I don't typically keep track of exactly how much I weigh, but I got a look at the current number recently. Our daughter Carly wanted a new scale in our bathroom. I'm not sure why, but we obliged. I was getting ready for work one day last week when I saw the device and thought to myself, hey...I wonder how much I weigh in 2021? And against my better judgement, I stepped on the scale. Yikes.

I discovered that I was carrying around what I'm going to call about 20 'pandemic pounds.' I'm not sure when the majority of the weight was put on, but I'm guessing it was sometime during my numerous trips through drive-throughs at fast food restaurants in the past year. Yes, like a lot of other people, I got lazy, or lazier depending on how you ask, during the pandemic. First of all, my job involves me sitting in front of computer screens for five hours a day. Then, because of the early hours I work, I'm tired when I get off and need a rest. Not a great way to get motivated to work out.

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The pandemic made it hard to do a lot of things. Gyms were closed. You couldn't eat inside restaurants so we got take out. You were home and bored, so snacking became an activity to fill time. And yes, things have opened back up for the most part. But old AND new habits are hard to break. But after a glance at the scale, I've decided that it's a number I'm not going to accept.

No, I'm not going on some crazy, crash diet, but I am going to try and make some changes to my diet. Pop is a big part of my life. I just don't know if I can cut it out. But I can cut down the amount I drink. I'm trying to go with just one each work day, and find alternatives on the weekends. We trying to eat more at home and less at restaurants. We're having salad nights at home. The bottom line is, don't be too hard on yourself. It's been a tough year! It's not too late to shake off those 'pandemic pounds!'

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