Diets Don’t Work – But There Is Hope
 
I have struggled with weight all my life.  I thought I had heard of or been on every diet imaginable until I learned from Coach Robert that there are 32,500 diets registered with the FDA.  I came to the conclusion long ago that diets don’t work, because you eventually go off a diet, and then the weight begins to creep up again.  Changing the way you eat is the only thing that works, but that is easier said than done.
 
Every weight loss plan stresses that you should follow its instructions regarding the intake of food and also exercise regularly.  In the past, I always told myself that I would begin exercising as soon as I lost xxxxxxxxx pounds.   Unfortunately, I never got to the exercise component because I never reached my preliminary weight loss goal.  So, this time, I decided to do it in reverse.
 
Last June, I signed up for training, not at a gym, but at a fitness center.  There is a difference.  It’s a very small class - - just my coach and I, three times a week.  When I began, I was full of aches and pains.  My muscles were stiff and tight.  Every stretch, bend, pull and lift was painful.  I was told that many people who join a gym don’t make it to the fourth visit before quitting.  That was true for me.  I went three times and out a few years ago, wasting 11 ½ months of dues until my health club contract ran out.
 
I achieved my first milestone when I got to the second week. It’s now seven months later.  I can do things I was unable to do before, like turn my neck so that I can see oncoming traffic when I am entering a highway, like putting on my socks without huffing and puffing, like noticing improved posture and not missing the absence of back pain - - and actually enjoying the cardio warmup on a treadmill, just to mention a few.  I am sorry I gave away the treadmill we were using as a coat rack.  I will never be a Peking acrobat, but I don't have unrealistic expectations.  All I wanted was to feel better.  I accomplished that without weight loss.
 
When my coach said he was starting a thirteen weeks to weight loss class, I was ready.  Exercise was part of my program.  The first thing my four classmates and I had to do was to agree to do something I had been unable to achieve:  drink water, lots of it. Glug! However, after a couple of days, I realized I was getting extra cardio by just by drinking 8-9 glasses of water per day and making additional trips to the bathroom.  This week I learned that a glass of water is a zero-calorie substitute for a midnight snack and decreases my appetite when I drink it before a meal.  After only three sessions, I have learned that forming good habits and not being in a hurry will pay off in the long run.
 
My coach has lots of maxims to encourage us to move ahead on the road to success.  The one I like best now is:  “You can eat everything you want.  You just can’t eat everything you want whenever you want.”  After the summer, I will write more.  In the meantime, if anyone wants to know where I go on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Friday morning, just ask me.

FINANCIAL EXPO

ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, I WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE FINANCIAL EXPO AT THE WAYNE PUBLIC LIBRARY. THE PROGRAM IS FREE.  IT WILL BEGIN AT 10:00 A.M. AND GO UNTIL 3:00 P.M.  I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT ELDER LAW BEGINNING AT  11:20 A.M.    OTHER TOPICS INCLUDE:  HOW TO BALANCE YOUR CHECKBOOK; TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT MONEY; LIFE INSURANCE; FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT; THE FINANCE OF LIFE PLANNING; REAL ESTATE; AND SMART FINANCIAL GOALS.

I WILL BE SENDING OUT A NOTICE ABOUT A WEEK IN ADVANCE.