I’m far from the girl I was in high school. I was not sure of myself, kind of self-conscious, I even held myself back thinking I wasn’t as pretty or desirable as some of the prettiest girls in my class.

I have a lot more confidence now. I have a terrific family, a great house, and I am working a career that I love. But here’s the funny thing—in terms of my eating problem and weight issues, I am not far from the girl I was then. I seem to be doing the same old things, over and over, and staying with these weight-loss problems. What’s up with that?

Diets fail me, just like they didn’t when I was 16. If I do lose a few pounds, I gain them back fast. This is not a new story, of course— every woman I know has a tale of woe like this. But I’m getting pretty sick of it.

I am much more of a thinking person now, a much more successful person all around. But the fact that I’m still battling my weight issues makes me realize that I’m stuck in girlish thinking: No good for me.

I am sure that I can figure out my problem with food. But it will have to be a whole new approach, and it will be more like a “Maria” approach this time. I need to understand my feelings a great deal more. I need to pay attention to when I eat too much, and learn about why I eat too much.

I am far from the girl I once was; time I started acting like it.