In the beginning ....

It started with Michele Obama. Don't get me wrong, she's my girl, and all. Love those clothes. Love her even more for shopping at Target. She, in her capris and tennies, with those perfectly toned arms, working in the White House vegetable garden ... very sweet. But then she started talking about the national obsesity epidemic. And I cheered her on as she was talking about changing the menus in schools and getting kids to be more active, and I agreed with everything she said. Yes, America! Wake up, America! Let's get our kids fit and healthy! I have a 3-year old granddaughter after all. I want a better, and healthier, world for her.

And somewhere, in that far-far away place in the back of my mind, there was a little thought trying to make its way to the front of my brain ... "hey chickypoo, that means you too."

And as Lady Obama's message starting reaching into every nook and cranny of American communication -- TV, Internet, Newspapers, magazines, billboards, and finally, the workplace, I started to feel uncomfortable with myself. Not ready for anything Jillian-like, I wanted to take small steps. Cut back on portions little by little, move a little bit more. And so I traded in my regular bagel with cheese and bacon, hashbrowns and oj, for a non-fat cinnamon dolce latte and apple bran muffin, and asked for apple slices instead of fries. For dinner, I skipped on dessert, and tried to eat more salads. Instead of watching so much tv, I would go to the mall and walk around for an hour.

And I lost some weight ... 11 pounds ... in three months.

So yesterday I went out to dinner with my son, and the perky hostess with a blond ponytail, 5' 7" and 120 pounds, asked me, as her eyes moved downward and rested briefly on my stomach, "Would you be more comfortable in a booth, or table?"

I wanted to turn around and walk out. Or, yank on that ponytail. But I smiled, and answered, "table, please."

And as I sat eating my salad, with grilled chicken and low-fat balsamic viniagrette, I realized ... I've got to do more. I went home and searched on the Internet the salad that I had ordered. Even with the grilled chicken and low-fat dressing, it was about 700 calories. That apple bran muffin and non-fat latte was about 480 calories. My lunch normally contains about 600 to 700 calories. I usually have about 200 calories in snacks each day. I am eating about 2,000 calories. Not enough for weight loss. And I have to be honest with myself ... I'm not moving enough.

So here it is, day one really, of moving toward a life that's less snug, because somewhere in the near future, when I go to a restaurant, I would like some direct eye contact, and simply be led to a booth.