Girls Write Out
Monday, May 12, 2008


Does this dog make my butt look fat?

I hike with my neighbors one day a week. One of them is a professional dog walker, and so we go with about 6 to 11 dogs. All of them huge, except mine, and my friend Keiko sent me this picture and my first thought was, I totally need a bigger dog. Now everyone who walks with me is no bigger than an inch. I am NOT a big woman and I feel Amazonian next to them all. But I'm the only American and aren't we supposed to be the fattest country?

Speaking of which, as you know, much of my pondering in life takes place in the coffee shop. I'm there every morning, and I have noticed something. People who order fat-free, sugar-free lattes and mochas, the Americanos? They're usually bigger. First off, I think that fake sugar makes you hungry, not to mention it's terrible for you and your body can't digest it. But I also think real sugar fills you up more, and so you're happy with your 350 calorie mocha. You don't need to cram down a muffin.

This does not count for the six-pack girls who come from the gym and order an iced coffee. They're just sick and I can't identify at all. I think they could drink sawdust and be equally happy -- they were born without taste buds don't you know?

I gained weight lately, can you tell? But I'll exercise, I will not be drinking a sugar-free/fat-free anything. Blech! In case you're wondering, I drink a small soy mocha with whip every day. On Fridays and Sundays, I get a large. : )

Doesn't Fiona look cute in her little Italia jacket?
Kristin  
posted at 11:13 PM  
  Comments (13)
 
 
Delicious Delicious
13 Comments:
At 12:08 AM, Blogger Georgiana Daniels said...

If that's you with a weight gain, then life is so not fair! Speaking of which, I drink and eat the real stuff too, but somehow I'm still living large. Am I missing something?

PS. Cute dog!

 
At 11:13 AM, Blogger Valerie said...

You know what I've discovered? Life is short, so you might as well enjoy it.

3-1/2 years ago I made the decision to lose weight and get fit, so I lost 40 pounds and exercised almost every day. I went from a size 16-18 to an 8-10. (Still heavy by Hollywood standards...) I watched my carbs and obsessed if I gained a pound.

2-1/2 years ago I started getting dizzy.

1-1/2 years ago, they found a tumor on my vestibular (balance) nerve bundle. Almost 11 months ago, I had brain surgery.

Let me tell you, when you're asked to complete a Living Will at the age of 36, it changes your perspective! Now, I haven't gone hog wild about eating, but I did gain about 1/2 the weight back. I don't care. I have my white chocolate peppermint hot chocolate with full fat and whipped cream.

Life's short. You might as well enjoy it! (But be a good steward and be wise, too!)

Oh, and other than some facial nerve damage, I am fine now. Praise the Lord!

 
At 12:44 PM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

You're right, K. Studies show consuming artificial sweeteners make you gain weight. Weird huh?

 
At 2:34 PM, Blogger Kristin said...

Valerie, I'm so glad you're here to talk about it!!! Actually, I grew up in a bigger family, but I take after my dad. I was so anorexic looking, no doctor would ever believe I wasn't. I didn't get "normal" under after children. And my grandmother never worried about weight, and she was always huge -- and the best person I ever knew -- so it's all about priorities, I so agree!

But my husband is waifish, so when I gain, I make him look anorexic. Plus, all these size two around me make me feel big, and when you're small by nature, that gets to you, it messes with your identity.

But I have good genes. I think we should learn to appreciate that our bodies work though. I have MS and being able to run makes me feel empowered. Even if I do have to go downhill and it's not pretty to watch.

 
At 2:47 PM, Blogger Katy McKenna said...

Valerie--I've had brain surgery, too, for an acoustic neuroma. It's in the same "nerve bundle." I am deaf in one ear as a result, but that happened before the surgery. My surgery was 8.5 years ago. At that time, I was a size 18. Weird, but after the surgery, I decided to give up all sugar, as I was SO addicted it was affecting my health VERY negatively. I lost a ton of weight and have kept most of it off. Plus, I've never gone back to sugar. I can't--it makes me too sick.

I do use Splenda, and I have never noticed a single bad effect. I don't do low fat ANYTHING. A person has to have some flavor in her life!!!

 
At 2:48 PM, Blogger Valerie said...

Thanks, Kristin.

I should say that my weight gain wasn't all because I decided I didn't care. When the dizziness got bad, I started falling off the tread mill. Not. Good.

Since the tumor - and its removal - affected my balance somewhat, I have to watch using exercise equipment. The surgery stretched my facial nerve, so my left eye doesn't blink well and does not make tears, so walking outside is only possible if it's not too windy.

That's my excuse anyway! :D

 
At 2:54 PM, Blogger Valerie said...

Katy,

Yes, I had an AN. My hearing was miraculously preserved! Miraculously. The tumor itself was actually entwined in the facial nerve, not the balance nerve. The doctor said it was like removing the yolk of an egg from the white of an egg - with both the tumor and nerve being white. I had the very best surgeon... God is good!

So glad you are doing well.

I use Splenda too and don't notice anything amiss. Probably because I eat enough white and brown sugar to couteract any negative affects! :D

 
At 3:04 PM, Blogger Kristin said...

Wow!! You girls rock. Brain surgery???? My balance is awful and I have no such excuse. That's why I don't like being bigger, I walk into more doorways. : (

 
At 3:46 PM, Blogger Julie Carobini said...

Wow, with all these brain surgery stories I can't help but chime in. So glad to hear all the successes! I had a brain tumor (benign) about 19 years ago. At the time I was non-coffee, non-soda, super skinny vegetarian. So where did that get me? These days I'm well (although weird as ever, but I blame it on that balance thing :) and I love to eat. La Dolce Vita, you know?

 
At 3:59 PM, Blogger Julie Carobini said...

p.s. Your doggy is very cute. When I saw the headline of your post, I thought you were talking about the soccer ball nearly attached to Fiona's tail...lol

 
At 4:02 PM, Blogger Kristin said...

I put that soccer ball there to add context. LOL SO basically, you don't want to be near any of us if you have to walk across a log bridge, is that what we're saying?

 
At 5:48 PM, Blogger Katy McKenna said...

This all reminds me of another brain surgery girl, Kristy Dykes. We need to keep praying for her and her family every day!!

Julie--So, you were like THREE when you had brain surgery??? :)

Valerie--We're twins! I had some eye involvement, too, but not horrible. OK, except for my husband waking up in the middle of the night and I'd be sound asleep with ONE EYE POPPED WIDE OPEN. That always freaked him out a little. I am happy your hearing was preserved! Unilateral deafness will keep you spinning in circles trying to figure out where the sound is coming from! .....But, yeah, the balance thing....I'm with Kristin. My size sixes are getting tight. If I get any bigger, both hips will have bruises from crashing into door frames!!! It's a motivation to keep the weight off..... :)

 
At 2:04 AM, Blogger Melanie's Words Work said...

OK, with all the brain surgery stories, I really have a "what's my excuse" thing going.

But I do have one answer to the question of why big people go sugar-free. When I do it, it's a low self-esteem day and the words "No wonder she's so fat" aren't far from my mind.

I know my reality, that a caramel mochiatto (sp?) is a once every few months' treat, but I feel like I'm being judged.

So, on bad days, it's eat the fake stuff and smile anyway.

But the good days, now those are something to enjoy!

 

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The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
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