UPDATE (October 9): I have lost additional weight and have written an updated blog entry.
UPDATE (September 2nd): I’m undergoing strange physical changes – like my skin folding up under my ribs, which it couldn’t before because of my belly (I know, that was kind of gross!), and I find myself less comfortable propping my arms up on tables or sitting in chairs – because for the first time in 20 years, I can feel my bones! That makes 30 pounds lost this year, 40 since 2008! I’ve updated the graphs below.
Last week my boss pointed out how much thinner I looked than my employee badge photo, which was probably taken 3-4 years ago. The next day a friend of mine at work walked up to me and said:
“Man Jesse you keep losing weight, you’re just wasting away — what’s your trick?”
I replied: “I got divorced.”
My friend said he was sorry to hear, but I said no, this is one positive effect, the silver lining if you will. I never thought I’d turn into a health nut, but I seem to have this year. Here are some stats:
20 years ago in high school and college, I was fit. But once I moved out on my own and started consuming CharGrill for lunch & dinner, I gained a lot of weight. By the time I moved to Pennsylvania, I was close to 230 pounds. Today, I’m down to 170.
I can’t blame it all on the divorce. I lost 20 for my wedding ten years ago, then gradually lost another 10-20 over the years as I reduced my cola intake drastically, began walking a lot after we got the new house and dog, and took Sudafed for my allergies (it is a BIG appetite suppressant and none of this could have been possible without it).
But this big change came this Spring I came to realize, with the help of my Mom, that Carbs were really holding me back. She has the same problem, for whatever reason they really do us in. You know that feeling you have after eating a big Thanksgiving Dinner? That’s the way I felt after every meal. So I tried to consciously avoid sugars, potatoes, and bread, at least for lunch, opting instead for a salad (even with some meat and cheese) or some fruit and nuts. As a result, I was no longer knocked out for most of the afternoon (almost literally – it made it hard to work). In the evenings, I could eat a bigger meal, knowing that I could just “veg” in front of the TV.
After the divorce, I decided to bring the no-carb idea to dinner too while increasing my exercise routine. For some reason I can’t sleep past 6:30 in the morning anymore so I get up and take a walk/jog for a mile before I get in the shower. That’s led to my weekly walk/jog mileage spiking above 20 for the last few weeks (I may have walk/jogged 540 miles in 2009 but I’ve already put in 425 so far this year!)
Without speaking ill of my ex-wife and her daughter, let me say that it’s a lot harder for three people to diet than one. Now instead of preparing a huge meal for three people in the evening, I just snack, usually on something non-carby. As a result of all that, I’ve lost another 10 pounds in the last month, and am now a full 60 pounds lighter than when I moved to Pennsylvania. After putting off buying new clothes for 10 years, I’ve now switched from Size 40 slacks to 36, and have gone from X-Large shorts to Medium!
I even extended these ideas to my recent summer vacation, where I usually engorge myself and gain 10 pounds – this year I only gained 1, in fact if you compare my weight for August 2008 – 2010, I’m 35 pounds down! However, it’s pretty clear from the graphs I’ve uploaded here that most of my significant progress has been this year.
It helps me have a little more energy and a more positive outlook – and without the carbs holding me back, I can really get a lot done. I still crave fat and sugar though, so I allow myself one “bad” meal a week (when I was married we called it “Fast Food Friday” but I don’t go crazy, just a Happy Meal or something small).