True Confessions, Accountability,and Some Surprising (or Not So Surprising) Data

It's the same old, same old. Yep, those same 25 pounds I always need to lose. The sad part this time? Before Thanksgiving, I had actually dropped 10 pounds, simply by giving up most sweets, only to eat it all right back on (in fewer than two months!). Sadly, a pretty common story. I got on the scale this morning, fully clothed, but basically I'm right back to the weight I always start from (at least since I passed the age of 35). No surprise there. I could tell by the way my clothes fit, by my lack of stamina, by looking in the mirror. Ugh.

So why this blog? Accountability. If I'm telling the whole world (or all two people who are reading this) how I'm doing on my weight loss journey, then perhaps the shame factor will have a positive effect and I'll do it and stick with it. In theory, anyway! Basically this is like taking a Weight Watchers meeting out into the blogosphere. Lots of folks follow Laura's Crooks and Crazies blog, and no doubt some of them will find their way here. Instead of just being accountable to my closest friends (who are very forgiving, and sometimes enabling <--that goes both ways; no blame laying here!), I will now be accountable to people I don't even know, some of whom may be going through the same perennial weight struggles those of us on this blog go through.

In the spirit of the typical 12-step program I'll go a step further than Laura and say we've started this journey with a Ham's bacon cheese fries extravaganza on Wednesday, followed by, ahem, a trip to Dunkin' Donuts (where of course, we didn't stop with just one doughnut). Last night was dinner and knitting at Mary's--spaghetti, biscuits (with real butter and honey or apple butter), wine, and my slightly failed chocolate chess pie, which recipe I got from the Angus Barn after an evening of gluttony there this past Sunday with my sister and BIL. Tonight, it's girls' night out for burgers and all the extra calories and fat that entails. Gee, even I am disgusted by our recent excesses! But it really is a last hurrah, and although it may not sound like it, we actually do know how to make healthy choices. In fact, the knowledge isn't what's lacking at all--it's the will and the follow through, and that's where this blog is going to help rememdy the situation.

And since it just happened to be a little feature on the Early Show this morning, I wrote down the following statistics regarding popular weight-loss programs. It's a real eye opener for sure, and if you're following one of these programs, the take away is this: If you're making this sort of financial commitment (essentially $10,000 to lose 50 pounds), stick to it.

Weight Watchers
Average weight loss: up to 8 lbs/month
Cost per pound: $90
Average cost/month: $716

Nutri/System
Average weight loss: up to 8 lbs/month
Cost per pound: $66
Average cost/month: $529

Atkins and South Beach
Average weight loss: up to 21 lbs/first month; up to 12 lbs/month after that
Cost per pound: <$50/lb for the first month
Cost per pound (after first month): $79 (Atkins); $102 (SB)
Average cost/month: $948
Note: These diets are cheaper in the first month because that's when the greatest weight loss (per month) occurs.

I'm currently unemployed, so I am not forking over money to any of these plans, though I will basically use Weight Watchers, since that has worked well for me over the years (yes, I said years--my first encounter with WW was back in the 80s, and I have to admit that back then I didn't have nearly the problem I do now).

So, there it is. I'm fat, and I'm going to do something about it. And I know that means I really do have to quit the weekly bacon cheese fries fun and get back out of the habit of consuming excess sugar and fat (i.e., chocolate and other sweets). Wish us luck--it should be an interesting, and very public, ride.