How It Started

I love my neighbors. I do. They are the type of neighbors who would cut your lawn while you’re away and feed your cat. They would lend you sugar and bring you a pie, and cookies, apple turnovers, cupcakes and muffins until you gained 10 lbs and then they would close the deal with popovers. Oh, yes I have a neighbor who has made me her fat project.

This neighbor is also a friend so we talk often. I know that she exercises a lot. She’s the type who will ask you to watch her kid so she can go exercise. Good for her. She’s also thin. Pretty damn thin. Once when I was 8.75 months pregnant she complained to me that she gained 3lbs. T-h-r-e-e-e-e. But here’s the catch, she loves to bake. Conundrum right? So what does she do? She bakes and eats a tiny bit of whatever it is and brings me the rest. Sure it sounds innocent enough. Who doesn’t like to get baked goods? Until I started noticing a pattern. I will mention to her that “I’m going to cut down on sugar” or say that I’m going to start exercising and the next thing you know I have snicker doodles by the boatload showing up the NEXT DAY. Really, I have played this game. If I’m in the mood for baked goods all I have to do is tell her that I’m cutting them down and they will show up in the next 48 hours.

Well it’s my problem for eating them right? Yes, I get that. She is also very crafty on how she gets me to eat them. She will often not just drop them off and say enjoy. She will hand me the 4lb plate of stacked goods and say “Can you try one now and tell me what you think?” See? So one day I thought, two can play this game. This was the start of my twitter rant #FatProjectReverse.

So #FatProjectReverse started with just an idea that maybe I could make something extra fattening for her like fried cheesecake. Then the suggestions came rolling in from all over and an experiment was born. I woke up today with a feeling that today was the day, I could not have been more right.