Yesterday was my son's birthday, and I took the kids to the park for a surprise picnic. While I limited the number of choices, I did not skimp on traditional, junk-food picnic fare. Chips, soda, deli-meat, and the chocolatey goodness of bakery brownies.

We had so much fun, the food ended up being an after-thought, and I'm sure I stayed within my points, even though I had given myself permission to indulge this day.

I went home and talked to a good friend on the phone for hours while I cleaned out one side of my garage so I could fit my new car in it. Before I knew it, it was dark, and I had missed dinner. I had a low-point snack and went to bed.

Today I need to haul some of the garage junk to the dump. This decluttering project isn't just about my body, after all. Letting go of the past... facing my fears... doing something instead of merely thinking about it... that's the way it works, isn't it?

I'm excited to weigh in tomorrow. Should be another loss for my body - another big gain for my spirit.

As stressed as he makes me feel, that's how great I'm going to look!

Shiny and New

Darling Estelle just keeps me going. The vivacious Weight Watchers leader motivates me with every inch of her 4-foot-something body. Today was meeting day, and I lost another 2.5 pounds.

It works if you work it.

I have no doubt now that I will reach my goal this summer. I'm so excited, and I really do feel terrific already.

On Saturday, I went to see an old friend of mine from my former gym. He's a pretty honest fellow, and admits he "has no filter" on his mouth. He hasn't seen me in a couple of years, and despite my weight loss, I still weigh much more than I did the last time he saw me.

He told me I looked great.

I tried to deflect the compliment and insisted I weigh much more now than I did before, but I'm losing steadily and feeling good.

He told me I looked great.

As I tried to let the compliment wash over me and soak in, he went on to say that the last time he saw me, I didn't look so good. But now, he said, I looked "shinier, or something."

I can't think of a better compliment than that.

As stressed as he makes me feel, that's how great I'm going to look.

Weight Watchers - Week 7 Update

On Mother's Day, I did some running - 10 miles worth. I still can't believe it. I hopped on my treadmill, and I just kept going. Five miles in the morning and five in the evening. I feel like a million bucks. I'm, like, a runner now, for godsakes.

I'm down about 13 pounds, and I can see a change. I've taken 4 inches off my waist, and most other measurements are down about an inch. (I didn't have the heart to measure my poor bustline.)

A coworker came into my office yesterday and asked me some questions about my gym membership. I answered, and then said she had been wanting to tell me since she saw me first thing in the morning that I look so great and fresh, and she had decided she wanted to do whatever it was that I was doing! :) Now, that's a compliment!

A side-effect, perhaps, is that my sex drive has gone through the roof, and I'm not even having any. I just feel that "on the edge" feeling almost constantly.

Today I had to add a belt to my jeans to keep them up, and the buckle isn't even making my shirt poke out like I have some alien growth on my abdomen. Woo-hoo!

My attitude, my spirit, my outlook... everything has changed along with my body. It's wonderful and amazing. I realize I still have 20 or so more pounds to go, and I can't even imagine what that will feel like. But, I can visualize it, and I do believe I can do it this time.

As stressed as he makes me feel, that's how great I'm going to look... and feel... and... BE!

It Works if You Work It

I'm thrilled to report today's morning scale showed a full 10 pounds lost since this venture began. This is my fifth week on the program, so I think the habits are starting to stick. I feel terrific.

While the only significant change to my body so far is my smaller breasts, I just look better - in some general, vague, can't-put-my-finger-on-it way. My clothes look nicer. People are commenting on my hair or the pretty color of my sweater. Some say I look well and happy. But in the mirror, my body still looks relatively the same size to me.

I'm not complaining.

Maybe the most helpful tip of all for me in Weight Watchers right now is to make my calories count. I'm eating "filling foods" instead of making meals from 2-point chocolate snacks, just because they're "allowed."

I'm dedicated to putting in the prep time, too. It takes planning and effort to eat healthfully. Since I'm usually starving the minute I walk in the door from work, I try to save a snack for late in the day at the office, and I try to have a big bowl of air-popped popcorn sitting on my kitchen counter most of the time for those "if I don't eat, I'm going to DIE" moments.

My cravings no longer rule me, though I do give in from time-to-time.

I'm happy. I'm proud of myself. And my reaching my goal weight seems very promising this time.

As stressed as he makes me feel, that's how great I'm going to look!