John and I are trying to qualify for better rates on our life insurance policies, so the company sent out a nurse yesterday to administer mini-physicals on both of us. We are still waiting on the cholesterol results, but our blood pressures were both fantastic. I was pleased to see that I’d lost about 3 to 5 pounds in the last few months. I’m not actively trying to, though I wish the baby weight would magically disappear. I’m still nursing Maggie, and that’s my excuse not to truly diet. “But I’m not supposed to!” Uh-huh.

Anyway, the scale only confirmed what I’d recently thought. Some capris, given to me at Mother’s Day, did not fit well. Though my body mostly fit into them, there was no way I’d wear them in public if you get my drift. So they have sat on my closet shelf for about two months. Last week I tried them on again, and–holy shmoly–I’ve got a new pair of capris to wear. Woo-hoo! Not only that, but my larger capris are quite baggy now, riding low on my hips. This is a good thing!

So, since we’ve already established that I’m not dieting, how did this happen? And will it continue? My theory centers around my new breakfast staple, and the old Scottish favorite–oatmeal.

I had called a friend who battles high cholesterol, asking for advice on how to lower it naturally. “Oatmeal!” came the reply. “Fresh fruit, no starches…” So I began having a bowl of oats each morning…flavored, of course. It’s been at least a month now. (John went the fresh fruit & yogurt route.) We wash it all down with coffee 🙂 So far, so good. The weight loss is encouraging. I’ll let you know when the cholesterol results come in.

Did you know… Oatmeal (porridge if you live across the Pond) is the only whole grain recognized by the US FDA to help reduce cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Read this article to see how the FDA discovered oatmeal’s health benefits.

John’s Scottish ancestors would have every right to say”Och, we telt ye hit wis suithfast!” (“we told you so!”).