New leaf

Madhu demands an 'interact' update, and who am I to ignore my adoring public ;-)

Actually, I sort of semi-intentionally didn't update this week on account of trying to begin a few new habits.

First of all, I let myself get back up to an unacceptable weight (206.5 at the top) and started counting calories again this week. All of the usual stuff, especially feeling hungry a fair bit of the time. I have been averaging just under 1500 calories per day. Still want to get down to 170 and then decide with Christine where to go from there.

Of course, I have tried this many times before. What's worse: failing repeatedly or quitting to try?

I'll tell you this much: I have concluded the only way I'm going to lose weight and keep it off is to weigh myself every day and count calories everyday, even when I make it to my target weight. I just can't be trusted to figure it out for myself.

I keep hoping vaguely that I won't gain weight. Then when I start to, I give up, eat what sounds good, live in denial, the whole shmear. Ugh.

I estimate that, in the last 5 years, I have lost and regained at least 60 pounds (3 20-pound increments). Double Ugh. These are the times you wish you'd gotten to your target weight and stayed there.

For inspiration, I read through The Hacker's Diet. Lots to recommend there. But it basically comes down to what I just wrote above: you have to count (or plan) your calories and you have to weigh yourself every day.

He's also got a 15 minutes per day exercise program that I'm sure is not up to Mark's standards, or Shane's, or ... . But, it seems doable from the start. It can be done inside. It doesn't require special equipment or a gym membership. There's really no reason not to do it. So I've started that and have 5 big days under my belt.

Christine and I walked 4 days this week, too, for a half hour.

Finally, (I'm really not trying to overdo it here) I've been concerned that I am not being intentional enough about the most important things in my life. As a springboard, I've been looking at AA's Big Book, especially the 12 Steps, from the perspective of a garden variety sinner.

How's that for an update, Madhu? ;-)