Weight update

 

After a flurry of weight loss posts early on, I have slowed down. It has been a while since I have given an honest update, so I figured it has been time.

How it started

It started off difficult. Not having real food for so long was brutal. But the weight was falling off so it was worth it. The further I got out from my procedure the easier it got. I was heavy. While I had dropped weight from time to time, I always gained it back. I would get to a milestone and then shoot back up. Work life, home life, bad habits, and stress all added in to how I got to where I was. After some discussion and introspection, I knew it was time to make a change. Having a near death experience in 2019 helped make it an easier decision. However, that stint in the hospital wasn't enough to force me into making the changes that needed to be made. I was pushing 300 pounds. I was in terrible shape. I was still trying, but I was not doing great. 

I hit my max in 2022. I stepped on the scale at 308 pounds. For someone that is 6'1" that is well over 100 pounds overweight. Ideal weight is 185. I am bigger framed, so anything sub 200 is healthy for me. I was 180 when I got married in 1998. When my oldest daughter was born I was 185, but had just broken my foot. That was 1999. I shot back to 220 pretty quickly when I changed from working out and playing basketball a few days a week, so sitting on my ass. 

I know this was the timeframe that my weight started to creep. I was working far from home. I would eat breakfast in the car, go to a buffet for lunch (3 days a week on avg.), snack on the way home, and eat a late dinner before ultimately heading to bed on a full stomach. Terrible factors that all contributed to that trend towards 3 bills. 

How its going

Today, I am still progressing. I am still learning. I am far from perfect. Good days and bad days. Good decisions and bad decisions. More good than bad. I can safely say that I am the lightest I have been since around 2001. Ultimately my goal is to be back under 200. The doctors tell me that 220 will be a healthy weight for me, but I want be lighter. I want to be sub 200, and I will keep working until I get there. I am getting closer every day.....well....on the average I am getting closer every week. 

I did get stuck for a bit when I plateaued around 230. I hit 230 and lingered within a few pounds for nearly 5 weeks before I finally broke through. I am not much beyond that mark, but I was sitting at 227 this week. Since I broke that barrier I have gotten back to around a pound per week. I know this will fluctuate, but any trend towards my goal is positive. Even a .25 loss is still a loss that gets me closer to where I want to be.

In general I eat the same thing during the week at work. I have a protein shake, some fruit, a salad for lunch, a cheese stick for a snack, and a high protein Greek yogurt. Sounds boring, but consistency is important. Dinners range to anything really. Chicken, sometimes pasta, sometimes chicken tenders. But food is different now. I can't eat some things I used to. Also, have to eat slower and smaller amounts. Most of the time I am good with that. Some days my brain fights me for all its worth. My stomach will be full, and my brain is like "but I want more" and that battle continues. Its a literal food addiction. Much like alcoholism or a drug addiction....our bodies don't want or need major quantities....but our brain is screaming as loud as it can to be fed. 

But like I said, more good days than bad. I still have ice cream and candy sometimes. I just have to be careful how much. I know its not good for me, but some days you need a treat. I am fully aware of my addiction, and sometimes I trend back to how I was. But I don't want to be that person anymore. So I give in some days, but not every day. And I fight back by telling myself that it is ok, tomorrow is another day. Learn from this, don't beat yourself up and end up back at 300 pounds again.

 

Perspective

Based on the image above you can see how much volume 5 lbs of fat is. It takes up some space, and it just looks gross. Being that I am down 70 pounds.....I am much smaller than I was. My clothes fit differently than they used to. Some are not great, and will have to be replaced sooner rather than later. Others work for now, but if I reach my goal they will need to be replaced as well. All good things.

I wanted to show the fat vs muscle to show the difference. A 350 pound strong man, like Eddie Hall, is mainly muscle. They are massive dudes with low body fat. I was a 300 pound guy with more fat than muscle, so being able to shed that fat has been life changing for me. I am lighter. My heath is better. I am stronger. I am just better overall. 

I also wanted to show what 70 pounds looks like to help people understand the gravity, or weight, that has been removed from my body. 

Below are 14 bags of flour that equal 70 pounds. If you have ever picked up a 5 pound bag of flour or sugar you know how heavy they are. So pick up 2. Now pick up 5. 

Now 10. Can you hold them all? You have a 50 pound bag of concrete you have to carry around with you. Add 4 more bags and you are at the 70 pounds I have dropped. From how I see it, its still unbelievable. I cannot believe that I used to carry that amount of weight around with me. (at my heaviest you can add 2 more bags). 

I hope this makes sense. Like I said, I wanted to give an update on where I am and where I am going. I still have many of these bags to go to reach my ultimate goal. I will take a scoop out every week, slowly moving that scale to where I want to be. Slowly but surely. 

Every day....we keep moving forward.