I hate to admit it...

... but Steve was... um... right. CRAP!!!! In the past 4 weeks, I have lost 8, count 'em 8 pounds! Thanks in no small part to the extra 45 minutes per day that I "plod" on the treadmill every day. He told me that slowing down my heart rate on the treadmill and increasing the number of days I exercise would speed up the weight loss and damn it, he was right. Not that I've given him the satisfaction by telling him.

It's incredible how much I am learning and changing as I continue this quest from obese to 'oh baby'. For example: although technically I am considered obese according to medical standards, I always thought of myself as over weight and a little bit out of shape. I now understand the strain my body is under for every extra pound I carry, and I can appreciate the smallest victory such as not being winded after going up a flight of stairs. My joints are not as creaky, my neck and back don't hurt as much as they did, and I don't have the level of fatigue I did a few months ago. Most surprising is the amount of food that I can do without! I have all but given up fast foods, snack foods (potato chips etc.)and candy. I try to at least take a moment to think about what I am about to eat, instead of giving into a craving and stuffing myself. All the junk foods still call out to me, but for the most part, I make specific plans and and choose the time and place for a small indulgence. It's not cheating if you work it into the weekly plan and then work a little but harder in the gym after the fact.

Some things have not changed, and I am determined to shift a few old paradigms now that I have much of the basics under control.
Paradigm #1: I INHALE MY FOOD. No sure why, but when I sit down in front a plate of food, I plow through it in seconds, sometimes cramming several forkfuls into my mouth before chewing and swallowing. Many of the sources I have researched suggest that I chew 20 - 30 times for each mouthful of food. So, I am going to work on slowing down the pace, chewing on only 1 mouthful at a time.

Paradigm #2: I think I have a good memory for details and therefore don't need to keep track of how much food I put into my body. But I am very good at glossing over the little things that likely add up. Also, I am supposed to be creating a calorie deficit by eating less and exercising more, but I have no clue about any of the numbers.. It's time to stop assuming and start keeping accurate records. I've bought a food log and I'm going to spend the next month recording everything that goes into my mouth.