Time Flies!

It has been a long time since my last post on this blog (my retirement blog has been getting all the attention!).  No mystery there - I would much rather talk about all of the great plans and excitement of launching my retirement dream then discuss with you my misery.  Yes, sigh, misery.  Fifteen pounds crept up to 20 lbs and then 25 lb.  "STOP!"  I yell! "Go find someone else to suffocate!"

I am definitely an emotional eater.  The candy machine at work has my fingerprints memorized - I can almost see it vibrate with glee when I walk past it every morning, noon and night!  The chocolate bars whisper my name - "Hey, Eileen, no gluten in my body anywhere - wanna' get together? "  I power through my nutritious lunch and my healthy snacks and then the countdown begins!  Ghosts of chocolate bars past whisper to me from the hidden nooks and crannies of my office - "We're waiting," they say. "You know you want it!" they cry.

I drink water, crunch almonds, jamb half a banana down my throat and still I can hear them, singing, calling, pulling me through the door, down the hallway and into the entrance until I am on my knees in front of the Red God of Calories!  Red denotes passion, fire, excitement and fat - big, squishy belly fat, mounding in places, creasing in others, smiling at me when I make the trip from tub to closet.  So what's a girl to do?  Well here's what:  Re-read her blogs, that's what!  AND Remember that Never Quit mantra of old!  AND Remind herself of the pain and constraints the extra weight created.  AND Never forget the feeling of climbing up to Grassy Lakes in record time, with only a few short stops to catch my breath.  AND Revel in the victories: 5 K walk in less than an hour; running hundreds of stairs to prepare for walking in SE Asia; taking the Zoomba risk and the Spin Class challenge and finishing the 100 Day Walking Challenge in the middle of winter!  That's What!