I never thought I would post about such a thing, but you know the five pounds I used to bitch about having lost back in December 2005 when my shit first hit the fan? Well, I found them again. At first I was a bit upset at having lost any weight because I didn't need to and I have been too thin in the past. Then, when I couldn't get those five pounds back, I got used to having them gone. I was still in the normal range for BMI, so I just accepted the new weight since it was not unhealthy. Seems that my little foray into beer-land brought me those five pounds back, but now I don't want them anymore. I've decided to ditch them. I know how my body works, so I know it won't take long at all. I have a minimal intra-day fluctuation, and right now is the two weeks leading up to the menstrual cycle. Even that is only a two pound fluctuation. I know what I weigh first thing when I wake up, and I've decided to give myself half of the monthly flux, so I need to lose four pounds. I will make absolutely certain it is not water weight I lose (because I'm not a big retainer and dehydration is very unhealthy). I've managed to make it to 42 with four kids without wrecking my body, so I'm not about to get big now. I'll bet five pounds at a time might be how things like that happen. Time for me to buck up and pay attention.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to look to a new food or beverage when a few pounds show up, so I checked and noticed that the beer I've been drinking does not label with nutrition information (yeah - not if they actually want to sell any!). Then I went to the Internet. HOLY CRAP. You would not believe the amount of calories and grams of carbs in that stuff! I was stunned. Totally floored. And guess when I drink the beer? Before I go to bed so there is no way to burn it off! Again I say - HOLY CRAP! It's a good thing I have a kick-ass metabolism or we'd be talking about a whole lot more than five measly pounds (and right now I'm remembering two separate nights recently when I ate a candy bar before drinking that stuff!).

I found a website that lists all kinds of beers with nutrition information. Of course the rich, dark beers I like are all loaded up big time with a shocking amount of calories and carb grams. Almost all of them, in fact. I found a couple of very nice exceptions and they are drastically less disgusting. So when I buy beer now, that's what it will be. No more of the gross stuff. And in the meantime there will be no nibbling before bed, no junky food, no butter, and I will not let myself drink coffee when I wake up until I crank up the inner furnace with some Omega 3 fatty acids and food before coffee (this last one should always be, really). I've been really lax with these things for weeks now, and also ingesting ENORMOUS amounts of calories and carbs before bed. No more. I'm guessing around a week until I'm back to the usual weight.

Now I know why so many guys who like beer get all fat with beer bellies and such! Now I get why they are called beer bellies to begin with. It can happen to women, too. Yikes! I can't and WON'T let something like that happen. I'll blog it when the mission has been declared a success.