And That's No Lie!

Since many of you have been waiting with bated breath to find out the truth about me, here it goes:

1. True. I did live in a thatched roof beach house in Samana, D.R. It was a self-sufficient, island paradise where I lived out a dream.

2. True. If the Jefferson County Fair counts, I did win a blue ribbon for my Black Forest Cheesecake. It was a rich, creamy indulgence, now a distant memory. Boo hoo.

3. True. My first taste of real food was actually chocolate. I can't really blame my wonderful mother for giving in to my longing looks as she was enjoying a Hershey Bar. She caved in and let me lick her fingers. Although I gave up Hershey's for the "good stuff", I went on to become a card carrying chocoholic.

Crash Course in Accepting Compliments

The truth finally hit home today, I don't know how to accept a compliment. My boyfriend mentioned this several times and I dismissed it as just another one of his complaints but today, when my hairdresser exclaimed at how much weight I've lost, I poo-pooed it as no big deal. Being the outspoken Trinidadian she is, Debbie set me straight. "You should be proud of what you've accomplished, girl," she said in her typical Caribbean style. And she is 100% correct.

So I ask you, since you are slowly becoming thinner and more lovely ever day, do you know how to accept a compliment? Do you feel good having people tell you how terrific you are looking, or does it make you a tad uncomfortable. Just as we look in the mirror and still see fat (no matter how many pounds we've lost), maybe deep down we somehow feel that we don't deserve such compliments.

Love the One You're With

Why is it we all want to be someone we're not? It seems that we are never completely satisfied with our original packaging. I've always wanted sleek, shiny straight Pantene hair instead of my unruly curls. Brunettes wonder what it would like to be blonde. Short people might want to add a few inches to their height. Small breasted girls resort to padded bras or silicone implants to become more well endowed. Bald men want hair. Noses, ears, bellies and eyes are all subject to our own harsh scrutiny. Why is it we are rarely satisfied?

Well, all of us plus sized people long to be thin; billion dollar businesses have profited from our plight. But the thin people, those skinny Minnies you see at the gym - what do they long for?

BOOTY POP!

The Kidnapping of Miss X

Hello world. My name is Miss X and I desperately need to tell you my story. All I ask is a few minutes of your time. The whole thing began while hanging out with my friends, minding my own business. A strange woman with curly brown hair happened along and completely changed my life as I knew it.

You need to know that I've been thought of as classy and stylish and rather well put together. I was used to being lusted after until "she" came along and ended it all, from complete freedom to utter insubordination in the ca-ching of a cash register. I was snatched from my home and forced to live in a Florida condo. OK, so the condo was pretty nice but I was frequently stuffed in a dark, cramped place with the other kidnap victims. Pretty brutal treatment after being so admired and displayed.

My Scale is a Dirty, Rotten, Lying Scoundrel

My scale definitely is a he, so now I leave my nightie on when weighing myself in the morning. He can't be trusted to not peek. I don't want him seeing my chubby body for fear he might decide I weigh a bit more than I did previously. After all, he isn't such a nice guy. In fact, he's a dirty, rotten, lying scoundrel. He'll whisper sweet nothings to me one moment (145 lbs.) and a few hours later takes back those cherished words (147 lbs.) It's more than frustrating, it's downright unfair!

Be Your Own Valentine

Valentine's Day. Hearts. Flowers. Love. Sigh.

Whether you have a valentine or not isn't important. What is imperative is that you love yourself. So in preparation for Valentine's Day I want you to make a list of all your lovable qualities.

If you have trouble coming up with them, let me help you begin:

• Your sense of humor.
• Your caring and sensitivity to your family, friends and, of course, your weight loss buddies.
• The fact that you made the decision to lose weight and are sticking to it (even if you have an occasional set-back).

Magical Mystery Mustard Tour

Mustard is one of those "free" foods, zero points for Weight Watchers. It is far more than just a squeeze on a hot dog or a smear on a pastrami sandwich. Mustard is one of the oldest known condiments and is used in every country in some form or another. It is known to aid digestion as well as speed up metabolism. Mustard seeds are a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as calcium, dietary fiber, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, protein, selenium and zinc.

So with all these benefits you can't go wrong. This power packed seed concoction adds plenty of zing to otherwise boring "diet" food. Dip your carrot sticks into some chipotle mustard for a real wake-up call or add a little honey mustard to those veggie. Put some in your tuna salad or give your egg white omelet some character with a dab or two.

There are so many wonderful mustard combinations these days. Just take a walk down the aisle of your local grocery store or gourmet market. You'll see raspberry wasabi mustard, orange cranberry, horseradish mustard, roasted garlic, ale mustard, the Chinese variety as well as the classic yellow. The choice is yours, but be careful. While some mustards have no calories others have hidden sugar.

Here's a helpful list. What is your favorite?

The Greater the Struggle, The More Glorious the Triumph

The words were softly spoken in the 20 minute, emotionally packed prize winning film by Joshua Weigel, "Butterfly Circus". If you haven't seen it yet, you owe it to yourself to do so. The words are worthy of being shouted from rooftops.

“The greater the struggle,
the more glorious the triumph!”

What does that mean to us, as fellow dieters? Each pound lost is cause for celebration. We struggled for it; changing our eating habits, resisting temptations, moving our bodies in new and often tortuous ways. As we get closer and closer to our goals (and we are), we ought to take into account all the hard work and sacrifice we have endured to reach that goal. And how glorious it will feel when we actually get there!