I recently reconnected with a high school buddy through Facebook. In our conversations I said that I didn't post too many personal things on FB as I questioned whether anyone would really want to read what I had to say...was I smart enough, witty enough, informed enough...etc. Her response was, "Helen, at our age we should be able to say whatever we want and not worry what others think." That one little sentence has been replaying and replaying in my mind ever since...
As I wrote in an earlier blog, I have struggled with exactly what I want this blog to be. I know if I am not true to myself, readers will see through the BS and pretense and not care to follow. I also know I run the risk of alienating folks if I keep changing but....if the shoe doesn't fit.....
Sometime in my mid-30's my mother's DNA kicked in and I started gaining weight. And after being diagnosed and treated for Graves Disease, I gained even more weight and have struggled ever since to get it under control. My family watched my mother deteriorate as she aged, as she gained more and more weight...the diabetes, heart trouble, back surgery and eventual Dementia. It was painful to watch and left an indelible scar in my brain and on my soul and I do not want to be that person.
So here I am, overweight, high blood pressure, pre-diabetic, filled with arthritis, high cholesterol and in my opinion spinning out of control. I KNOW what I need to do, no question, I am smart enough to realize the consequences of not making my health my number one priority.
I've done Weight Watchers, South Beach, Atkins and even went to a weight clinic. They all work, but you have to keep following the plan and that is where I run into trouble. It's someone's birthday at the office, or somebody brought in left over goodies from the weekend, samples at the grocery store, not having the healthy stuff on hand, being bored, being sad, being happy....being out of control.
So it's time to begin a journey and I think the best way for me to succeed is to share it with others. I cannot be a successful business owner/blogger if I am not a successfully healthy human being. The two do not mesh....it may work for awhile, but one or the other will break.
I am not a particularly athletic person, but I do enjoy being outside walking and working on my container garden; I have practiced a bit of yoga and Tai Chi. I think these are excellent places to start my journey: with small steps, adding/expanding a bit each week or so until I feel comfortable again in my own skin, and not ashamed at what I have let myself become.
Sun Salutation is a great way to start the day. I did 4 sequences this morning.
Well, I don't know if I'm at this point yet; BUT, a I had very similar advice before my double knee replacement surgery and it was so appropriate and made a HUGE impact on my recovery. I need to adopt this attitude right now and apply it to my whole life.
Now, for the eating part of this equation. I felt most comfortable and had the most lasting success with South Beach. Getting through the first 3-4 days of no simple carbs and no sugar is quite difficult, but I did it and felt increasing better each day I followed the plan. The biggest element to being successful is having the right food on hand at all times and never letting myself get so hungry that I would eat the table if I could fit it in my mouth-believe me I have felt this way at times!
Adopting a healthy eating plan and sticking to it may seem simple to many people. Trust me, it is not. Like any other addiction, food/eating incorrectly does not have an easy "fix" (pardon the pun). It takes planning, small steps and a positive attitude....and it can't be done cold turkey. We do need food to survive, damn, it would be much easier if we didn't.
So, how does all of this tie together, you may ask...when I started this blog I had every intention of making it all about "physical creativity"...crochet, knitting, sewing, gardening, journaling with snippets of items that I sell sprinkled in along the way. But ALL of life involves creativity and I feel I must also share how I create a healthier life, and in turn continue to grow my "hands-on" creative life. And my high school friend? I'm going to tell it like I see it, the good, the bad, the ugly and most importantly, the successful, the positive, the healthy...creating on the wings on serendipity, one day, one step at a time.
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