May 29

255
That's minus 15 pounds since the beginning of the month. I'm going to do some serious fasting and controlled eating over the coming 6 days. I'd really like to be at 250 pounds by the time I leave for Mexico  next Sunday. I might have to skip those sweet cherries in the new cherry limeade with tequila summer drink this week. 

Snacking has been a bit of an issue this past week. I like nuts or jerky and they are good low carb snacks, but not necessarily low calorie snacks -- especially the nuts, too many fat calories. I'll need to be more careful about that or just skip snacking entirely.

In addition to dropping some weight, my blood pressure is starting to come down a little, as well. I have an annual physical coming up the first week of July and I need it to be lower than the high side of borderline like it's been. So far I've managed to make it without any daily meds and I'd really like to keep it that way. I'm fairly healthy for a fat guy!

Heading into week 5 with hope and determination...

John

May 22

Today is a good day!
I feel like I'm back on track.
After a really good start to the month, I somehow got off track for a few days and lost some ground. This week has been another consistently good diet week and I am back to losing weight and feeling good.

This  morning's scale check was at 258. That's minus 12 pounds for the first three weeks of May. If I can keep this up for the next two weeks, I'll be at minus 20 pounds by the time I head for Mexico in June. I realize that 250 isn't beachbody ready for me, but I am back on the right track and feeling good about it.

John

May 15

Well, F#*k!
A slight course reversal after a couple of indulgent, and sedentary days.
Back to it this week. Still -5 pounds for the month. Losing 20 for the month just got tougher.

John

May 8

One week later and -6 lbs.

I didn't keep up with the daily walks. A recovering Achilles tendon is holding me back. I may have to try some time on the stationary bike or actual bicycle instead.
I did limit myself to two beers.
And I did pass on the ice cream for dessert.
I was much more intentional about my diet.

I'm going to need to do the same this week.
Yard activity is helping. I'll get plenty of steps in today while using a push mower on about an acre of lawn, adding about 200 lbs of soil to some flower beds, and other general yard work. 
Yeah, that tendon will be screaming by days end.
Ice and elevation will be my relief.

I don't know if 250 is an unreasonable goal by June 1. It's another 14 pounds in 24 days and a total of 20 pounds in a month. It's definitely doable. Reasonable is really dependent on my own state of mind. There were two days this past week that I ate more than a dieting person would normally eat (but still less than a normal day for me). Overall, I'm okay with that. I don't know how that plays out in the losing weight by June plan.

On to week two!

John

May 5

I didn't share my May 1st post on any of my social media platforms. Not sure if I'll be sharing this either.
I haven't kept up with the daily exercise, but have made my daily step goal 3 of the 4 days. Day 2 was an overnight volunteer night so I spent most of the day sleeping.

Diet wise I have been really low carbing it. I've also been doing well at reducing my intake without the calorie counting. A midweek scale check did show me down from the 1st, but either day could be one of those heavy or light days. I'm just going to work at keeping it consistently on a downward trend.
I do want to keep an eye on the electrolytes and hydration as cramping sometimes is an issue when I start restricting food intake. 
I had a small piece of cake at a birthday celebration, but no other sweets, and I've had a little bit of alcohol, but no beer. 
What I'm doing is pretty maintainable as a way of life, I just need to make it my lifestyle instead of a weightloss thing.

John

May 1 -- and I'm fat.

Damn
May 1st and I'm fat.
That's it. 
I'm pretty healthy for a fat guy - no diabetes, no bp meds, no anxiety or depression meds. I've got some seasonal allergies, a little arthritis, and I'm terribly out of shape, but other than that I am doing okay. 
But damn, I'm fat. 

If you know me, you know that I've lost lots of weight before. It's not like I don't know how to do it and to do it well. I just haven't done it lately. 

I need a mental reset as much as a change in diet and activity habits. It's just under 5 weeks until I'm headed for the beach. While that isn't enough time to get beachbody ready, it is enough time to make a good start at getting a good start at it.

This week --
Walk every day
No ice cream
No more than two beers for the week

That's my week 1 plan.
Simple enough.

I'm sure that I'll do more than that, but I need a base to keep me thinking about eating better and exercising a little bit. 
Here I go!

John

March 1

Hmmm...
Apparently if you don't really do anything to promote weight loss, you don't lose any weight!
Yeah, at least I haven't put any back on. I'm still at the same 260.

It was a decent day outside, so I decided to walk to the nearest store for a few things today. The Dollar General is just under 1.5 miles away. I added enough on the return trip to make it 3.14 miles. Maybe I should have celebrated with some pie (pi, see what I did there?).
With the walk and some additional errands and activity I managed to top 10,000 steps for the day.
It's only one day, but it's a start in the right direction.

John

February 16

I missed yesterday's weekly weigh-in. This morning I checked in at the same 260 as last week. That's not too surprising since I really didn't do much to promote weight loss.

Yesterday I took advantage of the nice day to get out and walk a couple of miles. It's pretty windy, wet, and cold today so I'll need to figure out something else if I'm going to make exercise a regular thing. I did download a step counter app onto my phone since I broke the watchband on my smartwatch and haven't been wearing it for a week or so. I always get plenty of steps when I work at the shelter, but I think that falls under activity rather than exercise. Still...activity is a good thing.

I think I'll step it up this week (pun intended) and see if I can't make up for the zero of last week.
Here we go ... again!

John

February 8th

One week into February and still on track at 260 pounds; that's -2 pounds for the first week and -8 for the year. I did a little exercise early in the week, but still need to work on making it a habit. I'm still pretty comfortable being comfortable and need to work on getting uncomfortable. Winter is a difficult time since I am more likely to get exercise by activity, like the spring/summer working in the yard, than by something like running, walking, working out, etc., etc.

It's cold and raining in the Ozarks today, so maybe I'll make my way downstairs to the stationary cycle or treadmill today - maybe not.
In thinking back to my original 60+ pound loss several years ago, I lost the first 20 pounds pretty much by diet alone and didn't start exercising until my weight was down enough to be mobile without as much discomfort or threat of injury. I'm not saying that I'll do that again. It's just something I'm remembering.

I really do need the exercise for the health part and I don't need to wait when there are so many options like yoga, tai chi, or simply walking. I'm trying to change my perspective from a weightloss journey to a good health journey - healthy foods, healthy activities.

It's February, week 2.
Here we go!

John

February 1st

So I begin February at 262 - a whole 6 pounds lighter than I began January.  I did hit 260 a few days ago. Maybe it was a light day, or maybe today is a heavy day. Sometimes it's like that.
I can't really be too disappointed in the small weightloss because I didn't really do anything other than be aware of my need to drop some weight and have some good intentions to do so. For February I need to be more purposeful. 
Just a couple of years ago I would dress for the cold weather and walk in the winter. These days I'm just not feeling it. I need to make good use of the stationary cycle, treadmill, and other equipment that we have in the basement to get some activity during these colder months. 

I'm still an advocate of "eat to control weight and exercise for better health" or "you can't out exercise a poor diet," so a little more food control is also on the platter (so to speak). That philosophy actually works out better for me and losing weight since I'm to the point that controlling diet is easier than getting into a regular fitness routine. Don't get me wrong - I'm still in need of the exercise for the fitness part. I'm just saying that's the more difficult part for me.

28 days
-2 pounds per week
254 by March

Here we go!

John