New Day - Up the water intake

I probably drink more water than the average Joe, but I need to be a bit more consistent.  Yesterday was the 4th of July.  I spent a great deal of time outside, which means I was sweating more than if I had been indoors all day.  The result is that my body is now retaining water, and the scale is up 2 pounds.  But I must cognitively know and accept that this is not a "true" weight gain.  I must persevere.  I love the definition that thefreedictionary.com gives for persevere - remain constant to a purpose.

If I increase my water intake today, my prediction is that the 2 pounds will be gone tomorrow plus a few more ounces.

I am having Kellogg's Special K protein plus cereal with soy milk for breakfast.  I like this particular Kellogg's cereal because it has 10 grams of protein and meets my minimum standard for fiber at 5 grams per serving.

For me fiber is a higher priority than whole wheat.  I do eat old fashioned oats, steel cut oats, and other "whole grains"; however, I don't seek out "wheat".  A number of years ago, my husband and I read Eat Right 4 Your Type  by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo.  According to his book, an O positive blood type metabolism does not work as efficiently with too much wheat.  Right after that, I started eating more meat (which D'Adamo recommends for O positive) and I stopped stuffing wheat down my gullet which was all the rage at the time.  Within 6 weeks I had lost 17 pounds.

I encourage everyone to listen to your own body and filter all the information out there.  Just because the morning news expert recommends something, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is perfect information for you.

My husband can eat far more wheat than I can, but his body reacts to it in a completely different way (i.e. no obvious weight gain).  It is important for me to understand that it is okay that my husband can eat different things than I can.  We are different in other ways as well.  He sometimes says that I have a bionic nose, because I can smell things that he cannot.  It appears to us that this may be one of the reasons why I don't always like a lot of different spices on or in certain foods.  I think they overwelm my senses.  He, on the other hand, is a lover of many spices and large quantities of condiments.  I call him the "condiment king".  He can practically make a meal of condiments alone!

Back to today. . . make sure I get the water I need, exercise, and remain constant to my purpose.

Word for today:  PERSEVERE

Losses and gains

I started this blog primarily for myself and to reflect and flesh out my thoughts, but I also started it to share thoughts that might help someone else in some small way. 

Truly I am an optimist otherwise I would not have survived my life to date as it has been a bumpy ride to say the least.  I must share some of the "stuff" so that those who might feel that I "don't understand" will know that I do.  I will try to be measured as to how much I reveal and how soon.

Today, I will share this with you.  I have lost a net of 20 pounds since January 1, 2009.  The net consists of a total loss of 40 pounds with a regain of 20.  I found myself not dealing with the stress of school this past fall.  Between October 2010 and May 2011, I managed to gain  20 pounds.  Fall semester was stressful in one way and the spring semester was stressful in a different way.  Either way, I gained weight.

 But I will prevail!  You will prevail!

Some people have said to me, "Don't worry, it is just the freshman 15."  Well, the fact is that I am not a freshman.  Technically, I have been a senior for 25 years, though this program classified me as a junior this past year.  I started back to school in January of 2009 and intentionally lost weight slowly but steadily until October 2010.

There were lessons for me about life between October 2010 and May 2011.  Were the primary lessons directly about my weight?  Of course not!  The lessons were mostly about people and secondarily about handling stress in a proactive way instead of a reactive way .  Haven't you heard that old saying that life would be great if we didn't have to deal with all the people?  But deal with people we must!

I am determined to learn the lessons that have been provided for me and move into the future as a wiser and more in-sync-with-my-life person.

Word of the day:  Prevail

Day 17,856 Losing weight

Day 17,856 marks how many days I have been on this earth to date.  I used this web site, timeanddate.com , to do the calculation for me. .  . I love the internet!  Today I start anew, in fact, everyday I start anew. 

My goal is to accomplish my 2012 plan.  I will finish my Bachelor's degree in 2012.  I will be 50 pounds lighter no later than 2012, and I will be a wonderful 50 year old.

Today, I woke up and could hardly move; my left hip was stiff.  The good news is that the stiffness is due to DANCING with my husband last night.  We didn't plan on doing that, but my husband, who is not Mr. impromptu, indulged me.  He loves me! 

We actually started the evening by stopping by Old City Java to see the Knoxville debut of artist Annie Rochelle.  Then we stopped by The Old City Wine Bar to see owner Ray Adelman.  On the way back to the car, we stopped by NV Night Club, where we found out that NV stands for "envy", duh!  We sat outside for about 30 minutes, before I had to find the restroom, whereupon, I discovered the indoor dance floor.  We danced for about 45 minutes!

So the point of all of this is that I was DOWN A POUND this morning!!

For better or for worse, I may blog in a stream of consciousness kind of way.  Just hang in there with me!