It's Only A Matter of Time...and Food

I've made an effort not to blog much about food, dieting, weight loss, etc. This is such a personal issue, one that everyone has a different opinion about, feelings about, and experiences of great depression or joy about. But, today, I'm throwing that effort out the window.

Weight has always been an issue for me. I was skinny and a fast runner when I was young - and then I hit fourth grade. I don't know what happened, but whatever it was caused me to take on a new shape -- round. I hated it. I put weight on, I took it off, it found me again, I took it off again. And so the cycle went.

I know every human being who has lost weight and then put it back on knows "the feeling." Whether you went from a size 30 down to a 20 and back up or a size 10 down to a 2 and back up, that feeling has to be the same. That feeling that you are losing ground on everything you worked so hard for. The feeling that the scale is starting to creep back up and you feel powerless to stop it. The feeling that the willpower and control that you had for so many months (or years) are starting to pack up and move to a new address.

That feeling has been haunting me lately. I told my husband last night that maybe I should join Weight Watchers online again, that's what worked for me last time. He thought that was a little bit crazy considering I know all the info I need to know and have access to find out the points to about any food I could consume. He was right, but I was feeling a little bit desperate as the pounds have been creeping back on.

So, I told my husband he is going to have to help me be accountable. He always cringes a little bit when I ask him to do this, but he agreed. His first question was, "what is your consequence if you don't stay within your WW points each week?" That's easy, I gain weight.

I told him I thought I would do better if I had a reward if I stayed within my points, instead of a consequence if I didn't. After a short discussion about the fact that we don't have lots of extra money for a reward that would be motivating, he asked me what I would want if I could have a reward. Another easy one, I want a laptop.

He gave me a disgusted laugh and shook his head at first, but then formulated a plan. It's logical and practical (which is SO my husband!) and is going to take a LONG time, but it may actually work. Here's the deal: For every week that I stay within my WW points, we will put $25 in the pot toward a laptop. For every week that I don't, I have to give $25 back. It's that simple.

Simple...not the term I usually associate with dieting. But I do REALLY want that laptop. And it's my fault. I'm the one who asked him to help me.

So...I will get to go get my precious computer in....uhhh...2010? I wonder if there is an expiration date on this plan.