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.

Buckle Up

I have to admit that for the last few weeks I have been slowing down in the right lane while driving to Thinville. My efforts have been steady, but I haven't moved into the passing lane or made any progress losing pounds.

I have not been as disciplined about counting my calories lately. As a result, I am maintaining my current weight - instead of losing pounds.

It is too easy to drive along and not pay attention to my speedometer. Today I realized that during the past 4 months, my average weight loss has only been about one pound per week. That is not terrible, but I had hoped to be about 5-10 pounds lighter at this mile marker.

My beach vacation is only 4 weeks away, and I still can't imagine trying on any bathing suits yet.

The logical next step for me is to buckle up and head into the hammer lane.

I need to speed things up and make some definite efforts to eat less calories and burn additional ones. Yes, that means being more disciplined about eating AND exercising.

However, I am learning that small goals are achievable! Working towards the next milestone of 5 pounds is totally do-able!

I hope some of you can also look ahead 4 weeks and see yourselves 5 pounds lighter. I plan to buckle up and get down to business
I'm sure that seatbelt will fit a lot more comfortably by then too!

Wedding Weigh Ins

Weddings are events the reunite us with friends and family we often have not seen in many years. Such was the case for my husband and I this past weekend. We attended the wedding of a former neighbor’s daughter. We lived across the street from their family over 15 years ago. All our children are now grown and most of us have grown in various ways as well. It seems like just yesterday that we were the thin youngsters saying vows and sitting at the head table…sigh.

As time goes by, our lives change and so do our looks. In fact, the older we get the more likely it is that our weight and waistlines change also. Whenever I expect to meet up with old friends, I still have some apprehension. I wonder what my old acquaintances will think of the newly ‘enhanced’ version of me.

Seeing old friends last weekend at the wedding was actually quite enjoyable. It seemed that most of our old friends had aged and gained right along with us over the years. We all were on equal ground and I realized that we are all trapped in bodies that change without our knowledge.

My 50 year old body is facing the same challenges as every other 50 year old body. I just need to decide if I am going to stand by and let my belly go to pot. Heck no!
My quest to Thinville continues.

Skinny Feels Good

Ultrathin model, Kate Moss, was criticized for promoting extreme thinness after claiming she lives by the motto:
“Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels."

Nobody should ever promote extreme weight loss or eating disorders, but I have to agree that being skinny definitely feels better than being fat.

I wish I was able to convince myself that chocolate doesn’t taste as good as wearing a size 7 feels. Unfortunately when chocolate meets up with my sense of smell, my brain can sense nothing else.

My taste buds always override all other senses and sensibility.

For now, my motto will have to be:


“Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels-
except for chocolate.”

Accessories Make the Woman

Every woman knows that accessories are a necessary part of everything we do. We need accessories to complete our wardrobes, to design our homes, and even to add finishing touches to our hair styles. We carry purses in every color, buy endless pairs of shoes and have jewelry for every outfit.
The fact is: Women are born to accessorize.

Recently, I found a new accessory for my travel bag to Thinville.

I bought myself an insulated drink tumbler. Perhaps some people will consider a plastic cup to be an absurd accessory for a weight loss journey. Still, the sturdy plastic cup has given me the motivation I needed to drink more water. I am happily more hydrated and delighted to carry around my flowery new cup.
Goodbye, boring water bottles. Hello,cute cup!

It’s funny how adding certain items to a diet and exercise regimen can motivate us towards our goals. Going to the gym is difficult for me. The worst part is trying not to draw unnecessary attention to myself when I am surrounded by so many attractive hard bodies. To help restore my confidence, I purchased some flattering workout clothes. Wearing clothing accessories that help me overcome feeling too self-conscious has helped me stay on the road to Thinville too.

During this journey, I also purchased a pedometer to count my steps and a weight ball to tone my muscles. I hope to maximize my use of every item.

Every little accessory, even a simple drinking cup, can motivate individuals towards their goals. What accessories are you finding most helpful on your journey?

The Illusion of Thin

Since losing a few pounds, I have discovered that much of my clothing fits more loosely. There is great comfort (literally) in wearing clothes that no longer restrict my breathing.

I am starting to feel like I actually fit into my own skin again. I was uncomfortable for so long that now I truly appreciate having to pull up my pants now and then.

There are many advantages to wearing clothes that hang loosely from my frame. Today, I started to actually imagine a state of thinness in my mind. I put on a pair of drawstring pants before taking a long walk. The pants were delightfully loose and comfortable. I realized as I walked through my sunny neighborhood, listening to my IPOD, that wearing those pants made me feel thin.

We should all have moments where we feel slim and trim. Today I had one of those moments and it was delightful.
I think I may just put those drawstring pants on again tomorrow.

Feel Thin! Be Thin!

The Magicsuit

Today I received a Victoria’s Secret catalog in the mail. At first, I assumed it was intended for one of my daughters. However after investigating further, I discovered that the catalog was actually addressed to me - or Current Resident.

I doubted that Victoria’s Secret would have any clothing designed to fit my body. However, I decided to research the gold standard in bikini bodies. I discovered that the early pages of the catalog displayed endless teeny weeny bikinis that would never fit the typical woman.
By page 49, I had seen quite enough of the ultra thin bikini models. And then it happened. I turned to page 50 and discovered ‘The Magicsuit’. The first one piece bathing suit in the catalog made claims of slimming, trimming, smoothing and streamlining. The suit's description began: ‘Feel the Magic’ and offered a ‘Quick fix for beach trips!’ Unfortunately, even I realized that the Magicsuit could not fix all that this body requires for the beach. The catalog soon found its way into my circular file.

I feel fairly certain that this 50 year old will never purchase a bathing suit from Victoria’s Secret. I do so miss the days of a tanned tummy, but these days are different. My bathing suit goals have become quite simple:
slim my stomach and smooth the bulges.

Hmm...Maybe I should give that Magicsuit a try after all.

500 Calorie FIASCO!

Many people realize that to lose 1 lb. of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume. Breaking that down into one week's time, you need to reduce your calorie count by 500 calories a day in order to lose a pound. OR You can also choose to exercise off the additional pounds.

Either way, you need to get rid of an average of 500 calories each day in order to lose pounds.

So why is it so darned easy to add 500 calories to what we eat each day?!
Take these 5 common menu items:

 2 Chocolate Chip Cookies: Careful now
 1 bowl Potato Chips: Perilous Snackin' (Plus lots of fat)
 1 Piece Deep Dish Pizza: Epic Fail Ahead
 1 Innocent Little Margarita: Mad Calorie Count
 1 Outback Bloomin Onion: 2210 Calories!
(YIKES! I wasn’t sure if you knew about that one)

You can see why losing a pound a week is such a challenge. Where is a determined calorie counter to turn? No wonder we all face weekend weight gain! It’s just wrong that these 5 harmless foods present such threatening calorie totals.

Woman cannot live on vegetables and Lean Cuisines alone!

500 Calories - My Butt!
No, seriously. 500 calories would go straight to my butt.