Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Keeping My (Double) Chin Up

It's been said that the formula for weight loss is "Eat less, move more.". I've also heard "Just eat less.". Concise. Simple. And yet, it's never really that simple, is it? I have to think that the people dispensing these little nuggets of wisdom have never faced a weight problem. I'm in my 11th week of Weight Watchers and have lost 13.4 lbs so far, but the bulk of it was lost in the first 6 weeks. And I was feeling incredibly confident during those weeks, maybe even cocky. I was amazed at how easily the weight was falling off! The past 4 weeks? Not so much. My losses have pretty much come to a stand still. I keep telling myself to be happy because I've still lost over 13 lbs and haven't been slowly gaining the weight back. There's something to be said for that! But, truthfully, my parade has been rained on. My sails deprived of wind. And the worst part about it is that I'm the only one to blame. I can't blame it on the fact that April is a busy month here in New Orleans with French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest. Or the fact that my mom has been in town for over a month. Or that I've had some vacation time. Because, ultimately, it's up to me to make the right choices. This is not to say that I haven't had some great times and awesome meals in the past month, because I did, and that's what life is all about. Even so, I can't help thinking that discipline and restraint would have felt even more awesome. But, c'est la vie....onward and upward....and all that other shit. Even though it's been a slow process I've still lost more that 13 lbs! I'll take it and be happy. What's the hurry, right? I've been fat for so long now that it almost feels normal to me. But not quite. Because there's always that feeling of being a second class citizen when you're fat. You know what certain people are thinking when they look at you. And then there are the people who look through you as if you aren't even there. It has always astounded me that the bigger you get, the more invisible you become. There's also the people who feel free to voice their hateful comments about your size to get a laugh from their friends. And if you're fat, you know that the first thing you do when you're in a crowded room is scan the room to find out if you're the fattest. And you're relieved when you're not. All of these things have happened to me. And they will never feel normal. I want to feel better about myself and better in general. But also because it bothers me that certain people in society presume that they are better than me because I have some weight on me. I know for damn sure that they are not, (The first reason being that I would never try to make someone feel unworthy for something as superficial as weight.) and it bothers me that I let them bother me. But let's be truthful.....we all want to look good and boost our self-esteem. And, hey, if I can extend my life as a result. it's a win-win. So, I will keep plugging away at the slooooooow process of WW because I know it's what I have to do. With all of that being said, New Orleans is known as not being the best place for getting healthy. We're a culture that thrives on good food, booze, music, and socializing. All of that can definitely put the kibosh on your efforts. But that's where the discipline comes in. You have to thwart all of that adult peer pressure and do your own thang. Plus NOLA can be helpful in many ways.....there are plenty of opportunities to dance, second lines to follow, an abundance of outdoor festivals where you can get out and shake it. There are healthy food options if you seek them out, farmers markets, and the horrendous parking situations in parts of the city encourage you to walk or use public transportation (drunkenness encourages that also). I guess what I'm trying to say is that even though I live in a city known for its debauchery and decadence, I know that I can lose weight and get healthy here. It's just going to take effort and that falls on me. So look out bitches, I'm keeping my (double) chin up, staying positive, and I'm gettin' healthy!

******Some highlights of my last month of activities.*******

~Filet mignon @ Manning's with the thin cripsy onion rings that I love.
~Easter Sunday afternoon @ Napoleon's Itch (gay bar)
~Always dinner @ Adolfo's
~The Brass-a-holics set at French Quarter Fest!!!!!
~The chocolate mousse in a "basket" dessert at Crescent City Brewhouse
~Sunday dinner with Mike, Dave, & my mom
~3great days at Jazz Fest - James Andrews killed his set!
~Finally seeing The Stooges Brass Band
~Meeting David Simon (creator of The Wire and Treme).
~The New Orleans Musicians For Obama event.
~Chicken Clemenceau & Leroy Jones @ The Palm Court (with my favorite waiter, Stanley)
~FABULOUS meal at EAT
~Trombone Shorty @ The Mahalia Jackson Theater

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