Andrea, the Catalyst of Epiphany!

Alrighty. Let's get on with the EPIPHANY already!
It all started on an excursion into town to run errands. First stop- Office Depot. That's when I saw her! It was the beautiful and graceful Andrea Ivans. I remembered her as a cheerful and over-the-top intelligent
(albeit overweight) customer service rep behind the counter at the copy center there.

Here she was looking all the part of a sparkley   and petite fahionista! Her face shone with vibrant health, and her hair was so glisteny and bouncy, her eyes twinkling as can be! I stopped to express my curiosity, and Andrea kindly complied. Turns out she had read a small volume of practical health information and had commenced following the book's guidelines. Sounded simple. So I ordered the book and it's companion little "cookbook". The wee tome espoused practically everything I had ever known about how to get healthy in a neat little package. I hated the title of the book, and the raw language it utilized, but I had to admit that the "attitude" of the authors did get my attention, which was actually, "Why are you still stupid, after all the knowledge you have downloaded all these years? Huh?  How long you gonna keep that up?

Yes, the title is "Skinny Bitch". It's about whole foods. Plant foods silly. As God created our bodies to consume. As in nourishing our cells with recognizable components to build up and not tear down our temples. It's funny, but the whole time I was reading the book, scriptures kept popping into my head! Like, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." I guess I had thought that God was just kidding when He said that. Also, the New Testament throws  GLUTTONY in with all kinds of hellish sins, but we Americans just laugh that off and dig into our chemical laden "foods" and sugary junk, don't we?

Now the book advocates being a vegetarian. I am not going to close myself into that box, but I am not eating meat as often like maybe twice a week is a goodly pace for me. No more than 3-4 ounces at a time. For the first three weeks I had no meat. The Bible calls it a "Daniel Fast". I am definitely not eating any meat that is not organic. I do not need to put all those antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides, herbicides, suicides or whatever into my body.

Here is the upshot: It took me 3 weeks of eating nothing but vegetables and lemons for my body to de-toxify. It was painful! I stopped craving after only 3 days, but I am almost 54 years old, and my body was glad to be receiving clean foods and was ready to throw off the junk that had built up in my system. I felt sick, but I knew that I was on my way to getting well. The worst of it came on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There I was in Dillard's trying on shoes in full-blown de-tox mode and feeling like crud.

But by God's great grace He kept me through it! On Christmas Day we were at a friend's home and I had the audacity to build a mondo salad and to create my own dressing, and not share it with anyone! I ate it all myself, skipping all the other foods. It felt a little socially rebellious, but really, nobody cared what I did or did not eat. Also, I was not there to do anything but enjoy my friends.

I kept thinking of the beautiful Andrea Ivans and my friend Shelly Price who was looking healthy and lovely as ever because of her exercise. I thought of my friend Jane Paris who looks strong and pretty from having lost the avoirdupois!  I wanted to be free of the aches and pains and weariness of being overweight.....and be free to obey the Lord without thinking of MYSELF and my personal agonies....to truly serve others with joy.

I started this new lifestyle on December 10th, and I do not ever want to go back! Finally the day dawned when I felt good enough to do a work out! I started with Gunner Peterson's "Core Secrets" 20 minute routine, and have now memorized the video and have expanded it to more reps and more weight. Every other day. Just 3 times a week, and 40 minutes each time. I feel great! I have energy! I sleep so much better! I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I started out at 173 pounds, and now I weigh 163. Most importantly is not the number on the scale, but the inches lost and the energy I am gaining!

So here is my Base Salad, inspired by Jennifer Cornbleet. Find her on YouTube.

Cut some Kale out of the garden. Wash it. De-rib it. Toss into salad spinner.
Roll leaves tightly. Cut into chiffonaide ribbons.
Toss into a large bowl. Add 1/4 -1/2 tsp. of Sea Salt.
Massage, rub and play with it for 2 minutes.
It will be soft and sweet!
To this add some squeezed lemon, some Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil.
Add some spicy jalapeño, some tampenade,  or chopped ripe olives, or pesto.
Add cut up vegetables, chopped apples, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, or
whatever suits your taste. I like to add thinly sliced cabbage or ripped up romaine.

See you next time!