HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

My first post on my new venture.

My first New Year's Day without starting a diet.

When Clifford was born 20 years ago on Inauguration Day. I weighed 142 pounds when I got to the hospital to deliver. One week later I weight 123 pounds. 142 pounds is now my goal weight, and 123 pounds would be considered a pipe dream. So, as much as I would like to blame pregnancy (20 years later) or a "thyroid" problem....not his fault!!!

How did it happen? Obviously 2.5 pounds a year for 20 years. I blame Chico's elastic clothing--maybe I could sue them. If people can sue McDonald's
for "making" people gain weight. I could sue Chico's for allowing me to expand my girth (and expand I have). You did always look good while wearing Travelers (or at least I told that to enough people to begin to believe it). It was black, it stretched, it washed...and you wore it! I am still wearing it, although I have divested myself of all but shirts--ok, I saved one pair of crop pants, I admit it.

Now there is no way around it--I am FAT!! I was given a wonderful gift of Ariel the swimming mermaid doll (did I mention that I love Mermaids?). This lovely gift was from my friend Linell. When I spoke with her today, she asked if it really swam. Yes she got it for me to play with in the bathtub. I had to explain to her that when I get in the bath tub there is only room left for approximately 4 cups of water--clearly not the depth needed for Ariel to swim.

In the past years, I have done Weight Watchers, Atkins, The Zone (I did not just buy the book here--I actually went to Dr. Barry Sears), NutriSystem, Jenny Craig, Marilu, Suzanne Somers, Rosie Daley, Dr. Oz, Harvey Pasternak's 5 Factor Diet, The Biggest Loser, Dr. Clifford Oliver, Ed the Trainer, Jorge Cruse The 12 Second Diet, and Essential Eating--I am sure that I have missed some diet or another. But there is only one bottom line...I have gained 50 pounds...while dieting. So the heck with it...then... P.S. If anyone needs any of these books, let me know!!

I saw the cover of a People/Us magazine. Someone lost 22 pounds without surgery--Amazing!!! Incredible!!! How did she do it?? Let's see--she ate less and exercised more. That's where I have gone wrong. Imagine...no surgery to lose 22 pounds. I am so inspired!!

So...I am not dieting!!! I am going to try to eat less and exercise more (let's face it--anything would be more than I am currently doing).

Here is to a year of no excess, divesting myself of poundage:
personal as well as possessions.
Here is to swimming with the Mermaids in 2010!!
This is the beginning!