Watch Your Nuts

At the beginning of the year I decided that it was time to lose a few pounds, and so I went to see the fine people at www.Optimal365.com and bought a book called, "The Engine 2 Diet."  And around this time my lovely wife Amy decided that she was going to become a vegetarian and go gluten free.

So we were off and running into 2013 with a whole new plan...not a diet, but a new way of eating.  Now, I don't totally abstain from gluten products, but I have very little.  I almost always eat gluten free bread & crackers.  I am still on the fence with the vegetarian thing, but it has been a few months since I had any red meat or chicken and I think that I do feel better.  And did I mention we eat very little dairy?  In fact, we have almost removed it entirely.  And my wife recently went to the doctor to have blood work to determine if the fact she has cut out dairy, gluten, and meat has helped her hurt her.  And guess what?  Her blood work was amazing and her good cholesterol was through the roof. 

The one food that has become my friend and my enemy has been nuts.  I especially like almonds and cashews, and they are incredibly good for all of us.  However, they are very high in calories so we have to be careful.  Just a small handful of almonds can add nearly 200 calories to your day.  So that is my tip for the day.  Grab your nuts, but not too often!  

The Next Half

I realize that not everyone that reads my blog is going through a midlife crisis so I bought a new domain for those of us that are in the heart of this interesting time in life.  The domain is www.TheNextHalf.com.  And as you can see there is a link at the top of this page to get there as well. 

So I will use this area to talk about the normal issues that I write about like marriage, mental health, religion, and etc.  I will reserve The Next Half for those of us that are now finding hair in strange places, and scheduling our colonoscopies!  

I truly appreciate each of you, and welcome your comments.

Tony  

Midlife Crisis pt. 2

As I admitted in my last blog, I have been fully engulfed in a midlife crisis.  No not the "I need a sports car" type of midlife crisis, but more of the "what should I do now, and how much time do I have left to do it" midlife crisis.  However, what I am learning is that during midlife it is good to take a break from trying to climb the corporate ladder, it is not a time to blame others for things you feel haven't gone right in your life, but it is time to own up to your own "crap."  It is a time to examine your heart, soul, and mind and figure out what needs to change in your life.  And it is a time to examine your childhood and determine if there is a place where you got stuck.  

Yes I'm saying many of us in our forties and fifties are still acting like children in some ways.  And I'm not saying you and I should be ashamed of that, because midlife is a time to drop the feelings of guilt and shame.  This is a time of rebirth!  It is a time to begin to learn to love yourself enough to drop the baggage of your past, and begin moving toward a brighter future.  Jesus said we are to love others as we love who?  The answer is ourselves.  Why would he say that?  Well I can't speak for Jesus, but I can tell you that before you can fully love others you must first learn to love yourself.  

Tony Russell, MA, LMHC