Food Revolution!

Is anyone as excited as I am about Jamie Oliver's new show Food Revolution? How exciting; I remember watching his program, The Naked Chef. The premise of his first show was preparing food in a more natural state and not adding a lot of junk to it.

So, his previews for his new show start with him in an elementary school checking out what the kids are eating. They're having pizza for breakfast and he's absolutely appalled. And honestly, can we blame him?

I struggle so much with my weight and I know, emphatically, that I do not want this to be my legacy for my children. What am I teaching them? Do they KNOW that pizza is not an acceptable breakfast? Do they KNOW that they need a minimum of 5 fruits and veggies a day to stay healthy and feed their bodies and minds? I hope so. And, I hope that my struggle is not a preview for their own lives. I hope they see that I'm a fighter, that I may not be perfect, but I strive each day to get better. And, I hope that with all that, they also see that pizza is not a good choice for breakfast.

Someone once said, "A leader leads by example, whether he intends to or not." So, I'm thankful that I have this opportunity to intentionally lead my children down a life long path of health and wellness. May that be the legacy I leave.

Olympic Mania

I just love the Olympics. My husband very lovingly refers to me as an Olympics nerd. Seriously, he catches me every two years, at wee hours in the morning watching the games. I don't just watch the popular events (gymnastics or track & field in summer- skating and skiing in winter). I mean, I watch them all...water polo, curling, whatever...bring on the games!

Honestly, what is not to love about the Olympics? They unite the world in sportsmanship and provide inspiration to the masses. The caliber of athlete that is able to compete in the Olympics is quite magnificent; and to medal, spectacular. And, medal contender or not...they are all striving to exceed their personal bests. Perhaps we can all take a lesson in striving for our personal best and harnessing our own Olympic spirit.

So, after reviewing my most recent post and pontificating on (to quote myself) "the mud of my own hopelessness", I am moving on. I'm harnessing my own Olympic spirit. I appreciate my friends and family for providing a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and most importantly, for reminding me that I am not defined by a number on a scale. I am not defined by my struggles. I am an Olympian; striving to achieve my personal best and harness the power within.

Now, where did I put my motivation?

I seem to have lost it; my motivation that is (although some that know me may have thought I was talking about my mind).

It’s been a ROUGH few weeks. The unbelievable amounts of snow certainly hasn’t helped the situation but I guess what’s been really rough is the mind game I’ve been playing with myself. And here’s the real kicker about the mind games you play with yourself…there’s no winner. I have lost the battle with my mind the past few weeks and now I’m working on picking myself up, coming up out of the ditch I’ve been in and attempt to find my motivation.

I guess for the first time in a long time (since I started the Attack the Fat Challenge back in September) I feel hopeless. Now, I’m no stranger to the feelings of hopelessness when it comes to the battle with my weight. But, I haven’t experienced that feeling in a long time. I was so sure that the Attack the Fat Challenge would yield some results (uh, no- big goose egg on the scale); then came the doctor who insisted it was my thyroid. I’ve been on the medication now for months and no difference. (Well, perhaps I shouldn’t say no difference, my hair has stopped falling out and my hands and feet aren’t little ice blocks anymore.) I feel like Princess Leia in Star Wars, crying out to the Jedi Master, “Help me Obi-Wan, you’re my only hope.” But, here’s the catch…there seems to be no Weight Loss Jedi Master.

I’m sure there are those that would argue we are our own Weight Loss Jedi Masters. And, if you read through some of my previous blogs, I would have also made that argument in my more positive and motivated weeks of yore. But, if I had my mind mastered in this game, I wouldn’t be down here, in the mud of my own hopelessness trying to figure out how to get out of the pit…and back on the spin bike where I belong.

So, I sit here, with my “Biggest Loser Application” partially completed in one hand and a pamphlet on Bariatric Surgery in the other; and I’m asking myself…is this it? Are these the options I have after letting myself get this far from health and wellness?