Down again

If you aren't a regular reader here, you might wonder what's so depressing after reading a subject line that says "Down again."

But I know that both of you are clapping and cheering and virtually high-fiving me.

This week's weigh-in was a two-out-of-three effort, since the first number showed an astonishing 3.5 pound-loss. I didn't believe it, and stepped on twice more, coming up with a more believable 1.5 pounds gone, gone, gone.

Strangely, I'm happier with 1.5 than I would have been with 3.5. The pressure … oh, the pressure … to stay there all week would have been agonizing and stressful.

Since I made the change in my eating habits on April 6, I've lost 6.5 pounds, or about half of the total loss since the end of the year. I'm beginning to think there's no going back. More will be revealed.

I'm disappointed in myself for just one thing this week. After the tragedy in Boston last Monday, I secretly wanted to log 26.2 miles (marathon distance) for the week. I think if I'd announced it here I might have done it. That whole accountability thing, you know?

Although running a real marathon is still something I'd like to do, the possibility gets dimmer as I get older. But I've logged more than marathon-distance in a week twice this year (once in February and once last month), so I'm certainly capable of it. I missed the mark by eight miles.

I'll be out there today, enjoying a sunny day with a predicted high of 62 degrees, wearing protective gloves and carrying a trash bag. My friend Lynne and I are going to clean up our favorite walking route to celebrate Earth Day. Today's miles won't be speedy.

But they'll be environmentally friendly.