Week 8 – The Song Remains the Same

Current Weight: 195.2
Last week: 195.2
Change: +0.0
Goal: 163.0

Nothing changed this week. I was hoping for a better result but that’s how things go sometimes. I know what happened though, my portions were not good. I didn’t overindulge in anything in particular, I just ate too much to lose weight.

Take yesterday, for example. I brought in a yogurt and Clif bar for breakfast, and a humble sandwich with baked chips for lunch. I had the Clif bar, went for a run, then had my sandwich. I was still hungry and there was free pizza at work so I had a couple of slices there but that was way more food than I needed. I then had a hot cocoa and then a wrap at work. It was too many calories.

All that said, although I didn’t lose anything, I am happy I was able to get back on track after almost going off the rails a couple of weeks ago. I was able to right the ship. Now, time to move forward and see some progress this week.

My exercise was locked in. I completed the Couch to 5K app and will now jump on the 10k app. I continued to do my bodyweight/kettlebell routine. So that aspect is going well. I just need to get the food better.

Lent is also starting on Wednesday, and I usually cut back on everything and don’t allow any sweets/soda/fried foods and I almost always lose some weight. I also only drink water during the time. I hope this pushed me into the 180s but we will see.

So, not a great week for my weight but there were some positives. And with Lent starting on Wednesday, I will be extra locked in. Let’s get it.

Things just keep going…Round and Round…

Week 7 – Two Steps Behind

Current Weight: 195.2
Last week: 194.2
Change: +1.0
Goal: 163.0

Well, after a really good week last week, I backslid bad this week. I am up a pound, but that isn’t the worst thing. I completely fell off the rails with my diet. I’m not sure why. I just had a few sweets over the weekend and kept it going non-stop until Wednesday. The fact that I am only up one pound is actually positive. And the fact that yesterday I was able to get back control and ‘grab the wheel’ is also really good.

When I have let my nutrition go in the past, it often was for weeks at a time, so getting back after 3-4 days is a good thing in my mind and it is progress!

There we go, I just talked myself into this week not being a failure, but actually a success! It will depend on how I do going forward today and this weekend, but the fact I got one good day done yesterday is proof I can get back to making good choices for myself.

The working out has been good. I ran three miles for the first time in months yesterday, and I have been sticking with my bodyweight/kettlebell routine.

I also signed up for an adult beginner hockey league, but unfortunately that looks like it will be canceled. But I got new ice skates and a helmet, and I found a beginner pickup league I may join. I’ve always wanted to play hockey so why not in my early 40s? I won’t be young forever haha.

Week 6 – Progress!

Current Weight: 194.2
Last week: 196.2
Change: -2.0
Goal: 163.0

Finally, some decent progress. I was 198.2 at the beginning of the year so I am down four pounds. That’s my first decent drop so I am happy with that. I think losing around a pound a week is most realistic, but I will take the two this week, considering I’ve barely been losing in previous weeks.

But I have been building up good habits, eating better and continuing to exercise. I have backtracked a bit with nutrition in that I am allowing some sweets to get in there, but I’ve been good about staying away from soda and fried foods. But even when I do have sweets, I have been able to moderate my intake. The key is to have a plan (I will have four cookies and stop) instead of eating open ended. And then not having it every night. Even yesterday, I had a donut, which was free at work, but I made sure to stop at one and ate reasonably the rest of the day. And now today there will be no sweets.

I would like to add some more vegetables to my diet, I am still lacking there, but I am doing better than I was at the end of 2021.

I also ran more than two miles for the first time in four months. It was hard, but I got it done and I am getting slowly more fit. I’ve also been able to continue with my kettlebell/bodyweight routine.

So, it’s good to feel progress. Even during the weeks I wasn’t losing, I felt like I was building toward a new lifestyle. I don’t want this to be temporary. I don’t know if I will live a long life, but I want the time I have left to be healthy and vigorous.

I’m just trying to keep myself alive.

Week 5 – Hold the Line

Current Weight: 196.2
Last week: 196.4
Change: -0.2
Goal: 163.0

I am surprisingly down a little bit this week. It is surprising because there were two birthday parties for family this week, and I had desserts at each. I do think I was pretty locked in for much of the rest of the week, so it makes sense I went down slightly. I don’t see any issues with the week coming up, so I would imagine I would be able to progress a bit more.

January was a bit disappointing in that I lost only 1.8 pounds, but I held the line with exercise. I ran two consecutive miles for the first time since August and have remained injury-free in the meantime. I’ve also been able to do my bodyweight exercises so I am maintaining my strength. I’m hoping that I can build toward decent mileage in the spring, and that I can do so without getting injured.

So progress is being made. It may not be as fast as I would like, but it is happening.

As the famous lyricist Bobby Kimball once said, Hold the Line.

Week 4 – Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back

Current Weight: 196.4
Last week: 196.4
Change: 0.0
Goal: 163.0

A little late to the party this week. But the report is that I didn’t gain any weight, so that is good! But I also didn’t lose, either. I don’t think I had a bad week last week, but it wasn’t particularly good. I was able to keep up my running and bodyweight/kettlebell workouts. In fact, today I ran for two miles in a row for the first time since August, so that is good.

My bigger concern is that this week I have taken my eye off the ball to a large extent. We had a big storm on Saturday and I over indulged being stuck inside all day.

And then last night was my niece’s birthday whereupon I definitely overdid it. My stomach felt like garbage last night and I didn’t feel great this morning. I had sweets and a bit of soda and too many cookies. I overate fried foods, which kill my stomach.

But I feel like today I am doing better. I had a mild breakfast (English muffin with egg, cheese and bacon) although I did have orange juice and that was a calorie bomb of 170 calories.

My goal is to have a locked in rest of the week so I can either maintain or drop a little bit. I don’t usually have salads but I may have some to try to get into a bit of a deficit the next three days.

If I could change one large thing about my taste buds it’s that I wish I liked vegetables more. I just and I never have and I do try to eat them. I had lunch the other day and had carrots with the meal, and I hate cooked carrots but I forced myself to eat them. It sucked.

And I wish that raw vegetables didn’t hurt my stomach as much as they do, but they do.

So, last week was decent, but not great. This week has not been good at all, but today I feel like I am getting back on track. It’s about the little wins adding up, so off we go again.

This has nothing to do with anything, I just like Interpol.