The proof is in the beach chair

Labor Day Weekend . . . Ahh, the end of summer. Some people absolutely LOVE the summer. Going to the beach; hanging out poolside; lazy days lounging in the sun; BBQs in the backyard; biking; hiking; tennis; all of those outdoor sports. I like the summer. It is nice not to have the pressure of fixing lunches, doing homework and driving the kids around to all of their activities. But summer, for me, usually means that I gain weight. Beginning in May, right around Memorial Day, I begin to experience some anxiety. This comes from knowing that some how, I will have to keep my children occupied while trying to maintain my own exercise and healthy eating habits.

Some of you are probably wondering "how did she gain so much weight". Well, the answer is and isn't easy. It doesn't happen all at once. It creeps on slowly. Most people have different ways of checking their "weight". I know of one woman who never weighs herself. She goes shopping. She doesn't go to buy things - she just tries them on. When she tries on her desired size and finds that the article of clothing is tight - she diets.

The next question is - when do you "put on the brakes"? Or as I like to say "when do the lights start flashing"?? Again, some people freak at gaining 5 pounds. We have all read those post holiday magazine articles "How to take off those 5 (or 10) holiday pounds". And that is exactly how it starts - the only difference is - I never took off the holiday pounds, or the summer pounds, or the "I had a bad weekend" pounds . . . Get it?

So I used to be a size 12 (I even fit into a couple of 10s at one point). Then my 12s got tight but I had a size 12 that still fit (it must have stretched). So I get on the wagon and try to loose the weight . . . but I don't. Now I am wearing stretchy pants because my clothes don't fit and of course I threw out all of my "fat clothes" because I was "never going to gain the weight back". Eventually I break down because I can't wear sweats all of the time (oh believe me, I have tried). I purchase some 14s. Now the pressure to lose the weight is off . . . until . . . shit, now the 14s are getting tight. I go out to purchase some more clothes and I find 14s that fit (they are what I like to call "big" 14s) and maybe I break down and pick up a 16 that I really like. OK - now that is enough - I mean 16 is the foray into Plus Size! After that you can't buy in mainstream stores!!! So now I struggle for a couple of years. I even did a triathlon one June in an effort to motivate myself into losing the weight (it worked - I looked great that June). But as the struggle wore on, the weight came back.

This summer I didn't even try. Maybe it was because I struggled all winter long and just didn't have the energy or "want power" as they say in my Weight Watchers class. I knew I was in trouble when I went out to buy some more new clothes. I didn't need new clothes, my closet is full! I needed bigger clothes, again, because I had a few social events coming up, including a summer trip to Italy and I didn't have anything to wear (except for those very worn stretchy pants). I bought size 18 and they were loose (and I was grateful). By the end of the summer, my 18s were not loose anymore and neither was my beach chair!


Is it Tuesday yet???