When you send me emails sharing that you have lost weight, your blood tests are better, you can now play with your grandchildren, or you are no longer diabetic, I am reminded why I continue to share my life with you via this blog.
In 2009, I was so uncomfortable at one hundred and eighty-three pounds, I could barely squat down to visit with this hungry little squirrel looking for a handout. Notice how carefully I cropped the picture at that time so as not to show my girth. I was in denial!
Fast forward to 2012 on another visit to Brevard, North Carolina. My fashion sense and confidence are improving, and I have lost more than forty pounds.
It was easy to slip into the habit of eating mindlessly and then dressing in whatever was stretchy and comfortable every day. I lived this way for a few years, and my health suffered greatly because of it. (Not just my physical health but my mental health as well.) I had so little confidence that I didn't even want to leave my home. I was deeply depressed for several years.
If you have visited my blog before today, you know that I now have lots of wonderful friends, loads of confidence, and a fun-filled life that I could not even imagine ten years ago. Being healthy, both physically and mentally, has allowed me to fully enjoy life and overcome the depression that dominated my life for several years.
Sharing fashion tips and style inspiration is a fun part of publishing this blog. I like everything in my closet now, and getting dressed for any occasion is a snap. My style has evolved as I research and share with you what I learn. Dressing this almost sixty-year-old body with style and grace is an entirely different project than dressing my thirty-year-old one. I firmly believe that the most important thing I share with you is the inspiration to learn to eat to properly fuel your body for your best health.
I will continue to share what works well for me and use myself as an example. I hope that you will also be inspired to find what works well for your body and that you can start to enjoy better health and more joy-filled life.
At the link below is a new hearty soup recipe I recently found. I added it to my collection of basics and enjoyed this one as my late day meal. I often add frozen or fresh vegetables near the end of the cooking time. The grain farro is a wonderful substitute for pasta. (I soak the farro along with the dried beans.) I also experiment with the ingredients and spices to add variety and new flavors according to what looks good at the grocery store on the day I visit.
