The Big Difference This Time......

I've been reflecting on what is different in my weight loss pursuit this time. First of all I'm exercising for the first time. I lost 100 lbs after the birth of my daughter without exercising so much as one mile. I did it basically by starving myself. I just conditioned my body to live on pretty much next to nothing and I lost over 100 lbs in about 4 months. I was 148 lbs for about 5 minutes and then the weight came back with a vengence. All of it.

The other major difference this time is I'm not focusing on losing weight. In all honesty, I could care less what the scale says. That is huge for me because I used to be all wrapped up in the numbers. THIS time, it's about health. I don't just say that to be saying it. It truly is about health for me. I love it that I'm losing pounds. Love it that my pants are looser, my face is thinner, I have more energy and stamina. I love love love that I'm getting stronger every single time I work out. But what I love the most is that for the first time ever in my life, I'm being good to my body. I'm treating it with loving care. I am making food choices based FIRST on what are they going to contribute to the health of my body, than on taste.

Don't get me wrong, I love food. I love to cook and make up new recipes, but if an ingredient has no nutrional value, I really just don't want to put it in my body. The only kind of chips I eat are Sunchips because they are made with whole grain. I eat an ounce of them a maximum of twice a week. I refuse to buy prepackaged "diet" food, low fat, low sugar, because I know that if they take that stuff out, they are replacing it with something that I don't want any part of. This is day 4 (I think) maybe day 5 without aspartame, and I'm glad I quit. It didn't really affect my body, but Chris got me thinking about how it was a chemical and couldn't possibly be good for me, so I quit using it.

Now don't get me wrong, I still like my raisin bran in the mornings, and my sun chips with a sandwich. I haven't gone completely "health nutty" but it's been so much easier for me to give up preprocessed snacks because I'm thinking in terms of my health. When I snack, I want it to contribute something to the nutritional equation. And seriously, now I crave homemade yogurt with bananas and homemade strawberry jam instead of ice cream. Now I want yogurt on my mashed potatoes instead of margarine, and a nice bowl of crisp veggies sauteed in canola oil is fabulous! An apple or orange means more to me than a snickers bar! And working out is more than just torture, it's the maitenence and tune up that my body needs to function.

Til next time..I'm healthilyunTHICKINandsoTHINNIN!