Recent freakish weather aside, it's June, and with summer bearing down on us, we all know what that means.

Those coats and jackets that have hidden the Christmas pounds we still haven't gotten rid of will be relegated to the back of the closet, and those less concealing clothes will be making a move to the front.

I struggle with this every year. During the colder months I get tired of the heavy jackets and sweaters, but I have a hard time letting go of them once the spring gives way to summer.

They become my security blanket, and camouflage. Waistband of my jeans a little tight this week? Throw on a jacket to hide the overlap. Blouse a bit snug around the tummy? Grab the bulky sweater.

But when it warms up, off come the layers and out come the flimsy and form-fitting clothes. Shedding the cover makes me feel lighter (and cooler), but it also makes me feel more exposed. Even when I'm not trying to hide the pounds that have crept back on, I still seem to have an emotional tie to those concealing clothes.

So I remind myself of a couple of things:

  • I've changed my diet to become healthy, not to look better in my jeans.

  • Instead of feeling like a bear emerging from hibernation, I think about butterflies emerging from cocoons.

    Don't forget

    The Diet Club's first walk of the year is set for 8 a.m. Saturday. Meet me at the Contra Costa

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    Times building, 2640 Shadelands Drive, Walnut Creek, or anywhere along the Contra Costa Canal Trail (we'll be starting near the Wiget Lane/Winston Drive entrance to the trail and heading toward Walnut Creek).

    The plan is to walk to Heather Farm Park, and to have a little snack and visit while enjoying the roses and other plants at the Gardens of Heather Farm.

    Part of the aim of the walk is to meet other club members (and remember, to join all you have to do is say you're a member), make new friends, maybe gain a new support system. And, oh yeah, get some exercise.

    See you there.

    Reach Joan Morris at 925-977-8479 or jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.