Day 13

Hello again,

I bought a hot air popcorn popper so I can start eating popcorn but it uses 1/2C at a time, which makes way too much for one person to eat in one sitting. I did not know until I read the little booklet that comes with it that if I reduce the amount of popcorn it will leave unpopped kernals behind. I suppose I could bag it up into about 3 servings and save it for later. That "new appliance smell" kind of reeked all over the popcorn too, but I know that will soon disappear. I think I may return to the old fashioned recipe: pop 1/4C on the stove, 1 qt pan, in peanut oil method. That is how I grew up making pop corn and it is tasty. Peanut oil -- because that is one of the recommended oils on the program, but it seems to be a bit expensive.

I also went to a health food store this morning that I had never been to before. I was just out of the house doing an errand and drove over to see it. I had been noticing it for a while and wanted to go in. Nothing fancy, but they do have some of the things talked about in the program, like bins of all kinds of whole grains, rice and beans. I accidentally paid 11.70 for a jar of expeller pressed extra virgin coconut oil that I had thought was 5.70 when I picked it up. ("Accidentally" because I was not paying attention at the register and did not think about the total until I paid and left.) That and a loaf of Ezekial bread came to a whopping 17 dollars. Wow. I will use the coconut oil sparingly. I contemplated returning it while I was still in the parking lot, but decided that it was good for my body and I would take it home and use it. I will be more careful about the prices in the future.

I am pleased to say that 5 hours have passed since I ate breakfast and I am still satisfied. I will soon be eating a big salad because that is the plan for lunch. For breakfast this morning I had 2 slices of Ezekial bread, a pat and a half of butter. a heaping TBS of peanut butter, 1 sliced hard boiled egg, and a few leaves of romaine lettuce which I combined all into a sandwich. I was surprised to find that it was actually quite tasty. I did not know how the hard boiled egg and the peanut butter would "mix", but they actually complimented each other and the sandwich was good and hearty. I'll be doing that again, especially when I observed that when I was done eating that, I was really full. And I have stayed full, ever since. Yippee!

Well, time to read "Day 13" --   I must confess that before I read the chapter, I had glanced at the title and knew it was about exercise. My personal reaction was to postpone reading until later than normal. I already have an exercise program, but my problem is "doing it."  I have exercised twice this week already but was avoiding it for today. Although I did walk around the health food store for a time. (I just had a cup of cold tea sweetened with Stevia and a handful of baby carrots for a snack.)

I am really quite relieved after having read the chapter because it says my basic goal is 30 minutes a day, three times a week!!  Ha Ha!! That is what I am already doing, I just need the "do it" motivation. And I was really quite pleased to read that it does not all have to be done at once. Three 10-minute periods during the day will work just as well, because physical activity is cumulative! I actually already knew that but was very pleased to read it here. My body is very big and obese and my right hip has been hurting more lately, but I also know that exercise relieves the pain, so I just need to do it.

The exercise advice Dr Rip gives is not only sensible and really quite easy I am glad he took the time to explain how exercise affects the diabetic body. After reading what a lack of regular moderate gentle activity does to the body, I feel very motivated to get a move on. That silly song from some animal adventure cartoon has popped into my mind and I see the monkey singing, "move it, move it, move it." Ha! Maybe I should just turn on the "Banana Phone" song and just get going! 

To boil what is written in the chapter down to it's lowest common denominator this is what it says: Regular moderate easy moving of your body will heal your body and give you a longer, stronger, healthier, and better life. To not do that will kill you about 20 years sooner than you are expecting.

Read the book: The information is well researched. The plan is necessary. And the requirements are completely within reason -- easy actually, and you don't have to buy a thing, except, maybe walking shoes, if you don't already have some. I was especially intrigued to read about the "45 second bursts" -- which are even better for diabetics than long sustained walking. Who woulda thunk?!


Have to get on my Aerofit.

Be back soon

--Marcia