February 3rd, 2012: I’m thinking about marketing the new “bronchitis diet” where you can expect loss of appetite and a hell of an ab workout all day with more or less constant power-coughing. Well, whatever it is, I’ll take it. I got a 4 lb. drop today. 319 lbs. I did go against what I said I’d do and exercised anyway (Alabama was in concert in my headphones and I couldn’t miss it), and don’t worry, I “managed” to eat all the food I was supposed to. Forget also, that I had forecast only a 1 lb. drop (according to my past numbers).
Also, I stayed home from work again today to be with my boy (who seems to be getting better quickly), but I have to go in to work tonight at midnight, and work until 5 pm on Saturday. It sucks, but there it is.
So I was thinking about routines and how being thrown out of one can be dangerous to one’s weight loss plans. Don’t worry, I WILL NOT cave in, but I know that tonight will be hard. When I was fighting fires or teaching school, there were many 17-18 hour shifts (yes, teachers work those long hours – lesson plans, grading, etc.). I got through them by constantly shoving food or coffee or beer or cigarettes or Copenhagen into my mouth. Won’t happen tonight, I’m firmly committed to pursue victory.
But I hate it. I hate getting into a good eating routine, good sleeping routine, etc., then upsetting it. I’m pushing 40 years old here, I like chilling out. I even took a black permanent marker and wrote “Fort Living Room” on one of the slats of the blinds in my living room. I have already lived my crazy-ass lifestyle, and I want to be settled for awhile. I know, I know, that’s absolutely not how life goes, especially my life, but, well, it’s just hard sometimes. This, I know, is a good learning experience for dealing with diet and change in routine. I’m certain I’ll pass the test and be back in the New York Groove by Sunday. Here we go.
When I write next time, I will have been awake for 24 hours straight. That ought to be an interesting post. Also, no way to weigh tomorrow, so there’ll be no entry for that. Gotta love it!
February 3rd, 2020 (retrospective): Super Bowl Monday. I never used to work on Super Bowl Monday – until I started the program and began my belief in the process. It’s one of those days where I can feel better that I didn’t indulge. I feel like I miss out on a lot of things that usually amount to food and alcohol-based celebrations, so a Monday vindication like this is not without its benefits, for sure. I have become keenly aware of the need for any and all celebrations, meetings, family gatherings, etc. to revolve around food. Even at funerals! I’ve never seen so many carbs as at funeral. Guess carbs are a good temporary wall against grief. Food is a way you can show someone you love them. When I first started this, I quit eating at family celebrations because the macro-profile of what was on the table just didn’t agree with the program. You’d have thought I was the anti-Christ the first time I didn’t eat Easter dinner at my mom’s. When I wouldn’t partake of the fatted-calf’s prime rib the following Christmas at my dad’s – well then I wasn’t the prodigal son returned, I was simply an ungrateful asshole.
They got over it. Everyone gets over it eventually. They’ll leave you and your eccentricities (read: desire to live a healthy lifestyle) alone. Somewhere along the way I came to the realization that getting fatter by eating 2nd and 3rd helpings of something delicious that someone who loves you made just for you is kind of an odd way of showing your love in return. They may be, in fact, contributing to your demise. While I realize that’s dramatic, it’s not entirely untrue. As a child, my parents and grandparents used to make me eat until I cleaned my plate, only to badger me about my weight later- sometimes in the same fuckin day. As an adult, my parents would urge me to eat big at every gathering, and nod with approval if I asked for seconds – again, only to express concern later about my growing waistline. I had to pick my battle and get used people saying stuff like “We’d have invited you, but you don’t eat…”. This is fine, forget the invite, I will eat what the program tells me I can eat, and I’ll do it at home. If you’d like to gather around a cup of coffee, or a Powerade Zero after a bad-ass hike or sweat session, dial me up.
I learned there is a progression of interaction when you hop on-board the process train – and as you remain on the train and your progress begins to show, you may have this series of things said to you:
- Aww you’re on a diet! Good for you! That’s great! Let me know how we can help.
- Are you still on your diet?
- Come on – it’s just one slice of cake. One slice isn’t going to ruin your diet.
- Why are you doing this diet stuff? Don’t you know the rest of us don’t need to diet and we want good stuff to eat.
- Just forget it today – just one day. Indulge! Life’s short, come on…
- So, exactly what are you doing on this program thing?
- How does the program work?
- I would like to try the program.
