I am humbled

I asked some friends to read a thing I was asked to write.  What I had to write isn't what this is about.  No this is about the responses I got back from my friends that have me counting my blessings and knowing exactly what it is to be humbled in praise.

I often hear from people how they think that I'm cool or awesome, but those words are easily thrown around and besides, I say them all the time!  However, hearing that I'm some's rock and other's hero makes me feel a way that I've never felt and that can only be described as humble.  I'm not worthy of such praise.  I do my best to be there for everyone and give advice that is relevant to a person's situation.  I relate it to my own experiences to show why I think it will work.  I don't think anything of it and never realized just how much I have apparently helped people.  I don't do it for the feeling, I do it cuz I really do love helping people when I can.  And the praise I've received has produced a different feeling in me.

I would usually expect a feeling of pride.  A feeling that of pride based in the fact that I have helped someone and they like me for it.  But this is not pride.  I bow my head at the compliments and smile shyly as they comments come to me and say "this is what I'm here for."  I even feel like I'm bragging by writing this.  But I'm not.  I've just never felt humble like this before.  It's such a foreign feeling for me, that if I was a robot, my processors would short circuit.  (Yes, that's a bad joke right there, you may laugh)

Things that I Hate (cuz I'm in a bad mood & from a Facebook Status)

Things I hate: totally congested sinuses, people belittling married women without children, ear infections, not answering emails sent over social media when the other person can see you have spent massive amounts of time online since the email was sent, people with kids not wanting to be around people without kids, narrow minded bigots, hormones, zombies...

... people thinking any part of a vague status such as this one is about them and then makes a scene in the comments, people that think every comment people make on Twitter is about them, paranoid freaks, Justin Bieber, Justin Bieber fans (except Kellie), malt liquor, the Saw movies, the bubonic plague, dog farts, the smell of my neighbors' cigarette smoke in my condo, mayonnaise, sour cream, people who think their spouse going on a week long business trip is the same as my husband being deployed, passing a semi-trunk of Fountain Blvd...

... people who say they're fat when really they need to gain weight, fat people that dress like they're skinny, finding ferret poop on the carpet though I've watched their every move, politicians trying to convince people that the other side is completely wrong, marshmallows unless they're in cereal, liver and onions, mustard, people believing a known liar when they come to them with a rumor, He-Man, girlie things...

... a limp dead-fish handshake, the smell of vinegar, people who make horrific accusations about things they have no clue about and without getting all the facts, most strippers, the lack of alcohol & smokes in cartoons now, Disney remakes of classics, the spin off movies from Disney classics like the Tinkerbell movies *shudder*, people who are convinced that their parents treated one of their siblings better than them when in reality they were the one being "spoiled", pick pockets, video games with absolutely NO controls tutorials at the very beginning, self-righteous hypocrites...

... anyone who believes an eye for an eye, eye boogers, bloody noses, the sheer ignorance of the general public, main stream media (for the most part), incompetent bastards, being so far from my nieces and nephews, being so far away from my husband, the changes to all my fave toys from the 80s, jokes that go over my head, people who claim that they never get sad or upset, people who constantly tell me how strong I am, cinnamon flavored candies...

I'm sure I can add to this later

The Answer to Your Question is:

I've been getting a lot of questions about what's my secret to my weight loss.... Well folks, it's really not a secret.  While I was in college, the first couple years I didn't exercise other than walking from my car to my classes and I ate fast food often.  When I got to almost 190 lbs in 2008 I knew something had to be done quick as I weighed as much as my mom for the first time ever in my life.  I did start off with a strict diet for the first 6 months of this journey, but I've lost most of the weight doing the little things that everyone can do to make themselves healthier and in the end make themselves lighter.

Here are the basic things to remember, and that we hear from doctors and the news repeatedly:

1) drink WATER!  Most people don't drink anywhere near enough and they consume beverages such as soda in  abundance.  Diet soda doesn't help as the sweet flavor triggers things in your brain to make you crave REAL sugar and many people who drink diet soda end up overeating.  In addition, the carbonation in soda makes you bloated and the high sodium of all sodas make you retain water.  Water helps curb cravings and usually when you feel hungry it's because you're actually dehydrated.  Drink 8-16 oz of water and if after that you're still hungry, eat something light.

2)  Don't eat meat at every meal!  I know, it sounds bizarre.  However, most people eat too much meat and it's usually heavily processed.  If you substitute a vegan meat substitute for at least one meal a day, you will see immediate results, usually in how you overall feel.  I recommend trying the Morning Star "Chik'n" Nuggets or using their "crumblers" as a substitute for ground meat in things like hamburger helpers or in tacos.  You just season it like you would hamburger meat.

3) Eat your veggies & fruit!  They're not only good for you, but they contain water and are usually low calorie.    Just make sure you don't slather them in butter or cheese as that counteracts the nutritional value of the veggies.  Broccoli with a vegan cheese substitute is actually a good option and tastes great too!

4)  Move!  Even if you don't have time to do an actual workout, move.  I will do things like overhand claps, jumping jacks, crunches, or walking or running up and down the stairs at random times.  If you take a few minutes periodically through out the day, you end up exercising more than if you wanted to make it to the gym and then don't show up cuz you're tired after a long day.

5)  Take a moment to just breath!  Take a moment to just stretch.  Whether it's just trying to touch your toes or sitting down with legs extended and reaching in front of you, just stretch those muscles and you will feel much better & refreshed.  Being stressed out can cause you to hold onto unwanted weight since it produces cortisol, a hormone, that can cause you to hold onto weight and not digest food properly.  When we become overly stressed, our bodies divert blood away from our digestive system to allow us to deal with the situation at hand.  This causes the body to not process nutrients properly and can cause weight gain.

So really, these aren't secrets.  They've been said repeatedly on the news, by tv doctors, and on the internet.  It's all about life style changes.  I have had only 3 sodas in the last month and I haven't had a donut since like March if not February.  I do have a weakness for ice cream, and it can be enjoyed, I just do so in smaller amounts.  I'd be lying if I said I don't enjoy a cheeseburger at McDonald's on occasion and will eat some of my fave foods.  The key is moderation and to know they are treats.  I did totally pig out on pizza last weekend and felt bloated and yucky afterwards, but boy was it good!  But did I return to my old eating habits I had in college?  No, Monday I went back to my normal eating habits and will remember that pizza with great fondness and may order another one in a month or so.  Our favorite guilty food pleasures should be enjoyed seldom.  This way they can really be enjoyed and savored.... Mmmmm now I want some fried chicken, and not the vegan variety or the better for you Chick-fil-a stuff either, good ol' fashion greasy fried chicken LOL... I'll just day dream about it cuz I can't splurge for awhile :)