A month ago, on a trip to Arizona with my newly college-graduated son, I noticed the rear aspect of myself in the reflection of a store window. When had THAT arrived? As if I didn't know. It had arrived over the winter when in a fit of "poor me without a husband" depression, I had tossed the gym and then pilates overboard. I looked, I had to admit with a shudder, like an old lady.

"I wish I had the figure that I had last summer," I allowed myself to say, although, of course, mothers are not supposed to say such things to their sons. My son promptly manifested how well he had been raised by his reply.

"You will, Mom," he said.Coming into the homestretch for my 60th birthday, I was determined to alter the view that waddled by me in the store window. If I could hit 60, divorced, but under 140 pounds (5'6"), I would be okay with the big 6 0. Eight pounds, 7 weeks. Doable.

A client had been telling me about his partner, who has lost more than 150 pounds on Nutrisystem. If he could lose 150 pounds in 8 months, I could lost eight pounds in 7 weeks. The issue for me was economic.
A quick cruise over the Nutrisystem site revealed that the 28-day women's program will set you back $326.00.

Here's how Nutrisystem works. You buy the packaged meals and snacks, then add your own fruits and vegetables. Summer - even with this year's horrific prices - is a fabulous time for dieting. $326.36 was more than I wanted to pay. Instead, I bought a lot of 88 Nutrisystem items - heavy I must confess on pizza - on eBay. The package, including shipping, came to $145.00.

So far so good. The summer slacks that didn't fit two weeks ago fit last night. Today, I had Nutrisystem eggs ( in half of a Weight Watcher's pita) for breakfast; Nutrisystem chicken noodle soup with salad for lunch; Nutrisystem pizza (again), salad and green beans for dinner. Later, Nutrisystem chocolate pudding tonight for dessert.

The food isn't half bad. It's easy to stay on this diet. Two weeks. Three pounds to go. I might even stay on for another five.