Tales of a Weight Watcher

Once upon a time, there was a forty-something woman who wanted to lose weight. She tried curbing her appetite, but there were too many fun things to eat. Then she tried exercising on a regular basis, but found the couch to be much more comfortable. Then, one day, she discovered that none of her clothes fit and she decided it was time to make a change...but how and why would she stick to her diet or exercise routine this time?

The answer to that one is not simple.  I am that forty-something. I used to be a size 4 or 6 - that was before I had children. I used to exercise 4 or 5 days a week - that, too, was before I had children. I used to be able to eat anything without repercussions.  That doesn't happen anymore.

Before my 30th birthday, my sister informed me that my body was going to change the day after I turned 30 - she was right! All of a sudden, I had love handles and cellulite and all of those other awful words we hear on commercials. In my 30s, I had two children, so my body changed again. I didn't worry about it too much. I was active. I taught dance. I had a husband who loved me no matter what I looked like. Eventually, though, I started not liking myself.

This is not an abnormal feeling for a woman. We are used to being more critical of ourselves than of others. Until recently, though, I let those feelings fall to the wayside, telling myself that I would get in shape "some day."  "Some day" is today!

My son will become a bar mitzvah in February. Other than the regular feelings of pride and stress, my mother reminded me that I would be in A LOT of pictures. I want to look good. That may be vanity speaking, but we will look at those pictures for a long time and I don't want people looking at the pictures thinking "that was not a good time for her."

So let the point counting begin. I've done Weight Watchers before and lost weight...then I get lazy. So, if you see me out and about and I'm eating something that is clearly not worthy of my 29 points a day...please remind me, nicely, that there are better things in the world than chocolate. I haven't figured out what they are yet, but I'm sure they exist!