Much 2 B thankful 4

Life goes by quickly, often too quickly and I can get caught up in the chase. It is important that I take the time to enjoy the moments as they are happening. Friends and family, church and community, work and play; these are the things that enrichen our lives daily.

I just wanted to stop for a minute and say, "thank you God, that I can see today, just how wonderful you are and what a gift life is. "

Comparisons

Just for fun, I made some comparisons between meals that I might normally consume and alternatives.

Consider the ever popular Whopper with cheese, a medium fries, apple pie and a coke. I may have eaten this combo a hundred times or more. It doesn't really seem exessive, does it? In many ways it seems perfectly normal to me, "I've become accustomed to her face" ( sung here by Henry Higgins) but in reality yields .....one thousand, five-hundred, eighty nine calories, the great majority of which are fat and sugar which do little for your body except to precipitate a huge insulin spike which in turn efficiently turns that fat and sugar into stored fat.

Yes, the truth is we are what we eat and I am certainly, at least in part a whopper with cheese!

Now go with me to a new place. Load your plate with a full cup of brown rice, 3 oz. of salmon, a cucumber, tomato and onion salad with rasberry vinagrette, 2 oat bran rolls, a cup of brocolli, a 1/2 cup of butternut squash, 4 oz. of white whine, a piece of low cal apple pie and a cup of coffee.

WOW! That sounds like a lot of food. How can I eat that much. I don't need a huge meal like that, just a snack, something quick. Do any of these thoughts sound familiar? They do to me. Somehow, I tend to look at the amount of food on the plate rather than the calories represented. My salmon meal comes in at a nutritionally dense, fiber dense, super satisfying 1008 calories. 

That's twice the food volume, 1000% time the nutritional valueand far more satisfying for 33% less calories. 

Make some comparisons of your own. What do you like to eat? How does it stack up? What alternatives are convenient and satisfying?

Well.....God bless you today...and grant you all the success you desire in learning to eat healthy

Pops

Going Back 2 School

Well...it looks like everything is working out as planned. I paid for my last class at Quinsig and picked up my textbook. I should graduate as planned in May (or whenever they have it) and Monday I meet with the admissions person at UMASS Lowell. She is going to help me get everything setup so I can get through the red tape as quickly as possib le and start classes in January.

I will be carrying 5 classes online in January: American Literature, Intro to C programming part 1, Intro to Linux, Access and Excel. It should be quite the workload. I am psyched!

In addition, I found out I will be able to use my tuition waiver for a 50% reduction and then submit the bill  to the HR folks at the President's Office for remitance of the remainder. 

I love it when a plan comes together! Commit your way to the Lord and your plans will be established.

Well...This is exciting! I find it to be true that often, in any project,  the cumulative result of teamwork is so much more than the sum of it's parts and I am anticipating as much here.

I stepped on the scale this morning and then put the "weight" of my intellect behind mapping out a strategy to capture first prize. I doubt not my intention nor do I doubt my ability to logically construct a sensible and effective diet plan. I do however doubt my ability to focus and stay motivated, but not as much with this forum to assist.

Finally, while I fully expect to win the competition, I am praying fervently for each of you to achieve beyond your expectations, not for vanity or glory, but for health and release from the bondage of unhealthy appetite. 

I love you all. Much success! 

Pops