No, no, Silly-Rabbit—not in a “She’s a 10″ kind of way. Not in a Bo Derek/Dudley Moore/Bolero kind of running on the beach in a bikini with my hair braided in corn-row way. However, I imagine if I was going to assign myself a number in that numerical way (which in truth I am totally against) I would give myself a four to five on an average day( I am a harsh and merciless judge of myself and a very generous judge of others—Igor and I are working on this). However if I had the help of a team of gifted and talented beauty professionals, I could weasel my way up to a strong seven. If you add in energy, enthusiasm and extra-credit I would get extra points for personality and wit, not that those who are inclined to hand out “tens” give credit for such character qualities. But what I am talking about today is the size of my tushy. My tushy is, as of yesterday, a size 10.
When I started Weight Watchers lo the many weeks ago ( seven to be exact) I was having some trouble squeezing into a size twelve skirt. I was having to wear Donna Karan’s serious control-top tights with Spanx on top (sexy, no?) and even then the twelve was feeling a bit snug and uncomfortable( this is my code way of saying I was truly a fourteen). Yesterday Elizabeth and I did a lovely day of lunch and shopping( lunch was sushi and shopping involved J.Crew and falling in love with a Prada bag that you will soon hear more about). While at J.Crew I saw a pencil skirt that caught my eye. This kind of pencil I wouldn’t have even considered seven weeks ago. I pulled both a twelve and a ten, just in case, and I boldly tried on the ten first and miracle of miracles, wonders of wonders, it fit. I did the “I’m naked and I’m skinny dance” in the J.Crew dressing room even though I had on the adorable and tiny skirt( yes, I know that 00 is tiny. To many a ten is considered a “large size” But to me a ten is tiny) and I was in a less adorably cute postage stamp of a dressing room. The “I’m naked and I’m skinny dance” is a good dance for any “I’m skinny” occasion. I hustled out of the dressing room and lamabadaed my way to the cash register and tangoed out my credit card and waltzed out the door( do you think I have hit the dancing theme hard enough?). This is the first size ten I have purchased since pre-infertility treatment which feels like a life time ago and this was a BIG moment for me.
As of yesterday I have lost 22 pounds. When I started this WW adventure my goal was to lose 30 lbs. Eight more pounds and I am there. Three more pounds and I am no longer considered overweight. Now that I am a ten I feel like maybe my goal now is to wear an eight. For my frame and height I don’t think any smaller than that would be a good thing. I am not sure how much more weight it will take for me to be an eight. And truly I don’t care a fig or a fig-newton how long it takes me to get there. I am happy where I am and each step towards where I want to be is a step that I will enjoy taking. Yikes, who am I? How did I become this?
I thought that as I have just completed the numerical milestone that it might be a good time to take a personal inventory. I have learned the following:
* I can enjoy coffee without sugar (Truvia doesn’t totally suck). I can and do need half and half in my coffee. On this point I will make no concessions. It is possible to lose weight and have half and half in your coffee.
* Weight Watchers is brilliant. I love it. I have used the online version and I have never gone to an in-person meeting. I have learned, just through tracking my food and using their point system that I have choices and it has taught me a lot about budgeting and making food choices that work for me. This is not a diet. This is me learning that ten cookies are not a light lunch that means I am free to have a carb-heavy dinner with two cocktails and a desert.
*When I first started this program I was incredibly rigid and was terrified of using the extra points that WW gave me. What I learned is that I end up losing more weight by using those extra points. Last weekend when I was in San Francisco I ended up eating apple crisp, tiramisu, cannoli, Burmese food and several glasses of wine and I STILL lost two lbs. I am learning that the more rigid I am and the greater hurry I am in to lose the weight the more likely I am to fail.
* I have had some days in which stress eating seemed like a really good idea( Friday was a PERFECT example. At the end of the day I felt SURE I deserved a surf and turf and a couple of Jack and Cokes). On those days I indulge in some chocolate cheerios or mashed cauliflower with butter or maybe an extra Hostess 100 calorie cupcake( my secret weapon in the battle of the bulge) and I am mostly happy or happier than if I had gone off the points. Also, I tend to tell myself, “with all the stress you are experiencing you don’t need to be eating in a destructive way which will only make you feel worse.” It works and calms my desire for a plate filled with pasta.
* Through this weight loss adventure I have learned that when I make a decision I can do all manner of things that I didn’t think I could do. I am very inspired and emboldened by this insight.
*I am sort of amazed by how when I really decided to do all this that part of my motivation was this fantasy of needing pictures for my book jacket. I decided that losing weight was an important part of the preparation for my writing dreams to become a reality—-yeah, I get that they aren’t really related. But for me, for some reason, they were. Well, Thursdays with Igor is still unsold and unrepresented, but just four weeks into this weight loss journey and I did need pictures taken for my interview with Forest and Bluff. And because I had already lost twelve pounds when I had the photos taken I don’t hate them. I don’t look at them and think “you’re fat”. I am so very grateful for that. I try to imagine the dread I would have felt if I had not lost those twelve lbs. before the pictures—-it would not have been pretty.
* Having support and community makes a real difference. When I decided to join WW I started a Facebook group called “Weasels who do Weight Watchers”. There are less than 20 of us weasels who meet in our members only clubhouse—but I can tell you that all of the weasels who have shared about with me their journey and what has and hasn’t worked for them have been a big inspiration to me. Thank you, Weasels!
* Yesterday when I was getting ready to go out, I tried on some jeans and they seemed a little on the huge side. I came into the living room with just jeans and a bra on. I asked He-weasel for his opinion, “Are these too big?”. “No, not at all,” he answered. I was sort of confused. I asked again, “You really don’t think these jeans are too big on me?” “Oh, he responded looking down to my pants for the first time, “Oh!!!!! You’re talking about the jeans. Yeah, they are definitely too big. Time to give those away.” I have learned an important lesson, I must have my top on if I am going to ask He-weasel any question about sizes or about anything.
Uh, did I mention that I was a ten? Time to dance now. Wanna join me?
Congratulations, Weasel Friend!!! Speaking as a size 14, I know just what a big deal it had to have been to slip into those size tens! And as to the photographs…I had mine professionally taken several months ago, and was NOT happy how much bigger I am than I was three years ago. You escaped my fate, Jacob Scrooge. I bear the pounds I forged in life, blah blah blah lol.
I laughed out loud about He Weasel. Even at this mummified stage of my life, as the sun goes down at the glue factory, the girls are still my best feature. They are like fairy dust sometimes, distracting from my lesser strengths. (some churls would say weaknesses.)
Go on wit you bad self, Skinny Minnie! You rock! (but you always did, in my book.)
xox
Tiger Friend
I think you look fantastic. We are always so much harder on our lovely self than others are on us. Don’t you think?
And, dear you, you are FAR from mummified! There is some serious power for distraction in our mammary zone. This power can be used for good.;-)
Thanks, lovely Tiger-friend
p.s. You made me want to watch the Christmas Carol.
xoxo
EBENEZER Scrooge. Jacob Marley. Hey, it’s three in the morning.
I am so happy for you! And I do see how preparation for the photo for the book was important for the book (and its future). What a gift you have given yourself…the gift of better health and everything pivots from that point off into all sorts of wonderful directions. xoxo
Thanks, Lydia! It feels like I *knew* this was all going to happen. Of course I couldn’t but just maybe….;-)
xoxo
So proud of you! Your pictures are beautiful. I am still afraid to commit to this, but need to, as I am disgusted with how I look. enjoy your new clothes, it is so much for fun to shop when you are happy with your weight.
WW is easy. You can do it!!:-)
Congratulations on becoming a ten! xx
Thanks, Cameron!xo
Congratulations!!! That is an amazing achievement, well done. I’m still going with my own healthy eating challenge and have lost 23lbs so far, but I have a lot more to lose than you
p.s. I loved He-Weasel answering your question ‘are these too big’ while looking at your boobs!
Congrats to you!! I am so happy for you!!! It is a big achievement. Wish we could celebrate together.
p.s. Me too. He’s funny!
This is a real achievement as you have done it sensibly by changing your style of eating rather than just ‘dieting’
I have heard some good things about WW, a colleague in my sisters office went to a noodle bar recently and ate her ‘usual’ looking it up on a friends iphone afterwards she then screamed with horror when she found out she had in one small bowl consumed 19/20 of her points!
It is best to look up the points BEFORE you eat something. That way you can decide if you want to make another choice. A 1 point meal can be done. It’s not easy or satisfying but it is possible.;-)
Thanks, Alison!
That is breaking news La Belle….bravo….xv
Merci!xo
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
And, for the record, I was serious about Argentina! I will let you know the exact dates we’ll be there when we get our tickets
Thank you!!!:-)
OMG! That would be amazing. I am in high-dream mode. I have always wanted to go and to meet you and your brother and your family. How fun that would be!
And I can take you to meet Pedro!
I wish I could bring Igor with me.;-)
YEAH!!! Congratulations !!! Your post is most inspiring as you know I’m working on my own scale…I especially took in the “to me” view you pointed out , its not important what others say is acceptable .. it is “me” who needs to feel ok with it. This is something I’m working on .. stepping on my scale today I’m seeing a lower 7ish lb. and it felt good. Reading that I’m not allowed on this journey .. keeps me going… XO HHL
P.S. I need to get back here later and catch up on few previous posts.. I truly do enjoy your writing and need to have a cup tea and no distractions so I can read and focus. xo
I am so glad that the “to me” was meaningful to you. It was a big change of view point for me too. For years I gave all the power to them. I am sick of handing over my power. I want to hold onto it from now on. Congrats on your 7 lb. loss! Well done!!!xo
p.s. You are very kind. I look forward to seeing you again soon.:-)
Woo-hoo! So you’ve been running a marathon of sorts yourself!
I have and it feels good.:-)
Yee-hah, whoo-hoo!!! Congratulations Miss LBR! That is *so* incredibly difficult to achieve for so many, good on you for actually getting there!
Big, big hugs at you, you made my morning happy!
tp
Thank you!! I knew when I started this time that I would get to the finish line. I just didn’t expect to get so many benefits along the way.
You are too kind. I appreciate your very heartfelt support and encouragement. Thanks!!xoox
You have always been a “10″ in my book…
I’m so happy for you!!!
I think I may follow suit and try to eat healthier… Reading you is so motivating!!
I will never get the kind of answer you got from He-weasel… lol!! Lucky you!! XXX
Thank you, Lena. You are a sweetheart! It does feel great to be in a 10. And I am sooooo happy if I am at all motivating.
LOL! Are you saying that men would tell you that they are too big? Lucky!;-)xoxo
LMAO!! Men don’t even look at my chest… Ever… LOL!! I would have to turn around and ask!! LOL!! XXX
Well done…you are an inspiration.
I’m off to check out WW and see what they have on their site.
If you decide to join WW then let me know and I will invite you to join my Weasels who do weight watchers group.
Congratulations! I did weight watchers for a long time and was so happy with the weight I lost. I’ve recently joined again to shed some pounds and I wasn’t looking forward to it at all, but your post has truly inspired me and made me feel so much better about it.
Thank you!
Thank you!!! When you start back let me know and I will invite you into our secret WW-weasel member only clubhouse.:-)
I am so enjoying your blog, your attitude and your refreshing candor. Congratulations on being a 10 and for your wonderful 22 lb weight loss. I used to work for WW and am not anywhere near my goal weight currently. BUTT (pun intended cuz mine is beggin’ to be a 10 again, too) I am ready to rally & weasel on over to the FB page & join you! you for the inspiration! xx Lille
Thanks so much Lille( I LOVE YOUR NAME!!) I also love your very kind comment. Would be delighted to have you join us in our WWW club house. Can’t wait to see you there!
xo
Congratulations LBR…you can do whatever you set your mind to, I know it! I don’t think too many things require the discipline of weight loss! I am happy to hear that you were in J Crew, indicating to me that perhaps I should visit too…I was near next door to our JCrew and was naughty..will tell you later! xoxoxo
I am starting to see myself as a disciplined person. It is a big change in self-concept and I like it. You missed a BIG sale at Jcrew this weekend. However, if you go on line everything is 25% off now. It’s a good time to buy..xoxo
p.s. Can’t wait to hear about your naughty!
HOORAY FOR YOU!!!!
Thank you!
You’ve always been lovely.
But I can hear how excited you are and happy you are with yourself–so you go.
And yay for new skirt purchases…
You are EXTREMELY kind!
I am pleased with myself and my tiny tushy( okay, not tiny—but not HUGE;-)
Congratulations!!
And I’ve seen your face. You’re a 10 in the Bo Derek sense too.
Thank you!!!!!!
And the check is the mail!:-)
I meant, “in the mail”.;-)
Turning up the music and dancing along!
Can I dip you?;-)
I seem to have found what you lost. Ehhh…..time to get fat and hibernate to survive the long hard Texas winter. Hee…
Texas winters are brutal. Or is that summers?;-)
Congratulations Belette, that is absolutely brilliant! Well done; I have sadly slipped horribly recently but will pick myself up and start all over again. Thank you for that clip – I used to watch those films on a sunday afternoon with my mother when I was a kid. And the he-weasel story was really funny – men!!
Thank you!!
Aren’t Fred and Ginger heaven? I am going to see if I can find a DVD boxset.
Men and breasts, there is no getting around it.;-)
That’s simply wonderful! Congratulations on your well-deserved achievement. Don’t know how you control yourself with the Hostess thingys, though. I’d eat 100 of 100-calorie packs!!
Thanks, Erica!!!!! My limit has been 4. I have eaten 4 packages of Hostess chocolate cupcakes. I am not proud of it but I have to be honest.
Congrats – Twenty two pounds is fantastic! You deserve a waggle (the motion I make when I sink a putt).
You’ve inspired me to get rid of those last pesky five pounds. Now, if I could back to exercising . .
I love imagining your post putt wiggle. I am wiggling in my size 10 skirt.;-)
So happy to have inspired you!
Yay, you! My favorite part of the post is: “I have learned that when I make a decision I can do all manner of things that I didn’t think I could do. I am very inspired and emboldened by this insight.” That, I respectfully submit, is EVEN cooler than being a size 10 (which is very cool). Yes — the return of personal agency! Doing things and working hard and having a good result is such a blessing, no? And it’s also cool to be happy where you are, but still aspire to do more. Again and again you inspire me.
It is pretty darn cool. It feels good to feel that I have agency. I lost a lot of that because of infertility. It is good to feel that I am getting that back. I am touched and deeply pleased that I inspired you.
It’s never so much about size but how well you feel about yourself. I’m absolutely delighted to know you’ve reached your goal in such a short amount of time. It was also good to hear about your triple ‘w’ club meetings on facebook. I didn’t know you can start or participate in a private club there.
Thursdays With Igor will sell. You’ll look spectacular at your book signings and even better when you walk the red carpet on Oscar night after it’s been made into a fabulous film. I’m not sure if I’d choose Angelina Jolie or Cate Blanchett for your role but Stellan Skarsgard would be an excellent Igor. What do you think?
Thanks, Susan! It does feel good. And, yeah, you can start a private club. Let me know if you want to start one of your own.
Thanks for believing in me and my Igor story. My fantasy is that Julianne Moore will play me and Omar Shirref will play Igor. But this isn’t a fantasy I admit to most. Keep it a secret, huh?;-)
Congratulations, Weasel.. Yea! it was time for the pants to go, but not the rest
Love you, Woozle!:-)
How cute is that comment above! I think you look ultra-hawt in your new photo, btw.
It’s so fun to watch other people find motivation which leads to change. And weight loss is such an observable symbol of one’s “new self”.
I’m really enjoying these posts, Bel. Keep telling us about the fun you’re having.
Pretty darn cute! You are very kind.:-)
The choice about the weight loss seems so symbolic of other choices…I have to write more about this.
Thanks so much, K-line! I am having fun!:-)
I’m delighted you’re having such Weight Watchers success but devastated that you do not have Bo Derek hair.
The corn rows made me hungry and so I lost them.;-)
Congratulations! It’s nice to hear people getting healthy. *looks for the weight watchers nearest me* I’m overweight, but hope to start losing with all the walking I’ve been doing.
Take care and congratulations. It’s a wonderful feeling and a huge accomplishment.
If you do join please let me know. I would love you to join our little WWW clubhouse( it’s free and fun and effective). BEst of luck to you!!
Thank you!!
doll, you are doing so good and i am very proud of your progress…i feel rather motherly toward you and can feel you beaming over so much of the good stuff in life you so justly deserve…AND i learned a new word *truth be told, i learn lots of new words from you:* ready? lamabadaed … granted i don’t know what it is or what it means but perhaps a type of dance? anyway, congrats on it ALL!! xoxoxox
Thank you! Yeah, I am beaming. It is about time, isn’t it??? Ugh! I have come a long way, baby! It feels so good to be on this side of things. Hee-hee! Yeah, the lamabada is the forbidden dance. Thanks lovely you! Thank you for sincerely sharing in my joy. I can feel it.xxoox
Awww, Swing Time is my favorite Fred and Ginger!
I can’t see them and not think of you.
Whistle while you work ta da da da da da!
How wonderful and well done!
And yes you will not repeat the pattern ref clothes. Especially as you will go down a dress size again – an 8 sounds perfect! xxx
An 8 in high-quality clothes will be brilliant. I am seriously paying attention to your posts. I am very excited. Thank you for helping me stay on track in terms of disciplined buying.xo
You look fabulous! Congratulations on even more weight loss. I recall those epicurean delights and can’t say I lost two pounds myself, but I had fun and lost a little bit. I keep noodling about weight watchers but it’s Thanksgiving this week so I’m procrastinating.
He-weasel’s obviously got the right idea
.
I suppose that I was preparing for the trip and made some sacrifices after—that is why I managed to lose the 2 lbs. You will do it, when you are ready!
He-weasel makes me laugh. That was a classic guy-moment!
That is so great!!!! You are such an inspiration.
I’m going to weight watcher site today. How do we get a copy of Forest and Bluff? Keep it up, the good work.
Thanks, Penny! If you join please let me know and I will send you an invite to Weasels Who do Weight Watchers! Would love you to be in our club,
The editor of F&B said she is going to try and give me a PDF of the article to post on the blog. I will ask her about how people can order a copy. You are so very sweet to ask!:-)
Thanks! And good luck with WW!:-)
Speaking as a dude, zero is yikes. Ten is, unsurprisingly, in the vicinity of ten.
That’s what He-weasel says too. He is not a fan of uber-skinny which is a very good thing for me.;-)
My second-favorite part of this post is how your hubbo responded when you asked him about the jeans.
My favorite part is reading how good you feel about yourself. I’m so happy for you!
Thanks, Elizabeth! My favorite part is how I feel too. You have inspired me!
When you have a goal…woooeee, watch out! Keep on with the health-boosting keepin’ on.
[As a shorter person who has met you, I also feel compelled to remind you of the obvious: that your current size is small for someone so TALL!]
ps So glad to find another Chocolate Cheerios fa, ha.
Hee-hee!!! I am a woman with a goal and when I have one it does drive me to extremes( in a good way).
Really? Ten is tiny for me? Nice. Thank you!
Yes, Chocolate Cheerios are a wonderful treat and yet still healthy-ish.;-)
Yay! That really is exciting. And yes, a 10 is not large (whatever some crazy people might say). For God’s sake, it’s what? Two sizes smaller than the American average? I am currently more comfortable in a 12 than a 10 (though some 10′s work thanks to sizing differences). My goal is to be a 10 by Ne Year’s….though honestly that might be crazy with the way I am cooking lately. And let me just say you are gorgeous at whatever size you are. Loved the new photos on facebook though….you glow!
I am 5’9 and so a 10 seems good. He-weasel says he doesn’t want me to lose more than 5 more lbs.( I love him). I am thinking 15 more.
Good for you for your 12. You will be a ten in no time.
You are such a sweetheart. Thank you!!:-)xo