BulgingButtons

Not bad for a fat girl


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Where Do I Even Begin?

8C9532816-2417481-halloween-letter.blocks_desktop_mediumNo doubt many of you have already seen this little gem by now and have formed your own opinions about it. My first reaction? You have got to be kidding me. My next reaction involved some choice words that I prefer to keep out of print for now.

I think the story goes something like this: a woman in the midwest wants to do her civic duty by proclaiming her neighbors’ children obese and giving them notes to that effect instead of candy on Halloween night. The notes not only explain what a wonderful service she is doing them, but go on to suggest that the parents ration the candy the children happen to accumulate from the disappointing neighbors who might stoop to give them any.

Jeez, talk about fat shaming. This is fat shaming and parent shaming and just plain old nastiness all rolled into one self-serving holier-than-thou pile of crap. Let’s face it, this note is just plain mean.

Here’s the deal, I’m usually a pretty open minded individual. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, and I generally try to convince myself that people have others’ best interests at heart. In this case I just don’t see it.

If you think giving candy to some kids and mean spirited notes to others is somehow going to improve their health, you’re out of your mind. You’re worried about childhood obesity? Don’t give out candy. Better yet, don’t give out anything. Turn off your light and stay away from the windows. Your neighbors will probably thank you. Especially those with the chubby children who you will target with your ill conceived notes.

Notes which, by the way, you apparently spent considerable time on, including a cute graphic.  Which makes me wonder if this is even real. Who shared this with the world? Halloween hasn’t happened yet. Is someone pulling the wool over our eyes? Are we being pranked?

I hope so , because you don’t know every child’s story. You don’t know every family’s story. Neither do I. If they’re letting their kids trick-or-treat that’s their business. If you don’t want to participate,  don’t. You don’t get to pick and choose which kids get a treat and which kids don’t. If you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing. Sit this one out and admit that maybe you’re not the expert on everything. You want to help kids? Help your community? Fantastic. This is not the way to do it.

 


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And So It Begins – Six Months of Temptation

Ah yes, the end of October. It’s the unofficial start to what I like to call the eating season. It’s more than a season, though. It’s actually approximately half the year. DSC00278

October brings with it Halloween, which used to mean a night of trick-or-treating and the bowl and sack of candy that accompanied it. Not anymore. Now it means specialty cupcakes and impossible to resist orange filled oreos. I know. I’m weak. And I should never grocery shop when I’m hungry.

After the sugar high of Halloween, we get into the comfort food of Thanksgiving. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Yum. And if we must throw in a veggie or two why not put them in a casserole with extra calories and deliciousness? Of course we finish the whole thing off with pie. Um, I mean pieS. Who can choose between apple, pumpkin, and pecan? Why choose? Have some of each. And yes, please, I would like some whipped cream on it.

Then, the very next day, we’re into the Christmas season. Hot chocolate and Christmas cookies are in abundance (even if the low temperatures in my area don’t even require mittens).  Specialty items are everywhere, including those cursed Trader Joes candy cane chocolate dipped oreo knock-offs. They are insane.

And don’t forget Hanukkah. Whether you celebrate it or not, those hot golden fried potato latkes are a tradition not to be missed. And what’s Hanukkah without a little bit of chocolate gelt?

Before you know it, February shows up on the calendar, with heart shaped boxes declaring your love for your sweetheart. The bigger the box, the more you love them. Or the more of them there there will be to love, anyway.

It seems that the minute those heart shaped boxes hit the clearance aisle they are replaced by Easter candy. It used to be jelly beans and chocolate bunnies, but now it’s so much more.  DSC00280My personal Achille’s heel are the Cadbury mini eggs. These are not the chocolate goo filled eggs (which, not surprisingly, I also enjoy), but the small candy shelled bits of yumminess. They must be milk chocolate, though. The dark chocolate ones just don’t do it for me. And the Christmas version of candy shelled red and green balls isn’t quite the same either. Apparently I’m a Cadbury mini egg snob.

So there you go, a breakdown of the October to April feeding frenzy that I’m hoping to navigate with some type of success. My only saving grace is that I also bought fruit, and I know how to eat it!


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Visuals for goals make an impression

This is so simple and in many ways so obvious, but how many of us do this? Read on for Lisa Jackson’s brilliantly written advice on ways to stay motivated.

Live to Write - Write to Live

We’ve had several conversations on this blog about goal setting, the importance of writing your goals down and breaking those goals into quarterly/monthly/weekly/daily tasks.

We’ve also talked about ‘checking off’ those daily tasks and crossing items off ToDo lists.

And while I love crossing items off a list, or putting a check next to a “big goal”, I’ve found great value in other visuals, too.

For instance, for exercise – I give myself a star or a smiley face or a “great job” sticker on a day that I have at least 30 minutes of exercise. I have 12 small months taped to a kitchen door, so I can easily see how many days I’ve exercised throughout the year whenever I want. It’s quite inspiring.

Last year, I completed 2 races – a 5K and a triathlon. I tacked the race bibs to my bulletin board (as well as giving…

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