FIGHTING FAT

I’m watching “Biggest Loser” on the newsroom monitor right now, and thinking about how everyone I know has to fight getting fat — or keeping off the weight they lose.

This past summer, I lost about 15 pounds. I cut out all pasta and bread — all the good stuff.
I increased my daily run from 2 to 2 and a half miles. And I started going to the gym to work with weights four times a week instead of three. It took all summer — but it worked! That’s the good news.

The bad news is that I have now realized that if I’m going to keep the weight off, I have to keep up the same routine. What that means is no more big heaping plates of pasta, no more bread dipped in olive oil. And even on the bitter cold days we’ve had lately, I never miss a daily run.

But the reward is that I can again fit into clothes that I couldn’t wear for two years and I even had some of them taken in. It feels pretty good — almost as good as a plate of pasta.

FAMILY TV?

It’s that time of year when we watch football playoff games and the beginning of golf season on television at our house. It’s an activity our whole family can enjoy, including our 14 year old son.

And if you’re a parent who watches sports on TV, chances are you’ve had this same experience:
sports events are loaded with advertisements for erectile dysfuntion aids like Viagra and Cialis.
So here’s the white elephant in the room when you’re watching with your child; in the middle of the ad you hear, “…if you have an erection lasting longer than 4 hours…” Now exactly what do you say to your teen-ager? I’m sure my mother would have acted like she didn’t hear it.

I made a joke that some parents might consider inappropriate. But we’re all in the same boat, doing the best we can. Good luck with that!

DANCING DAYS

Why don’t men dance? I was reminded of this when I went to the NBC5 holiday party.

You frequently see 3 or 4 girls dancing together, and not a man is willing to brave the dance floor. I suspect it’s because most of us baby boomers (who grew up during the “age of Aquarius”) never learned any proper dance steps. But it’s not too late!

After dragging men out on to the dance floor at numerous functions, I finally convinced my husband to take dance lessons with me. Right now we’re perfecting swing and the two step.
Who knows what’s next — but guys I can tell you one thing — a felllow who is a smooth dancer can sweep a girl right off her feet.

Britney’s Breakdown

I admit it. I feel sorry for Britney.

Watching all the coverage, her family is perfectly willing to talk to the media in the middle of her meltdown. And it looks like that’s the way it’s always been for Britney — she was only worth as much as her star reflected on the very people who were supposed to love her.

If she never got any real love, the building block of self-esteem, from the people closest to her, it’s no wonder she’s crumbling. Maybe it was the break-up with kFed. Who knows. But it’s sad to see someone who has provided so much enjoyment to so many people self-destruct.

Wonderful Texas Weather

Thank goodness to be back in Texas!
Like many people I just got back from a trip out of town over the holidays — in this case, Montana. Do you know how cold it is in Montana in December???
The days never started out above zero and we were lucky to make it to 20 degrees by noon. And, we only saw the sun one day, our last day there.
Now Montana is a beautiful state — mountains, trees, beautiful rivers and wildlife. And a week in the cold is, well, okay.
But believe me, when we flew in as we returned home, I glad to see the flat brown fields of Texas, and hear David said it may reach 70 this weekend. Now that’s what I call January!