July 3

I'm calling it progress -- even though it really isn't.
I have made it back home at pretty much the same weight as when I left -- 248 lbs this morning.
I'm pretty sure that I ate and drank more when the kids were with us PV than when we were on our own since I lost a couple of pounds in the first week (they were in Hawaii), gained more than 5 pounds when they were home, and then lost most of what I had gained in the final week+ while they were in Europe and Africa.
I'm not blaming anyone for my poor eating/drinking habits; just an observation.

Now it's back to my normal life and getting back to my normal habits, or maybe I should say my new normal habits. The biggest loss from living in Puerto Vallarta for the month is going to be not walking as much. Sure, I could walk for exercise (and hopefully will), but there walking was simply transportation -- how you got from one place to another. The grocery store was around the block, most restaurants or breweries were only three or four blocks, the beach was a few blocks, even the homemade ice cream vendor was less than a half mile! 

I guess I could use the push mower on my whole lot rather than just the yard portion. That would be a few hours of walking every day and plenty of purposeful exercise!
No thanks!
I'm actually thinking of using the rider to do the yard today.

In any case, I'm back home and back to being focused on diet first, exercise second, and better health overall. I'm shooting for 230 by August 1st.

Time to get moving!

John

June 26

It's been eight weeks since my May 1st, heaviest weight ever weigh-in of 270 pounds.
Through the first six weeks I managed to lose a bit over 20 pounds, Week seven I added back four pounds, and I've spent the last week getting back down to 250 and will take that as a win. Hopefully I can remain neutral or maybe lose a couple of pounds this last week in Mexico and make it home at a lower weight than when I left. 

In the many years of losing and gaining weight I have learned that it is more difficult to lose weight when beer is a regular part of your diet. In the entire month of May I think I had two beers. In June, I think I've had at least two beers on most days. I think anytime a large amount of calories comes from drinking rather than eating, weight loss is going to be more difficult.

Not being at home has been good in that there are no easily available snacks at any time of day or night. I really have been eating better and exercising a little every day. I've reached my daily step goal every day but one since being here. The one missed day was intentional as I was giving an irritated tendon a day of rest. Getting steps in is easy when walking is the main mode of transportation. Walking at home has to be more purposeful and is more like exercise than going out to eat dinner or to pick up a few things at a neighborhood grocery store.
Keeping up daily activity shouldn't be difficult. There is always plenty to do around the property. 

For this week--
I'm going to cut back on the liquid calories and try to drop five pounds by next Monday. It will only be minus five pounds for the entire month, but considering that I've kind of been on vacation -- I'll take it.

John

June 12

It's been six weeks since that 270 pound (122.5 kg) weigh-in at home -- my heaviest ever.
Although I don't have the same analog, spring scale from home, the kids have a digital scale and it shows me at 248.8 pounds (113 kg) as of this morning. That's minus 21 pounds (9.5 kg) for the six weeks. 
Yay me!

I am hopeful that I will continue to lose some weight while away from home. It does help that I don't have easy access to snacking without having to go out and buy something. It doesn't help that I am eating out more often. At least Mexican dinner portions are not as huge as the typical restaurant portions in the US.

I've been getting my daily steps in (6 of the past 7 days) and exercising (a little) daily by the pool. I'll be losing pool access for the next week or so since we'll be moving to a nearby AirBnb. I don't see that as too big of a deal. I'm still an -- eat for weight management, exercise for good health -- kind of believer. 

On to week 7!

John

June 5

It's been five weeks since beginning this latest round of I can't keep living life as a fat old guy.
I don't have a scale to check my weight this morning (and won't have for the next four weeks), but I was at 252 pounds before leaving yesterday. That's -18 pounds for the first five weeks.

I'll be going the next four weeks sans scale, but hope to keep to a good diet and stay active enough to continue the weight loss. 
Activity might be a bit of a problem this week as the travel day seemed to really take a toll on my Achilles tendon issue. I iced it well last night, but will be taking it easy for the next few days in hopes of some recovery. I am pretty sure that the problem is coming from some heel spurs that cause inflammation when I walk too much or even sit in a way that aggravates the tendon.

I'll take a short walk to the store to pick up a few things for the week and maybe spend most of the day reading by the pool. I might grab a cigar while I'm out and enjoy that while reading. Mostly, today will be like any other day in the life of retired John -- sit outside, relax, enjoy, be thankful.

John

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