Dear Friend,  I am so sorry, but it is true that by the time one is in their early sixties, we have heard all of these diet rules that we just throw up our hands, and we ask;  “Not again,” for they all have merit and truth, and that most of us hit the big, “O,” as in Obese on our weight scale is an understatement.  This is my truth and so many others out there — We love food, and in my case, “Sweets,’ so instead of putting me on a respirator when I pass on;  Would you give me some oxygen to help me breath, a big plate of, “Real,” chocolate brownies, not that mix stuff, and tell me to share as much or as little as I like.  I will haunt you if you bring in a crudites tray, and if you bring in baked chips instead of the ones with salt, then you  will know purgatory in its worst sense, for our weight problem is that we love the bad suff, and those damned crunchy little carrots, bagel chips, even screwing us over with apple slices;  Do not get me started!  No one wants to be fat, but if we are our intake is greater than our output, and we do not need any fancy diet books;  “No sir;”  We can get along just fine by eating less, staying out of the fudge shops and if we burn some calories by working instead of dreaming the cloud full of cream pies;  Then we can see our rear ends leaving the blubber on the park benches where once we sat.  I am not happy being FAT, AND my knees are ruined,  I once looked almost like a movie star without starvation, but now I am accepting casting calls for Ms. Piggy’s vintage wardrobe.  I will endevor to lose some of my weight;  But in the end;  Lay out the brownies and forget the under ripe fruit, for pack them anyway you want and you have fiber, water, some extra vitamins, and you are a better citzen if you recycle the bags, but is it making you happier;  Or are you just faking the enthusiasm from God’s bounty.  Come on!  Fish, bread, wine, and some great olives were not a bad party to share with your followers, and you saved money by buying it at the, “Way Of The Cross,” Deli and Donkey wash.  Just thinking out loud!!!

I have endeavored to deal with the, “Set Point,” that weight which you cannot seem to conquer, where your body just takes you back there the minute you give up doing, “The Right Thing.”  I see friends in their 60s and 70s endeavoring to stay at a size 0 to 3, and they are going to out live me, because I am asking;  “What is the purpose?”  It is not attractive, and one of my friends kept saying, “But I want to be a beautiful corpse,”  That is not enough for me, but I can see wanting to be a healthier older person which is about the most we can hope for at this point or to live to age 99 when all of our friends are dead.

I have not endeavored to be my ideal size 12 to 14 which seems to look better on grandmothers, and please do not get me wrong, that I believe living your best life does require some discipline.  Have I endeavored to discipline myself toward being a more physically fit person?  I have not done enough, or we would not be having this conversation, and I appreciate that you have found the questions and some of the answers toward that goal.  I have a second chance at life, and above all;  I need to show gratitude that I survived that long.  I thank you for the information, and the points are well taken even if not applied.  God Bless. Thanks, Barb Hz, “Pinkhoneysuckle,” Author of book and blog…