Dear Jewish Fairy Godmother:

I just re-carpeted. I&'ve done everything I need to do to my house at
least for the next couple of years. Unless an appliance breaks, I should
have no expenses related to my house. Ditto my yard. I’ve cleaned
and purged every room. I brought two dozen bags to goodwill and
women&'s shelters. I’ve stripped and donated, cleaned, and dumped.
While there are things I&'d like to buy there is nothing I really need
except, gulp, to lose 20 lbs. I&'ve dodged this as long as I can. When I
finally got the courage to get on my scale (pre coffee, dry hair, naked
as the day I was born), I was relieved to see a 6 in the middle instead
of a 7. My goal is a 4 but in my fantasies I get down to a 3 (what I
weighed on my 20s). Can you tell me what I already know in a way
that I’ll listen?

Short list

 
Dear Short List:

The hard thing about weight loss is that you cannot just write a check
and pay someone else to do the hard work for you. But you can apply
the discipline to this project that you did to your house. Do similar
homework to what you did before you chose new carpet. I recommend
a structured program that’s already tested and endorsed. Review all
your options, including content and cost. There’s plans where you need
to eat the system’s food, and others where you count calories or other
specifics of intake. My vote would be a system that makes choices
easy. Weight Watchers is always good but there&'s also everything from
carb-free to fat- free and all points in-between. The only wrong choice
is one you won’t stick to. Experts say that weight lost more slowly
stays off. But weight that’s never lost keeps you where you are. While
what you weighed in your 20’s may sound extreme, losing twenty
pounds does not.

 
Get yourself a buddy who also has a similar goal and timeline. You
don’t have to be on the same system, but you do have to agree to
support one another with daily texts saying you stuck to your
program. It’d be great to exercise together. Make a twice-weekly date
to meet and exercise together. Walk every day 20-30 minutes when
you are not together. Keep a food log. Weigh yourself regularly. And
choose a “got to goal” outfit that’s a half-size too small from your
closet and hang it where you can see it. Start there and see if you can
lose four pounds this month. Repeat after you do.