Going for the "Full Cassius"

Yesterday was the first day I haven't lost weight since I went on my diet. In fact, I've been losing weight rapidly and am down 14 pounds to 228. Perhaps more important than the raw numbers was avoid several of my favorite to put on pounds. At the top of the list is our local Italian restaurant, Melini Cucina. As Italian goes, it's not great. But it's definitely not bad either. I've gorged myself on their Stuffed Shells, Manicotti, and killer cheese bread more times than I wish to admit. But on Friday, I walked in and had a garden salad with no dressing. It was just like Matt Dillon winning that gunfight at the start of every episode of "Gunsmoke." Another triumph of self-denial was not eating any of the cookies that Mary made for Tess and a visiting friend last night. Mary's baking has gone from really good to really outstanding over the last six months. I still feel the pain of denial.

Right now I'm half a Cassius. Given how hungry I am, I imagine that I have a really hungry look. But I'm still a long way from having the lean look to go along with my hunger. Ultimately, what I'm trying for is the "full Cassius" of having both a lean and hungry look. I wouldn't mind killing a couple of Caesars to get that either.

But everything I've done over the last 10 days has been easy. The real test begins when classes start and I get back into being a full-time college professor.

My goal is to get down to 220 over the next two weeks. That will get me to the banks of the River of Comfort that I need to cross in order to reach my ultimate goal of 180.