The title of today's blog came to me an hour into my cardio workout (you know, making up for missing a day from travel and all) as I realized I'd burned 800 calories fueled by the sheer disco power of Abba. Now, admittedly it wasn't Abba direct--I was listening to the soundtrack courtesy of the 2008 movie version (you know the one where Pierce Brosnan pretends he can sing and Christine Baranski brilliantly steals every scene from Meryl Streep)--but it was Abba in spirit.
Now, brief mathematical lesson and clarification... 800 calories does not equal five pound weight loss--it wouldn't even equal one pound. It actually requires a deficit of about 17,500 calories to get a five pound weight loss; a number so staggering to think about I bet it would send any resolutioner running to their nearest Girl Scout for a box of (not-so) Thin Mints (which have 1280 calories per box--or 40 calories a cookie).
The above paragraph is precisely why I have no idea if I have lost five pounds or anything at all, really. I'm still too head-close to my eating disorder to let another set of irrelevant numbers into my mind to churn in numerous calculations and permutations. Yes, the sadist nurses at my doctor's office weigh me incessantly, but I choose to not know.
My dysfunction aside, I was enjoying my workout earlier with multiple selections from Mama Mia! when after listening to Baranski's version of "Does you mother know you're out" for the second time, I skipped ahead to the next song on the play list. It was as Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" began its indulgent and sensuous sound that I realized it was Abba revisited and revamped for the current century. The lavish performances, costumes, songs with that familiar sound and lyrics that tell their stories in the same simplistically profound manner. It isn't an insult, but for one who recalls when it was only ok to admit my propensity for indulging in a certain Swedish band in certain gay male company, Lady Gaga is a conduit that makes it a hard argument to rally against being a Dancing Queen or Super Trooper. It may not last, so I'm basking in it while I can.
greek salad with lemon and oregano
13 hours ago
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Thanks Nikki now I'll have Dancing Queen in my head all night :D and for reminding me I still have last year's Thin Mints in the freezer.
ReplyDeleteI prefer Muriel's Wedding for my Abba fix personally but I'll have to give Mama Mia a shot. I'll need all the inspiration I can get if I'm gonna get to 17, 500!
Muriel's Wedding was sooooo awesome. Great flick...... and by the way Nikki -- you do know that exercise converts fats into muscle tissue, right? With an exercise regimen, you can actually lose whole sizes, but maintain a density (due to muscling up) that will make the scales say you haven't lost an ounce! Always go with the tape measurements when exercising. The muscles will fool the scales sometimes. :) xoxo
ReplyDeleteOk, now I really have to see Muriel's Wedding!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder, Kris... I actually have not weighed myself in almost 2 years and let the docs office give me an indication. But you are absolutely right, and I've kept measurements every few months since that doesn't cause me anxiety and panic but helps me see if I am making progress.