I'm hot!

Well, not really, but I am feeling really great about my weight loss lately and for once, it's nice to feel good about my physical self.  I know, I'm not supposed to be concerned about what I look like, but I can't help it.  I've always been overweight and have always been self-conscious about it.  Because overweight + tall = cow = not attractive.

So I've been doing this South Beach Diet.  The first two weeks (Phase 1) are very restrictive and you're basically not allowed to eat any carbs.  The idea is that you break your addiction to simple carbohydrates like those found in sweets and white flour - the things that cause your blood sugar to spike and then subsequently plummet, leaving you hungry even though you just ate.  Those two weeks were hard, but the trade-off for it is that Phase 1 really jump starts your weight loss.  I lost 11 pounds those first two weeks.

That was...I don't even know when.  Mid-March?  I think so, because I know when my parents were up here for Easter I felt like a jerk because I couldn't fix them a decent meal.  (Well, I could've, but then I'd be preparing meals in duplicate, and spending all my time in the kitchen defeats the purpose of having anyone come and visit, let alone my parents who rarely come to my house.)

Anyway, after Phase 1 you begin Phase 2 (duh), in which you're gradually able to start phasing carbs back into your diet, in the form of (most) fruits and whole grains.  Your diet is still vegetable-heavy, but that's ok because you don't really crave other stuff.  OK, that's a lie.  I still crave junk food but I'm usually able to resist.  And for me, that's saying something because I have no willpower whatsoever.  In Phase 2, the weight loss slows way down because now it's happening in a way that's more healthy and more likely to be permanent.  The expected loss is about a pound a week.

Well, I'd been stuck at 1_1.5 or 1_2* for weeks.  Literally.  And I was definitely losing my motivation.  To have lost 11 pounds in the first 2 weeks and only 3 more in the following 6 weeks was getting on my nerves!

But this week, for no apparent reason whatsoever, my weight finally budged.  I woke up the other morning and I was at 1_9.  I FINALLY got below the 1_0 mark!  It was reason for celebration!  Now I can say I've lost 15 pounds - actually it's 16 but 15 is a nice round number.  And people are starting to notice!  That's the best thing.  My weight loss has been pretty unnoticeable compared to my husband, who's lost 40 pounds.  Which is awesome - I'm psyched for him - and he did have more to lose than me, but it's motivating when people actually notice that there's a reason for all those weird things you put in your lunch and for always having to say no when everyone goes out for lunch at work.

So life is good today!  It's springtime, the sun is shining, and I've lost 15 pounds!

*Sorry for the cryptic numbers regarding my weight.  There's no way I'm actually going to tell you all - especially you tiny ones - what I weigh!  Only my husband and my driver's license know.  :)