Number One Resolution: Lose Weight!

Probably the number one resolution made each new year is to lose weight. Of course, quitting smoking used to be big and I am not sure how many people want to quit drinking.

If we believe that losing weight is the number one resolution, then we also know it is probably number one on the list of things that get forgotten.

I have fought weight all my life. I lean very heavily (oops . . . ) on Richard Simmons and this week we have been able to watch Bob Greene (Oprah's consultant) with his advice as well.

Most of Larry King Live (CNN) tonight focused on Oprah Winfrey's continuing battle to keep the weight off. The salient point made was that we who have this problem, must continue for our entire lives to "watch the weight". Nobody wants to hear that because basically we feel if we have tackled a problem - lost the weight - that should be it.

Well, reformed alcoholics can tell you that they have to take life one day at a time and their battle is never really over. Probably we should understand better that over-eating is also an addiction.

What was said tonight was that keeping weight down to the level we would like is a lifetime mission.

Richard Simmons is his own proof that keeping weight off is a lifetime event. I remember his talking one time about frying up and eating a whole pound of bacon after a California earthquake. (It is worth noting that in 2008, Richard ate fast food only once and only three pizzas. So, his healthy eating habits coupled with exercise are beyond the level of most of us.)

I try really hard not to have fattening things in the house, but especially over the holidays, they creep into the shopping buggy. I know not having them around is the way to not eat them. Of course, it must be noted that portion control is very important.

There is an interesting thing I know about losing weight and getting down to the weight you should be. As you are losing the weight, people are very interested as they watch you fit into smaller sizes. When someone comments on how good you look, that is very exhilarating! As I watched the clips of Oprah getting ready for photo shoots for her O Magazine tonight, I saw how good she felt about herself and how she was - well, kind of giddy about it! Part of the problem for us who have lost a lot of weight is that those comments tend to trickle down. People just assume we will look great every day.

All of us who have to be careful about what we eat have triggers that set us off eating badly. It could be an argument, stress, loneliness, loss - any number of events in our everyday life. As Oprah phrased it, food is the drug of her choice. That would be true of a lot of us!

If you have friends you know have problems keeping trim, do encourage them with kind comments and invite them to restaurants where it is possible to eat healthy. If a person says they will not have any of the pizza you just ordered in, leave it at that. Believe me, the smell is very strong and it takes all the willpower available to resist it! (A trick I use is to always have a 100 calorie snack bar in my purse. I try to never let myself get hungry. That is the only way I can resist the pizza.)

Now, I am down ten pounds in my current push to get healthier again. When I lose ten more, I will be down to my lowest weight in the past 35 years again. So, it could happen that I lose even more this time and really feel good and good about myself!

Below are the websites for Oprah Winfrey and Richard Simmons:

http://www.oprah.com http://www.richardsimmons.com