8/4 weight loss thoughts

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Who do you see?

And, unfortunately for some of us, I'm including the bathroom mirror as you get into the shower.

Up until today, for a long time, I have seen someone who is fat, who needs to lose weight.

And that's just wrong. Being overweight is not even a significant part of who I am. I shouldn't categorize/simplify myself in that way.

There are so many other, more interesting, healthier things about me: I'm a decent husband and father who's loved by his wife and children. I'm a decent brother and son who's loved by his parents and siblings. I'm a really good friend who has some great friends. I've got lots of talents. I'm able to earn a living for my family. I have many passionate interests including Tolkien and other literature, music, movies, the internet and, yes, even Civilization ;-) Most importantly, I am loved (and saved, and ...) by God.

All of these general things are true of you, too, in great, specific ways. So I truly hope you don't look in the mirror and see someone, principally, who is fat and needs to lose weight! If you do, do me a favor: like I have done above, list some of the other, great things you are.

Further, today I looked in the mirror without shame. Now, it's still not based on my real identity, almost independent of my weight. But what I saw was someone who's on the road to losing weight. I'm succeeding. All I have to do is stay on this path, with you good people, and I will reach my goal. That is a really good feeling.

Yes, I will certainly have to take it one day at a time. Yes, three days is no big victory. But it's the necessary start. I just need to keep stringing these days together.

I can't wait to get to 170! :-)

Ok, a few more diary-ish thoughts:

Dang! So hungry yesterday! I overshot my calories by quite a bit, but ate moderately. One reason I exceeded my caloric target was the advice to not let myself get hungry. Seemed like I was there all day! But, anyway, I ate moderately when I was hungry.

Oddly enough, forgot to mention yesterday that I was down 1.5 pounds from the previous day. Now, the first thing is not to get too excited, since I'm weighing myself every day for the data and using the trendline. However, I had been hitting my calorie target and still floating up on the scale, so I figured I was bound to drop down suddenly. Certainly a welcome trend :-)

Then, like I wrote about in this post, I was another pound lighter on the scale this morning. So I am taking today off from counting calories (but not from exercising). Again, don't want to overreact since I'm weighing myself every day and looking at the trend, but it's nice to see a new low for this weight loss effort. And here's hoping that yesterday was the last time I ever see 208! :-)