Moving Right Along

 

On the grounds of Boyd Mountain Tree Farm and Cabins

Maggie Valley, NC - March 21, 2011

Wow, what a week this past one has been and the one ahead of me looks much the same.  Some time this afternoon, I will be back at Boyd Mountain Cabins in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, but I can promise you it's not going to look like it did last Monday morning when I took today's picture.  Our weather in East Tennessee has turned positively NASTY again and our friends to the east in Maggie Valley are having it even worse.  Local folklore calls it "dogwood winter," I just call it uncomfortable.  But it will pass and by Tuesday, sunshine is promised once again.

My MIL and I are taking a little "girls" road trip to Asheville, but we'll be staying in Maggie Valley, about 30 miles west of Asheville.  Since this is my third trip in a month, you can see that I've fallen in love with Boyd Mountain cabins and for good reason.  They are simply charming and the fact that they've offered a wonderful "march madness" special rate this month makes return trips very attractive.  Mr. B and I got some great hiking in and now my MIL and I can have some fun of our own, although I'll have to say, her definition of fun and mine don't exactly mesh.  Hers includes the dreaded "shopping" word which is not my cup of tea, but this trip is for and about her, so I'll find a nice coffee shop/bookstore close by and she can shop to her heart's content.  We'll find some girlie places to eat and enjoy our quaint little cabin at night.  The Cataloochee Valley area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was chosen as an area for the reintroduction of elk several years ago.  Mr. B and I saw several elk while wandering around down there, so I'm going to take her into the park and hopefully, we'll get to see one or two.  She's really excited about that and also about going into a part of the park she's never seen.  

While downloading pictures, I noticed something disturbing.   My body shape is one of those so-called "pear" shapes and for that, I am very grateful.  "Pear" shaped females are much less susceptible to heart disease and other problems than "apple" shaped women.  Having said that, my "pear" has caused, and continues to cause, all sorts of problems not the least of which is a never ending frustration with finding clothes that fit.  For example, I have NEVER been able to buy a 2-piece anything because even at goal weight, my jacket/blouse size is two sizes smaller than my hip/thigh size.  With the right clothing, some of these "issues" can be hidden, but are still very frustrating and probably the cause of my intense dislike for shopping.  There is simply no fun in it because NOTHING ever fits.  

The other problem for me is that any excess eating that I do of the wrong types of food (i.e. anything "white") goes straight to the back of my butt and my upper thighs.  And that is exactly what I saw that was disturbing.  I know this sounds crazy because my weight is actually falling, but MY HIPS AND THIGHS ARE GROWING.  I can tell it in my jeans and my nylon hiking pants, but the pictures were proof.  

So in the midst of my new comfort zone and level of contentment, there are some things that will never change.  And that is primarily the fact that I need to be eating little, if any, white sugar, white flour, etc.  I don't believe I have any abnormal sensitivity or intolerance to any of these things, they just simply go straight to my hips/thighs.  In theory, it seems so easy to say, "it's just food - I'll just not eat it anymore" because I want to look good in my clothes.  But as we all know, the practice of that is quite a different story.  

I love pictures and am so thankful that I am at a place where I don't mind having my picture taken.  I am also thankful that sometimes a picture can show the truth that trouble is lurking.  In this group of pictures are some where I look happy, healthy and perfectly proportioned.  But then there are those that show the "real" picture.  Hopefully, I've gotten the message.   I bought two new sets of nylon hiking pants and I'm not inclined to want to buy any more this year!!

What do you think?  Have you ever felt that certain food items just seem to glue themselves to certain body parts??  

P.S.  One of these days, I may get the courage to post a couple of those pictures.  You wouldn't want to miss that, now would you??