Everything we put on our bodies, and I am not talking about extra pounds, causes us to look larger or smaller. The statement, “less is more” is especially true in looking thin. When we pile on jewelry, scarves, belts, and layers, we are creating a larger silhouette. If we want to lose weight fast, or just look like it, this is not the way to do it.

When I was young I was trendy. I never considered what looked good on me. I wore what was en vogue at the moment. I wanted to fit in and be like everyone else. I will never forget the day that I found myself. I met Charli and I liked her! Before that I did not know who I was. I wanted to look like this person or that person. Finally I realized that I had a style all my own. It was unique, and that if I embraced it everyone else would too.

As the years began to add up, so did my weight. I tried every diet available. In many ways I was sabotaging my own self. I learned that there were things that I could do, to not necessarily lose weight fast, but just look like it.

I started with my handbag. I scaled down the size and made sure it did not hang beside my largest body part, which would make me look wider. I stopped layering everything and went to back to basics. I no longer looked like the Michelin man. I took off excess jewelry. Too much jewelry looks heavy in itself. I chose smaller width belts, thinner and lighter weight. I was conscious of the shoes or boots I wore. I begin to stick with less bulky fat heeled shoes. My jackets, sweaters, coats, etc., were more classic and not so embellished. I stopped adding a scarf to every outfit. I chose to wear jewelry or a scarf, but not both.

Now those naughty scales that once made me cry no longer mattered! I found a way to look in the mirror and be happy with my own reflection. I may not look like those waif clothes hangar models that stroll the catwalk, but I see Charli and I like her! You can do the same thing; that is to lose weight fast, or just look like it!

Recently I lost 23 pounds. It happened over a period of 4 months; not very fast as you can see. I lost about 1.5 pounds a week. When I began my quest it was not a diet per se. I just made a decision that I wanted to secure a healthier lifestyle.

As I look back, I can see that I had gained the excess weight at a rate of one or two pounds a year. This is where so many of our weight problems lie. We are not as aware of things that happen very slowly in our lives, as we would be if it were to happen to us quickly.

I could offer you many reasons for how the weight gain came and they would all be good. Many would say that is just what happens when we age. But the truth is that we allow it to happen as we age. For some strange reason aging is a legitimate reason for everything we once thought unacceptable and important, to become acceptable and unimportant. When the truth is we use it as an excuse to resist change.

I just came home from visiting my children. Yes, they are wonderful cooks! The food is delicious and with children it is three meals a day. When I was preparing for the visit I began to think about this as I had been maintaining my desired weight for about a month. During the weight loss journey we have more will power to be strong as we are working toward a goal; a set number. After that number arrives we have a tendency to relax and think; great I made it, now I can eat again. This is not a conscious action, but a subliminal thought process. This is when the true test begins.

There is no “secret formula” that works over the long haul. It takes more desire and discipline to keep weight off than it does to loose it. The reason we usually fail is that we encounter the “healthy lifestyle buster,” and that is the revelation that our weight control has no end. It must be maintained and that requires a change in our lifestyle choices. We realize that it is up to us to make the right food choices everyday for the rest of our lives.

Before you say, “Whoa Charli, forget it; no can do,” and jump off the proverbial band wagon, let’s rethink a few things. The greatest thing we have going for us is the fact that we have the desire to change, the fact that we made a change, and the fact that we want to make that change permanent. However, we must accept the fact that we are going to fail many times, but that does not have to be the end of the story.

I try to give myself a 3 pound buffer zone. A 3 pound weight gain means that I have gained 1 pound. A 1-2 pound gain can be fluids, but a third pound usually signifies true weight gain. [Of course our size and health condition has a great affect on the fluid factor.]

I try to get back on the horse that threw me as fast as I can. I don’t beat myself up for a bit of food indulgence, I just know that all excess food will have to be accounted for and quickly! If we linger too long with those few extra pounds, our psyche can become discouraged or depressed due to our feeling of failure. This is the most important thing of all. We are what we think we are!

We must look at our small weight gain as very controllable and begin attending to it immediately. If we do, we will not linger in the valley of low self-esteem. It is expedient that we take the next step up the path of self-confidence and lose those few pounds. The more times this process happens, and it will happen many times in our lives, the more we realize that we can win this game. That it is something that we can integrate into our daily lives. It is an area where we can maintain balance and self-control. As we learn to conquer our small weight gains, then we will never have to face the juggernaut of excess baggage again! Losing those extra 2-3 pounds will become the normal thing to do. When this little “weight loss tip” becomes automatic, we will have reached the summit on the mountain of weight control. Most people think that reaching the peak of Mt. Everest is the greatest adventure of all. If they only knew!