Old WW post: How are you going to get rid of all that?

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The other night my husband gave me a much needed back rub. It was so nice and comforting, until... he got to my under-bra fat roll, my generous hip pads, my ample patootie and he asked the question, "How are you going to get rid of all that? Where does it go?" He gave my back fat a little jiggle.

It's a funny question, actually, although my immediate reaction was to tense all up again, but then I laughed. It is a good question. The answer is, I'm going to get rid of all that slowly but surely, with steady but realistic steps -- reducing my portions, watching my points, increasing my activity. Where does it go? I don't know, but I'm hoping that it still goes away. Last time I did WW (about 7 years ago), I *lost* almost 70 pounds. I wrote in an earlier blog about how I did it. Training to walk a marathon and simultaneously being incredibly active and aggressively following the WW program, those fat cells melted off fast. In their place were lean, sleek muscle cells. No baggy skin, no leftover cellulite in my hip pockets.

But I learned that you can't train for a marathon all the time and you can't eat frozen meals encased in plastic for every meal. My body breaks down, gets injuries, gives me migraines and cravings. This time, realistically, I'm not sure I can get rid of all that fat. I am seven years older and I am working the plan differently this time around -- looking at it as a new way of being that will be maintained for the rest of my life. But even getting rid of 10% is excellent! I'll do my best for sure, but my hubster may still encounter a jiggle here or there, even once I'm maintaining my goal weight. That's a realistic forty-mmmph-year-old's body. (I should note that my husband is just fine with my body as it is now, though he encourages a healthier me.)

In our meetings our leader makes a point of saying that she has REMOVED 41 pounds and has kept it off for nine years. She will correct me if I say that I LOST a pound. Saying that you lost it gives it a chance to find you again. My 70 pounds brought friends to our reunion. I don't know where it will go this time, but for sure the fat I remove now is gone for good.

Happy New Year to all!
H