For those of you who do not know, I am working toward a goal of losing 100 pounds this year. I didn't start this goal until Spring, so I'm giving myself until the first of May 2013. So far, I've lost 20 pounds.
This is in April of this year.
I am working toward healthier eating. Even though we've been eating quite healthy, the problem for me is Polycycstic Ovarian Syndrome [PCOS]. I can eat the healthiest diet on the face of the earth, exercise regularly and still gain weight. My thyroid is fine. The secret to all of this weight gain is carbohydrates, namely breads--white, whole wheat, multigrain--you name it, it's a large part of the problem.
Saturday August 11, 2012
As you can see, there is a big difference in my face from April to August.
What more have I done?
Carbohydrates are everywhere in multiple forms. White flour and sugars are represented in a variety of forms in multiple things that we, as a society, consume in the products we purchase. There are labels to read on every package to make sure you're not ingesting MSG, high fructose corn syrup, partial hydrolized (fill in the blank), and a whole host of other Genetically Modified Organisms [GMO's]. You truly need to brush upon your chemistry to make sure you or your family are not ingesting something bad for your body. Or do you need to do that? Hmmmm, certainly something to think about.
I've been trying very hard (some days are better than others) to eat breads only on 2 days a week. This doesn't just include breads, but carbohydrates in general. These days are when I have one brownie, we make whole wheat pizza for dinner, I have a sandwich for lunch, or I plan to have peach coffee cake. Is this a good thing? Well, I know full well that my body does need the vitman B's in the multigrain things that I don't eat as much of any more as well as the fiber, but for me, my body doesn't need the carbohydrates as often.
What do I eat?
I love this picture! I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy, nuts. I use salt free butter (not margarine). It is more expensive, yes, but I don't have to worry about unhealthy chemicals in my foods. I also use coconut oil to cook with. I'm working toward using red palm oil as well, but I'm in the researching phase of where to buy it least expensively or if I need to look for a good sale and buy it in bulk.
How can I do this?
It isn't easy to go to the kitchen to bypass the carb laden snacks and grab the bag of pistachios, but I do it. It is such a blessing to have my precious daughter willingly, without asking me, make me scrambled eggs with my home made salsa in it while I'm finishing up my Bible study for the day. It is wonderful! I still need to work on saying "no" to the 2 scoops of ice cream on every other day except my carb days. LOL Things are coming along, but not without challenge. I've developed what is known as insulin resistance. Every carbohydrate that goes in to my body, my body doesn't like it, sends my blood sugar level up and the energy from that carbohydrate is turned in to fat instead of used up.
Exercise?
We have a 2 story house with a basement. When the children, all 3 of them, went to work for some friends of ours this summer on their berry farm, I decided to take over the laundry from the assigned child. This equates to at least 12 trips up and down 2 flights of stairs numerous times a day. I also walk 8 miles a week or, if the weather is cooler, I use my elliptical that my beloved Mr. G bought for me this past spring. For now, this is all I've been doing. I do some stretching, some tummy exercises, but nothing to speak of. I do foresee a time in the not so distant future when I'll need to add more things in to my exercise routines, but for now this is working for me.
Counting calories? Points? Amounts?
I don't do Weight Watchers, I don't count calories and the only amounts I limit myself on is all carbohydrates. This means I can eat a huge salad without worrying about every single little calorie or point in it. For example, my breakfast this morning was this:
2 "dippy" eggs cooked in coconut oil
1 Kiwi Fruit
1 Avocado with sea salt and pepper
1 cup coffee with Half & Half and Generic Splenda
(Yes, I'm working on an alternative to this. As with all things, change takes time.)
There have been days since starting this way of eating when I just can't seem to get enough vegetables. Then a few days later, I can't seem to get enough protein. I try to get those things in a variety of forms, but I find myself eating more often those things my body is craving. What if I crave carbs? I eat an apple, carrot, peppers, fresh peas or have a glass of juice. These foods have natural carbohydrates in them. You can't get any closer to "God made" than a couple carrot sticks, peppers and peas fresh off the vine.
Why?
I'm glad you've asked!
Matthew 6:24-34 "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (25) Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? (26) Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they? (27) And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life? (28) And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: (29) yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (30) But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (31) Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (32) For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
(33) But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(34) Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." [emphasis mine]
Hence the reason for this blog in particular, we are created to eat naturally. All the added processed foods of our day are not only UNnecessary, but they're killing our bodies. What God created back in the Garden of Eden was deemed by the Lord, Himself, as "Very Good." When we attempt to make what was deemed "very good," new and improved, we not only disrespect our creator, but we are setting ourselves up for terrible disease because in our limited "wisdom" we think we know more than THE ONE who created us.
God forgive us for ever thinking that anything "man made" is better than HIS creation.
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