Aunt Sue: This would be extreme, even for me

I thought I'd been on every diet plan in the world, but check out this story in USA TODAY. Women in Asia are eating parasites to keep their weight down. And these are skinny women already!

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-03-30-skinnyasianwomen30_CV_N.htm

Spring Break: Genevieve

I've been working out with a personal trainer for about a month now and things are going very well. I see her about twice a week and then on other days that I can, I go alone or with another friend who belongs to the same gym. A funny story actually, one time during training, my trainer said that we were going to go over to some other pull up/ dip contraption to work my upper body. I have never been able to do a pull up. Also, I'm not afraid of heights like roller coasters or anything, but I guess when I'm easily able to fall or be dropped, I get very scared. So I was about to stand on the bar and then I started crying! I wasn't upset or anything, but I was scared and the thought of falling made me cry... It was so strange.
Other than that, everything has been going great with her and she's made me work really hard every time.
And now my school is on spring break for two weeks, which is wonderful.

Aunt Sue: Sorry for the long silence

I can't believe we're almost into the fourth month of the year and I'm still pondering how to lose this weight. I've really had a lot of ups and downs on this front this year, and I'm not certain how to proceed. I belong to Weight Watchers online so maybe I should go back to doing that. I'm a big fan on that BBC American Show "You Are What You Eat" but I can't see myself adhering to such strict vegetarian fare. I don't want to do Jenny Craig again because I don't think it's practical eating all prepared foods. My niece is enjoying the personal trainer. Maybe I'll try that when my tax return comes in.

But obviously what I lack is commitment and I'm not sure what it's going to take to really draw me into this fight. Just like I believe that it's important to give some thought to faith before you're on your deathbed, I also would like to make this change without being propelled by illness. Truthfully, I'm sort of at a loss right now.

It's really not rocket science - eat less, exercise more. But it might as well be rocket science. When I started work today, I got a call from someone and when I asked how he's doing, his reply was, "I'm living the dream!" That made me laugh (although I'm not sure he was kidding). But that's what I've got to find a way to do - live the dream. Not just dream.

Aunt Sue: A new week, a new page

I think that personal trainer idea is great. I also think that we're both in the place where we're really tired of being heavy. For the past week, I haven't been eating when I get home from work after 9 p.m. and I feel better. I also went to the gym twice this weekend.

Not surprisingly, I am not a vegetarian. I'm surprised anyone ever listens to me when I talk about diet. I really don't eat much meat and prefer veggie burgers to beef burgers. But I don't think I'm ready to entirely swear off meat. Looking at the recipes in the vegetarian magazines made me tired. But I did see a few that looked a little less daunting - ones that don't involve a food processor or vegetables I've never heard of.

I'm continuing to throw out my fat clothes, even though they still fit me. Even being overweight, I don't want to look that matronly anymore. So here's to a good week for us both!

The Gym: Genevieve

So last Thursday night, my mom and I went out to dinner at a small Italian restaurant and then walked over to a gym about 7 blocks away from my house to sign up for a membership and a personal trainer.
I saw her for the first time on Sunday, and she kind of assessed my body and where my starting point is. I then went on Monday with my friend, and then because Wednesday's are "free guest Wednesday's", my other friend and I went over today because I had a session with my trainer at 4:30.
This session was probably the most intense work out I had since I went to Camp Shane, two summers ago. She also emailed me a food log, an example of a food log and guidelines for eating and food shopping.
I'm seeing my trainer again on Friday and I think this is all going to work out well!

Genevieve

Aunt Sue: A vegetarian?

Ok, it's March and I'm still not losing weight and lapsing into periods of overeating. I'm thinking of trying a vegetarian diet, mainly because I think it would be healthy and I don't eat that much meat anyway. Plus, it would be interesting to explore. I'm going to start researching that today. I'll keep you posted.

Aunt Sue: My rumpled and torn new leaf

I vowed when I got up this morning to make March a perfect month in terms of eating and exercise. I don't know why I continue to make vows like that because I didn't exercise and I just had some M&Ms. I keep looking at specific dates and saying "this is the day I'll change." Looking back on it, whenever I have made a big change - like when I stopped drinking - the date only became significant when I looked back afterwards and recalled that it was when I started. One day at a time is a mantra I've never forgotten in almost 17 years as a recovering alcoholic. I have to extend that to the rest of my life. Tomorrow, in addition to not having a drink, I won't have M&Ms for dinner. That's a promise I can keep.