Fat Acceptance? Not Me!

 

I need to lose about 100 pounds. So, I am unhappily among those “fats” who are so loudly proclaiming (in my name) that FAT ACCEPTANCE is a must for society. I don’t agree with them. I do think everyone should be respected for who they are, yes. Treat everyone with kindness. However, obesity should not be deemed as “normal” just because half of our population is overweight now.

Obesity causes premature death. In fact the WHO says, “At least 28 million die each year as a result of being obese.” I go by scientific facts and see the cause and effect of being obese.

My being fifty-five years old doesn’t help in my work toward weight loss but I’m still working at it . . . still aiming at good health. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and am pre-diabetic. I get out of breath walking at a quick pace. I have no energy because I carry around so much fat on my small 5’2 frame. Some of my meds might encourage fat storage BUT I gained this weight by eating too much food.

I do think society definitely promotes too-thin frames on models – who have also been airbrushed on magazine covers. However, poor health can be a part of too-thin people, as well. Either end of the spectrum has concerns.

We should try to love our neighbors no matter what their size but when I see so many obese people recently promoting being fat as being normal, I cringe. Being a “Fat Activist” isn’t a role I’ll ever play because I don’t agree that it is a healthful manner of existing. Also, If I, a fat person, can’t speak my mind, then this isn’t a fair argument in the first place.

Take a look at the fat acceptance movement on YouTube. It’s a highly debated topic there.

While you’re there, check out MY weight-loss channel. I’m on WW ( Weight Watchers ), and it’s going very well. I just started and am down 4 pounds in just a few days. Lea James

Question: where do YOU stand on this subject and why? Please share in comments.

I wish all of my subscribers good health and a happy life.

Love y’all,

Lea

 

This blog is a personal outlet for my opinions and should therefore be seen as such.

via Weight Loss on Weight Watchers at Menopause.

Weight Loss on Weight Watchers at Menopause.

Are you between 40 and 60 and finding it hard to shed unwanted pounds? You are not alone! I’ve fought through every fad diet and yo yoing eating plan out there, I think. NOTHING kept the weight off. I might lose 20 lbs but it all came back once the diet was over. I had learned nothing except how to deprive myself.

I joined WW (Weight Watchers) 2020 and am super happy with the plan and my results so far. This is an eating plan based on a points system. WAIT! Don’t let me lose you because of that. It’s easy! Not much to learn. AND there are hundreds of zero-point foods like chicken, veggies, fish, fruit, and eggs. 

I can sustain this lifestyle change from now on, too! If you are interested in my videos concerning being a newbie on WW or what restaurants are WW friendly, go to Lea James  It’s a newer channel and has some fun tips. I’ll be posting every week between Sunday and Wednesday sometime.

Join me, and let’s have some fun together on this plan. You’ll not regret being a part of it. OR just watch the videos for info on weight loss at menopause and yummy new products I’ve tried.

Love you guys!

Lea

There’s No YouTube Customer Service for Me!

I’ve been trying to get serious about starting a YouTube channel, so I have a good pic on there and have some good content ideas for videos. I bought lighting and a tripod. I’m serious about getting with it!

However, I had two other YouTube channels I wanted to delete. I was afraid if I followed the directions, I might lose my other two channels as well. One of them even had the same name (duh).

Guess what I discovered? There is NO Customer Service either via phone or email or chat for people who aren’t already monetized. Yes, really! That means that the rest of us, the newbies who need help the most, are left to Q and A pages and videos.

What a disappointment. Just thought I’d let you know – if you need help – good luck.

There are videos on YouTube that will help you with general questions, true. Try those and keep your fingers crossed.

(Thanks for visiting my blog!)

The Sofa, My Best Friend

Since turning 55, I not only feel mentally challenged but I am definitely physically challenged, as well. The mental part is having to deal with being halfway to 60! I can hardly believe that. I also deal with Bipolar but I’m medicated and it’s not much of a problem until something in life goes wrong. Then, I go from “normal” to deep depression in about sixty seconds.

The sofa became my best friend a few months ago when I began feeling marked fatigue and apathy because of it. I take meds for the Bipolar and for blood pressure and for insomnia. I take vitamins and iron (I’ve been anemic, too). It’s getting old.

It’s like turning 55 turned my health upside down in a way. I have “female issues” to deal with that will likely have me in the doctor’s office often over the next few months. Again, It’s getting old.

My sofa is soft and leather. It’s a comforting dark brown and sinks when I lay in it. It’s a place I can hang out in without being in bed. I know my poor husband is tired of seeing me like this but it’s “supposed” to be over soon. We’ll see. I doubt anything that promises happiness these days. I can’t quite achieve that level of mood.

I write this not to bring my readers down but to show you that you are very blessed if you are healthy. My husband has things worse than I do. He fights MS every day. Pain, aches, burning nerve endings, fatigue, and he takes lots of meds.

I really do need to stop griping and get my behind off of this sofa and into a project – like de-cluttering the office. But, as I type, I’m on my tummy on my sofa – my best friend. The one who cradles me and tells me I can take refuge in him for this short while in my life.

I think when I finish blogging, I’ll mosey into the office and see about donating some of my many books to a thrift store.

I wish you all blessings of health and happiness! I’d appreciate your prayers, too.

Weight Loss and How to Stick With It!

This doesn’t look like a “diet” plate of food, does it? Well, guess what? It is. I’ve been fighting the bulge battle for 30 years and have lost every go round. Not lost weight but lost the diet game. I’d lose a few pounds and then gain back that amount plus a few more. I did that EVERY time I dieted.

I have tried multiple diet plans, too. Expensive ones where the food comes to me in the mail, Low Carb, Low Fat, Richard Simmons’ Deal a Meal, Cabbage Soup, Counting Calories, TOPS, Weight Watchers, etc.

I came to realize that it wasn’t the actual diet, per se (some were odd), but the fact that I didn’t stick with the plan long term. Well, who could stick with eating NO bread for the rest of her life? Not me. I chose a long term eating plan that I could stick with this time. Weight Watchers has always been suggested by my doctors, and I always enjoyed the freedom with that way of eating, so I began WW (their new way of referring to themselves) last week.

So far, so good but I’m having trouble with one area. The fact that I get “too” much freedom is a bit of a hindrance, believe it or not. The current plan has 200 FREE foods, meaning they have a zero Smart Points count (I get 28 points per day to spend on food. The bacon and eggs above equal 6 Points). On this list is white meat chicken, fruits, veggies, seafood, and other goodies. They assume the average dieter (which is not me) won’t overeat on eggs or beans, etc. They’re wrong.

My new antidepressant makes me hungry, so I find myself eating these free foods in quantities that aren’t diet-friendly. Example: I had a can of beans for lunch. A whole can.  Weird stuff.

Anyway, I thought I’d let my readers know that this plan really does work if YOU work it like you’re supposed to. With a few exceptions, I’ve stayed on plan and eaten very tasty meals. I drink water, iced tea, Coke Zero, and coffee mostly. I try to stay hydrated, though.

Oh, and I usually hated going to weekly meetings. I didn’t like having to take the time out of my day to do one more thing. However, my friends, I see now that these meetings are quite helpful. It’s not the weighing in for me, it’s the information from the other members and my fantastic leader (her name is Candy. LOL) and the camaraderie. It really does help me realize I’m not eating like this alone. I get some great ideas from the meetings.

So, I urge you, if you need to lose pounds – seriously – check into a plan that you know you will be able to LIVE with, and then take it head on!

I am sipping iced green tea with Stevia while I type. It’s refreshing and reminds me that spring is on the way!

Good luck, dears ~

 

Medications and Weight Loss

How is my new eating plan going, you ask? Please don’t ask right now.

My doc changed then increased my antidepressant med a few weeks ago. I’ve been dealing with sleepiness during the day. I’ve tried taking this drug (generic Effexor) at night instead but to no avail – I still get daytime sleepiness.

I figure it will pass. It almost did – until the doc increased the dosage a few days ago.

Having Bipolar means I’m on an antidepressant and a mood stabilizer, both. They work together to make me feel much better and more “normal.”

It hasn’t been good for my weight loss, though. I gained back what I’d lost and gained about 6 more pounds. Ugh!!

I’ll chalk it up to meds change and not beat myself up about it.

I’ve been eating well, however. I love veggies, fruits, and lean meats. I made brown rice last night with roasted carrots and a small, lean cut of beef. I still find myself hungry much more often than usual. It’s infuriating. I’ve learned to grab grapes for a quick snack or other fruit.

Do you take meds that mess with your weight or that may cause other health issues for you? It’s frustrating, isn’t it?

I need to go and exercise but am so freaking sleepy I wonder if I can raise my head from this couch pillow. I will push myself . . . see where it gets me. It will either give me energy or I’ll be ready for burial. LOL!

Love y’all!

Emotional Detachment Can be Good for You

 

(By Esther Neptune on keen.com)

 

Valentine’s season is right around the corner!  Every year, I listen to friends describe the hopes, dreams and expectations they have for this wonderful month of love. But what happens if those expectations are unmet?  How do you deal with the negative emotions that result?

Learning how to detach from your emotions, and look at them under the microscope, can help maintain your love for self in the wake of disappointment.  This can apply to situations outside of our love lives as well.

What is Detachment?

The Oxford Dictionary defines detachment as “a state of being objective or aloof.” Objectivity calls us to think outside the box of emotions and consider life as it is, rather than how we would want it to be. Aloofness is a state of tuning out emotionally and is more avoidant than objectivity.

When is Attachment Unhealthy?

We are all attached to people, places, goals, ambitions and statuses in our lives. To some degree, this is normal and healthy. It becomes unhealthy when potential loss creates negative emotions that interfere with our daily lives.

For example, let’s say you went out on a date and got to know a very interesting person. You exchange thoughtful conversation and have a great deal in common. You haven’t felt this connected to anyone in years!

After the date, you don’t hear from the person for three days. You are frantic, anxious, and obsessed with when you may hear from him next. Relief hits when you hear back. However, the cycle has potential to start over again if those fears aren’t addressed.

 

How Do I Know if I’m Too Attached?

Let’s start first by examining what happens in normal attachments. When you care about someone, it’s healthy to wonder from time to time how they are doing. It is also healthy to send out intentions to the Universe on their behalf for their well-being.

Excessive attachment is when a person, status, or goal becomes your entire reason for being. These issues may be rooted in childhood. For example, a young lady struggling to win approval in her career as an adult have been chided by her parents for not bringing home a report card with straight A’s. Feeling the failure of this disappointment, she continues to beat up on herself, which further depletes her energy.

How Do I Practice Detachment?

1. Take Inventory

The first step is to do an inventory of people, places, and things in one’s life that may have become all-consuming. Try to be as candid and honest with yourself as possible while making this list. Remember that you can’t change what you don’t bring to light with yourself.

2. Analyze Your Attachment Patterns

After taking inventory, analyze the patterns of who and what you attach most to. Are the people in your life that you gravitate towards those you can “rescue” or “save?” Or are you repeatedly drawn to emotionally unavailable people? Are the jobs, goals and careers you pursue either too easy or too difficult?

3. Ground Yourself

Develop a relationship with a Higher Power of your own understanding. This can go outside the boundaries of religious tradition. When a person makes this decision, it lessens the degree of unhealthy attachment.

4. Be Inspired by Everyday Life

Take a walk. Go shopping. Go out to eat and mingle with the wait staff. The bottom line is to make sure you’re doing something daily that breaks the mold of your routine. Choose to incorporate activities that don’t hinge on expectations of anyone else. Embrace the uncertainty rather than hold onto the “certain,” because life is never certain!

5. Practice Daily Self-Love Rituals

Remember that if you choose to love yourself first, healthy attachments with others will naturally follow. Choose to do one loving, positive thing for yourself daily.  Get a massage, take an Epsom salt bath, exercise, eat well!

Weight Loss and Yo-Yo Dieting! Help?!

January is cold, windy, and it gets dark early. January means putting away holiday ornaments and decorations. This month also promises that February will sprout forth crocus and daffodils to remind us that spring is coming in March and April.

Nature’s cycles remind me that I, too, have cycles – but they have not been so “natural” for me. I yo-yo diet. I hate it but it’s true. Last year at this time, I was 25 lbs lighter than this year. The meds I take for ADHD and Bipolar probably have a bit to do with the weight gain but the rest is my hand-to-mouth mistakes and lack of moving my body.

I’m thinking about spring approaching soon, and I can’t take another summer of being fat. It’s so uncomfortable, and the clothes I have are ugly and too snug.

I’ve been trying to diet and lose about 120 lbs since just after Christmas but to no avail. I lost 10 and gained it right back. Grrrr!

I can’t let meds’ side effects and low willpower keep me from my goals!

I have ideas.

1. Exercise even when I feel fatigued (it’s the meds and extra weight making me tired)
2. Journal EVERYthing I eat. Even one Hershey’s Kiss makes a difference.
3. Plan ahead for meals so I’m not stuck only poor choices at meal times.
4. Stay busy (busy mind and hands don’t snack)

Do you guys have any other suggestions? I’d love to hear them.

Now, to DO these four things on a constant basis until they are habitual . . .

 

Recipe for Easy Weight Watchers Zucchini Chips –

Oven Baked Zucchini Chips

Yields: 4 servings | Calories: 99 | Total Fat: 3 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 13 | Carbohydrates: 12 g | Sodium: 241 mg | Dietary Fiber: 2 g | Sugars: 2 g | Protein: 6 g | SmartPoints (Freestyle): 2 |

Ingredients-

• 1 (large) zucchini, cut into 1/8″ – 1/4″ slices
• 1/3 cup whole grain breadcrumbs, optional Panko
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, reduced fat
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Kosher or sea salt to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons low-fat milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine in a small mixing bowl, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Dip zucchini slices into milk and dredge into bread crumbs to coat both sides. Note: It may be necessary to press crumbs onto zucchini slices to ensure the crumbs stick.
3. Arrange zucchini on a non-stick cookie sheet and lightly mist with a non-stick cooking spray.
4. If using a rack, place rack on a cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes, turn over and continue baking until golden, approximately 10-15 minutes (being careful not to burn). Allow to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container.
5. TIP: Zucchini Chips will continue to get crispier while cooling.
6. NOTE: For gluten free chips, use gluten-free bread crumbs.

 

Why must getting healthy and trim be so dang difficult?!

Happy January, friends, and have an even better February!

Sylvia Likens, Age 16, Tortured and Killed

Warning! Explicit images included in this blog post. 

Isn’t she a pretty young girl? This is Sylvia Likens – 1965. She was 16 . . . when she was repeatedly tortured and then killed by Gertrude Baniszewski, a woman Sylvia was staying with while her parents, carnival workers, were out of town.

Sylvia was a sweet girl but Gertrude, who was poor and had many children of her own, blamed Sylvia for bogus acts. Gertrude evidently needed an outlet for her stress an anger, and Sylvia Likens was nearby.

Gertrude’s teen daughter, Paula, told her mother lies about Sylvia – making things even worse. Gertrude called Sylvia a prostitute and a slut and even “branded” her belly with a hot pin (along with the help of Richard Dean Hobbs, a neighbor teen).

 

 Richard D Hobbs

 

  Gertrude Baniszewski

 

Gertrude encouraged her own children and neighborhood kids to go to the basement, where Sylvia was bound, and abuse her with kicks, punches, and cigarette burns. The teens would even untie Sylvia and throw her against the basement wall or practice Judo on her. She was also repeatedly made to climb the basement steps, where she was then pushed down them.

Sylvia was soon unable to control her bladder or bowels and was left in her filth.

The poor girl only lasted a few months before dying of malnutrition and blunt trauma to the head. Gertrude had the kids dress the naked girl before the police arrived.

 

The house where Gertrude did her evil deeds is shown below:

 

 

We should never forget little Sylvia Likens and what was done to her. Evil does exist, and Gertrude Baniszewski was filled with it.

(An informative movie about Sylvia’s story is called An American Crime and can be viewed on Amazon Video.)