The Truth About Men and Women

As previously discussed, I wouldn't have started this journey had Jim not taken the first step. I think it's also fair to say that I wouldn't have stuck with it had Jim not been participating alongside me.

Having someone beside you, going through the same thing, is a really powerful motivator. If you can, find a friend or a buddy or a partner to take the challenge with you. Someone to pick you up when you need a boost and someone to celebrate the victories. Both are important.

There was a time when all we talked about what what we ate, how much we lost, what we were going to eat, how much we were going to lose, who said what about our new physiques, what clothes no longer fit ... blah, blah, blah. You get the idea.

We were sort of obsessed.

I remember thinking, "I wonder what we'll talk about when we actually get to our goal?"

(The same thing happened when we started building our house. Total immersion and complete obsession. How do you fill the void when it's over? Find a new obsession.)

It very quickly became apparent, however, that this was affecting me differently than it was affecting Jim.

He got out of the gate FAST. He started dropping weight very quickly. From the beginning of March to Memorial Day, he lost about 40 pounds. He lost it so quickly that his cheeks looked gaunt because his skin hadn't quite caught up.

I was losing, too, but the results weren't so noticeable or dramatic.

Worst of all, I felt like I was working my hind end off to get there. Sweating. Running. Walking. Dancing. Lifting. And he was doing ... nothing. Well, nothing extra anyway.

Creep.

Sure, his job is more physical than mine. So I guess he was moving. To add insult to injury, though, he really wasn't following the food pyramid as strictly as I was. In fact, there were days I wasn't sure he was following it at all.

He made changes, to be sure. He did stop drinking Mountain Dew. He did cut down on red meat. A lot. He switched to Baked Cheetos for a snack. He certainly ate more fruit and vegetables.

But he also ate a burger every now and then. He brought home ice cream. He ordered hash browns with his breakfast and had the audacity to actually EAT them.

And that made me mad. Well, jealous, really.

I'm guessing that's just the difference between boys and girls.

They seem to have an easier time of the whole losing weight thing.

Creeps. All of y'all.

In the end, it doesn't matter. We're both healthier. Jim has been maintaining his weight for a few months and clearly doesn't need me to tell him how to eat. He's figured out what works for him and is doing it.

Of course, I'm still "coaching" on the Food Pyramid, though my angle now is "overall health and heart healthy" vs. weight loss. I just can't help myself. (You know how I am!) There's something I like about telling him what to do. Even if he doesn't listen.

And I'm still jealous.