Not fair...

Please be advised what follows maybe considered a vent or a rant.

Have you caught the commercial for the diet pill yet that features the cartoon husband and wife? The wife narrates that her husband was fat and happy and she was fat and unhappy so they went on a diet. At the end of 4 or 6 or 10 weeks, whatever timeframe it was, the husband is a slimmer cartoon and she is the same, with smaller breats. The wife narrates, now we’re both unhappy…. enter the diet pill that helps her lose weight and she is a svelte, curvy figure - and finally, they are both happy.

I have been working out hard and dieting seriously for the past 18 months. No joke. I weigh my foods so the portions are right. I have tormented my dearest girlfriend with lunch at the same boring diner so I can order a garden salad with grilled chicken and oil and vinegar on the side; and then use only the vinegar. To be fair, it’s a great diner, comfy, quick service, free refills on the coffee - and we’re regulars now. But really, we go because I know the salad is there and it’s safe. Sometimes I get vegetable soup or egg white omlettes, but mostly salad with grilled chicken.

I’ve lost 15 pounds.

To be fair to my trainer and the money I cough up in gym fees, I’ve put on a fair bit of muscle and lost some fat - so the 15 pounds is a bit skewed and I’ve been told by reliable sources I look like I’ve lost more. Still and all, though, when I own up to the fact that my weight is 15 pounds less than it was when I began this journey, I get crazy looks and crazier comments. And, it’s daunting and disheartening.

My husband gave up drinking soda for Lent, in solidarity for me and my Lenten sacrifice. It was a kind gesture (and to be fair I give up bread and all forms of yeasty goodness during Passover in solidarity) and so far he has lost about 8 pounds. 8 POUNDS… he stopped drinking soda on February 6th. February 6th was 9 days ago. So let’s recap…my husband stopped drinking soda 9 days ago and lost 8 pounds. He is not working out, though he did inform me he’s out of Pop-Tarts and requested I get him some more because the poor guy’s been eating bagels for breakfast the past 4 days. He also inhaled the batch of brownies I made him over the weekend. So, he stopped drinking soda and he’s out of Pop-Tarts - and he’s lost 8 pounds.

Does this strike anyone else as unfair? Even a little bit unfair?

To be clear, lest I be branded the biggest shrew to post a blog… I know this is neither deliberate or intentional or meant to hurt me. It’s simple biology… boys lose fat more quickly and more easily than girls do. My husband is a boy and is blessed by this bit of biology. He is also blessedly spared the migraines which come with the monthly estrogen drop, the bloat and it costs $4 less for him to dry clean a blue, button down shirt from Banana Republic. I kid you not, we both own blue button downs from Banana - NO we don’t wear them at the same time - but his costs $0.99 to dry clean and mine costs $4.99. (Something about the cut of a woman’s shirt makes is cost $4 more. I asked last Saturday when I picked up the cleaning - but I can’t say I BELIEVE the excuse.)

It just seems monumentally unfair to me that this journey is more difficult for us girls. I’m done venting now; thank you and good night.