Back in time

August 2004
I am about to turn 39 and I am aware of my desire to lose weight and get myself in shape by the time I turn 40. Still, I do nothing.

October 2004
Over the last few months I have gradually gained back the weight I lost (about 50 pounds, I think) back in 2001. Gradually all the great clothes I bought as a result of that weight loss have been shoved to the back of the closet. I'm down to a few things that I can still reasonably squeeze myself into... and they're a little snug. And/or wearing out. I resign myself - I will need to go shopping and buy a few new things "until I lose weight."

And that stops me in my tracks. How ridiculous is this? I have a closet full of nice clothes I can't wear and I'm thinking of spending money on still more clothes.

If that isn't bad enough, when I do go shopping for a few emergency pieces (just to hold me over), it is very hard to find anything that fits well, let alone looks good. I refuse to go outside of Macy's Women's World department. Bigger than their biggest sizes is not an option.

And somehow, that is the kick in the size 24 pants that I needed. I am not going to spend money on more, bigger clothes when I have lots of not quite so big clothes that I could wear with a little work.

That was my motivation, now I just needed a plan. It's not like I don't know how to eat to lose weight. (I just don't do it.) What works for me is a modified low carb, low glycemic plan based on Dr. Perricone's anti-aging food diets. Salmon, salad, blueberries, and younger skin too. (A year later, he would publish a diet book, The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet.)

And my inspiration? As an attorney for juveniles, I worked with kids in drug court and frequently saw them heading off to in-patient treatment when the out-patient wasn't working. About this time, one of my favorite clients had agreed to go to in-patient for the first time. This was a 16 or 17 year old kid who had never really been away from home, and he agreed to leave his family and everything familiar for 35 days in this program. The idea was that in the 35 days he would learn the skills and tools to be successful in recovery in the community.

I took that 35-day plan and adapted it for myself. I committed to 35 days of strictly following my food plan (which included eschewing sugar, flour, potatoes, rice, pasta, etc.--anything white and starchy), with the idea that after 35 days I would have kicked my addictions and internalized my new eating plan.

November 8, 2004
Day 1. The beginning!