Independance Day for Me

Yesterday I turned the TV off and decided to really catch up on my favorite blogs. I sort of had my blog in order; or out of order since my last two posts should be reversed. But what the hay? Who has high expectations in a heat wave? I'm just trying to keep cool man.

I decided to go see what Janie Fox was tongue in cheeking about because that woman is good for some laughs. I like funny people. Janie was so easy to sidle up next too because we have a lot in common.
We are almost the same age.
We both have short hair.
We both are a bubble off of plumb.
We are both mothers, grandmothers, and wives.
She has an inner hippie that won't die. Just look at her house.
and we are both fat.

Scratch that. I am fat she is not. I double dog dare you to look.

http://janiefoxtalks.blogspot.com/2012/07/not-ending-but-beginning.html

Are you fat? How come we won't talk about it? I lost weight a few times. One time I lost enough weight that people started telling me I was too skinny. It ticked me off. I felt like saying, "No, I am not too skinny, your too fat." yeah mean right? But now I am fat for real. In those days I was overweight. In those days it was 20 pounds, or 30 pounds, or 50 pounds which I did lose and slowly regained plus more; and now it's like 60 to 80 pounds depending on how much courage I have.

 I am way sucking in my gut. My face is red because it's hot and if I exhale my gut is going to pop back out.

Shew that's over let me finish this. Notice the crushed couch cushions?

My feet are still little. I am very small boned. My ring finger was a 4 before I left the overweight class and advanced to the oBEAST class.
My little feet are screaming at me every day. They hurt. They really really hurt. They cannot carry all of this around. When I look into my future what I see is a walker and a wheelchair.

But Janie did it. She not only did it she linked to a friend of hers.
http://thenuthousefive.blogspot.com/2012/07/before-and-after.html

and I double dawg dare ya again to go look at her too!!!!!

and another one!

http://talefromthecoopkeeper.blogspot.com/

OK so now I'm thinking really? Is there hope for me? Could I actually set my tranny in reverse?
OF course it will help if it stops first or I may lose my transmission but I mean these women aren't teenagers here. They aren't skinny women showing an inch of pinch either. I mean seriously when you are any size below a 10 trying to get into a 2 you should just zip your lipper.
It demoralizes us hopeless people.

I was very judgemental of fat people when I weighed 140 pounds and worked in the hospital in orthopedics. A lot of total knee replacements are done on obese people. Your body wears out hauling an extra couple of 50 pound bags of dog food around everywhere.  You know what I mean?
I am always in a hurry to set heavy stuff down, but I carry 94 extra pounds around 24/7.
I'm not so judgemental now.

Total knees are only the beginning. There are so many other health problems and diseases.
So here is the real shaming part.
I can sit at this computer where you can't see me, and share advice.
I do KNOW BETTER.

I have been an RN since 1992. I have studied nutrition. I was a health nut in my hippie days and sugar wasn't even in my house! MY kid left home and bought Twinkies and wonder bread in total rebellion. She has never eaten halvah for a sweet treat again. I was a zealot.

What happened?
Man life happened. Asthma happened, steroids happened, falls happened. I got "saved" and quit my old lifestyle of drugs, sex, and rock and roll and went to Baptist potlucks full of gluttony.
I don't believe in coincidences. But it just so happens that right now in my ladies Bible study we are learning from a DVD series by James Robison and Robert Morris on "LIVING FREE" being delivered of whatever bondage we are in.
You see Jesus didn't come to have me stop one set of behaviors to embrace another even deadlier behavior. His spirit sets us free, we can't do it.
Living Free

Jesus also sends us help and ways to be free. I checked out what Janie and the other women did to reverse their course and this is it.
Leanness Lifestyle University

Now I am not through double dawg daring you today. The first month cost 5 bucks, the price of a good hot fudge sundae. I checked it out and I signed up.
Today I am totally terrified. I am not going to give in to fear though. I am going to go over there and open my "to do" list for today.  I really don't think it's going to tell me  to go run a 5 K.
I bet it won't tell me to stuff myself on raw spinach all day or eat 6 grapefruits.
It probably won't tell me to take a magic belly fat pill, or skip two meals and eat just one.

A friend of mine is going to school and was talking about the HEAP of work her teachers were piling on over the 4th of July. I remember it well. I told her to eat an elephant one bite at a time.
I think maybe that concept can work in reverse too.
You can lose an elephant one bite at a time.

It's INDEPENDENCE DAY. 
We celebrate freedom today.
Freedom isn't free without discipline and sacrifice.
Freedom can't be kept if we aren't fit and ready for whatever comes.
Yesterday, I realized that I can become free.
I don't have to stay this course that leads to the nursing home.
I can change one bite, one day, one to-do list at a time.
I double dawg dare you to join me.