I am now below 205! With my analog scale marking weight in 5-pound increments (and with the ticks so small it’s sometimes hard to distinguish single pounds), it’s always a thrill to drop below the next big(-ish) marker, because then I know for sure that I have lost weight, without having to squint, and hoping that it’s not just my perspective that is making it look like I’ve lost weight, when I haven’t.

This week, I mowed my yard, which took about an hour and a half. While that was all the exercise I did this week it did cause me to drop three pounds in one day! I didn’t blog it, because I was afraid that it was just temporary — perhaps water weight from sweating, or something. But it’s now been several days and the weight loss is still there — 203 lb. That’s still a lot — I feel bad about being glad that I still weigh as much as I do; but, hey, I weigh less than I did!

Another success — I was at my mom’s house, when she had a large order for cookies (sugar cookies, oatmeal cookies, and chocolate chip cookies). I love cookies. I love sweets. Two of the three kinds need to be frosted, and I helped. Usually, I pop in a few cookies along the way when I frost them (or when I don’t — I love chocolate chip cookie dough and fresh cookies, too!), plus extra frosting — especially when there is frosting left over. But I didn’t this time. In some ways, I wasn’t even tempted; in other ways I was very tempted. I also cleaned out my mom’s freezer, and she had a lot of various desserts in there, that ordinarily I would have eaten. But I didn’t. Success!

Then, I went to my mom’s house again, and she had made delicious garlic-cheese bread. The house smelled amazingly wonderful. I could probably have eaten half a loaf by myself. I did give in and had one small, thin piece, but that was it. I call that a success!

On Friday, my husband wanted a pizza when we were already out, and I had just one piece (because I was soooo hungry). I was tempted to eat more, although it was supreme which I don’t particularly care for. But I fixed myself something else to eat, and resisted. Success!

Finally, last night, we went to a neighbor’s birthday party, and I didn’t eat anything except once I licked my fingers after putting a piece of cake on my son’s plate. They had a full meal — hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, potato chips, potato salad (which I don’t like anyway), cole slaw, beans, spinach dip, and another thing or two. Ordinarily, I would have had a plate full, even if I wasn’t terribly hungry (and I had had a snack about an hour before going, plus a glass of lemon-water right before we left), plus dessert. So, to get out with only licking my fingers once — oh, yeah, baby — success!!

So, I’ve been following the genotype diet for at least a month, and have been watching the quantities of what I’m eating for three full weeks. I’m feeling much better, and I’m certainly losing weight. Plus I know I’m eating more healthfully, since I’m eating many more fruits and vegetables, and much less processed foods.

Two and a half miles Walk & Jog with Leslie Sansone. Woo-hoo.

Just kidding–but it feels like that! My 20-month-old son is more or less permanently attached to my hip right now. He’s sick–has a fever, runny nose, a bit of a cough. He won’t eat, won’t sleep, won’t drink. Basically, he won’t do anything except sit in my lap or watch TV (which is what he’s doing now while I’m online). He’s smothering me, and I’m getting the feeling that I’m coming down with what he’s got. Oh, joy! Taking my vitamins, antioxidants, extra vitamin C and just remembered I do have Zicam which I should have started yesterday, but will start now. I love that stuff–it kept me from getting sick when my husband was sick last time for nearly a month. But if I get it, I get it. Can’t stop lovin’ on my little boy!

My 20-month-old son is sick today and was sick yesterday; my husband got something from a fellow teacher at school on Friday and brought it home–yay. He was sick all weekend, and now my little Snickerdoodle has it, poor little fella. Anyway, so he’s got a yucky fever and is lethargic, which means I have an excuse to sit around all day. As opposed to last week when I didn’t have that excuse, and still sat around. Oh, well. I’m still watching my calories (should write it down–it’s better that way), so I still should be losing weight, just not as fast.

Wow, y’know–that kinda spurred me on. It made me think–it is up to me how fast I lose this weight! That’s power! Too often, I’m used to acting like I can’t control things that happen to me; but if there’s one thing I can control, it’s my hands that feed my mouth, and my feet that move my body. But I have a sick little boy on my lap that needs his mommy to just hold him, so that’s more important right now. I’ll look at this post again soon, when I don’t have that excuse, and I need a pep talk.

I’m taking the day off from exercising right now. I probably shouldn’t have, but it is Sunday. Not that I’m a strict Sabbatarian or anything, but I do try to rest on Sunday–as much as any mom with two toddlers can, anyway!

Our church has morning and afternoon services on Sunday with lunch in between, so that’s always very difficult when trying to lose weight. I did better than I normally do (but I probably should have just skipped the dessert table altogether). I tried to eat the healthier things (I made a bean dip), and ate probably about half as much dessert as I usually do. Small steps.

I’m a little bummed because I don’t seem to have lost any weight; and while my goal is about a pound a week (for 50 pounds this year), I thought it would be a bit more dramatic the first week–especially since I’m actually working out, and I’m trying to eat less. But it will happen. I do need to actually write down what I eat–I’ve said I was going to do it, but haven’t done it yet. I’ll start tomorrow.

I just came across this article on msnbc, about which health “rules” you should listen to and which you shouldn’t (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22575539/). I like it and would recommend reading it. Basically, the rules are good for most people, but some people need to modify it. For instance, the first “rule” is to eat lots of whole grains, especially for the fiber….but for people who are sensitive to wheat and gluten (celiac disease), that will make them feel bad and actually worsen their health. For the most part, the rules are rules; but you may need to modify “what everybody knows.”

Are you trying to lose weight? Do you need some friends, but don’t want to go to Weight Watchers? Well, here’s an online alternative. Go ahead and start posting, and be honest. I’ve got several pages there on the right for you to write specifically what you need to do. Take a minute to think about your goals. Not just some nebulous “lose weight”–I’m talking specifics. How much weight? What’s your time-frame? Is there a wedding coming up? Summer vacation? Train for a marathon or half-marathon? Be thinner than your sister-in-law next Thanksgiving? What’s your goal? We’ll be here with you, going through it with you. Read my pages and see that I’m being honest–as painful as it is, and really embarrassing to put it up online. Yet I know it’s a step I have to take.