Those who do not learn from the past….

….are bound to repeat it.

I have. Repeatedly.

I was a fat baby:

Me at about 11 years old:

Yep, I was also a fat kid.  The fatter I got, the more food became a refuge and comfort for me.

And I became fatter. At 15 my upward growth temporarily outpaced my outward growth, but by high school graduation I was just over 200lbs.

I lost a lot for my wedding at age 23…

…and then massively gained it within the first two years of our marriage:

By our tenth anniversary I again lost a lot:

…piled it on while in medical school:

…and regained it ALL (and more) by my 43rd birthday…..

Continuing my apparent 10 year (give or take)  gain/loss cycle, Weight Watchers helped me take off 70lbs by my 52nd birthday…

….then I blew my knee out while doing squats, could no longer do the intense workouts I had been doing…..and the weight came back.

In 2008 we moved to Hawaii, with its year-round pleasant weather, abundant fresh fruit and vegetables and a plethora of exercise options (swimming/cycling/paddling/snorkeling). I managed to override all those opportunities and soared to 2@@#$#$%^lbs:

It was at viewing  this ^ picture that my son took and innocently sent to me as a “nice picture” that I (first threw up, then…..) woke up to the reality of my grossness. Again.

So, today is my 60th birthday.  I know that there is nothing I can do about turning 60, but I can do something about looking like Jabba the Hut.  Again, I have lost weight. Using the diary on Myfitnesspal.com, it is easy to keep track of both food intake and exercise (um, no lunges for me, but everything else is kosher-and in fact this week I ran 2 miles for the first time in my life), and I have lost 53lbs (nearly one for each year?!).  I am again “socially acceptable.” I am not panicked at the thought of squeezing into an airline seat, or worried about being mistaken for a beached whale when I sit at the seaside.

Will it take this time?

Check out this blog space in 10 years to find the answer!

Update:  today is June 22, 2013.  It was just about one year ago that I started on this journey.  I have lost 77 pounds. Today I ran 3.5 and walked one mile (my usual Saturday routine).  I bought my first 2 piece bathing suit and will wear it to the beach on Monday with no reservations or fear. I have gone from a  size 22 to a 10.

Bring it on 70!