Four Letter Word

Many, many, years ago, back in the days of yore, ( when I was 18- 38 years old) I could eat anything I wanted. My metabolism was so charged it was like pac-man chomp, chomp, chomping away the calories. I didn’t eat meat in those days. But, my favorite French fries, lays potato chips, hot tamales candy and pistachio ice cream were staples in my diet. Ahh to be young again (wink). It’s funny thinking about it these days. Yes, there was a time in my life when I could eat both sugar and dairy! I remember my friends being on diets and referring to dieting as another four-letter word. It does have the word die in it after all, LOL. I wrote a post in November titled, ” The Skin I’m In” if you missed it , it is HERE. So you know I am always a work in progress.

I honestly couldn’t relate to their constant need to monitor everything they ate throughout the day. But I always listened and gave them my support. Things change, don’t they? I’ve been fighting to get 10-12 pounds off since the beginning of the year. I’m on several medications that unfortunately cause weight gain and although they are a part of it they are only partially to blame. My holiday indulgences caught up with me and now I am working on whittling my middle and getting the weight off. Not just for vanity’s sake but to keep my A1C level down. Diabetes runs in my family and extra weight particularly around the midsection can be very troublesome.

The main issue with “belly” fat is that it is not limited to the muffin top many of us sport (you may remember I mentioned my muffin top had turned into a bagel in my birthday post ) it is below the skin too. It is visceral fat which lies deep inside your abdomen, surrounding your internal organs. Bottom line, having a large amount of belly fat increases your risk of: cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and a few other things you don’t want to have. Of course, our age and genetics may also contribute to gaining a chubby tummy.

As we age we lose muscle especially if we’re not physically active. Loss of muscle mass decreases the rate at which our body uses calories, which can make it more challenging to maintain a healthy weight. I exercise about 20 minutes a day and I wear a pedometer to track my steps. I push myself to hit a certain number of steps every day but some days are more challenging than others.

So why all this about belly fat, visceral fat and bagel tops? Would anyone like to be part of a support group right here at Katherines Corner? We will not hold you accountable, that’s your job, we will not judge, that is not supportive. But we can share. It’ll be a password protected page for those who would l like to join me as we lose it! I think a minimum of 10 people would be best with no maximum of course.

So, whether you want to lose weight for your health or to fit into the skinny jeans in the back of the closet. Let’s do it together. Just a little check in where we can share once a week, to support each other, etc. What do you think?

Disclaimer- I am not a physician, health care provider, nutritionist or dietitian. This is not a method to lose weight. Before starting any weight, loss or exercise program please speak to your health care provider. I am suggesting a support group only, this is not in place of any mental care professional  and is not a means to lose weight or promote any specific weight loss plan/system.

The winner of the Surprise Box Giveaway was Kathy D.  Please join me in congratulating her.

In case you are curious about what was in the box.

Amazon Fire Tablet, Elf Pillow, Jewelry, Valentine Garland and Honey pot.

I hope to see you all back here tomorrow for the best blog party anywhere!

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