True Confession Time

They say that confession is good for the soul. So, I have to make my confession now.......I am a foodaholic. That is no joke and I am not mocking any person involved in a 10-step program. An addiction to food can be as strong as an addiction to any substance.

I was rather a skinny child growing up and did not have a weight issue. I did have a very big appetite, though. Unfortunately, I didn't stay skinny but the big appetite hung in there as an adult. In an effort to get healthier and lose weight, I joined Weight Watcher's 5 years ago. I lost a little over 50 lbs. in 9 months. Bruce followed the program with me and he lost about 35 lbs. I've managed to keep those 50 lbs. off for the past 4 years. Since leaving Tumwater in March, I've gained about 11 lbs. So what happened?

For one thing, we lost our focus with the WW program. And for another, that wonderful, tasty, fattening food out here on the open road called to us everyday. I keep my scale with me in the motorhome and I weigh every single day and record it on my calendar. I just kept writing down those bigger numbers as we went merrily along.
We started out pretty good in March. Then places like the Waffle House began calling to me as we passed them by on the Interstate. We stopped at one (somewhere) and I was a dead duck! There was no end in sight now! We ate way too much food in Virginia when we were visiting my family, too. We know better! We left there and went to Florida and pretty much ate our way through Walt Disney World as well. We had planned on those indulgences but the others were unplanned and unwise! There is a very nice refrigerator in the motorhome (see below) and it can hold all sorts of wonderful and healthy food.....if you buy it!

I gave myself a stern lecture when we left Forest City and decided that I (we) needed to follow the lessons learned at my Weight Watcher meetings. By the way, I still attend W.W. meetings on a regular basis and will probably be there for life. It's the only way and it's the best way.

I keep all of these great cookbooks with us so there is no excuse for not knowing what to cook and what to eat. I even enjoy cooking, too.

Back when we lived in California, I was talking with my doctor about weight issues. He said, "You have to decide if you want to live to eat, or eat to live". It still took me 25 more years to get it through my head.

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Eating in a healthy, moderate way makes good sense for a few reasons:

1. We may enjoy better health and avoid costly doctor visits or the further onset of serious illness.

2. We will feel more energetic and be able to enjoy the fulltime lifestyle we so desire.

3. We will eat far less food and, therefore, we will save money on groceries.

4. We won't go out to eat as often and that will save us a ton of money over a month's time.

5. If we keep those 85 combined pounds off our bodies, that is 85 pounds less weight in the RV.

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For us, the fulltime lifestyle cannot revolve around food. It is as simple as that. Bruce has heart disease issues to compound the situation. Since leaving Forest City 3 days ago, I've lost 3 of those 11 lbs. We've monitored our food selections and portions according to W.W. guidelines. That must continue....full steam ahead!

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I must be vigilant and not even look at bakery selections and so on in the grocery store and not think about the wonderful menus at Olive Garden, TGIFridays, Chili's and places like that. If I take a chance and succumb to the temptations, my resolve will melt faster than an ice cream cone in Death Valley during August.

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Stay tuned for more.....so long for now!