George Mallory is a famous mountaineer, best known for not only his attempt to climb Mount Everest, but his famous quote about why he wanted to climb it: “because it is there.”

How does that fit into my observations on dieting? Well, it’s not the mountain climbing element. It’s the quote. There’s been many a food item I ate too much of, and when asked why I ate so much, the answer was basically: “because it was there.”

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As I was talking to my dad this week, he cautioned against weighing in daily… “because you’ll drive yourself crazy.” Sage advice. Probably should have followed it.

Yesterday, I weighed myself to get a preview of today’s weigh in… 271. Woo hoo! Figured I’d probably weigh in at 270.5 today, have 3 pounds at the half-week mark. I was pretty excited. Then I weighed in today and had picked up 1.5 pounds, despite not cheating yesterday and even getting a little extra exercise.

Honestly, though, I’m actually happier to have weighed in at 271 yesterday and come back up than to have just weighed in at 272.5 today. Losing just a pound after being good on this pretty restrictive form of low carb would be a bit disappointing. Knowing it’s a fluctuation up from 271 makes it a less bitter pill to swallow.

I just hope I can be below 271 on Monday. Not hitting that mark would suck a bit.

Well, this morning I realized something. I was putting the pokey thingy through the fourth hole on my belt rather than the third hole.

I have no idea what the proper vocabulary words are for men’s belts. I’m “latching” it tighter? “Cinching” it tighter?

Anyway, there are only 5 holes on this belt and I’m now wearing it latched/cinched 4 deep because 3 felt too loose this morning. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for 4 to feel too loose, then for 5 to feel too loose. I think the day I have to give up this belt for a smaller one is going to be one of those real landmark days on my diet and fitness program.

The numbers on the scale are nice, but when you have to get a smaller belt, that’s about as tangible as the results get.

Week one is on the books with a 9-pound loss. I set myself a goal of 16 for the first four weeks, so I’m well on track. Of course, there were times I fantasized that with 7 in the first three days, I’d hit that goal in the first week. It was not to be. So the happiness at doing 9 was tinged with a little disappointment at not doing more.

Yup, that’s my personality. I know I should be happy with 9, and I am for the most part, but a little part of me says “you could have done 11 or maybe even 13… Why didn’t you do 13?” It’s that little part that has made me throw up my hands in disgust and say “oh, this whole diet is pointless” in the past. So I’m really trying not to listen to it.

Staying on plan. Next weigh-in is Thursday.

Let me tell you a little story. Years ago, I was driving around Las Vegas. I was off the main strip, heading toward the downtown strip, and we passed a little motel. I don’t remember the motel’s name, but on one side of its signboard it said “Elvis Slept Here” and on the other side it said “recommended by owner.”

My first reaction to “recommended by owner” was “I’d think that would go without saying.”

I was reminded of “recommended by owner” this evening at dinner because of two words on the packaging of a low-carb, chocolate-flavored protein shake I got at Costco.

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