tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post5065832001893787304..comments2012-04-16T22:02:30.631-04:00Comments on Personal "Sweat Equity": A New Day Dawns--Facing Reality and Taking ActionNancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-68281074263212038052011-01-17T14:07:13.591-05:002011-01-17T14:07:13.591-05:00Many if not all of you have never heard of me. I’...Many if not all of you have never heard of me. I’m Nancy’s sister, Jean. While growing up, I was referred to as “number two” by Big Jim, with GREAT affection. So, I’ve known Nancy longer than Nancy has known Nancy. I was always the “runt”. I was short and skinny (not slim - straight down from my shoulders to my ankles). Nancy, well, not so much. Not that she was HUGE. She was just GERMAN. I always thought our parents should have called her Inga. Anyway, back to the food.<br />Why mention our childhood on a food eating article? Obvious, food is how we were brought up. Even healthy eaters are reared, trained, or taught how to use food in their lives. Bottom line, (and while this is my opinion, it is felt, repeated and opinionated by many) comfort food makes us happy – whatever the comfort food of choice is. While I certainly DO NOT have a penchant for oatmeal cookies with butterscotch bits, I stood on a bottom cabinet drawer with a cutting board sat on top, so that I could reach the counter and assist the Great One in preparing them with utmost love. I knew that I could stop by my grandmother’s house 24/7 and there’d be cookies under the sink in a fully-loaded-BPA-container just waiting for me. And while I never really liked that particular cookie (please God, let there be gingersnaps, or even the raisin sugar cookies there today), I ate them. Why? Because I could sit down with my Grandmother and perhaps a sibling or cousin or two and “break bread”. Dinners were extravagant as well. We’d cram more people at the dining room table then we had room, Grandma would crack out the china and we’d have a complete meal with some kind of ridiculously fatty meat and the complimentary 4 other starches that made up the meal. No salad, vegetables included green beans – with butter. Don’t let me forget dessert. The ultimate compliment to the cook was picking up your dessert plate and licking it clean. Grandma LOVED that!<br />I honestly don’t have a problem with using food as comfort or even a reward. I remember coming home from college and Marilyn (our mother) saying, “Hmmm, it’s a lot harder to put that on then take that off.” She was referring to weight. Perhaps because Nancy was 7 years behind me, she missed those words of wisdom. (Marilyn was getting tired of telling teens what to do.) Everything’s good in moderation. So I don’t think that viewing food as a reward is bad. I also don’t think thinking about it is bad. I don’t think thanking someone you love, or someone who did something nice for you with food is bad. But I also don’t think we have to run to Sam’s Club and buy it in bulk either.<br />In regards to the weight loss, Nancy you’ve done an incredible job. I believe your struggle prior to you waking up one day and being sick and tired of it comes down to the fact that you really didn’t love yourself. And look at you now, you’ve turned that around. Just keep doing what you’re doing. If you are supposed to lose the weight you will. <br />Having said that, I’d like to know which cousin you’re talking about….Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-73040858199694647752011-01-16T20:48:55.855-05:002011-01-16T20:48:55.855-05:00Thanks for the book recommendation. I definitely s...Thanks for the book recommendation. I definitely struggle with my nutrition too. I know I would have lost this belly bulge by now if I had eaten better during my CLX & TurboFire workouts. That's my big goal for 2011. Gotta get a handle on my eating habits. You're not alone, girl!Debbie Meyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13336400645255173433noreply@blogger.com