It was cold yesterday. The ground was covered with a fair dusting of snow. I woke up at six to the strains of Sonny & Cher, got dressed, and headed out to Gobbler’s Knob to give my annual TV news report. The entire town of Punxsutawney had turned out to see if the groundhog would let us know if we were in for another six weeks or winter or not. After wrapping up the broadcast, I wanted nothing else than get out of that small town as quickly as possible; but alas, a blizzard had made other plans. With nothing else to do, I went back to my hotel and turned in early.
Oddly enough, the next morning began with another rousing chorus of I Got You, Babe. The day only grew more strange from there as I quickly realized it was the exact same day as yesterday. The next day was the same. And the day after that. And the day after that…
I’ll tell you one thing. There’s nothing like being on a diet that makes you feel like Phil Connors in Groundhog Day. Day after day, week after week: the same thing. It’s enough sometimes to make you want to buy more life insurance from an old high school buddy.
For me last week looked a lot like the previous week, but without the Sonny & Cher. On the upside, I not only reversed last week’s three-pound gain, but hit a new low of 204.5. So, of course, I had no other choice but to pig out on Saturday night and ruin it all. Again.
| Day 112 | |
| Starting Weight | 224.0 |
| Current Weight | 206.0 |
| Change from Last Week | -2.0 |
| Lost So Far | 18.0 |
| Pounds To Go | 7.0 |
The upshot is that I’m technically down two pounds from the previous week. But since last week ended on a mysterious three pound weight gain, I still feel behind. BUT we shall not forget the most important point of all. It’s November 17 and I’m still at 206. When I think of all the other ways this week could have gone horribly wrong, I don’t feel too bad about the outcome. And I did hit a new low, so that’s encouraging.
After all, Phil’s auto-repeat day finally came to a happy ending, right?
on November 17, 2008 at 6:39 am
Try to dwell on the good things Charlie. You’ll be playing the piano like a pro in no time and it will seem like yesterday.
But seriously, you should be doing the glass half full thing. You lost 18 pounds, let me say that again, YOU LOST 18 POUNDS.
So smile, hold your chin up and go help those ladies with the flat tire.
on November 17, 2008 at 8:28 am
Seriously – you are doing great! 🙂 Remember, not too long ago you said that your goal was to just not gain weight. Not only did you meet that goal, but you beat it by actually losing weight.
You’re doing great.
And also? That movie has ruined episodes of “Heros” for me – because I keep wanting that guy to say “Phil?!?!? Phil Connors? Don’t say you don’t remember me because I sure as heckfire remember you!” And then I want someone to punch him in the face.
on November 17, 2008 at 8:31 am
“Groundhog Day” is a favorite in my immediate family…. We have a black sense of humor. Which comes in handy while dieting, too, come to think of it
on November 17, 2008 at 8:37 am
Morning Charlie! I think you are doing great!
What did you have on Saturday night – burgers?
Happy Monday!
on November 17, 2008 at 8:55 am
Charlie, you’re an inspirational writer, that’s for sure. I’m in the same boat and was trying to describe it. “Groundhog Day” is perfectly apt. Not to mention the “hitting all time low and then ruining it”. Evidently I’m trying to be just like you without knowing it. lol
Here’s to a good week !
on November 17, 2008 at 8:58 am
I’m in the same holding pattern. I lost 4 lbs in the past 2 weeks.
Then, over the weekend, I pigged out enough to be 5 lbs heavier this morning.
on November 17, 2008 at 9:41 am
I love Groundhog Day!
Yeah for your LOW!
on November 17, 2008 at 9:43 am
Anne: Someday when all the blogs have gone to dust and we’ve long moved on, I shall see you somewhere in Pennsylvania and utter those words. Anne? Anne HappyFunPants? Don’t say you don’t remember my blog because I sure as heckfire remember yours.”
Biz: Nope. It was a “Santa Fe Meatloaf” with this really good spoon bread. I had, um, multiple helpings. I will probably write about it later (or post the recipe one day if I ever get around to updating my other blog).
Everyone Else: Yes, I’m a half-glass-empty guy. Don’t worry, I’ll always find the cloud inside every silver lining. It makes for better reading anyway.
on November 17, 2008 at 12:26 pm
“Cheer up Charlie…”
Oh, wait, wrong movie.
As long as the end result is a net of “down”, it’s all good…right? Please say “right”, because your week looks like a lot of my weeks do…down a bit, up a bit, down a bit more, with maybe a net loss of a half a pound to a pound, with the occasional spike which I then have to whittle down again. Sigh.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
on November 17, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I’m with you. The monotony. The endless days of trying to be saintly. Maybe it’s time to switch up your routine a little and introduce some different foods/meals? A bit of experimenting to keep the brain turning over? Or just learn to play piano really REALLY well.
TA x
on November 17, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Congrats on the loss. Hey, a loss is a loss is a loss. Rejoice!
on November 17, 2008 at 5:12 pm
You like spoonbread???? Honest?? I LOVE spoonbread. I think I made it when you three were kids, but nobody liked it, so I gave up. It’ll be on the list for the next visit, for sure!
on November 17, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Great job on the loss!
on November 17, 2008 at 8:29 pm
I am a groundhog….birthday girl. So, of course everyone told me to watch the GroundHog movie….sheesh…that movie is sooo hard to watch.
But Charlie….you have lost 18 lbs!! That is amazing! I would try to kick your exercise a notch. That always works for me. But that is just the groundhog in me talking.
on November 18, 2008 at 6:32 am
My opinion: change your official weigh in to Saturday morning.
on November 18, 2008 at 6:38 am
Helen: True, but that’s kind of cheating. Since I report my data to the rest of the planet on Monday mornings, I have to write about it on Sunday afternoon. I’d have a hard time telling the world I was down two pounds full knowing I was actually up three, but just hoping it’d all even out by the next post.
I know it’s not the best day in the world to weigh in, but I’m kinda stuck with it. 🙂
on November 18, 2008 at 8:10 am
Love your graphs……lol
I expect most of us diet monsters have the same looking graph. Especially women who seem to retain water at the most inconvenient times ie. on weigh in days!
The good thing is that, after you’ve been doing the daily weigh in for a couple of months, you realise that your weight fluctuates on a daily basis and its actually just normal.
Normal? Did someone say Charlie was normal?? lol
Tusc ;o)