Diary Entry

It would have been easy to get seriously disappointed Saturday. I worked out religiously, and stuck to my food plan pretty well (a couple of slips, but hey, I'm human!), but the scale said I'd only lost 1 pound.

One. Lousy. Pound.

When you have 150 pounds or so yet to go, one pound seems like barely a pit in the surface of the total.

I've gotten into a ritual of going out to breakfast on Saturdays as long as I've lost weight that week, so off to IHOP we went. My large pals out there will understand that I always specify to the hostess that I want a table, not a booth. The booths are reserved for normally sized folk.

The place was busy, and the hostess must have gotten confused. She showed us to a booth. Looking around, I didn't see any open tables, so I figured I could suffer through one meal.

I didn't have to suffer. I won't say the seating was roomy, but I didn't have the feeling my liver was about to be squeezed out my left nostril either. The working out has replaced enough fat with muscle that my numbers may not show a big difference, but my body shape is changing slowly but surely.

I know "fitting into a booth at a restaurant" sounds like some sort of sick joke when it comes to weight loss achievement, but for those of us on the higher end of the size scale, it's nothing short of triumphant!

Rededication

Not every week brings little triumphs like the restaurant, though, and January is starting to seem like it was a LONG time ago. If you've been dieting all this time, it's easy to look at something like this weekend's Easter holiday as an excuse to "get back to normal" on your eating, to be happy with what you've lost and consider the matter closed.

But why? Spring is here, and summer isn't far beyond. You've come a quarter of the way through the year and, from the mail I've been getting, a lot of you have done a bangup job of losing weight. Unless you've reached your goal weight, why stop now?

I read a story earlier this week suggesting that television exposure at a young age can contribute to attention-deficit disorders in young children. A basket of Easter candy or other seasonal sweets can have the same effect on those of us who are dieting. It's incredibly easy to let the siren song of sugar lull you away from all the plans you've made, the smaller-sized clothes you've picked out and the activities you look forward to being able to take part in.

Spring is traditionally the time of rebirth and renewal, whatever your belief system. Rededicate yourself to yourself. As the fresh spring fruits and produce hit the stores, revel in the fact that they are there and enjoy their healthful benefits. By the time winter comes again, you'll have the memories of a whole year of achievements to stave off those cold-weather munchie attacks and holiday binges.

You've made a commitment. You've come this far. Keep going! I'll be walking (and sweating) right along with you.

So what does spring mean to you? Are you still going strong or do you need a boost? Have you had any triumphs of your own you'd like to share? Let me know. You may remain anonymous if you wish, or I'll use your name and you can brag to all your friends about your success!

Previous Stories:

• March 25, 2004: Brag, Brag, Brag
• March 11, 2004: Excessive Celebration
• Feb. 26, 2004: Building A Healthful Pantry
• Feb. 12, 2004: Cleaning House
• Jan. 30, 2004: Diary Of A Fat Man