Losing Weight Naturally

I love the spirit of a person who believes they can accomplish big, even great things. It is so inspiring to watch someone rid themselves of all the excuses of why they can't and decide that they can!  And, lately, one of the things that is REALLY encouraging is all of the people who are now believing that they can lose 100 pounds or more, and do so without weight loss surgery.

I am one of those people.  But, I WAS encouraged to undergo the knife. I went to an informational meeting where the surgeon talked for half an hour or so about the procedure and its benefits.  Among the data he presented was THE thing that was most alluring to me:  80% of patients are instantly healed of high blood pressure and high cholesterol within only a few days after surgery.  He pointed out also that individuals who undergo weight loss surgery are better able to keep the weight off than those who lose weight without surgery. 

Then, 5 or 6 post-bariatric surgery patients stood in front of the room and told their stories. They each had a picture album visually documenting the shrinking process.  It was very convincing and very emotional.  At the end there were administrative staff waiting outside for anyone who wanted to take the next step and sign up for the procedure.

Even though I walked out of that meeting seriously considering surgery as one of my options, I ended up choosing against it. The reasons are varied, but bottom line . . . I decided that the only thing that the surgery would do for me is take my options away . . . the option to eat unhealthy food in unhealthy amounts.  And, I decided that I could do that myself {NOT eat unhealthy food in unhealthy amounts}without surgery.

I've started a new blog in 2010 where I've gone public with my story and my journey. If you or anyone you know are in these same shoes, please share my blog URL with them. {http://LosingMyBehind.blogspot.com} We can learn from each other . . . and, with the support of friends, family and all of us going through the same struggle, we can do this...we really can.

Fighting back,
Cheryl

Biggest Loser in America

Whether or not you believe The Biggest Loser television program to be a positive and helpful influence or doing more damage than good, one thing remains that nobody can argue with ~ people in America are growing larger and larger every year. 

Everyone has their own idea about how and why this is happening, and if you are a person who has either a little or a lot of weight to lose the stakes of figuring that out for yourself seems to be getting higher and higher.  Chronic illnesses like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes have never been more of a national threat than they are now.  The clothes of denial are gradually being peeled away and America is standing up on the scale while the rest of the world watches.  What will we do with our huge numbers?

I can't answer that, of course, for anyone other than me.  Beginning January 1, I launched another blog where it's me standing on the scale with the whole world watching.  I have committed to reclaiming my health, my life in 2010 through losing over 100 pounds, through eating whole foods and less of them, and through regular, appropriate exercise. 

No crash diets, no insane exercise plans, and no surgery.  And, no living in the Biggest Loser house.  Rather, armed only with the support of my family and friends and a personal commitment to change the direction of my life, I have devised a plan.  You can read all about about it and follow me on this journey by visiting and following Losing My Behind.

I hope you'll come on over. 

To our collective health,
Cheryl

Weight Loss Secrets - Are There Any?

It's time.  The fat lady has sung, and the curtain call for 2009 invites us to take a bow for our accomplishments over the last year.  As our friends and families cheer us on and reward us with their smiles and congratulations, we smile proudly and are all aglow, remembering the places where our performance was just amazingly stellar.

But, it hasn't all been one huge success...no life ever is, and so it's good once the partying is over to take stock. And, while we are sincerely looking at what we could improve in the coming year, it happens.  A convincing infomercial, a flyer from a weight loss organization in the mail....  folks selling their wares, and of course promising their secrets. And, who doesn't want to hear a secret??!  It's so, so seductive.  Like, WOW, here's the answer to my problem, and it is only $99.  Cha-ching.

Maybe you are like me.  2009 was MY YEAR to lose all this extra fat from my body.  Somehow, somewhere along the way I bought into the lie of the SECRET, and essentially tried to find a short cut instead of just buckling down and getting the work done.  I'm here to tell you, free of charge, that there are no weight loss secrets, folks. 

Let's be logical.  The only solution to being overweight is to make up our minds to eat less and move more.  The operative concept in that last sentence is to make up our minds.  Then once our mind is made up, don't get distracted from what we've decided. It's THAT simple.

So, as we're all thinking about our resolutions and goals for 2010, the first thing to decide is to NOT buy into the lie of the SECRET, NOT buy into the short cut that promises no effort, and instead simply work on making up our minds.

What do we really want to accomplish and how we will arrange our lives to make that happen?

Because we're in this together,

Cheryl

P.S.  Stay tuned for some tips I found to help me stay on track in 2010.  Getting so excited!

Rx for RA

Unbelievable.  Tonight I was sitting cozily on the couch with my sweetheart watching It's A Wonderful Life when a commercial came on for a new once-a-month drug treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

As so often is the case, the possible side effects were simply unbelievable.  Among them were cancer, congestive heart failure, multiple sclerosis and acute liver failure!  Here is the site where it talks about the side effects of this relatively new drug called Simponi, so you can read it for yourself - http://www.drugs.com/sfx/simponi-side-effects.html.  Here's a screen shot:

I just spent some time online looking at support web sites for folks who are dealing with RA and desperately looking for solutions.  My heart just goes out to these folks because they are just trying to get through the day without pain that stops them in their tracks.

And, I totally get it that the pain resulting from this horrible auto-immune disease must be managed and that folks who suffer with RA are sometimes willing to try anything.  But, there IS a better way. These drugs could kill you!

My good friend, Geoff Court (you can reach him here) was diagnosed with RA a couple of years ago.  But, the side effects he experienced on these drugs were interfering immensely with his life.  So, he started doing some research and looking for something, anything that could help him.

That was when he ran across a product called Vemma.  Within a couple of weeks of taking this all natural supplement, he was forgetting to take his meds for RA!  No kidding!  After a month or so he was only taking the meds about every third day.  And today?  He takes absolutely no drugs at all and lives pain free.  When he wakes up in the morning his wrists and shoulder feel a little stiff, so he goes right to the fridge and takes his 2 oz of Vemma and within an hour, the stiffness is gone.

How, you ask?  Vemma is based in the mangosteen fruit and has amazing anti-inflammatory properties.  Here's a web site that explains it a lot better than I can, and I encourage anyone who is fighting this debilitating disease to check it out - http://itsinthejuice.vemma.com.

What do you have to lose?  The drug companies tell you what you have to lose if you use their drug.  Compare that to an all-natural supplement that has ZERO SIDE EFFECTS.  You owe it to yourself to just try it.  I strongly encourage you to get in touch with Geoff if you want to get a report of his results straight from the horses mouth. 

The company is so sure you will be satisfied with their product that they offer a 30 day money back EMPTY BOTTLE guarantee. They cannot make health claims, and everybody responds differently. But, mangosteen has been proven to reduce inflammation and that is what folks with RA need.

Please check it out.

Be well,
Cheryl

Olives . . . They Do A Body Good

I love love my green olives . . . it's one of the few things that my husband doesn't like, so I never ever have to share them!  Imagine my delight upon discovering all the health benefits of these green little treasures:

• They protect our cells from damage and inflammation
• They help to reduce the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis and  rheumatoid arthritis
• They help prevent heart disease
• They help prevent colon cancer
• And the best news for a woman in the 45-55 age bracket is that olives help to prevent the frequency and intensity of hot flashes!!!!

So, head on over to the olive bar in your local grocery store, or if yours doesn't have one, the condiment aisle.  It's not just the green ones with the benefits either (although did you know that all olives start out green? . . .yuppers).  This is one of those yummy appetizers (or ingredient used to accent appetizers) that will do your body good.  Eat up without any guilt whatsoever.

Here's a VERY quick and simple holiday appetizer with the almighty olive at it's, uh, core:

Stuffed Olive Appetizer

Ingredients:  Large pimento-stuffed olives, cream cheese, chopped walnuts

To Make:  Cover olives with cream cheese that has been moistened with a little milk.  Roll the covered olive in finely chopped, salted walnut pieces.  Serve on toothpicks.

 What's your favorite way to eat olives and which kind are your favorite?  And, do you  have another favorite food that nobody else in your family likes?  Please share in the comments!


Be well,
Cheryl