Low Carb Diet

The Low Carb diet presents a lifestyle change that can induce weight loss but of a sustainable kind.

The Diet Doctor wisely delineates the basics of the low carb diet.

You can read the original Doctor guidelines by clicking http://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb#advice.

THINGS TO EAT:

1. Meat
2. Fish and Shellfish
3. Eggs
4. Natural fat/high fat sauces: butter, cream, olive oil, coconut oil
5. Vegetables that grow above ground: cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, avocado, olives, spinach, mushrooms, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, peppers, tomatoes
6. Dairy Products: full fat yogurt, milk, cream, etc
7. Nuts
8. Berries

THINGS NOT TO EAT:

1. Sugar: honey and about everything
2. Starch: NO bread, potatoes, beans
3. Margarine
4. Beer
5. Fruit: can be eaten once in a while as a special treat. Better than white or raw sugar of course.

It all sounds fairly reasonable. Let us hope it is doable. My program starts tomorrow.

Here Come the Lists

If I was a superhero, I would be list girl.

My goals in life fall into four main categories:

1. Spiritual Heath

2. Physical Heath

3. Relationship

4. Career

1. By Spiritual Health, I mean maintaining and living a faithful life before God. Again I believe that ultimately encompasses all parts of life. But in this category I want to hone in on becoming a better disciple of God. Disclaimer: I am aware that there will always be my carnal instincts to fight against. I am aware that I am incapable of achieving spiritual success without the mercy and grace and complete and active involvement of God.

The first “habit” I want to introduce in this area is daily Bible reading. It is important for reasons enumerated and understood by Christians for centuries.

Weekly goal: Read two Chapters a day.

2. By Physical Health I mean maintaining the health of the temple I have been given. In order to focus less on myself and more on God, I believe it is necessary to be comfortable in your own skin. Furthermore I believe physical fitness is a gift from God that enables us to more fully enjoy and use our bodies for His glory. Fitness is one section of this category, the second is diet. Food should never be the primary focus or fear in a person’s life. A man who is ruled by his stomach is a weak man indeed. 

There are two habits I would like to introduce here: daily exercise of some fashion and sticking to a low carb high protein diet.

Weekly goals: Exercise at least five times this week. Only eat one sugar item per day.

3. Relationship goals encompass how I conduct myself amongst peers, coworkers, family members, and friends. 

The “habit” I want to introduce this week is doing something thoughtful or helpful or nice for each one of my family members during the week. It is a challenge. One can get so caught up in one’s personal schedule and needs. 

Weekly goal: Do something to brighten each family member’s day.

4. Career goals refer to the fact that I live in a world that requires a full time job to make a living wage. As of now, I am working to become a technical writer and possibly a teacher. At the same time being a freelance writer or editor would be terrific. I am not looking to create habits here but to pave my way to a career.

Weekly goal: Create a checklist of steps for becoming a technical writer and teacher.

Next Saturday I will post the results of my weekly resolutions.

Thus concludes my preliminary thoughts on how to better myself as an individual. 

Carpe Hodie!

Another diet plan fails, another work out is procrastinated, another bible reading slips away and I tell myself: "I will be a better me...tomorrow." During one of my depressed sessions of negative self image and playing the blame game, I woke up to something important. I keep putting my betterment off. My failure is due not to lack of vision, but lack of motivation. Consequently my mantra of "better tomorrow" has transformed into a prayer: "please give me the strength to be a better me today".

This realization will not spur me into instantaneous change. I have accepted that I am human: that I will do things for the wrong reason and do things imperfectly.

I believe it is important to live a well balanced and faithful life before God. This exists in all areas of life: health, fitness, spiritual state, morality, relationships, job, writing, what we read, how we worship, what music we listen to.  In this blog, expect lists of workout plans, arguments about Creation, book analyses, rants about fashion, and prayers.

To paraphrase a century old prayer:
Lord God, grant me three things: wisdom to know Your will, keenness to understand it, and courage to follow wherever it leads.