Today, the scale showed that I've lost a pound. Now this wasn't just an ordinary pound, it was, no doubt, the hardest pound I have lost in the last year (less one day). I dropped from 271 to 270 on June 29, 12 days ago. Today, the scale showed 269.
Over the past year, I've been able to account for just about every plateau: I had just come back from vacation, I had been eating too many nuts, I had slacked off on my exercise. In every case, I had been able to overcome those stagnant periods by returning to what has worked.
This pound was different.
As June came to a close and I started to think about the anniversary of my new healthy life, I felt like hitting 150 pounds total loss was a very reachable goal. In fact, I thought it would be a slam dunk, with nearly two weeks to go. In every case, diet and exercise had carried the day, so why would they not again.
Since I lost that pound, I've run 21 miles and biked 47 miles. (Excuse me for a minute -- I'm rereading the sentence that I just wrote and I still can't believe that those miles are in the same sentence with "I". Wow. Okay, back to my story. . .) Sure, I've had a few nuts, but very limited and only to quench hunger, not just because they were there. I've drank gallons of water. Everything that has worked before didn't seem to work for this stubborn little pound. (Well, I didn't try the kidney stone that I got in November, when I lost 9 pounds in a few days, but I certainly wouldn't recommend that way to lose weight.)
One of the comments to Monday's post here suggested that it has to do with my glycogen levels. I'm sure that could be, though I don't completely understand it. I know that at the end of the day, if you put less calories in than you burn, you'll lose weight. I'm sure that I have been doing just that.
I fully expected the pounds to get tougher to lose as my weight decreased, and if this trend continues, I'm up for the fight -- though one plateau is hardly a trend.
So what's in a number, after all? Today is my fat-a-versary -- the last day in my life that being fat was okay. If you'd have told me a year ago today that I'd be down 148 pounds in I year, I'd have said "No Friggin Way!" And, I'd have believed it. So, if tomorrow the scale says 147 or 149, or even 150, it will be a GREAT day to celebrate . . . the rest of my healthy life!
L'Chaim!
6 comments:
Congratulations Jeff!
What an amazing accomplishment and in such little time ... yet you still did it sensibly. Way to go!
Way to go! Again, so glad I found your blog. You are proof that it CAN be done naturally, and only takes an iron will and a whole lot of motivation.
Keep it up, man!
Way to stay on course Jeff! It is definitely a challenge and I have been on a plateau for several months. I'm finally ready to do something about the plateau and get back on track. It's race season and I don't like training with all of this extra weight!
Good work! Keep it up.
Jeff no matter what the scale says, you have done an amazing thing. I know from experience how hard it is to do what you have done. You have made the lifestyle change where really now there is no diet. This is you and how you are going to live your life from now on. It feels amazing no doubt about it. Keep the course and I think you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in the next year. Triathlon?
Great post Jeff. My 12 steppin' friends would say "it works if you work it". Your transformation over the last year is simply amazing, both physically and mentally. It is not at all unreasonible to expect that it will take more than a year to undo 40+ years of doing. Your friends and family are all proud of you.
Happy Anniversary!
Many nachas!!!
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