Week 18 Weigh-in: War of Attrition

Starting weight: 505.4 lbs
Week 18 Weight: 459.0 lbs
Week 18 Change: -1.0 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 46.4 lbs

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In 4 1/2 months, i've lost 46.4 pounds. That averages out to about 10 pounds a month, give or take. (2.57 pounds a week. 0.368 pounds a day.)  Which, honestly, is not terrible, because if I kept at this pace overall, I'd hit goal weight at just over 2 years from starting the program, which is about what I was hoping for.  I guess I knew that there would be stretches where it would slow down.

But that's just overall loss. Let's look at recent weeks.

In the last 10 weeks, I've only lost 18.8 pounds (an average of 1.88 pounds a week, or 0.269 pounds a day).  The line on the graph is flattening a bit (ironically, as I am not flattening as much). 

In the last 4 weeks, I've lost 4 pounds.  Like this week, I've averaged 1 pound a week.

What's the point of bringing this up, Dave?  Just to beat yourself up?

Okay, maybe, in part. Also to say this:

I'm still moving forward. I'm looking for ways to improve, to pick up speed; but the fact is, I'm still moving forward.

I went to the gym twice last week. I'm looking forward to working out two or three times this week. I have a 5K that I'm walking next Sunday.  I'm going back to basics with the Weight Watchers plan--trying to follow the Good Health Guidelines they set up for working the plan properly.

It's a long road ahead. It's a hard road. And I'm still on it.  The battle is to find out which is more stubborn: my mind or my overweight body. And right now, i'm telling you, I think my mind is.

See you next week.

"If your body is a temple like God says it is, and you believe Him--then prove it."

I'm pretty sure I'm going to watch this one a LOT.

Week 17 Weigh-in: Birthday Blues

Starting weight: 505.4 lbs
Week 17 Weight: 460.0 lbs (again)
Week 17 Change: 0 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 45.4 lbs

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So it was my birthday week. I was hoping for a big week, possibly hitting my 50 lb / 10% mark. 

But as we all know, hoping doesn't accomplish anything. And I did little more than hope. I didn't plan, and I certainly didn't work any harder. So no change.  But on the plus side, no gains, either.  And I had a birthday dinner the night before my weigh-in (complete with birthday cupcake), so not gaining anything was a blessing as well.

I need to exercise. This is clear. My food tracking is still a little inconsistent, and exercising more can more than make up for that. Plus, I'll feel better.  I went to the gym yesterday, and though I was a little nervous at first, once I got started I was fine. In fact, after 30 minutes on the elliptical, I felt good.  This needs to be a regular thing.

I got new running shoes.  New shoes always seem to make workouts better. (Look, i know that's stupid, but humor me this week, okay?)

Anyway, the mid-week sneak-peeks at the scale are showing a downward trend, so I'm expecting a decent-to-good number on Saturday. And I'm going to hit the gym at least one or two more times between now and then. So yeah. Good things.

Have a good week, friends.

Week 15 and 16 Weigh-Ins: Keep moving forward.

Starting weight: 505.4 lbs
Week 15 Weight: 461.8 lbs
Week 15 Change: -1.2 lbs
Week 16 Weight: 460.0 lbs
Week 16 Change: -1.8 lbs
Total Weight Loss: 45.4 lbs

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Before we proceed, a motivational video:



I love that clip. And yes, it motivates me.

Sorry about the no-post last week. My folks have been out of town, and I've been house-sitting/sister-wrangling for the last week. While I've had full access to the internet, my mind hasn't been on this.

To be honest, my head's been wrong all week.  I've been off balance, out of my element, whatever you want to call it. Haven't been able to weigh myself, because my family's scale is a standard scale with too low of a max weight.  Plus, there's all this food in their house that I purposefully don't keep in mine.  Trigger foods.  Add to this all sorts of stress triggers. Work stress. Family stress. A bit of ministry stress. Single, 30yr. old, brotha-needs-to-finda-wife stress. (I guess people just call all this "life," right?) 

Oh, plus the fact that my bank card number was stolen and almost used to charge up hundreds of dollars in hotel reservations.  And also, because of a mistake on my part (not using the electric company's website properly two weeks ago when i tried to pay my bill), my bill went unpaid and my apartment power was turned off this week, which means all the food in my fridge will need to be thrown out.

So posting a loss this week is a blessing.  That's what I'm going to keep telling myself. I'm frustrated that, before today, I've had a net loss of about 5 lbs in the last month. I'm irritated that my self-control seems to be degrading, and that snacks and sodas that I could resist so easily in the early months, I've started succumbing to lately. I'm aggravated that, even though I signed up for the Halloween 5K in August, I only started training for it THIS WEEK.

I'm disappointed in myself, in general, is the bottom line.  So I'm left with two options: give up, or keep moving forward.

I think you know what I'm picking. 

It's time to go back to the mantra that I had early this year, but somehow lost along the way: Win the Day.

That's all I've got. That's all I can fix. I can't make up for past mistakes, and mere worry can't prevent future ones. All I have is today. And today, I'm going to win.

Have a good week, friends. Pray for me, if you are one who prays. Shoot me a text or email, if you like. Remind me to win the day.  Thanks.