It happened this week.  I finally got my butt onto the treadmill and exercised almost everyday!  The iPod Shuffle my son, Jonathan, gave me is loaded with some of my favorite music and once I’m plugged in my goal is to walk through 10 songs.   Ten songs . . . I can do that!

My music is handpicked for it’s steady beat and great lyrics and definitely helps get me through this exercise thing.   Physical activity has never been on the top of my daily “To-Do List” in spite of the fact that I know it feels good to move those muscles that are hidden somewhere beneath my soft and mushy exterior.

I have full knowledge of the fact that “working out” (as they call it these days) lifts my spirits, improves my mood and relieves stress.  I won’t even go into all the other health benefits.  But somehow even knowing all of that it’s difficult to force myself onto that blasted machine for a walk to nowhere.

Many of us have sedentary jobs where we sit hour-after-hour pressing buttons.  Not a good way to tone muscle and blow off steam.  Tap… tap…. tap… just doesn’t seem to cut.  Our bodies are built to move, lift and stretch.

Now don’t get me wrong,  I didn’t run a six minute mile this week on my exercise torture device.  My pace was more on par with a slow moving crustacean and barely faster than that tortoise of Aesop’s Fable fame.

But I can tell you that only a half hour of exercise most days this week netted a nice weight loss.  So technically exercise is a four letter word. Exercise = loss.

Thanks Guys, but No Thanks!

Finally, tonight Bet and I went to Weight Watchers after nearly a month of missed meetings.

I admit that we lingered at the door after seeing a line of members winding around the room waiting for their moment with the scale. Yes, I’m ashamed to admit that we nearly turned and walked away.

While standing in the cold just outside the Weight Watchers meeting place we shared very persuasive arguments in favor of quitting.  Here’s how it went:

Bet:   “Look at the line!”

Me: ” Yeah, long line!  Did you want to wait?”

Bet:  “Do you?”

Me: “I don’t know, do you?”

Me:  “Do you think we can do it on our own?”

Bet:  “I don’t know, do you?”

Bet:  “It would be nice to save the cash.”

Me:   “Yeah. . . I agree.”

And then reality checked in!  There’s no way in heck we can do it on our own. If we could have, we would have and we haven’t. It’s a slippery slope to Fatville and had we walked way without facing the scale tonight rest assured what weight we have lost would have returned with a bonus!

We’ve both been here before and when we joined Weight Watchers in August of 2010 we knew all too well that it was going to be tough. Changing bad habits and trying to conquer our lifelong weight problems is tough business. Tackling a food addiction takes time and takes a true lifelong commitment.

I enjoy food and am only beginning to realize that some healthy, fresh food is as good – sometimes even better – than the over processed, deep-fried, chocolate-covered fare I’ve been partaking of for years on end.

So Bet and I walked through that door and faced the scale tonight. We’re renewed, stewed and ready for grilling with veggies on the side.

Want to reach your goal easily?! Just put your scale on the rug! Wala!

Okay I admit it.  There are really no short cuts to weight loss and good health.  Heavens knows if there were I’d have found them by now.  It’s just that it takes so darn long to lose one measly pound and then to gain that very pound back all I need do is think about eating.

Bet and I, we’re in trenches of this Weight Watchers Adventure and I’m gonna tell you it’s getting really old.  We’re both losing our enthusiasm but are still determined not to quit, although we’ve missed the last four meetings and are blaming it on the weather.  That’s a good one!

I had a brain storm last week when I discovered that if you put your scale on the carpet you can instantaneously loose 50 pounds!  Now if the number on my scale is the only concern I’d be done!   At Goal!   Finito! But it’s not all about the numbers on the scale.  It’s more about being healthy and getting all those other numbers in order.  You know the ones, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar.  Dang, the number on the scale is the very least of my worries.

I suppose in order to get this weight loss thing in high gear I’m going to have to . . . exercise.  Oh no!  I thought I could avoid that part of the equation, but my body is hanging on tight to all my extra – quoting from Bridget Jones Diary – wobbly bits.

Maybe tomorrow I’ll tackle the exercise thing.  Yeah, tomorrow!

The Weight Game... It's about more than the numbers!

The Binge. . .  Let me start off by defining what a “binge” is for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term.   But first, promise no judgment.

A binge (for me) is eating way more than I need, consuming anything and everything I want (and then some) even after a meal has been consumed.   Burp!   The binge is a bad thing in case you haven’t determined that already.

Every foodaholic I know has fallen victim to a binge from time-to-time.   I suppose the term “fallen victim” implies no responsibility for the binge on my part.   But believe you me when a binge commences I alone am the decision maker though I have been inclined to blame others on occasion.

A truth that has become more and more apparent as I walk down this Weight Watcher path is is that when you’re trying to shed those extra pounds and become healthier the binge (even an occasional binge) can be a real setback.  A binge can undo days and days of counting points, planning meals and honoring your body.  In just one moment of weakness all you’ve got is devastation, indigestion and ruination of your efforts.

It’s amazing the crap I might consume in those moments of weakness.  A lint covered chocolate bar can become my Achilles heel.    An inordinate amount of ice cream (the real stuff) sprinkled with whatever can me unearthed in the cupboard can be consumed in record time.  Who knows, during a binge marshmallows and mustard could become an unlikely duo.

The binge is an insidious thief.   It not only robs you of the day,  it robs you of two or three yesterdays.

I’m wondering why I can’t binge on say. . . exercise.   You know jump on the treadmill and exercise my way through those weak moments?   But somehow a nice workout never seems as appealing as a chocolates, lots of chocolates or a bag of nacho cheese Doritos or that marshmallow/mustard treat.

As I get further and further down this weight loss road the binge is a stumbling block of chocolate I’d just as soon avoid.   If only I would.

Trust me... I can't believe it either!

Now if you’ve been following my blog you might already know that I have been struggling with my weight for – well all my life.   Then last August, at my sister’s urging, we decided to join Weight Watchers.  We were prepared for the directive, we know the drill, we’ve been here many times before.  So we weren’t surprised the Weight Watcher’s plan puts emphasis on eating healthy and getting regular exercise.

What we weren’t prepared for is Weight Watchers changing things and redesigning the Points System to pretty much “strong arm” you into eating really healthy stuff.  You know what I mean lots of green stuff, maybe some red stuff and yellow stuff is good too.  Now after dilly dallying for three full months hovering in the same weight neighborhood as a full grown gorilla I decided it was time to knock it off and eat as suggested.

So this week I planned my menu around an abundance of colorful, fresh foods and what a shock.  Holy Cow!  It works!  I felt full, satisfied and not deprived.  I’m still astounded about the whole thing.  Just tonight I filled my plate with the most colorful salad, wheat pasta with sun dried tomatoes.  Man-O-Man!  Really good and I’m still not hungry.

I’ve never been much of a veggie or fruit fan but I feel a conversion taking place.  I like the way I feel, so full of energy and just plain happy to be thinking about something besides food.  Don’t get me wrong I’m still a binger and had a doozie on Saturday but the binges are becoming less and less frequent.  That’s cool!

I wonder sometimes what has changed?  Why am I able to recover and get back on the Plan after a food eating frenzy?  The only thing I can figure is I’m ready to be healthy and while I know that I won’t be model thin, I no longer want that.  I just want to be the best me I can be.  That’s it and that’s enough.