Today was the final weigh in for the weight loss competition at work. 90 days had passed since I weighed in at 284. I finished today at 247. I lost 37 pounds, or 13% of my body weight.
The desire to win the competition definitely helped motivate me, but, honestly, I've been pretty certain I was going to win for a while. A lot of other people started off strong in September, but after the first thirty days I could tell that there was a fair amount of backsliding. In the end, I not only lost more weight than my closest competitor, I lost more weight than the next two competitors combined.
I couldn't have done this without my wife. She's a person who loves organizing and planning stuff, so she's taken to meal planning with a vengeance. I cook a couple of nights a week, but I tend to think about what to make for dinner a couple of hours before it's time to serve it, which means I sometimes give into the temptation to just take us out to eat. Cheryl has meals planned for several days in advance, and this protects us from impulse restaurant trips.
Cheryl has been seeing the benefits of our new lifestyle as well, having lost 24 pounds so far. Combined, we've lost over 60 pounds, and I'm hoping that 90 days from now our combined total might be closer to 100.
I certainly don't intent to stop at 247. I think that I can get down to 220 with my present practices, and would like to do so by my birthday, March 2.
Now, time for dinner, some delicious lentil and barley soup!
Well done.
ReplyDeleteYeah man, congrats!
ReplyDeleteGood on both of you!
ReplyDeleteThanks, all!
ReplyDeleteI never doubted that you would win, James. You are a goal-oriented guy. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to both you and Cheryl!
Well done. Now the hard part starts. You can't go back to what you used to do, or you will go back to what you used to weigh. Some ridiculous percentage of people put the weight right back on again when they finish the "diet". I lost forty pounds almost three years ago and have kept it off (we won't talk about the last four months because I was in a motorcycle accident and spent way to much time sitting around with nothing to do but eat and being unable to work out). It requires a commitment to a changed lifestyle. It really does feel good to weigh less, more energy, feeling healthier, and feeling better about yourself.
ReplyDeleteHeresolong, I'm very aware of the risks of backsliding. I've had two previous episodes of weight loss. I lost about twenty pounds just before I turned thirty, and had a period just before I turned 40 where I faithfully attended a gym for about two years. (I didn't lose a lot of weight from this, but I think that was because I was trading flab for muscle. I was definitely at my peak of health.) But, the first 8 years of both my thirties and forties were periods when I backslid and gained weight.
ReplyDeleteNow, I'm a little more than a year away from turning 50. I really don't want to repeat the pattern! But, I think I have some advantages this time around. I've finally broken my addiction to cola and sweet tea, so just switching to seltzer water, plain water and unsweetened tea is chopping 1000 calories a day from my life. Also, a few months ago I began sleeping with a CPAP to control my sleep apnea and the change in my energy levels is amazing. I was first diagnosed with apnea in my 30s, so the fact I let 14 years slip before actually getting it treated is possibly the most stupid choice of my entire life. I'm hoping that having improved sleep for the remainder of my life will translate into increased physical activities, since I'm not always thinking about my next nap. Finally, I'm much more aware of my mortality than when I last tried to change my lifestyle. The untimely deaths of my girlfriend, my best friend,and my father have all left me hyperaware of how much I value life and how much my actions have consequences. You know how they are wanting to put pictures of diseased lungs on cigarette packs? I get pictures of worse things in my head any time I'm about to eat fast food. I don't know if this is good for my mental health, but my hunch is it will help keep me skinnier.