Okay, here's my theory on laughter triggering weight loss. I believe it does because when we laugh we strengthen the immune system. When we strengthen the immune system we have more energy. When we have more energy we tend to be more balanced emotionally. When we are more balanced emotionally we make better choices. When we make better choices we choose to eat healthier. When we eat healthier we then have the opportunity to achieve our optimum weight.
So, laugh away!
I have been back on eating similar to what Chatty outlines for about 2 weeks now. I have dropped 10 pounds and my energy is through the roof. I love it. I have also found I am not having mood swings (thanks to those pesky little hormones).
Knowing the holidays are a battlefield of temptation, I have planned out what I will and will not eat for Thanksgiving Dinner. One is, I will avoid the sweets and sodas. Also, all the before dinner snacks that I love ohhhhh so much. My sister makes the most incredible clam dip that in and of itself has more calories and fat than the monthly allotment one should have.
The mindset I am taking into our family gathering is such that I want to think through what I will feel like tomorrow by making great choices for me and on the flip side, how will I feel tomorrow if I disregard my health goals.
For me, it goes beyond the weight situation. It is all about health, energy, and self image. The reality is, heart disease is the number one killer of women our age. Many (not all) heart problems can be minimized through healthy eating and healthy lifestyle such as moderate exercise. All stuff we have heard over and over and over.
I can’t count the number of books on healthy eating I have purchased over the years. And the magazines, oh those poor little trees that were sacrificed only for me to read one more article about stuff I already knew. And yet, was there one piece of information in there that I might have missed along the way.
Alas, it is, eat your fruits and veggies, exercise, drink lots of water, etc., etc, etc.
And yet, I will continue to buy the books (the one Chatty recommended sounds awesome) and read it one more time. Because, like a daily shower, a daily dose of good reading on what is important to us is good for the mind, body and soul.
The fact remains, what we do moment by moment will determine the quality of life we live. It's not as if we are helpless victims that somehow were walking around with our mouth open and the bad foods just popped in there and went straight to the hips and butt. Oh no, at least for me, I have been a willing participant in the padding of the back side. And it is with conviction I say, "Be gone oh fat butt. Be gone."
Well, that was a heck of a soap box I got on. Wow! Well, the truth will be revealed if, by tomorrow I can write another post and say, "What a great Thanksgiving I had. I achieved my outcome of having a great time with family, kicking a little butt at cards and feeling great about what I ate."
Have a great Thanksgiving. Chatty, keep up the great work and keep us posted on your continued success.
Kathleen