Various

While driving around my town, I've been listening to "French Women Don't Get Fat" on CD. I'm really enjoying it. Her information is pretty basic and common sense. The bottom line is: everything in moderation, know your trigger points, and you need to balance the amount coming in (food) with the energy expended (exercise/movement). After 20 odd years of watching what I'm doing, I have a pretty good idea of what to do. I've done weight watchers on and off for the past 10 years. My weight hasn't changed much with the exception of the years I was doing sprint triathlons and was swimming three mornings a week, running 3-5 days a week, and doing aerobics/weight training 3-5 times a week. Even with all of that, I was only a solid size 12. I'd love a 10, would be satisfied with a 12. Oh yea, did I mentioned that I then met DH and spent more time going out than at the gym?

I think for me, I'd do ok if only I could force myself to plan my meals and document, document, document. I've not really done that part well. But, I digress.

I've been enjoying this book because she talks so much about the different cultures she has lived in (French and U.S.), about her journey. I may have to look at the book in it's traditional form to see if she includes recipes.

But, I'm doing this a bit in preparation for September. Yesterday was my last day working for the institute. 10 hours of my work week, and the one that caused me the most stress, ended. OK, we had a visitor in town on one of my jobs and so I didn't have time to train the new person - so I have to go in for a while today.

Next week I have the girls at home with me, the week after is orientation so I will start everything in earnst on the Tuesday after labor day (shoot, I have to prep everything for the start of the semester!! My students will expect class stuff).

Anyway, I won't be at the office as much which means I have to set the house up for eating. I will join the gym for Sept so I can do weights. And, I will see if losing some of the stress in my life, having more time to myself, and a better plan means I can FINALLY fit in my favorite jeans from 13 years ago that I wore once after Sydney was born before the PTSD resulted in my oreo obsession.

Anyone want to join me? I could always someone to discuss ideas for menu plans!

Yes, those jeans!

I don't tend to blog about my weight. It's been a source of frustration for me since I was a sophomore in high school. I was never the thinnest, but towards the end of my freshman year, I developed a compulsive eating disorder. On went 25 lbs and I went from being OK (in a world of size 2 Jordache jeans) to being the person my friends mom's would say "she has such a pretty face, if only she'd lose weight."

I was never so heavy, a size 14 - but in a size 2 world it's just a bit too much.

Two years ago, when I sprained my ankle (and as I learned last May also torn a tendon), my ability to do physical activity was dramatically curtailed. So, on went another 20 lbs. Over this past year, I've managed to drop those 20 and I'm back to fitting in my clothes again.

Today I decided to pull out my 'skinny' jeans to see how close I'm getting to fitting in them. These are the jeans I bought back when I was doing triathlons (and exercising 2 hours a day). Even with all that exercise, I was still just a tone 12, but I felt good. But, these are the jeans I have kept in the bottom of my drawer, the ones I've moved from house to house knowing someday . . .

Today, they button almost well enough to wear. They were pretty comfy, but the waist overhang is a little more than I would be comfortable with.

But, I could button them - pretty easily!! I didn't even have to resort to that 80s laying on the bed sucking everything in to button them move.

So, I'm sharing.

Can I also add that I hate diet commercials. The ones that make you feel so inadequate because you are comfortable being 40 and a size 14 - but unless you try nutrasystems to become a size 2 (or even a 8) you are just tooo heavy.

I wish we weren't so hard on each other. At 5'2" I really look pretty good as a size 14 (ok, I feel better in a 12, but in a 14 I feel just fine and happy!)