How I got my Groove Back...

In response to the lady that emailed me saying “...You could not understand (my food addiction) I saw your picture in the paper.” This is the beginning of my journey...

I have always had a problem with my weight.   Ever since I can remember, food was used for all the wrong reasons.   My mom and dad, used food for all sorts of emotions like happiness, sadness, and was a direct gauge of how much they loved me; at least, that is what I believed.  Don’t get me wrong; I do not blame my parents,  since they grew up in an era where they did not have much, so they wanted to make sure we had plenty.  They had grown up living from hand to mouth, where it was common to make and grow what you needed, which was very hard work...and I’m talking labor.  It was unheard of to have a weight problem and if there was a “ little meat on your bones you must be LIVING HIGH ON THE HOG.  If you think about it, the food they consumed was very simple.   Protein was usually hunted, hand raised or fish from the streams or lakes.  Vegetables were either fresh from the garden or canned. Other products such as white flour, sugar or   similar staples were not readily available.    Foods were sweeten with honey, and for flour they used  raw fibrous grains. There were no hormones, preservatives, or additives included in the preparation of their foods. 

  And let’s address EXERCISE; remember in their time they had to work very hard just to eat.  So when times got easier and food products were now readily available down at the local PIGGLY WIGGLY...everything changed.  EXERCISE was for KIDS to get some fresh air or was called recess... it was not an adult activity. So you see, it’s not your fault!  We are victims...a GENERATION OF FOOD ADDICTS directly resulting from the times. The times of plenty...plenty of COKES and DR. PEPPERS(10,2 and 4 on the bottle encouraging consumption at those times)  Moonpies, Cracker Jack,  Nestle chocolate,  Whataburger and 2 all beef patties-special sauce- lettuce cheese -pickles onions- on a sesame seed bun...times.   And let’s not forget,  YOU JUST CAN'T EAT ONE LAY'S POTATO CHIP!..hey,  I know all the jingles.   It took me a while to figure all this out. All I knew was I had grow into a very heavy person trying and failing every diet on the face of the earth...each time getting fatter and feeling more miserable. And there was more and more tantalizing, smiling, happy, singing temptations around every corner.  Until I discovered the key to healthy living and I was amazed at how simple it was.   

How I got my Groove Back, Part II

  So many people have emailed me and called me wanting to know how I lost so much weight...so here’s the lowdown.

I’ve tried every diet known to man...ATKINS, Grapefruit,  cabbage soup and potato.  From weight loss plans, low carbs to low glycemic blood typ-ing.  I’ve exchanged, zoned and detoxed.  I lived through BEVERLY HILLS to Somersizing and then fasted, purged and in the end... I always gorged.  Hunger is a very powerful feeling and I was never satisfied on any of those diets.  I was always extremely HUNGRY.  Kinda like my cocker spaniel, Buster who would eat until he passed out, if I’d let him. 

Subsequently, I’ve tried every exercise program known to man...you know them...ABS OF STEEL, DUMBELL DOGGY DIGS, Pelvic Demolishers, Abdominal Earthquakes and lets not forget that thigh buster, ab roller and the sugary sweet voices of those exercise video stars.

   So you see, I do understand!!  PERSONAL TRAINERS CAN GET FAT AND OUT OF SHAPE TOO... plus  inexperienced personal trainers do not know every body’s prescription for losing extra fat, every person is different and it takes years of experience to understand what works for people. Also, as you get older your body’s chemistry changes so what worked for you a few years ago may not at all work you now. I’ve had a radical hysterectomy, so the past year I have had to change my program, yet again,  to keep healthy and fit.  Yikes, it is so much harder now,  but it is still basically the same simple program, just at a different level.  So back to my story... Everything changed for me when I visited my brother Ron.  He lived in a condo that overlooked the beautiful and inspiring Lake Washington.  Sitting on the deck, I watched people walking everywhere.  Walking their dogs, pushing strollers, walking hand and hand and they all seemed to be very happy and healthy.  SO, on that sunny day in April I started to just walk.   That’s the only exercise that I did in the beginning because I felt so good afterwards.  I actually looked forward to it every day.  When I got home I drove my car around my neighborhood until I had measured a 1-mile track with my odometer.  Then I started walking that one-mile track, increasing every so often, listening closely to my body signals before I walked further.   I was amazed at how much better mentally and physically I felt. 

But I was not losing any weight.  If exercise was that easy maybe I was going about the eating part wrong, too.  So I wrote down my problems.   I loved to eat and what I ate had to be satisfying and filling.  Also, my weak times for wrecking my diet was evenings and weekends.   I went back to my curriculum on nutrition and calories concluding that to reach my goal weight of 115 pounds, from 165+, I had to reduce my calories to 1400-1500 calories a day.  But what could I eat that would keep me filled up and satisfied on that calorie count?   Fruit and veggies,  that’s what, and lots of meals including that food group.  I discovered if I planned out my meals with simple proteins, lots of fruits and veggies and added fibrous grains...not only did I feel full, I had tons of energy.  I finally started losing weight and it was all so easy.  That was good for the week but what about the weekend.   Simple, the savings plan.  Just like you save your money for a rainy day you save your calories too.   Do you really need that extra soda or beer for 150 calories (empty calories) How about walking an extra 15 minutes briskly for another 100 + calories.  Could you possibly eat a very lite dinner once a week?   At the end of the week you could easily save a 1000 calories, that you can either splurge on the weekend or save up... you decide. Maybe you have a special occasion coming up like “Thanksgiving” or something.   No problem...you saved up...right?  Sounds too simple, it couldn’t be that easy, besides it doesn’t have a name.  "Stick to the Basic's" and the "Savings Plan for Healthy living" These two simple plans, that I designed, is how I reached 115 in 7 months. These are NOT fads, they are a way of life for you and everyone you love...