4/01/2008

WILL I REACH THE GOAL?

Can't say. I'll know tomorrow when I hit the scale.

Anyway, this is sort of a mundane topic that almost everyone deals with, but I just wanted to mention that my new lifestyle program is bearing some results. My weight goal for the end of March was to get down to 220 pounds (or 100 kilos, as we scientist types like to say). As I speak, after a day's worth of punishment, I'm hovering between 221-222. We'll see if I reach my goal tomorrow. I began this effort somewhere above 240 nearly seven weeks ago. I easily met my goal for February (230 pounds), but the second 10 pounds were quite a bit harder, as expected. My next weight goal is to reach 210 by the end of May, but I'm sure in order to do that I'm going to have to increase my very limited exercise routine.

Overall, though, I'm happy. I've increased my fiber, the number of vegetables and fruits per week, and pretty much eliminated a lot of the fast food and junk food (I'm a sodas and cookies kind of guy), and I am feeling and looking better. But it's an interesting fact that this is the first time I've been on a kick like this where I wasn't motivated by vanity or a desire to play sports. Really, I've just reached the point where I know I need to make permanent changes to my lifestyle to reduce the risks to my health.

3 comments:

Moderator said...

I hope you do better than me. I've been working on 'lifestyle' changes since 1/1 and I've had marginal benefit. I suspect my 'minor improvements' are offset by some other bad habits. Oh well, baby steps.

Same basic motivation though. I don't mind looking overweight but the thought of not being around to see my kids grow up is quite a motivator.

Eamon Knight said...

Best of luck. I'm slowly working my way down, in response to a few harbingers of aging (like the fact that my BP has been slowly working its way UP, and I'm now on the high side of 50). Five years ago I was 160; now I'm hovering around 145, and would like to lose 10 more (which is not to make you jealous, as one's "right" weight depends on height and build, and I was always short and skinny).

The veggies thing is a great way to go: I was a confirmed carnivore, but now we have whole weeks where we eat hardly any meat (and that mostly chicken or fish). My wife is a fantastically creative cook.

Anonymous said...

Beelz says,
Excellent work, Scott. I've spent most of my life hovering around 180, which is a good weight for me. When I tipped the scales at around 203 I knew the time had come. I'm about 190 now. People don't realize what just 10-15 pounds can do for their blood pressure, lipids, etc.