Issues, Issues

I have food issues.

Don't we all?

The other day I was reviewing my info packet for my upcoming adventure in health and fitness. I was also doing some research on my daily meal "replacement" shake - reading the ingredients list, etc.

A neighbor came by and asked about all the stuff I had spread about. "What's that?" she asked.

I proceeded to explain to her my plan of attack. I mentioned that losing some weight factored into that plan (albeit a secondary benefit of overall fitness and attention to health).

"Is that a concern for you?" she asked.

Truthfully, weight has never been a primary concern for me. My weight has fluctuated depending on life circumstance (I was, at one point in my adult life, a size 5 at 5'8"; metabolism like a maniac and college food will do that for you.). When I've been overweight, I notice because my clothing fits tightly, which is annoying because 1. I want to be comfortable and 2. I loathe clothes shopping.

We OWN a scale, although it's rarely pulled out. What would I do with the information anyway? "Huh. I weigh more than I did before!" "Hey, look! The numbers went down! Neat!" Purely academic.

What matters to me, though, is my level of physical activity (little to none), flexibility and mobility (again, not so much), and overall health (eating HABITS come in to play here). These are the things that SHOULD matter to EVERYONE. The time to "get in shape" is, and always has been, NOW.

Which leads me to MY issue: I don't enjoy eating.

No, really.

If left to my own devices, I FORGET to eat.

"Gee, I'd LOOOOOOVE to have THAT problem," I've heard MANY times.

Uh, nope, no, uh-uh, no way -- you would not. As my family can attest ... a person who has gone the day without eating is NOT a happy camper. Lack of nutrients turns me into a Grade-A b@#*h (ok, turns might not be the correct term --  who am I kidding? it's like alcohol ... you start out a jerk you become a loud, belligerent jerk.). It is not a weight loss plan, it's a prescription for stupid. Starving yourself (whether intentionally or not) wrecks your metabolism, messes with your blood sugar, and just all-out hoses you up. Then when you stop long enough to realize, "hey, wait, I didn't EAT anything," what are the chances you're going to make healthy, rational decisions about what to consume? spend a few extra minutes in the kitchen preparing some veggies or complex carbs? nope, you grab a bag of chips (or in my case, Wheat Thins and Marzetti's Southwestern Ranch Dip) and do the cookie-monster gobble. And then eat double at dinner before settling in to an evening of in-activity and acid re-flux.

At least, that's my tendency.

So no, the "meal replacement" shake I'm having every day, without fail, for lunch, is NOT a weight-loss solution. It's called ACTUALLY HAVING LUNCH (by drinking it! bonus! I don't have to EAT!) and reminding myself daily that I CAN and WILL make wise choices when it comes to what I put into my body.

And now cheer me on as I endeavor to make the more difficult commitment to a daily fitness routine.

No, I'm not "trying to lose weight."

Just actively .... not being stupid :) Only that doesn't make a very good slogan, does it?