Making a life changing decision about your weight takes a lot of guts! Believe me, I know.  I have made the same one a hundred times. This year I am going to get into shape. I'm going to walk (run, bike, zumba) my way back into a size 8. What I didn't take into consideration was that in order to make a life changing decision of epic proportions, your will power has to be on board.  Oh, my mind was with me....I saw myself (in my minds eye) running down the beach in a cute little bathing suit, wind blowing my hair (you know like one of those models in a swimsuit ad), and people actually looking and admiring me instead of laughing.  My determination was with me...I actually threw out doughnuts, candy, ice cream, chips, etc. My jeans were with me. They actually sighed with relief when I proclaimed my decision to myself in the mirror.  They were worn out from having to stretch to make room for the excess weight I kept stuffing into them every morning because I refused to go up another size. But, will power??? Nope, he was definitely not on board! I think he was out to lunch. LOL!

But, enough is enough, and in November of 2010 I had enough.  I made a verbal commitment in front of about 20 ladies that this time my decision to lose weight was SERIOUS and Mr. Will Power was coming along for the ride whether he wanted to or not.  So in 11 weeks, I lost 21.5 lbs., and although I do not fit into a size 8, and cute little bathing suits are for cute little girls not 60 year old grandmothers; people have actually looked at me and admired my smaller size.  My jeans are now happy when I pull them out of the drawer, because they no longer feel the tugging and pulling, and stretching that was causing them to get all bent out of shape.

Girls, YOU have taken that same step that I did back in November, that final decision to Lose It For Ever, and I am here to help. I can't hold you hands, but I can sure give you the tools, the encouragement, and the support you are going to need to whoop diet failure's butt!  I look forward to seeing of less of you real soon.

Oops, I forgot to check the mirror!

Have you ever wondered if someone forgot to look in the mirror before they left the house? I have! Man, some of the outfits people wear out in public just blow my mind.  But then, I stop and wonder if anyone sees me and says, "Man, don't she own a mirror?"  I guess it's true, "Beauty IS in the eye of the beholder."

We've all heard that beauty is only skin deep, but what's on the outside IS important, because if YOU aren't happy with the woman in the mirror, ain't nobody gonna be happy. If you don't believe me, ask your husband, or a trusted friend, if they can tell a difference in your attitude when you feel good about yourself.

And speaking of mirrors, it's amazing how you can totally ignore a 3 ft. x 5 ft. reflective object in the same room with you. But boy when I've put on extra pounds, I refuse to look at myself in the mirror.  That makes the extra pounds a little easier to live with or it makes it a little bit easier to ignore them.  But they are still there, and I find if I don't do something about them, eventually they invite their friends and family over for the party and before you know it, in just a few short months, there are 15, 20, or 30 uninvited guest pounds taking up residence on my hips, thighs, stomach, and midriff. 

So, those pounds are not going to magically disappear, and they will only leave for a season unless we change the lifestyle that got us where we are.  We have to first undo the damage, and extra weight is damaging.  Next we have to change our mindset and our life style.  We have to learn that we eat a whole lot more than we think we do, and we have to make up our minds that, "TODAY IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST DAY OF THE BEST OF MY LIFE".  No BEST is not a typo. Once you make up your mind that you want to get to a healthier weight it will be a better life.

So, are you ready to do this?  I think you are!

I Love You Just the Way You Are!

How many times have we heard that?  I think it's a cop out and a cover up, because usually it comes from someone we love, like our moms, dads, husbands, boyfriends, etc., and they don't want to hurt our feelings. Unless of course you're married to Leon. When I asked him if I was getting fat he said, "Well, your bigger now than you were last summer"!  Oh well, I asked for it, right?  I mean really, we ask these questions like we don't already know the answer. Come on, you got a mirror, you got two eyes. Face it, you know exactly what you look like, and whether or not you are bigger than you should be (that's polite talk for FAT).  Now granted, I have heard some size 4 say, "OMGoodness, I can't believe how big my butt is", and I just want to poke her eyes out.  I think people like that just want attention....like they don't already have everybody staring at that awesome body anyway.

Well, face it girls a size 4 we aren't, and for the most part never will be. However, we can be a size or two smaller than we are now and make a big difference in how we look, how we feel, and how we see ourselves.  It is my hope that you will use this blog to write down your feelings, your successes, your slip ups, and your concerns, and if you do, I'll do my best to add my two cents worth.  I love you guys and hope that what I share with you will help you help yourselves to slip into something a little smaller real soon.