Let's Talk About The Elephant in the Room (5 min. post)

* (5 minute post= I could spend a LOT of time obsessing over what/how to write every.single.word in every.single.post... meanwhile laundry and dishes go undone... toddler runs amok... husband wonders why I'm still in my PJs at 5:00 p.m.  So, while I WANT to post thoughtful/clever/witty banter every single day, it might not work with my lifestyle.  Here's my compromise:  I'm giving myself FIVE minutes to get a good idea rolling.  Whatever "flows" within that 5 minutes will post live at 6:00 a.m. the following morning if I don't get back to it before then!  Here's my very first 5-minute post.)


Well, I did it.  I'm not sure WHY I did it.  Well, actually, I DO know why I did it.  I want to WIN.  That's why.

I signed up for a weight-loss ("lifestyle change") competition.  This is something that I've rejected on principle for YEARS.  I don't like people playing games with their body/health.  However, I'm making an exception, for ONE reason:  First prize is $1500 CASH, plus some other really cool stuff.  I. WANT. TO. WIN.  :)

[I'll tell you more about the competition and what I'm doing in future posts.  Today's post is just an "intro to fluffy me."]

I can't exactly tell you when it first started-- the weight-gain, that is.  Obviously, it started happening AFTER high school.  And you're probably thinking, "Right.  EVERYone gains weight after HS.  Big deal."  But, for me, it was something that I didn't even NOTICE right away.  I didn't notice until after marriage #1.  Within the first year of that marriage, I am pretty sure I gained 20 pounds, if not more.  Then, I think I put on 20 more pounds before the marriage ended.  So, that's a good 40 lbs. in 3 years.

After the divorce, I lost a few pounds-- maybe 15 or 20.  And, I think I kept that off for a few years.  But, then when I got married again, I put on "happy weight" which included that 15 pounds that I'd lost, plus some.  THEN, I had kids.  Bring on another 40 pounds.  As of yesterday (the last time I weighed myself), I weigh about 12 pounds less than I did the day BEFORE I gave birth to my third child.  And he weighed 9 pounds at birth.  YOU do the math....

*Okay, 5 minutes is up!  If I don't come back, you'll have to stay tuned for "the rest of the story."