surprising non-scale victory...

For someone who is obsessed with the number on the scale... I pay surprisingly little attention to my measurements. I think the *tape shock* of seeing that I was nearly as big around at the hips as I am tall was too much to handle for me. So... it's been a full month since I recorded measurements and I have to tell you that I had a new kind of tape shock finding out that I have

lost six inches off my waist in the past two months!

One of the trendy measurements of health is waist size. I think it's supposed to be no more than half of your height. That means that at a mere 5'2 my waist should be no more than 31 inches. And that also means that when I first start back on this weight watchers odyssey that I had 14 inches to lose off my waist. How exciting to know that only two months into the journey that I'm almost halfway to that good health marker!

I think I've decided to post the real truth number about my weight. It's ugly, even still... but I believe in transparency and anyone who would think differently because of seeing it isn't anyone whose opinion I'd value in the first place. Know what i mean?

Austin spent the night next door with his friend Logan and came home with a bit of a stomach bug. I've been so lax about going to church and I really fully one hundred percent intended to go today... but... I think I'm going to stay and keep an eye on him. And keep the house bleached down well. I missed a day of work last week... I'd prefer to go the rest of the calendar year without another sick day.

I made another batch of my black and white bean salad yesterday - it's become a staple of my diet. This time I replaced the cucumber with jicama and shredded carrots. I bought the carrots for the girls to use on their "food dolls" (copyright Jamie Gant) as red hair... but then when they realized that they would have to eat anything they put on their dolls... they decided to have bald headed dolls. *Laugh*

We talked about food aversions... they are so reluctant to try anything new. Remember my exchange with Jamie last Thanksgiving about sweet potatoes? I told them that once they try something, if they don't like it, that's fine. But if they have never tried it and they say they don't like it... that's just CRAZY! I told them that God made all this beautiful food in beautiful colors for us to enjoy so that it can help us be strong and healthy... and if we don't eat what God gives us, that the devil is in control, making us weak. I also talked about taste buds and how some things taste good to some people yet bad to others... but they don't know what they like until they try it.... trying to encourage them to try new things. Sarabeth was more adventurous than Jamie... but in the end... they did try a few new things.

They would NOT, however, try figs, avocado or kiwi...

What was really cool... Jim and Angie have a compost pile and the girls have learned to save biological waste for the compost heap. We talked about the life cycle of plants that come from the soil and return to soil and how those things are the best things for us to eat. I'm really convinced that a plant based diet is the most beneficial. I grew up with people telling me that women in our family struggle with depression and that women in our family struggle with their weight but no one really gave me the tools to battle those things. We had a garden in our backyard and we ate vegetables... but a lot of that was battered and fried (the southern way)... and we ate a lot of stuff that I now know wasn't good for us. We were raised on white bread and peanut butter... mac and cheese... kool aid. I'm not being critical... I'm just saying that *now that I know what I know* about the important connection between how we eat and quality of life, I want to give that legacy to my girls.

Besides... I was the one who taught Sarabeth how to read the top of the box of chocolates... it's the least that I can do to teach her how to eat healthy.

I should point out that Jim and Angie do live a very healthy lifestyle... she reached goal with Weight Watchers a year ago and has kept the weight off. They're both into fitness and even with their busy schedules, they both exercise daily and encourage the girls to be active. I just love sharing what I know with the people I love.

While we were at the farm yesterday... I was talking to the herb lady about the benefits of parsley (which I don't particularly care for) and Jamie interrupted with "Aunt Heather... Aunt Heather... Aunt Heather..." and I said, "what honey?" she said, "I love you!".... Everyone there went "awwwww". Too sweet.

Gonna run pick up some pepto for the kid. Hope you have a great day! Love and hugs!