Jeff Blogs

Since reaching my weight loss goal I have shifted from the weight loss portion of my journey to health to a maintenance mode. In order to go from fat burning to maintenance means that I have a transition period where I will begin to add back in calories and foods that were not part of the weight loss plan.

This is a time period I was both looking forward to and dreading. On the one hand it meant that I had reached my weight loss goal but on the other hand it meant giving up the safety net of a structured eating plan that I just had to robotically follow instead of making food decisions on my own.

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When I began pondering going on a weight loss program I tried to find a time of year that was the least obtrusive. I didn’t want to start it last fall since that would mean that I would miss out on the kid’s Halloween candy, Thanksgiving turkey with all of the wonderful side dishes, and of course Christmas which always has magical culinary treats. That would just be too difficult to have to bear.

Instead I chose to begin just after the first of the year. After all, new year new beginning seemed like the opportune time. Besides, there is really not much going on in January. February would be a little more difficult since that included Valentine’s day but if I could get through that one day I would be set.

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Let me start off by saying I am not Catholic, I’ve never been Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican, as well as some Baptist and Mennonite. And I’ll likely never be Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican, as well as some Baptist and Mennonite so whatever I may write below this is purely from an observation perspective and has no religious bearing whatsoever. If this post somehow offends you I apologize; that was not my intent.

Today marks the beginning of Lent. I’ll be honest, I had no idea what Lent even was. For the longest time I thought people were saying lint and I had no idea why people were so fascinated with the stuff stuck to the dryer screening that you have to empty before every load.

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Let me start out by saying I am not a big musical fan. The classics such as Oklahoma! and Fiddler on the Roof are very much lost on me. I grew up in a family that was definitely not musically gifted. The closest we got to music was enduring my parents’ country music station on the radio. That being said there is one musical that I not only can tolerate but I find myself mesmerized into watching it whenever it comes on – The Music Man.

I find myself intently watching as Professor Harold Hill works his sales magic on the River City Iowa citizens getting everyone in the town to eagerly give him money for a chance for their son’s to be in the city band. The performances put in are wonderful and the star power was amazing. From Robert Preston to Buddy Hackett to Shirley Jones to the memorable youngster with the lisp played by Ron Howard; each of these characters was brought to life.

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Despite the fact that as a family we rarely if ever even watch a football game, we are like countless thousands of others that will tune in to watch the Super Bowl. I have to admit, most of those watching are doing so to see the commercials rather than the game but it’s the fact that we’re tuned in at all.

Typically we will get together with family and friends and spend the day talking sports, watching television and of course eating. Plans begin weeks in advance of the big game to find the perfect finger food that will go with football.

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