Real Live Preacher

Real Live Preacher: "South Beach & Astronomy



So how's the South Beach Diet going, you ask? Pretty good. Jeanene and I started the South Beach diet a little over a month ago. I wrote about it here, and then gave an update here.



The point of the 'diet' has not been to lose weight. My goal is to learn to eat in new ways. I'm 5' 8', and I was 193 or 194 when I began. I spent a couple of weeks with virtually no carbs or sugars. Proteins and vegetables only. I ate as much as I wanted, but only from a limited menu. In phase two, I began to reintroduce a few carbs and some fruits. But only good carbs like whole grain breads. No candy either. Just fruit.



I feel like an alcoholic speaking after receiving his 30-day chip. I don't want to act like I'm some fancy nutrition expert or anything. Nor am I under any illusion about how easy it would be for me to go back to my old way of eating. But yesterday I weighed 178 pounds, and I feel better than I have in the last six or seven years. That's all I know at this point, and I'm celebrating that for myself.



I have discovered a couple of things along the way. First, every meal does not have to be a pleasure trip for me. I can eat very simply day in and day out. I don't mind eating the same things over and over either. The new way of thinking about food tells me that I eat meals to give me strength and to nourish my body. Regular meals are not about pleasure. So who cares if I'm having a salad again today, and it isn't that exciting. No big deal. I'm hungry so I eat. That's all.



Second, carbs and sugars are trigger foods for me. The more I eat of them the more I want to snack and eat more of them. My apetite has dropped off. I can't eat as much as I used to. I don't even want to eat that much. It's truly amazing how a couple of pieces of lunch meat, a slice of cheese, a few olives, and some peanuts can fill me up. The body really doesn't need as much food as we have come to think in our culture. I'm stunned to find that a salad is a filling meal. Amazing to realize that a chicken breast and a helping of vegetables is enough for me.



Again, the more I eat, the more I seem to want to eat. I think I'm getting in touch with my body's natural desires and rhythms. Don't get me wrong. I'm scared as hell that I'm going to start eating like I used to again - as much of whatever I want whenever I want it. I'm frightened of becoming like that again. And I sense that fear is a good thing here.



I'm beginning to allow myself to have a celebration now and again. Slowly, and with caution. Last night I had a few pieces of pizza with a couple of close friends. That was a special night, and that was okay. So far so good. I'm learning some things about myself, and let me tell you this:



NOTHING tastes as good as being thinner feels!



Astronomy



I mentioned that I am beginning the process of writing a dramatized account of the Wise Men story from Matthew. This is part of a larger plan in which I'm creating a collection of dramatized Christmas stories. Anyway, I've been talking to an astronomer who reads Real Live Preacher sometimes. In fact, he sent me an email once when I wrote this. Turns out I was wrong in that piece. The mass of that galaxy is equal to 800 billion stars, but the actual star count is lower, if I remember his email correctly.



His name is Bill, and he's a professional astronomer. We talked today. He's going to help me be astronomically correct when I write about the heavenly phenomenon that lead the magi on their journey.



Thanks Bill!



Part two of 'Where is the Man' will be online tomorrow. I promise!



rlp





11:43:24 AM Leave a Comment [18]



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Last update: 11/17/2004; 7:11:46 AM.



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