Bleary-eyed, I stumble into the bathroom after turning off the alarm and rolling out of bed. There, in the corner of the room, sits the monster waiting to pounce. She lures me with her bright, shiny buttons and sleek façade. I cringe, fighting the urge, resisting her call, but finally I give in.

I stand on the scale; she buzzes happily as the numbers go higher and higher in a dizzy whirl of ecstasy. I moan in despair and pronounce the white porcelain beast the victor. Two more pounds have been added since last week!

What happened to that skinny little girl who used to eat anything she wanted and never gain a pound? She would snack on Halloween candy for months after the holiday had ended. There was no letting out the waistline on her pants or moving the buttons to accommodate the extra inches.