# So, how's your diet going? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 28, 2001, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823 "2001-05-28T23:47:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2001, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/1 "2001-05-28T23:47:44Z")
You know it’s not going too well when the following things happen: 1. I went out back to fix the latch on the condo’s miniature dumpster. As soon as I flip the lid open, I catch the scent of something musty but vaguely food-like. And the first thought that springs to mind, before the sensible part of my brain could grapple it and keep it from becoming an actual thought, was “Hmm, something smells _good!_” Oh yuck. It was a pizza box with leftover crusts that have been getting alternately rained on and dumpster-baked for the past several days. Sensible brain, you are on probation. One more slip like that and I’ll start killing you with beer. Of shit, can’t have beer- I’m on a diet. Good catch, sensible brain! 1. I’m passing the time by planting some tiger lillies in a concrete planter on the back porch. I rip the bag of potting soil open, start scooping, when I notice something vaguely fragrant, kind of aromatic, sort of inviting. I glance upward into a neighbor’s open window, thinking that dinner might be cooking. Nope, nobody home. After a moment, I realize that the odor is comeing from the bag of potting soil. I read the label: > [@](#): > > A complete ready-to-use soil for growing beautiful plants in flower beds & vegetable gardens. Contains rich organic ingredients, sphagnum peat moss **and manure** to improve soil conditions. Oh yuck. Sense of smell, you are oficially being warned. The pizza box was an honest mistake. But there can be no excuse for confusing manure with food. One more mistake like that and it’ll be three shots from a Vicks Nasal Inhaler. I’m not even going to look in the refrigerator, I’m too afraid of what my eyes might think they are seeing. There are too many science projects in there to even risk it. I still have those pesky winter pounds, and it’s only just now getting warm enough to get on my bike and burn up the trails. I hope your diet is going better. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/2 "2001-05-29T00:02:02Z")
Well, since I began dieting about January 15, 2001 I think it’s going fine. I’m down 40 pounds. 😃 Only 50 to go! Svelte, here I come! ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/3 "2001-05-29T00:18:40Z")
I’ve finally gotten my ass in gear, and lost 10 pounds over the last 4 weeks. Only…65 more to go until the first milestone. Woo! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/4 "2001-05-29T00:28:22Z")
Down 20 lbs in the last 10 weeks… I don’t have to lie on the bed to zip my jeans. Next step - smaller jeans! ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/5 "2001-05-29T00:30:32Z")
Down 31.5 lbs since 17th Jan this year. And i eat pizza. Booyakasha. Fran ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/6 "2001-05-29T00:40:44Z")
God bless you each and every one. As I have said in other posts, my doctor gave me a choice: lose weight or die. I told him death didn’t really worry me all that much. So he gave me a second choice: lose weight or suffer a crippling but non-fatal heart attack. _That_ kind of threat works. Feb. 2000: 309 May 2001: 250 goal: 215 Slow and steady wins the race. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/7 "2001-05-29T00:45:13Z")
Yay for **Jonathan Chance** , **Falcon** , **FairyChatMom** and **Francesca**! My diet, on the other hand, is going sucky. I started a [ahem] Lifestyle Adjustment with sensible exercise and eating, blah, blah, blah about 3 weeks ago. Lost 4 lbs the first two weeks (a sensible rate of loss being 1 to 2 pounds a week). Last week, however, I slacked. All week. Didn’t run once and ate whatever my heart desired – usually junky crap, my heart being what it is. However, to avoid complete discouragement, I just skipped weighing myself on Friday, and started afresh today. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/8 "2001-05-29T00:47:14Z")
Also, yay to **KneadToKnow**! I wasn’t snubbing you, darlin’ – our posts just crossed! Keep up the good work! ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/9 "2001-05-29T00:52:02Z")
I lost ten pounds this fall via our Weight Watchers at Work program but went off the wagon and I’ve gained it all back. Sigh. Mr. Cranky and I both want to lose weight so we are going to start this up again. However, I loathe the new Weight Watcher leader so if we’re doing it, we’re doing it without the benefit of my going to weekly meetings. So… the diet, such as it is, is going sucky, but I didn’t find WW all that hard to follow so I presume once I commit to doing it, the pounds will come off again. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/10 "2001-05-29T01:04:42Z")
Not bad, thanks to warm weather arriving. Yeah, yeah, but it means I’m freed to walk a lot, muck around in the garden, etc. My problem isn’t _eating_, it’s exercise. Shovelling snow, chipping ice, etc. is aerobic as hell but after a while it’s just grinding drudgery. A sedentary desk job sure doesn’t help. I’ve taken off 10 lbs., but want to shed about 15 more to get back to my default high-school/college weight. After some unnatural dieting I realized diets don’t work for me. “Can’t’s” make me edgy, irritable and generally pissed off. For example, I adore salads but no way I’m gonna eat icky pseudo-food, with slimy ersatz glop on top. A huge Caeser with honest olive oil and an egg yolk in the dressing isn’t dieting; it’s _dining_. I’ll happily stuff on veggies, fish, fruit, etc. and not quibble about a good beer, glass of wine, wedge of foccacia, etc. Hopelessly casual as usual, Veb ---
**Author:** ![Wicked\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/2acd7d/32.png) [@Wicked\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wicked_Blue)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/11 "2001-05-29T01:56:33Z")
Since March 5, 2001 I have lost 28 pounds. 😃 I think I’m going to aim for another 22 and make it an even 50. Once I get there, I’ll see how I like myself. I have been working out like a madwoman, so I have lost a lot of inches in addition to all the weight. My friend at work told me I looked like I was wearing my husbands clothes because they were so big and baggy. I really need to go shopping, but I don’t want to until I finish losing weight. Pretty soon I will have no choice though, my favorite pair of jeans are almost falling off while still buttoned. Whoohoo! Congrats to all you other ‘losers’! Rose ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/12 "2001-05-29T02:06:39Z")
24 lbs in 2 weeks, and I feel GREAT! I figure the speed loss should stop now, and I should settle down to 3-4 lbs a week, which is more than enough 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/13 "2001-05-29T02:22:58Z")
I don’t know whether to congratulate you or smack you, Hec. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![katiekilldare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/838e76/32.png) [@katiekilldare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katiekilldare)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/14 "2001-05-29T02:38:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manservant Hecubus \* > \*\*24 lbs in 2 weeks, and I feel GREAT! > > I figure the speed loss should stop now, and I should settle down to 3-4 lbs a week, which is more than enough 🙂 \*\* Holy cow, how on earth did you do this? Pact with the devil? If it was done with a strict regimen of unhealthy starving with lots of cigarettes and coffee but you don’t want to let everyone know, feel free to tell me secretly. Doesn’t mean I won’t give it a whirl. 24 lbs in two weeks sounds about good. 🙂 katie ---
**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/15 "2001-05-29T03:13:43Z")
Y’all are going to hate me. I am 43 & weigh what I weighed in high school. I have no cellulite at all & still look very hubba hubba in a thong bikini (though I do feel it’s unseemly for an almost middle aged woman to wear a thong.) I “battled” with my weight until I was about 23. Then I decided that I was never again going to feel guilty about eating an entire cheesecake in one sitting. If I felt uncomfortable being overweight, I would eat less & move more. Period. It worked. I am proud of the fact that I have a better body than most 20 year olds…and I don’t work at it at all. It’s just attitude adjustment, a high activity level, and a refusal to eat _anything_ labeled low fat or “diet” food. I don’t like being overweight, and just refuse to let myself get that way. I quit being an alcoholic because I decided I was happier & higher-functioning being sober. I quit being fat for the same reason. It’s not a disease, but a lifestyle paradigm shift. JMHO…& if anybody flames me for this, that’s your problem & not mine. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/16 "2001-05-29T03:17:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by katiekilldare \* > \*\*Holy cow, how on earth did you do this? Pact with the devil? If it was done with a strict regimen of unhealthy starving with lots of cigarettes and coffee but you don’t want to let everyone know, feel free to tell me secretly. Doesn’t mean I won’t give it a whirl. 24 lbs in two weeks sounds about good. 🙂 > > katie \*\* Honestly? I just started eating healty meals several times a day, and I quit sitting on my ass, in favor of alternating days of weight training and aerobic exercise. I pushed myself from just over a mile on the elliptical trainer in 20 minutes to 3.5 in 30 in two weeks. I’m eating LOTS, and well, and I’m exercising strenuously every day, but in different ways. It’s working wonderfully. Had to go buy a new pair of shorts this weekend 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/17 "2001-05-29T03:24:05Z")
I’d like to lose another 15 lbs or so, but my body isn’t cooperating. But I lost 60 lbs in 1999, and have been maintaining it ever since, so I’d say my diet is going pretty damn good. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/18 "2001-05-29T06:01:04Z")
[hijack]A few years ago, I was on the poverty diet. I nominally had a job, and one day they told me to stencil the company name on some equipment. After about half an hour of spraypainting, a cow-orker asked if I wanted to switch tasks for a while. “No thanks, unless you want to,” I responded brightly. “I like this; the paint smells just like chocolate chip cookies!” “O-kay; that’s enough fumes for you!” supervisor decreed. Maybe it was just the fumes. Maybe I really was that hungry. Maybe the fumes had that effect on me **because** I was that hungry.[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Juniper200](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@Juniper200](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juniper200)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/19 "2001-05-29T06:39:14Z")
I started my diet one week ago today. I weighed in early this morning, and I’ve lost 2 1/2 pounds. I’m quite pleased; I’ve always been terrible with diets, but I’m on a program I found on the Internet that gives a very complete meal plan that gives you a _lot_ of very nummy food you can cook yourself. I’m so wild about it I want to post a link, but spamming is bad and all. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823/20 "2001-05-29T12:20:58Z")
I’m gonna parallel diet with Juniper I think:) I’m only a little overweight and probably need to lose ten pounds or so to be comfortable again (I’ve been very lazy and eaten very badly for a good few months now, let’s not even mention the beer), ie get my waist back to 32" rather than 34". My diet consists of little change in amounts, but I 've been restricting myself to just fruit (almost unlimited, but it’s not very appetising stuff really) and fruit juices for my first two meals of the day, then a normal meal at night. I’ve lost about 2lbs I think in a week. And no more crisps (potato chips)…that one or two packs a day will not be repeated since I got round to looking at the amount of fat in one packet…jesus! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-hows-your-diet-going/66823.md?page=2)