Spring Forward.

To some of you, Spring Forward just means you have to remember to turn your clock one hour ahead or you will be the laughingstock at work on Monday morning. I have decided to take this term literally. It is time for a transformation. I want my outside to match my inside. I want to look at an outfit in a shop and think "Wow. That will look so good on me!" Instead of scrutinizing it for tummy-hiding abilities and reaching to the back of the rack to see if they carry it in a not-quite-plus-size-but-give-me-time size. I will be in someone's wedding pictures this summer--I do not want to be self-conscious in front of all of the cameras. I want to hold my head high and be proud of how I look.

I have joined Weight Watchers and now write down every morsel I put in my mouth and do math to see what I can have for a snack every day. How humbling to know , in black and white, how much one really eats. I have done this before, so I have vague knowledge about how to maximize my points, but I still have a lot to learn. I always feel a little hungry at this point, but I am waiting for my stomach to shrink and am guzzling down on lots of water (Crystal Light or lemon wedge optional) and filling my plate with lots and lots of steamed veggies at dinner every night. I have always liked vinegar on my veggies instead of butter, so I have a bit of a head start already. Why Weight Watchers when I know South Beach or Atkins gives almost instant results? One: My name is Not Jenny and I am a carb addict. I do not have time to chase small kiddies while detoxing from carbs. Two: I refuse to cook two dinners every night and hubby would shrivel up and disappear if I took away the carbs. Three: I don't need instant results I need lasting results. Weight Watchers is something I can follow for life without dieting myself into a kidney transplant later on.


My big challenge is making time and motivating myself to exercise. Thankfully the sidewalks are getting clearer and clearer and the sun is shining more and more, so the stroller will be racking up the miles once again. I have workout tapes gathering dust on the back of the shelf that I will be brushing off and using on not-nice days. I just have to make myself. I am a lazy person and I have exercise-induced asthma. I really have to kick myself in the butt to get off the couch and turn off the computer. The asthma is an easy excuse to stay put, but if I pace myself correctly and watch the weather I hardly have to use my inhaler at all. We even have recordings of a kid's exercise program by the BBC for Emmett--we could dance together. We will dance together.

I haven't picked a goal weight yet--do I pick what I really want to be, or what I think I can attain? (that is a three pound difference in my mind--those last three pounds can be a kicker) I have two more days to think about it--that is when I weigh in again.

Until then my first goal is 10 pounds--there will be no shopping for clothes until I lose 10 pounds. This is proving to be hard since all of the spring/summer clothing is coming out in stores, but what better incentive to count my points than being able to buy what I really want instead of what makes me look the least pregnant???