This Kind of Loss I Like!

...weight loss, oh YEAH!

My body and I, we're pretty forgiving of one another...we've been through a lot together and due to that fact, many years ago I determined I would be kinder to it and decided to stick to the resolution of Never Dieting Again, Ever.

And I've stuck to that.

Dieting put me on a crazy cycle of...something...that just never worked for me and instead made me very very concious of eating, in all the wrong ways. You just don't fix a food fixation by creating further fixation.

Now I realize there are a lot of things that are so normal about the way I eat. Sometimes emotions trigger a longing for comfort foods, sometimes we include foods in celebration. A lot of folks think both of these need to be banished, but I've always thought there are powerful connections there we can't ignore.

A few things I have tried to become more aware of, and more deliberate about:

1. My body must be maintained via what it needs than rather through what I think I want as far as instant gratification
2. I need to treat my body, and its limitations, with respect
3. My body does not define who I am
4. My body does affect nearly all I do
5. My body responds well to careful attention
6. Stress must be examined and dealt with constructively, or my body will become ill
7. I need adequate rest, water, movement, and sunlight

As I've gone about my Un-Diet, here are some facts personal to me that I've come to realize:

1. When I cook at home, we eat better
2. I no longer care to look young, look like someone else, or dress for success
3. I would like to be able to wear whatever I like and make cute homemade skirts and tops. Someday I hope to be a size where I can do that
4. My weight issues prevent me from enjoying many activities I've always wanted to be free to do. This does not discourage me...it keeps goals in my mind's eye as incentive to treat my body well for the longterm.
5. I love milk, hot homemade bread, real butter, real foods. I have learned that any of these is so enjoyable that I don't need much of it to satisfy me.
6. Vegetables...if I will cook them homemade (or serve some raw) it infinately rounds out my eating to be much more satisfying and reduces my cravings
7. If I'll eat real foods, I will not fixate on food
8. Since I've become diabetic, I seldom crave sweets...weird, huh?
9. Kombucha has cut my cravings down to nil, keeps me detoxed, and has speeded up my weight loss...with no other changes having been tried. I FEEL BETTER now after drinking it each day for a month. Sometimes, I have no craving for it, so I don't drink it. Some days I have to have glass after glass of it, always over ice.

I've got a long road ahead for my ultimate weight loss goal. I've done it before, and know it can be done by doing one thing: the right thing, long enough...that's it!

I'll be adding in alphalipoic acid and biotin at minimum dosage levels for additional blood sugar support. We continue to supplement with regular dietary addition of fresh gynura procumbens "diabetes plant" leaves.

All of this is leading somewhere...

I'm at the cusp of an important number in my weight loss..you know, one of those numbers that represents a big hurdle...an ugly number that must be gotten past. I'm 4 pounds shy of passing that number, big Yay!! As of the beginning of this year, I've now lost a total 14 lbs. I've lost it without dieting, though with some deliberate changes, and am really hoping to be passing one of those landmark Big Ugly Numbers after the next 4 lbs.

This past week, I lost 2 lbs (included in above total)...a big surprise!

There are three things which may have contributed --

1. We're drinking a lot less milk since the prices are so high, though I'm not limiting it in cooking
2. I'm drinking a LOT of kombucha daily
3. I'm cooking at home for nearly every meal


I'm not sure which of these, or which combination is the biggest factor(s), but Yay!! I'll keep on trucking

Just posting this since any downward trend in the weight numbers is really a good thing at this point :)

Doing Not Thinking Challenge Update

Interestingly, this is my FIRST DNTC update since our world went a bit upside down quite a few weeks ago. Whew, what a ride!

The goals have languished, but they're not dead yet.

1. Ok, the saving our loose change from pockets and car consoles toward a Kiva.org loan (they have loans for very, very small amounts to help the poorest of the poor purchase life-altering goods to make or sell, and repay...even amounts of just five dollars can be contributed, but equate to huge differences for the lifestyles of the motivated entrepreneurs, most of which are family businesses or cooperatives.) I haven't even BEEN to work since making the pledge for this challenge, so that's affected the totals...

Total change collected to date: $ 17.00 (I'm not counting pennies till the last week)

2. Weight loss...I'm in the negative...now I have more to lose, rather than less. Went to the doctor and had gained three pounds, probably during those weeks seated on my behind at hospice. I have some carbs to cut back, gaahhhh.

3. Doing what we can toward finding a permanent homestead, no discouragement wallowing allowed: Yes, stayed very consistent with this in the past few weeks, despite everything else. I'm very motivated (and so is Jack) to continue with this ASAP, as we are feeling the economic pressure of increased store prices and the limitations of where we are living. We made more phone calls, follow-ups with contacts, developed and followed leads as far as possible. As always, there is a lot of waiting in between each step. Goes with the territory, I suppose.

To see what great things are happening with the Doing Not Thinking Challenge, here's the page at TwoFrogHome where you can follow each person's progress :)