Living And Living Well

Nothing quite as dramatic as looking at this photo of Jared.  I love me some Subway but there is more to a weight loss journey than repeat visits to a restaurant.  So, why the photo?  As of late October, I have moved my belt notches at least 4 spots.  I have made temporary drops in weight for things like my wedding (which was almost 5 years ago) but all things go back to use of the word 'diet.'  I'll say it here right now that I am not dieting.

The Free Dictionary defines a diet as:

   n.

    1. The usual food and drink of a person or animal.

    2. A regulated selection of foods, as for medical reasons or cosmetic weight loss.

    3. Something used, enjoyed, or provided regularly: subsisted on a diet of detective novels during his vacation.

   adj.

    1. Of or relating to a food regimen designed to promote weight loss in a person or an animal: the diet industry.

    2.

     a. Having fewer calories.

     b. Sweetened with a noncaloric sugar substitute.

    3. Designed to reduce or suppress the appetite: diet pills; diet drugs.

    v. di·et·ed, di·et·ing, di·ets

    v.intr.

     To eat and drink according to a regulated system, especially so as to lose weight or control a medical condition.

    v.tr.

      To regulate or prescribe food and drink for.

 

Notice that -- as a noun #2, adjective #1, #2a, #2b, #3, as an intransitive verb and possibly the transitive verb -- most of these deal with weight loss.  Yet, only one (#1 noun) deals with regularity (non-bowel.)  Years ago, the word diet was focused on what one's normal eating was but as you can see... it has evolved.  So maybe we need a new word for this.  I would say that I am just living.

I was stretching out a size 38 pair of pants before Halloween (I still have issues with calling one item a pair) but, yesterday, decided to see how far I've progressed.  I'm not a scale person.  I want health but if muscle comes with it, I don't want to upset myself with gaining a pound (muscle) when looking for loss (fat.)  It could also be a numerical denial and avoidance but I'll seek therapy someday for that.  Oh, so I purchased a size 34 pair of pants and they fit with a little room.  I don't think I've been in a 34 since after high school.

I also know that my trajectory may take me beyond 34 and more wardrobe changes.  So these purchases are going to be here and there.  I recently also started purging any shirt over a large.  Gave a few to David for bed shirts.  My jacket is currently a 44 (down from a 48 at one point) with room to move.

No, you don't need to have pant-size or shirt-size comparisons to make you feel good.  Making changes in your life should do that for you.  This especially happens when finding the ability to do more in your workout program, have better form in your moves, feel less sore afterwards and not tire out as much.  Sometime I may talk about the program a bit more extensively and if curious you can contact me but, for now, let's just say that I'm living and living well.