How to Lose Weight in this Fat World-Part I:

Everyone who looks in the mirror in disgust reaches a point where his or her “weight number” is just too high. For some people the number may be 110 pounds and for others it can be 300 pounds or more. At 5’4” my number became 160 pounds. When people made fun of me, when I looked 4-5 months pregnant, none of my clothes fit anymore and size 14 was becoming tight it was time to make a change. Every where I looked there were magazine articles about losing weight, row upon row of books in the library on becoming healthy, thin and happy. Some of the books and articles were drastic and some required a fat bank account to buy organic foods, use expensive vitamins or purchase a special piece of exercise equipment. I was determined that there had to be an easy way to lose this ugly fat that was making my life so miserable. The answer is oh, so simple.
“Eat to survive, not for fun.” Stop and look at every thing you put into your mouth and say to yourself, “Will this nourish me or only satisfy me emotionally?” The answer is shocking. Do we eat only when we are hungry or because food is so readily available? Is it so bad to be a little bit hungry during the day?
In my search for the return of my 118-pound figure, I started with Kevin Trudeau’s books. His style of writing is hard to follow and repetitious but if you read all three of his books eventually you understand that what he is saying is true. The FDA is worthless, our food is tainted to make us eat more, there are natural cures for our ailments and diseases and it IS possible to lose weight in America. But to do so you have to be aware of what you are putting in your mouth EVERY day. To do so you have to stop going to fast food restaurants. I watched the movie, “Super Size Me”. It was disgusting to watch. I haven’t been to McDonalds since watching this film.
Do not eat anything with high fructose corn syrup. Do you realize this substance is even found in bread? Sugar is addictive, the more you eat, the more you WANT to eat. Look at serving sizes. I now eat a medium size breakfast, large lunch and small supper. Get plenty of sleep. Exercise every day and every opportunity. Walk places, follow Jorge Cruso’s book, “8 Minutes in the Morning”. Pick up exercise tapes from the library. Walk the dog for 4 miles in the evening. Say NO to sweets at work. Keep saying out loud, “No thanks. I like skinny.” People will dislike your will power. Don’t let them sabotage your goal. Drink herb tea if you are absolutely craving a candy bar. Amazingly by the time the tea is gone so has the urge to pig out.
It is becoming easier and easier to just say NO to fatty foods!

Single Dog Lover Seeks Same

If I were to write an online advertisement searching for my perfect mate how would it read? How could I describe myself in 1000 words or less? How do you cram a lifetime of experiences into one spellbinding paragraph?

When I read an ad for a man I look for something easy to read by someone who knows how to use spell check. If he describes his personality does he mention honesty, loyalty and respect? Most important what are his interests? Does he describe himself as a good communicator? Does he mention his good sense of humor without bragging about being the life of the party? Is he a renaissance man, interested in numerous things or does he only mention his Harley and his beer? Does his picture show he has had a hair cut within the last three months? Does he have any hair? Does he mention his dog? (25 points for that one!)

I would describe myself as honest, down to earth, not afraid to communicate, able to laugh at myself, looking for a respectful relationship, a man who would give me kisses and hugs and who would enjoy receiving the same from me. I’m a low maintenance (never had a Nordstrom credit card) blue jeans type of person; enjoy recreational hiking and bike riding (no “century” distances, please), horseback riding, making jewelry, and reading new books to discover more about the world around us. The most important item about me: I love and am loved by my wonderful Border Collies and expect my man to understand this relationship and not feel threatened by their energy and demands. I am also involved in the world of competitive dog obedience and tracking.

I’m an employed government employee, college educated, a magazine columnist, 5’4”, working towards a goal of 128 pounds, who enjoys eating healthy food. I love the state of Oregon, walking along Tolovana Beach and would like to spend more time exploring it and see the beauty around us. You introduce me to snow shoeing and panning for gold and I’ll introduce you to spelunking and a great place to find thunder eggs.