Last week I traveled to Paris, Kentucky for a 50 year reunion of those of us who attended boarding school at Paris American High School in France. Kind of cool about the same city name/different locations, isn’t it? Well, picture this:  fried catfish sandwiches dripping with heavenly homemade tartar sauce, light as air deep-fried French fries, lemon bars, bourbon cream, crusted salmon, buttered green beans, rum and coke, pulled pork, ribs with your choice of three different kinds of sauces, potato salad, smoked chicken sandwiches, fruit salad, brownies…and the list goes on and on….for five full days.

          And I dove in. So much for my healthy eating plan and for my best resolution to stay on track during this vacation. I never ate past full but I ate everything. This morning, after getting home late last night, we began the first day of some home remodeling we’re doing on our new place for our move-in date of July 1st. I’ve got some cooking utensils here and some at the new place but for the next few weeks, we’ll be eating most of our meals at restaurants.

          Having said all that, I’ve decided not to continue with my efforts to lose weight right now. This is a difficult decision for me because, instead of just quitting on my own without anyone knowing, I have to do it here publicly. But I promised to be honest and that’s what I’m doing. While I don’t feel like I completely failed, I am concerned I may have let you down … that I didn’t stick with it long enough or try hard enough.
 

          The bottom line is I don’t feel like doing it … perhaps I will when my new husband and I have moved in and things settle down. Perhaps I’m using traveling and moving as excuses. I don’t know. At least I feel good about being honest about my decision. My motivation this go ’round was never as solidified as in past attempts and that may be because I know for sure I’m more than how much I weigh   … and you are too.

          Life goes on whatever our bodies look like. There’ll be no harsher critic than myself.

          I wish you the best in your weight journey and, I’d love it if you keep me posted. I may be out there again sometime soon … or not.

Contact Antonia at Antonia@TheJoyofAgingGratefully.com