Have you lost weight?

For the longest time, this question was bothering me...I had stayed at more-or-less the same weight for quite a while, and in fact, it was the most I had ever weighed, but whenever I would get my hair cut or get new glasses, people would look at me and say, "Have you lost weight?"

I realized that the real meaning of this question was something like, "Vicky looks a little different. Maybe it's her weight. She's still a little fat, but not as much as I thought."

The funny thing is that recently, I have lost some weight, and almost no one has noticed! (I haven't had my haircut recently, and I am still wearing the same glasses!) I have lost 6 kilograms (15 pounds) since my all-time high last September (at my yearly physical, the doctor for once did NOT say that because I was an American, it was O.K. that I weighed a little more than the average for Japanese women. He simply said "You have gained almost three kilograms since last year. That's not good.")

Anyway, some of the reason for the weight loss is probably the Wii Fit (see last posting), in that I can use it to do a little exercising on days when I otherwise wouldn't (because the gym is closed, or because I have to go to work and it's raining so I can't ride my bike). Another reason is probably because Masashi and I are both eating less, especially at dinner. I've just cut down on the amount I cook, or we just order a little less than usual. We are still full, but not stuffed. (The owner of our favorite Italian restaurant actually noticed this and said something to us the last time we were in there!)

Masashi has starting running, usually three or four times a week, and he has lost quite a bit of weight too. We are both able to fit into clothes we haven't worn for awhile! (But it also means that a few of my favorite articles of clothing,one skirt and one pair of pants, are just too big.) The strange thing is, though, when we got together with his friends a few weeks back, they didn't notice that he has lost weight either. Weird...

Anyway, many of the people in this circle of friends have been running for a few years. One couple is planning to get married in Okinawa this December, and the next day, they and many of the guests will run in the Okinawa Marathon. Masashi is probably going to try it too. But I am not planning to take up running--I don't like the bouncing-up-and-down part. I will just stick to my bicycle, the gym, and taikyokuken (TaiChi), oh, and the Wii Fit aerobic boxing and hulahoops!