KATE'S SAY NO ONCE A DAY WEIGHT LOSS PLAN

It is not politically correct, these days, to talk about why people are over-weight. It seems obvious to me - too much going into the body. It is like when my dirty-washing basket overflows - I know it is full and I must do something about it as it won't fix itself and getting a bigger washing basket won't solve the problem!

People say "It is all very well for you, you are thin(nish)."

I say "Look at my brothers, they are both fat, fat, fat! I am slim because I take responsibility for the shape of my body and I work at keeping it more or less OK. Sure I don't have a disease that predisposes me to getting fat but if I did I would work even harder."

Now is the time to realise that your body is the only one you are going to get. The happier your muscles, bones, nerves, sinews etc are guess what - the happier your brain is! That means you feel bright and energetic and enthusiastic - most of the time. Eating more than the ideal amount for you makes you feel lethargic, depressed and sensitive.

About August or so last year Roger and I both thought we were getting more than a couple of kilograms over what we decided about 10 years ago was our realistic, ideal body weights. So we decided to try to lose 4kg by Christmas - 1 kg / month. I lost 2 kg in the first 2 months but then wavered around the 2 - 2 1/2 loss up to Christmas. I was pleased enough - my clothes felt better - but I didn't want to let the weight lost come back so I stuck to my plan and now I have lost about 3 1/2kg. I only weigh myself when I feel I am doing well because I need encouragement not a sense of failure.

Everybody I have ever met who is overweight is conscious of it every minute of their day and spends most of these precious minutes making excuses for themselves. Here are some - my husband likes chubby women, I have health problems, I eat when I am stressed, I have no will-power, I have always been heavy for my height, all my family and ancestors are this shape etc etc etc etc etc .

Why do you think it is only you that wants to eat too much? Do you think I don't want to eat 6 biscuits with my coffee? Do you think I don't look for some yummy thing when everything else seems to be going wrong? I would love to eat the dessert I cook when my boys come home for dinner, smothered with cream. When I put out little pieces of chocolate for Roger and I to nibble on while we watch TV sometimes, don't you think we both want to gobble up several, instead of sharing just one? When I am starving hungry and serving up dinner I am often tempted to serve myself as much as I serve my lads, but I don't.

Do you relate your health problems to the fact that you are overweight? Which came first? Some people in our group used to be fat, I mean fat, and suffering with high blood pressure and all the things that come with a failing body. They finally took responsibility for themselves about 2 years ago - they can name themselves in a comment if they want to - and now they would have to be the 2 fittest-looking people amongst us. Please, put on a post and tell us your story - for everyone's sake! Then is the story of another of our group whose photos of herself 2 or 3 years ago, when she was rather large, seems to be of a different person to the one we all know now.

The time to take charge will not be any easier tomorrow or when the wedding is over or when you come back from overseas or anytime. Every day that you fail to start is another nail in your coffin. So, what do you do to start?

SAY NO ONCE A DAY TO SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT TO EAT.

That's it. I mean, how hard is that? For a whole week say no once a day. Don't weigh yourself or judge yourself in any way, and don't put it off. In a few days, maybe even on the first day, you will be pleased with yourself and quite proud that you are doing something for yourself and for your future. Next week we will progress to a few other ideas. Stay with it, together we can turn the corner onto the road to a healthy future.