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There is one question that I get over and over, asked in different words, but always the same question. Yesterday, it got asked twice.
I have to ask — what’s your secret? Is it the milking of Clover that burns the calories? Looking at these recipes, one would think you’d be about 300 pounds, yet you’re very fit. Do share.
Suzanne,
I seriously want to know how you stay so fit eating all these scrumpsous looking dishes. Is it really the farm work? Do you do it for the kids? Can you actually practice portion control? Most of your yummy looking recipes have such dangerous ingredients for the likes of me. I wish I could try all your recipes but quite frankly I do a search on Cookinglight.com to see if I can find any equivalent recipes to those showcased on your site.
Sad, sad, me.
First, I want to say thank you for actually thinking I’m fit. I don’t think I’m very fit. I used to walk four miles a day (back when I lived at the old farmhouse) but I’ve never gotten into the habit of doing that here. I can’t figure out how to squeeze that hour into my day that I used to spend walking at the old farmhouse. I’m too busy with the farm. But I want to–I miss the walking and the good feeling it gave me, so one of my goals is to get back to that.
I’ve posted this picture before, but there are only a handful of pictures that have been taken of me in the past year. I am always the one with the camera.
This picture was taken last December. I still wear these same jeans and in fact that same t-shirt. The only difference is that Clover has eaten a hole in it now. I still wear those same boots, too, by the way. Obviously, I buy new clothes about as often people take pictures of me.
I’m just your average chick. I’ve had three kids, and I look like I’ve had three kids. I breastfed each one for over a year each and I look like that, too. I don’t mind. In fact, I like it–I’m a mother and I’m proud of that. I think I look better than I’ve ever looked, and that’s not a conceit thing–I’m no Paris Hilton, LOL. I’m just satisfied with myself. I’m 44 years old and I like how I look. I don’t really care what anyone else thinks about how I look. I hardly ever wear makeup or get out of jeans and t-shirts/sweatshirts. And, most importantly, I don’t have a scale.
I just checked my driver’s license and it says I weigh 130 pounds. I’m pretty sure that is a DMV lie. I haven’t had a scale in years, so clearly I made that up. I bet I weigh ten pounds more than that. Or not. I have no idea. And I don’t care. I wear size 11 jeans, I know that. So, I’m no skinny size 0. I eat food that I like. I like bread and pie and cookies and candy!!!! Life is short. Eat more pie. I eat when I feel like it, which means sometimes I skip meals and sometimes I graze lightly all day. I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit and healthy stuff in between pie and cookies. If I have pie around, I eat one piece a day. Not that I’m really counting, just that I don’t feel the need for more than that. I have three children, two of whom are six-foot-tall teenage boys, so food doesn’t exactly sit around here. Sometimes I’m lucky just to get some. I should probably just pay homage to my parents, whose genes I inherited, because most likely I have good metabolism and can take no credit for it.
But–I also want to point out that with my recipes you can substitute lower fat ingredients. Use margerine when I say butter. Use skim milk or low-fat milk when I say milk. Use low-fat or fat-free sour cream when I say sour cream. Etc. These substitutions will not effect the outcome in almost any recipe. I also want to say that I love bread and I don’t buy into this no-carb stuff. Bread is good. It’s what you put on bread that makes it fattening. Bread by itself is no evil. Bread is a wonderful thing. Life is short. Eat more bread.
I am no diet guru, so I won’t address that, but I do think attitude about food and weight and self-image is really important. However you look, whatever you weigh, you are beautiful. Food is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and your attitude toward food is important. Food is a delight, a gift, a song. I love food. I also love my body and love how I look, and I think, in most cases, it’s more valuable to focus on feeling good about yourself and your self-image than to focus on food. Feeling good about yourself naturally translates to a good relationship with food. Again, I’m no diet guru, so this is a very simplistic and naturalistic perspective, intended not to solve the world’s weight loss questions but only and specifically to answer the question–how do *I* stay fit.
And so this is the long way around to the answer of–I don’t try to stay fit, I just try to feel good about myself. That works pretty good for me. And, I hope this opens up some good discussion. How do you feel about your body image? Before you answer that question, here’s your starting point–you are beautiful.
Deal with it. :smile:
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on December 3, 2008
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Well, I did NOT intend to rattle on. I suppose I could write a book about food and emotional connections, LOL. Hmmmm….
Thanks for your post. You are right on!
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They say stress causes weight gain. I believe them.
I weighed 115 lbs. for many years. Had a kid after 30 and work full-time. There’s no time for me.
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:flying:
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I’ve slowly moved away from makeup and that’s mainly due to my husband who likes it that way. I would be more into my looks but he seems to like me less dressed (that sounds… oh, you and your dirty mind!).
Can’t wait to read more…
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I don’t mind looking like a mom of 4. I just want to do it in a healthy way. Don’t need to look perfect. Just need to feel good and healthy. The trick is that I need to love myself while I’m on the journey and not wait till I get there.
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Cece
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Blessings from Ohio…
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I, however, am not a guy, I am a genetically slender mom like Suzanne. I’m also not overly in shape, despite having always had a figure my friends and acquaintances have envied.
And, to be honest, living with that envy has kinda sucked. I’m no model, and never will be. I’m a size 12, not a size 2. I’ve had body issues, too, and some friends have implied they are less legitimate than their own.
We are all subject to the idealized, unrealistic expectations of our culture, even the genetically skinny. We all need to learn to love ourselves exactly as we are and exactly as we aren’t.
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http://nyssasdream.blogspot.com/
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Suzanne, I think you look great! The country air certainly agrees with you.
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I mean face it, the moment we decide to leave out something – it’s the VERY thing we crave and feel deprived of!!!!!
I too think people need to take the focus OFF food and focus on thier lives – what makes them feel fulfilled and happy and liking themselves!
Keep moving, enjoy food in moderation, keep the focus on life….
I enjoyed your comments and agree.
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I was playing on the computer this PM and found you blog
What I read was about the B&B Lady in Montana~
Her blog is such a FARCE!
Email me if you’d like an update on some of the details
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There’s no secret to being thin. Burn more calories than you eat. Walk everywhere you go. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Stay busy, move constantly, never actually sit for 5 mins anywhere. KEEP THAT TV off! Imagine all you could accomplish in a day if you never sat down, and don’t even think about buying candy. Nobody who is the least bit thin ever eats candy…
If you can’t do anything else and have no real outdoor work to do and no place to welk to, at least walk down the street once every day for 30 mins. Go slow, you’ll pick up speed as you get used to it. When it’s so easy you can run the 30 mins, do it twice a day. It has to be a priority. It really is more important that just about anything else you have to do and you will have MORE energy by walking.
If your physical limitations keep you from walking 30 mins, just go really, really slow, use a cane or a walker, but get out there and WALK! Speed is not the issue here. Any speed for 30 mins is fine, even if you have to stop after every 5 mins to catch your breath. It will get easier and faster with time and practice.
If you can think of an actual place to walk to every day, that’s even better. If you need outdoor work to do, please visit me. I have all the outdoor work anyone could possibly want. I once met an overweight woman who drove to the mall one small city block away, sidewalks and all. I just couldn’t believe it! She actually got in the car and drove to the next block!
I knew someone once who lost 150 pounds. When I asked her how she did it, she said she “walked it off.” It really does work.
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Thank you Suzanne. I have had brest cancer, and been through so many reconstructions to make myself look normal, I finally gave up, and got on with it. I am way past menopause, so I have that nice thick middle that somes with it.Used to have a 23 inch waist) I have days were I am very unhappy with my self, and other days, just happy to be here. I think everyone has those days, I try to keep busy and always have some project to do, I never get bored, just tired. I think you reach a place in life when you get older that you have to accept how you look, things can always be worse. If you doubt that–go to a large store and look around. I dont know how much I weigh, probably more than I should, I beat myself up for so long about weight and looks–who cares!!?? I am what I am, like me or dont. My Hubby and my dog loves me and that is all that I care about.