I've been helping my granddaughter learn about measures and such--and they use a balance scale to help explain weights. So, I decided to write about my own personal "balance" scale as of today. Hopefully, it'll help me get my perspective back and I won't be disgusted that I'm starting this new challenge at the same weight I started the last one.

So, picture a balance in your mind as I pile things on each side--frustration vs proud!

Let's start on the negative side, so I can end with my victories:

1) I've been a member of Spark People since 1986 and I'm only 11 pounds less today than when i started.

2) I've begun several of the 5% challenges at around today's weight (170)

3) My arthritis gets worse each time and my exercise options are somewhat limited

4) Since I refuse to go back to larger clothes, some of my jeans and things hang in the closet feeling lonely

5) With my family member's addiction issues, we spend LARGE portions of our time going to meetings and other assorted stuff.

Now let's start putting things on the other side:

1) I weigh 11 pounds less this morning that I did when I joined SP. (That's so much better than the average weight gain as we age, right?)

2) I weight the same as I did at the start of the last challenge, which means I only picked up about 4% weight gain.

3) My grandson is doing much better and is expected to get out of the hospital next week.

4) His mother just got out of a treatment facility and it looks likes things will be better as her attitude toward her addiction has definitely changed.

5) I'm back for this challenge and ready to work on that 5% again; my spirit is not broken.

6) Lastly, I stepped on that scale at 170 pounds (nearly half what I weighed in 1988)