Chilled Champagne is an essential ingredient in any diet I undertake. \u00a0So WHEREVER you are, pour yourself a tall skinny glass of bubbly and let’s toast to the prospect of a new you! (Or not, I\u2019ve since recently, reconsidered my position on this critical issue: to drink or not to drink\u2026 that was the question. \u00a0I think I\u2019m over alcohol, but I\u2019ll keep you posted\u2026)<\/p>\n
Now, I’m going to tell YOU. \u00a0I am NOT a nutritionist. \u00a0I am not a fashion model. \u00a0I am a woman that LOVES FOOD and eats a lot. \u00a0I’m not particularly young and Yet, I’ve lost weight as needed after gaining weight as needed for pregnancy and post wrestle with life-threatening bout of evil breast cancer (cause: a genetic mutation).<\/p>\n
Since November, when my beautiful doctor, a man, older than me\u2026 I calculate he must be older than me, he went to medical school and<\/em> became a luminary in his field\u2026 told me, “It is time we talk about your weight.” \u00a0I was twenty five pounds heavier than I am today. \u00a0I just shrugged my shoulders. \u00a0I thought: “Hey, I’m older now, I had cancer, I’m busy, I have kids, blah, blah, blah.” \u00a0In other words, I thought: \u00a0I have to be FAT. \u00a0Everybody is FAT after a “certain age<\/em>…” \u00a0Yet, sitting before me was a really good looking super-skinny and well coiffed presumably\u00a0older-than-me<\/em>\u00a0MAN. \u00a0I was a little beaten down, having surrendered to the idea well, frankly that to be NOT beautiful, to become attractive, or lacking in sex appeal \u00a0in my immediate and future future was an unavoidable destiny FACT. (OUCH!) \u00a0I had surrendered to the idea of being older and overweight ass unavoidable TRUTH. \u00a0Because I believed I was old and\u2026 well\u2026 I had no choice butt accept my big bottom as a reality knot to be untied.<\/p>\n Anyway, I made a lame attempt at defending myself, I told him, “I go to the gym,” and I said, “I eat healthy.” \u00a0My doctor LAUGHED at me. \u00a0He did.<\/p>\n “EVERYBODY always says that they work out or don’t eat so much but the fact is that gaining weight is a simple mathematical equation: too many calories and not enough movement to burn off the calorie count.” \u00a0<\/strong>He said.<\/p>\n NOW, he had my attention. \u00a0“Are you calling ME a cliche?” \u00a0I asked,\u00a0outraged\u00a0for an instant, wanting to get offended so I wouldn’t have to listen. \u00a0“YES!” he laughed. \u00a0Skinny, tall, and blond, my beautiful doctor said, I was indeed a, “Cliche.” \u00a0This made me angry, because ONE thing I pride myself on is on be myself, unique. \u00a0So\u2026 I said, “Do tell.”<\/p>\n Well, my doctor gave me two guide lines:<\/p>\n 1. Cut every meal you get (in a restaurant ESPECIALLY) in half and eat only half, every time.<\/p>\n (Note: In my case, I eat the protein and avoid the starch.) \u00a0This shrinks your stomach, which is essential.)<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0Excursive\u00a0at least one hour everyday. \u00a0YOU must do enough to sweat, then rinse it off. \u00a0This Rinse off, may seem obvious, but it is essential to your \u00a0health that you remove the toxins from your skin that your body excretes through\u00a0exercise, daily.<\/p>\n Starting in November, I applied those two guidelines. I started by walking, then running or\u2026 sometimes\u2026\u00a0dancing. \u00a0Biking is also really important to me. \u00a0Now, I’m SKINNY ME: weighing less than I did a decade ago. \u00a0BRAVO!<\/p>\n I also changed the following:<\/p>\n I no longer drive everyday. \u00a0At least one day per week, I walk or bike EVERYWHERE. (This is ALSO good for the environment.) \u00a0This works especially well when going grocery shopping\u2026 carrying food\u00a0home on a bikes, keeps it real what YOU buy. \u00a0Best of all NO frozen food. \u00a0I’ve never been a big fan of canned or frozen prepared, highly processed, foods. \u00a0I’ve always\u00a0preferred ORGANIC fare and I know that this fact alone makes me healthier and more resilient than most. \u00a0NOW, I’m a little stricter about what I eat\u2026 but I eat real food: organic animal proteins, salads, fruits, veggies, dairy, and FOR ME: NO GLUTEN. \u00a0NONE.<\/p>\n Fast Food, has always been completely out-of-the question for me. \u00a0Butt, IF you are a driver-through bandit, you like your McD’s on the GO, or TACO Terror, or worse you eat\u00a0any food\u00a0that\u00a0involves\u00a0a person taking your order via a microphone and throwing a bunch of chemical sculptures of food into a box for you then you better STOP IT! \u00a0Because, just like smoking, some habits have no upswing and can only slow you down and make you ugly.<\/p>\n