Yet Another Monday

Something Fun
This past weekend, I went to the site THE #1 SONG ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY ... and looked up which song was number one on the day I was born. Monster Mash by Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Crypt Kickers. How cool is that? Other than the fact that I’m getting older and older, looking at the list of number one hits on my birthday up to now, if I think for a moment to remember the song, I get a nice feeling about that time in my life. Up until the year 1999, that is. I can recall the melody and some words up through 1999, but EVERY song from 2000 to 2005 is a total blank (in order: Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, Nelly, Beyonce, Usher/Alicia Keys). Yeah, I have SO gotten away from listening to the radio, especially top 40, but this really drives home the point. Music is so important to me. Almost any time of my life can be set to a soundtrack of popular music from whichever time, but I’ve totally gone off into music that flies way under most Americans’ radar. I have increasingly gravitated toward music/bands that never sell in huge numbers. Just seems weird. Thank God for the modern man’s ability to find and get music via the internet. The small band / indie label’s best friend.

Hats Off To Dr. Atkins
Yeah, I know he’s no longer with us.
Yeah, I know the Atkins diet is no longer in vogue. I take a twisted pride in being behind the times.

I have the normal problem that many big people have; inability to stick to a diet long enough. So, I read The New Diet Revolution, and wow, no wonder almost every registered dietician and many other doctors despise his program and shoot it down at every opportunity. But holy Toledo, does what he say make sense to me. I became convinced a few years ago, after watching my older brother’s losing battle with heart problems, that, while many individual doctors are wonderful, the American Medical Association on the other hand is only out there for one thing; to preserve the god-like status of medical doctors in this country. I’m not slamming the profession. I love my personal doctor, but when people blindly follow the recommendations of the AMA, I get suspicious.

Anyway, the actual diet, as laid out by Dr. Atkins, is SO, SO different than all the misinformation out there on talk shows and such. I mean, really, so much of what is said about the Atkins diet on TV is pure fabrication, even outright lies in my opinion.

So I started the diet in mid January, putting me at about two months right now. I’ve lost about 23 pounds. That’s good for me. But what is really different and the real reason I’m writing about it here is how much better physically I feel. I spent most of my adult life feeling bloated and low-energy. But on low-carb I feel no bloating. And wonder of wonders, I wake up easily in the morning, and if not for a screwed up back (different story) I would just pop right out of bed. But right now I have the clear headedness and mental sharpness I had when I was much younger. Even if I never lost another pound, I would stay on this life style of eating. I’m always satisfied with my meals and never really have a problem with temptation. Of course I would like a big piece of chocolate cake, but when treats like that are available, I find it easy to bypass them and stick to the program.

I don’t want to kill you with details about it. I just wanted to say I’m convinced. And I really am disappointed at how much info out there on the airwaves is inaccurate about the Atkins diet. If you are interested in it but didn’t pursue it because of what you’ve heard, buy the book, it’s cheap in paperback, and read what the poor man said for himself. He must have been a strong person to stand up against the juggernaut of the AMA’s recommendations. And I physically feel better and I’m losing weight at the rate of 2-3 pounds per week. But most of all, I’m doing it by eating some mighty tasty foods.

Read Dr. Atkins book for yourself before you believe what’s said about he and his diet.

Things so lame they’re cool:
Accordions
Keytars
Autoharp (or chromaharp to some)

Bumper Stickers Seen Recently:

On a Dodge Neon: Yeah, It’s Got A Hemi

On a SUV with W Stickers all over the back end:
I’m A Republican
I Don’t Care How You Feel
I Care What You Think

On the back of a black Chevy Blazer:
Losing Faith in Humanity...
One Person at a Time