Only 1 month to go and me and the fam are EXPATS!

[Yollam]

America, it was good while it lasted, but I'm moving on to grayer, much more crowded pastures in Japan. I'm very excited to go back. We won't be anywhere near Tokyo, so the cost of living will be much lower than here in SF (although it will be a bit more cramped).

Other update - since Dec. 13, I have lost over 50 lbs. Weight loss is slowing, as expected, and I have another 50 lbs to go, but I feel good. My pants are so loose - I want to buy new jeans, etc. but I know if I buy them now, they'll just get baggy, too. One nice thing, though - this time when I'm in Japan, I'll have the internet and be able to order clothes in my size. Nothing fits me over there...

[Benfea]

1. Have fun stormin' the castles!

I lived there 8 years out of my childhood. I've fond memories of the experience, but no real desire to go back.

[Yollam]

2. I wish I had lived there as a child...

...maybe I wouldn't get so tongue-tied and nervous when I have to speak the language. People tell me I speak it well, but it makes me anxious...

[Benfea]

3. Anxious and nervous? You'll fit right in then. ;) -nt

[Yollam]

4. Eh-to, Un-to, ahhhh hai! hai!

Su- su- sumimasen!

[Benfea]

6. You need more "eh"s between words, but you're getting better! ;) -nt

[Capn Sunshine]

5. Hey! What kind of diet is that

and where do I sign up?

[Yollam]

7. Simple.

I use fitday.com (thanks to the DUer who recommended that to me!) to track my daily calories. I eat no more than 1500 cal. per day, no less than 1200, PLUS unlimited carrots & salsa as snacks. Almost nothing is banned, but more nutritious tends to be more filling and satisfying, so I eat a lot of veggies, legumes, but I can have a chili dog, so long as I keep my daily total under 1500. The only things that I've banned are sodas & diet sodas, cookies, cakes, chips, alcohol beverages and fries. I have to pay the wife $5 if I break one of my rules, and I've done that twice, once when I drank a Coke, once when I had a slice of cake. My cheapness usually wins out over my gluttony.

This diet would not work as well for smaller people or women, because they already eat a lot less. I was definitely overeating a lot before. I would have a cookie or two every day, and my Friday treat was to have a can of nacho cheese and a half a bag of tortilla chips (total of 1400 calories) with about 3 bottles of beer. It's no wonder I got so overweight, I was a 36-year old trying to eat like a 16 year old. Anyway, it's worked for me, but all diets need to be individualized. I definitely recommend fitday, though - it's a great tool for tracking your calories, nutrients, etc. It almost turns dieting into a hobby or a game - it's kinda fun.