I've made it no secret that I have dealt with my weight for many, many years. It has been the #1 thorn in my side for the last decade or so. I know that I originally gained the weight for two main reasons ...
#1 I gave birth to a set of twins in 1999 and my life unequivocally changed forever - from being an active, working out of the house newly wed to a homebound, stay-at-home mom of two tiny babies - a drastic life change that caused me to head straight to the fridge and my exercise level to drop to almost nothing!
#2 I started dealing with some major medical issues with my reproductive system that left me in chronic pain and suffering from exhaustion 80% of the time.
So today I am in a place where the reasons that caused me to gain weight all those years ago are no longer a factor - my kids are old enough to not even require a babysitter any longer and I had a hysterectomy in 2008. The time is right and I am ready to start pursuing the thinner, fitter body I once had.
So how to go about it. Weight Watchers has worked for me .. somewhat. But my reality is that certain foods, the foods that I really love, cause me digestive upset and increased cravings for unhealthy foods. These foods, any foods are perfectly acceptable on Weight Watchers as long as they are accounted for. But I know that they do me harm. So for the last few months I have been searching for a weight loss program that will not only cause me to lose weight but help me identify what foods are best for my body. Last year, the Parelli world watched as Pat & Linda slimmed to shadows of themselves on a diet Pat talked about as the "HcG Diet". Several weeks ago, I decided that I would look into this HcG diet. Going straight to the source, I called the Body Shop in Pagosa Springs, Colorado for the details. Needless to say, after some research and concluding that I wasn't going to harm myself on a 500 calorie per day diet - I signed on with Linda at the Body Shop to give it a go. First, my inbox filled with document after document that I needed to read (the food lists by blood type is amazing and spot on for me!!). Then just this morning a shipment arrived filled with bottle after bottle of supplements, tea, soap, toothpaste - even deodorant!! Everything I need to get going ... and ...... I am petrified!
Why am I so nervous of this?? I am nervous of anything referred to as "all natural". My vision of anything produced naturally is that someone went out in the field, picked something that looked like weeds, ground it up, put it in pill form and expects it to be the next cure of the century. All right - I am sceptical of the homeopathic/natureopathic movement. My impression is that the products work "o.k" - not really very well but the consumer mentally feels better in the knowledge that they are natural. Alternative therapies and medicines make me think that they are second best, a choice when you don't have access to the best option - that from the medical community. So where did this mindset come from? Why am I so sceptical of something that comes in a plain brown packaging? I don't really know. But I need to open my mind to the possibilities and accept that what I have done so far really hasn't worked that well - so why not?
It is the same thing with me and the red light therapy - for horses and humans. I am sceptical maybe because it seems so easy. And because I can't for the life of me figure out how what looks like a red Christmas tree light mounted in a flashlight can possibly make a difference to a 1200 lb animal. But you know, I was once sceptical of Parelli too. But I went to that first Level 1 clinic with an open mind .. and now look where I am!! Time for me to drop the preconceptions and assumptions that block my vision and try. Maybe while I am busy sorting supplements and getting underway with the HcG diet, I should take the course and learn more about the red light therapy too. Who knows maybe the outcome will be like that of my first Level 1 Parelli course and my life will be forever changed.
Wish me luck!! I don't think I'll be eating organic granola and wearing hemp clothing anytime soon, but I just might learn more about my body and what it really needs (instead of what I think it needs!). I'll update 45 days from now and revisit this topic again! Stay tuned!
