I did it, boys and girls! I officially weigh under 200 pounds! Granted, it is by a mere one pound, but I’m under, dammit!

Victor broke the barrier a couple of weeks ago and is now closer to 190. I’d call it a miracle if it wasn’t for the pain – I don’t think miracles are supposed to hurt…

My back is feeling better, but everything else seems to be screaming for attention. Doing lunges while lifting dumbbells or swinging a ball back and forth is a recipe for hurt. I do not know where he comes up with these seemingly innocent modes of torture – but he has a full arsenal of them. Every day is a new adventure in I Can’t Believe I’m Doing This.

But… it’s working. It’s probably been 25 years since I was 199 pounds – and that was when I was gaining after quitting smoking. I think I was about 180 when I quit smoking the first time in 1993 and last year at this time I reached my max at 240 – well over my Disco Weight of 165 I maintained for years. I’m enjoying being able to see my toes, again. I still can’t touch them, but… I can see ’em!

And, we’re still eating well. We had our first real dessert on Wednesday. Victor baked Pistachio Biscotti because a friend came over to visit and drink champagne and visit for a few hours. We laughed and chatted and munched and sipped bubbly and had a great ol’ time – and made sure she took all of the leftover biscotti with her!

I don’t plan to ever see the other side of 200, again!

Dinner, tonight, was a riff on a childhood favorite – Hamburger and Potatoes. As I’ve said many a time, my mom was the queen of stretching a pound of hamburger, and hamburger and potatoes was a classic. Fried potatoes mixed with crumbled hamburger and onions with worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. A bit of garlic, salt, and pepper.

Simplicity.

Tonight, I oven-baked the potato slices and mixed them in with the beef, onions, fennel, garlic, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, and a splash of hot sauce. A 2018 spin on a classic from the ’60s.

It came out pretty good, if I do say so m’self! Smaller portions are key.

The real test of portion control, though, is going to be Thursday. Thanksgiving is a food holiday – my favorite kind! How to indulge without over-indulging shall be interesting, to say the least.