Wonder what our boy PAV is up to these days? Hope he’s blissfully 😊!

Why is Christmas all about cookies and sweets? I remember a PBS program about sugar. Apparently before universal access to refined sugar Neanderthals had strong teeth and bones throughout life. Albeit short lives.

When refined sugar appeared, toothlessness and other diseases became more common. You’d think that would be sufficient warning. And yet……

Apparently grains also - as soon as we started homesteading our teeth starting rotting. .... this was an unposted reply to your last December post, Yooly!

Hmm - donuts no. Steeped tea in Texas- big no. Texans drink iced tea with mountains of sugar. You have to beg for unsweetened tea. And hot tea? Mainly in Chinese restaurants or special requests.
Tim may have to modify the menu to local tastes. The veggie bowl would work along with sandwiches. But there are so many restaurants here already doing the same thing, I wonder what they would do to draw customers? Interesting!

I haven’t darkened the door of a fast food place in years. Don’t think there’s any need to visit Tim Hortons unless it’s an emergency. While it all sounds tasty, it doesn’t seem to be all that special. In fact many old established fast food places are closing here. Many shuttered Burger Kings and McDonalds.

The past few weeks for me have gone something along the lines of 2 days good/1or2days okay/3 or 4 days bad. This has been going on for a year. Time to shake free of this mud.

I think I have just grown too comfortable with this. Too comfortable "not quite making it" too comfortable with the hamsters winning.

So my newest thought is to take a break from this wonderful group. Just log on / track my food and exercise / and bring this battle back to the "between-me-and-me arena." I'm not always nice to me - but maybe that is what is called for at the moment? I need to find a way to hold myself accountable. Sometimes I'm afraid that maybe we are a bit too kind to each other. Not saying I'm sure of that - but maybe? lol Maybe a good dose of cold harsh reality is called for.

So I'm going to put both feet out into the cold light of CICO reality and see what happens.

Tomorrow. Not tonight

I can't really blame you for trying what you believe you need to try.
Will you be missed by myself? Absolutely.
Who else will I think of alerting about a relatively low calorie yet filling (if a bit expensive) find such as the stuffed butternut squash?
And I owe you for the green beans with pasta sauce idea!

But I do hope you will still pop in and keep us in the loop!

Thank you Laurie!❣️❣️❣️ I can’t imagine not having you here. Who would question PAVs crazy food combinations? Or doggy reports? Or adventures in dancing? Or just being an all around comfort on those bad days we all have?

It is a new month - spring is on the horizon!

Reporting in after two weeks of going it alone: Didn't learn a freakin' thing.

Only good thing from the last two weeks is that I've logged every thing I ate. Painful as it was. In some ways it felt liberating??? Somehow it felt that logging everything = control. Not sure about that but I am pretty certain logging everything alone will not equal weight loss.

Weighed myself today. Trying to get my head around a fresh start concept.

Not sure what new spin I'm going to put on things to get a kick start to this fresh start. Last night a friend and I pledged to lose 5 pounds by February 10th. That should be easy at my current weight.

I don't think I'm capable of "moderate" behaviour. Hopefully I can't back on the chainsaw weight loss program for a bit. I know that has its inherent dangers but it is a familiar groove that I might be able to find again. If I can, I'll let the cards (pounds?) fall where they may and hope that I can do better on finding a way to maintain next time around.

If not maybe, I guess I just purchase my lifetime membership to this amusement park with the Bodyweight Rollercoaster. Maybe I can find a park with a kiddie rollercoaster? Not so high nor so low.

I'm hanging in. I do sort of believe my body is a temple - but this freakin' weight loss endeavour feels more like a ride!
Thank you, Yooly

I think I've learned a few things along the way. I know those little fixes really didn't/don't seem to work for me. You would laugh if you knew all the small changes I've made since I quite smoking 6 years ago - those ones that are suppose to help with maintaining a healthy weight. And I've learned that eating "normally" but maintaining "moderate" portion sizes doesn't work.

SO I'm about to try embracing the part of my personality that enjoys the rush of extremes. Maybe that is the way to go for me? It doesn't match the weight loss ideal - but maybe that will be what works? It worked before. I think it will work again for the weight loss component at least. When I achieve goal - this time I won't try to kid myself into believing I can be moderate. Nor will I ever believe again that MY version of normal eating is healthier than my version of "dieting" (though I'm nervous about using the D word). Or necessary for healing or anything like that. It just isn't.

I'm going "chainsaw" now. And when the body is pared down enough, I'm going to try to emulate our dear PAV. I'm really drawn to your extreme approach, PAV! Though your calorie determination isn't extreme - your approach to food management is wonderfully novel - perhaps even a bit whacko. That I might be able to stay onboard with. And food is between me and me again. No grandchild around - no regular family dinner gatherings. I'm going to try my hardest to shed the role of "nester / feeder."

There will be occasional gatherings etc. But those are not what piles on crazy amounts of weight.