Books I Love

Several years ago, I kept borrowing and renewing the same book from the library. Eventually, I had to pay the library $25.00 because I lost it somewhere. I never did find it again and I've been on the lookout at used book stores ever since.

Eureka! Yesterday, at Bookman's I found it! Those of you who like to buy used books know the feeling I'm describing. It's such a hit or miss proposition when book hunting or antique shopping, etc. Anyway, the book is Writing the Short Story: A hands-On Program by Jack M. Bickham. If you like to write and want a solid practical book, this is a great read. I wish this fact wasn't true, but I enjoy reading about the process of writing way more than actually composing and trying to publish something.

The other book I purchased is Fran McCullough's The Low-Carb Cookbook because I enjoy preparing new good carb recipes. Here's an amusing story about my switch to the good carb life style.

Several months ago, I was taking out the trash to the alley. There on the top of the pile, completely unspoiled, was a brand new South Beach Diet Cookbook, including the dust jacket! The sun overhead hit the shiny copper letters on the dust jacket just right and the book seemed to glow angelically at me. Not one to ever let a new book be thrown away, I rescued it.

It must be said, that during the first 30 seconds of staring, I resisted the new book temptation because I had previous misconceptions about low carbohydrate diets. In fact, a coworker had lost weight on the diet, and we had a heated discussion because I was so opposed to the whole controlled carbohydrate idea. As I stood there glaring at it, I thought to myself, “How can I even considering rescuing this book from the pile?”

Divine intervention prevailed and I hastily grabbed the dreaded book and stamped back angrily to my house. Ignoring the rest of my chores, I reluctantly began to read. Within the first few paragraphs, I was hooked. I finally realized how much my beloved low fat pretzels and fat free pudding cups were contributing to my waistline. It was my epiphany.

Before beginning on South Beach, I got my first job in fifteen years which required me to do a lot of walking. I lost seventeen pounds immediately, just from the increased activity. Then, during Phase One of the program, I lost another eight pounds. The mantra –diet and exercise together –is certainly true for me. By combining the two, I’ve now lost 44 pounds.

Since South Beach, I’ve discovered that I actually like vegetables. Being from the Southwest, I had never even heard of okra, and growing up, my mother certainly never introduced Swiss chard to our family. Now I include a variety of vegetables into my diet daily. One of my favorite recipes from the cookbook is Baked Portobello Mushroom Caps with Melted Goat Cheese. Who knew?

As I prepare my grocery list for the week, I use my good carb cookbooks to help plan a tasty dinner menu. My family, of course, has its favorite meals from before South Beach and I’ve learned how to substitute ingredients to make a healthier alternative. I slowly add new selections from the cookbook as the months go by. Retraining young palates can be a bit tricky, but eating this way has started to become second nature to them.

“How can I even consider this?” has changed to, “How can I not?”