Anthropomorphizing demons

I liked the characterization of her personal demons of loneliness and depression as thugs who beat up on her in Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love. This was brought to mind when I read Sarah Ferguson's interview in the latest Weight Watchers Magazine. The Duchess talks about ". . . 'the fat lady'--that little voice in your brain that constantly criticizes you body . . ." She says that "Over the years I've learned to talk to [her] and her committee."

So it was particularly amusing to get an e-mail from Karen about her battles at school:

People are now bringing in not just their leftover holiday
cookies, but their chocolates,the chocolate covered nuts,
goo-goo clusters, peanut brittle. The horrid thing about
them is they can all talk. AND they ALL know my name.
Pestery little buggers. So I ate them to shut them up!

Bug spray! Make some bug spray, Karen! What a hoot! Put a label on a can of air freshener and spray the room. Or put a lid over them to suffocate them. I know you will think of a creative solution.

My own demons are the grumps. They put lead in my shoes so I can't get up and get moving. They whisper in my ear:
"You don't look so good. Are you feeling all right? You should rest. That little twinge you felt--its probably serious. You shouldn't move. I'll go get a heat pack. You're retired! You don't have to do anything. Go get that book and kick back in the recliner. You've earned it!"
Their friends are lethargy and inertia. They are like the petty, diminutive Lilliputians tying down Gulliver. I wish I could draw. What great cartoons these would make.

The Duchess' remedy was positive self-talk.

OK, grumps, I appreciate your concern but I think that getting up and moving will make me feel better. Yes, I am retired so I can spend all my time taking care of myself by eating right and exercising and doing things I like including, but not limited to, kicking back in the recliner and reading.

The check-in part: I got to the Y today and felt so-o-o much better after 20 minutes of water aerobics and 15 minutes in the spa. I was really hungry when I got home and foraged. Here's where having a friendly house helps. What I found was sugar free, fat free pudding. I cooked it and ate it all. I still have enough points for dinner but if I get hungry afterwards, I may have to dip into my bonus points. Today was weigh-in day. I am back down to pre-Christmas weight. I hope to lose a pound or two before WW at work starts again January 23. I have a goal to get to the 10% loss by the end of January (based on my WW at work starting weight--I already have lost 10% of my weight since July 1). It will take some work to get there. I need to stay focused.

I think it is time to distract myself by cleaning another cabinet.