We plan to lose ten pounds -- each.

My daughter Christie and I have decided to try to lose a little more weight. Someone told us we couldn’t; so we decided we’d show her we could. We can lose it and keep it off. We’ve already proved we could.

We are not having a contest. Here is our game plan: Christie wants to lose ten pounds and keep it off, and so do I.

We are not going on a diet. Christie has had excellent results with a number of diet programs. She has gradually lost weight and kept it off. I don’t do well with diet plans. If I am told not to eat a certain food or more than a given amount, I eat more than ever. Instead, if I concentrate on eating plenty of the right foods, I lose weight.

We always exercise, but now that we are trying to lose ten pounds we are exercising even more. We go to the gym, we lift weights(Christie – a huge amount, me – a tiny bit), Christie rides her bicycle, I ride my tricycle, we work, we walk, and Christie runs. I stretch most days because I had both knees replaced at once a year ago. Stretching exercises are essential.

Some of the time we are together and some of the time we’re in different states. It doesn’t matter. We can still correspond with each other and report our results.

We need two things from our friends: encouragement and suggestions.

Christie:
I have lost weight over the past few years and kept it off. It is time to lose the rest! I want a permanent change.


Mary:
A month from now, I plan to go to the fiftieth year reunion of the 1961 class of Taylorsville High School, Taylorsville, Mississippi. In 1961 I was thin, even though I thought I was fat. In 2011 nobody thinks I’m thin. It would be nice to lose a little more weight before then. During the last year I have lost 29 pounds and kept them off, well almost. Now it’s time to lose the two pounds I’ve gained back and ten more.