“She threw back her head with a laugh that made her chins ripple like little waves.” ~Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence 

As I forge ahead on the Jenny Craig program, I've become more mindful of what I eat, trying to keep my eye on the prize of feeling and looking better.

The phrase "lift and separate" takes on a whole new meaning during midlife.

In midlife it's not as easy to lose weight as it used to be.  Our metabolism has changed, and being in menopause doesn't help.  I can't simply cut back on the calories and poof - the pounds magically disappear.

No, no, no.

Now that gravity has taken over, it's not uncommon for my friends and I to discuss exactly what is, ungraciously, happening to our bodies.

Boobs somehow need to be picked up off the floor with wired four-hook contraptions that promise to lift and separate, while minimizing any "back fat." (Ew)

Extra fat appears around our midriff, mimicking someone who's had one too many beers.

You can no longer see your toes.

Today there are some not-so- lovely new names for extra fat that are enough to make you want to lose weight:

Jiggly fat, turkey twaddle, chubette, fattux, chunky, fatass.

You get the idea.

Every single pound - every single ounce - is a battle to  lose.

Who's that sitting in my chair? Smokey is dreaming of Jenny Craig's Chicken Fajitas!

I'd love to, once again, be able to get dressed without the need to check and re-check the mirror to decide whether or not I look good in an outfit.

I gave up trying to ask my husband what he thinks.  He's learned over the years that answering my questions are a lose-lose battle.

"Honey, do I look alright in this outfit?  Do you think my butt looks too big?"

"No, your butt looks the same."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing.  I'm just answering your question."

"I don't think so.  You said my butt looks the same.  I saw the look in your eyes. I heard that inflection in your voice.  You think my butt is too big."

"What are you talking about?"

Fade out. (It gets ugly.)

Losing weight takes more effort these days than it used to, so I'm reverting back to some old tricks I learned a long time ago.

• I took out a few photos that I like of myself to remind me how I want to look again.
• I've made a pact with myself not to buy new clothes until I feel more comfortable with my weight.
• Every time I walk on the treadmill or outdoors I write it down, and tally up the miles I've walked at the end of the week. (I used to mark it on a map, making pretend I was walking down south.  I think I got as far as Baltimore..)
• I remind myself that I'll soon have my yearly physical, and how good I'll feel when I don't mind stepping on the scale.

I hope these tricks work for me, because feeling healthier is the ultimate goal.  In the new year, it's the best gift I can give to myself.

Are you following any new healthy regimens this year?

*I received a free month on the Jenny Craig program and a discount on their food for this review.  There was no monetary compensation.  All opinions are solely my own.  NOTE: Clients following the Jenny Craig program lose, on average, 1 -2 lbs. per week.

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