Going Pink

breast cancer awareness ribbonWhat a difference a few days can make. This time last week I was thinking about adding blogging for a cause as a regular feature. One thing led to another and pretty soon I was joking about dyeing my hair pink.

Do you need a little backstory? Yes, methinks you need a little backstory. Here goes.

Pink Valentine’s marketing frou frou brightening local stores led me to musing about the pink breast cancer awareness ribbon, which led to remembering that I haven’t gotten around to getting a mammogram lately, which for some strange reason led to musing about midlife crisis and how much fun the first bubble of midlife crisis was for yours truly (when I wasn’t suffering,) which reminded me of my 20’s for the same reason (fun, when I wasn’t suffering) which reminded me of how I used to joke that one year for a good enough reason (a “cause”) I’d dye my hair pink for Valentine’s day.

During about the same time period I heard about SEOs Fight Fat from Donna Fontenot, and I guess you could say that one thing led to another, which leads me to more backstory.

Sympathy Dieting Sucks

Since SEOs Fight Fat launched I’ve gained five pounds. My intent was to do a little tandem sympathy dieting and take my weight down another 25 lbs, at five pounds a month. Losing 25 lbs last year and 25 this year would get me down to a comfortable place. Another 25 and I’d be at my pre-baby weight of 21 years ago… but that’s not really necessary. At my height, nearly six feet tall, anything under 175 lbs is a matter of distribution, and I’m cool with that. However, going from 200lbs to 205 in one week was not in the plan.

Maybe sympathy needs a compass

Sympathy dieting is not the same as putting yourself on the line. Sympathy opens everything. In my case last week that included opening my mouth for veritable slabs of super yummy, skin-on lemon-pepper chicken – and for the most part I’m someone who lives happily on moderate amounts of nuts and berries and dairy. It’s just that I get almost zero exercise and a lot can happen between “moderate” and “amount” when I listen to a craving.

Cravings lie. Cravings say “You need to eat another heart-shaped frosted cake before bed time. Mmmmm, satisfying. Now you need another.”

Cravings should be used to fuel comfort, curiosity and the creative, but never to make decisions impacting health. Health is a choice – not even in the same universe as a craving.

Choosing health is a daily celebration of life

Not to get all fluffy about it, but dieting is not about the skinny jeans or the struggle to avoid one’s beloved cheese fries. My neighbor is a case in point.

He’s a tall, broad-shouldered guy who’s had a full life – military service, kids, work, friends, extended family, retirement, and his current position as Neighborhood Ambassador. The day I moved in he walked over and introduced himself. Very old school. Very home town friendly. Very… Cre8asite. Yes, I spend too much time online.

Anyhoo, my neighbor has lost more than 90 lbs over the course of a year. At the halfway point he got cancer and found that he is not a good surgery candidate because of what the weight does to his blood pressure. He did other treatment. He’s OK so far, and is still plugging away at the diet.

Makes you think, doesn’t it? You never know what will happen next. Weight loss is not about fitting into the skinny jeans. The skinny jeans are a side effect, a milepost. The better part of willpower is willingness to live the good life. Cheese fries ain’t got nothin’ on that.

Are You Willing to Get Wacky For a Cause?

I am. :)

Remember up top when I said something about pink hair and joking that one year for a good enough reason (a “cause”) I’d dye my hair pink for Valentine’s day? Here goes.

Some of the folks at SEOs Fight Fat are off to a slow start. Some haven’t started blogging yet, and some who have have yet to sell an ad on their page of the project. I want to encourage them to go a little crazy over their cause, by going a little crazy myself.

If each of the eleven SEOs at SEOs Fight Fat sell a new display ad by February 14th, I’ll dye my hair pink.

To be fair, Valentine’s Day is only six days away. If they want a re-match, I’ll go green for three new ads each by St. Patrick’s Day – March 17th. Do both and I’ll do both. Come close and make me an offer, but I’m not shaving anything.

DazzlinDonna, Jennifer Laycock, Aaron Wall, Jim Boykin, Simon Heseltine, Nathania Johnson, Ben Cook, Scottie Claiborne, Jeff Quipp, David Wallace and Debra Mastaler, li’l ol (tall) me is callin’ out you and your readership.

If you’re reading this and smiling I encourage you to leave me a tip. It will cost a mere dollar to add a message to the brand new My Top Spots gizmo in my side bar. I think it’d be a lot of fun if my first few tips come from people who would like to see their choice of the SEOs Fight Fat bunch dye their own hair. I encourage you to click “Show some love, buy one” and plunk down $1 to leave an encouraging, linked message for the SEO of your choice.

Oh, and for your information, my long hair is now a natural brown, and I’ve got an appointment for that mammogram.