Diet is a Four Letter Word.

That's not original, I know.  And I'm not suffering at all, but any change in routine can domino into the rest of life.  And while I like to imagine myself as a spontaneous, live-in-the-moment free spirit, the reality is I like my routines, well, routine.

Last year, late March of 2010, the doc announced that my cholesterol and blood pressure were high, and my waistline was headed toward "metabolic syndrome" width.  This (and the complete lack of exercise) explained why I generally felt like warmed-over dinosaur turds.  On a good day.

On top of all that was a reeeelly messed up insulin response (after years of yo-yo dieting and disordered eating) that made any kind of low-calorie (read carb filled) diet a disaster for me.  So I embarked on a low-carb, moderate protein, moderate (okay, high) fat diet.  You may know it by Atkins, but please don't scold.  Lots of people worry about folks on Atkins, and given the conventional medical advice over the last five decades, it's no wonder.  But some of us thrive on it.
It's a mystery.

The good news is that within a month, my blood pressure was down, the waistline slimmer, and insane cravings GONE.  Now, a year and a half later,
I'm still livin' La Vida Low Carb, and doc was crazy-happy with my latest blood work--my cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. were all in the absolute optimum range.

The bad news is that over the last four or five months, the record heat (and, yes, pure-dee laziness) has allowed me to both dismiss exercise and slide back into some old behaviors that sabotage what is essentially very good health.  I've only gained back five pounds, even when eating an average of 3,500 to 4,000 calories a day, but still...there was way too much alcohol, too many high-carb slip-ups.   SOOOO it's back on "induction", the Atkin's version of Weight Watcher's Jump Start thing.  Which is great on one hand, because it cuts out pretty much all but 20 grams of carb a day, lets my system get back to burning fat instead of carbs for my daily energy, and reminds me what it feels like to feel good!

The not-so-great effect is that I have to think about it so much.  By that I mean the necessary planning, counting carbs, journaling what I eat, etc.  It takes longer to make a salad than to grab a handful (bowl) of nuts.  Nuts are fine on Atkins, but not by the cupful.  :~)

Now I make a breakfast every morning (eggs and bacon, anyone?), a big salad twice a day, topped with filling protein and fat, and have a lovely snack at Tea Time. (Hello, heavy cream in my tea!).  My tummy is happy, my energy is up, and my jeans don't hate me anymore.

So diet is a four letter word.  

So are love, life, and laff.  

Yeah, the last one is dumb, but I do laff more now.

Hope your Wednesday is fabulous.