The Woman In The Photo

In the bosom of my family
in the photo, there she sat
from her forehead to her knees
encased in flabby fat

dark circles neath sad red-rimmed eyes
brimmed with weary grief
swollen with tears and stress
just crying for relief

she looked so overburdened
her posture in a slump
her dress was much too tight
with overflowing plump

I didn't recognize her
though she looked somewhat like me
she looked the way I thought I might
when I turned eighty-three

and in that very instant
when I uttered "who is that?"
my family looked so worried
they thought I'd flipped my hat

even after many tries
myself, I couldn't recognize
in that fat old woman
with the sad sad eyes

how did I get to look like that?
how ever did I get so fat?

all the months of trauma
of life and death and drama
had finally come to take their toll
and made me look so sad and old

I'd shed so many tears
and aged by thirty years
the stress and the fatigue
interwoven with the grief

I'd ballooned to almost twice my size
so I could barely recognize
that fat frumpy woman
with the sad sad eyes

now...

a diet was in order
veggies, fruit and lots of water
cottage cheese, yogurt, Lean Cuisine
no more steak or cake or chocolate ice cream

my clothes became a smaller size
from all my treadmill exercize
and from all the healthy foods I eat
that woman in the photo is now petite

the smile is now back on my face
my body takes up far less space

but that photo...I will always keep
to look at when my willpower is weak
when fattening foods, my appetite tempt
to remind me that I'm not exempt

when too much food, I want to eat
one look at that photo
will keep me petite

the woman in the photo
she keeps me nice and trim
whenever I am tempted
she reminds me where I've been

[This message has been edited by Madame Chipmunk (03-31-2002 07:10 PM).]

Martie...Thanks so much for that adorable compliment....but I didn't feel very adorable when I was fat!
~many adorable fat hugs~

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

Thanks Joanna...actually I haven't been able to use my treadmill lately because I've been so busy running back and forth between here and Ann Arbor and because the radiation and chemo treatments make me so tired.
I've actually gained weight from the chemo but I've been told that its temporary, because they usually give me steroids along with it to prevent an allergic reaction, and the steroids add weight.
I will be so happy when this whole nightmare is over.
~many many big fat hugs~

[This message has been edited by Madame Chipmunk (03-31-2002 07:01 PM).]

Thanks Karilea....
and heres a very BIG PLUMP HUG for you, my dear

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

Thank you Victoria...Just keep using it, it certainly can't hurt you because even if you don't lose weight on the scale, you are probably building some muscle and muscle is heavier than fat...but muscle also increases your metabolism and so eventually you will either lose weight or your size will become more compact....I lost 80 lbs and it took me about 10 months.  I went from a size 16 to a size 4....but since starting chemo, I have had to wear size 10 jeans because I am so bloated from the steroids and also because I  have to wear my pants really loose now for comfort.
So every time you use that treadmill now, Victoria...remember that it helped me to lose 80 lbs.  You don't look like you have even a quarter of that much to lose...so if you keep using it, it will work.
  ~hugs from a former fat person~

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

Thanks Jeff...Chipmunk on a treadmill...hmmm!
Well...just for being so nice, here is a personal portrait of me eating...........I guess I got fat from eating everything I could find...LOL


~lots of furry chipmunk hugs~

[This message has been edited by Madame Chipmunk (04-01-2002 07:19 PM).]

Thanks Martin, I usually listen to music on my CD walkman and headphones, but I have been too busy with treatments and running back and forth to Ann Arbor to do that lately...but I do intend to get back to it because I gained a few lbs from chemo...actually from the steroids that go along with the chemo.  They say its bloat and that it will go away...but I can't wait to get back to walking on the treadmill anyway....
~Passover huggggsss~

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

[This message has been edited by Silver Streak (03-31-2002 10:56 PM).]

[This message has been edited by Greeneyes (03-31-2002 10:08 PM).]

Tracey...thanks for your reply...
I guess that was a great way to lose 180 lbs.
How many lbs/week did you lose that way? LOL
I'm happy for you that you shed that unwelcome weight.....probably more unwelcome than mine...
~hefty weight loss hugs~

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

Noah...thanks much for your sweet reply.
I hope you had a nice Easter.
~chocolate chipmunk hugs~

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

Smartchick...thanks so much for your reply and also for saying that I am "wonderful"
Wow...how did you know that?
~many many hugs~

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

Congrats on the weight loss, Lyra! You are in my prayers.

~sky

I'm in charge, and I say question authority!

Thanks Sky,  That weight loss happened almost 3 yrs ago, and I have kept most of it off, but lately I have been going thru chemotherapy....and believe it or not, I have actually GAINED weight from it....actually from the stupid steroids that come along with it...but I haven't gained a ton of weight, just too much for my liking...and of course they tell me that this is GOOD! but I think its BAD!
I guess I'm just one of those people who gain weight.
I gain when I'm sad and when I'm happy...I also gain when things are going wrong and when things are going right...any little change in my life seems to make me gain weight....so when this is all over, I will have to diet and treadmill like crazy...but I know I will succeed!
Thanks so much for your prayers!
Big fat hugs!

[This message has been edited by Madame Chipmunk (04-01-2002 07:05 PM).]

Thanks so much, Larry...
but what kind of class do you mean?
I think you mean fat class....
but that is such a sweet compliment.
~big fat classy hugs~

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks