Four pounds would have been nice. Five would have been better. But I’m actually feeling OK about my two-pound loss this past week. Sure, I’m still point-two above my weight two weeks ago, but the trend is encouraging.
It’s not the just the weight, either. I felt more in control this week. I did have an epic blowout Thursday – how many calories does a 12-inch garlic fingers have? – but I safely navigated a potluck Saturday. I even made a chocolate cake for the potluck, and not just any cake: “Eric’s best cake on the planet!” My secret? A dash of Tobasco in the butter icing (no, seriously).
I tasted the icing a couple of times, had a very small piece at the potluck. And that was it. For one magic meal, I achieved moderation.
That’s the Holy Grail, right? It’s what all those know-it-all diet gurus tell you.
“You can have all the foods you enjoy, just in moderation.”
Then they show you a plateful of moderation: two forks of fettucine Alfredo, with seven Smarties for dessert.
Not my strong suit. I’m kind of all-or-nothing when it comes to dieting. If I exceed my calories for the day by three celery stalks, it’s time to compound the error with a peanut butter sandwich and a six-pack of date squares.
But not on Saturday. Saturday, I had a small piece of cake and two big plates of salad with just the faintest fumes of dressing wafted in their direction. Yes, I had a chocolate chip cookie and my ubiquitous mint Aero bar – and a few apple cinnamon chips, and cut veggies with a bit of dip, and a Molson 67 – but really, this was pretty close to sainthood by my standards.
Intentions have a way of being derailed. But I’m on track right now.
This is not an advice column. Please consult a medical expert or nutritionist for sound dietary advice. Eric Sparling is an Amherst Daily News reporter, and former senior editor at Oxygen, a women’s fitness magazine.
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