I THINK I'VE FINALLY HIT MY "FAT" LIMIT

"I think I've finally hit my 'fat' limit." I know I've said that to someone at least half-a-dozen times over the past year. Obviously, I didn't really mean it - because I just kept packing more and more into my "shrinking" jeans!

But this time, I really mean it. At least, I think I really mean it - I suppose only time will tell. I have a tiny little wardrobe (tiny in quantity, not size): two pairs of jeans, five long-sleeved T-shirts, one nice sweater, a pair of black slacks, and a dress and a couple of blouses from another life which I can't wear but can't yet bear to part with. Several of these items are getting pretty frayed and will need to be replaced soon. That means I'll probably be purchasing at some point in the near future: a pair (or two) of jeans, a few nice T-shirts, and maybe a pair of slacks. And by golly, I do NOT want to spend money on so much as one more pair of SIZE 14+ jeans!

I know - I'm 45 years old and am not a young chickie anymore. And I've given birth to seven children. And my diet consists of lots of pasta, potatoes, and rice - yum! And long schooldays mean I have a pretty sedentary lifestyle. But I still harbor deep down inside the hope that eventually, somehow, I'll shed some of my ample padding and insulation and discover a new, trimmer, more energetic me. And maybe, just maybe, she'll be a Size 12....please?!

HealthQuest, a fitness center just up the highway in Union City, has a contest every January/February called "The Biggest Loser". Membership at their center is expensive - definitely out of my price range. But, for this annual contest, HealthQuest allows participants unlimited use of their facilities, fitness classes, trainers, and nutrition experts. The cost? A small registration fee, the inconvenience of weekly weigh-ins, and the willingness to be humiliated for publicity purposes as one of the plump chickens reforming at the gym. At the final weigh-in on February 27, the Biggest Loser in the women's category will win a grand prize of $250 cash, a Swedish massage, a manicure, and a pedicure.

Okay, here's what I'm thinking. Although I would like to fit into smaller jeans, I have very little "body" pride. (Remember, I've given birth to seven babies - hospital OB wards make a woman almost shameless.) If I compete in this year's Biggest Loser contest, one of two things will happen. Either I will get all fired up over the game, lose a lot of weight, and win the fabulous prize package, in which case I will have the money to replace my wardrobe, in a smaller size! OR, I will get a little fired up over the game, lose a little weight, and still be ecstatic because my size is finally decreasing instead of increasing. Sounds like a Win-Win situation to me!

Soooo.....I picked up a registration package last week. Lots of icky paperwork, lots of I'd-rather-not-tell questions. Initial weigh-in was Saturday, January 2nd - oooooooh, do I really weigh THAT much?! Maybe I'll avoid February FAIL Syndrome and make it all the way to the finish line. You, Dear Reader, can be my biggest asset, my secret weapon in this endeavor. How? Please pray for me and, when you have a minute, drop a line of encouragement in a post comment. Maybe with some hard work and perseverence, and with your prayers and encouragement, I'll finally be able to say "I hit my 'fat' limit - and now I'm on my way down!"