CCC, Me, Salt Orgies, and the Bloat Troll

Seems like it's a bloaty week in the FatFighter community.

CCC posted about her tight rings and bloat issues, and how it affected her weigh-in.

Well, Friday, I'm surprised someone didn't show up at my door with a dowsing rod pointing right at my torso, and a team of well-diggers right behind insisting they'd STRUCK THE MOTHER OF ALL WELLS!

I put on, overnight, FOUR POUNDS of waterweight gain. How do I know it was waterweight? Oh, please. No one gains four pounds of blubber overnight. Heh.

No, it was a salty bowl of soup at lunch and a salty cup of chili at dinner with some salty tortilla chips and BAZOOM, there she blows.

Yeah, I woke up the day after the Salt Orgy, and it was like the Hydro Fairy had whacked me on the head while I slept. Rings tight. Eyelids poofy. Shoes snug. Ankles heaving out to there.

My poor, poor kidneys.

It's not good for the body to have so much salt. Certainly not mine. My blood pressure went up a bit--from my usual 120/80 to 135/80--from the salty overload and fluid retention. Horrible!

So, no hot dogs this Memorial Day weekned. No tortilla chips and salsa, no matter how carefully measured out. No sodium-heavy soups. But just don't ask me to give up cheese. It's , as John Malkovich says in DANGEROUS LIAISONS, "beyond my control."

We all have our non-negotiables. For some, it's that half-cup of ice cream at night; for others, it's a piece of chocolate after lunch; for others, it's cream in the coffee. The Princess must have a daily dose of some kinda cheese. I can make it low-fat, sure, and I can make it reduced-sodium, but you know cheese is never going to be nice without a good portion of its salt content. Just how it is.

But balance is king. Or Queen. And bloat can be slain, like any nasty troll. Yes, this weekend, I'm slurping smoothies and munching on fruit to get potassium into the Princess systerm in order to help my beleaguered kidneys drain me of the excess fluid.

I imagine I'll be extra chummy with the bathroom. :::flush:::

Anyway, best of luck to CCC in the post-bloat weigh-in (watch her lose like 3 or 4 pounds, watch.)

And, between restful naps, home chores, family gatherings, and shopping this Memorial Day holiday, may we stop and remember the fallen, those who died so that we can enjoy all the blessings and security and freedom that we have in this land. Freedom's not free. Someone fought for it. Some fought to their deaths.

Remember and be grateful.

Wednesday Weigh-In: Minor Progress

Today's scale number: 284.5

Down, officially, ONE POUND since last Wednesday.

Okay, this is disappointing given I was down one pound more than that earlier in the week. But, just goes to show how slacking off doesn't help. Or a salty Indian food buffet lunch. (I knew that spinach was overloaded and salty, and yet, I love that aloo palak and I stuck it in my mouth.) I had two overeating days--one of them downright bingey--and the others were just okay, meaning not tightly disciplined. And I only went for a walk one day. Of course, that's the first time I've gone outside for a walk in...well...many, many moons.

However, the right perspective for a Princess is optimism: It's DOWN. I didn't lose ground from last weigh-in. Down in a plus, no matter how little.

Perhaps this is the motivating kick I need to actually GET ON THE TREADMILL. :)

So, just one tiny banner wave for this weigh-in.

How did your weigh-in go? How about the battle to add exercise?

~

A Fat Rant.

I love her attitude and humor.

I dub her honorary Duchess of the Day.

~

Overeating Ogre Attacks: Stuffed Shells and PIzza and Meatballs

I went slightly berserk in the presence of Italian food yesterday.

Why?

I did not follow the sound rules to keep the Overeating Ogre in his lair and away from my house:

~~I didn't drink my glasses of water.
~~I didn't eat my breakfast right off (eggs or otherwise filling options).
~~I didn't plan what to have while brushing my teeth
~~I didn't have my protein snack
~~I didn't focus on fiber

No, I got distracted with stuff and put off eating until I was ravenous: Ogre rising!

And then the take-out demon called my name.

So, okay, instead of four or five slices of veggie pizza, I had three. Instead of two meatballs, I had one. Instead of four stuffed shells, I had two, without the mozza on top.

And then I made sure to go easy on the rest of my eating that day. No more bingeosity.

Today, the scale didn't budge upwards. Yay. But it didn't go down. Aw.

Still, it taught me simply that if I do NOT do what it takes to keep my appetite monster in some sort of nap state, it will rise and take over.

So, how did y'all do this weekend? Stayed on plan? Went berserk? Somewhere in the middle? And how has Monday been faring?

Now, I gotta go drink my whey and two glasses of water. Or you know what beast will awaken!

~

One Point Down in Body Mass Index!

I couldn't resist getting on the scale this morning: 283.5

I couldn't resist doing the BMI calculation: 46

Hey, that's down 5.5 pounds and down one BMI point. Weee!

Here's hoping that the weekend is not stressful and next Wednesday's Weight-In shows more downward progress.

BTW, note on the sidebar where I've added the model of Princess Dieter--or as close at that site would let me get it to how I look, since I tried getting it to make me a little bigger in the boobies and shoulders, no avail. Click on it and you'll go to the site where you can make your own model. Happy personalizing!

And may your weekend be full of healthful foods in modest caloric portions. :)

I wave my royal scepter at you all for luck and blessing!


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Sparkly Factoid: Eggs For Satiety

Going to work on a couple of eggs might be the way forward if you want to shift those pounds. According to new research from the Rochester Centre for Obesity in America, eating eggs for breakfast could help to limit your calorie intake throughout the rest of the day, by more than 400 calories.

--from the article "Eat Eggs For Weight Loss" at Weight Loss Resources

Princess Dieter Discovers...Grits are Not as Satisfying as Oatmeal

Because of my current dental woe--ie, cracked tooth--I have been keeping to softish foods. So, instead of toast or crackers at breakfast, or even high protein bagels or meal bars, I've been having grits with my scrambled eggs. (I'm an egg freak. Watch for an egg factoid soon.)

Grits don't keep me as full as oatmeal, I've discovered. Huh. Hmmm.

Well, they both have fiber. They're both grain-based, starchy, whatever. But for some reason, oatmeal really does make me feel satisfied longer. One cup of cooked grits just doesn't beat one cup of cooked oatmeal. And oatmeal has that cholesterol lowering type of fiber.

So, time to make a huge batch of oatmeal.

Do you like the stuff? I do. But then, it's one of my comfort foods. I have very warm memories of chilly fall and cold winter mornings when mom would make me a very soupy bowl of oatmeal. She made it with milk, lots of milk, and I still like it best that way. Milk as the base instead of water, and lots of slow cooking to get it all mushy, and cinnamon. Mmmmmmm.

These days, I use skim milk. Sometimes add a bit of water to lessen the caloric count. I add cinnamon and vanilla extract. I put in some honey for the luxuriousness of it. But I principally sweeten it with Splenda. I like to make a big pot and put some in the fridge for enjoyment for a couple of days.

Makes me think of mom, milky oatmeal. Ah, I miss her. Wonder if they eat in Heaven. Oh, they must eat. How could it be Heaven without yumsy treats?

So, go make a pot of oatmeal to have a cup as a snack (add high protein powder if you're insulin resistant or diabetic or just carb-conscious), and save some to have with your breakfast. Your bowels and heart will thank you.

Sparkly Factoid: Slimming Scent

Among the men tested, neither odor 1 (citrus floral) nor odor 2 (sweet pea & lily of the valley) seemed to affect the perception of weight. However, odor 3 (floral and spice) significantly reduced the perception of the woman’s weight by an average of 4.1 pounds. More remarkably, those men who found the floral and spice odor to be pleasant perceived the woman to be a full 12 pounds less than her actual weight.

--from article "Special Odor Reduces Perceived Weight Up To 12 Pounds"

(hat tip to Scentsability blog)

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~~~~Wednesday Weigh-In~~~~

Okay, so, I never met my 40 points goal this week. The best day was yesterday, when I kept to 42 points. Otherwise, my caloric intake was well above 2000 and often around 2500 calories.

On the scale:

285.5

Starting Weight: 289 lbs

Lost this week: 3.5 lbs

I'm happy with that.

I'm not happy that I made a huge batch of oatmeal (the old fashioned, slower cooking kind, made with milk and cinnamon and a dash of vanilla and a bit of honey), and packed it in tupperware, and...left it out on the counter!!! How doofus is that? Argh.
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Sparkly Factoid: Foods that Satisfy

Not all fats are created equal: Make yours mono and you may end up eating fewer calories. In promising preliminary research, monounsaturated fats -- olive oil, for instance -- appear to work better than other fats in delaying the time it takes you to feel hungry again. So put olive oil on your toast instead of butter or margarine.

And, nutty as it seems, studies show that a handful of well-timed nuts so effectively satisfies the appetite that you're less likely to overeat later.

--from "The Eat Part" article at USA Today

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Sparkly Factoid: Coconut Water's Benefits

Coconut water, the fluid in coconuts, can be helpful in treating PMS. Because of the high levels of potassium and magnesium, vitamin C and trace amounts of copper, phosphorus and sulfur, it corrects electrolyte imbalances even better than most sports drinks. The World Health Organization also recommends it for stomach problems. In addition, researchers in India found that coconut water may help reduce the symptoms of heart disease. Other studies suggest that coconut water may help to detoxify the liver. And subjects who drank coconut water were shown to have lower cholesterol than those who didn’t.

--HerbNET Ezine, March 2007

Note: Princess Dieter reminds readers to buy coconut water that has NO ADDED SUGAR. I've tried and enjoyed the GOYA, CONCHITA, and ZICO brands. If you buy with pulp, you may prefer to strain out the pulp, then nibble on it later. Alway chill. It's great to refresh in summer when chilled. And when you've had too much salt, it's a great debloater, due to all the potassium. (11 oz of ZICO coconut water has 670 mg of potassium!)

The Villainous Hard Crust and the Binge

Well, I bit into a really hard bit of roti crust a couple days ago, and it hurt. Then I bit into a crunchy plantain chip yesterday, and it REALLY hurt. Something felt "not right." I got this bad throbbing pain. Took a ginormous strength Motrin, which helped loads. Put in an emergency message to the dentist. (I've got an appt today.)

Like a fool, I went into comfort, creamy, don't have to chew food binge. Boston Market mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, gravy overload, mac'n'cheese. Yeesh.

So, while the scale said down 2 pounds Saturday, today it says one. All that salt didn't help, either. Egads.

But, the correct approach when one screws up is...?

Yes, you got it. You pick yourself, dust yourself off, and get BACK ON A SANE PLAN. (I hadn't immediately cut back to "dieting" calorie counts last week. I just began scaling back from my usual feasts. I'd say, according to my diet/food journal calculations, I brought my consumption down from about 3500 calories to 2600 calories Wed-Sat. Yesterday, It was higher. Hey, it's progress of some sort.)

So, today, after my scrambled eggs, apple juice--I prefer fresh-squeezed grapefruit and orange, but those give me a little itchy in the throat feeling, at times, and I can't have that at the dentists's. Especially since my allergies are already icky. Spring pollens!--and ginger peach tea with Splenda, I calculated how many calories I need given my height, weight, age. I came up with 2397. Huh. I thought it would be more, given I'm barn-sized. I remember seeing a chart a couple years ago, and it had the "maintenance" calories over 3K. Surprise me!

I used an automatic online calorie needs calculator, and that gave me 2391. So, really, pretty close to the one I did by hand with pen and calculator.

Note that your needs go down as your weight goes down. And your need goes up as your exercise level goes up. I put in the "sedentary" level, cause I'm still not gung-ho on the exercise. So, if you're a movement enthusiast, you get more calories. If you're sedentary and slim, you get fewer. Makes sense.

My goal for this week is to stay at 2000 or fewer, as I work my way to a daily quota of 1600 dieting calories. Let's see, that would be about 40 points max for this week (using WW system). (Note: WW wouldn't approve of 40 points, that's way over what my weight category would permit on the Flex system. I'm just using it as a quick mental way to calculate my allowance in a 2000 calorie limit.)

Okay, so, the Princess Dieter needs to get her dental thing sorted out. Meantime, I'm going to keep to healthier non-chewing options: organic unsweetened applesauce and cottage cheese for lunch, protein drink and yogurt for snacks, maybe a nice soup for supper and some carrot juice.

I hope you calculate your caloric needs today, and subtract from it so you're on your way to less of excess and more of the real, healthy Queen that you truly are.

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DragonFire Factoid: US #1 Fattest Nation

America is the fattest nation in the world — the numbers are shocking. According to 2005 government statistics, 66 percent of Americans are overweight, 31 percent are obese, and 5 percent are super-obese. And growing — the number of obese adults has doubled in the last 20 years.

--Holly G. Atkinson, M.D. in "Eating a Healthful Diet"

Sparkly Factoid: Food Journals Work

Studies show that people who keep food journals lose more weight and keep more of that weight off in the long run. The National Weight Control Registry-–an ongoing research project tracking more than 3,000 people who’ve lost an average of 66 pounds and kept it off for five years– found that keeping a food journal is the one strategy used by the majority of successful dieters. In fact, in a study of 685 dieters conducted by a health insurance company, the best predictor of weight loss throughout the first year was the number of food records kept per week.

--Rebecca Pratt, staff writer at SparkPeople.com

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DragonFire Factoid: Soy's Bad for Your Thyroid

Isoflavones belong to the flavonoid or bioflavonoid family of chemicals, and are considered endocrine disruptors -- plants or other products that act as hormones, disrupting the endocrine system, and in some cases, this disruption involves acting as an anti-thyroid agent. (The grain millet, for example, contains high levels of flavonoids, and is commonly known as problematic for thyroid function). Flavonoids inhibit thyroid peroxidase (TPO), which disturbs proper thyroid function.

--Mary Shomon

A Mean Measuring Tape & A Fruity Tale

The vile, vile tool of the measuring tape. Ouchie. Cruel and merciless and unyielding.

But all Princess Dieters need one to see how much progress--yes, yes, progress!-is being made, especially given how important the docs tell us that waist-to-hip ratios are in determing certain risk factors.

BTW, do you know what fruit you are? Are you an apple, that shape that carries such risks of diabetes and heart disease? Or are you a pear, that shape many women dread, cause it means big hips in relation to smaller upper body? Hey, a pear is a good fruit to be, healthwise. Smallish waist to roundy hips is womanly--and it's good for your heart.

So, I brought out the dread implement, that long and skinny, dare I say snakey, tape and took the two crucial measurements: waist and hip.

48 and 59

Ghastly!

Now, out comes the calculator. I use a bright red one with a flip top that I keep in my desk drawer. You can use this one online.

Divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement and....I got .81 as the quotient.

The online calculator says I'm an AVOCADO. (No, sorry, I just don't look good in that color. BUT, I love to eat avocados, so, well, I'll just think "salad" and not "tunic top.")

Here's the stuff they told avocado me:

Your waist-to-hip ratio is 0.81

You're an "avocado"

Even though your hips are easily larger than your waist, your risk is higher than a pear's (but lower than an apple's). Unlike fat on your hips, which tends to just sit there, the fat you carry around your middle or on your upper torso is easily converted into energy whenever your body runs short. That process raises cholesterol levels and blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease or stroke. It also causes insulin resistance, a common prelude to diabetes. After menopause, women are much likelier to gain weight around their middles and on their upper torsos.

Researchers studying nearly 45,000 women aged 40 to 65 in the ongoing Nurses Health Study have found a remarkable link between waist-to-hip ratios and serious health problems. If you're under age 60 and your ratio is between 0.76 and 0.88, you have two and a half to three times as much chance of getting coronary disease as women whose ratios are 0.72 and less. If you're 60 or older, the risk falls to about one and a half times that of women 0.72 and under.

Waist size alone can signal the danger of heart disease and diabetes. Your waist is larger than 38 inches, which means your chances of getting coronary heart disease are triple those of women whose waists measure 28 inches or less. If you're under age 60, the risk goes even higher -- four times that faced by smaller-waisted women. Also, the possibility that you'll develop diabetes is roughly five times what is for women with small waists (26 inches or less).

So, what fruit are YOU?

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Tracking Princess Dieter's Progress

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and





If you want to track yours, go to Ticker Factory and customize your own.

Sparkly Factoid: Optimistic Dieters

~A new Consumer Reports survey finds that despite past failures, most dieting Americans are optimistic that they'll lose weight this time around.~


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Six Beginning Steps To Get You A Weight Loss Happily-Ever-After Ending

Since the stated goal for Princess Dieter and all those who are on a similar journey is to achieve the happy-ever-after of a healthy weight and good fitness, let's see what Kathryn Martyn, NLP expert, weight loss coach, says are the necessary 6 steps for a successful outcome (ie. H.E.A.):

1) State what you want (not what you do not want). "I want to weigh 135
pounds."

2) Determine whether you can achieve it (do you believe it is
possible?).

3) What resources do you have and what do you need (time, money, gear,
clothes, equipment, coaching, whatever).

4) Check whether anyone else is involved and any potential obstacles that
may come up regarding others. Think of everyone involved in your day-to-day
life.

5) Picture yourself "as if" you've obtained what you say you want and see
if that picture fits. Do you like what you see?

6) Put together a plan of action for the achievement of your
outcome.

Okay, so, how far along have we gotten here. Let's do the checklist:

Regarding #1: CHECK. I stated in the previous post that I was aiming for 160. So, "I want to weight 160 pounds."

On to #2: As the footer philosophy and the first entries make clear, yes. I choose to have a positive attitude. I choose to believe I can do this. Why? Others have trod the same path. They are role models that say it can be done by a human being. Princess Dieter, being human, can do it, too. I may have more (or fewer) obstacles than other morbidly obese royalty who've gone before and succeeded, but it's still achievable. They showed it could be done. So, "Yes, I believe I can make it happen!"

Next--#3: What resources do I have? I previously owned or recently bought the following:

1. new exercise clothes--simple, basic, comfortable
2. two new pair of walking shoes, one white and light blue and one all-black.
3. a set of Bowflex weights
4. a resistance band
5. a stability ball
6. an exercise mat
7. On Demand cable channels with exercise classes
8. a treadmill
9. several books on dieting, including YOU: THE DIET and VOLUMETRICS

I have the time. I can't fall back on that excuse. It's the inclination I have to muster. AND I WILL!!!

I also plan to reassess the family budget and see if I can hire, even if short-term, a personal coach to give me guidance on how to exercise without hurting myself. At 289 pounds, it's very hard to move. Just walking is an undertaking. Going up stairs is killer on the knees--and going down is only marginally easier. So, expert advice would be beneficial.

Gliding to #4: Meal planning gets tough cause my hubby only likes a few veggies and fruits, and he won't eat beans or oatmeal or some stuff. But breakfast and lunch are pretty much clear sailing (M through F) and not such a hurdle on weekends. Dinner is the thing. We get take-out all the time cause I'm a horrible, horrible cook. Princesses should have someone else cook!!! This step will require coordination, and I"m working on it. I have to collect about 20 really easy recipes that include stuff hubby will eat and that works for my calorie/points needs. It's doable, but it's gonna be a difficult thing for kitchen-a-phobic and cooking-impaired Princess Dieter.


And now #5: YES!!!

Finally, #6: Still working on this one. Today, I"m going to the farmer's market and supermarket and getting lots of produce, whole grain pasta and bread, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products. First, I need to figure out what we're gonna be having for dinners this week. Hubby needs soft foods due to oral surgery and I need stuff that's gonna keep me full and veggiefied. I'll put in about 2 hours in making a list (I have the books and magazines scattered about). Then, spend money on edibles time! (BTW, I put up a link to the Cooking Light site over on my sidebar. Lots of recipes there. Mmm.)

I also want to schedule a 20 minute exercise time for 5 to 6 times a week. I don't even know if I'll last for twenty given the radix lecti level of fitness at which I am. IF I only make it to 10 mins, then I'll have to break it up into two 10 minute periods. But can I do it? YES!

~~

When Princesses Are Morbidly Obese... And Princes, too!

I, Princess Dieter, am morbidly obese. That means that I have a lot, lot, lot, LOT of weight to lose. The official definition for morbid obesity is as follows:

a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or greater with severe obesity-related co-morbidity or BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater without co-morbidity [1]. Superobesity is defined as a body weight exceeding IBW by 225% or more, or a BMI of 50 kg/m2 or greater.

If that's gobbledygook to you, allow me to wave this magic wand I borrowed from the Slenderize Me Fairy--thinnityskinnityshoo!--and translate: If you're more than 100 pounds over your ideal weight or your body mass index is more than 40, you're morbidly obese. If your BMI is 50 or more, you're morbidly superobese. That's depression.

Princess Dieter has a BMI of 47. Morbidly obese. (I do not like the sound of that. Do you?)

Calculate your BMI by going HERE.

If you're curious about that Ideal Body Weight (IBW) thing, try THIS SITE. According to them, I am large-frame (ie, my fingers don't meet around the smallest part of my wrist, with a gap of about an inch). But I clicked both large and medium frame to see what values came up.

If Princess Dieter were medium frame (ie, my fingers barely meet around my wrist) : Ideal weight range is 142 - 156.2 lbs. (64.5 - 71 kg.).You are overweight by 132.8 lbs. (60 kg.).

If I am large frame (which is likely, I've never been remotely considered petite in structure--being wide-hipped and broad-shouldered and not-tiny in the feet, either, even when I was normal weight) : Ideal weight range is 152 - 167.2 lbs. (69.1 - 76 kg.).You are overweight by 121.8 lbs. (55 kg.).

Notice something about those numbers?

They're SANE!

They're not crazy, Hollywood, catwalk anorexic size 2 figures. The complete range (ie, taking the medium frame low and the large frame high) would be 142 to 167 pounds. That's not skinny by a long shot. And yet, 145 was a comfortable weight for me when I was in my late teens and early twenties. That is to say, I was active, flexible, and looked normal, though not slim. I was a size 12/13 back then, and while I wished I was one of the thin gals, that actually was a pretty good size for me in terms of activity and health.

Taking into account the large frame range, I'm aiming for 160. The upper end, sure, but still, that's a number I haven't seen on my scale since the mid-80's. It would be like turning the clock back about 20 years.

I can live with that? :)

So, my current weight? 289. A simple bit of arithmetic gives me the amount of weight I aim to lose: 289 - 160 = 129.

Ouch! I feel the pain. But then, so do my feet and knees and back and general self-esteem.

Did you figure out your ideal body weight? Did you calculate your BMI? Wanna share it here and put down your number, the amount you wish to lose?

The story begins...at 289 pounds and a 47 BMI on Tuesday, May 8, 2007.

When does your story begin and how long is that road in terms of pounds?

Come on. Give yourself a fairy tale name if you prefer anonymity, and join me. How about one of these:

Duchess Dieter
Marquesa Makeover
Contessa Calorie Counter
Lady Living Healthy
Dame Dieting
Princess Willpower
Countess Cooking Light
Princess Portion Control
Queen Low-Cal

If you're a gentleman, you can join in, too. Pick a name:

Prince Power Smoothie
Duke Dieter
Count Calorie Slasher
Marquess of Leansberry
Earl of Exercise
Sir Fresh Produce
King Calorie Killer


Make up your own monikers. Have fun. Start the journey off with a tiara or a crown or a satin sash--and a smile!

:::waving borrowed wand for a happy beginning to everyone:::

Once Upon A Time...

...there lived a not-so-young, not-so-fair, and not-so-royal, not-actually-a-maiden sort of gal who, after many years of frustration and failed attempts at transformation, really and truly and mightily got fed up with being bigger than a castle.

And so, one day, as she puttered among, well, maybe not ashes, but perhaps among the dust bunnies, she made a hopeful wish to be more along the size of a graceful garden shed rather than a humongous queenly residence.

No fairy godmother appeared. No pumpkins changed shape. No mice grew into liveried servants.

So, the castle-sized gal--not young, not fair, not royal, not maidenly--got off her rump and said, "I guess I better make my own wishes come true."

And so, with an eye toward a happily-healthy-after, the gal approached the tomes of wellness and the wisdom of the fitness sages, and choosing one particular star to guide her path--a very shiny star full of joy and hope and light--the maiden embarked on an adventure.

So, the story of Once Upon a Diet begins...

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