I’ve struggled with weight since my late 30’s.  Weight Watchers, step aerobics, Curves, Atkins.  You name it, I tried it.  My weight has gone up and down a hundred times. 

The last years of my working career were hectic.  I traveled for 18 months where lunch was provided and dinner every night was in a restaurant.  When the traveling stopped, I worked on stress filled projects more hours a week than anyone should work.  My last 2 years were filled with 80+ hour weeks, working lunches with food brought in, “I deserve chocolate” afternoon treats, late nights snacking at my desk. 

When I retired two years ago, I “vowed” to lose the weight that had packed on.  I joined a gym and went every day.  For a few months.  I lost 6 pounds.  Then a relative was given a life threatening diagnosis.  I spent the next year helping her.  No more time for exercise and a lot of sitting...

5 ways to narrow your waist

There is a lot going on between the skin on your back and the skin on your stomach that can be making your waist thicker.  Most people think they either need to strengthen the abs or they need to lose weight. While both of those may be true there are a few other things that could be happening.  Here are 5 strategies to help you narrow your waist.  If you work on all 5 you’ll have the best shot at getting the stomach you’ve been hoping for. 

Straighten Up!

As funny and over simplified as it sounds just sit and stand up straight.  Most of the abdominal muscles attach from the ribs to the hips. If you think about these muscles like a rubber band they are tighter when they are stretched more.  If you slouch your ribs are tipped forward and usually your hips tipped back.  (this is also the recipe for back pain).  The front and bottom of your ribs is now closer to the front and...

 Chocolate Hummus!

A few months ago I spotted chocolate hummus in the grocery store!  I literally squealed out loud!  I was taken back by the price but I HAD TO TRY IT!  When I got home I was disappointed.   It was just MEH.  I forced myself to eat it because I had paid for it.

Recently, Lynn gave me a recipe for chocolate hummus and I thought I would give it another go.  I have tweaked it to fit my taste buds and to be a little more balanced nutritionally.  I have got to say, it does taste a little like chocolate frosting and I DO like this one WAY more than the store bought one.  Plus, it only takes about 5 minutes total to make it!

Ingredients:
I can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed well)
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1-2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup ( I settled at 1.5 for my taste)
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. Almond butter
3-4 Tbsp. Water (depending on the thickness you prefer)

Throw all in your blender or food processor and ENJOY! 

I love this with...

I finally did it!

I grew a beard!  (no shave November for prostate cancer)
Ok, yes I grew a beard but that's not the big deal...

I wrote a book!!!

I have been on this weight loss/gain/maintenance train since I was 15. My mother used to drive me to my Weight Watchers meetings until I got my driver’s license. Throughout the years I have literally gained and lost at least a ton of weight.   I actually kept the weight off for a few years at a time, then gained, then lost... etc. I have probably been on every “diet” throughout the years.  Fast forward to last fall.  My weight was the highest, even pregnancy weight high. I knew I needed to find an exercise program I enjoyed and find a way not to eat everything that was offered to me.

A girl named HOPE

(post from Nov 15th 2016!)

Several months ago Jeremy and I were having the conversation of, what would we name our next child?  THIS IS NOT IN OUR NEAR FUTURE, so you don’t need to eye my mid-section every time you see me.   The name HOPE blurted out of me with gusto.  That name, that word resonated deep in my soul.  It kind of left me baffled at the intense emotion I had connected to that.

As I thought on it more I realized if you could sum up the last 8 years of my life with ONE word, it would be HOPE!

I had some pretty big battles to fight within me.  I knew I was put on the earth to be more than beaten down and hiding from any painful experience using excess food or lack of food. 

I had made slight progress before this, but the words of my high school counselor and nutritionist rang in my ears “once and anorexic or bulimic always one”.  That statement to me took HOPE of freedom...