172 -- no really

About three weeks ago, my weight hit 172.  I've been about 172 for a while.  I think originally I chose it as the weight I calculated to be what is necessary to be safely under a 25 BMI.  I've hit it before and even gone under it, but about two weeks ago, my 7 days average weight went under 172. 

I have never been able to accomplish this.  172.4 was as close as I ever got and that was over a year ago.  Even more surprising, I kept the 7 day average under 172  until this morning when I popped up to 172.1.

I would like to get the 30 day average down below 172, but then I think I'm done.  I just need to keep it steady after that.

In January, i started eating a whole food, plant based diet.  At first, I was exclusively doing this,; now I'm not so strict.  it has made a big difference in my ability to keep the weight off as well as improving my general health and (more surprisingly) my mood.


Current Numbers
7 day average:  172.1
30 day average: 172.8

Last 5 Pounds

I had trouble this year post holidays.  I usually put on some weight at Christmas and then take it off by March.  I just couldn't shake it this year and even continued to gain.  As such by late April this year, I was at about 184 (Yikes!) and I finally resolved to get on a plan.  Since then, I've been trying to lose about 1 lb/week.  I am now in the stretch and must shake the last 5 pounds.

I've been here lots of times.  It seems that my weight just pops back up whenever I get down there.  On the other hand, my weight always tends to float up whenever I'm not actively trying to lose weight.  I wanted to get down to 173 by end of June and was more of less thinking I'd go the slow route, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't just juice it off and then work to hold it.  Playing with numbers I guess.

This weight game I play is silly, I think, but I can't find any other way to keep it under control.

Current Numbers
7 day average:  177.4
30 day average: 178.8

Going well

I realized today that it has been a while since I posted on the site. Things are going very well weight-wise.

 Of all things I have worked with over the years, the most successful had definitely been the practice of tracking my weight daily while focusing on the 7 day and 30 day average weight. I've been doing it for 1100+ days now. My stated goal has been to reach a steady morning weight of 172 lbs, which puts me snugly under the 25 BMI cutoff. I'm close. Today, my morning weight was 174.2.

 I have been slowly drifting down and up and down for 3+ years. I could go on a 3 day juice fast and be there in 7 days, but I'd rather walk slowly there. The "destination" is illusory. Nothing changes about my goal after I reach. I will always have to be conscious about my diet to stay at 172, so it's best to float down there.

 Done the juicing thing some. I like skipping meals for juice from time to time, but I don't like the multi-day fasts. Creates big downs followed by big ups.

 Nothing fancy in the diet choices. I try to stay away from processed foods whenever I can. Try for fruits and veggies over meat, but I still retain a weakness for burgers and fries, especially the fries. 

I try to eat better food . . . and less of it.

Current Numbers
7 day average:  175.8
30 day average: 175.6

172 is my shepherd

Today, Monday, I tipped the scales at 176.2 lbs.  Not bad.  I was on a juice fast on Saturday, which meant that yesterday I woke up to a nice 175.  A 1.2 lb bounce back up after a fast is good.  For most of the time since I've been doing this blog, I would have killed to see 176.  That I now view it as a pleasant figure, but nothing to celebrate, is progress. 

Still, I hunt the great white whale, the questing beast, my girth Grendel of 172 lbs.

172 is my shepherd. 
Because of her, I want to want.  She maketh my lie down and go to bed rather than eat Ben & Jerry's.  She leadeth me beside the still diet sodas.

She haunteth my soul.
She leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for my pride's sake.

Yea, though I walk my body into the shadow of the valley of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art ahead of me.  Thy rod and thy staff, they discomfort me.

She preparest a table before me filled with my enemies.  She annointest my gut; my Wawa cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy will find me someday, and when I dwell in the house of the Lord, He will give me something to eat.


Current Numbers
7 day average:  177.4
30 day average: 178.1

Starting to Feel Thin

Yeah, I know.


I'm inviting the fates to swoop in and crush me like a bug with a title like that, but the hidden truth is that I am experiencing the opposite phenomena of the "I keep eating crap but I don't gain weight" routine.  Namely, I've been pretty focused for about a month with not a whole lot of result on the scale.  I've had my lapses, but I'm more of less eating well all week and fasting on Saturdays. 


Today, Sunday, is the 4th week in a row.  I've been losing weight, but not much.  However, my body is changing.  That pesky fat on top of my hips (aka muffin tops) seems to have gone.  If I squint in the mirror, I can discern something resembling stomach muscles under the belly fat. In fact, if the belly fat went, I don't think I'd have much to complain about.


All of this is interesting because my stated goal is to get my 7 day average weight to 172.  There I would be comfortably under 174 -- the weight which it takes to get my BMI under 25, the weight at which I am no longer, according to any governmental agency worldwide, overweight.  174 is the top most range of "normal weight" for someone who is 5'10".  Why 172? Well, two reasons.  First, I'd like to be comfortably under 174, so even when I spike, I stay in normal weight.  Second, when I weigh myself at the doctor, I'm wearing clothes (they kinda insist), so that's another two lbs.  That's right! I want the doctor to mark me down as officially "normal" weight too.


Which brings me back to the point from which I was digressing -- vanity.  172 also represents something new to me -- a self-imposed limit to my vanity.  When I get to 172, will I think, "Be nice to be under 170, wouldn't it?"  It has to end somewhere. I started losing weight for health, and now vanity is starting to creep back in to my consciousness.  Vanity is not something want to drive my behavior.  (Let's leave aside the point that this may be another form of vanity.  Turtles all the way down and all.)  So slimming down without losing weight is an interesting phenomenon.  I'm not moving towards my stated goal, but my appearance is improving, which is not supposed to be a goal. 


But it is.  And I have mixed feelings about that.


Current Numbers
7 day average:  176.4
30 day average: 177.1

Checking in

It has been a year of ups and downs. I never went back up over 185, but I certainly spent some time north of 180. Mostly my goal was to keep my weight under 180 -- and when I say weight, I mean my 7 day average weight.  And OK, my 30 day average weight too.

Finally, I've been able to achieve this.  Both these numbers have been under 180 for a couple of months now.  I'm starting to dream of once again achieving the ranks of "normal weight" or just plain old not overweight.

One thing I have been very good about since the last post is tracking.  I weight myself everyday and keep it in a spreadsheet.  Ironically, this seeming hyper-vigilance makes the whole process much less stressful.  Weight still pops around, but the average weight is more sluggish.  I've gotten  much better at worryng less about the daily battles and focusing more on the long-term war.


Current Numbers 
  7 Day Ave: 176.9
30 Day Ave: 178.1

Day 29 -- Slow and Steady

The time of restraint continues and weight trickles off. In four weeks, I've lost 4 lbs.  Not bad.  Its taken a little will but the white-knuckle moments have been rare.  I would like to get sub-180, so maybe I'll try to restrict the food choices for another couple of weeks to see if the last 2 lbs come off.  I definitely feel better at this weight, but I'm still carrying around some unneeded fat.

Watched the documentary Hungry for Change, and it has gotten me focused on continuing to make better food choices.  I may even give the juicing thing a try.

Current Numbers 
Starting Weight: 185.9
Current Weight: 181.6