The easiest way to lose weight, I'm convinced!

I know there's nothing more boring than someone talking about their friggin' diet, so I'm just gonna let the numbers speak for themselves, straight from the little white board in our bathroom.

Yep, I've lost 7.2 pounds in a month and a day.  On my (almost) 5'5" frame, that's a lot, and as you can see, after the first few days, it's been a very gradual process.  Mike's lost 15.1 pounds.  And all we've done is cut back on carbs.  Not cut them out altogether--that's just not good for you.  Specifically, we've cut out the carbs that don't bring us joy and have cut back on, but have not eliminated, the carbs that do.

That means there's no freakin' way I would eat a hamburger bun; a hamburger bun simply does not bring me joy.  It's not worth the 30 or so grams of carbs.  But beer does bring me joy, and so I'll have a few during the week.  Mike and I also go out for pizza and Ben & Jerry's once a week, too.   We're definitely not denying ourselves, and we don't have to because we're making good choices in other areas.  Like fast food--I wouldn't dream of eating at a fast food place or other chain restaurant without first taking a look at their nutrition menu.  So I now get a shrimp taco instead of a burrito--no real difference on the joy factor, but a big difference in carb count.

Counting carbs is key, along with not denying yourself the foods that truly bring you joy.   And the best part is, you start to feel the difference within the first few days, which gives you the motivation to continue with it.  And then you start to build a momentum you won't want to break. 

Although I allow myself beer and ice cream, my days of Starbucks mocha lattes and banana walnut bread are over.  Sure, they brought me joy, but at over 100 grams of carbs combined, that's too big a price to pay.  And now I can walk into a Starbucks and order a 0 calorie, 0 carb unsweetened iced green tea and be perfectly happy.  I'm not even tempted to get the latte and banana bread, which I really did love.  But I have not a shred of temptation.

Why?  Because nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.

I'll say it again.

Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.

I can't tell you how much better I feel with those 7 pounds off me, especially around the gut.  Had I not lost those first few pounds, I probably wouldn't have felt like getting back into ballet.  And now that I'm getting some good, out-of-my-comfort-zone exercise, I'm craving more.  I would take a dance class every day if I could.  My body is getting leaner and stronger and it feels fantastic.

My goal is to lose another four pounds by the end of March, which in Las Vegas is the beginning of bathing suit season.   Oh, and speaking of, this will NOT be another summer featuring the skirted granny bathing suit.

Yes, I will burn that friggin' thing.  You'll see.

If you're serious about losing weight, I hope you'll try cutting down on the carbs and then kicking your exercise program up a notch.  I know first-hand that it works. So far, anyway.  And you'll feel so, so much better in just a short time.  The time's gonna pass anyway, right?