Self

Still dieting. Yes, that dirty word. For four weeks now, been trying to get my weight down to bicycling standard.

Every year, I promise myself that this year, I will not allow things to creep up during those long, cold and less active months. I never succeed.

Every year, around Easter time, these is a nasty 10 lbs to be gotten rid of. And a tortuous process it is.

This year, these is a difference: it is both slower but also a lot less unpleasant, all thanks to My Fitness Pal. Here's the deal: I only weigh myself once a week. This is HUGE. Not that I won't step on the scale now and again, but my official, goes-on-the-record weigh-in is weekly. For the first time, the scale is my friend. I know I have lost some since my last weigh-in, and it might be one, might be two less tomorrow, my weigh-in day. Either way, I am okay with it, there is no ego-damage involved.
Because, let's face it, weigh-loss involves one's narcissism, the self-love and approval we all need to function in a social context, to fight the good fight. I am not feeling bad about myself, about my performance. I can have a plateau day, and so what. It's all win.

Keeping track of meals and macros is also a help. If I fall off of my diet at one meal, the worst that can happen is that I will fall into another meal. I only allow myself grains at two meals of the three. My main meal is protein, salad and veg., these is fresh fruit to be eaten with one grain, and milk products with the other. I am free to change the order of the meals. That's it, and it works.

My MFP profile is not public, for the moment. I would be cheating others if I published it in this form, because I do not declare the little things that make all the difference, those four grapes with the piece of toast, that thin film of peanut butter instead of butter on the toast, whatever. I am keeping track of macros, and the current set-up helps me. It would all appear as monotonous, and restrictive to someone reading this from the outside, and my success would be vanity, the very formula that discourages others. So for now, MFP is my private helper.

DAY 1

DAY 28

Six down, four to go...