174.4 It's All about Adjusting!

Yesterday's post did have a pinch, a rather big pinch of that spice known as self pity. One of my inspirations for this blog is Kathleen who writes her own blog entitled Among The Savages (check it out on the right), a wonderful blog about raising her three young boys that I love to read. Kathleen is a gifted writer and can tell a story with a picture and the perfect words to let you know exactly what is going on.

Anyway, she is also a gifted comment writer! In response to yesterday's poor me post she wrote this: "If you give up you will be sure to fail. Keep going! You have done such a great job so far. You can do this. Your body is just adjusting."

I want to believe that this is exactly what is happening. I've asked a lot of this body over a long period of time, and I agree that it certainly deserves a little time for adjustment. So I am going to adjust to its timetable instead of imposing my wishes on it.

So for now, I'm going with the statement that this body is just adjusting! It's just as simple as that. Thanks, Kathleen!

174.6 Among Other Things, It's About Time!

My friend Loretta just left to return to her home a couple hours north of here. Since she's also lost a lot of weight we had several conversations about how we each lost weight, what we ate, etc. Her approach was in some ways much more dramatic than mine, with many more rules. She didn't eat sugar, she cut way back on salt, and she exercised several hours every day. I ate a lot less than I used to but was into more variety and not depriving myself of too many things, as along as what I ate was healthful. And, because of my back issues, I didn't exercise as much everyday as she did.

One thing we both did was to quit drinking. We were laughing about all the wine we used to drink together before we came to our senses and decided that was not going to be possible for us to continue to do if we were serious about weight loss.

In the end, we both agreed that there are lots of ways to lose weight, and what works for one person may not work for another. We also both acknowledged that what we had going for both of us was time because we are both retired and our time is our own to organize. And, we both really wanted to change. Loretta, I'm gonna miss you.

186.8 Behind The Mask Of Time

Okay, I'm just putting it out there! It really did not feel great when Julien, my almost 4 year old grandson, asked me if I was old! (See post dated 3/19/10.) I tried to laugh it off, but it has hung around in my mind. In fact, I had noticed along with losing all this weight that I was gaining in wrinkles. The two are probably related. Depending on my mood, either I've been threatening to have a major face lift when I reach my weight goal of 170, or I have been more relaxed about the appearance of a large city road map all over my face and suggested just a good dose of Botox now and then may do the trick.

What's funny about wrinkles is that the wearer doesn't see them, except when looking in a mirror. Even though I'm older now, the essence of my being hasn't changed over the years. I'm still the 20 - 25 year old that I used to be experiencing the world from behind my face. And that's what I tried to explain to my grandsons after the shock of Julien's question wore off. I told them to think of my wrinkles as make-up that they may have worn as a part of a Halloween costume or for a part in a school play. Whatever they put on their faces didn't change who they were inside.

And, you know, I have to remind myself of that very idea when I see someone with more wrinkles than I have. I have to remember to look for that very special ageless being behind the mask of time.