Diet Wrapup - The End or the Beginning?

So my month of committing to calorie counting is over and the results are in. Once again it worked, and I ended February at 194 pounds, down 10 pounds over the four weeks. My blood pressure has dropped a bit and I am even sleeping better.

I was certainly not perfect about it. There were some days where I ate too much. But I knew I had done it, and I knew how much I had busted my goals by and was easily able to make it up over the rest of the week. The pounds did not come off evenly over the month either. The first week I lost 5 pounds. The second week only one. But at the end of the month there I was at 194.

I do not feel hungry or like I have had to deprive myself of eating things. I was not on any special "diet" at all. I just ate what I normally eat. The difference was making conscious choices about when and how much I ate, eating standard portion sizes and keeping up with the (truly moderate) exercise. I am feeling pretty happy with the results.

For now I am adjusting my goal from losing weight to maintaining where I am and not putting any more on. I would estimate that the entire process of tracking calories has been taking about 15 minutes a day so it is no burden to keep doing it.

My 50th High School reunion is in October and I am thinking it would be great to show up there weighing the same as I did when I graduated. That would cost me only another 9 pounds over the next 7 months, and right now that seems almost too easy to me. And 185 pounds would be right on the dot for a healthy weight for my height.

So why is dieting so hard for so many people? Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can. If you have been struggling, drop me a message. Maybe I can help.