Status Report

So I have been doing this diet thing for almost 2 months now . . .

My sorhority sister asked me the other day, "So how is it going?"

I'm not sure how to answer that.

The problem is METRICS. Like how do you measure your healthy living? Weight? Blood pressure? Ability to get a date?

The scale hasn't been too helpful. I dropped a few pounds - but clearly not enough for anyone to have noticed. My pants don't necessarily cut off my circulation like they used to, but I'm not down a size.

I did schedule a physical for myself next week. I thought it might be good to at least know some quantitative data about my health status. I'm quite sure the doctor will tell me I need to lose some weight. But at least he cannot admonish my eating habits because those have certainly changed. Yeah, I'm still a sucker for some chocolate, but I can't remember the last time I had a soda. I've stayed away from fast food. And except for last week when I was on a work trip and my food options were limited, I have been gluten-free.

Now I have slipped time and again. There have been dinners and lunches out with friends where I ate a lot. I haven't given up happy hour or passed up a free drink at the bar. So, I have NOT been as disciplined as I could be . . .

The thing is, I FEEL good. I don't feel skinny. I don't feel like hitting the beach in my pre-organ donation bikini. But I feel good. I feel more energetic. I feel more positive. I enjoy going to the gym. I feel like smiling more.

There are probably some reasons I feel this way that don't have much to do with what I'm eating (or not eating) or my increased physical activity. Positive relationships with friends and family, job satisfaction, extracurricular activities all help I think.

Unfortunately, you can't measure feeling good via a scale or a blood pressure test.