A coffee shop, San Diego - "We stepped into the wind he had a gun I had a gun, you think this story's over but it's ready to begin"

So I've been trying something new since I've been out here. In an effort to lose some weight and get generally fitter I've changed my diet and started working out. It started when I was at home. Where I figured a simple way to lose weight would be to eat no more then 3 meals a day and stop eating products simply for the sugar kick. Essentially not eating any refined sugar, no chocolate, cake, crisps, cake, pastries etc. After sticking to that for a while I combined it with a daily run. I just wanted to talk about how this whole weight issue has been for me over the past month and half/two months.

The positives then: An improvement in physical appearance. Feeling generally healthier. Regained physical fitness that was lost once I stopped playing sports regularly.

Issues with the whole thing: Clearly the criteria for what constitutes improved physical appearance is subjective and differs from person to person. The general consensus, what we are taught to think, is that a certain view of beauty is correct. Part of this is being slim. In trying to improve my physical appearance according to pre - approved guide lines of beauty am I selling myself out? Am I acknowledging that I think someone has to have a particular body shape to be attractive? When I don't consciously believe that to be the case? When I in face think it's wrong and shallow to judge someone to a large extent on physical appearance.

Perhaps it's a deeper self conscious part of me that worked it's way to the surface. If so does that worry have any rational grounding for me? As we can see from above it shouldn't do according to my own line of thought.

I'm stumped with this one. Yes I wanted to lose weight, so I'd feel more comfortable and confident in my physical appearance, not that this was ever an issue that actively effect my confidence in any major way.

This healthier life style is certainly and interesting experiment. One that I feel in many ways is only possible because of my current situation, within which I'm trying to save money and thus food that isn't necessary is discouraged due to financial constraints and the persistent working out is facilitated by the fact I have enough free time to do it.

All in all I do feel healthier in general which is most certainly a good thing, I also feel more confident in my physical appearance, I still can't decide whether or not this is a good thing, on the surface it clearly is but is it a result of me succumbing to societal pressures which are founded on conceptions designed to make us feel self conscious and as such are pressures which I should be striving to move above.

I think I'm gonna continue with this routine for the next month or so until I get home. Remembering to not be to strict with it as it's fundamentally not that important. Treating it not as a way of achieving a desired outcome other then being generally healthy. It'll most likely prove difficult to continue the exercise at home anyway. So after writing this, fuck all of a conclusion has been achieved.

I feel this is an interesting issue though, I know it's not that important as far as moral dilemmas go but still I think it's someone a lot of people experience.
Please add to the discussion on this either on here or via facebook, I'm curious to hear your thoughts as I'm very much on the fence at the moment :).