat the pork chop or explain why I wasn't...and I did neither. I've been force fed enough things in my life, which probably is part of the reason I'm in the situation I'm in now. I grew up in a "eat all the food I put on your plate" household, which makes it hard to leave things, even when I'm full.

For my birthday, I was allowed to drink, but didn't have much. After my birthday, I began to decline drinks or offers to go out and drink. People become almost irate "What are you on a diet?" Almost as if they are disgusted. Like how dare me be on a diet. I would explain, but again, I don't feel like it's necessary. In my mind, I am making lifestyle changes, that will help me lead a healthier, more productive life...and hopefully win some cash in the process. ;) This weekend a friend invited me out for Mexican food and margaritas, but then didn't return my text when I said I wasn't drinking. I became really amused. I'm not ashamed of what I am doing, by any means. As a matter of fact, I'm very proud of myself. I think it takes a lot of courage to change your habits. If nothing else, the process is teaching me who's really in my corner and who isn't. I'm also learning that it's really psychological. Changing your mind goes a long way in changing your habits. I hope that everyone else is holding up well, and not experiencing diet envy. :) Keep up the great work!

If you're a fan of wings, read here

I LOVE lemon pepper hot wings, but I can't eat the sauce on my diet. My workout partner and I have put our own twist on it. We mix "Lemon pepper" Mrs. Dash, a little olive oil and "Extra Spicy" Mrs. Dash. Toss the wings in the sauce. Then cook on the broiler pan for about 10 minutes each side. Delicious! :)