Day 44-47 - Eating At Restaurants and A New Addiction

I've discovered over the course of my life so far, that I possess quite an addictive personality. Once I get my mind focused on something, it utterly consumes me. I've lived a life of excess because of it, small doses of anything rarely satiate me, and I've had to learn to exercise moderation in every aspect of my life. I've been good with the food and drink up to now, with the occasional blip of weakness, but they are few and far between. I've even cut down my computer time substantially in the evenings. However, a new addiction has presented itself recently. Something I didn't even think was possible, but knowing how I operate, nothing is surprising anymore. I've become addicted to weighing myself, even though it's a horribly frustrating and unsatisfying experience. When I decided to stop weighing myself on a daily basis because of it's detrimental effect on my psyche, the first night and next day were not a problem. But then my mind began to wander, and I felt the need to step on the scale 2 days after I stopped. "Why did I do that?", I thought aloud. Another 2 days passed, and I was once again jonesing to check my weight. I refrained, but soon the desire became too great and I submitted, again drawing frustration from the result. I've enlisted the help of my lovely wife for this one, and I'm having her hide the scale. Only allowing it's use once a week is the stipulation, and I'm going to have to deal with that. I'm sure this will simply be a case of "out of sight, out of mind".

I was faced with another food challenge recently. I was offered the chance to head out to a pizza place for lunch, which I initially resisted due to all the temptations that particular restaurant holds for me. (Pizza is my Kryptonite. If you've never sampled a Perogy Pizza, it may change your life.) All it took to convince me to go was a quick squint and a shrug of the shoulders from my co-workers. "Come on!", I was urged. I thought that I was doomed, but as I perused the menu, I found a grilled chicken sandwich and soup. My customary order would have been a pizza of some sort, or barring that, a baked pasta dish accompanied by a Caesar salad. I think someone should change the name of the Caesar salad, as it is very misleading. The word "salad" immediately brings to mind thoughts of fresh veggies and healthiness. Throw "Caesar" in front of that word, and you've got a tasty dish comprised of high-calorie, high-fat dressing, bacon, croutons, and oh yeah, some lettuce. It's closer to chip dip than salad. The point of this story is that you can find healthier options at most restaurants, even one's with "Pizza" in their names, and trying to eat better doesn't require you having to neuter your social agenda.

I've become more consistent with my workouts again. Making sure to schedule a period of activity at least once a day has become a lot easier than I thought it would have been. The weekends are the toughest, but as long as I can set aside at least 30-45min, I feel as though I've accomplished something. All I have to do is stay the course, and I will be rewarded. At the advice of a loyal reader, and weight-loss inspiration in his own right, I'm going to bump up the strength training a notch. I can feel my legs getting stronger with each passing day, but I've got to take care of the total package.

On a final note, I've become unable to draw much inspiration from The Biggest Loser show anymore. A contestant purposely gained weight to get someone else voted off the show. It was a cunning tactic, though executed poorly, that worked to perfection. However, it was very clear that this show was no different than any of the other "get-rich-quick reality shows", of which I've grown quite tired. Thankfully I've got many other sources to draw inspiration from; family, friends, and you, the reader. I know you're out there, you're holding me accountable for my actions, and for that I am grateful.