Thinville or Bust

THINVILLE lies in the distant future for all of us. It represents the place we all dare to go to realize our goals and dreams.

The road to Thinville is often long and challenging.  Some individuals will journey many months in their quest to reach the gates of Thinville.  Others may travel for years as they wind through the inevitable hills and valleys they will encounter along the way. Distractions and temptations lurk around every corner.  Discouragement must be met with perseverance.  The strong of heart realize that perseverance leads to success and triumph. Determined champions will keep marching onward, refusing to give up or return to their days in ‘Thickertown’.

Travelers choose many routes to Thinville.  Some walk the entire road. They pace themselves and discipline their days. They know that each small step counts and gets them closer to their destination.  Others run to Thinville. They give it their all right from the beginning. They may get up early in the day to start each day’s journey. They often use more energy and arrive sooner. Still others try to take the bus to Thinville, but the bus will only go so far. Eventually all riders have to get out and navigate the route on their own.  Regardless of the method each traveler chooses, the journey to Thinville must come from deep in the heart and soul of each individual.

Many who choose to make this journey will invite travel companions. Encouragement and accountability for each day’s journey are helped with the assistance of a friend who motivates the spirit when courage is lacking.

The trip to Thinville will become an adventure for many pioneers. The uphill climbs will seem endless and some participants will want to give up. But reaching the top of every mountain means receiving a spectacular view of the road ahead. The next mountaintop challenge will not seem as daunting or overwhelming. AND every uphill climb has a downhill reward on the other side!

Many will choose to travel to Thinville, but only few will enter. Travelers near and far long to settle down and make Thinville their hometown.

 What the heart desires, it can achieve.

 Join me as we each blaze a path to Thinville, where everyone carries cute purses and wears cute shoes.

THINVILLE or BUST!

There is No Weight on Vacation

There is something very liberating about being away from a scale for a week. Somehow when there is no scale, there seems to be no weight. After all, when you are on vacation the world is different. Freedom reigns throughout each day with no time, no boundaries, and no constraints. It is like living in another dimension in space.
And everyone knows you weigh less in space.

Vacation always means socializing with good food and drink. My recent week at the beach was no exception. Lots of fun, sun, food, and fruity drinks. I enjoyed one week of vacation from dieting too.

Some people might say I was in denial about the consequences of my eating habits while on vacation. My philosophy is that vacation is a time to escape from the real world of jobs, schedules, and rules. You are supposed to do whatever suits your fancy. The biggest decision I had to make each day was: pool or beach?

After a glorious week of pretending vacation was my reality, I returned home. The scale loomed big, teasing and taunting me to step aboard. I knew my fate awaited me. When I stepped up onto the scale, reality revealed itself: 3 more pounds showed up. Not terrible, but not good either.
Time to admit: I gained weight on vacation.

I haven’t quite figured out how to get back into real life mode yet. It is taking me a little longer than expected to adjust to living back on planet Earth. But I plan to get back on track and on the road to Thinville again very soon.

However, I have figured out how not to gain weight after vacation-
Simply stay on vacation.

To Tan or Not to Tan

I know too much sun is bad for your skin. I know too much sun can be dangerous. I know I can't afford any more unnecessary wrinkles.

But I couldn't escape the fact that I always seem to look better with sunkissed skin.

Such was my dilemma while on vacation this past week. Sunburn is bad, but suntan is good.

So, I went for for one more opportunity to enjoy the bronzed look that always makes me feel a little thinner. The first day of vacation, I climbed into my new bathing suit and swallowed up as much sun and vitamin D as I thought my skin could handle.
The results were as I expected- very red.

The next day, I cautiously covered up in hopes that the red would slowly turn to beautiful brown. As the week progressed, my skin did slowly take on a much tanner tone. Even the stretch marks and flaws in my legs were less noticeable. And I liked it.

Now I know I am getting older and that every time I soak in the sun I am adding age lines and unnecessary exposure to ultraviolet rays. But I can't help feeling that for the next week or two- wrinkles and skin care just don't matter. I'm going to enjoy the effects of my short-lived week of being a sun goddess.

...then when my tan fades, I'll go back to losing those extra pounds I gained during vacation.

Bathing Suit Bonanza

Today I ventured out into the unknown.

Courageously, I set out into a sea of spandex and stretch fabrics in search of the perfect swimsuit. I admit I was apprehensive as I searched through the endless maze of bikinis, tankinis and slimsuits. It has been many years since I tried to squeeze my body into any type of swimwear. After multiple trips to the dressing room, I settled on a two piece tankini. The top covered my stomach well and the bottoms fit comfortably. A sale was secured.

During my fitting room escapades, I was very happy to discover that I actually fit into a size smaller than I anticipated. The biggest challenge I faced was not the bathing suit itself, but the parts of my body that the suit did NOT cover up- like my thighs. Sadly no matter how flattering a bathing suit may be, it just doesn’t cover up middle age jiggles and spider veins.

I soon realized that it was equally important for me to find a beach cover-up. I changed the focus of my shopping spree to finding a cute and concealing cover-up. I eventually opted for a shorts/shirt combo, knowing in my heart that the shorts would provide a little extra protection against my insecurities when necessary.

And now I ready myself for the final test: wearing the new bathing suit in PUBLIC.

Not to worry. I will once again claim the childhood motto I’ve learned to use in all embarrassing situations:
I don’t know these people and I’ll never see them again.
Works every time.

Sagging Butt Syndrome

Today I caught a glimpse of my butt in the bathroom mirror. I glanced away, but it was too late to ignore what I had seen.

I am a victim of Sagging Buttocks Syndrome, aka S.A.S. The firmly rounded butt I imagined myself keeping forever has been lost - possibly irretrievably. The symptoms were obvious: drooping jeans and a baggy bottom. I chose to ignore them as long as I could.

I must admit I am in mourning for the loss of my butt. I was extremely fond of the taute derriere I possessed in my youth. It shaped my jeans nicely and even brought an occasional glance from construction workers and the like.

Alas, soon my round cream puff backside will become nothing more than a sad flat pancake.

Leg lifts and squats start tomorrow....

To Blog or Not to Blog

Writing a blog about losing weight isn't always exciting.

Losing a pound of weight each week is a slow process- kind of like watching grass grow.

The fact is that the daily events of dieting are boring. Most of us want to flip to the back of the book and find out what happens. I wish I could fast forward to a few months from now and see the thinner version of me.

My daily routine has become very...routine. I am simply trying to stay on track and not veer off the road to Thinville. I eat a sensible breakfast each day, limit my calories, and try to get in exercise whenever possible. I search out healthy, low calorie meal choices and foods constantly. For now, my progress is steady. I know I should increase my efforts, but some days are more challenging than others. I am happy to be staying on course.

Clothes fit me loosely these days, but I refuse to buy smaller pants just yet. I am not satisfied to stay at my current weight. This is just a rest stop along the way.

I have to focus on looking ahead to the end of the journey. Buying clothes now would mean accepting my current weight and that is not an option. Each day must mean progress- no looking back and no staying put!

Next goal: Lose weight worth buying new clothes for!

Rain! Oh no. I Might Melt!

I know this is just an excuse, but all this rain has kept me from getting outside and exercising.









Dieters are allowed to have occasional excuses. It helps us handle our challenges and small setbacks. Today I decided that the weather has really affected my ability to get outside and burn off some calories.

I'm not really convinced that the rain is to blame.
However if I believe that the rain has kept me indoors, then when the sun comes out I will be sure to get right outside and take a long walk.

It sounds really good on paper anyway.