My best friend had been dieting in 2010, and perhaps that got me thinking about it. When she moved I was bored and depressed. Maybe for a distraction, or maybe because I was 'on my own' now, but i started seriously considering dieting. I decided I would start the day after my birthday - my own personal 'New Year'. I read all I could in the 3 weeks of waiting. Coincidentally, i got a new phone and discovered apps, and then Fat Secret.

I also decided that since i had always told myself that i shouldn't eat whatever, that while waiting for the start i would all I wanted of anything. The good side of that was that I realized that food didnt make me happy. In fact, I was disgusted with myself. The bad side of the plan was that I gained up to 207, so I had extra to lose. Oh, well!

So, on August 13th (a Friday!), i started my diet. I have counted calories, and unlike with Jenny Craig, I have exercised. My plan was to eat anything i wanted, but in moderation. I learned quickly that some foods aren't worth having because of the deprivation i will face later in the day. Along the same lines, some foods aren't worth the miles I would have to walk to burn the calories.

This has been very rewarding, but ironically i worry all the time that I will gain the weight back. I still think of myself as fat (my mom calls this ghost fat), and I wonder how long that will last.

Since I've almost reached my goal, mt next effort is to figure out how to increase my muscle mass and be really fit, not just smaller.