Michelle's Journal (6/20/26) (Patreon)

Dear Journal:

For the first time in months, I feel in control of my life again.  I’ve been exercising regularly and the scale—finally—is moving in the right direction. 

Dr. Chen said he was proud of me.  When I told him I was frustrated by how slowly I was progressing, he assured me it was normal.  That it would take a while for my body to rebalance after all the metabolic and hormonal changes it had gone through.  He also suggested that I stop looking at the scale.  That it was a poor barometer for health and fitness.  Ha!  I wish he would’ve been around to tell my soccer coach that! 

Besides Dr. Chen, someone else has helped to turn my life around.  Someone I never in a million years expected to extend an olive branch as I circled the drain…

My sister.

Not only was Jessie the only one nice to me while I was going through all my shit, but now she’s become my exercise buddy.  We’ve been walking almost every morning, and she’s even been treating me to Starbucks afterwards. 

The best thing about walking with her is it makes me feel thin again!  

I read in an article online that wearing tight clothes is a good weight-loss motivator.  So, the other day, I wore a tank top that barely fits me.  I’m still at least ten pounds from it looking halfway decent, so there’s ZERO chance I’d wear it for anything other than early morning strolls with my morbidly obese sister, but walking next to her, I know no one’s looking at my love handles.  Not when her ass looks like a pair of rhinos wrestling beneath a blanket.

Dr. Chen encouraged me to invite her to the gym.  I’m not sure I’m ready for that.  7 AM strolls through the park are one thing, but hanging out with her at a public gym is another.  As it is, I’ve been going at odd hours to avoid people, especially ones that I know.  If I went with her, we’d be twice as conspicuous.  (With that ass of hers, maybe three times!)

--Michelle