She’s Been Spotted

You know how your mirror and camera don’t agree on how you look (I look soooo much better in the mirror than I do in pictures!)?  Well, it’s pretty much the same thing when you see a person that looks like you – ie. your Doppelganger.  My daughter and I (ok, mostly me) play the “Is-she-bigger-than-me-game”.  Basically, I’ll see a woman and ask her,”Is she bigger than me?”.  The point of the game is that I want her to say, “Yeah, Mom.  She’s bigger.” So naturally, I usually pick women that I think I’m smaller than – ha, ha (yes, I fix the game!).  Today, though, I met my match as they say.  She was even wearing a shirt that I own!  Even before I asked my daughter the question – I knew the answer.  We had the same body shape.  The same body size.  Close to the same height.  Our faces and hair are different, though!  If it wouldn’t have been rude, I’d have asked for a picture!  Ha, ha!

She’s actually the friend of a friend and is a perfectly nice woman.  I don’t want to have her body, though.  It’s a little hard to see it and know I look the same.  Not much else to say about it, I guess.  I know I’ll be running into her pretty regularly.  I’d like to ask my daughter “THE” question one day and have her be able to honestly answer, “Yeah, Mom.  She’s bigger.”… It’s a childish game, I know.  I imagine I’m not the only one that plays it, though!

Weight Loss Guru’s Through The Years

It’s been about a decade that I’ve been over weight and trying to lose it.  Like most women in the same boat, I’ve tried many programs.  They all seem to work for the period of time that I could  stick to them.  That’s always been the problem for me, though.  The sticking to it.  While none if them have been a sustainable life-style for me, many things that I’ve learned thru them/on them have stayed with me.  Many of the ideas, tips, etc, are what I’m holding on to right now.  Some of the things I’ve learned through the many diet guru’s who have passed through my life over the years:

6 Week Body Makeover Taught Me:

• the benefit of eating 5 small meals a day
• what a real serving looks like

Richard Simmons (yep, you read that right):

• by cutting soda out of your diet you can lose 10-12 pounds

Suzanne Sommers:

• eat protein, fats, vegetables, and fruit – just not all in the same meal
• gave me my favorite beanless chili recipe

Rachael Ray:

• the importance of everything in moderation
• to not be afraid to venture off the written recipe

Geneen Roth Taught Me:

• eat when you’re hungry
• eat what you really want – just eat it slowly, mindfully, and joyfully – stop when you’re full (ie. listen to your body)
• the binge - “Compulsion and awareness cannot coexist at the same time.”  Once you are aware that you are in the moment of compulsive behavior the “spell is broken”.  Now it’s a choice, not a uncontrollable force.

Dr. Beck:

• it’s not okay to take it easy on the weekends and every special event BECAUSE – There are about 140 weekend days of a year, not to mention the numerous holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, showers, weddings, parties, restaurant meals, fairs, conferences, meetings, special occasions, and vacation days.
• each time we “resist” an urge to fall of plan we strengthen our “resistance muscle” and each time we “give in” to temptation we strengthen our “give in muscle”
• don’t veer from your plan unless you’ve “planned” to ahead of time (don’t decide to eat cake just because there’s one in the break room) and if you’re going to eat something high-calorie, fat, sweet, etc… make sure it’s a 10 out of 10 (something you truly love) don’t waste your recent efforts on a 5 or 6…

The Full Plate Diet:

• increase the fiber in your diet – it makes you feel full – therefore you’ll eat less and fiber is calorie-free – therefore you’ll consume less calories making it easier to burn more calories than you eat in a day
• when you eat more fiber you soon realize you need to drink more water – which is a good thing

Dr. Oz & Angela from the Green Monster Movement:

• adding spinach (steamed baby spinach) to my morning smoothie is excellent for my diet with no noticeable taste

Bikram Yoga:

• You can only find out what is possible with your body if you first conquer your mind. 
• the importance of doing an exercise that you enjoy

Various Low-Carb Plans:

• the importance of keeping pre-made snacks and meals in the fridge
• that I feel good when my protein and veggie intake far out-weighs my carb intake
• how insulin works in the body

Oprah:

• stop eating at 7 or 8 each night and embrace that achy/rumbling belly when you’re trying to fall asleep – that’s what it feels like when your body is living off its fat reserves.  (yeah, probably not true but I like the image!)

and, of course, the piece de la resistance:

or… maybe it’s fat melting??? 

Those are the lessons that come to mind, anyway.  Those ideas along with “Eat Better.  Move More.” are the casual “rules” I’m following.  And I do mean casual rules – see previous post!!

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Eating Better.  Moving More. 

(Think I’ll go for an evening walk tonight – it’s perfect walking weather!)

~  Angie  ~