instant weight loss
I started dieting on Wednesday, and when I put my pants on on Thursday, they were looser. I thought it was a fluke, but I put different pants on Friday, and: looser! This is the best diet I've ever been on. Instant weight loss!

I call it a diet because I kind of am doing the Slim Fast diet, although I'm only having one of those shakes a day, for breakfast, in lieu of what I was doing before, which was not eating breakfast at all, which was bad. I'm also eating lean deli meats on Weight Watchers bread, 100-calorie granola bars (peanut butter and chocolate chip from Quaker oats: awesome snack), apples, bananas, yogurt, and (for chocolate cravings) mini chocolate chips from the freezer. And drinking coffee, of course.

That actually doesn't look like a lot of food. No wonder I'm losing weight!
- posted by mo @ 9:17 AM

 
Back In The New York Groove
Yesterday I went grocery shopping, for the first time in weeks. I’d been meaning to go before I left for Journalcon, but time got away from me. I stocked up on the healthy stuff though: I got Lean Cuisine meals, Slim Fast shakes, Weight Watchers bagels, yogurt, fruit, that kind of thing.

As I was driving home I heard the statistic on the radio that the average American gains ten pounds over the holidays, starting with Halloween. “Fuck,” I thought. “I need to lose ten pounds over the holidays.” I’ve probably gained ten pounds since I moved here with my haphazard ways.

I thought the Slim Fast shakes would be good, since I have been in the habit of not eating breakfast at all; in fact, not eating until I was done teaching in the afternoon. Then, of course, I have the attitude that I can eat whatever I want. After all, I saved all those points on breakfast! And I tell you what (yes, I’m turning Wisconsin) giant, warm chocolate chip cookies from the school cafeteria are very difficult to resist when your hunger is Level 5.

This morning, I drank a Slim Fast Optima shake while I was on the way to work. I read the can and noticed how many vitamins, etc. one of those shakes has. It really is the perfect breakfast solution for my current lifestyle. (That sounds like a Slim Fast commercial, doesn’t it?) Now I am snacking on an extremely large apple before my next class; how virtuous!

I’ve also had a coffee with creamer in it. So I’d say I’m at something like 6 points for the day so far. Sound about right?
- posted by mo @ 7:56 AM

 
stemming the tide
My thighs were hurting yesterday. I was glad to notice it because that means that my new resolution to take the stairs to my office is at least doing something. If I do the math, I guess I have taken eight flights of stairs today. So it does make a small difference. The most helpful element is, of course, mental. It reminds me to be accountable to myself, even if it's just in this very small way.

I also brought yogurt this morning so that I could have something healthy to eat between classes. I also ate one of the apples in my office. I don't really like apples, but if I snack on apples instead of granola bars, there's another small thing that I'm doing.

I know what I should do is find a Weight Watcher meeting and go, but of course I'm terrified to see what my weight is. So stupid, really. My weight is the same regardless of whether I go get weighed or not.

Anyway in the meantime: stairs, apples. And new rule: no more french fries. It's good to start somewhere.
- posted by mo @ 10:28 AM

 
Minor
I've been pretty good about taking the stairs up to my office every day. It's not much in the grand scheme of things, but it's definitely something. I keep seeing those Weight Watcher commercials and they make me feel inspired. I should find the local meeting and go back. With my do-it-yourself schedule, it should be easy. Plus registration is free right now.

Now that winter is here, I feel that my body will magically burn off fat in an attempt to stay warm. I mean there have to be compensations for the cold, right?
- posted by mo @ 8:14 AM