Day 35: Luck Runs Out

After yesterday's social occasion and consumption of the superfluous food items, as well as today's continuation of an attempt to trick my body into a metabolism boost, I've found that I've gained two more pounds. My earlier luck is evidently running out.

With regard to the metabolism boosting, it looks like the body adjusts quickly to tricks of that sort. The same fake-out may only work once, or not work at all if I had been the beneficiary of a lucky coincidence the first time 'round. The only way to find out is to adjust the time of the "big meal," which I will try in subsequent days.

I also should make a note about encouragement or discouragement when dieting. Your desired weight is not always the same as a medically desirable weight, even when you're dieting, unless you're losing poundage for medically-compatible reasons. Your ideal weight in the eyes of others differs too, including from your own. As a result, it's not that abnormal for someone else to insist that you go on a diet when you're plainly obese, but to ply you with food when you're down to chubby. Such a person does not want you to lose weight until you're thin, but for you to take off enough to bring you down to slightly overweight - his or her opinion as to what your ideal weight is.

I can't venture any opinion about such a person, who may act that way because he or she doesn't take the lose-weight exhortations in our culture that seriously. "You're obese; lose X pounds or suffer the consequences" may translate into "oh, just lose a few pounds and go back to what you were." Such a person is likely to be easygoing; questioning their motive may result in finding a good one, though it be one that's at odds with your own. (Try comparing such a person with someone who complains about your obesity when you haven't reached the semi-anorexic level within two weeks.)

It would be nice if we could step into isolation booths while dieting, but we can't detach ourselves from our social matrix in real life - nor would most of us want to, because we need those others (as those others need us.) Exactly the same personality qualities of a supposed "diet destroyer" may be vital to us in other areas.

I can only think of two solutions to this kind of conundrum: either lower your weight-loss ambitions, or make yourself scarce during your diet and present everyone with a fait accompli.

Personal confession: at that social occasion I mentioned, I had a really fun time. And yeah, I did like eating the gifts of food I had gotten.


[Update: I actually reversed myself regarding the plateau buster technique in the next day's entry, "Whipsawed;" I also explained why.]


Weight as of approx. 6 PM today: 234 pounds.