This morning’s walk felt like walking through someone’s hot breath.  The value of joining a gym feels increasingly apparent.  I sometimes find myself defensive of Oklahoma because of the long Spring & Fall, but I do forget about late June & all of July.  It always comes as a surprise.

I was listening again to The Book of Pride this morning, a collection of stories written from interviews with LGBTQ folks who made their contributions in the past 50 years during the LGBTQ Rights Era.  It’s fascinating to hear their stories, but it had me once again thinking about something I periodically want to sit down and hash out—who are my own life’s “thought leaders” or influences?  What books or poems would be a part of the canon of a book on how to be more like Brian?  I think about doing that often, and wish I would have done it annually.  I would love to know who I thought I was by way of lists in 2002.  What did that guy know about anything?  And isn’t it interesting that my list today would have so many influential health people on it, but only a year ago I wouldn’t have known who they were.  We are all always changing and evolving.  

Meal planning has been going frustratingly poorly.  Justin asked me to help, but it seems like what he wants from me is to tell him that eating junk food will help him lose weight, and there are no restrictions on amounts.  I do honestly believe that it doesn’t matter what a person eats as long as they are mindful of a few key things. 

1. Calories—It’s been a meme for decades.  I always think about Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  On the show, she was frequently dieting and that dieting consisted of eating fewer calories an moving more.  That advice was true then and it is true now.  That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it is simple.  Being in a calorie deficit is how all diets work.  Doing it in a way you enjoy is how to make those “diets” into healthy lifestyles.

2. Fiber—I’ll have to look up some of the research I’ve seen on fiber to bolster my claims here (this is just my thoughts, so I’m not trying to make claims), but fiber has been correlated with positive health outcomes over and over.  And while doctors already champion fiber as important for health, I will not be surprised at all in the future when we find further evidence of fiber’s health benefits.

3. Water—You need more water.  The fiber needs it to work its way through your body and your body needs water in order to breath most effectively.  We lose a lot of water during breathing, so drinking more water is important for that alone.  Breathing is how 80% of fat is lost, so it’s extremely important.

4. Enjoy—There is a huge spectrum between mindless binging on junk foods and dragging yourself through the house to eat your bland and flavorless greens.   You never have to give something up unless that thing and you have a toxic relationship.  I love peanut butter, and I don’t understand why every size container feels like a one day supply.  Peanut butter causes my brain to stop sending the signals that I need to stop already.  I’m usually tossing the jar in the trash when I realize I’ve just eaten several day’s worth of calories.  So, I did have to give that up.  For the same reason, I don’t buy my favorite snack: Takis.  Since I started my weight loss, I’ve had them three times.  They are now a celebratory food for me.  And I’m fine with that because my relationship with them was unhealthy.  But I haven’t given up other junk foods.  I still like to get meat alternatives, tortillas, Taco Bell, Burger King…. the difference is that I have control with the things I do eat, and I write everything down.

That ended up getting longer than I expected.  I guess I had some opinions!  I’ve lost 155 pounds, so I guess I’m starting to become one of those people who knows everything.  I should write up a guide to how I did it; I don’t know if anyone would find that helpful or not. 

[Walk #96]