Yet another uncle

I have an uncle with whom I am pretty close. As I type, I realize I need to call him very soon. He and my aunt are WONDERFUL people. They had two golden retrievers and have stayed at Le Chateau Miller (say it with a French accent) when they have come to town to visit. Unfortunately, they had to put their oldest baby down not too long ago. He was a giant bear. We still keep his picture on our fridge, Dutch and Ruca still know his name and we tell Ty all about him.

My uncle was a trainer in Los Angeles for a very long time. He got out of the business needing a change. The last time I was serious about losing weight and getting on the exercise wagon, I consulted him when I hit plateaus. If you aren't sure what a plateau is, it is what they call it when your weight is at a standstill. He recommended some good supplements for me to try and even the company I should buy. He also evaluated what I was eating during the times of plateaus, which can definitely play a huge part in things, even if you are eating healthy foods. During one particular plateau, I was eating a lot of tomatoes because my parents' garden had an overabundance of them. I love home-grown tomatoes and was eating incredible amounts of them. I learned they could be high in sugar. I didn't stop eating tomatoes, but I did cut back on them. Too much of a good thing. EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. I tend to go a little crazy sometimes. Ha!

Ever since I can remember, my uncle has been very health conscious. He would workout at local gyms here when he would visit. Not to mention that he has ALWAYS been a very animated person. I truly love that about him. He's always staying active and moving and doing SOMETHING. I love that about him as well. As I look at the way he was raised, he was raised with very rich, fattening food, but still found his way to fitness and healthy living. So, it could be something with which you are born, but it doesn't mean that your parents dictate what path you choose.

The reason I tell you about my uncle? I love him a lot, but not only that, but that there are people amongst you that can help you reach your goals and stay on track. Think hard about the people in your own family circles. Think about friends, think about co-workers, think about the people that you would like to model aspects of your life. I also tell you about my uncle because he CHOSE to be health-minded. You can, too! You can choose your own path. You can pave your own road. You can sod your own lawn. Oh yeah, that's deep. So, find your path, road, lawn and get to it! Go for it with all you have. START SMALL. Eat tomatoes. But not too many.

Signing off for now, to all of you near and far and to those of you hoping I'll get off the heavy talks, until next time...