Dieting is like cleaning my house

Layers.

Cleaning my house

• First layer - continuously: throwing out clutter such as junk mail, old newspapers, unneeded receipts, empty bags, empty boxes.
• Second layer - every day or two: putting this where they belong including coupons, keys, books, bills, dirty clothes, putting food away, straightening the counter-tops in the kitchen, making the bed, pushing in all the chairs, setting the remotes in the basket, emptying all the trash cans, and so on.
• Third layer - weekly (ha! I wish): wiping down counter-tops, kitchen chairs, appliances, shaking out doormats, sweeping, mopping, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms.
• Fourth layer - seasonally: washing the windows, cleaning the baseboards, scouring floors, cleaning various hand-holds (door knobs and surfaces, light switches(!)), hosing down the deck, hosing down the siding, cleaning out closets, the garage...

Of course there's more; it never ends. But you get the idea.

Dieting

• First layer - takes a week: 5 pounds of water weight, the last day or two of fast food or a couple of big meals.
• Second layer - takes a 4-6 weeks (at least on Take Shape for Life, which is a rapid plan): 20 pounds. The fat-face weight. The "all my pants are too tight" weight. The "I've stopped tucking in my shirts" weight. The "some of my old clothes fit again" weight.

I've just completed this layer. My body wants to sit here for a while, but alas there's a lot more weight to go.

• Third layer - takes more months: This is the next 25-40+ pounds. This is weight that's been on there for a while, perhaps a decade or more. Since before my last lifestyle change. For some, it dates back to their youth. Or since they graduated college, or since their kids started school, or since they graduated. For me, this will take me back about 25 years. Since the time I got married. That's when all my current lifestyle's bad habits started layering on - literally - the pounds.

These pounds are stubborn. But so am I.