A Pilgrim's Progress

Well I've had my diet Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal for breakfast, my diet Beef Stew and crackers for lunch and now I'm cruising the internet for the latest political news.  Almost time to vote!

So, have you decided who you're voting for?  I noticed a new feature spot on CNN where, after a debate, or an advertisement by a presidential candidate, they investigate the "facts" of what the candidates said.  Like he voted for that or he spent this much on that.  So CNN goes on a fact finding mission and reports what they find out. It's been really interesting and both candidates have been caught up stretching things a bit here and there.  I have to admit, although I have concerns about some of Obama's policies, I just can't get behind McCain at all.  I saw a report on CNN where one guy put up a yard sign that says "They Both Suck 08."  [The yards all around him were full of McCain or Obama signs and he wants everyone to know he's unhappy about both choices.] Now that was pretty funny.

Diet is going fabulous - feeling lighter and less "front heavy." I'm energized and excited and motivated to keep going, and that is the really good news!  Clothes are less tight (that's a great way to put it when you're not quite to the "clothes are hanging off me" stage) which is a good thing since I gave away 90% of my clothes in June to the women's shelter. I figured I would lose more weight knowing I have no winter clothes and just a very few summer clothes and with the hard & fast rule of not buying any until I can buy significantly smaller sizes, and not from the "Women's" department, well, you  get the picture.  Unfortunately, I didn't get too serious about it until this last month! oops (again). Now I'm a dieting fool basically.  Its getting colder every day here y'all and I have only 2 pairs of long pants (both black, of course) and that's it until the size gets out of the Women's sizes?  Oh lord, it's going to be a long, lean winter clothes wise! Hey! It's all good.  

I'm feeling it and I have many deadlines looming to help me keep focused.  Big trip in January, Tucson Gem and Mineral Show for 10 days.  It will be awesome to be in significantly better shape. With 4 weeks of serious focus behind me and 14 weeks in front of me until Flight Date, I'm very serious about keeping to my little program. As I've said before:  the regular gym workout helps, the diet helps, and the positive attitude is huge, keeps it all in perspective.

One really good part of the plan is no travel on the holidays - no big meals.  Just me and my guy, eating healthy instead of celebrating with huge meals, using the telephone and handwritten letters to send holiday greetings to family and friends. I never have understood the huge meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas anyway. Celebrating anything by overeating is just weird anyway. Birthdays, Valentine's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, you name it, we've got a menu for it.  

Take Thanksgiving - what would the pilgrim's think of the way we overeat today? OMG You cook and cook and cook for days! and in 30 minutes it's over, everyone is stuffed stupid and  semi-comatose on the sofa, not to mention the leftovers which continue adding to your butt for days!  Nope, I'm past done with that whole concept. Our Thanksgiving approach is to celebrate with a healthy meal. We'll give our thanks every day for the blessings we have, and for our health.  I will make the family a Weight Watchers pumpkin pie and call it good. 

I think when dieting clicks over into just how you live and eat from now on, that's when you actually have made the move to successful lifestyle change.  I'm making progress . . .