It's the best time of my day, it's the heart of my morning time. I get up at 5:00 a.m., let the dogs out, feed them, fix my breakfast, drink my cup of "Foglifter" by Millstone (which is better than Starbucks in my opinion), catch the national news on Fox, and I read my email and tune into websites I am interested in. By 6:00 a.m. I am officially awake.
From 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. is the time I spend contemplating the greatness of Almighty God. Currently, in my morning meditations I am reading through the Psalms. I just read a chapter or two aloud and let the words penetrate my mind as I learn of the lows the writer experienced, then the joy proclaimed due to God's willingness to answer prayer. The writer fights enemies of a different type while I fight my disease of obesity. I need to lose another 25 pounds or so, but previous to this writing I have dropped 41. My current enemy is fat.
There's plenty of fuel for a fat fighting woman throughout the Psalms. I find it energizing to read them aloud and while I read I consider my war against obesity. The more I read there, the more I realized I find strength and focus to continue my change journey:
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
(Psalm 84:5)
As a woman dedicated to losing weight I pray the words of these chapters and I read this aloud and I hear:
Blessed are those whose strength in over coming obesity is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage...which is sometimes very
difficult, but I know that my hope and strength is in you and I know
I am blessed by you in this task.
To me, the words of the Psalms are powerful, prayerful words which assure my victory in this war against obesity. I read throughout the book on how the writer was low and through his prayers he received real assurance of answered prayer.
Teach me your way, O Lord
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart
that I may fear your name.
(Psalm 86:11)
And, as I read this my heart interprets
Teach me your way, O Lord and I will walk in your truth; Teach me the way you want me to do this, O Lord, and if you teach me your way I will walk in your truth and not fall into false teachings or unhealthy practices. I will focus on you first and through knowledge of you I will become educated about all things affecting me and I will receive your wisdom on how I need to proceed in all things, including weight loss.
give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. Let me remember that my first priority is to give my heart completely over to you so that I may know your greatness, and through knowing your greatness first hand, I will know that all other things will fall into place naturally.
And, at 6:30 a.m., I have been reassured once again that God is a strength and power which I have available to me to win my war against obesity. I have been reassured it is okay to be discouraged and that the antidote to discouragement is to turn to God and read aloud the powerful words of the Psalms which speak of human discouragement, super-natural victory over the enemy, cool waters, solace for an impatient soul, God-given strength and having a focus on what's important.
Well, it's 6:34 a.m., and a wonderful day that I might enter into with Almighty God at my side.
Read his word aloud in your private time. His words spoken through your voice has a powerful effect on your mental outlook. It makes it real.
For the Lord is a sun and a shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
O Lord Almighty,
blessed is the man
who trusts in you.
(Psalm 84:11-12)
And, praise God! Today I am favored and honored and God holds nothing good back from me. I am blessed.
Have a blessed day.
Love, Willa
Thursday, September 27, 2007
I Feel Good
I've got my coffee made this morning and I am thrilled to greet 165 on the scales. I'm going for the "gold" and I know I can make it. If I don't do anything different, if I keep on doing what I am doing for another year I will be "petite" and I'll be a size 8. Since last November I have lost 41 lbs. I'll probably only be at 160 this November, but that's 46 pounds in a year, and right at one pound a week lost for my efforts.
Some days it is difficult when I stall for six weeks at a time but I consider my options: Eat carb crazy and blow back up to my original size? Or eat sensibly with my low carb WOE and slowly evolve into my desired outcome?
This is the most weight I have lost since I gave birth. Many people never achieve this kind of percentage of weight loss, much less in their late forties. I feel proud of myself for that and I'll push on...I can do this. I can!
Some days it is difficult when I stall for six weeks at a time but I consider my options: Eat carb crazy and blow back up to my original size? Or eat sensibly with my low carb WOE and slowly evolve into my desired outcome?
This is the most weight I have lost since I gave birth. Many people never achieve this kind of percentage of weight loss, much less in their late forties. I feel proud of myself for that and I'll push on...I can do this. I can!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
It's only Wednesday?
Man, it's been a long week already. And, I'm tired. But a really wonderful thing happened at the office today. One of the women stopped me and said, "You have truly crossed over!" She went on to say how good I was doing on my diet and how that now I am around 40 pounds down it's really showing in my face. I had kind of been hard on myself today when I looked in the mirror...was having trouble seeing as much progress as I wanted to. But her little remark really picked me up and really made me see that my face DOES look much different. It's "chiseling" out a little...the roundness is leaving at long last.
I'd like to go fix a creamy low carb treat for myself and that would be at least 200 calories, but with the encouragement I received today, I think I'll just go take a shower, brush my teeth and settle in for sleep early.
This battle of weight loss is won with small battles against the small snack or treat. I feel victorious tonight so I believe I'll just head 'em on in while I am on top of my game. I'll opt for a few tiny dill pickles and call it a day.
I'd like to go fix a creamy low carb treat for myself and that would be at least 200 calories, but with the encouragement I received today, I think I'll just go take a shower, brush my teeth and settle in for sleep early.
This battle of weight loss is won with small battles against the small snack or treat. I feel victorious tonight so I believe I'll just head 'em on in while I am on top of my game. I'll opt for a few tiny dill pickles and call it a day.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Kimmer's Words Are Potent
What has amazed me about the Kimmer affair is my own experience of it. I am a level-headed thinking person. I had 80 lbs. to lose (half way there, hooray!) when I started my weight loss journey. I was at around 30 lbs. down when I read Kimmer's words. I read them and took them to heart because it was what I wanted to hear and needed to hear. I gave them a lot of importance, however, I quickly realized upon further research that I didn't want all the bad side effects that come with her dangerous way of eating.
But, I thought, "Hey, it worked for this woman..." and then I dismissed it, but not really. Many days since then, even after the exposure of Kimmer on Slamboard--her pictures, I mean--I still find myself mentally fussing at myself over letting my calorie intake rise above 1,000. I still find myself avoiding water and opting for Diet Cokes because that was the Kimmer way. I still hear the words of Kimmer in my head that I don't need to exercise. Even though I know that all this is poppycock, I still heard those words of hers and internalized them because I wanted to hear what she said, and I wanted to believe it.
Kimmer's words are dangerous because they offer exactly what an obese person needs to hear and they are leading people into a dangerous way of eating which may affect their life forever.
When a person is receptive to what is being said and when they need the message badly enough they will pay for it, the words become extremely powerful. Even to the point that the words will continue to work inside their thinking when the source has been exposed as a fraud.
Kimmer is just like any cult leader who has found a target of people beat down and weakened by a condition which they desperately desire to rise above.
I have a dear friend who is eating like Kimmer recommended in her more stringent diets. She's a member of that site. She has seen the Kimmer exposure blogs, and yet she finds reason to continue to believe in Kimmer's way of eating because she has lost 30 pounds since the end of July. She needs to lose at least 100 more. I worry that her health will be destroyed and that her metabolism will shatter into nothing. The diet is working for her, but at what cost?
The song of a siren like Kimmer is potent. That's why it is important to continue to expose her unhealthy way of eating and her fraudulent weight loss through beating her on the medium she has chosen. They way to do that is to make our blogs more powerful than hers. Help stop Kimmer's poisonous infection of the internet. Set up a blog and write your thoughts. Here are two free sites to select from where you can house your very own blog for free.
Blogger.com
Wordpress.com
Set one up. Write your thoughts and let me know you have one to add to this list. I'll make sure yours also gets published in my blog. Kimkins Exposed is doing a wonderful job of publishing links to blogs as well. Be sure to visit that blog and let the author know about yours.
Kimkins Exposed
Anti-Kimkins
Becky: Winning Weight
Christin: The Journey
Deni: Open Bench
Free Kimkins Free
Jimmy Moore’s Apology
Kimkins @ Slamboard
Kimkins Controversy
Kimkins Dangers
Kimkins Sucks!
Kimkins Survivors
Kimorexia
Kkatastrophediet’s Weblog
TRUTH Starts Here
3 Fat Chicks: Anatomy of a Diet Scam
About.com Inside Kimkins
A Pinch Of…
How Jeanessa Got Scammed
How Much Body Fat Can You Really Lose In A Week?
Jersey Girl: Thoughts on Kimkins
Kimkins Circus
Kimkins Controversy Continues to Boil
Kimkins Debacle; Super Smart Diet Tips
Kimkins Experience Part 1
Kimkins Experience Part 2
Kimkins Saga Revisited
Kimkins Survivors
Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Anorexic
Tami’s Change in Game Plan
The Problem with Kimkins
Thin at Any Cost
A Running Jewel
Kimkins Circus
The Quack of Doom: Entering the circus for the first time?
Once Upon A Diet
Someone in Southern California may need an attorney soon
The Final Escape
melting mama: Kimkins Scam.
Have you ever screamed so loud that the room echoed? « Incredible Shrinking Ladies
Inside the Kimkins Controversy
A Dumbbell In A Home Gym: Kimkins: Caveat Freakin’ Emptor.
Heard of the Kimkins Diet? Steer Clear it’s a total scam!
Vickie’s Voice: …more of my story…
The Road to Clarity and Transformation: The Kimmer (Kimkins) Controversy and a Parallel Universe
Banished…oh Fo’ Shame. not.
a mother’s heart » the kimkins debacle
Vilma’s World » Kimkins on Dateline & other complaints
Because I Said So: KimKims Survivors
Hundred Day Head Start Kimkins a fraud
Healthy Low-Carb Living Blog: Kimkins - How I Feel About It Now
Back Across The Line: Kimkins Cult Mentality
Good Carbma: Words for Heidi Diaz
Living Low Carb & Lovin’ It!: What an Amazing Day This Has Been!
Borat Does Kimkins: Hello From Borat!
Medusa
Kimkins Nightmares
stepping up to the plate « 2big4mysize’s Weblog
mariasol
Kimkins Scam
Willa’s Notebook
Doggy Girl’s Weblog
All About Kimkins & More
Itscloudyinhere’s Weblog
Psychic Rations: The Slimmer Kimmer That Wasn’t
Beware: Kimkins Diet is Dangerous!!: Just Say NO
Kimkins Lies
Sparkly and (soon to be) Skinny!: A new safe haven
Stop Kimkins Now!: Stop Kimkins Now!
Kimkins Soap Opera Story - AnthaBeth’s blog
Kristine’s Low Carb Corner
Stop Kimkins Now!
HoneyBee’s Blog
Brad Johnson Says ‘Start a
But, I thought, "Hey, it worked for this woman..." and then I dismissed it, but not really. Many days since then, even after the exposure of Kimmer on Slamboard--her pictures, I mean--I still find myself mentally fussing at myself over letting my calorie intake rise above 1,000. I still find myself avoiding water and opting for Diet Cokes because that was the Kimmer way. I still hear the words of Kimmer in my head that I don't need to exercise. Even though I know that all this is poppycock, I still heard those words of hers and internalized them because I wanted to hear what she said, and I wanted to believe it.
Kimmer's words are dangerous because they offer exactly what an obese person needs to hear and they are leading people into a dangerous way of eating which may affect their life forever.
When a person is receptive to what is being said and when they need the message badly enough they will pay for it, the words become extremely powerful. Even to the point that the words will continue to work inside their thinking when the source has been exposed as a fraud.
Kimmer is just like any cult leader who has found a target of people beat down and weakened by a condition which they desperately desire to rise above.
I have a dear friend who is eating like Kimmer recommended in her more stringent diets. She's a member of that site. She has seen the Kimmer exposure blogs, and yet she finds reason to continue to believe in Kimmer's way of eating because she has lost 30 pounds since the end of July. She needs to lose at least 100 more. I worry that her health will be destroyed and that her metabolism will shatter into nothing. The diet is working for her, but at what cost?
The song of a siren like Kimmer is potent. That's why it is important to continue to expose her unhealthy way of eating and her fraudulent weight loss through beating her on the medium she has chosen. They way to do that is to make our blogs more powerful than hers. Help stop Kimmer's poisonous infection of the internet. Set up a blog and write your thoughts. Here are two free sites to select from where you can house your very own blog for free.
Blogger.com
Wordpress.com
Set one up. Write your thoughts and let me know you have one to add to this list. I'll make sure yours also gets published in my blog. Kimkins Exposed is doing a wonderful job of publishing links to blogs as well. Be sure to visit that blog and let the author know about yours.
Kimkins Exposed
Anti-Kimkins
Becky: Winning Weight
Christin: The Journey
Deni: Open Bench
Free Kimkins Free
Jimmy Moore’s Apology
Kimkins @ Slamboard
Kimkins Controversy
Kimkins Dangers
Kimkins Sucks!
Kimkins Survivors
Kimorexia
Kkatastrophediet’s Weblog
TRUTH Starts Here
3 Fat Chicks: Anatomy of a Diet Scam
About.com Inside Kimkins
A Pinch Of…
How Jeanessa Got Scammed
How Much Body Fat Can You Really Lose In A Week?
Jersey Girl: Thoughts on Kimkins
Kimkins Circus
Kimkins Controversy Continues to Boil
Kimkins Debacle; Super Smart Diet Tips
Kimkins Experience Part 1
Kimkins Experience Part 2
Kimkins Saga Revisited
Kimkins Survivors
Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Anorexic
Tami’s Change in Game Plan
The Problem with Kimkins
Thin at Any Cost
A Running Jewel
Kimkins Circus
The Quack of Doom: Entering the circus for the first time?
Once Upon A Diet
Someone in Southern California may need an attorney soon
The Final Escape
melting mama: Kimkins Scam.
Have you ever screamed so loud that the room echoed? « Incredible Shrinking Ladies
Inside the Kimkins Controversy
A Dumbbell In A Home Gym: Kimkins: Caveat Freakin’ Emptor.
Heard of the Kimkins Diet? Steer Clear it’s a total scam!
Vickie’s Voice: …more of my story…
The Road to Clarity and Transformation: The Kimmer (Kimkins) Controversy and a Parallel Universe
Banished…oh Fo’ Shame. not.
a mother’s heart » the kimkins debacle
Vilma’s World » Kimkins on Dateline & other complaints
Because I Said So: KimKims Survivors
Hundred Day Head Start Kimkins a fraud
Healthy Low-Carb Living Blog: Kimkins - How I Feel About It Now
Back Across The Line: Kimkins Cult Mentality
Good Carbma: Words for Heidi Diaz
Living Low Carb & Lovin’ It!: What an Amazing Day This Has Been!
Borat Does Kimkins: Hello From Borat!
Medusa
Kimkins Nightmares
stepping up to the plate « 2big4mysize’s Weblog
mariasol
Kimkins Scam
Willa’s Notebook
Doggy Girl’s Weblog
All About Kimkins & More
Itscloudyinhere’s Weblog
Psychic Rations: The Slimmer Kimmer That Wasn’t
Beware: Kimkins Diet is Dangerous!!: Just Say NO
Kimkins Lies
Sparkly and (soon to be) Skinny!: A new safe haven
Stop Kimkins Now!: Stop Kimkins Now!
Kimkins Soap Opera Story - AnthaBeth’s blog
Kristine’s Low Carb Corner
Stop Kimkins Now!
HoneyBee’s Blog
Brad Johnson Says ‘Start a
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Clutter and Obesity Have Similar Obstacles
- Obesity and chaotic clutter are both depressing states of affairs.
- Obesity and cluttered spaces both come from an unwillingness to act in one's own best interest.
- Excess fat on a body as well as clutter are unnecessary existences.
- Obesity and clutter are unhealthy.
- Both of them cause shame and guilt in the one who suffers from it.
- Both of them prohibit many people from enjoying life to its fullest.
- Each of them are perceived as difficult situations to control and when combined they can send the person suffering from them into a downward spiral of extreme states of both problems.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
My Current Before/After Picture from Weight Loss
The first picture is when I weighed 206 or maybe a few pounds more. The second picture is me at 169. I am now down three pounds from that day.
I think I musta lost a bunch of it in my neck and arms.
(See there, that's what real people look like when they are losing weight. Fake people look like they are 25 years younger and have had rhinoplasty. If I am speaking cryptically, check out the Kimmer blogs in the previous post.)
(See there, that's what real people look like when they are losing weight. Fake people look like they are 25 years younger and have had rhinoplasty. If I am speaking cryptically, check out the Kimmer blogs in the previous post.)
I just have to say that the stripe of blush on my cheeks in my after picture is a bit weird...I swear I don't think that looks good, nor do I believe that is the way it looked except in the picture...Lord, I hope not.
Oh my...I got off task...back to the closet cleaning I go.
Oh my...I got off task...back to the closet cleaning I go.
Quick List - The Kimmer Files
If you have a blog not listed below where you are blogging regarding Heidi Diaz aka Kimmer, please leave your blog's link in the comments and I will add it to this list.
Thanks, Willa
Kimkins Exposed
Anti-Kimkins
Becky: Winning Weight
Christin: The Journey
Deni: Open Bench
Free Kimkins Free
Jimmy Moore’s Apology
http://www.slamboard.com/category/kimkins-diet/
Kimkins Controversy
Kimkins Dangers
Kimkins Sucks!
Kimkins Survivors
Kimorexia
Kkatastrophediet’s Weblog
TRUTH Starts Here
3 Fat Chicks: Anatomy of a Diet Scam
About.com Inside Kimkins
A Pinch Of…
How Jeanessa Got Scammed
How Much Body Fat Can You Really Lose In A Week?
Jersey Girl: Thoughts on Kimkins
Kimkins Circus
Kimkins Controversy Continues to Boil
Kimkins Debacle; Super Smart Diet Tips
Kimkins Experience Part 1
Kimkins Experience Part 2
Kimkins Saga Revisited
Kimkins Survivors
Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Anorexic
Tami’s Change in Game Plan
The Problem with Kimkins
Thin at Any Cost
A Running Jewel
Kimkins Circus
The Quack of Doom: Entering the circus for the first time?
Once Upon A Diet
Someone in Southern California may need an attorney soon
The Final Escape
melting mama: Kimkins Scam.
Have you ever screamed so loud that the room echoed? « Incredible Shrinking Ladies
Inside the Kimkins Controversy
A Dumbbell In A Home Gym: Kimkins: Caveat Freakin’ Emptor.
Heard of the Kimkins Diet? Steer Clear it’s a total scam!
Vickie’s Voice: …more of my story…
The Road to Clarity and Transformation: The Kimmer (Kimkins) Controversy and a Parallel Universe
Banished…oh Fo’ Shame. not.
a mother’s heart » the kimkins debacle
Vilma’s World » Kimkins on Dateline & other complaints
Because I Said So: KimKims Survivors
Hundred Day Head Start Kimkins a fraud
Healthy Low-Carb Living Blog: Kimkins - How I Feel About It Now
Back Across The Line: Kimkins Cult Mentality
Good Carbma: Words for Heidi Diaz
Living Low Carb & Lovin’ It!: What an Amazing Day This Has Been!
Borat Does Kimkins: Hello From Borat!
Medusa
Kimkins Nightmares
Willa's Notebook
Edited to add the following on 09-23-07/7:50 a.m.
Doggy Girl’s Weblog
All About Kimkins & More
Itscloudyinhere’s Weblog
Psychic Rations: The Slimmer Kimmer That Wasn’t
Beware: Kimkins Diet is Dangerous!!: Just Say NO
Kimkins Lies
Sparkly and (soon to be) Skinny!: A new safe haven
Stop Kimkins Now!: Stop Kimkins Now!
Thanks, Willa
Kimkins Exposed
Anti-Kimkins
Becky: Winning Weight
Christin: The Journey
Deni: Open Bench
Free Kimkins Free
Jimmy Moore’s Apology
http://www.slamboard.com/category/kimkins-diet/
Kimkins Controversy
Kimkins Dangers
Kimkins Sucks!
Kimkins Survivors
Kimorexia
Kkatastrophediet’s Weblog
TRUTH Starts Here
3 Fat Chicks: Anatomy of a Diet Scam
About.com Inside Kimkins
A Pinch Of…
How Jeanessa Got Scammed
How Much Body Fat Can You Really Lose In A Week?
Jersey Girl: Thoughts on Kimkins
Kimkins Circus
Kimkins Controversy Continues to Boil
Kimkins Debacle; Super Smart Diet Tips
Kimkins Experience Part 1
Kimkins Experience Part 2
Kimkins Saga Revisited
Kimkins Survivors
Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Anorexic
Tami’s Change in Game Plan
The Problem with Kimkins
Thin at Any Cost
A Running Jewel
Kimkins Circus
The Quack of Doom: Entering the circus for the first time?
Once Upon A Diet
Someone in Southern California may need an attorney soon
The Final Escape
melting mama: Kimkins Scam.
Have you ever screamed so loud that the room echoed? « Incredible Shrinking Ladies
Inside the Kimkins Controversy
A Dumbbell In A Home Gym: Kimkins: Caveat Freakin’ Emptor.
Heard of the Kimkins Diet? Steer Clear it’s a total scam!
Vickie’s Voice: …more of my story…
The Road to Clarity and Transformation: The Kimmer (Kimkins) Controversy and a Parallel Universe
Banished…oh Fo’ Shame. not.
a mother’s heart » the kimkins debacle
Vilma’s World » Kimkins on Dateline & other complaints
Because I Said So: KimKims Survivors
Hundred Day Head Start Kimkins a fraud
Healthy Low-Carb Living Blog: Kimkins - How I Feel About It Now
Back Across The Line: Kimkins Cult Mentality
Good Carbma: Words for Heidi Diaz
Living Low Carb & Lovin’ It!: What an Amazing Day This Has Been!
Borat Does Kimkins: Hello From Borat!
Medusa
Kimkins Nightmares
Willa's Notebook
Edited to add the following on 09-23-07/7:50 a.m.
Doggy Girl’s Weblog
All About Kimkins & More
Itscloudyinhere’s Weblog
Psychic Rations: The Slimmer Kimmer That Wasn’t
Beware: Kimkins Diet is Dangerous!!: Just Say NO
Kimkins Lies
Sparkly and (soon to be) Skinny!: A new safe haven
Stop Kimkins Now!: Stop Kimkins Now!
Just Do Four - Little Baby Steps on a Big Project
========
If you don't have a problem with clutter and procrastination due to depression, post-trauma stress disorder, or ADD or ADHD, OCD, or some other learning disability or impairment, count yourself hugely fortunate. I wasn't always this bad...it wasn't always this hard to control my space and what was in it...however, events happened which pulled the trigger on the problem for me....but that's another blog entry for another day. People like me are not procrastinators and seemingly messy because we don't care...we care a lot...the inability to manage like others do often separates us from the rest of the world and has us hidden away in our little cluttered world where we are too embarrassed to invite others in...we are people who are painfully aware of our shortcomings in the arena of all things sorted, organized and clutter-free. So, if you aren't like me in this regard, you might want to skip this one...it will sound so elementary you'll think I am a four-year old picking up her toys.
========
So, the bedroom hasn't been touched yet because I am procrastinating. (I blogged about an hour ago how I was a-gonna go in there and kick some clutter-ass.)
I am, as usual, overwhelmed. However, the good news is that I am not so heavy that I feel tired by the prospect. I am a confirmed believer that being overweight and living in a cluttered state is a self-perpetuating cycle and that they feed upon each other to the detriment of their host person.
Today is a good day to celebrate my 40 pound weight loss by taking clutter into hand and giving it a swift kick out the door. So here's the plan of attack. It's the way I trick myself into unloading the dishwasher when I don't really want to...I use the method I mentally refer to as...
Just Do Four
Four things, I tell myself. When the dishwasher needs to be unloaded and I don't like the prospect of doing it because I am interested in something else, I tell myself "Just put away four cups and then you can quit." But, in my ADD way of operating, once my hands get busy unloading, first thing you know, I am half-way through the whole task of unloading the dishwasher. Getting started is always my problem. Okay...now, it is the bedroom which needs attention...lots of attention...so, how can I "Just Do Four" in my bedroom?
I have a bedroom closet to attack. So, let's start there. The shoes are piled up and totally disorganized. Now, I think I'll just go pick out four pair and pull them out of the closet in order to pair them up...and if all goes right, I will have all of my shoes paired up before I realize what's going on. I'll report back in fifteen minutes if it's not working and much later if it is. Okay, it's 10:45 a.m. now...I'll check in in a bit.
11:10 a.m. - And, that worked well. I even got the vacuum out and vacuumed the closet floor. (Patting myself on the back.) The next job is to place all my seldom worn shoes into a box...the kind that comes with a case of letter-sized copy paper in it; it has a lid. Once those are in there I will put a date of March 2008 on the box, mark it on my calendar and when March 1, 2008 rolls around, whatever shoes are still in that box since September 22, 2007 will be going to permanently visit Mr. Thrift Store.
Once the box is filled, I will neatly organize my shoes on the floor of my closet. Okay. I'm back on it. (This is me...walking back to my bedroom closet project.)
De-cluttering is so good for the soul!
If you don't have a problem with clutter and procrastination due to depression, post-trauma stress disorder, or ADD or ADHD, OCD, or some other learning disability or impairment, count yourself hugely fortunate. I wasn't always this bad...it wasn't always this hard to control my space and what was in it...however, events happened which pulled the trigger on the problem for me....but that's another blog entry for another day. People like me are not procrastinators and seemingly messy because we don't care...we care a lot...the inability to manage like others do often separates us from the rest of the world and has us hidden away in our little cluttered world where we are too embarrassed to invite others in...we are people who are painfully aware of our shortcomings in the arena of all things sorted, organized and clutter-free. So, if you aren't like me in this regard, you might want to skip this one...it will sound so elementary you'll think I am a four-year old picking up her toys.
========
So, the bedroom hasn't been touched yet because I am procrastinating. (I blogged about an hour ago how I was a-gonna go in there and kick some clutter-ass.)
I am, as usual, overwhelmed. However, the good news is that I am not so heavy that I feel tired by the prospect. I am a confirmed believer that being overweight and living in a cluttered state is a self-perpetuating cycle and that they feed upon each other to the detriment of their host person.
Today is a good day to celebrate my 40 pound weight loss by taking clutter into hand and giving it a swift kick out the door. So here's the plan of attack. It's the way I trick myself into unloading the dishwasher when I don't really want to...I use the method I mentally refer to as...
Just Do Four
Four things, I tell myself. When the dishwasher needs to be unloaded and I don't like the prospect of doing it because I am interested in something else, I tell myself "Just put away four cups and then you can quit." But, in my ADD way of operating, once my hands get busy unloading, first thing you know, I am half-way through the whole task of unloading the dishwasher. Getting started is always my problem. Okay...now, it is the bedroom which needs attention...lots of attention...so, how can I "Just Do Four" in my bedroom?
I have a bedroom closet to attack. So, let's start there. The shoes are piled up and totally disorganized. Now, I think I'll just go pick out four pair and pull them out of the closet in order to pair them up...and if all goes right, I will have all of my shoes paired up before I realize what's going on. I'll report back in fifteen minutes if it's not working and much later if it is. Okay, it's 10:45 a.m. now...I'll check in in a bit.
11:10 a.m. - And, that worked well. I even got the vacuum out and vacuumed the closet floor. (Patting myself on the back.) The next job is to place all my seldom worn shoes into a box...the kind that comes with a case of letter-sized copy paper in it; it has a lid. Once those are in there I will put a date of March 2008 on the box, mark it on my calendar and when March 1, 2008 rolls around, whatever shoes are still in that box since September 22, 2007 will be going to permanently visit Mr. Thrift Store.
Once the box is filled, I will neatly organize my shoes on the floor of my closet. Okay. I'm back on it. (This is me...walking back to my bedroom closet project.)
----The Next Day----
My "just do four" exercise got me off to a great start. Got the floor of the closet de-cluttered. I actually got the vacuum cleaner inside the closet and put the carpet into good order. I even wiped down the baseboards of the closet while I was within reaching distance. My shoes are neatly lined up and I feel good about the progress.
After I finished the floor of the closet, I went through my hanging clothes and pulled out the items which don't fit any longer due to my weight loss. I folded them neatly and put them on the shelf overhead to get them out of my range of vision when I am getting ready for work in the mornings. Gosh, I can actually find what I need now.
I decluttered a good bit in my bedroom on my shelves and drawers after completing the closet, and then finished out the day by steamcleaning the bedroom carpet. Today is the day I will tackle the bathrooms. I am so pleased with the bedroom results that I am motivated to get started again.De-cluttering is so good for the soul!
Company is Coming!
Holy low carb guacamole! Red alert! What strikes fear into the heart of a fat clutter bug?
That simple phrase: "Company is coming!" Oh gracious...when I was at 206 pounds that would have frazzled me out of my mind. However, having lost 40 pounds over the past ten months has given me a sense of greater control and confidence. And, I am not nearly as lazy about doing things without having to carry around the equivalent of four ten pound bags of potatos, or eight five pound bags of sugar.
At 166 pounds I can do all I need to do and still have energy to get to church in the morning, iron clothes and grocery shop for low carb food to keep me steady on more weight loss...until I reach a petite 130ish pad around my small frame.
Enough about me...now let's talk about me. Next weekend there will be guests at my house. Since I don't usually feel like doing much during the week after work I wanted to get the heavy stuff done this weekend.
I cleaned my living room and kitchen like a banshee last night. Looks nice enough...everything's all shiny. I'll just need to keep up with it and run the broom and dusting cloth Friday morning.
Oh, but Lordy, my goodness. They'll be sleeping in my bedroom...and that means they'll be using the master bathroom...and that means if I don't make a concentrated effort to put things right in there...without a doubt they will question my sanity and their safety.
If there's anything interesting to report about this day's challenge I will drag my laptop into my bedroom and during the sorting of the massive shoe pile and the demolition and overhaul of the contents of the shelves in my cave I will report in.
This could be a really painful day's activities...two bathrooms and a bedroom to go...but I can do this. Referring back to a previous entry about my usual mode of operation, last year when I was not working on my fat problem, when the going got tough on de-cluttering and housecleaning, this little dumpling was going to the kitchen for Blue Bell Ice Cream scooped generously on a pair of Vanilla Zingers.
Hmmm...before I tackle that chore, I think I need to put on my makeup and get dressed. Somehow...just like ancient warriors put on facepaint and breastplates to attack the enemy and conquer, I find that an underwire bra, Lancome Mascara and bright red lipstick always empower me and gives me an edge on the "enemy" be it clutter or avoiding fat-making behavior.
Okay...no more writing for awhile.
Just do it.
That simple phrase: "Company is coming!" Oh gracious...when I was at 206 pounds that would have frazzled me out of my mind. However, having lost 40 pounds over the past ten months has given me a sense of greater control and confidence. And, I am not nearly as lazy about doing things without having to carry around the equivalent of four ten pound bags of potatos, or eight five pound bags of sugar.
At 166 pounds I can do all I need to do and still have energy to get to church in the morning, iron clothes and grocery shop for low carb food to keep me steady on more weight loss...until I reach a petite 130ish pad around my small frame.
Enough about me...now let's talk about me. Next weekend there will be guests at my house. Since I don't usually feel like doing much during the week after work I wanted to get the heavy stuff done this weekend.
I cleaned my living room and kitchen like a banshee last night. Looks nice enough...everything's all shiny. I'll just need to keep up with it and run the broom and dusting cloth Friday morning.
Oh, but Lordy, my goodness. They'll be sleeping in my bedroom...and that means they'll be using the master bathroom...and that means if I don't make a concentrated effort to put things right in there...without a doubt they will question my sanity and their safety.
If there's anything interesting to report about this day's challenge I will drag my laptop into my bedroom and during the sorting of the massive shoe pile and the demolition and overhaul of the contents of the shelves in my cave I will report in.
This could be a really painful day's activities...two bathrooms and a bedroom to go...but I can do this. Referring back to a previous entry about my usual mode of operation, last year when I was not working on my fat problem, when the going got tough on de-cluttering and housecleaning, this little dumpling was going to the kitchen for Blue Bell Ice Cream scooped generously on a pair of Vanilla Zingers.
Hmmm...before I tackle that chore, I think I need to put on my makeup and get dressed. Somehow...just like ancient warriors put on facepaint and breastplates to attack the enemy and conquer, I find that an underwire bra, Lancome Mascara and bright red lipstick always empower me and gives me an edge on the "enemy" be it clutter or avoiding fat-making behavior.
Okay...no more writing for awhile.
Just do it.
Low Carb Lifestyle vs. Disasterous Low Calorie, Low Fat and Low Carb Dieting ("Kimmer" the Scammer's Way)
When I took up the low carb lifestyle*, I found two forums look to for knowledge and support.
Low Carb Friends
Active Low Carber Forums
Just prior to that I had been encouraged by a friend to join a site for $59.95 which boasted huge weight loss in short time using a low calorie, low fat and low carbohydrate approach. Desperate to learn all I could about losing weight I visited the site and saw a beautiful, young-looking woman in a red dress who proclaimed herself to be "Kimmer" and that she had created this diet, oh and (!) that she was around my age (late forties) and further, that she had lost 198 pounds in 11 months. The woman looked like a million dollars.
Okay, I know I should have known better, but I bit the hook, paid the fee and joined the site. I found the site to be a bit too jumbled, a bit to "rah, rah, praise Kimmer" and extremely controlled by admins and moderators.
Now, let's go back up to the two links above. I began to educate myself on the dangers of a low carb, low cal and low fat diet and realized that not only was this a prescription for poor health, but now that I had my eyes opened I realized that this "Kimmer" had to be a fake. And, guess what folks...Kimmer is a fake. She's a morbidly obese woman in California who has scammed me and 39,999 others, according to her reports of the number of members on her website.
There's a ton of blogs exposing this scammer named Kimmer all over the 'net. Take a look at these sites before you join any site that has the word "Kimmer" in it. Because I don't want to give her any more press than absolutely necessary, I am not going to mention the name of her site or link to it. However, to get the full story about her, go visit the sites listed below...which were lifted with permission from a blogger named, "Ducky".
Kimkins Exposed
Anti-Kimkins
Becky: Winning Weight
Christin: The Journey
Deni: Open Bench
Free Kimkins Free
Jimmy Moore’s Apology
http://www.slamboard.com/category/kimkins-diet/
Kimkins Controversy
Kimkins Dangers
Kimkins Sucks!
Kimkins Survivors
Kimorexia
Kkatastrophediet’s Weblog
TRUTH Starts Here
3 Fat Chicks: Anatomy of a Diet Scam
About.com Inside Kimkins
A Pinch Of…
How Jeanessa Got Scammed
How Much Body Fat Can You Really Lose In A Week?
Jersey Girl: Thoughts on Kimkins
Kimkins Circus
Kimkins Controversy Continues to Boil
Kimkins Debacle; Super Smart Diet Tips
Kimkins Experience Part 1
Kimkins Experience Part 2
Kimkins Saga Revisited
Kimkins Survivors
Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Anorexic
Tami’s Change in Game Plan
The Problem with Kimkins
Thin at Any Cost
A Running Jewel
Kimkins Circus
The Quack of Doom: Entering the circus for the first time?
Once Upon A Diet
Someone in Southern California may need an attorney soon
The Final Escape
melting mama: Kimkins Scam.
Have you ever screamed so loud that the room echoed? « Incredible Shrinking Ladies
Inside the Kimkins Controversy
A Dumbbell In A Home Gym: Kimkins: Caveat Freakin’ Emptor.
Heard of the Kimkins Diet? Steer Clear it’s a total scam!
Vickie’s Voice: …more of my story…
The Road to Clarity and Transformation: The Kimmer (Kimkins) Controversy and a Parallel Universe
Banished…oh Fo’ Shame. not.
a mother’s heart » the kimkins debacle
Vilma’s World » Kimkins on Dateline & other complaints
Because I Said So: KimKims Survivors
Hundred Day Head Start Kimkins a fraud
Healthy Low-Carb Living Blog: Kimkins - How I Feel About It Now
Back Across The Line: Kimkins Cult Mentality
Good Carbma: Words for Heidi Diaz
Living Low Carb & Lovin’ It!: What an Amazing Day This Has Been!
Borat Does Kimkins: Hello From Borat!
Medusa
Kimkins Nightmares
Willa's Notebook
Edited to add the following on 9-23-07 / 7:48 a.m. CST
Doggy Girl’s Weblog
All About Kimkins & More
Itscloudyinhere’s Weblog
Psychic Rations: The Slimmer Kimmer That Wasn’t
Beware: Kimkins Diet is Dangerous!!: Just Say NO
Kimkins Lies
Sparkly and (soon to be) Skinny!: A new safe haven
Stop Kimkins Now!: Stop Kimkins Now!
I am so against this woman, her site, and her diet (which is medically dangerous, IMH Opinion and that of the rest of the thinking population) that I will comment on my blog on occasion about her. I feel she needs to be stopped from this. I have friends who have engaged her way of weightloss and I pray they stay healthy...but the good part is that they don't do her diet all the way...they feel deprived and cheat, thank goodness...cheating may save their health.
==========
*(Notice I say "lifestyle" and not "diet". It has become a way of life for me and I feel good, I am not hungry and I am losing weight. To learn more about the low carb lifestyle as a solution to weight loss, visit the two forums above. Basically, the low carb diet is cheese, meat, fats, green veggies. You leave off fruit, any form of starch and any form of sugar. You don't get hungry (at least I didn't) because you don't have blood sugar spikes all the time, as I understand it. Also, do a search on "ketosis diet" to learn more about how your body will burn fat rather than sugar and simple carbohydrates when following a low carb lifestyle.)
Low Carb Friends
Active Low Carber Forums
Just prior to that I had been encouraged by a friend to join a site for $59.95 which boasted huge weight loss in short time using a low calorie, low fat and low carbohydrate approach. Desperate to learn all I could about losing weight I visited the site and saw a beautiful, young-looking woman in a red dress who proclaimed herself to be "Kimmer" and that she had created this diet, oh and (!) that she was around my age (late forties) and further, that she had lost 198 pounds in 11 months. The woman looked like a million dollars.
Okay, I know I should have known better, but I bit the hook, paid the fee and joined the site. I found the site to be a bit too jumbled, a bit to "rah, rah, praise Kimmer" and extremely controlled by admins and moderators.
Now, let's go back up to the two links above. I began to educate myself on the dangers of a low carb, low cal and low fat diet and realized that not only was this a prescription for poor health, but now that I had my eyes opened I realized that this "Kimmer" had to be a fake. And, guess what folks...Kimmer is a fake. She's a morbidly obese woman in California who has scammed me and 39,999 others, according to her reports of the number of members on her website.
There's a ton of blogs exposing this scammer named Kimmer all over the 'net. Take a look at these sites before you join any site that has the word "Kimmer" in it. Because I don't want to give her any more press than absolutely necessary, I am not going to mention the name of her site or link to it. However, to get the full story about her, go visit the sites listed below...which were lifted with permission from a blogger named, "Ducky".
Kimkins Exposed
Anti-Kimkins
Becky: Winning Weight
Christin: The Journey
Deni: Open Bench
Free Kimkins Free
Jimmy Moore’s Apology
http://www.slamboard.com/category/kimkins-diet/
Kimkins Controversy
Kimkins Dangers
Kimkins Sucks!
Kimkins Survivors
Kimorexia
Kkatastrophediet’s Weblog
TRUTH Starts Here
3 Fat Chicks: Anatomy of a Diet Scam
About.com Inside Kimkins
A Pinch Of…
How Jeanessa Got Scammed
How Much Body Fat Can You Really Lose In A Week?
Jersey Girl: Thoughts on Kimkins
Kimkins Circus
Kimkins Controversy Continues to Boil
Kimkins Debacle; Super Smart Diet Tips
Kimkins Experience Part 1
Kimkins Experience Part 2
Kimkins Saga Revisited
Kimkins Survivors
Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Anorexic
Tami’s Change in Game Plan
The Problem with Kimkins
Thin at Any Cost
A Running Jewel
Kimkins Circus
The Quack of Doom: Entering the circus for the first time?
Once Upon A Diet
Someone in Southern California may need an attorney soon
The Final Escape
melting mama: Kimkins Scam.
Have you ever screamed so loud that the room echoed? « Incredible Shrinking Ladies
Inside the Kimkins Controversy
A Dumbbell In A Home Gym: Kimkins: Caveat Freakin’ Emptor.
Heard of the Kimkins Diet? Steer Clear it’s a total scam!
Vickie’s Voice: …more of my story…
The Road to Clarity and Transformation: The Kimmer (Kimkins) Controversy and a Parallel Universe
Banished…oh Fo’ Shame. not.
a mother’s heart » the kimkins debacle
Vilma’s World » Kimkins on Dateline & other complaints
Because I Said So: KimKims Survivors
Hundred Day Head Start Kimkins a fraud
Healthy Low-Carb Living Blog: Kimkins - How I Feel About It Now
Back Across The Line: Kimkins Cult Mentality
Good Carbma: Words for Heidi Diaz
Living Low Carb & Lovin’ It!: What an Amazing Day This Has Been!
Borat Does Kimkins: Hello From Borat!
Medusa
Kimkins Nightmares
Willa's Notebook
Edited to add the following on 9-23-07 / 7:48 a.m. CST
Doggy Girl’s Weblog
All About Kimkins & More
Itscloudyinhere’s Weblog
Psychic Rations: The Slimmer Kimmer That Wasn’t
Beware: Kimkins Diet is Dangerous!!: Just Say NO
Kimkins Lies
Sparkly and (soon to be) Skinny!: A new safe haven
Stop Kimkins Now!: Stop Kimkins Now!
I am so against this woman, her site, and her diet (which is medically dangerous, IMH Opinion and that of the rest of the thinking population) that I will comment on my blog on occasion about her. I feel she needs to be stopped from this. I have friends who have engaged her way of weightloss and I pray they stay healthy...but the good part is that they don't do her diet all the way...they feel deprived and cheat, thank goodness...cheating may save their health.
==========
*(Notice I say "lifestyle" and not "diet". It has become a way of life for me and I feel good, I am not hungry and I am losing weight. To learn more about the low carb lifestyle as a solution to weight loss, visit the two forums above. Basically, the low carb diet is cheese, meat, fats, green veggies. You leave off fruit, any form of starch and any form of sugar. You don't get hungry (at least I didn't) because you don't have blood sugar spikes all the time, as I understand it. Also, do a search on "ketosis diet" to learn more about how your body will burn fat rather than sugar and simple carbohydrates when following a low carb lifestyle.)
I know my enemies' names. Meet Fat and Clutter.
I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll do a lot of blogging about the things I fight the most these days. Fat and clutter.
Fat and clutter created a viscious cycle for me. The fatter I got, the lazier I got, the lazier I got, the more I gave into clutter. The more clutter there was the more I went to the freezer for a bowl of ice cream to distract myself from the pain of seeing the clutter (and to avoid doing something about it), and the more I visited the freezer and sought solace in a bowl of Blue Bell Ice Cream the fatter I got and the lazier I got the more I let clutter pile up...which, you might guess, sent me back to the freezer for another bowl of Blue Bell Ice Cream which made me fatter...lazier...clutter piling up...and on and on ad nauseum.
Fat
I am 5'1" tall. Last year at this time I weighed a solid 206 pounds. In other words, I was short and morbidly obese. In November, I began a lower calorie diet (which did NOT include Blue Bell) and I dropped to 192. From January (at 192) to June I lost another six pounds which brought me to 186. At that point I stalled on my weight loss and decided to switch over to a low carb diet. I began to follow the Atkins way of eating. Low carbing has brought me to the point I am at now, which is 166 pounds as of this morning. Forty pounds gone and a tremendous amount of energy returned, as well as a renewed sense of being in control of my life.
Being fat contributed to my lazy streak. It came on me so gradually that I did not realize how diabolical the extra weight was to my mental wellbeing, my physical wellbeing or my relationships.
I get into this more later and in more detail, but the bottom line and point I want to make about fat in this entry is that being fat exacerbated my inability to control clutter in my life. Until I took charge of the fat problem, clutter was winning the war.
Clutter
I don't know why clutter is such a huge problem to me. It engulfs me and makes me feel anxiety--my goodness, what if someone came over and saw this pile--no, strike that-- what if they saw the piles of crap in my house?
You see, when clutter is out of control for me, my home looks like a psycho lives in it. Trying to fight it entangles me in arguments with myself--can I throw this out? Will I need it? Get rid of it! No! You can't. (And, the fat me thinking: Decisions, decisions! I can't do this! This is too stressful. I should have a bowl of Blue Bell...maybe even run down to the convenience store and pick up a package of Vanilla Zingers to go with it. That will take me away from this clutter mess for awhile...after I am done with my ice cream I'll tackle it again. [Only, that never happens because I am too depressed that I ate all that sugar, my blood sugar crashes and I feel terrible so I watch television and surf the internet until something else catches my fancy...clutter wins...Willa loses.])
That's enough for now about Fat and Clutter. Have no fear that these will be favorite subjects for me in the future.
Fat and clutter created a viscious cycle for me. The fatter I got, the lazier I got, the lazier I got, the more I gave into clutter. The more clutter there was the more I went to the freezer for a bowl of ice cream to distract myself from the pain of seeing the clutter (and to avoid doing something about it), and the more I visited the freezer and sought solace in a bowl of Blue Bell Ice Cream the fatter I got and the lazier I got the more I let clutter pile up...which, you might guess, sent me back to the freezer for another bowl of Blue Bell Ice Cream which made me fatter...lazier...clutter piling up...and on and on ad nauseum.
Fat
I am 5'1" tall. Last year at this time I weighed a solid 206 pounds. In other words, I was short and morbidly obese. In November, I began a lower calorie diet (which did NOT include Blue Bell) and I dropped to 192. From January (at 192) to June I lost another six pounds which brought me to 186. At that point I stalled on my weight loss and decided to switch over to a low carb diet. I began to follow the Atkins way of eating. Low carbing has brought me to the point I am at now, which is 166 pounds as of this morning. Forty pounds gone and a tremendous amount of energy returned, as well as a renewed sense of being in control of my life.
Being fat contributed to my lazy streak. It came on me so gradually that I did not realize how diabolical the extra weight was to my mental wellbeing, my physical wellbeing or my relationships.
I get into this more later and in more detail, but the bottom line and point I want to make about fat in this entry is that being fat exacerbated my inability to control clutter in my life. Until I took charge of the fat problem, clutter was winning the war.
Clutter
I don't know why clutter is such a huge problem to me. It engulfs me and makes me feel anxiety--my goodness, what if someone came over and saw this pile--no, strike that-- what if they saw the piles of crap in my house?
You see, when clutter is out of control for me, my home looks like a psycho lives in it. Trying to fight it entangles me in arguments with myself--can I throw this out? Will I need it? Get rid of it! No! You can't. (And, the fat me thinking: Decisions, decisions! I can't do this! This is too stressful. I should have a bowl of Blue Bell...maybe even run down to the convenience store and pick up a package of Vanilla Zingers to go with it. That will take me away from this clutter mess for awhile...after I am done with my ice cream I'll tackle it again. [Only, that never happens because I am too depressed that I ate all that sugar, my blood sugar crashes and I feel terrible so I watch television and surf the internet until something else catches my fancy...clutter wins...Willa loses.])
That's enough for now about Fat and Clutter. Have no fear that these will be favorite subjects for me in the future.
The First Entry
First I decide to start blogging. Next, I have to choose a name for the blog. (Okay, I'm calling it Willa's Notebook--short and simple, but broad enough to cover any subject I decide to blog about.) Already fifteen minutes has gone by and now I am struggling over what to call the first entry.
Having wrestled with such mental minutia all of my life I recognize it for what it is (perfectionism) and just settle on calling it "The First Entry". Uncompelling, but a "perfect" name for a first entry in a blog...can't go wrong with that one. I'll go with it and not get bogged down.
Wow. It's done. My first entry is here and I am on my way.
Having wrestled with such mental minutia all of my life I recognize it for what it is (perfectionism) and just settle on calling it "The First Entry". Uncompelling, but a "perfect" name for a first entry in a blog...can't go wrong with that one. I'll go with it and not get bogged down.
Wow. It's done. My first entry is here and I am on my way.
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