On March 31, I blogged on Monday Mania about Mireille Guiliano’s bestselling book, French Women Don’t Get Fat. Using her simple, practical, and logical suggestions on how to lose a few pounds, I decided to give it a try. I didn’t need to lose a lot of weight, but those five to seven pounds I put on when I reached my mid-thirties seem to stick around no matter how much I worked out or starved myself. So, on January 1st, I decided to put a few of Guiliano’s suggestions into practice.  

My goal was to lose a pound a month and be six pounds lighter on July 1st. I realized right away that my biggest problem in not losing weight was the club I joined to when I was little. Because my parents were excellent cooks, I joined the Clean-Plate Club. Since then, it’s been difficult for me to stop eating when I was full. But I gave it a shot and was surprised how easy it was. It only took a few days to get used to pushing my plate way even though it still contained food. This practice also saved me a few bucks. While dining out, which my husband and I do often, I’d ask for a take-out container and have the leftovers the next day for lunch. Now, the idea of eating an entire plate of nachos is unthinkable! 
I also cut back (not eliminated entirely) my worst offenders: muffins, bagels, and cookies. 
I cut out dark beer, which I no longer have a taste for.
I eat small, healthy snacks and never let myself get too hungry. 
Did I reach my goal? You darn right I did! Actually, I lost seven pounds!
At first, I couldn’t SEE the difference in the mirror, but the scale at the gym didn’t lie. I also compared the gym’s scale to the one in my doctor’s office. No difference! And my jeans, shorts, and capri pants are too big now. But when I looked at a photo of myself that was taken about eighteen months ago, I was shocked. Yep, I needed to lose those few pounds. In fact, I’m hoping to drop a few more. 
I’m also happy to report that the effort seemed effortless.