Zipper Diet

In December of last year I got ill.  The upshot--I realized I had to start eating better.  So between January and May I went from 170 pounds to 140.  I am only 5'2" so I was still a Chubby McChubberson, but better.  Then I got stuck....no more weight loss and I was feeling better so no more incentive to eat correctly.  I started old patterns and added more and more greasy, salty foods. 

My son's wedding was scheduled for August 20th.  I need to find a silver dress.  Not a lot of options in the summer months, but I found a very pretty dress (size 10) and could just barely get it zipped up.  In fact, even with it zipped, it was way too small.  However that dress wasn't available in my size so I thought..."Maybe I can lose ten more pounds and purchased it." 

And then I took a trip to Montana.  Wow, that was a waistline debacle.   Part of the fun of being in Montana is doing some old fashioned country cooking with mom.   We make all the meals we enjoyed when I was growing up.  Calories plus!!!  Gravy plus!!!

I get back to St. Louis with three weeks left before the wedding.  Now the size 10 dress just went into a fit of laughter when I got to the closet.  She just looked at me from the hanger and shook her little silver beads no-o-o!  I went shopping immediately (by myself) and after a week desperately picked out another silver dress (the only one left in the entire city of St. Louis).  Luckily it was a size 12, but when I tried it on, I couldn't get it zipped.  I chalked this up to being by myself.  My arms just couldn't reach the trouble spot...if John were here, he surely would be able to zip it up and I would be fine.  The clerk told me they had just marked the dress down to half price, but that if it didn't fit I couldn't return it.   I closed my eyes, held my breath and purchased it.

Of course it didn't fit.  What was I thinking?  Now ten days before the wedding and my 147pounds were steadily growing.  

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  I called my sister who is a health nut and begged for help.  She immediately said, "Here's what I want you to do.  Drink two full glasses of water before every meal.  Eat two scrambled egg whites for breakfast, have an apple for a snack.  For lunch fill your plate with leafy greens and eat a quarter pound of turkey burger, scrambled with just a hint of salt.  For a snack eat a serving of fruit.  For dinner fill three fourths of your plate with leafy green vegetables and have 4oz piece of chicken.  For a snack eat a banana.   Forget that you ever heard the word potatoes, rice, bread, or pasta."   "Oh and start walking 25 minutes in the morning and 25 minutes at night."

In five days my dressed zipped up, the wedding went off without a hitch and I need a Big Mac.  Seriously, Doris.  Thanks, but don't you ever crave a chocolate bar?

Here's Doris and me at the wedding reception

 and yes, my dress is zipped up.