2012 - Week Eight: Post-Convention Win

The Monday morning after a convention is always one in which I stagger around, growing incoherently, and craving human brains. It's also one in which I usually pay for the sins of the weekend on a morning weigh-in. But I did okay in Tennessee, and even tried to balance out the HUGE meal that my friends and I shared at City Cafe in Chattanooga. So I did okay -- more than okay! This morning the scale said:

256.8 lb.

Weekly Loss: 3.2 lb.

Net 2012 Weight Loss: 6.4 lb.

I'm less than a pound away from being back on track (according to the progress goals I've set for myself). Hmm ... I may even get ahead of the curve next week!

2012 - Week Seven: Gold Star

Sweet! Despite my mother stuffing me with pasta and Mississippi Mud Cake last night, I still managed to make a good showing for the week. If I gain a little ground this week I'll be matching the expected progress I've set for myself.

275.2

Weekly Loss: 2.8 lb.

Net Weight Loss This Year: 6.0 lb.

Only twenty-seven more pounds to go ...

Week Six: Grr!!!

I often do "unofficial" weigh-ins during the week but they don't count. But if they did, I would have been down a few more pounds. But I managed to gain it back just in time for weigh-in day.

260.0

Weekly Loss: 0.2 lb.

2012 So Far: 3.2 lb.

We'll see how the week goes!

2012 - Week Five: Oh yeah, I'm doing this!

Forgive me, Internet, for I have sinned. It has been four weeks since my last weight update. I could tell you that my birthday gave me an excuse to ignore sensible eating and drinking, or that I've been distracted by all kinds of crazy-exciting professional things going on my life. But that's no excuse and we both know. I mean to do this, dammit, and I'm going to do it.

Here I am. Back to weekly updates and back to my naked-on-the-scale Monday morning weigh-ins. (And you're welcome for that image.) Here is where we are:

260.2 lb.

Since Last Weigh-In: 3.0 lb.

So that's good! I'm at least moving in the right direction in the past month, even if it's not nearly as far as I should be after this many weeks into the new year. Keep me going, people. My goal weight is 225 lb. and I mean to get there by mid-summer. Thanks for your friendship and support!

2012 - Week One: Day One

It's a new year. I'm starting over. I did good last year, though I slipped a bit once I got to the holidays. I'm ignoring it all. Today is Day One. I'm starting weekly tracking and watching my intake and activity all as if this were brand new. Long-term, I want to get down to 225 lb. My first short-term milestone is to lose the first five pounds.

Here's what the scale reported this morning:

263.2 lb.

Happy New Year, folks! See you next week.

Week B8: Sick & Thinner

I've been nasty-sick for several days -- which may or may not have helped me lose a couple of extra pounds. Either way, I'm back on track! Just a couple of pounds down from my lowest weight on this whole journey ... just in time for the holidays. *GULP*

248.0 lb.

Weekly Loss: 4.4 lb.

Total Net Loss Since March 1, 2011: 45.6 lb.

See you next week! Hopefully down closer to where I want to be.

Progress In Pictures

If you want to see where I am on this long haul toward being healthy and feeling good about the way I look, here's some perspective.

At the beginning of 2004, I had not yet begun treatment for sleep apnea--and I ate all the time simply as a way to stay awake. Over the years I slowly crawled my way up to borderline morbid obesity. I seriously considered having my stomach stapled. I topped out at 327 pounds.

After I began treatment for my sleep disorder, I dropped about 30 pounds virtually overnight without even trying -- just because I didn't need to eat all the time simply to stay awake. But bad habits -- snacking, nightly dessert, drinking Cokes all the time, low activity, etc. -- caused my body to settle at about 295 lb. and stay there for years. This is what I looked like all the way until early 2011:

I decided at the end of 2010 that I was going to make some changes, and that this was the year I would get a lot healthier. I wanted to look in the mirror and not hate what I see. I wanted to feel better, be more active, and have more fun. The first change I made was to give up soda. The only time I allow myself a Coke is once in a while when I'm watching a movie and eating popcorn. (I believe in treats, definitely!) I drink water, and get my caffeine fix through coffee and tea. On March 1st I began a diet on Weight Watchers, and since then have dropped it but used the habits, food, and portions I learned to keep me on the right road.

The following pictures were taken with my webcam, in my office, this morning. As of this morning I'm at 255 pounds.

Got more ground to cover. I'm not done, and even after gaining a little back in the last few weeks, I'm gonna keep working at it. If I'm not healthy, I won't be around to do all the things on my list ...