Red Curry Butternut Squash

http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2009/11/red-curry-butternut-squash-when-it.html

3-4 pounds butternut squash, peeled cut in 1-inch cubes
1 bunch green onions
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp red curry powder (I used McCormick)
1 tsp red curry paste (I used Taste of Thai)
2 tbsps tomato paste
1 can (15 oz) coconut milk
1 rounded tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce (or sub to-taste with soy sauce or salt)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Green peas
Poataos

How to overcome the fear of Loose Skin

You want to lose weight but you are afraid of loose skin. Indeed, it's a trap: on one side a heavy burden of obesity on the other, the prospect of the loose skin - not a pleasant sight on its own.

To simply argue that obesity's dangers are outweighing any cosmetic imperfection of the loose skin is not dealing with the fear. Fear is fear. It doesn't go away by pointing out the drawbacks of the alternative. It needs to be faced and dissected before it's gone and gives way to will to change.

Any fear can be dealt with by unpacking it and seeing what's inside. Is the fear of loose skin is justified? Let's play doctor and cut it open, shell we?

Why do you fear the loose skin? When exposed, it is ugly and embarrassing.

Good. Those two reasons are valid enough to fear the loose skin. It deals with the self-esteem, body image, and sex life. Now we know what your fear is made of.

Now, knowing that obesity is a 24-hours a day thing, how much of the day the loose skin is?

Meaning: you are obese when you are alone, when you in a company of others, when you are asleep, when you are awake, when you are with an opposite sex. So when are you "loose-skinned"?

Let's try to find the answer to that.

When you are asleep, you are not "loose-skinned" - you are just healthy, fit person, having a good night rest. 8 hours of not being "loose-skinned" right there! Great! We got just 16 hours to unpack.

We wake up and we are immediately become "loose-skinned"! Solution: sleep in a t-shirt. Aeswone! Let's move on.

Shower = loose skin. Yep! 10 minutes of that. No good solution there.

What's next? Exit the shower, dry your bum and put your nice, new clothes you just got because your old XXXL clothes are falling off of you. Are you "loose-skinned"? Not anymore. Not a single person will be able to tell what skin you got under those clothes. They all will see a regular person, with a regular body.

How long that's going to last? All day long. You work, you play, you ride a horse, you skydive. As long as you not doing any of it naked, you are not "loose-skinned". How much time are we talking about? 12 hours, more or less?

So that and the sleep we total 20 hours a day not being "loose-skinned".

After a long day outside, you are back home. You might change clothes to more comfortable attire. You might be shirtless for a minute. You might take a shower. Here is another 15 minutes of being "loose-skinned". Let's have a final tally?

Here we go: if you are not an avid nudist, your total amount of being exposed to other people is 0 minutes, and by yourself is 26 minutes out of 1440 minutes in a day. That changes a lot.

There are two scenarios that left untouched. One is going to the beach. Wear a t-shirt or don't go to the beach.

The second is, an intimate situation involving another person, or simply put: sex.

This one needs unpacking of its own.

If you are in the relationship, most likely the person you are with will not mind the loose skin. Ask him or her if they prefer the obese you or the healthy, longer-living, non-future-diabetic, skinny "loose-skinned" you. If you trust them with your life, put this into their hands and let them decide your destiny. You can show them pictures of other people with loose skin, before they make the decision. This way they will know what they are about to get in to.

If you are single, it is even easier. When you first meet a girl or a boy of your dreams you are not "loose-skinned". 100% of the time you'll wear clothes when it happens. They cannot see the loose skin, so it's irrelevant at this point.

By the way, when you are not obese, you will attract more boys or girls of your dreams. That sucks for the obese people, but those are facts of life.

After several days or weeks, you will grow close and intimacy will be needed to consummate your relationship. Nakedness will be in order. Luckily there are two perfect resolutions to the moment you are dreading so much that it's affecting your decision to start your weight loss journey now.

Resolution number one, more likely: she/he likes you a lot and your loose skin is a non-issue. You both have a bit awkward, but sweet love - the best kind.

Resolution number two, less likely: she/he gets grossed out by the loose skin, leaves you and never calls.

Why the resolution number one is more likely? Because by the time you are intimate with you partner she or he knows your story. She or he knows about your weight loss journey, the loose skin and your insecurities around it. You can show them pictures of you with the loose skin, before they make the decision to move forward. This way they will know what they are about to get in to.

If she or he doesn't know about all of it before you are getting naked, then it is too soon to get naked.

The solution is obvious: communicate your insecurities clearly and early. This way she/he will clear the path for the next partner or will stay and fall in love with you and every inch of your loose skin.

So much drama! How can you miss all that?!

Mental Games for Weight Reduction Journey (WRJ)

Weight reduction journey (WRJ) is a hard path to follow. Like any other long journey, it requires a vision. You must be able to envision the future you want, to be able to achieve it. WRJ is not different. To be able to go against the winds for such long period of time, you must have a bright and vivid picture of your success. It is not an easy task to maintain this vision. It is easier to trade this distant vision for a momentary pleasure of a good splurge that can derail you from the path.

Fortunately, our mind got a key that humankind have used to overcome challenges of great magnitudes. I am talking about IMAGINATION. Yes, that old thing. It is usually abandoned by us when we enter adulthood. When is the last time you have actively used imagination in a practical way in your life? Well, my two and a half son, have done it today, five times before noon.

Let's try to dust it off and use it to help us to go forward through this, sometimes grueling, process. The goal of this exercise is simple: to put yourself in an ACCEPTANCE State of Mind (ASM).

First, about ASM

ASM is the mental state you want to achieve to successfully live as an OMAD or IF person or other non-traditional restrictive diet.

Acceptance is a state of mind where you are in full surrender to your new circumstances. In the case of WRJ, it is an acceptance of a new reality, in which you are radically have altered the way you consume your Daily Fuel (DF).

ASM is akin to mentally readjusting after a breakup. Letting go and accepting your new reality is a key to a successful life post-breakup. Just as well, realizing that the Old Ways (OW) are the thing of the past and will not return, is a crucial step in your journey.

Now, Let's Play

Imagination and mind games are very important to put you in the State of Acceptance or ASM. These games are great for OMAD or IF persons. They will help you reframe your mind in a fun way so next time you will have a craving to break from the path, the strength of your will not be your only tool. Your imagination will come to the rescue as well. Here is a great game for you to try.

"I am on the plane to nowhere and they serve just one meal a day here"

Imagine, you are on a plane. This flight has d no destination, and the plane needs no refueling. But, it is not an unpleasant experience. The seats are great, the staff is amazing, other passengers are fantastic and considerate people, Wi-Fi is on fire.

The only caveat is: they serve food just once a day. The food is amazing and made to order. Every day, a craft-service carrier is flying by the plane and cooks meals for the everyone. You can order whatever your heart's desire and they will make it for you. You even can have a snack few hours after your main meal to hold you over. An apple, or a banana? This plane has no sugar-loaded sodas or processed food. Only the good stuff.

It is very important to imagine that you are a resident of this flight for quite some time now. It has been a long time since the lift off. It is your home by now. You have accepted and internalized this plane as the only place to be. You are not keen on leaving it. If it helps, imagine that the earth below is on fire and there is no way to land. You are here to stay, and under such dire circumstances, it ain't half bad.

How to play this game: Play it daily. Try to imagine the interior of your plane in much details a possible. Add new details, dress it up, have fun with it. Give names to the flight attendance. Pick the favorite one. The one that is extra nice to you. The one that treats you with a snack once a blue moon.

How it helps you with your ASM? By accepting the new reality that your plane is offering you, to accept the new way to eat is easy. In your mind, it is no longer up to you, when to eat. When something is out of your hands, it is easier to accept it. Fighting yourself is much harder.

It also reinforces the reality of the length of the journey. WRJ is long. In practical terms, it has no end. Just like your flight.

More Games are Coming...

P.S.

Adults are shamed out of using imagination for their daily activity, and it's shame. Reclaim it for a benefit of your mental growth and you will be able to control your mind the way you never could before. Weight loss will follow.