Health Fitness

The Law of Subtraction: How the Universe Taught Me to Lose Weight

How many years, how many times have I asked GUS (That’s God/Universe/Higher Self) to help me lose weight? Alone all my life!

I’ve never really been very overweight, living most of my life on the higher end of the “ideal.” But a few years ago, I suddenly gained 15 pounds for no apparent reason. I was only 38 years old and the doctors weren’t about to blame pre-menopause or a thyroid problem, just the need to move more and eat less as I got older. Hmph. I wanted to pinch them.

I tried to lose this annoying weight that had crept in and treated me so unfairly. I ran. And I mean, I RAN. I ran at least 4 times a week for over four months. Any.

I tried one of those herbal weight loss products. Double nothing. Although I have to say that maybe one or both of these attempts prevented me from winning. Who knows how fat I may have ended up?

When it was all said and done, in 2007, she was about 30 pounds over where she wanted to be, which would be “not too skinny, still feminine, pleasantly slim.” So I asked GUS one more time, “Could you help me lose weight?”

One day, without thinking, I went for a walk. I had nothing on my mind, just maybe some fresh air. The next day, I went for another walk. Before I knew it, I was walking every day and rarely taking a day off. Nothing special, just walking for about 35 minutes.

After 6 or 8 weeks, the scale suddenly showed a slightly smaller number. Over the next few weeks the number and my body continued to shrink.

Hallelujah!

How did this happen? I was wondering if any of my eating habits had changed along the way, so I started analyzing (I like to analyze) and sure enough, some things had changed. Subtly, slowly, my habits had changed as if by MAGIC, or at least by instinct. My body and my soul had spoken and I had listened!

At the time of this writing, I am down to that sneaky 15lbs and two sizes! I’ve purged my wardrobe of larger items that are now too big, and I’ve revamped closet space for those items that used to be tight. When shopping, I even flirt with the next size down.

This is how I did it, almost without thinking:

WALKING: I walk every day for about 35 minutes, sometimes more. Every now and then I take a break, but usually I don’t mind going. In fact, I almost yearn for it.

NOTHING IS FORBIDDEN: I eat what I want, but I don’t want as much as I used to. If I want M&Ms, I eat them. But I don’t want a lot of things that are traditionally fattening.

SODA: Well, maybe soda is off limits. I know myself, and on my own, I would drink Coca-Cola every day. I’m lovin ‘it. And none of that diet crap, either. But I know it’s fattening for me (apparently not fattening for everyone), so I limit Cokes to “every once in a while.”

ALCOHOL: I have never been a heavy drinker, but I do enjoy an occasional glass of red wine. It’s supposed to be good for you too, so if I want it, again, nothing is off limits. Most other alcoholic beverages are very rare for me.

BREAD, PASTA, POTATOES: I think I eat less of these now than I used to, but I still eat them if I want them. If I eat potatoes, I am reminded of all the nutritional value they have, along with the fiber. Everything is alright!

SALAD: I try to eat salad every day. I make a great salad, plus the dressing that I really like happens to be light. I don’t know if it’s low carb, low fat or what, and I don’t care. I eat what I like, and I like to eat raw, green vegetables every day. My grandfather is 96 years old and in excellent shape, and has eaten salad twice a day for as long as I know.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: I have always eaten a lot of these. Nowadays, every time I turn on Oprah, Dr. Oz is there, talking about washing out your colon. So I eat fruits and vegetables (they have a lot of fiber). I can’t hurt. I also eat red meat, chicken, fish and everything else I like. Remember, nothing is forbidden for me.

SCHEDULE: I go for a walk after dinner and usually don’t eat anything between then and bedtime. Unless you really want something or are really hungry. I usually eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m satisfied, not stuffed. That’s another thing I’ve done for years, so I guess GUS contacted me early on that!

HAPPINESS: I used to be pretty happy with my weight and body, except when I saw myself in photos. Then I’d say, “I didn’t know I was so fat!” I’m pretty happy with where I am now, 15 pounds lighter. And if I lose more weight, I’ll be happy there too. Maybe even a little happy. Happiness helped me lose weight, along with many other good things.

LOVE: I eat with love. If I choose to have ice cream, I say, “I love myself and this ice cream is good for my soul!” So I recommend that you love yourself, love your food, and love the life that makes all of this possible!

I can’t say if these methods will work for you, but hey, there’s a reason why you’re reading this article right now. My advice is to listen to your own body and soul, and do what they want you to do. It worked for me.

Now I think I’ll see where GUS takes me when he asks for more money.

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