DASH

The diet I am following is DASH: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. I could call it low-fat, low-salt but I prefer saying what I CAN have instead of what I CAN NOT have. 

I can have fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat, bread. Sure, they need to be low-fat or lean. No special, out of the ordinary foods: tofu, bean sprouts, rice cakes are required. 

Fake food like diet shakes are out. 

No overdose of vitamin pills. Good, whole, real food.

I can eat this way forever. 

And that’s the whole point. 

What is better than a New Year’s Resolution?

2012 begins on a Sunday, the start of the week. New week, new month, new year. New me? No. I can’t change THAT much.

But, two trips to the ER for chest pain in 13 months is more than a message (it’s a great fee- doctor, hospital, ambulance), it is a foreshadowing of things to come if I don’t make changes right now. Heart disease is the NUMBER ONE killer of Americans. And I can do something about it.

Step one: diet. The highly recommended DASH diet is doable (I don’t have to eat tofu and kale.)

Step two: aerobic exercise. Dance is my choice. No one has to see me.

Step three: weight bearing exercise. Callenetics (sort of Pilates) for the first month. Then small weights.

Step four: less TV time. I think I will read and work on my scrapbook.

Step five: do more and worry less.

So, what is better than a resolution? Change for the better.

(Plus, I want to post much more often, even without pictures.) 

Lessons Learned

Finally, I am losing weight and taking control of my life. How? Weight Watchers, a treadmill, evil pictures, mirrors and common sense!

If I'm not tracking my food then I'm not on WW. So I am tracking and learning what works and what doesn't. What doesn't work? Sugar. New rule- eat the required fruits and vegetables and get enough liquids, then have a serving of a sweet, if I'm hungry. Common sense (and very French!)

Thanks to Cara and Donnie for the treadmill. It is self-powered and taking up much of the living room.

Evil pictures- the ones my mother took on vacation. I am BIG.

Mirrors- to be well-dressed one needs a full-length mirror. See what I actually look like. Elizabeth Taylor said when she was too fat she only looked in small mirrors that only showed her face.

Common sense- If you keep doing what you've done, you'll keep getting the same results. True. So I am changing what I do- what I eat and how much I move.

and be positive!

never giving up

ok, it's the first day of December and I have once again decided to "really try to lose weight." Again. That said, I have eaten my last McRib. At 500 calories and 12 Weight Watchers' points, I can't afford it.

Today's total was 41 points; that's more than my daily allotment. Tomorrow will be better. I did exercise for 20 minutes; that's good.

So today's message is this: I am never giving up.

On the good side, I did not gain any weight this past week. Pretty good when you consider it was Thanksgiving and I had little to do but eat, sleep and watch tv.