Is it possible to lose 20 pounds by next week?

Oh, the feeling is so familiar. It is January and I am going to have to speak--in front of people!--starting next week. Maybe if I run 5 miles a day and do weights and don't eat at all, I can lose that weight--25 pounds or so. I actually put the exercise videos near the television set in December, so that when we watched movies over the holidays, I would see it and take advantage of it. Somehow getting out the dvd's did not make a dent in my conscience .....  There has been this funny, squishy, blobby stuff gathering around my waist little by little the last few years. I would really like to blame it on seven pregnancies--but alas, it is probably more due to that extra couple of sugar cookies that I just so enjoyed, or that extra helping of New Year's enchilada's.

I am looking more and more each year like the velveteen rabbit mama--used, abused, old but much loved. Even last week, one of my children, thinking they were going to make me feel better, said, "Mom, it's normal for women your age to look a little squishy. Everybody expects it. Don't be one of those women tries to look like she's years younger than she actually is".

Is there such a woman? 

Another child said, "Hey, maybe you could get one of those neck exercise gadgets that firms up your neck.They say it works pretty fast." 

I won't even repeat what Clay said. He was also trying to be understanding.

Jesus said for us to be humble--my family is helping me to stay humble. 

Oh well, I will keep doing my Leslie Sansone walk off the pounds and my sit ups and hope that I can take at least two weeks  of eating off of my sweet aging body. Off to make dinner, that I guess I shouldn't eat........ 

So what new secret diet are you all trying?