What You Feed
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. The grandfather tells his grandson, “a fight is going on inside me.”
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil: he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego,” and, ‘the other is good- he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you- and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson reflects on this and asks his grandfather, “which one will win?”
And the grandfather replies, “the one you feed.”
Have you ever heard the children’s song, “Going on a Bear Hunt?” In it, the characters walk through the wilderness, looking for a bear. As they encounter each new obstacle, they say the same refrain, “can’t go under it, can’t go over it, guess I have to go through it.” I think of constantly, because isn’t that life? There is no way around, you can’t just go under the radar. There are no short cuts on this journey.
Di’s Fitness Journal Week #12
Starting Weight: 195
Current Weight:170
Goal Weight: 165
Today was such a beautiful day, I spent it out and about enjoying spring with my family. As all the blossoms on the trees were blooming, it felt like a chance to reflect on many new beginnings in my life. I am learning that though I thought I was going to have to sacrifice some things in order to get healthy, the healthier I get the easier I realize it is to let the old things go to make way for the new things that I truly want in my life.
This week it felt like a miracle that I met my goals, because it was a tough, tough week. A lot of unexpected things happened in the week, I was sick and had a few events I didn’t plan on at the beginning of the week.
Di’s Fitness Journal Week #10
I Want This
Starting Weight: 195
Current Weight: 175
Goal Weight: 165
Finally: a good week of weight loss! I was so thrilled to see those numbers go down on the scale (4 pounds this week) and now I'm 10 pounds away from my weight loss goal!
One of my favorite sayings is the Buddhist saying, “when the student is ready, the teacher appears.” And that was certainly true this week. After a discouraging week last week, I knew that this week was the time to get it done.
Showing up at the Fitness Lab this week, it seemed like Dillon knew exactly what I needed to hear, when she said to all of us during Body Revolution, “your body can do it, it’s your mind that has to decide to get it done.” Those are such sage words of advice. On the days my head is in the game, my body does what is required.
Di’s Fitness Journal Week #11
Redefining the Homestretch
Starting Weight: 195
Current Weight: 174
Goal Weight: 165
Well, another one pound week this week. I’ll take it, though. I worked hard, and it was coming off of the heals of a really big weight loss week for me.
I’ve been thinking a lot this week about “the home stretch.” The idea that as you near your goals they somehow seem even harder to obtain. And, for me, that has definitely been the case.
For the first several weeks of this challenge, when I did the work, the pounds came off easily. But, now, I’m working harder to shed the weight because my body has become stronger- and it needs to be challenged that much more in order for me to accomplish my goals.
Smashed Lentils & Ginger Carrots
Eating healthy and cutting calories is a challenge.
Daily journals definitely help, and can point out places where you’re missing on your nutrition. When I am working to loose weight, I typically need to supplement my diet with protein. Lentils are a great option because they are calorie-dense in all the right ways, and are a nice change from lean meat protein like chicken or fish. I make a pot of these lentils on the weekend and then have them for a quick meal back up during the week – inevitably I’ll get busy and it’s smart to have healthy choices easily at hand.
Mush is a Southern-style breakfast porridge made with cornmeal, but this bowl of steamed red lentils is so similar, I can’t help but think of it as red mush. The lentils are cooked on the side and then combined with fragrant and crispy spices that have been browned and toasted in a pool of coconut oil, alongside finely diced carrots. (Coconut oil provides a good fat!) On their own, red lentils don’t have a strong flavor, but with the addition of toasted Indian spices and finely diced carrots, they are a standout.
