Why are YOU dieting?

Well, today’s the day I started my new diet. I have to admit, I had one hell of a "bachelor party" this past weekend in anticipation of marrying up to the ol’ South beach Diet. Buffalo Chicken sandwich on Friday, a ton of Japanese steakhouse food on Saturday, a huge breakfast buffet on Sunday morning, and a big ol’ Chicken Parmesan that I couldn’t finish on Sunday evening. Not to mention the cake and cookies and ice cream and wine I shared throughout the two-day anniversary celebration. The events were fun, but the food was completely decadent. I should be thankful that I didn’t die of a heart attack! So I weighed in this morning at 166.2 pounds. That’s 2 pounds more than Saturday morning thanks to the weekend of binging. Still, today is the first day of the diet so 166.2 is the official starting weight.

Here’s where I hear a lot of people ask, "why are you dieting? You’re a small guy! You don’t need to diet!" Unfortunately, I hear that a lot. I suppose a lot of people would feel good about people telling them they look fine, but for me, it’s not about the weight. As you know, it’s about the blood and I won’t get into the details again. So when I answer, I usually have one of several answers in mind:

• "Well, you haven’t seen me naked." This usually gets the more entertaining reaction, but when I say that, I’m referring to the "beer belly" that I have (even though I no longer drink beer). The fact is, I’m a small guy. I’m short and I am "small-boned," so the belly-fat on me isn’t as apparent. Unless I tuck in my shirt (which I need to do at work), I can usually hide the belly pretty well. But once the shirt comes off in the bathroom, it’s quite apparent that my torso had seen better days. It’s this mid-section fat that is apparently most dangerous. That’s all I need…more health danger
• "Maybe I look this way because I’m eating this way." I thought it was always funny that people think others should eat fatty or "bad" food…that the only time one should eat "good" food is when they’re losing weight. I have a news flash for you; healthy eating keeps you from getting fat. Period.
• "I’m not trying to lose weight. I’m trying to improve my blood health." You know the reasons behind this answer, so I won’t bore you.
  

The problem with people telling me I look like I don’t need to diet is that sometimes, I start to believe it. When I look in the mirror, I suck in my gut and think, "maybe they’re right." But in reality, they’re wrong. I DO need to diet, or at least follow a better diet. And I imagine you do, too.

Now, let’s talk about Day One of the diet a little. The hardest part of the day thus far has been substituting V8 for my OJ. I’m sure I’ll get used to it, but it was not a pleasant experience. My snacks should be salty, not my breakfast drink. The next hardest has been not drinking milk. South Beach doesn’t allow milk during the first two weeks. Although I usually only drink it during breakfast, you can bet what my first consumption will be once the two weeks are up.

My "approved" snacks have kept me from getting hungry…cheese sticks and nuts. And my lunch of salad with chicken strips and strawberry Jello was actually quite good. I think the only reason I’m feeling any hunger right now is due to stretching my stomach to the size of a VW Beetle.

I’ll be measuring myself tonight and taking photos. I’ll share the measurements, but not the picture…at least not yet. My plan is to present the before photo when I’m ready to reveal my after photo. I’ve always been one for drama.

Stay tuned as I venture further into the dieting world.