My head is kind of spinning this morning as I try to process
the events of the past couple of days. My too-short visit with my family is
coming to an end and I’m a little apprehensive about my return trip later today
because it is snowing and the news is saying the roads are slippery. I’ll just
have to take it slow and easy.
On top of the
weather, I’m still reeling from finding out last night that my story hit the
National Enquirer! Yikes! I never even
talked to anyone from the magazine, but as I read bits and pieces of the story,
I recognized that some of it was taken from the Woman’s World magazine article
and other publications. The picture in the purple dress was taken by the Woman’s
World photographer when he came to the college for a photo shoot. I never got
to see any of the 200+ pictures were taken that day except for the one
published in the magazine, and now this one in the Enquirer. I guess if my story and pictures are “out
there” then anyone can run them, even without my knowledge. Oh well…as long as the truth is told and God
is given the glory, I’m going to have to be okay with that. I just never in my wildest dreams thought I’d
end up in a tabloid! I just don’t even
know what to think about all of this. It will take time to adjust to all of
this, I suppose. In any case, the story
is on the inside back page of the Feb. 17th issue. Something tells
me that car is heading back up the roller-coaster!
Last night 24 of my family members gathered at Olive Garden
restaurant to celebrate my aunt Kathy’s birthday. It was great to see everyone
all together. I am blessed to have a close knit family that gets together as
often as possible. Because I live up north, I don’t get to see them as often as
I’d like so I enjoy seeing everyone when I’m able to.
Going out to dinner can be challenging for those on a weight
loss journey. I rarely do it, but this was a special occasion and I planned
ahead of time what I was going to order. The waitress was very accommodating,
and brought me a bowl of salad without the dressing. I had packed my own
dressing discreetly in my purse and simply used that instead of that wonderful
Olive Garden dressing .My vinaigrette only has about 5 calories in 2
tablespoons so I used it freely and without guilt. I passed on the breadsticks.
I was surrounded by delicious looking pasta dishes drenched in sauce and
cheeses, but those types of foods are a definite no-no, even at this stage of
my journey. I just can’t give in; it’s too easy to slide down that hill. For my dinner, I ordered apricot chicken but had them put the
sauce on the side and just used a small amount when I’d occasionally dip a
piece of chicken in it. The entrée included grilled chicken, steamed broccoli
and asparagus. I’m certain that the entire meal was easily under 500 calories
because I didn’t eat the sauce. Not bad
for a rare meal out.
Eating out was one of the biggest habits I had to break when
I started this journey. I very rarely went into restaurants because of the mobility
issue and the fact that I couldn’t fit in most booths, but I was a
drive-through junkie. I would go to the fast food drive-thru and order as much
food as I want without risk of judgment. The person delivering my food didn’t
know that all 3 cheeseburgers were for me or that I was going to eat all the
super-size fries myself. So, I ate it alone in the privacy of my car. The same
with a pizza. I would order an entire small pizza and eat it myself in the
privacy of my home. Being a closet eater
and eating alone is a sure way to sabotage your journey. Hiding food, sneaking
snacks, stealing treats…..all former practices that contributed to the obesity.
In the three years of this journey, I probably have eaten
out less than a dozen times. It’s just not conducive to healthy choices UNLESS
you plan ahead. For many people, eating out is a way of life and it’s something
they do on a weekly (or more) basis. It presents a real challenge but you can
make good choices if you think ahead. Check online for menus. Bring your own
salad dressing. Be prepared. Ask for a nutrition guide with calorie
information. Don’t be afraid to ask the chef or waitress to go steam or grill
your food or put your sauce/gravy, etc. on the side. The restaurant is there to
serve you…..don’t pay good money to sabotage yourself for the sake of pride. It’s
just not worth it. Plan ahead….and find ways to “live” your life in a new, healthier
way. It can be done and you can enjoy many of the social events that have part
of your life. Remember…this life change is FOREVER and it’s unlikely that you
will give up dining out, going to parties, celebrating birthdays completely for
the rest of your life, so you have to find a way to make it work.
I’m going to be extremely busy when I return home trying to
get caught up on work, homework, EBay, etc. Trying not to stress about it now,
but certainly will have to pay for my short time away. But…all is well…God is
good….and I am blessed beyond measure!
Make it a happy day today…..Rejoice….Be grateful….and Stay
motivated! You can do it!!!
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