I've been overwhelmed by how many people "weighed in" on my 45-day declaration to lose some weight before I turn 45. More than 7,000 read about it on Facebook, hundreds have commented and it appeared here on The Huffington Post (and that was just in the first 24 hours).
So I've decided to keep blogging about the excess baggage I've been carrying around and how I plan to lighten up. People have sent me loads of diet and exercise tips. Some are inventive, others have me intrigued and there are a few that are completely insane.
Let's start with what the skinny bitches have to say (and by that, I am referring to my girlfriends). You may know many of them... as my "posse" frequently pops up on a television screen near you. These women are really wonderful and very wise on ways to stay their perfect size. Take Linda Thompson, for instance. If you don't recognize her name, you will know one of her many claims to fame. She's an award winning songwriter, she was a "Hee Haw" honey -- and, oh yeah, she lived with Elvis. Google her and you will see gorgeous pictures of a woman who's old enough to have an AARP card and yet still has the same body she did when she was in her 20s.
Linda is one of my oldest friends (she loves it when I refer to her that way) but it wasn't until yesterday that I discovered it's not just good genes that have kept her in the same size jeans for decades. She admitted to me that she actually learned to keep off the excess from one of her exes. Years ago, when she was married to Bruce Jenner (yes, that Bruce Jenner), he said something to her that she has carried throughout her life. Linda was raised in a very modest household and was always told not to waste food. So, like a good Southern girl, she would clean her plate. But when Bruce ran into Linda's life, the Olympian said to her, "You can either put the food in a garbage disposal or use your body as a garbage disposal and let it turn into waste (or waist) in your own body!"
Now, I'm not looking to win a medal here... but I would like to successfully make it over this weight loss hurdle. That's why getting my girlfriends on my team was an important first step. I learned this week that the ladies don't always need to lunch. My friends are more than happy to spend an hour hiking the hills with me instead. And if we do decide to dine out, my girls have already promised to hide the bread basket and drink my wine.
Speaking on wine, do you know how many calories are in a glass? I do now... thanks to a great app I just downloaded. Many of my "social" friends suggested MyFitnessPal (which is really the best free app out there). But for my money, I downloaded MyNetDiary. It cost $9.99 (money already saved by skipping the lattes this week). MyNetDiary has about half a million foods in its database. You type in what you eat, it adds up the calories. I also like that I can access it from the web or my mobile devices -- and all the info syncs.
So, I'm counting calories while I'm counting on my girlfriends. Tomorrow I'm going to take a spin with one of them (at Soul Cycle). And tonight, I'm going to run the garbage disposal.