The Longest Journey ……..

….starts with a single step.  Someone said that once.  Not very profound, really, but I always think of it when I tackle some project like this.  Actually, what I find more motivating is the fact that TIME is going to pass anyway…  whether you do something with it is up to you… So when you think “OH, but that will TAKE so long”..   So WHAT?  So does most anything that is really worth accomplishing.   Well, that is about as heavy as MY philosophy gets.

So yesterday was Saturday and despite being tempted to take the week-end off from the pool, and the handy excuse that “it will probably be too crowded anyway”, I forged off to swim again.  The gym and the pool were practically EMPTY, it turns out, perhaps cuz it was pouring rain again.  But I did 17 laps this time, four of which I did using just my legs to propel me.  Propel is probably a bad choice of verbs as it implies some sort of velocity, which was not the case.  Yes, I moved forward, but it felt like 100 yards, not 50.  Turns out the arms are extremely important in the “propelling” part of swimming! 

First thing Saturday I went to good old Trader Joe’s.  It occurred to me that I could get lots of good, healthy food there,  and at very reasonable prices.  Anything I couldn’t find there, I could always get at the more pricey Whole Foods.  I loaded up on frozen fish — salmon, shrimp, halibut, and frozen berries, such as blueberries and raspberries.  I bought two big cans of Protein Whey Powder, highly recommended by Kelly, my son and born-again diet and exercise expert!  A couple of years ago Kelly decided it was time to get really healthy and shed some body fat, and he delved into it with total commitment.  He looks FANTASTIC now, and has  literally CURED himself of Type 2 Diabetes through diet and exercise.   He is 44 now and is looking fabulous… probably the best shape he has ever been in, even when he was younger. 

I bought everything they had that could go in a salad.  I like salads.  I don’t LOVE salads.  If I loved salads, I wouldn’t be in this spot.  But I do like salads that have some extra goodies in them like dried cranberries, nuts, water chestnuts… some different textures and tastes.   After swimming, I spent some serious chopping, dicing and slicing time and made a very extensive “salad bar” in our fridge.   I have tomatoes, lettuces, cucumbers, green onions, red onions, peppers (red, yellow and orange), kidney beans, garbanzo beans, canned beets,  and chopped olives.  I have several kinds of dressings, but am sticking with the balsamic vinaigrette that Cardini’s makes.  So now, when I am suddenly overwhelmed by hunger, I can quickly put together something, or snack on the sliced up bell peppers, red peppers, zucchini, or celery.  I got some Trader Joe’s peanut butter which has very little sugar added, and I find that a good snack for me is either celery or apple slices with peanut butter as a dip. 

So Saturday night I had a decent sized salad, leaving out the CROUTONS (sigh) but adding some walnuts for crunch.  It was completely filling and satisfying, and on top of that, I felt SO virtuous it was disgusting. 

It’s a good start and I have picked out several interesting recipes that I am going to start trying as well.  I am very much into immediate gratification, however, so I am jump-starting this diet by doing the salads and veggies and protein only. Once I see progress, I will be unstoppable!! 

I’m trying to avoid getting really hungry.  When REALLY hungry, all I can think about is something either very starchy, or, again, those pesky peanut butter M&M’s.  It satisfies me instantly, but then of course, I’m hungry very soon afterwards as my blood sugar plummets again.  So I am trying to eat small snacks in between, like string cheese, or a couple of apple slices, or a piece of thinly sliced turkey sandwich meat. 

So FIFTY-FIVE DAYS left, and I have now lost 3 pounds.  It isn’t MUCH, but it is a start!