The weight is too damn high!

Working as an at-home writer and editor to the stars is great, but there is one big drawback: weight gain.

Jimmy "The Rent Is Too Damn High" McMillan

I lost 65 pounds with Weight Watchers a couple of years ago but sadly, gained it all back. The weight is too damn high! The more writing I do, the more weight I gain.

The Celebrity Editor, like her star readers and clients, must be hot and paparazzi ready. So I am declaring today that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. For the sake of my health and cuteness, the weight is coming off! 

My diet isn't that bad. I could drink more water, and my portion control could be better. I'm up to 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. I could do more.

The main problem is that I don't move. I'm stuck in front of the computer, sometimes for hours at a time.

If your office chair is getting too damn tight, then join me and let's lose weight together. Since I'm on a strict budget, I have to be frugal, but I want to duplicate the elements that made Weight Watchers a success for me.

Accountability. There are free weight loss communities online, which is great for sharing and caring. I chose SparkPeople.com. Once I figured my way around the site, it was easy to see why it's so popular. Your free subscription gets you a banquet of motivation, inspiration, recipes, weight loss tips, and most importantly for me, accountability. You can enter your weight, measurements, and what you've eaten on a daily basis to track your calories and weight loss.

Exercise. Some people claim to love exercise, but I don't get it. I'd rather sit and read a book. When I lost the 65 pounds, I went to the gym most days. Somewhere along the way I just got bored. Now that I'm ready to start up again, I'm realizing my needs have completely changed from a couple of years ago:

• I don't want to eat any more bad low cal frozen dinners.
• I don't want to spend the money on gym fees. 
• I don't want to take the time driving back and forth to the gym, especially when I'm on a deadline. 
• I just want to get out of bed and work out in whatever I have on. 
• Any extra time I have I want to spend on fun stuff, not exercising.

What to do? I'd love to buy a treadmill, but the one I want costs too damn much (okay, sorry). I just discovered Leslie Sansone's walk at home program, and it seems promising. Right now she's doing a "21 Days Before Thanksgiving Challenge." I tried her 5-minute walk (posted Oct. 31), and it was actually fun! I don't know that I'll do the full challenge, but really, I just need something to help me break up the day. I can see doing the 5-minute walk throughout the day.

The Doctor. People my age are dying. I need to take my health more seriously. I have an appointment today, and I know my doctor's going to get on my case about gaining weight. Rightly so. I'll also let her know what I'm planning to do to rectify the situation. No matter what your age, if you're having issues with weight, talk to your doctor. Be responsible and accountable.

Donna Marie