40 pounds in 40 weeks

Today is 40 Weeks and I weighed in at 181.5 lbs. I had made my goal, truth be told I had reached my goal weeks ago and have managed to maintain my weight. There was no big parade, no marching band, and no big celebration. Of course it was not really needed either. I did this mainly for myself – to prove that I had the will power to do it. The bet it seems I have won, the others I hear through the grape vine have not been so successful.

There was no top secret method; I did what people have been doing for decades I counted my calories. Pretty simple stuff the diet part, but the will power now that is something else. I still desire two beers and the large desert at the restaurant, but I have learned a bit more control. Of course it helps now that my stomach has shrunk a little; the previous choices will give me indigestion for the next day or two. Judy, the enabling secretary, still asks if there is any candy I want from Sam’s Club the next time she goes.

But all is relatively good, I no longer buy orange juice, a former staple, replaced by more water and Diet Coke (I do not want to hear anything on how that will give me brain cancer). A few brand changes have been made to shave a few hundred calories here and there (No more Jacks pizza ~ 750 calories in favor of Bernatello’s ~ 560).

I do not feel like my life style is cramped that much. Especially considering:
I have lost nearly as much weight as the combination of my daughter and dog.
Nearly every one I know has mentioned how much better I look (though it did take quite a few a long time to notice – and did I look that bad before J)
I like the new clothes I am buying better then the ones they are replacing.

I do not think I will complete all my goals for the year except exceed 40 lbs weight loss. I definitely have not been posting more to the blog, and have found no time to train for the triathlon. I think I might start working towards running a 5K by the end of the summer. I will attempt to drop a note hear and there on this blog to let everyone no if I am still keeping the weight off. I appreciate everyone’s support.

This week I tipped the scale for the first time at 184 pounds (MY Goal Weight). I bounced up and down to the weight a few times – So I know I am not out of the woods yet. The weight loss is now noticeable – my favorite pair of shorts literally will fall to the ground without a belt. My winter coat is now ridiculously large. So it is time to do some cloths shopping.

I am hoping to drop below 180 lbs so that I have a little but of a buffer on being in the Over Weight range of the BMI. Hopefully, my motivation will continue, as I know it would still be easy to slip back into bad eating habits.

Despite a small bounce back, I fell below 190 pounds (to 189.5) for the first time in years last week. It puts my weight loss goal definitely in sight. I am hoping that being able to see the finish line will allow me to “sprint through the finish line”, and avoid all the holiday junk food provided at our office. It has been difficult lately though as weight loss has definitely slowed.

I want to venture a guess that literally hundreds dollars are spent on gift baskets for the lab by suppliers full of cheese, crackers, chocolates and the like. To make it even more difficult during the holiday season, Cardinal’s own candy dish expands into a Santa shaped think that is literally 4 times the volume of the standard bowl. Additionally, Judy (the enabling secretary) has added an additional bottomless candy bowl to the center of conference room. All of this holiday food has been heaven up to this year – but now it is a type of hell being tempted at every turn.

I am starting to turn my thoughts as well as to next year’s Lifetime Fitness Triathlon. Hopefully, with the added weight loss I will be in a better position to compete. But, that training will start in the New Year, and hopefully the added activity will bring me through to a healthy BMI.

It has been a couple of weeks since my last blog entry. The weight still is coming off though definitely at a slower rate. I am nervous about the coming holidays. I have seen all the food that goes through our business and I am sure it is going to difficult resist. Not to mention Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years.

At my lowest I was at 193lbs this week. I am sure that is the lowest I have been in years – including after running my triathlons. I am still finding it amazing that I am able to lose weight by controlling my diet. If you were to believe everything you hear – I should be spending hours in the gym to achieve weight loss. Maybe America’s “Super Size” mentality really is causing us to get fat.

At this point, I am hoping to reach my ultimate weight loss goal by the end of the year. I think that it will be possible as long as I am able to control myself over the next few weeks.