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Online examples can help you stay on track

BY KATHY MANWEILER

Originally published April 25, 2006
(Editor's note: A few days ago, on April 21, 2006, Kathy Manweiler reached her weight loss goal and is now busy giving her credit cards a workout buying clothes in single-digit sizes.)

My bathroom scale can be amazingly stubborn. Some weeks it refuses to budge even though I'm working out harder than ever and eating less of my beloved chocolate.

When that happens, I want to kick the scale and drown my sorrows in the nearest pint of Haagen-Dazs.

To pull myself back from the edge, I need some encouragement, and I only have to look as far as my computer to find it. Some Internet diet blogs have kept me going when I felt like throwing in the towel.

They have inspired me to try new vegetables, take yoga and practice patience when the scale gets stuck. But one of the blogs that helped me the most turned out to be a cautionary tale.

The blogger struggled to lose more than 50 pounds, and I cheered her successes and empathized with her setbacks.

When she reached her goal and was wearing clothes in single-digit sizes, I wished I could be in her shoes.

But soon her setbacks came more often. She started blowing off workouts and eating more junk. She went out for ice cream with her boyfriend almost every night. Before long, she had gained back most of the weight she had worked so hard to lose.

Yikes.

I felt sad for her and scared for myself. I thought, "Oh my God, that could be me if I'm not careful."

I know how good it feels to be back at a healthy weight these days. I also know I've been at this weight before -- for a few months during college, until I slowly but surely started putting on more pounds than ever.

Back then, I went on a strict diet and had regular dates with my Jane Fonda workout videos until I hit my goal weight.

But then I ditched the diet and soon slid back into my couch-potato mode. I told myself that eating whatever I craved a couple of days a week wouldn't hurt and that it wouldn't matter if I didn't work out that week.

I didn't realize how hard I'd have to work to maintain that weight loss until it was too late.

This time, I didn't go on a diet. I gradually found workouts and healthy foods that I really like, and I know what it takes to hang on to this healthy lifestyle.

So on the days when I'm tempted to skip the gym and the Cheetos are calling my name, I remember that blog's unhappy ending and remind myself just how easily extra pounds can creep back on if I get too far off track.

Alive & Well Editor Kathy Manweiler has lost 100 pounds. Reach her at 316-268-6266 or kmanweiler@wichitaeagle.com.