still walking. (but taking the slow route)

Here I am on a hiking trail in the Anza Borrego Desert.

well, today has been good. lost a pound (yea!) and took a walk. i am sticking with the program, knowing that even with occasional mis-steps, that i am on the right path. i have discovered that when i tell people how much i have lost (which is now 20 lbs of fat... and how much i've gained which is 5 pounds of muscle), they are likely to tell me about some miracle diet that they have heard about where people "lose weight faster"! i appreciate their concern and thank them. but the fact of the matter is, although i sometimes wish for faster weight-loss too, my game plan is and has always been to lose weight s-l-o-w-l-y. as far as i have been able to tell, the most people, who have lost the most weight, and kept it off for the longest time, have all lost their weight slowly.

losing weight slowly means not starving the body, not shocking it in way that might seem like there is a famine going on, but rather to feed it the proper nutrition it is craving, reducing the toxic influx of pre-fab foods, and exercising more. this is what i call the "slow diet".

nobody, and i mean nobody, wants to do a "slow diet". trust me, this is a very unpopular idea that does not jell with the fast food, instant gratification world we live in. so be it. this is my path, and i am glad i finally found it. somehow it works with the other parts of my wabi-sabi life very well. it is the path un-taken. care to join me?

5 ways to well-being

today i prepared a fresh mung bean and carrot salad for a friend for lunch, we then took a five mile walk and talked along the way about our goals for the future. we took turns being accountable to each other. we coached each other.
together we are resolved that the world can be a better place. and we know that we are the change that can make that happen. making change is difficult. i can be a struggle. it requires constant focus and readjustment. it is an uphill battle, but a worthy one. then one day you reach the top of the hill and you can begin to enjoy the process, it gets easier, more natural. one of the things i like about the journey i am on now is that i am learning so much. and what i am learning is important, not only to my survival and well-being, but can also be helpful to others and their survival and well-being. i found this video on well-being at new zealand mental health site. find out more here: http://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/page/1180-5-ways-to-wellbeing.
 

happiness

i have spent a great deal of time focusing on food and nutrition on this blog so far, and that is a good start. but as the intention of 50 POUNDS TO PASSION is to release the stuff of weight that holds us back to embrace the stuff which is the now. by eating right and staying in motion i will lose unwanted pounds, and that is good and natural. and as this process unfolds i need to also focus on my mind + spirit. keeping in balance is the way i choose to be.

ten pounds lighter!

well, i finally took off ten pounds of weight. just dropped off all of a sudden. and you know what? i feel ten pounds lighter! it's great. 'felt like i was wearing these things (see photo) all day long. to celebrate, i took a hike with my friends droodles and puma. unlike previous hikes, on this one i didn't lag behind or have to stop all the time. i just hiked along like a regular guy. felt great to be outside, breathing deep and sharing time with people who i care about. "hey, i lost ten pounds" i'd say to myself as i leaped over a rock or a little stream. and then i'd give myself a little affirmation by throwing my fist into the air and saying, "yes!".