Celebrating Independence...

Today is Independence Day in the good old USA. It's been a great long weekend of food, fireworks and fun. Today I'm celebrating independence not only for our great country, but my personal independence from carbohydrate addiction. Like an alcoholic or drug abuser addiction to food and carbohydrates in particular is a one-day-at-a-time process. I'm pleased to say that after my relapse last summer into this past spring (yes, that long!) I'm now "clean" nearly 2 months. I've lost 15 lbs of the 57 I re-gained and I feel pretty darn good, even though the weight loss is a slow tedious process--more I suspect from the fact that I'll be 47 this month than any "golden moment" or other nonsense. A certain evil blogger who will not be named in my blog mentions something called HAES, which stands for Happy At Every Size-- like it's a bad thing. My question is, "Why is that a bad thing?" Sure, we all want to be at a goal weight, goal size, goal little black dress...etc. However, there is something to be said for making positive changes in your life that make you feel good physically, mentally and psychologically, irregardless of that number on the scale. Does being HAES make you a bad person? I don't think so. There is much more to life than a number on a scale or a tag on a pair of jeans. Too bad some folks just don't get it.

As some of you know, I have 4 days a year I make some sort of low carb treat for me and my son who live the low carb lifestyle. Those days are Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yesterday's offering was Reese's Peanut Butter Pie from Lauren's blog (http://www.healthyindulgences.net/2011/03/sugar-free-peanut-butter-cup-pie.html#more), where I get most of the desserts I attempt to make. This year, thanks to Glen Frederich (www.holdthecarbs.com) I was able to make my dessert without using sugar alcohols, which I don't tolerate very well. Glen makes a sweetener that uses Monk fruit from China and Stevia from Brazil. This sweetener is chock full of fiber! So, the pie turned out with 29 gm carbs for 1/10 slice with 19 gms of fiber for a net carb count of 10 grams for a 10th. I ate a tiny sliver and that was plenty--so maybe 7 carbs or so. That 's a picture of the finished product up in the top left. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy planning and preparing something special, because when you are in a relapse or binge state, nothing is special, it just is what it is. How's that for HAES??

Oh yeah, my profile pic is one of me and my sweet, silly granddaughter Londyn at the fireworks. Talk about the reason for staying "clean and sober" from mindless carb frenzy!