Obese Indignation

At the risk of being way too transparent I type this post.  I'd be the first to freely admit that eating healthy is difficult and requires diligence and discipline.  Maybe I am making excuses for my wanton, holiday behavior but I think it's extra tough for those of us that do not eat plants based on ethical/moral reasons (ie vegan) or religious (7th Day Adventist).  The plant-based diet I follow is solely based on willpower and I was sadly running on empty for quite some time.

I began following a plant-based diet in 2011 after getting negative cholesterol results.  I was diligent.  I had a re-test date etched in stone and really wanted to get that number down to a manageable level.  Before converting I read Engine 2 Diet, The China Study and You Can Reverse Heart Disease.  These three books helped me immensely and gave me some ideas on how to prepare tasty food. 

I then stumbled upon the book Eat to Live.  That gave me increased motivation to not only get and keep my lipids under control but to lose excess weight.  I followed Dr. Furhman's diet and the weight began to fall off.  To be fair I was also doing a P90x and Insanity hybrid exercise routine.  The results were remarkable but surprisingly not everyone was thrilled.

I began to get back handed compliments on a regular basis.  "Oh my God! If you lose any more weight you're going to blow away."  "Let me introduce you to my new friend, Slim Shady." Sadly, I still was about 5 pounds too heavy!! Unfortunately, the comments began to wear me down and my food choices began to deteriorate.  I didn't eat meat or dairy but began to fall into the processed food and booze trap.  The weight slowly began to reappear.

I was at the Y swimming last night and decided to weigh in after my laps were complete.  I knew I was up but wanted to quantify the number.  I'm not really big on scales but was sure I was inching to close to an area I worked to hard to flee - and I was right.

I've allowed the opinons of unhealthy people to get me off the mark of staying healthy and living a long, pain free life.  I've allowed back handed compliments to break my focus on what's really important to me.  Being healthy is one of my core values.  I don't want a spare tire, muffin top or love handles.  I don't want to be dependent upon Lipitor, Cialis, insulin, or BP medicine.  I don't want stents, back surgery, or to test my sugar daily. So I'm declaring my freedom today.

I declare my freedom from back-handed compliments.  I declare freedom from caring what people think (other than my doctor) of how much I weigh.  I've seen too many people die prematurely based on poor eating and exercise habits and I am not going to be in that statistical category. 

I'm free and will begin dropping the weight again.  Next fat person that says to me, "If you lose anymore weight you are going to blow away", I'm going to say, "No, I won't fat ass I'll just hold on to you!" 

Okay, I'm too nice but I just might be thinking it. :)

Saying Goodbye to Stinkin’ Thinkin’

I’ve taken the liberty to state that soul = mind + will + emotions.  Or, said differently, our soul is comprised of our mind, will, and emotions.  Today I want to focus on our minds.

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

The American populace is overweight, obese, and in some instances morbidly obese.  We have TV shows such as the The Biggest Loser that inspire, we have companies like Beachbody, the Total Gym, Weight Watchers, hundreds of weight-loss gadgets, and many authors that write about weight loss but we are getting fatter and fatter.  Why?

Do not be conformed but be transformed.  One of the most difficult things for me to maintain a plant-based diet is the reaction of other people.  Overweight people telling me that “you can’t always deprive yourself!”  Really, so having my breastplate cracked open and having a surgeon insert stents into my arteries is a good thing?  “Oh, I made the broccoli salad just for you…it only has a little bit of bacon and mayonaisse in it. Why aren’t you eating it?”

Obesity is now the new normal, unfortunately.  People want to eat what they want, when they want, and blame the government for not having universal healthcare to fix all of the twinges in their hinges.  DO NOT BE CONFORMED!  Look around you at the epidemic of obesity.  You do not have to conform to it if you renew your mind. 

Think for yourself.  Don’t allow the latest fads to dictate how you live your life.  Carbs aren’t the enemy.  Eating a handful of bacon is not the answer.  Books like the South Beach Diet and Adkins diet are dead wrong and if you continue to blindly follow them you will be wrong and eventually dead.  Take some time to research for youself. 

I know the information is often cloudy but if you seek diligently you will find.  Continue to renew your mind and act upon the new found knowledge. It might just be the key to a long and satisfactory life.

TK