Celebrations, Setbacks, and Moving Forward

Well, I guess it is time that I bring you up to date on my journey.  I officially began my journey on May 7, 2010. When I started, I weighed in at 200 pounds even.  Until recently, I have not been weighing in every week, just whenever I could.  I did not own a scale, so I would weigh in at work before I ran home, or weigh in at the Army recruiters office (I am trying to get back into the Army).

My first week was kind of disheartening.  I gained  1/2 pound.  Uggh! But then things started to go better. I watched what I ate, measured how many calories I was taking in and burning, and the weight started to creep off.  195, then 190.  I kept losing until I hit 184.  I stayed there for a couple of weeks.  I was not working out like I should have, or tracking like I needed.  Still, I maintained, and did not gain, so THAT was good.

It started going down again.  Finally, a month ago, I got into the 170's.  WOW.  Still can't believe it.  I have not been in the 170s for about 15 years. 

Last week was my high week, well, high emotionally, not weight wise.  I weighed in at 174.6.  Over 25 pounds lost in 10 weeks.  That is the celebration part.

I have been weighing in this week, but don't think I have done as well.  I will weigh in tomorrow morning, but actually expect weight to go up slightly for a couple of reasons. That is the setback.

First, I think the low weight was a dip down.  Our body weight fluctuates up and down slightly from day to day.  I think I weighed on a down day.  I have stepped on the scale since and have been up a couple pounds or so.

Secondly, I have not been tracking my food.  While this is not TERRIBLE, it is not good.  Now that I have a better handle on portion control, I am sure I am still eating less than I am burning, but the gap between calories in and calories out is much more narrow than I would like.  A narrow gap means slower loss.

Now I must move forward.  I could gripe and complain about the weight, but it won't do any good.  I could beat myself up for not tracking like I should, but it wouldn't change anything.  What I must do is pick up and soldier on.  Get back on the horse, keep plugging away. put one foot in front of the other, insert your own cliche here.

I go back to the basics and start tracking my calories. Start watching what I eat....again, and make sure I am hitting that 1,000 calorie deficit that I aim for. 

I am almost scared to weigh in tomorrow, but you know, it is what it is.  nothing I can do about it now, but simply move forward. 

Towards a Healthy Life,
St3ven