Blown off course and my weight loss challenge

You know how you can plan your day? And have a to-do list of things you hope to get done? And then something happens that, even if it's good, can blow you right off that course?

You do? Then you know what happened to my morning.

But to get to what I was going to blog about:

I was incredibly skinny as a child. I could eat anything and never gain an ounce -- not that I ate much. I was all of twenty before I could finish an entire hamburger in one sitting. I was not anorexic nor did I have food issues. I just didn't eat a lot. Also, we never had snacks like cookies or muffins or pop in our house. We would get a Coke once a year, with a chocolate bar, to have during the annual showing of The Wizard of Oz on TV. The only other time we got candy was Hallowe'en and maybe some at Christmas, although not in our stockings. We only got nuts, oranges and apples in those, which sounds like something out of Little House On The Prairie, but what can I say? That's the way it was, although we lived in cities. I'm also small boned, so when I say I was skinny? I do mean skinny. I'm about five foot four, and I weighed 113 when I got married.

Now, this was swell for the first few decades of my life, and when my kids were little, they kept me pretty active. I weighed about 120 in those days.

But then they grew up and I wasn't chasing after them anymore, or having to do so much for them. I sold a book, and began a sedentary career. I got older.

And next thing I know, I discover I can no longer eat whatever I feel like and not gain an ounce, because I have obviously gained several ounces, and thus, pounds. This was no secret -- I could see it, so I knew what was going on. I occasionally weighed myself and didn't always like what I saw, but I had my notion of what was an "okay" weight -- 150 lbs. Under that, I was...not too bad, even if that I have the dreaded, deadly "belly fat."

Then we drove to Boston in June, and I ate way too much junk in the car. I was shocked when I stepped on the scales when we got home.

But then came the real epiphany, and I know I'm not the only one who's had a similar experience: I saw a picture of myself that really shocked me.

Now, I could blame the outfit (in hindsight, not at all flattering and a very bad choice) and my hair cut (too short, even for me), but I'm not. I think this was the wake-up call (and how) that I needed.

I know what to do -- eat less (well, I still don't eat a lot, so it's eat less junk) and move more.

I got myself a pedometer, after reading that most people walk about 3,000 - 5,000 steps a day, and you should do at least 10,000. First day I wore the pedometer? I didn't break 1,000. Maybe if our house wasn't a bungalow, I would have done better, but there it is.

So I've been trying to do at least 10,000 steps a day, even at the cottage.

Sadly, I also consumed too much junk at the cottage, which is why I got up to 151, after getting it back down to 148. I'm working on the junk thing, having only one Coke this week (instead of every day).

However, I've heard that if you want to be successful at losing weight, you should make it public, to keep yourself on track. Although I don't believe this was specifically said, pride can be a powerful motivator.

So I'm following this advice, in an attempt to keep me motivated and posting my personal weight loss challenge:

I want to get to 145 by Sept. 12 (social events loom), and down to 125 by next summer. I think that should be doable, if I stay consistent. On Fridays, I'll post my weekly step total for the previous week (so today's final tally will go on next week's total) and morning weight. Come on by and see how I'm doing, and maybe comfort me if I slip too badly (I have two birthdays in the next two weeks, with cake) or cheer with me when I'm doing well.