Look! My pants are getting baggy!

As a person with a slow-normal metabolism, I'm always needed to exercise regularly if I was going to have that second helping or dessert. I am a veteran of most of the diets out there. I find nutrition interesting and read on it.

Back in 1977, I interviewed the author of the liquid protein diet, and decided to try it. A pathologist in the area was doing the weekly bloodwork and oversight this diet required, and I was really motivated. Fortunately, about the same time, the manufacturer came out with a liquid protein flavor that didn't require mentholatum in the nose to choke down (I was REALLY motivated.) I worked out five times a week while on the diet and read a number of books on dieting and eating psychology and how to change my lifestyle. I quit tasting anything when I was cooking. I still don't. In 21/2 months, I lost 65 pounds, and I never felt better or had more energy in my life. I learned to enjoy the feeling of an empty stomach. (My husband, however, said he caught me several times caressing the food in what he thought was an unseemly way.) Re-entering the eating world was a little touchy before I settled on a comfortably full feeling that wasn't feeling stuffed and settled down.

Yeah, I know. Lose it fast, gain it back immediately. Well, I kept at least 80 percent of that weight off 20 years. And I continued to work out.

And then I developed RA and sat down on my bum. Lost mass quantities of muscle tone, and gained, mmmm, about 50 pounds. I don't quite know why I did that. I knew better. I didn't and don't want to become debilitated, but I made sure that's what happened. Go figure.

For the last year, I've been following my "little plate" rule--if it fits on a luncheon-size or salad plate, I can have anything I want. No layering allowed. The tummy becomes accustomed. And almost effortlessly, I was losing two to four pounds a month.

Something happened about two months ago or more. I lost my appetite, for one thing. It was summer and sultry, but--I just wasn't hungry. So I quit eating. At all, some days. No, I didn't forget to eat. Eating anything just sounded icky. Last coupla weeks, my energy has been shot. Big surprise there.

I don't have any scales. Last week was my birthday, which is my day for making resolutions and goals, rather than New Year's. So the day before, I plugged my quarter into the electronic digital scales at the grocery store. And nearly fainted. I had lost a significant amount of weight. The next day at a friend's, I weighed on her scales. Yep, hers were lighter than the grocery's. I had really lost that weight. And once I noticed, I began to see how roomy my pants and shirts have become. I haven't lost so much I need a new wardrobe yet, but my clothes are definitely roomy.

Yeh, I had farkled my health and done stupid stuff but I had lost weight. Always a thrill for this woman. Well! I thought. Now to build on this. So I've started on a regimen to eat three meals a day (don't always make it),and put nothing but healthy food in my mouth (and I do count the two scoops of ice cream Thursday). Fortunately, I really, really like squash, brussel sprouts and broccoli. A week later, my energy level is almost back to normal. And I've lost another three pounds, which is a little fast for a sedentery 64-year-old woman. I've started exercising again. I'm seeing a chiropractor for some of the back problems. I am hopeful for the first time in a long time. Won't it be nice if my doing something stupid turns out well? I have more results already than I had expected, however ill-gotten. The effort I am now putting in is worth it, whatever the results. I have to remember that.

First-born Syndrome is almost killing my oldest son, I think, who is aquiver with desire to tell me what I need to do next and to pick up the pace on what I am already doing. But he is holding his tongue, because he really does love his mother. And I appreciate it. Second-born is more laid back. He just makes "keep comin" signals with his hands.

I had to write about this, since I am so intently scrutinizing my own navel at the moment. A lot of my concentration is here for now. And God knows we women will almost always show interest in another woman's tale of, "There I was when I lost weight" story.

My knees are very grateful. They have quit hurting the day after my cycling exercises.

So I will see where this next year takes me. And I will try to be more mature in my behavior henceforth. In the meantime, it's kind of fun for a change to be trying to eat MORE calories instead of cutting down. That won't last long, of course, but still.