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.

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.

Lessons About Exercise DVDs

I have purchased my fair share of home fitness DVDs and have recorded exercise programs straight from the T.V. as well. The T.V. screen speaks to us daily, but it doesn’t always motivate us to get up off our feet and moving.

Here’s what I have learned about exercising in front of the T.V. screen:

1. Exercise requires discipline.
Any form of physical exercise requires motivation and effort. Whether you get up and go to the gym or get up and move furniture in your living room, you just need to do it.

2. Some DVDs work for home exercise and some just don’t.
• The first exercise tapes (yes, I said tapes) I ever purchased were Tae Bo tapes with Billy Blank. They had enough variety to appeal to me and the boxing moves were unique enough to keep my interest. I actually used those tapes frequently and even go back to them occasionally today.
• The DVDs that do NOT transfer to living room exercise include the likes of Zumba. Something about dancing and whooping it up by yourself in your living room just doesn’t work. Zumba is a group workout. Part of the fun of the Zumba Zoo is squealing along with other dance-crazed individuals. Another DVD theme that just doesn’t work in my living room is a Walking Workout. I was recently given a Walking DVD as a gift and found it to be boring with a capital B. I love to get outside and walk and I just can’t figure out why I would want to march in place in my living room instead.

3. The instructors leading the DVDs should be in AWESOME physical shape.
If I am being led by individuals who look as out of shape as me, I wonder how effective the workout is. The same is true when I go to aerobics classes. If the teacher in the class isn’t in fantastic shape (and I know SHE is doing the workout 4-5 days a week), I question the results I can expect. If you are a trainer, aerobics instructor or DVD coach, your personal fitness sells your product and/or services. Motivate me by example!

4. Some homes accomodate exercising in front of the T.V. better than others.
I have always had to move furniture in order to exercise at home. None of my living rooms have ever been easily transformed into workout areas. Some people are blessed to have basements or rooms devoted to working out. Others require some challenges finding the space you need. But in most cases, there ARE ways to accommodate your spacial needs.

5. Children and pets can create challenges.
When my children were small, they always saw my exercise time as fun time for them. Almost every DVD or T.V. fitness show includes high energy music, which every child loves. Additionally, there are few children who don’t want to try leg lifts or arm stretches for themselves when they see mommy doing it. Pets can often get worked up by the music and activity levels too. Unless your pet is used to seeing you moving all over the living room, you may find that Fido thinks it is playtime too.

Every ‘at home’ exercise program is going to have challenges. Getting up and getting started is the key.
Speaking of: Time for me to put on my walking shoes and head outside for a long walk.

An Apple a Day Keeps the Pounds Away

For years doctors have been touting the benefits of apples. Apples have healthy advantages that many other fruits do not provide. Apples contain less sugar than many other fruits, and are also high in fiber.

Many people crave crunchy foods and the texture of apples often satisfies that desire. Additionally, the lower sugar content in apples helps keep insulin levels balanced. In turn, apples may help individuals avoid the ‘need to eat’ syndrome that is created by sweeter fruits like bananas. The fiber content in apples helps improve cholesterol levels too. Some studies even show that people who eat an apple before meals tend not to consume as many calories during meals. Individuals who eat 1 or 2 apples a day have been shown to consistently lose weight over time.

Apples are great portable snacks that can be taken and eaten anywhere. They are tasty additions to salads, cereals and meals. I happen to bake a mean crumb apple pie, but it packs a lotta mean calories!

Since I also love treats like apple crisp, I have found a good low calorie alternative to pie as follows: Peel and slice about 5 granny smith apples. Layer the apple pieces in a square baking dish. Combine, about 3 T. sugar, 3 T. butter, 1/3 c. rolled oats with cinnamon and vanilla to flavor. Layer mixture on top of apples in baking dish. Bake at 350° covered about 30 minutes, then uncovered about 20 minutes more. Makes about 8 delicious servings, each about 190 calories. Top with lowfat frozen vanilla yogurt for added delight.

Go Green- Apples!

You Can Be Fit over FIFTY!

There are many inspirational individuals who have healthy bodies to motivate all of us. I suppose there aren't as many publicized photos of people 50 and older who have superfit bodies, but they ARE out there.

We are exposed to many of the most attractive 'bodies 50 and over' by the media, particularly magazines. Recently, Valerie Bertinelli lost 50 pounds, celebrated her 50th birthday and got married. She looks great and seems happier than ever.

Christie Brinkley is over 50 (actually closer to 60), as fit as ever AND claims not to have had plastic surgery. She attributes her healthy, good looks to great genes, an active lifestyle and a wonderful dermatologist. Whatever she is doing, it's working.

And then there are the men. It is a well known fact that men tend to lose weight quicker than women. They also have more muscle and usually know a lot about toning those muscles. I remember being shocked when I saw 62 year old Ricardo Montalban in the movie: Star Trek II The Wrath of Kahn. Montalban was a long way from his days on Fantasy Island. He had an amazingly buff chest and physique. People challenged his appearance, but movie producers confirmed that he did NOT wear a prosthetic chest. Montalban was simply in great physical shape for his age and had the chest to prove it.

The days of accepting that we are too old to be in great physical shape are gone. It is time to start looking ahead so that we can adapt healthy lifestyles for tomorrow.

The average life expectancy today is between 75 and 80 years of age. Additionally, it is thought that 1 out of every 5 people may live to be over 100 years of age. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives!

Whether you are 20-30-50 or 70, what you do today decides how you will live tomorrow.

No Cake Zone!

Note to Self:

You cannot watch ANY television shows that have the word 'CAKE' in the title.

That includes Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes, Amazing Wedding Cakes, Wedding Cake Wars and anything related to cake baking. The allure of cake is too great. The taste of cake lingers too strongly in your mind. The smell of cake is too easily brought to life by the sight of any bakery environment seen on T.V.

Just be thankful you didn't have any cake in the house this time.

Next time you may not be so lucky!

A Traveler's Poem

There once was a woman
from Spring Hill,
Who set out on a course
To find Thinville.

She ate less and less,
tried to decrease her stress,
and discovered the pathway
to true happiness.

She learned that the journey was daunting
Thinville often seemed far, far away
The path was uphill and uncharted
So easy to detour astray.

But onward the woman did travel,
The end of her journey in sight.
She followed the road map to Thinville
And her waist reappeared overnight.

Her body began to trim down.
No longer did she wear a frown.
From morning to night
She was a new sight,
And she worked it all over the town.

She continues her journey to Thinville
Determined to stay on the road.
When it comes to the calories and cookies
The traveler must lighten her load.

And now as she looks to the future,
She knows in herself she must trust,
There’s certainly no turning back now-
‘Cause it’s either Thinville or Bust!

Good Calories vs. Bad

Calorie counters have many opinions about the types of calories they consume.

Some individuals focus only on the amount of calories they take in at each meal. Others choose the quality of the calories contained in their foods. What counts is keeping track of what you eat and how much food you eat. However, deciding what types of calories you eat CAN make a difference.

Many of the foods that we bring into our kitchens are processed. Processed foods last longer. They are more convenient to store and eat for busy families who are often on the go. BUT staying away from processed foods is a smart decision. Not only are highly processed foods low in nutrition, they don’t satisfy hunger. There is a reason ‘nobody can eat just one’ potato chip or cheese curl. Processed foods also have large amounts of added salt, sugar and fat in order to compensate for the taste that is lost during the refining process.

Natural foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains are absorbed slowly in our bodies and satisfy our feelings of hunger. Foods in their most natural state also have the highest nutrient and fiber contents. Apple or orange juices without pulp have less fiber and nutritional value than in pure juice form. Boiled vegetables have less vitamins than those eaten in raw or steamed form.

If you want to increase your weight loss potential, pay attention to the quality of the calories you eat. Eating less salt, sugar and fat is always wise. Natural foods always benefit our bodies most.

All foods are not created equal. Go natural!