Bootylicious

Body Image Week was April 23rd to April 27th; but really, when isn't it?

We are constantly bombarded by images, lyrics, and the occassional male glance, suggesting, no, telling us what we are supposed to look like. Super thin and not a curve anywhere, except of course for your surgically implanted boobs. Women and young girls, girls like my sixth grade students, are dying-literally- to look like Lindsy Lohan, Nicole Richie, and the countless other(alcohol is my diet)chicks. Well not me! (I personally am more of a Beyonce kind of girl.)

Since my son, my fourth child, was born in September, I have committed to losing the twenty-five pregnancy pounds. I go to the gym Monday thru Thursday (it is right across the street from my job, so don't get too impressed), I have a sensibly portioned salad for lunch, and then a small dinner (that contains no meat, fish, or dairy). I am not a lover of sweets--thank God--but I do tend to crave it during "that time of the month". I am where I was before the pregnancy, but I was to lose fifteen more pounds just for good measure. I am five feet, ten inches tall and I weigh one hundred-sixty pounds. I don't want to be wafer thin, but I don't always want to shake what my momma gave me either.

I recently saw Kirstie Alley, the ex Jenny Craig, spokeswoman on Oprah. I remember saying to myself how great she looked when last I saw her; well, she has since gained back all of her weight and added ten pounds to boot. One thing that she said to Oprah really hit home with me; she said that she needs "A game". I totally understand, I too need "A game". When I was going to move, my game was can I save fifteen hundred dollars a month; I won; when I was getting my masters degree, it was can I get all A's; I won; and now it is, can I lose the fifteen ponds that I want to lose before my trip to N. Y. in June; eight ball says, "signs point to yes."

So if I can only pass go without collecting a brownie I will be fine.

Let the games begin....