It's not right... but it worked

I'm feeling a little guilty here. I just found out that dieting the wrong way sometimes works!

Over the winter, I gained about five pounds after pulling a hamstring and not being able to swim my laps, or even take a walk around the block. I tried to adjust my eating to reflect my inactivity, but obviously I didn't try hard enough. When you're exercising, you can have a few treats without moving the scale. But not when you're a couch potato.

In the last month or so, I've lost three pounds by sticking to a better diet and exercising what little I could. I went to a conference and walked off at least one of those pounds. But I was still above my magic mark... the number that means success to me. 130. I just couldn't get under it! Every time I got near it, the scale just went BOING! and bumped me up again.

Last week, I was working really hard and didn't want to take time out to exercise, so I made a vow to myself to eat NOTHING. Let me tell you... I am STARVING! I think about food every minute of the day. I hate it. It feels like backsliding to me. When I'm maintaining my weight, I hardly think about food at all. Now, I can't seem to stop thinking about it. Especially chocolate.

But, you know what? My abstinence worked. I saw that magic number pop up on the scale yesterday at the gym. Is that the ticket for me? Starve myself and skip exercise? I did see that Time magazine article about how exercise makes you hungry, so you just end up eating more. Could be true.

I'm hoping to find myself under that magic number the next time I go to the gym. My laps are going better, although a weak flutter kick is still all I can manage without pain. I want to get back to a good balance of healthy eating and moderate exercise, though. While my short-term "plan" worked, I can't see myself going on like this indefinitely. Hunger stinks!