Blog 103 - The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men.....................

Well, let’s put it like this, sometimes, good intentions are well-meaning. That’s a no-brainer. However, (and much of life falls here, in the however’s), things happen, all the time, unexpectedly, and repeatedly. Those “things” get in the way of implementing our plans. It looked simpler on paper, do this, then this, and then this over here will follow naturally, “Not!”

And so it is with my plans of last week. I was going to blog everyday. To become a transparent window on my world of persisting on getting fit in my graying years. Yep, that was the plan, but, (ah yes that’s the caveat; but,) this, that and the other thing happened and sun rise, sunset, I wasn’t able to fulfill my objectives. And so….. I will regroup and come up with plan B. Instead of “days” I will have blogs, done when I have time, energy and opportunity to do them. I’ll call them, updates. Yep that’s the plan.

This morning, another wonderful Saturday I’m awake before five. Me and the birds, all of us eagerly awaiting the new day dawning. It’s been a hectic, exciting, frustrating, rewarding week, all mixed in together. Having a new group of young recruits, (aka guys in treatment) I became concerned that the zeitgeist of the group was; “Yeah, yeah, treatment.  Let’s do this thing and have a good time in the process.”  I’m not opposed to having a good time, per se, but I am very, very, very serious as a heart attack about giving treatment all you’ve got. For some of these young people it will mean the difference between being dead in a year or being alive. It will mean being able to see their children or forever being banned from their lives. It will mean the difference between being incarcerated for the good part of the rest of their lives or having an opportunity to recoup, to heal, to move on and find some semblance of normalcy.

         And so, I gave them a pretty serious talking to, from the heart, no holds barred. There were some serious faces. Normally, I am kind, emphatic and allow them to reach their own conclusions. This straight from the hip, tell it like it is, skip the smoke person kind of scared them. I have a more somber, reality-checked group.

Other stuff entered in this week, the unexpected stuff that is family, and problems, and finances, and yada, yada, yada. What I’ve discovered is; there are only so many hours in the day. And, I only have so much energy, and I need a certain amount of rest or I can’t function. Something has to give, and so it was plan A of checking in and blogging daily. It didn’t happen, sorry about that.

Did I have a major relapse and wind up surrounded by candy wrappers, sinking into my Lazy Boy passed out in a sugar coma? Well no. Here and there a few candy wrappers might have surfaced but by in large it was me with my apples, bananas, boneless, skin-less chicken and salad greens. My new thing is when I feel like I have to have sweets, gotta have, must have, better have NOW; I’m making this concoction in my blender.

Yummy Sweet Dessert- Guilt Free

1.   In your blender put ¼ cup cold water. Now sprinkle on two packages of non-flavored gelatin. Then add a Tablespoon of your favorite flavored sugar free gelatin. (one package will last about three of these “desserts”). Note: pick a flavor that will enhance your fruit choice. Not compete with it or overpower it. The flavored jello is added for color and a pop of flavor. (less is more) Let set for a couple minutes.

2.   Now take one cup of milk, (I use 2%). Put in a micro-wave able cup. Heat to hot, just about boiling. (micro-waves differ so check every 15 seconds or so).  Put in blender, PUT ON TOP OF BLENDER. (this is important unless you want to spend your morning cleaning the dessert off of everything). Blend for one minute.

3.   Add 3 packets artificial sweetening, vanilla if you like.

4.   Then choose 1 -2 ripe bananas; add broken in pieces.

5.    Add  frozen sugarless fruit (strawberries, raspberries, mangos, peaches, blueberries, blackberries) of your choice, 1 -1.5 cups, blend for several minutes. It works best to choose one frozen fruit plus bananas.  If you skip the bananas it’s not as thick a desert but still good.

6.    If the top gets set, poke with a spoon, (with the blender off), then blend some more.

7.   Pour into a large bowl and put in fridge; in about 5-10 minutes your dessert will be ready.

8.   Add ¼ cup of cool whip topping. (only 1 point in Weight Watchers!)

9.   Eat as much of the yummy dessert as you need to satisfy your sweet tooth.

This is rich, fluffy, yummy, good and won’t mess with your diet plan. My family laughs at me with my bowl of “dessert” but it helps me deal with cravings.

Which brings up something else.  Anyone who struggles with their weight has cravings. We may dress them up, deny them, try to over-look them but they are there waiting to drive us to the local Mickey-D’s and send us down the road packing on more pounds.

What can you do when the cravings hit?  Sometimes I confess, I’m a goner. I’m swept away by my own desires and find myself chomping away on a treat that I convinced myself I couldn’t live without. Don’t expect or demand perfection from yourself. There are going to be those times good intentions aside, when you have a set back or two. The plan is that overall, the basic trend of your life will become making better choices, more often.  This will translate into a gradual, consistent weight loss where you achieve more of balanced life-style that supports healthier habits.

To help with this process in myself, I joined Weight Watchers and have stuck to attending my meetings. I need to hear weekly new information, motivational insights and join with other people who are experiencing the same journey. It helps me to stay on track, and regroup after a setback.

Today, I’m hoping that I will show a loss at the scales. I had more triumphs then defeats this week when it comes to healthier eating habits. I wasn’t able to walk as much as I would have liked, but climbed the stairs at work dozens upon dozens of times, trying to run up them when I could.  If I don’t show a loss at the scale I will remind myself that each week I’m getting smaller, gaining muscle tone and developing healthy habits for life. (note: lost another pound this week. Yeah!!!!)

Today my schedule is pretty busy. Weight Watchers, shopping, making a run to the dump,  cleaning. I’m hoping the weather report was accurate and sun will warm me in the afternoon when I hope to be somewhere soaking it up. We’ll see.

God was good to me this week and several prayers have been answered which helps me have a thankful heart and a positive outlook. I don’t know how people survive who don’t pray. I know I would be lost. Even with prayer, and other believing friends life can be difficult at times. Sometimes, it’s me and my Bible, reading, claiming verses, praying, seeking God to help. He is faithful and after a time of storms comes a calm, a lull.

I wish I could encourage each of you personally to set new goals, begin again, and seek God to help you. He is faithful. He will answer, and someday you will have joy in the morning. Be happy, be blessed and be fit.