137.6

I've discovered the key to weight loss!

Shall I share it?

Okay, I will.

STOP EATING.

My husband has lost 25 pounds in a little over a month by not eating. I want to tell him that's not the way, he should be making good food choices and eating the right number of calories and blah blah blah, but instead, all I can say is, "Wow, you look like the guy I married!"

So now, on my rest week, I'm eating a lot less than usual. Like, yesterday it was a struggle to get 800 calories (despite burning 800 in exercise).

And this morning the scale read 137.6. Seven and a half pounds from my goal weight.

Unfortunately, I'll have to eat more next week when I'm back on a full training schedule. And tomorrow I'm allegedly racing, so maybe I ought to eat more today.

But I'm not feelin' it. This is actually what I would wish for, should a genie in a bottle show up and grant me some wishes: that food become purely a source of energy, not pleasure. That I eat only to live, not to enjoy.

This morning I feel that way. I ate a 110-calorie Pria bar before swimming for an hour, and I've had two cups of coffee with about an ounce of milk each, but other than that, nothing but water. I don't even feel hungry, actually.

And usually, a low weight like 137.6 (well, low for me, usually hovering around 140) would trigger bad eating - especially on a Friday, when I feel less disciplined and more ready for the lesser structure of the weekend. But not today.

Yesterday I ran for an hour and did hot yoga; today I swam for an hour in open-water (yay earplugs, they enable me to bilaterally breathe in open water, except when there are big waves from the boats) and I plan to go to yoga again.

I haven't given my race tomorrow any thought at all - I probably should. But it's just a tune-up; whatever happens, happens.