The New Year's Weigh-in

Some years ago I started the (evil) tradition of weighing everyone in the family on New Year's Day and then recording it on the calendar.  The children have grown; the tradition remains for those of us left in the house: the husband and me.

There are two schools of thought on weighing yourself, those who swear that you should weigh yourself every day and those who follow my son's philosophy, "Nothing good ever comes from stepping on the scales."  I get that obsessing over weight isn't the healthiest of behaviors, but I can't resist weighing myself in the morning any more than I can resist eating a tootsie roll out of the candy bowl at the post office.  

Two years ago after reading Dr. Rob Thompson's book, Glycemic Load Diet*, Jerry & I decided to make some changes in what we eat. In a nutshell, we cut out five foods: potatoes, rice, flour, pop and fruit juice.  It was surprisingly easy.  The weight just melted off…..Jerry.  Me?  Not so much. 

Fast forward to today:  Jerry, who wasn't even fat to begin with, has reduced his cholesterol AND gotten rid of his beer belly.  He looks twenty years younger.    The New Year's Day weigh-in was a delight for him.  "I haven't weighed THIS in DECADES!"  He squealed with joy like a teenage girl.  (Okay, maybe I made that squealing part up.  Jealousy is an ugly emotion.)

When it was my turn, I weighed myself.  Then I took off all my clothes.  Wearing only my birthday suit, I weighed myself again.  I actually weighed more the second time.  I gained .4 pounds in two seconds.  My suspicions have been confirmed -- I can gain weight just breathing. I decided not to weigh myself a third time.

The good news is that overall, I lost four pounds last year.  And, since 2011, I've shed ten pounds.  Jerry, the superstar, is down twenty-six.  

As much as I wish these figures were reversed, there is a silver lining in having my husband be the big weight-loss winner.  He may get the new clothes but I get something even better - blissful nights of uninterrupted sleep. Turns out losing weight made him quit snoring.  Who'd have guessed?


*Dr. Thompson's newest book, The Sugar Blockers Diet, outlines an even easier plan.  I'd tell you here, but I don't want to spoil the surprise.