I’ve been whining about my weight most my life. Looking back from where I am now, for no good reason. Most my younger years, I was at a good weight – not perfect, but I so wished I could be back there NOW.

In 1998, I tried Atkins. When I started out, I did not think this would ever work, but it did. Within 3 months, I dropped over 30 lbs, and it was the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I ended up weighing around 130 lbs, which for my 5’9″ is pretty darn slender. I actually bought a pair of size 4 shorts (K-Mart had a sale – and they were pretty tight, and I only wore them once or twice, but by gosh, they zipped and it didn’t require pliers!!)

In 2002 – I had quit smoking about a year before, and we moved from Williams to Evansville, both in Indiana. That was a stressful time. We had already bought a new house in Evansville, the Williams house was on the market, but nobody wanted to even look at it (for NINE month), and every Friday, after I’d driven from home to work and back – almost one hour each trip – I’d load up the kid and the dogs, and head to the other house and husband (not other, there’s only one) in Evansville – another 2.5 hour drive. But we eventually did sell the Williams house, so as of April 2002, I quit a job in Bloomington that I really liked and moved to Evansville for good – and was unemployed.

The unemployed part was a good thing – can you spell V A C A T I O N ????? But overall, my stress level went from 100 to zero over night. I don’t know if that was the start, the fact that I was somewhat over 40 and a relatively new non-smoker – or all of those things together, but I started eating like I was being paid for it — and, of course, started gaining weight.

I tried Atkins again (and again and again), but it just didn’t work like it did before and since then, I’ve gained about 30 or so more pounds. On diets, off diets, whatever —today, I’m almost 49 years old, size 14 pants seem to usually fit, and I weigh around 185 lbs. I don’t mind telling my real age and weight, because I think those are just numbers. You see what you see, and I am what I am — who cares. If I’m standing in front of you and tell you I’m 35 years old and weigh 140 lbs, and you believe that, you’re a fool and reality still is what reality is!!

Of course, over the years, I’ve learned that DIETS do NOT work. It’s calories in/calories out (and carbs do matter as well). But try to actually apply that wisdom. I dare you!. I did and failed and failed again. So a few weeks ago, my daughter tells me about this 6-week-body-makeover that she’s been trying and that seems to be really working for her. And my first reaction is “Bull Shit”!!! But as she tells me how the inches and pounds are coming off her, I start to reconsider. And during that time, during a sleepless night, I happen to come across the infomercial for this very product. And I’m starting to wonder. I had gone back and forth for a while, and got tired of my own indecisiveness, and last weekend, just ordered the darn thing.

It arrived Thursday, I started looking at the packet on Friday, and initially, was VERY overwhelmed with all the detail and information. But this morning, during our weekly grocery run, I picked up some of the basics, and as I was struggling to put the week’s meals together this afternoon, things kind of started to fall in place.

I’ve taken my ‘before’ measurements, Eric took some ‘before’ pics, and tomorrow morning, I’ll check my ‘before’ weight (today, I’m still eating whatever, am drinking my wine, and am enjoying ice-cream). But I won’t post any of that until I have some good “after” pics and measurements to go along.

So tomorrow, it starts. Wish me luck. And if this doesn’t do it for me, I’ll never try another ‘plan’ again. I think. What exactly is wrong with being old, fat, and happy?