Counting points?

So hard to believe. Me, counting points? When I was a teen, it was a constant battle to keep me over 100 pounds. I ate everything and anything I could get my hands on, including shakes and malts and egg nog, but I kept slipping below 100 pounds.

During my 20's, my metabolism started slipping. Simultaneously, I was eating better, or at least eating out more. More money leads to more food, not necessarily lean cuisine. By the time I turned 30, I'd shot up to 123. But my 30's were merciless. I gained 60 pounds while I was pregnant with my daughter, Erin. I lost all but 15 pounds of it overnight, but although I exercised regularly I never lost any of that last 15 pounds.

Next came back surgery, and all those casseroles from the church ladies, not to mention the cookies and cakes. Six weeks of that and I was up to 145. Here's the funny part: I thought I was fat.

Over the next two decades, another 10-15 pounds crept on slowly. I went up and down, but most of the time I was still under 160. I didn't think it could get much worse. And then I got sick and had to stop working. I gained 20 pounds in six months. At 180, I really thought there was no way I could gain any more weight. But over the next four years, another 20 pounds crept on, and two weeks ago when I checked in at the doctor's office, I weighed in at 206.

Wait! This can't be right. I'm the girl who had to drink malts to keep the weight on.

There is a day of reckoning, and with respect to weight, that day at the doctor's office was mine. So yes, I am counting points. It's an alternative to eating spontaneously, which I think is the point of the points. You have to count everything that goes in your mouth. This requires thought, attention, detail, looking things up, calculations, recording. So much for spontaneous.

I find myself looking forward to a big meal, but then when I try to eat it I find it is really too much food. Sometimes I get hungry during the day, but a couple of small plums, or a tomato and a string of cheese takes care of that, or maybe 23 almonds.

The best thing is that fat free milk is only 2 points for a whole 8 ounce glass. Ahhh. Life's little pleasures.