SUPER-SIZE AND OTHER THINGS

Recently I have been on a weight loss plan. My doctor suggested that as I age, I gain weight. Even if I eat the same amount, our body does not work like it did at 20. Also, as we age, our activity level decreases. Not very good for aging, but we all do.

Here are some things I would like to suggest. Do Not Super-Size. You are only putting on more of everything. We no longer eat out much, but when we do, we eat sensibly. Most fast food places, or fat food places, are off our list. We will go to Wendy's or Taco John's on Sunday, but not every Sunday. Sometimes I want to say to the little perky girl at the register, "If I had wanted something extra, I would have ordered it." That would be rude, but sometimes I want to say it.

So, what are we eating at home. No packaged meals. I cook everything and it doesn't take that long. I can still fix a good meal in an hour, I have to plan ahead. We eat a meat, vegetables, and fruit for dessert. I did make an Angel Food Cake yesterday, but that is not bad. We can have it in moderation. We eat very little starches. When we do I'll fix a baked sweet potato.

Really, you can have anything you want in moderation. We have cut back on our portions. My husband has lost about 16 pounds since we started doing this. That includes the time with family and all the anniversary sweets. I've lost about 9.

Another thing we do is exercise. We bought a Wii when they first came out several years ago. Since then we have added exercise and game programs. We use the Wii anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour each day. I do some balance exercises and we both do sports. We've made it fun and it isn't so bad. When it gets warmer, we will start walking at the park. We are blessed with a park nearby with a good walking path.

We are losing slowly. My doctor was proud of my weight loss. I would like to lose more, but that will come later. Right now we are trying to stay on course.

I believe we forget what we used to do as housewives. We hung out clothes, ironed, and worked harder at keeping our houses clean. I know I've failed with the clothes dryers and the Swiffers. When I worked harder, I didn't gain weight. Then we didn't have fast food either. Since I want to be healthier, I will be changing my attitude this spring and trying to do things to help with my exercise and eating program. I hope you will think about this too.