Well, after all my whining the other day, and avoiding the ankle weights for several weeks, I put on a pair of thicker socks, gave the straps a mighty yank, and, voila! They fit just fine. I suspect that, since I lost 12 pounds over the past few weeks, I'm able to bend over easier and stay bent over long enough to do the job right!
My exercise program is from "Strong Women Stay Young", from the same author as "Strong Women Stay Thin." You can get either book at the library to see if the free weight exercise program is for you. I finally bought my own copy because I got tired of trekking back and forth to the library every two weeks! This author is terrific. I know the word "empowering" has been overused to a fare-the-well, but that's exactly what it's been for me.