December 6, 2009 Update

I became a granddad this month, but I doubt that had anything to do with my weight. However, I did take a diet break the week of Thanksgiving and ate my fill. It was fun. So this may not have been a great month for weight loss.

From the picture, it looks like a couple of pounds may have fallen off.

Lots of work to do.

November 4, 2009 Update

I guess I should go weigh myself. I think I've been losing weight, but I don't really know how much. I weighed in near 340 when I started this, and the doctor (when I had H1N1) weighed me at about 325, but that was two or three weeks ago. Here's the latest picture.

I stuck to Atkins pretty carefully in October and it had a great impact on headaches. I now have a minor headache every week or so, sometimes two. They are not as severe as the "bad old days" were.

Two things - got rid of Nutrisweet and got rid of sugar.

I only went off Atkins a couple of days at the worst of my swine flu. Somehow it didn't seem appropriate to eat pork and other meat products then. My stomach was really messed up.

The next thing is exercise, but H1N1 has not left me with much in the way of physical reserves, so I will go slow on that.

Early October Progress Report

I'm dieting now, not so much for weight loss (though that is a benefit) but because of the effect it has on my headaches. The doctors in Springfield wanted me on the Atkins diet (can you believe it, doctors telling you to do Atkins?).

I started in September. Don't know if the picture will show any weight loss.

A New Resolve

In the same way I have ignored this diary, I have ignored my health needs and weight loss goals in the last year. My excuse would be the migraine headaches, but that has been reduced and so now I am without excuse. This is intended to be one of those "before and after" things. Here is a picture of me I just took.

Here's my plan.

1) Starting an exercise regimen again. about 16 months ago, I did a marathon. I nearly died yesterday doing a mile and a half. Hard to imagine going downhill that fast. But I'm going to start trying to exercise around 4 times a week.

2) I've got to continue the "headache" diet (almost no sugar or simple carbs - bread, pasta, etc). I'm careful on those things, but not too extreme, not Atkins or anything. I still eat fruit, which I couldn't if I were strict.

3) Portion control. I hate that it has come to this, but I have no choice.

Hopefully, by reasonable exercise, portion control and eliminating sweets and other simple carbs, I will have some less horrific shots to share in the near future.

I think I'm Ten Pounds Ahead!

I haven't lost much since my last post. I have gone off my diet a couple of times (a convention trip, Thanksgiving) and have nearly plateaued. However, when I think of it another way, I can take some satisfaction.

During the months of November and December, I am usually good for 10 pounds of more of turkey, fudge and Chex party-mix pounds.

So, since I haven't gained those pounds, in reality, haven't I lost them?

It is probably that kind of logic that gets me into trouble.

Has Old Age Set In?

I have been dieting (I know, everyone says you shouldn't) and I have lost somewhere near 30 pounds, since the first of September. I topped out around 340 (that's fat, guys) and last I weighed I was down to 313. I think I've dropped a couple of pounds since then.

However, I am beginning to wonder if the effects of old age have finally started to hit me. I have not been able to run in months, because of foot and knee problems. I have been at, around or over 300 pounds for nearly a decade and I continued to run and involve myself in sports activities. Is it possible that the wear and tear has finally caught up with me? I don't know.

I am getting a elliptical machine to "run" without the pounding. We'll see what happens.

I Need to Lose My Wife!

No, its not as bad as it sounds. We just realized something the other day. The amount of weight I need to lose to be at my "ideal" weight according to the insurance tables is almost exactly what my wife weighs.

So, essentially, I am now a healthy thin Dave, carrying around my wife piggy back all the time. No wonder my feet hurt.