It's not just exercise--it's portion control, too

I have to admit I've been remiss in posting to this blog. That's because for quite a while, life has pulled me in many directions. Nonetheless, I'm celebrating double today. Let me share my news:

1)I've lost the sixteen pounds I'd put back on a few months ago while I had to handle a family crisis (nothing with my husband and daughter, rest assured). Now I'm back to that twenty-five pound weight loss I had completed last June. I'm happy, even though I still have more to take off.

2)My short story, Chateau, has finally been published and now appears in the current issue of New Love Stories magazine, available by subscription and at some local Borders bookstores.

You may be interested to know how I lost the weight I'd gained back. (I won't dwell on how I gained it back. Let's just say I was caring for a loved one, helping with serious problems. In the process, I ate poorly, didn't exercise much, and generally didn't take care of myself.)

Well, here's how I succeeded in getting that weight off, and how I'm still working to take off even more. First, I'm paying attention to nutrition. I've re-joined Jenny Craig and have mostly been adhering to the program. The second thing is that I'm back to my regular exercising again, and feeling so much better because of it.

In my next few posts, I'd love to share my experiences with you. But first, I'd like to alert you to something I saw today on MSN.com -- a discussion of how we all can put on weight when we're not aware of the calories we shovel in as we eat "usual" portions of certain popular foods.

Portion control. That's one thing I've learned from two very good weight loss programs, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. Besides teaching basic balanced nutrition, the lion's share of these programs is portion control. Or so it seems to me.

So, here's the link to a great explanation of how "portion distortion" contributes to obesity. Check it out. I found it enlightening. Just click here.

Oh, and if you'd like to subscribe to New Love Stories magazine, here's where to click. If you subscribe right away, you might even receive the current issue and be able to read my story, which starts on page 51! Also, if you'd like to submit a short story for possible publication, go to their home page, where you can find writers guidelines.

In any case, I raise my glass of water to toast you as you work toward good nutrition and getting more exercise.

Rita St. Claire