Not really...I just didn't DO this, since last time. BUT...I'm now down to TWO HUNDRED EIGHTEEN POUNDS! I started at 238...down to 218. That's twenty pounds; four bags of good sugar (five bags of that cat-head stuff)...2.25 gallons of oil...10 bags of confectioner's sugar...a large bag of potatoes. Think of it THAT way, and it's brought into focus...think of carrying that extra stuff around in your arms all day. Ugotz!
Another thing: I'm outta the size 42's, and into the 38's. Uh-huh: my trousers are all falling off my non-existent (_)_). Daddy always said that I have no butt; down south here, they say 'you're built like a milkin' cow...all gut, and no butt...' I started wearing uniform shirts that are one size smaller, too...and they FIT!!!
I'm still eating no meat. Thinking along the cruelty lines, now. Difficult to forgo fish...not to make light of THEIR suffering; I guess I'm not ready to give it up. Fish was in no way as unhealthy for me as footed flesh. I am still having fun with seitan and vital wheat gluten-based meat replacement. And, dabbling in Thai-style noodles. Thank you, Jungle Jim's International Food Market http://www.junglejims.com/ for the rice-noodles and big, fat udon.I love Jungle Jim's; I buy my durum flour there, too, and some of my nice sauces. There's a KICKING chili paste out there that rocks my world...hot, zesty, lingering; wow, it's almost like a kiss from my Princess!
Twenty pounds lost...this means that not only have I reached my goal of fifteen pounds, to buy that sausage-stuffer, but have a nice five-pound buffer zone to keep between me and obesity. You remember the sausage-stuffer. To fill vegetarian casings with seitan, and eat, fresh, or smoked. Noooooooo, I am NOT going back to meat. Just for today. And, at least until I finish lunch, tomorrow. Same way with this, as with alcohol. I'm powerless. I start an abbruzzese, I FINISH it. I start a soppressata, I FINISH it. One slice at a time, one chunk at a time... I overeat like I used to over-drink, mea culpa. There was no 'enjoyment...' just engorgement. Like De Luise said, the saying "Eat, you'll feel better," didn't make it so. I medicated with food, alcohol, cake, candy...whatever I could get my hands on. Now, I realize that my life is a delicate balance of caloric input, caloric utilization and the movement of energy from its stored state to it's utilitarian state. Anything else is wasteful, sinful. Gluttonous.
So...measurements.
Weight: 218#
Body Fat: 30.5%
Water Content: 53.5%
Neck: 17"
Biceps:14"
Chest: 47.5"
Waist: 47"
Not so hot. I've lost weight, but haven't lost the inches like I would have been happy to see. Dawn, my diet guru, indicates gently that this means I'm losing MUSCLE MASS. I'm wasting. Again, not good. But, she says, that it's good for capo tosto (hard head, from the Sicilian dialect) like me to see that I'm not terminally unique. I have to WORK MY BODY to see some changes. That weight room is still MERE STEPS from my bedroom. I did, however, go in there to re-string my guitar, last week. And I took it over to play, at my church-sister's house, with my mother in law, today. So, I AM moving outside of my comfort zone. Baby steps.
Oh, yeah, another step: We had a customer appreciation day at the store, this week; my committee mates and I planned, it, got approval for it, and executed it, successfully. I even put on makeup for the deal, and played my clown character all day...AND cooked samples, and waited on customers, too. Have to tell you, I was nervous. Scared, to be honest. And, I felt the need to grab another brother of mine, and ask him to pray with me, before we started. Now, I pray pretty much every time I pick up a knife and start work, or before I step outta the car, in greasepaint and hair, to entertain the crowds. This time I needed something extra. First multiple-hour engagement in forever. Two or three hours, okay. Several parades in one day, okay. Nine hours in paint? Been a long time, since I've rock-and-rolled like that. This was multi-tasking: performing, cooking, service-counter attending and more. Whatta trip. And, God in His infinite love and caring, supported me through all of it.
I'm still standing, still achieving goals, and basking in the never-ending blessings of an incredible God. For this, Father, and for that which is to come, I am truly thankful.
