A Life of Moderation

I recently changed doctors.  My previous doc had to be chased down and hog-tied to get my lab results.  It was just too much work.  So I switched to my neighbor.  He's a good ol' boy and full of down home bonhomie that makes getting poked and prodded just a little less unpleasant. Mostly I was there to make sure the prescriptions for my crazy pills didn't run out, but I also needed to get my thyroid levels checked.

We started out on the scale.  OMG.  It seems that my self delusions know no bounds.  I was shocked - SHOCKED! - to see the number on the scale.  The highest ever except for when I was growing a whole other person inside me.  Then my blood pressure was high.  Well, high for me.  I think it still qualified as right in the normal range, but I am usually around 115/70 and on that day I was 130/80.  Maybe it was the shock of the GIGANTIC numbers on the scale.  More likely, it was that my children had chosen that morning to test the boundaries of how badly they could behave without me beating them in public*.

The nurse called me with the results earlier this week.  Ironically, my thyroid levels were stable.  It was just everything else that was screwed up.  Cholesterol? Yikes!  Triglycerides?  Eek!  Blood sugar? Not terrible, but not good either.  With all of my dad's health issues lately, the blood sugar thing is FREAKING ME OUT.

Sigh.

I have known for years that I needed to make some, ahem, lifestyle changes.  In fact, it was the driving factor for starting this blog.  I had all these flowery notions of getting healthy to set a good example for Z and not pass on my weirdness about food.  A good thought, but ultimately the effort fizzled.  Now?  My weight is going to seriously threaten my life if I don't do something about it.  Maybe the good news is that the bad news will get my a$$ in gear?

So.  What to eat?  Well, I have decided that I need to feed myself like I feed my children: balanced meals with limited snacking in between.  I am the queen of late night snacking.  I prefer to do my snacking alone, which is a great big flashing neon sign o' dysfunction.  Solution: No more secret snacking.

I already eat a pretty good diet, I mostly need to eat way less of it.  Portion control has been my nemesis for as long as I can remember.  I am a woman of many enthusiasms.  Food is one of them!  I have a hard time stopping when the food still tastes good.  Solution: The rule of 80%.  I will try to stop eating when I am 80% full.  No second helpings just because it is there.  A little bit of everything - even ice cream! - but nothing to excess.

More fresh fruits and veggies.  Less processed food.  More whole grain.  Fewer simple carbs.  It is so easy to get sucked into serving prepared food because it requires no thought at the end of a marathon day.  The kids like it.  My husband likes it!  Hell, I like it.  Solution:  Home made versions of stuff we love.  For instance, I have an easy and awesome recipe for whole wheat pizza dough.  The kids love to make their own pizzas and they taste great.  It's win win!

Oh, yeah.  And exercise.  Lordy, how I hate to sweat!  But we have been riding our bikes all around the neighborhood.  It is amazing how much more work it is when all the tires are low!  Whew, my tush is sore!  I plan to take Q to school on my bike in the fall.  That will be a sight!  I also have a date with the elliptical trainer upstairs.  We finally got it moved out of the garage/back porch and into the air conditioned weight room.  Now I just need to get on the darn thing.

It is funny how a few little numbers can do what vanity alone could not.  Wish me luck!


*I don' beat my children in public.  Or ever.  It's a joke!  Chill!