Honey I Shrunk My Body

T’was the night before Christmas
And all through my home,
My family was sleeping,
I was completely alone.

The stockings were hung
on the mantle (it’s fake),
And on the table was placed
Some cookies and cake.

Gingerbread and chocolate,
Sugar and spice.
I was sure that Santa
Would find it quite nice.

My mouth started to water,
I looked at the treats twice.
Santa would understand
If I had just one bite.

Then what to my
Chocolate-smeared face did appear?
But Santa, an elf,
And a bunch of reindeer.

Santa walked up to me.
We stood toe to toe.
He said “Those are mine,
“Or didn’t you know?”

I looked Santa square
In his twinkling eye.
And said
“You touch these treats…..you die.”

You see, With chocolate, nothing can compare.
Even with Santa,
I would not share.

Yes, I’ve always had trouble with this.
To make matters worse,
Snacks go right to my hips.

But I wouldn’t give up,
Those treats, they were mine!
So I told Santa Claus
He was way out of line.

He wrote my name on his list
The one that’s naughty, not nice.
Then I balled up my fist and
Punched him not once, but twice.

The scuffle that night
Was ugly to see.
We knocked over the elf,
We destroyed the tree.

Yes, Santa and I got into a fight.
It seemed to last
Almost all night.

We fought over those treats,
Those snacks and sweets.
I even stomped
On his black-booted feet.

Because when it comes
To sugary snacks,
I won’t give up.
I just attack.

But Santa’s tough,
Quicker than he looks.
(And besides that
He throws a mean left hook.)

Finally we sat,
Panting and bruised.
Santa said
“This just won’t do.”

He asked “Tell me, tell me, why do you fight?
Are these treats so precious,
That you’ll fight all night?”

“Oh Santa!” I cried, As I massaged my black eye.
“I don’t know why I love treats!
They go straight to my thighs!”

“I know that these snacks
Will just make me fat.
But I still want them.”
And there we sat.

Santa looked at me closely,
He may have shed a tear.
And quietly asked me
“What do you want this year?”

“Oh Santa” I cried,
“I want to be thin!
Though I don’t act that way.
Is that such a sin?”

“I eat more than I should.”
I continued to say
“And what’s even worse,

I have treats every day.”

“And yes, I know that those snacks are yours.
But cookies and cake
I truly adore.”

“I don’t want to eat them.
Really, that’s true!
Because after I eat them,
I only feel blue.”

Santa nodded
To show that he understood.
He smiled at me
As he quietly stood.

“My child” he said
“This gift you desire,
The one that you dream of,
That sets you on fire,”

“This gift I cannot
Stock on my shelf.
The only way to receive it
Is to give it to yourself.”

The gift of good health,
Being fit, tone and trim.
Cannot be given,
Even by him.

“It must be earned,”
He said to me.
“With diet and exercise
Don’t you see?”

“There is no shortcut.
No quick fix.
No elf magic.
No Santa tricks.”

“Oh, Santa” I asked,
“Are you really sure?
All of that effort,
Must I endure?”

“My dear” he replied,
“To be truly fit,
You cannot just wait,
You must work for it!”

He continued “Cheer up!
I know you’ll succeed!
For I’ve known you since you
Were as tall as my knee.”

“You can do it!” he said,
In a voice that rang true.
“Because, my dear child,
I believe in you.”

“Thanks, Santa!” I cried,
“For the gift of good health.”
“Don’t thank me” he replied,
“You give this to yourself.”

Santa turned to leave,
Back to his work.
But at the last minute
He turned back with a jerk.

“Go ahead” he said,
“I’ll leave those treats you adore.”
“No thanks” I replied,
“I don’t want them anymore.”

And then up the chimney
His sack he did lift.
As he called back to me
“Good health…..What a gift!”

And I swear I heard
As he flew off in the night…..
“Merry Christmas to all,
And next year - no fight!”

Move, track and stay on point.

Happy Holidays.

Posted on December 25th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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I was glancing over a few of my past blog posts. As I was reading them, at first I thought they sounded a bit selfish and self serving.

Then as I thought a bit more, I thought, Why not? Now it is about me. For once in my life, I am thinking about me. I am getting my act together to get healthy for me. I wish I would have taken the time before now. I know that my family would have benefited more from this healthier lifestyle.  I was so absorbed in my work and my kids that I had little regard for myself.

As they got older, I seemed to lose prospective. I began to think that my life was going to be over soon.  I overlooked one of the most important things, staying healthy. Healthy, so I could live a long life. Healthy, so I could enjoy those grandchildren. Healthy, so I am mobile and full of life.

I am glad I finally saw the light. I have been looking around at my friends, family, and customers deteriorating health. Lots of the health problems they have were brought on by not living a healthy lifestyle. In essence, they were killing themselves.

As I am writing this blog post I realized some little thing about me again. It isn’t all about me, I want to share with you. I want you to worry about you. Get healthy, stay healthy. I feel so much better I want to encourage others to hang in there.

Hope it is a great weekend.

Move, Track, and Stay on Point!

Posted on December 18th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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I am taking a trip to visit my mother in California the last two weeks of January.

All my clothes were getting ridiculously big on me. Until now I had refused to buy new clothing. I am not one to wear used stuff (I am a bit of a germ phoebe).

I broke down and bought a couple new transitional pairs of pants to take with me to Sacramento.

I feel so wonderful, size 20. When I started this journey I was wearing tight 26s when I could get in them. Otherwise I was in stretchy clothing.

These are not stretchy 20s. They are cotton jean material. SIZE 20!!!

I know it isn’t the size 10-12 I want to get to eventually but…. size 20!!!

Things must be getting tightened up along the way. Yippee!

I hope you have a great weigh-in!!

Move, Track and Stay on Point!!

Posted on December 16th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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Mark Pinkhasovich lost 213 pound on the Biggest Loser in seven months. Seven months. Lets figure that out. That is almost a pound a day.

He looks great. But we cannot lose weight that fast. It is not healthy for us. Not to mention having to deal with a lot of loose skin.

I have lose over 90 pounds in just over a year. That is more realistic. I don’t have loose skin all over the place.

I am writing this blog entry for those of you who may have become discouraged because your weight loss doesn’t measure up to last nights show. I have been losing through two seasons of the Biggest Loser. With their standards I should have lost 400 pounds by now. I would be nothing now!!

We have to remember that those people are pushed to the limit and they exercise all day long. Not to mention that every morsel of food they eat is scrutinized.

As long as that scale is going down, and we are averaging one to two pounds gone per week, we are doing good. Just make sure it doesn’t start going up, up, up.

Move, Track, and Stay on Point!!

Posted on December 15th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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After being on the new plan 5 weeks and losing 10 pounds, I caught myself getting lazy. I stopped tracking everything that went into my mouth.

I see this week I don’t have a loss so far.

I retraced my tracks, as best I could, since I didn’t have it in writing. I don’t think I went over my points but I do believe I left things out.

I didn’t get all my water and milk in. Some days I had fruit juice instead of fresh fruit. I didn’t get all my veggies in.

This tells me that no matter how much of a veteran to the program you think you are, track. Track and measure.

I know I need to watch the salt and water retention too. I feel like I have given up almost everything else. Even though I know it is tough on my blood pressure, I am reluctant to shy away from the salt too.

I may never be one to just play it by ear. I think getting to my goal weight and staying there is going to depend on me tracking every bite that goes into my mouth.

Move, Track and Stay on Point!

Posted on December 13th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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We all know veggies are great for snacking. But being honest, sometimes I feel like if I eat one more veggie, I am going to sprout a leaf or two.

Sometimes we just want some crunch with flavor. Some little thing out of the ordinary. I started looking into seaweed. Yes, I said seaweed. At first those low fat little green squares tasted so great, they were welcomed by my taste buds. After a while, like the veggies, they got old. I needed to find other snacks to mix it up a bit.

You would be surprised at what you will find at an international market. You have to look at the labels closely but I have shaken my snacking up so that it isn’t so boring. And surprisingly, keeping it low carb. Last week I found the dried snack squid area. Those little packets are loaded with flavor and have almost no fat and no carbs.

As I went on exploring, I found some nice tempura crunchy seaweed snacks. They have a bit of fat, but nothing compared to regular potato chips and very low on the carbs. They were very spicy and added a bit of a zing to my snacking.

I think one of the secrets here is to chose a snack that has one bad thing going for it, not two. For example, potato chips have fat and carbs. So that is a poor choice. Pretzels are low in fat but high in carbs. Better choice but pretzels get old to me, real fast.

I have always been a chip addict. Those are the hardest items for me to leave alone. Since the switch at Weight Watchers to lower carb, I have taken to eating some pork rinds. You have to chose the ones that are lower in fat. Make sure you portion them into baggies. With all the flavors they have now, the spice and variety they add to your diet is a welcome change.

Do some exploring and label comparisons, the next time you shop, you may be surprised.

Snacking is good for us, as long as it is healthy snacking. Low fat snacking helps to maintain energy level, blood sugar level and appetite level. Low-fat snacks can control hunger pangs keep you from taking second or third helpings at your next meal. As a result, you may actually consume fewer points for the day. On the other hand, eating unhealthy snacks high in trans fat levels can cause the blood sugar levels to rise and drop quickly. In turn, you are likely to become lethargic, moody and intolerable.

Chose your snacks wisely.

Select snacks that contain complex carbohydrates like peanut butter, cheese or low-fat yogurt. Keep away from foods high in simple carbohydrates and those that are sugar laden such as candy bars, sodas etc.

While buying healthy snacks, always check the food labels. Go for snack combinations that provide carbohydrates for energy, protein to sustain the energy by slowing down the release of sugar in the bloodstream, fiber to help you feel full and healthy unsaturated fats.

Have a great weekend.
 
Move, track and stay on point!!

Posted on December 9th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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The air has been stirred in every direction since Weight Watchers changed to the Point Plus System.   I know that it got me off the merry-go-rounds I was on and back to losing again.

I went looking for some answers to some of the questions people have been hitting me with about carbs.  I found some good information that I thought I needed to share with you.

“Carbohydrates is one of the most dreaded words in America. With popular diets criminalizing the carb, what does a person do to eat right, and yet still have their bread?

Basically there are two kinds of carbohydrates – “good” and “bad.” Good carbs have a minimal impact on your blood sugar levels without causing them to spike or drop too drastically. For when blood sugar levels fluctuate, that’s when you end up feeling hungry, shaky, or even nauseous, and usually find yourself gorging on the nearest sugary, empty calorie snack. Good carbs are also full of vitamins, minerals and fiber, which are all necessary for a balanced, healthy diet. Bad carbs, on the other hand, are full of sugar and white flour, which send blood sugar levels skyrocketing upwards. Although you may feel full briefly, soon your body will up the sugars and simple carbohydrates, resulting in more hunger. Because as your blood sugar levels fall lower than where they were before, it creates hunger pangs. It’s a bad cycle.

 Although different from one another, most low carb diet stresses the need to refrain from food items containing white flour or sugars. In this way the American public has become more aware to the differences in carbohydrates.

However, sometimes the diets take it a little too far. Complete abstinence from carbohydrates is not a healthy choice in the long run. A necessary nutrient, carbohydrates supply the body with energy and fiber. Bulkier carbs that are low in calories fill you up. Even the human brain reacts to the ingestion of carbs, releasing chemicals upon their absorption.

And sometimes it’s those “feel-good” chemicals that make it so hard to say “no” to another cookie. For humans are programmed to dive straight into sugar; a quickly digested instant burst of energy, sugar is directly related with serotonin, the “happy chemical” in the brain. But sugar is also an instant diet breaker. White flour food items such as white bread, pasta, waffles, pancakes, cookies and baked goods are, essentially, nutritional wastelands. High in calories, low in nutrients, and usually delicious to boot, these “bad carbs” are guaranteed to be bad news for your waistline.

So, how to incorporate carbs in your diet? Become a fiber fiend and make sure that you’re picking the correct carbohydrates. Read food labels – make sure that all bread and cereal products are made with “whole wheat” or “whole grain.” Skip anything simply labeled “wheat” or “brown.” And refrain from any food items made with white flour, which is simply empty calories, destined only to make your hungrier.

So what can you eat? Well, fruit and vegetables are always good options. If trying to limit your sugars, however, keep an eye on how much fruit you are consuming, as all fruit contains natural sugars. A good rule of thumb is to pick fruit that has a high fiber or water content, which will keep you feeling satisfied longer. Apples and berries are high in fiber. Melons are low in calories and full of water. Try an avocado or a tomato; these fruits are often overlooked but are simply packed with vitamins. Be wary, however, when picking up a peach or a citrus fruit, as these are loaded with natural sugars. Vegetables, on the other hand, are the perfect snack and meal option. Full of everything your body needs, from antitoxins to antioxidants, vegetables are high in fiber and naturally low in calories and sugars. The exception? Try to refrain from starchy vegetables such as corn and potatoes.

But what about baking? Use whole wheat flour. Grab a whole grain bagel. Brown rice, wild rice, millet, barley and oatmeal are all good options. Try making oatmeal pancakes with whole wheat flour; load up on bulgur instead of white rice. Try food that mixes protein and carbs - legumes are a good idea. Lentils, chick peas, black beans, even fat-free vegetarian refried beans are an option!

If you’re really out to beat carbs, try adding some protein to any snack. Use a slice of cheese, add a tablespoon of peanut butter, or grab a slice of turkey. But just make sure, no matter what, to keep an eye on your calories intake. For it’s calories that will make or break your waistline in the end.”
  
This article gave me a different perspective, what do you think?

By the way.. down one more pound this week!

Move, track and stay on point!

Posted on December 7th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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After a year on the program, I am finally to the point that eating isn’t my whole world. I used to be consumed with buying and cooking food. Looking forward to events that were centered around food.
 
Now I look forward to my skinny ankles in the morning. I pick up my crochet hook or take my dogs for a walk.

I have a friend who tried many times to instill in me, not to eat unless my body needed fuel. I never understood how he could live like that.

Now I am to a point that I try to eat when I am hungry, not for sport. It was a slow transition, but now I get what he was saying. I feel so much better when I am not overfull. Bending over, doing everyday chores, and I love my skinny ankles. I know I said that before but it bears repeating.

As far as the new plan goes, I have points left over every day and at the end of the week. I stay away from the bad carbs, watch for high protein, high fiber and low fat foods. If you do that, you will have plenty to eat.

The pounds have started leaving me again.

Be patient with this new program. Weight Watchers knows what they are doing. They have sustained the test of time, being around with success stories for over 4 decades. (Wow, that sounded like a commercial.)

Move, Track, and Stay on Point!

Posted on December 4th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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I have lost 8 pounds in the four weeks since starting the new plan that is coming out the end of November.
 
All of you know that I had been on a plateau for weeks. I see that 100 pounds lost coming up very soon.
 
My body is working better on this new plan. I am not having to use fiber supplements like I did previously.
 
It is still about making good choices. Choices that will energize you and not leave you sluggish.
 
You will be happy with the new plan.
 
I wish I could tell you more but it will be in your hands soon.
 
Have a great weigh-in this week.

Move, Track, and Stay on Point!

Posted on November 28th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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I read a blog this morning that I had to share with you. This person is struggling. I know many of us felt the same way at many points in our life.

“What do you do when you’re losing it?!

I have to find a way to care I suppose. I have to find that switch to turn Caring on. I still can’t find it… ”

I was the same way before I started Weight Watchers in Sept 2009. One day I went to the VA and saw a fellow about 450 pounds in a wheel chair in the pharmacy. I know he was only in it because of his weight, or that is what I thought at the time. I thought wow, in 5 years that could be me. I was so upset and sad. I was thinking, next year I will be 55, then 60 then dead. Then I heard that song on the radio, Live Like You are Dying. It got me to thinking, what in the heck do I have to lose?

What do I have to lose but weight? How can dieting (eating right) make me more miserable than I am making myself right now? How can losing weight make me any more unhappy? I am already so upset with myself, I am thinking I am going to die soon.

I woke up, shook myself into reality, and got with the program. I tell you what, I have my life back. It didn’t come all at once. It came a few pounds at a time. Sometimes I would move one step forward and two steps back. But hey, I have great days now. I didn’t have very many 18 months ago.

You have to stop and think about what made you happy in the past. Dream of those things again. Whether is is happy times with people you love or just going on a hike. You will be happy again, you just have to want it more than anything. I was miserable with this weight for many years. And guess what? I have 3/4 of it gone in just over a year. Take your life back! I am pulling for you.

Let me know if I can help.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Move, Track and Stay on Point!

Posted on November 25th, 2010 by lovestosmile
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