"I'm going to go back there someday"

While I have been less physically active the past couple of months I have managed to maintain my weight at 147 to 150 pounds, most of the time. At special occasions like birthdays/holidays/conventions I tend to get a bit more lax in my habits, and my weight will go up to 152. I realize that is not a huge fluctuation, but going up to 152 makes me a little nervous.

This past week, for whatever reason was something different. On Friday morning I weighed myself at 145 pounds. That is the lowest number my weight has ever been in my adult life. My general reaction was "neat". Since then on Friday and Saturday I have experienced some of the strongest food cravings I have felt in over a year. I think I may have kicked my metabolism into "starvation mode" as well.

While I am happy with the 147-150 lb range, in the back of my mind I had thought I could lose more weight if I wanted. I have come to the conclusion that 145lbs. is not a weight I should consider, my body is not happy with it. Now I know.

On May 19th, 2010 I posted that I was unhappy with my physical condition. So I decided to do something about it. I increased my activity/exercise and I limited my calorie intake.

My weight on that day was 183 lbs. (83 kg) and that was not the highest number I had seen on the scale in early 2010. My goal at the time was to lose 24 lbs in six months, roughly a pound a week. It seemed a significant, yet achievable goal. Now a year later I weigh 148 lbs. (67 kg). I lost 35 pounds since a year ago, 19% of my starting weight.

My waist measurement last year was 35 inches (89 cm). I was hoping to get down to 33 inches. Today it is 32 inches (82 cm). The smaller pants I saved for “someday when I lose the weight” fit again. I have sewn buttons back on to clothes that fit again. I have brought suits to the tailor to be taken in. I have had my belt shortened twice.

It has not been an easy year, but it is nice to have something positive come out of it.