10 lbs. is 10 lbs.

And that's what the scales say I've lost. Had to go to the Endocrinologist - same building, one floor up from my primary doc where I had just weighed about 2 weeks before. And the numbers were about 7 lbs. less. Then, I checked with my  home scales, my parents scales - and the final incontrovertible source: the Wii. Yep - it confirms that I'm now 10 lbs. lighter than that first weigh-in 3 weeks ago.

I suppose I've been able to tell in the looser fit of my clothing, as well - but there's still a lot more to go before I'll need a downsized wardrobe.

Am I excited? I suppose. But there are some other facts/perspectives keeping my elation in check. First - I'm only about 1 1/2 lbs. lighter than my initial 'after pregnancy' weight. Means I'd gained that 10 lbs. of blubber instead of working it off like I set out to do on the Wii Fit program all those weeks/months ago. And the program was all too quick to point out it had been 216 days since it had last seen me - and, "Oops! Looks like you didn't quite make your goal."  Ya think?? How can a Wii balance board be smarmy??

On the upside of that, however - the weight came off without any exercise, just diet changes. Though I need to make exercise a part of my weekly routine...for life. I really do. It's almost harder than giving up the pasta and bread. Not that I'm lazy - I just hate the concept of having a "routine" to exert energy, burn calories, get your heart rate up...always have, always will.

Also on the upside, I suppose, is the fact that I've stuck pretty well to the changes in eating. I've used the 4 bites rule on some occasions - and I've ignored it a couple of times, but never really over indulged in anything these past 3 weeks. Avoided sweets - had lots more fresh veggies and fruits and cereal instead - and minuscule amounts of red meat. Sticking almost exclusively to whole grain breads and pastas, and those much less often than I formerly enjoyed having them. Using the good oils and 'healthy' butter substitutes...scant amounts of cheese...and no egg yolks.

Still haven't given up my diet Mt. Dew and Diet Dr. Pepper...and still need to drink more water. But, all in all, not doing too badly in the new way of eating - and not struggling too much with the 'restrictions' either.

But there's another factor that has figured heavily into my eating habits these last few weeks as well - and that is grief. There have been times I've not been able to eat...not realized I missed most of a day without proper nourishment...or on a couple of occasions, simply not kept down the food I tried to eat. Grief can do strange things to you - and the news with my dad's cancer has gotten worse and worse, it seems. No matter how much I believe I am entrusting it all to God's hands...the grief is still there, gnawing away inside. Faith doesn't negate grief...it just gets you through the most grievous times in your life. And you cannot help but grieve for/with/over the ones you love. Love and sorrow are closely intertwined.

So, if it weren't for the grief - would I be following the eating plan so well and dropping the weight so quickly? Not sure. May never know. But - I do know that 10 lbs. is 10 lbs. - and it's a rather decent start to the goals I set forth about 3 weeks ago. And, I know that I can't use my grief as an excuse not to do the other things I need to be doing---like exercising. So I should build on this momentum and follow through as I've purposed to do - establishing these habits 4 life...which is worth celebrating!