New Start

Lent is over. Easter is over. Spring will come eventually. So I'm going to try again to get my weight under control. This morning I wrote down my list of foods to eat and beverages to drink.

Last year I tried the Special K "diet." It says if you eat the cereal for two meals out of your day, eat low-cal healthy snacks, eat a regular third meal, and drink normally. I lost 2 pounds the first week I did it, but the second week got a little out of whack. I haven't been able to try it again for a while. I think now is a good time to restart it.

I'll be able to get back to the gym, too. March and April so far have not been good for gym time, between other obligations, going out of town, and being sick. I've been to one kick-boxing class in 6 weeks. Not good. I'm going to start taking some other classes, as well, now that life is calming down a little. As soon as the weather warms up a bit, I'm going to work on weekly bike rides to town.

Last week I bought a pedometer. On Saturday, the pedometer was gone. I have the worst time with those suckers. This is the first one that fell off and got lost -- my stupidity, putting my phone in my pocket right under the thing. Usually they fall off as I'm pulling down my pants and break on the floor. One fell in the toilet and was destroyed by the water. One flat out stopped working for reasons I don't understand. It wasn't the battery, as I put in a fresh one. The husband thinks I should just give up, but I find they really motivate me to walk more. I just need to figure out how to keep one longer than two weeks. I could sure use suggestions if anybody ever reads this.

Getting Serious about Losing Weight

In January, I saw the local university was looking for subjects to participate in a weight loss and fitness study. I checked the criteria in the ad: I met the age requirement; I didn't smoke; I was overall healthy. So I called. I was on the phone with the woman for 15 minutes, learning about the study, and she asked me a ton of questions that involved the requirements I saw in the paper. Was I interested, she asked. Yes!!! Okay, she said, I need some more information so we can get you signed up for the study. What was my height? 5'4". What was my weight? 136. So sorry, said the woman on the phone. This study is for overweight women only. And she hung up.

I was more than a little annoyed. The ad stated nothing about weight requirements. Her initial questions never mentioned weight. And I hear it a lot other places, from other people. If I mention I'd like to lose some weight, I get: you don't need to lose any weight, you're fine, shut up.

But here's the deal. I'm not happy with the way I look or feel. In two years, my weight shot up nearly 10 pounds. My clothes barely fit around my waist. I'm 44 and losing weight is a lot more difficult than it used to be. All of my fat desposits are in my abs and tummy, the most dangerous place for a female. And yes, there is vanity involved here. I look great everywhere else on my body, but the middle of me is a big ball of flab.

I had hoped being part of that study would lead me to better lifestyle choices and the tools needed to reach an optimum weight and stay there. Without that, I need something else to hold me accountable. Hence this blog. I'll pretend people are out there reading me and holding me accountable. Who knows, maybe someone actually will.

In a nutshell, I would like to lose those 10 pounds I gained. I have always felt healthiest between 120-125 pounds. At the very least, I'd like to get rid of the belly flab. I do work out fairly regularly -- I'm off to the gym as soon as I hit the publish button here -- and I'm fairly muscular. I work at home, so I lost the natural exercise that had been built into my day, like walking up steps, walking from the parking lot to the office, walking to lunch destinations.

I'm a terrible eater. I can't stand to eat breakfast. I snack late at night. I don't eat as many fruits and veggies as I should. Now, I don't eat cookies or cake or donuts or syrup or pasta or a lot of bad foods. My downfall are salty, crunchy snacks. And I like to have a drink in the evenings.

I need to increase my daily exercise/movement output, change my eating habits, and cut down on the alcohol. On my blog I plan to post my progress, discuss what I eat, and come up with ideas for moving more during the day.

My first goal is to be at 130 by March 10. One month. Six pounds. Possible? My reward: a new bathing suit.