7 pounds in 14 days...

On my return from Europe at the weekend I took the trepid step and climbed on my scales. At first I wasn’t sure if my waning old eyes were failing me further, or whether my scales had broken whilst I was away, but what was before me was worse than a national disaster. I had gained 7 pounds, yes 7 pounds. Apart from nearly fainting, the only other sign I was alive was the whimper coming from my lips. How on earth could this have happened? I mean, seriously, 7 pounds in 14 days, that’s a half a pound a day, or if you want it in real throw-up terms, seeing as 3,500 calories is equal to 1 pound fat means I ate 24,500 calories more than I normally do!!! So all the pasta, olive oil, pastry products, oh and don’t forget the wine, I consumed have now taken home in my fat store.

But the dilemma is what to do about it. Should I diet or should I not? Usually, I would immediately go on a crash diet, and as you know I am the GABY self-confessed diet freak. However, this time I am going to refrain from such drastic action and try to be rational about this. So, as one reader from our first issue and blog had inspired me to read the “Eat This Not That” book (I reviewed it this month), I am going to use this as my guru and see if my new wobbly lodgers can be shifted! I wonder, though, how come I never used to have this problem in my 20s and 30s--why could I eat and drink what I wanted without problems. I know you will all immediately say METABOLISM, but truly can it get that bad? If so, I am afraid to think what will happen next. Will I eventually put on weight as soon as I look at a pizza or take that second glass of wine? Will I be relegated to eating salads every vacation, or is there a more civilized way to overcome this little issue? Please help, any ideas and tips would be greatly received.

Yours,

Flabbier than usual,

Dawn (the GABY Diet Freak)