Average Weight Gain Over The Holidays

I just read today that the average weight gain over the holiday season is eight to 10 pounds.

It's not just those two huge holiday meals that'll do us in.

It's the two big meals PLUS potlucks, holiday lunches with the co-workers, fast food while we're out shopping, cookies, candy, and perhaps worst of all, the goodies brought into the office by the (usually skinny) co-workers to "share" with the rest of us.

This is a hard time to try to lose weight. However, it's not quite so bad if you just try to maintain.

As the experts say, if you eat right 80% of the time, the other 20% won't be so bad...

The Two Month Eating Season Begins!

Oh, yes, here we are again.

The day after Halloween begins the two month eating season, which culminates in a feast on New Years Day.

Pumpkin, apple, cherry, sweet potato pies.

Mashed potatoes and gravy.

Massive amounts of roast turkey (actually, I smoke mine) and/or ham.

Potlucks at work, church, neighbors, family.

Candy and cakes and sweets everywhere.

Eggnog and mudslides and alcohol.

Honestly, I'm not trying to lose weight during this time.

I just want to focus on maintaining where I am and emphasize the positive things in my life.

There's plenty of time during the dark gloomy days of January to get that inner donkey back on the right path to good health and smaller dress sizes.

The two month eating season has begun.

Want a piece of cake?

Soup Is Good For You

In these hard economic times, soup is a great way to both help your diet and conserve your money.

Refrigerator Soup

Open the refrigerator.

Pull out all the leftovers.

Hmmm, leftover chicken or steak or hamburger or sausage or ham, chop it up and put it into the post.
Potatoes, dice up, or if mashed, add all to pot.
Vegetables, add to pot, with juice.
Beans of any kind, add to the pot.
Tomatoes, chop fresh, canned, just add to the pot.
Add onions, lemon pepper, garlic, seasoned salt to taste.
1 teaspoon sugar
Wilted celery? Chop and add to the pot.
Add water to cover.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Taste and adjust spices to taste.

Eat.

Basically, you're making the leftovers into a new meal, so your family that won't touch a leftover will think it's something new and different.

And by making it a bit brothy, you save calories. Yummy!

Not Even In Plus Sizes!

I was whining about my weight again.

I used to be a hottie, now I'm middle aged and things have "settled".

I was going on about it and my daughter stopped me in my tracks.

"Mom, you're not hardly fat! You aren't even in plus sizes!!"

OM freaking Goodness!

SCREEEEEEECH!!!!

The child is right.

I've fallen into the fat mentality, not seeing myself as she does, as others do, as God does.

I've been letting the scales rule my life.

I'm still the hottie I was back then, I've just matured and my body has matured with me.

So while I still need to lose some pounds, I need to do it for myself. Not for my past, but for my future.

Because my knees like it when I'm a little lighter. Because I need to exercise and tighten up so it's easier to complete my projects around the house. Because my asthma doesn't act up when I'm following the plan and drinking lots of water. Because my fat ass needs to get busy and DO something.

Oh, yes, I'm on the right track, I can feel that inner donkey going "eeh haw, eeh haw" even as I type.

I can't get side-tracked by the day-to-day temptations.

I'm not even a plus size!

Oh my, it's really a epiphany! Not even a plus size!

Wow.

Moderation Is The Key

Moderation.

I can eat anything I want. But I can only have one piece of cake, two cookies, one piece of pie, two slices of pizza. And so on.

Moderation is the mantra that I should follow every day.

Yummm, Lentil and Ham Soup

I made Lentil and Ham Soup last night.

Lentil and Ham Soup

1 pound red lentils
plenty of water to cover
Bring to a boil and simmer at least 30 minutes.

Add:
Chopped ham (or sausage, or whatever meat you have left over)
2 cubes chicken bouillon
Chopped or dried minced onions
Garlic
Lemon pepper
about 2 heaping tablespoons of sugar
1/2 bag frozen collard greens
chopped carrots
1 can diced tomatoes with juice

Simmer together for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

Eat.

The great thing is that this is low fat and high fiber. The bit of ham you add really doesn't add much in the way of calories or fat, since it makes a big pot of soup. You can also make it in a large crock pot if you want.

There was enough to pig out, and still pack some into freezer containers to take to work next week.

You Are What You Eat

Visualize this, that yummy cheeseburger you're chowing down on is (depending on the restaurant) between 60 and 75% fat.

Imagine it, over half, maybe three quarters, of that burger is a big glob of yellow, blubbery fat.

It matches the cellulite on your butt and legs.

Dang.

That old saying, "Through the lips -- to the hips," is oh so true!

However, if you choose the Subway Six-inch Turkey Breast Sandwich, you'll find that the total fat is 7%. Now that's more like it!

We all know about Jarrod, the Subway man who lost a LOT of weight by eating Subway and walking. Now, the nutritionist I read said that his diet wasn't all that bad but it needed more vegetables and some dairy to make it perfect.

If you really must have fast food, there's some easy ways to keep your calorie/fat count down.

First, of course, check your calorie counter book that you keep in the glove box. (You DO have one, don't you?)

Second, drink water not soda.

Third, portion control! That child-size cheeseburger really is the proper portion. You don't have to biggie, biggie-biggie, or biggie-biggie-biggie your meal. Moderation is key. Small burger, small fries, water or milk is best for you!

Forth, check the calorie count on that salad before you order! Ironically, the small cheeseburger might be a better choice, calorie wise, than the salad or chicken or fish sandwich!

Yes, I know, that grilled sourdough sandwich with a large order of fries and soda are so yummy.

But were you planning on eating anything else today?

Fat sticks, fiber slides on through. Gross but true...

Yes, we are what we eat.

Eat This Not That

That's the title of the book my daughter's father gave her.

Eat This Not That by David Zinczenko is pretty interesting, with lots of pictures and advice on what to eat -- and what NOT to eat.

For example, McDonald's recommended choice is the Quarter Pounder (410 calories), not the Grilled Chicken Club (570 calories)! What, not the Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken and Low-Fat Vinaigrette (290 calories)? Are you kidding?

Or Sonic -- eat the Sonic Burger with Mustard (540 calories), not the Chicken Club Toaster Sandwich (690 calories). Again, the Grilled Chicken Salad with no dressing is only 355 calories. With a low fat dressing, you're still under 400 calories!

And I noticed, the choices don't include fried. Look, if you can't have the fries, dang, you might as well have a salad.

It's a nice little book, very interesting, but I do take issue with some of the Eat This choices. There are lower calorie choices available.

It's a nice little book that makes you think about your food choices.

Recommended!!

Salt, Salt, Salt

Oh my gosh, this has been a bad, bad week for the salt.

I like to have stuff at work, so I don't have to go out to eat and be tempted by the Jack in the Box Grilled Sourdough with Curly Fries (ouch, ouch, ouch!).

But I've been trying to pay close attention to my salt intake, since I bloat up like a pig.

Dang! Do they put salt in everything? I can hardly buy a can of dang soup without it having a bunch of salt in it!

According to the USDA guidelines, I shouldn't eat more than 2,400mg of sodium (salt) a day. Oh my gosh, if I ate that much sodium, I wouldn't be able to bend my fingers, I'd be so bloated!

I'm trying to limit my (known) sodium intake to half that amount.

It's hard!

I feel for people who have high blood pressure and other conditions. I'm just trying to keep the sodium down to avoid bloat. The poor folks who have serious health conditions, oh my, how do they manage??

So, anyway, the goal is to keep the daily sodium count down.

Sigh. I'm doing the best I can...

Link:
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/NutritionInsights/insight3.pdf#xml=http://65.216.150.153/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=sodium++limit&pr=MyPyramid&prox=&sufs=2&order=r&mode=&opts=&cq=&sr=&id=4592b6e24

Exercising With My Daugher

Oh dear. That was NOT a good thing.

She wanted me to work out with her. '

Naturally, it was at a time that I needed to fix something to eat for her little brother (she wasn't hungry).

But I said, "OK, but I may not be able to do all the video." (Because of my knees, I've been healed, but if I push too hard, they remind me that I'm not as young as I used to be...)

So we start off with the Biggest Loser video.

"Mom, you're not doing that right."

"Mom, straighten your leg."

Mom this and Mom that. Blah, blah, blah.

I can never do anything right, Miss Control Issues was nattering at me until I stopped doing the exercises and went into the kitchen.

Of course, my dear child got upset with me.

My point of view is, if you aren't enjoying it, then don't do it. Exercise is a chore sometimes, yes, but we have enough stress in our lives, we don't need someone constantly nattering at us about whether or not we have an arm perfectly straight or we're bouncing up and down on our heels instead of doing jumping jacks.

If any well-meaning family members are reading this, trust me, nagging and nattering DO NOT HELP.

In my case, I always have something better to do than to listen to it. I will leave the room, I may leave the house, rather than be nagged.

If I wanted to be nagged, I'd still be married...

My Super Easy Tomato Soup

This is SO easy!

My Super Easy Tomato Soup
1 can condensed Tomato Soup (low sodium if you can find it)
1 can Diced Tomatoes with juice (do not drain)

Mix together in a microwave safe bowl or saucepan. Add dried onion and/or garlic powder to taste. Add a tiny bit of water if it's too thick for your taste.

Nuke until bubbling, or bring to a boil on the stove top, simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Stir, serve, eat. Great with crackers or a small sandwich or salad.

You can keep the ingredients on the shelf at work. Easy to store, easy to fix for a hearty lunch at work.

Assuming you eat the whole thing, less than 300 calories for about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of soup.

NOTE: Using Mexican style tomatoes is a yummy variation for those who are craving Mexican food but don't dare brave the fat and calories at the local Mexican restaurant!

Eat Like A King

Back in the day, I had an acquaintance that lost a lot of weight.

How did she do it?

Her personal plan was very simple.

Breakfast: Eat like a King.

Lunch: Eat like a Queen.

Dinner: Eat like a Pauper.

In other words, she had a big, hearty breakfast, a small lunch, and a tiny dinner.

I find this kind of amusing, because just recently there's been some interesting studies about dieting. People who ate a hearty breakfast with protein and carbs tended to eat a smaller lunch and dinner, and lost, on the average, 40 pounds and KEPT IT OFF!

Hello?

I think that girl was onto something. I know it worked for her...

Make Your Own Plan

I was listening to the TV while I was working at the computer this morning and heard the latest NutriSystem ad.

Look, you don't need that stuff (and it's nasty, no wonder people lose weight on it).

If you need to have pre-made meals, instead of using an expensive plan like NutriSystem or Jenny Craig, go right to your local grocery store and look to see what's on special in the frozen meal section. Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, etc can be bought for less than $2 per meal when they're on sale.

I know, they're a little short on the amount of food. Yes, I have another idea for you.

The trick is that you also get some packages of frozen vegetables that match the veggies in the frozen dinners. So you nuke up that Alfredo Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli (250 calories) and in a separate bowl, you also nuke up at least a cup or two of frozen broccoli (35-70). When everything is hot, mix it all together.

Voila! Twice as much food for another 30 to 50 calories!

AND, if you're really hungry, add a simple salad to your meal. Lettuce, tomato, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, or a LIGHT sprinkle of cheese (feta, blue, shredded cheddar or jack) plus a light dressing will add between 50 and 300 calories to your meal, depending on what you add to the salad.

AND, you can even add a couple of cups of basic vegetable soup for about 100 calories.

So for the 300 or so in the frozen dinner plus veggies, plus another 100 or for a simple salad, plus 100 for the soup, you've made a full meal for about 500 calories.

So, here's a simple plan for you:

Breakfast @ 250 to 350 calories
2 Hard boiled or scrambled eggs (200) plus toast (120)
or Cereal with milk (250-300)
or Yogurt mixed with fruit and granola (300)

Lunch @ 300 calories
Plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and granola (300)
or Small Subway sandwich, 6 grams of fat or less (300ish)
or Salad with tomatoes, hard boiled egg, veggies and light dressing (200 to 200 calories)
or No-fat cottage cheese with fruit or vegetables

Dinner @ 600 calories
Frozen dinner with extra veggies (300ish)
Salad (200)
Soup (100)

Snacks
100 calorie packs (100)
or
Microwave popcorn (average 40 per cup)
or
1 serving of your favorite cookies (150)
or
Fresh fruits (100-200)
or
Fresh carrots (50)

If you're following a lower calorie plan you should try to eat around 1200 to 1500 calories a day. If you're starting at a maintenance level, shoot for 1800 calories per day.

No matter what your personal eating plan is, be SURE to have protein, fruits and/or vegetables, dairy, and a starch every day. The nutrition pyramid can be seen here: http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html.

And don't forget, water and exercise are your friends.


Basic Vegetable Soup
1 can mixed vegetables
1 can carrots or green beans or other favorite vegetable
1 can beans of any kind (white, pinto, kidney, black)
1 can tomatoes (any style)
1 can low sodium broth (any kind)
Spices: dried onions, garlic, pepper to taste

Heat to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Eat.

Drive-Thru Woes

Oh, woe is me! I just found our copy of 2006 Edition Calorie Fat & Carbohydrate Counter.

Oh, man, the drive-thru woes!

I LOVE Jack in the Box. The commercials are so dang funny!

But the food, oh my goodness!

For example, the Sourdough Jack meal. Burger @ 715 calories + curly fries @ 400 + diet soda = a whopping OH NO at 1115 calories.

OK, if all I was going to eat that day, plus maybe a few cups of coffee with fake sugar and sugar free creamer, and some vegetable soup for dinner, maybe I could do this. But the fat grams alone are 51 + 22. 73 grams of fat for one meal.

I don't think so.

Now I do love the McDonald's Bacon Ranch Salad with low fat vinaigrette. With the grilled chicken, that's only 250 calories + dressing at 40 calories. A light lemonade adds a few more calories, but for about 300 calories, only 9 grams of fat, that's a much better choice.

Be aware though. the Wendy's salad, very similar and even tastier, is 330 calories with NO croutons or dressing. Add those, and your salad grows to 680 calories with 46 grams of fat. On a healthy eating plan, you have to be very, very careful about where you order your salad. And what you eat the rest of that day...

Staying out of the drive-thru is a good thing. But sometimes we have to go there and we CAN make better choices and avoid the drive-thru woes.

Put a copy of your calorie counter in the glove box and before you "drive-thru", make a plan. Trust me, your scales (and you) will be happier for it!

If you want to order a book, hey, do me a favor and use my Amazon search box over to the side. Just put in the name of the book or the author you're searching for. I'll get a nickel or so for your purchase of Calorie Fat & Carbohydrate Counter or any other book you order through that link. (It doesn't count if you bookmark and go back later, I only get credit if you use my link. THANKS!!)

AOL Has Tips On Diet And Health

I am perusing the hints on AOL this morning and I thought I should share the link with my friends who are battling their own inner donkeys.

There are reasons why you and I may need to lose a few pounds, and some of them are related to hormones and our personal body chemistry.

Now, this might take a minute to load, there are a lot of pictures, so give it a little time. http://www.aolhealth.com/diet/basics/avoid-binge-eating?icid=100214839x1207098120x1200367224

I liked this tip: "If you need starches, yams and white potatoes (with skin) are 7 times more filling than a croissant. Sorry, French fries don't count."

Back when I worked for the graphics firm in San Francisco, I ate a baked potato for lunch every day. My weight was easily maintained at my prime party size. Now, I have to admit, I did use fake butter powder on my potatoes, it was easier to transport a bag of potatoes and a bottle of Molly McButter on the vanpool van. People thought I was crazy. LOL, science has proved me right!

Of course, I have to admit that I was also down at the club every Friday and Saturday night, jamming to the hip hop beat. I'm sure I burned a boatload of calories, since I didn't drink alcohol. Water or an orange juice or a Shirley Temple, that was it for me!!

(Unless some clown insisted on buying me a drink. I mean, like he wouldn't take "No thank you" for an answer. Then I'd call the waitress over and tell her "Bring me an orange juice, but charge him for a screwdriver." LOL!)

I think I'll go get a bag of potatoes or sweet potatoes today.

Remember, a low carb diet may work for you, but my body needs carbs too. We are all different, so a one size fits all eating plan may not work for you.

I know it doesn't work for me...

Get Out Of The Drive-Thru!

Yes, the drive-thru at the local fast food joint, or Starbucks, or even the ATM at the bank is bad for you.

You're tempted to overeat, you get some sugary latte or frappachino, you take out too much money, you don't get your behind off the seat and walk!

Even that tiny action of getting out of the car and walking into the place is better for you than sitting.

We all sit too much. Driving, commuting, sitting at the computer all day.

Get up and move!

And get out of that drive-thru!

Same Old, Same Old

Well, I was really trying to follow my rule of moderation this week.

I was tired.

That's NOT good for an eating plan.

When you're tired, you eat for energy.

For example, Thursday night, I was driving home. I was hecka tired. So I stopped halfway home and got a milkshake. My stomach had been feeling a bit queasy, so I thought it was help settle my poor tummy, cool me off (my a/c is broken), and give me some energy to make it home.

Well, that was all good.

But then, got home, and my daughter made tacos.

Now, if you have teens, you know that IF they actually pick themselves up and cook, you MUST eat it. Otherwise, OMGosh, the drama!

Yeah, not a good start for the weekend. If I had known she was going to cook, I'd have gotten some milk or a diet soda or even a water.

So, well, I'm still at a standstill.

I'm going to try to get more rest over the next two days, although the lawn needs mowing, the dishes washed, the floors vacuumed and mopped, etc, etc, etc.

In other words, same old, same old thing...

Still Duking It Out

Yes, the ass and I are still fighting it out.

Right now, I feel like it's two heavyweights wrestling around the kitchen, and I'm barely holding my own.

I'm hanging in there.

And the ass is going "hee haw, hee haw" like a Chihuahua chasing a cat. And I'm saying, like Amy Winehouse, "No, No, No..."

Lots of noise, but not a lot of effect on the scales.

Only 44 pounds to go...

The Ass Is Winning

At least this weekend.

Oh my, when I started this, I thought I was winning.

I was wrong (of course!)

I'm just not being very successful at this right now. I know there's a lot of stress at my house, and I have issues with food and stress, but some days I get really discouraged.

But the day is young, I'm going to try to keep that inner donkey reined in, at least for today.

One day at a time.

One day at a time...

The Struggle Continues

I was talking to my old boss the other day.

We started Weight Watchers together, back in the day. We did good -- for a while.

Then we started slipping. My 20 pounds brought a friend back with it. I didn't ask her, but I think hers did the same.

Diets DO NOT WORK.

Losing weight is a battle we fight every day. Unfortunately, the hardest battle is the one we fight when we think the war is over.

Maintenance is where many of us fall down. Somehow, that inner donkey that stubbornly believes that we can go right back to the same habits, manages to get control of our emotions and our eating again. And thus we again fail in the Battle of the Bulge.

Getting down to our natural weight isn't easy. Staying there is even harder.

Persist. Persist. Persist.

We can do this together.

We're Having A Get Together Today

Yes, and I know, all of my parties involve food and plenty of it!

So here's one thing that I'm going to be making in a while.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken tenders or breasts (cut into chunks)
Chunk Pineapple in juice, drained, juice reserved
Onion, cut into chunks
Bell peppers, cut into chunks
Garlic, minced, powder, or diced cloves
Lemon pepper

Sauce
Pineapple juice
Low sugar or sugar free Apricot preserves
Catalina salad dressing (fat free)
Teriyake sauce
Brown sugar
Apple cider vinegar
Cornstarch

Saute the chicken until browned on both sides but not quite done.

Add the onion, pineapple chunks, bell peppers, and garlic, brown gently.

In a separate saucepan, put the sauce ingredients except cornstarch, mix and simmer together until bubbling. Shake the cornstarch in a jar with water or juice so it's not lumpy, add to sauce, bring to slow boil and cook for at least two minutes.

Pour sauce over the chicken. Stir together. Simmer on low a little while longer.

Serve over rice.

Yummy and not really too bad on the calories. It is easy to eat too much though -- remember, moderation is the key!

HURRAY!! One Pound Down!

It's been a real struggle since I decided to start on this path.

My inner donkey has been really, really bad! She is so darn stubborn.

Despite my inner struggles, I've finally battled those two extra pounds off, despite Mother's Day, despite several work luncheons, despite my big potluck event that I spent 5 months planning, organizing and finally implementing. And BTW, it was a HUGE success!

And now, finally, I've lost a pound.

Yes, it doesn't sound like much, but a pound is a huge thing for me.

Why?

I'm not trying to starve my donkey into submission. I've been there, done that, and it doesn't work. Once I try to go to maintenance, the donkey resurges and brings a friend with her and they're both hella hungry...

My goal is to start off with my maintenance plan. I'm not dieting. I'm eating what I should eat at my goal weight. So, depending on my activity level, I should be eating between 1600 and 1800 calories per day.

By doing this the slow and careful way, I'm "housebreaking" my inner donkey. I don't have to go off my eating plan or go to maintenance mode, because I'm starting off there.

I can eat anything I want, in moderation.

(Except alcohol, which for me is a darn near instant weight gain.)

The long road continues and as long as I stick to it, little by little, step by step, I'm going to make it.

One pound down! 44 more to go!

Week One Update

Well, it figures. I announce that I'm going to start a new eating plan, trying to get that ass away from the table...

So I immediately gain two pounds.

How did my kids know that I'm trying to work on this issue? My daughter makes homemade guacamole with chips. Ouch! The salt = the bloat!! My poor fingers felt like sausages while I was trying to work at the keyboard on Monday.

Don't laugh, my friend has the same problem with chips that I do, that hand to mouth disease -- you know what I mean. In fact, he and I have joked about starting a chipaholics anonymous group. Except, of course, someone would have to bring the snacks!

Anyway, it's been a battle all week. I fought the donkey back and managed, this morning, to return to my start weight, despite the chips, guacamole, brownies and fast food we indulged in this past week.

Remember, the only thing I'm denying myself is excess. I can have ANYTHING in MODERATION....

Well, maybe not alcohol. You know how that is, one drink calls for another, and after you've had two, well, that calls for a round and it all goes downhill from there.

Anyway, at this point, I'm breaking even, so I'd better take myself to bed before the rest of the brownies start calling my name....

Day One

Yesterday was day one. Oh, my, not so good.

It was hockey day, a busy day for mom.

I'd already drank my pot of coffee, yes, with French vanilla creamer and real sugar, getting ready to race out the door, and my daughter makes chorizo and eggs rolled up into tortillas. Did you know that pork chorizo has 16 grams of fat, but beef has 30?!?!?! Yes, we bought the pork chorizo, but you know I really shouldn't be eating it. At least not a lot of it.

Sandwiches at the rink. Two hours on the freeway, taking my daughter to work after hockey. Homemade guacamole with chips (at least she got the lower salt chips - salt does me NO good - as evidenced by my swollen fingers this morning). Yogurt for dessert.

But a new eating plan, conquering that fat donkey that lives in my psyche, doesn't mean that I don't eat what everyone else eats, it means moderation, not complete denial. So I can have chorizo and eggs, but only 1/2 of what I used to eat. I can have chips, but only a few. I can eat anything I want -- in small amounts.

Moderation is the key.

Moderation. OMG, what do I know about that! I've lived my life full tilt for a long time. Work, kids, husband (ex), boyfriends, dancing every weekend for many a long year, kicking it down at the club. Happily no drugs or excessive drinking.

However, now that my life has slowed down a little, focused on God, family, church, work, I'm really not as active as I used to be.

So, the first step, other than drinking a LOT of water today to flush the salt out of my system, is to start moving. Moving my behind instead of sitting in front of the computer.

Tomorrow, at work, I start walking at break time again. 7 minutes out, 7 minutes back. Since my knees aren't too good, I'll be putzing along, but I'll be moving. I walk the poopies several times a day, but that doesn't count, they spend a lot of time sniffing around, or trying to go in two different directions and winding my legs up in the leashes.

Today is a fresh new day and I think I'm ready to face it.

Moderation is my mantra.

And Thus We Begin This Journey

Yes, I too struggle with my weight.

That's something that happens to all too many of us as we get older. We slow down and our bodies just don't burn up the calories the way they used to.

I don't go dancing every weekend like I used to.

But I eat just as much chocolate.

Sigh...

Anyway, sometimes I'm going to post a recipe. Sometimes I'm going to talk about my struggles. Sometimes I'm going to talk about the diet book I'm writing. And yes, everything I write here is is copyrighted material and you can't use it without my written permission. Because when I finish this journey, it's going to be part of my book.

It's going to be a long year.

Yes, it's going to take me a year to lose this weight. I didn't put it on in a day, I won't take it off in a day.

Sigh.

So here we go!