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The whole world is in a constant state of evolution.  I don’t mean that I am a proponent of evolution over creation rather that once God created the world and man, He allowed it and us to evolve.  He gave us dominion over the earth to help us grow, change, evolve and even destroy ourselves and the world.

It can be exciting, exhausting, and exasperating all rolled into one package.  A life package sometimes easily opened and others with so much tape it’s hard to find the blessings of what’s within.

I was reminded of this as I continued to fight the increase in the weight I have put on since we moved to Oviedo.  We made some wonderful friendships but as retirees our favorite pastime seems to be going out to eat.  When I go out to eat, I find myself so tempted by the basket of bread, and the delectable choices of foods that the thought of eating healthy simply goes “Pouf!” and I devour the pasta carbonara along with a loaf of crispy yet soft warm Italian bread.

With COVID-19 eating out/social dining has been curtailed and you would think it would help our waist lines.  But sadly, watching the news, waiting for the “curve” to flatten and stay flat make me want to eat and did nothing to flatten my belly.

Oh, we tried following on our own the program we had done in Boca Raton where Thad and I each lost 60 pounds.  But with every invite we found ourselves saying “We’ll start again tomorrow.  The pounds were adding up like my orders on Amazon during this COVID-19 Pandemic.

We needed accountability.  We needed a watchdog.  After some searching I found the nutrition company we used in Boca had an office in Sanford which is a mere 20 minute trip. We would be forced to follow the diet because we would have to weigh in every week.  This would surely work.  Three months of due diligence Thad lost twenty pounds and I thirteen during which the weight lost slowed down to a trickle and then a halt; leaving us with less money in the bank, and me constipated and depressed.

With ten pounds to lose I still couldn’t fit into the shorts and summer slacks that haven’t ventured out of the closet in over a year!

Why hadn’t this eating plan worked when we had success before?  What had changed?  Us.  Our bodies.  Our life style.  All were evolving and aging.  Just when you get used to your body being one way, it changes – often for the worse.

I was lamenting, okay no,  whining to my daughter, Francesca about it when she said that maybe our bodies had adjusted to the restrictive diet and what was needed was more variety and more food.

Surely, my restrictive diet had caused me to hear things.  How would more food help me lose weight?  She explained that fats help lubricate, and protein and carbs help with energy and exercise.

She suggested using macros as a way to eat balanced meals.  The word “macros” is short for macro-nutrients—nutrients that our bodies need in relatively large amounts in order to grow and function (as opposed to micro-nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, which we need in small amounts). There are three basic macro-nutrients present in food: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

By taking some body measurements and doing some really confusing math she determined how much protein, carbohydrates, fats, etc. we would need in order to lose weight but more importantly to function in as much capacity as our age and physical ability allowed.  She suggested we try it for a couple of weeks, noting that she might have to “tweak it”.  I had nothing to lose except the weight.

After a few weeks Thad and I are watching the numbers on our scale, albeit slowly, come down.  More importantly, we are enjoying all sorts of foods.  I no longer become obsessed and anxiety ridden when we share a meal with family or the small group of friends who share our socially distant practices.  I can plan my other meals around what I know will be a higher count.  We wake up each day without dread; thinking “What food would I enjoy eating today”, and then plan around it. What a difference!  It’s not always easy, and it takes a little time but life is back to being sunny.  So is my disposition.

I am telling you this long tale because it was through all this that I realized my body is constantly changing and evolving as God intended.  While I don’t always like the way my body is aging, I really have no choice but to adjust.

Adjusting to change is hard.  We like consistency.  There is comfort in knowing what to expect.

We expect our bodies to be consistent, functional and reliable.  Yet, God made us to evolve which means we are born to grow up and grow old; learning and adjusting to each stage we encounter.  Each of us hits our top performance at various ages but we all progress in the same general direction.

All I can say is the only thing consistent about my body is that is constantly changing with all parts sliding down south, moving slower and making a whole lot more noise.  But that’s for another blog.

While I am not necessarily prepared for what will inevitably happen in the next quarter of my life, I know that I will need to change and adjust.  When I find myself fearful of all the changes in my life I remind myself that the one consistency is knowing I can rest those fears in the hands of God.  God doesn’t change.  God is slow to anger, abounding in love and ever present in my life.

I find it fascinating, frightening, and sometimes funny but never dull.  I learn, I laugh and mostly I lean on God.  Because without God, I can do nothing; but with God all things are possible.

Ah, just how God wanted it.

Thank you for reading my post.  If you have found it encouraging please consider liking, commenting or sharing it.  Feel free to even re-blog – may these words take flight!

I have additional insights I’d love to share with you found in the pages of my debut book: Surviving Medical Mayhem – Laughing When It Hurts.  To order a copy or learn more go to my website at www.lorettaschoen.com

Blessings for Health & Wellness.