Monday, December 31, 2007

Week 150

4.2lb gain

Back over the 180lbs mark. Still, despite some serious over indulges this week, I have still been aware of trying to limit the damage and I could easily have put on more.

We all knew no one was going to come out of Feastmas unscathed, but I've managed to remain under 13 stone, so I take this as a triumph of sorts.

Wishing you all the very best for the New Year!


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 12.2lb - 180.2lbs
Body fat: 24.5%
Total Weight Loss: 94.8lbs

Monday, December 24, 2007

Week 149 - Merry Feastmas!

0.2lb loss!

The fact that I haven't put on 3lbs this week has somewhat astounded me, given my reaction to unsettling news last week, and various pre-feastmas treats cropping up all over the place.

However, I am still mindful of a certain level of damage limitation where, for example, I decide not to have the 3rd piece of shortbread, even though it's available. If I put on 5lbs over the next week or 2, it's still better than putting on 10lbs.

Still, I'm toying with the idea of creating a new strategy to cope with Feastmas: I'm going to speed up my metabolism by eating too much...

Wishing you all, all the best. May you enjoy your food without too much impact. Make a deal with yourself that you will only over-indulge in the stuff that's really worth it. If you're going to put on a pound, make it worthwhile, and not on some junk thing that you either don't like, or don't even notice you're eating.

Have a good one!


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 8lb - 176lbs
Body fat: 22.8%
Total Weight Loss: 99lbs

Monday, December 17, 2007

Week 148

0.2lb gain

I can live with that - I had a huge meal out last week, and the little extras are starting to slip in before Feastmas really kicks in.

From now on it's into damage limitation mode for the next 2 and a half weeks.

I will still keep posting as I think it's disasterous to just take your eye off the ball altogether.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 8.2lb - 176.2lbs
Body fat: 23.9%
Total Weight Loss: 98.8lbs

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Week 147

1.4lb loss!

Reeling it back in...

I didn't get the chance to post yesterday as I was 120 miles away having an xmas lunch with friends. Which will probably show up next week...

With Feastmas looming, the question is how much I can limit the damage over the next 3 weeks?


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 8lb - 176lbs
Body fat: 23.6%
Total Weight Loss: 99lbs

Monday, December 03, 2007

Week 146

2.6lb gain

Crap.

It has been such a tough week. In fact the past fortnight has been intense, leading me to feel even more tired and emotionally vulnerable.

Since last Monday I can easily look at the large slice of cake at the last philosophy class of the term I taught, plus one night where 4 small squares of chocolate turned into a 150g bar, and a litre tub of chocolate ice cream disappeared over 2 nights.

Combined with the less activity I'm capable of these days, it's unsurprising there should be such a jump.

Unfortunately this now puts me at the heaviest I've been since April.

Crap.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 9.4lb - 177.4lbs
Body fat: 23.5%
Total Weight Loss: 97.6lbs

Monday, November 26, 2007

Week 145 - 35

0.2lb gain

Could have been a lot worse. This past week has been chaos with a drive up to Edinburgh to see the specialist (no real luck there), and then a drive down to England over the weekend has left me feeling shattered. Away from home, eating is always a more haphazard thing, so all in all, I consider this a success.

Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 6.8lb - 174.8lbs
Body fat: 23.3%
Total Weight Loss: 100.2lbs

Monday, November 19, 2007

Week 144 - 34

0.6lb loss.

A bit surprising, given the complete collapse of sensible eating on Saturday, when my wife & I celebrated 17 years since we started going out together. However, I'd been on the ball through the first half of the week, so I guess that must have cushioned the impact.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 6.6lb - 174.6lbs
Body fat: 23.1%
Total Weight Loss: 100.4lbs

Monday, November 12, 2007

Week 143 - 33

0.2lb gain.

It's been a tough week emotionally. Not that anything's happened as such, but my moods have been dropping significantly. It's 3 weeks since the anti-depressants were upped from 10mg to 20mg daily, so there's still time for them to kick in. I just wish it didn't take so long.

All things considered, it could have been a lot worse.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7.2lb - 175.2lbs
Body fat: 23.2%
Total Weight Loss: 99.8lbs

Monday, November 05, 2007

Week 142 - 32

0.6lb loss!

Stop eating the crap and the weight drops back down. As a system, I can't fault my healthy eating approach. The only real problem is when depression hits and the cravings are so much harder to fight.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7lb - 175lbs
Body fat: 23.3%
Total Weight Loss: 100lbs

Food, Glorious Food

Here's another import from Ramblings of the Bearded One, which seemed like it belonged over here

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As a rule I try not to look back on aspects of my life with regret. There’s nothing I can do about things past; besides, whatever happened contributed to the superb, fantastic, yet modest, person I am today.

However, there have been times of late when I’ve been almost overwhelmed with a sense of lost opportunity and it’s to do with food.

As has been mentioned in other posts, Maggie is truly a superb cook. What she is capable of creating through mixtures of buttery, creamy, sugary stuff is mouth-wateringly beyond description.

As has also been mentioned in other posts, I used to weigh 19½ stone (275lbs or 125kg), but over the past 2½ years have lost over 7 stone (100lbs or 45kg) through eating healthily and ongoing battles with food cravings.

Part of the reason I got up to 19½ stone in the first place was indeed easy access to my wife’s tremendous cooking ability, but that was only a part of it. The truth is an awful lot of that weight was gathered from years of eating crappy food that was ok but not of my wife’s making, and nothing special.

If I was going to get that big, why on earth didn’t I do it by eating really tasty, drool-inducing, mouth-slobbering, belly-filling, scrumptious, frumptious food - food worth risking your health for?

It feels like such a wasted opportunity.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Week 141 - 31

2.2lb gain

Well what can I say? It was my birthday last Thursday. And then there were left-over birthday treats on Friday. And then on Saturday we went out to a bonfire party and gathering where there was more food than you could shake a stick at.

Ah well, it was fun while it lasted...


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7.6lb - 175.6lbs
Body fat: 23.3%
Total Weight Loss: 99.4lbs

Monday, October 22, 2007

Week 140 - 30

0.4lb loss.

I was pretty much on track all week with the exception of a slight blip on Saturday night, so I'm happy enough with the loss. Even more so in fact, because I was so surprised not to have put on weight last week that I was half expecting those meals out and cake to show up this week.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 5.4lb - 173.4lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 101.6lbs

Monday, October 15, 2007

Week 139 - 29

No change!

Now to be honest I'm somewhat gobsmacked by this. By rights I should have put on at least a pound and a half. Friday involved lunch out and dinner out with the family where, of course, I ate far too much.

Then my wife got some good news regarding her application to get into next year's Spring Fling event. This is a major event in the area for artists and will greatly boost her publicity. In celebration my son made a cake.

So I'd already started thinking about this blog post before I stood on the scales this morning. I was going to talk about the fact that while the battle against over eating when feeling low is ongoing but in the long term one I've been winning, the battle against over eating when celebrating hasn't even begun.

But, now I have to figure out WHY I didn't put the weight on and there's only one clear reason I can think of - I changed my meds last week.

The last set of anti-depressants I was on were making me increasingly tired and lethargic, to the point where I was feeling that the benefits were outweighed by the side effects (I wrote a bit more about it on my other blog - see Whose Brain is it Anyway?), so the doc changed the ones I was on.

All this week I've been waking up in the middle of the night, dripping in sweat and I can only guess that my metabolism has gone through a shift while the new tablets settle in.

I'll be glad when I sleep through the night again though.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 5.8lb - 173.8lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 101.2lbs

Monday, October 08, 2007

Week 138 - 28

1.4lb loss!

I'm happy with that.

Been pretty much on track all week, except an ice-cream over the weekend and a bar of chocolate last night. I'd had a long day loading the new computer with all the data from the old one and was fragile and shattered by the end of the day. I gave in to a bar of Green & Black's Mint Organic Dark Chocolate (70%). It was damn good. However, back on track today.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 5.8lb - 173.8lbs
Body fat: 23%
Total Weight Loss: 101.2lbs

Monday, October 01, 2007

Week 137 - 27

No change.

I might have hoped for a slight loss, but the lack of change is easily accounted for by the extra pieces of cake had over the weekend in a wee family celebration.

I was thinking about my post last week where I mentioned the fact that my weight has been stable (within a 4-5lb range) for 6 months now and figured that maybe I needed to make an adjustment to my post titles.

So from now on, as well as the first figure (137 above) showing how many weeks since I set out, it will include a 2nd figure (27 above) showing how long I've been at what Sir Chubalot calls maintenance level.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7.2lb - 175.2lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 99.8lbs

Monday, September 24, 2007

Week 136

1.4lb gain.

Am I worried by this gain?

No.

It was our 12th wedding anniversary on Friday and my wife & I went away for the night, and ate good food, and had extras with our coffees in cafes, and the weight gain was expected.

I've been looking through my charts and today is almost another anniversary, or demi-anniversary.

It's now 6 months since I hit the 100lb loss mark.

And since that time I have not been above 176.4lbs nor below 172.2lbs

I think I can safely conclude that this is now my stable weight range unless I make radical changes to my eating or activity levels.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7.2lb - 175.2lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 99.8lbs

Monday, September 17, 2007

Week 135

1lb loss!

I'm happy with that.

Been on track all week, bar one or two very minor discrepancies.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 5.8lb - 173.8lbs
Body fat: 23%
Total Weight Loss: 101.2lbs

Monday, September 10, 2007

Week 134

0.4lb loss!

I'll take that and be happy with it.

Oddly it feels like I've given way more often this week, so shouldn't have lost anything.

However, my guess is that it's probably to do with my B12 injection last week. For a couple of days afterwards my sleep is usually worse and I get, what I can only describe as, minor hot flushes. Either I'm coming out in sympathy with my wife's menopause, or it has a brief effect of speeding up my metabolism. I could quite easily have sweated out a scone or 2 this week


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 6.8lb - 174.8lbs
Body fat: 23%
Total Weight Loss: 100.2lbs

Monday, September 03, 2007

Week 133

0.6lb loss.

Several hard battles fought.

Most won.

A couple of minor casualties.

Nothing fatal.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7.2lb - 175.2lbs
Body fat: 23%
Total Weight Loss: 99.8lbs

Monday, August 27, 2007

Week 132

1.2lb gain

To be honest, I'm surprised it isn't worse given the number of wee extras I've had this past week. It has been so bloody hard.

The fight for me over weight loss is a fight with depression. When I'm low it is much harder to resist the cravings. When I'm up it's much easier to stay on track.

As mentioned in the post on my main site "Light at the end of the tunnel or just spots before my eyes?" I'm just starting a low dosage of anti-depressants to see me through to an appointment that's finally been made to see a specialist, 3 months from now.

My hope is that if the ADs work and I get less of the low mood swings I should find it easier to bat away the cravings.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7.8lb - 175.8lbs
Body fat: 23.4%
Total Weight Loss: 99.2lbs

Monday, August 20, 2007

Week 131

1lb loss!

I'll take that, and cling on tightly in case my body decides to change it's mind.

A bit of a surprise to be honest. I've given in to a small handful of extras - not as bad as last week though, so I expected to be about even.

The fight with the depression is excruciating at times, quite a lot of the time in fact. I see the doctor on Friday and find out whether he's heard back from the specialist he wants me to see.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 6.6lb - 174.6lbs
Body fat: 22.7%
Total Weight Loss: 100.4lbs

Monday, August 13, 2007

Week 130

2.4lb gain.

Sigh... I thought last week seemed a bit too good to be true.

Mind you, along with more homemade scones from the kids, the real killer was an entire tub of Ben & Jerry's Choc-Chip Cookie Dough ice cream on Friday evening. Haven't done that for a long time.

It followed a visit to the doctor who's finally decided to refer me to a specialist in Edinburgh about my CFS/B12/whatteverthehellitis. Unfortunately, at this point I have no idea about waiting times, and it's another 2 weeks until I see my GP again.

I've decided I need to shift into "Survival mode". Up until now I've been in "basically normal but with less energy mode" which clearly isn't working. The bouts of depression have become crippling and the doctor doesn't want to offer anything like anti-depressants or counselling until I've seen the specialist.

The only medication I have is food so when faced with intense emotional pain or a mouthful of youreallyshouldnteatthat, it's even more difficult to stay on track.

The battle goes on, but I wouldn't be surprised if I start slipping a bit until progress starts being made on my whatteverthehellitis.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7.6lb - 175.6lbs
Body fat: 23.3%
Total Weight Loss: 99.4lbs

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

New weapon for an old adversary

Here's another one imported from The Ramblings of the Bearded One that seemed highly relevant to this blog. Once again it sparked a debate in the comments, which are worth reading in the original here: http://kimayres.blogspot.com/2007/08/new-weapon-for-old-adversary.html. Although be warned, one of the attitudes expressed in particular might have you wanting to bang your head against a brick wall and despair at the lack of understanding of the world by some people.

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My relationship with food is a complex one, but then it is for a lot of people, not just the anorexics, the bulimics and the grossly obese.

After 2½ years of fights and battles, and the overall loss of over a 100lbs, you might have thought that this relationship would be simpler and easier to understand. And in some ways it is. At least these days I know what I’m up against.

Having said that, knowing that you have to go out and fight a dragon the size of a building that has teeth as long as your arms and breathes fire, while you have little more than a toothpick and a jar of barbeque sauce to help you, doesn’t always make it easier to find the will to go out and face it every day.

But even as I develop new tricks, techniques and strategies to deal with it, the adversary also evolves in unexpected ways.

Something I’ve become aware of over the past few months has been the onset of a new emotional trick up the sleeve of the beast.

There are times when having a tasty treat in front of me, one that I can allow myself to have, fills me with an overwhelming sense of sadness.

At first glance, this might seem a little strange. There, under my nose is a warm, fresh from the oven, home-baked scone, made by my son who has his mother’s touch for creating mouth-watering, indulgent food.

I’ve been good for the rest of the week so eating it is hardly going to tip the scales the wrong way, and it’s going to make Rogan feel good to know he’s created something his father will enjoy. So yes, it’s OK to eat this warm buttery scone, and even have a spoon of Maggie’s homemade raspberry jam on it.

All I have to do is enjoy it.

Instead, I want to cry.

Why?

Because I know it will only be a few moments and then it will be gone. And I won’t be able to have a 2nd, a 3rd, a sneaky 4th and then talk Maggie into making us a batch of rock-buns for later.

Before I’ve even placed a piece in my mouth, I’m mourning the passing of the scone.

I’m mourning the fact that I cannot just have the scone, enjoy it, and then stop, feeling satisfied.

I am mourning the fact that for the rest of my life, every time I have a tasty sweet, buttery or salty treat to eat, I will have to fight to stop continuing to eat and eat and eat until I am stuffed, feeling physically sick and disgusted with myself for having given into the binge.

Part of me so desperately wants to be able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want, and damn the consequences.

I want to scream that it’s not fair! Other people get to eat what they want! Other people get to stop halfway through a bag of Maltesers and feel that they’ve had enough! Other people don’t have to worry that if they have one, they won’t stop until they have physically damaged themselves!

It’s like going to a massive funfair with big dippers, giant Ferris wheels and walls of death, and being told you’re only allowed to go on the kiddie’s ladybird ride because the others will be damaging to your health. The kiddie’s ride isn’t going to satisfy you; all it’s going to do is remind you of what you’re missing.

And that is the terrible weapon the beast has developed: I rarely feel much sense of achievement for the weight I have lost. Instead I am continually overwhelmed with a sense of sadness about what I dare not allow myself to have, no matter how tasty, wonderful and enjoyable.

Because the more I enjoy it, the more dangerous it is for me.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Week 129

2.8lb loss!

That amount of loss seems unlikely but I'm not complaining. It puts me back to within a pound of my all time lowest.

I've been on track all week apart from a couple of wavery moments when my kids did some home baking. My son is developing his mother's touch and his scones were divine.

Circumstances seem to be moving forward, or at least are no longer dominating the waking hours, in the areas I can't blog about. This is certainly reflected in the fact that the food battles have been less intense this week.

For the moment, at least, I'm able to breathe more easily


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 5.2lb - 173.2lbs
Body fat: 23.5%
Total Weight Loss: 101.8lbs

Monday, July 30, 2007

Week 128

1lb gain.

Bollocks.

What upsets me about this is it means I've dropped back a pound from the 100lb mark.

So, what are my excuses this week? - left over treats from my wife's birthday weekend last week for one thing. And these cold Autumn nights we've been having through July means the temptation to light the fire and snuggle up on the couch with a large hot chocolate has been too much to resist a couple of times.

But bloody hell it's been a struggle this month. In the past 3 weeks I've put on 4lbs. There are things that have been going on in our lives that I cannot blog about, but have taken a real emotional toll. And when the emotional pain is there and the edible medication is there in the house it becomes a constant battleground trying not to give into it.

And that is what most of it is about now. It is not bad habits, ignorant food choices, unhealthy snacking or greed. It's the battle with feeling low, sad, depressed, fearful, horrified and too little control over the things that affect our lives. When these feelings hit, the choice is to experience them full on, or do anything to try and ease the pain for a few moments. At that point, worries about putting on an extra pound seem so insignificant.

Until the next Monday morning when I stand on the scales and berate myself for those times when I chose the temporary easing of the pain. I don't even get to praise myself for the many times over the week when I didn't give in.

As has been said before, in the end it's not about how hard the battle is, it's only the final result that gets counted.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 8lb - 176lbs
Body fat: 23.2%
Total Weight Loss: 99lbs

Monday, July 23, 2007

Week 127

Another 1.4lb gain

It was Maggie's birthday at the weekend. That in itself might not have been too damaging if it wasn't on top of a fortnight of some intense family situations that I cannot blog about. The upshot of this meant that extreme emotions have been flying about for 2 weeks, and trying not to medicate with food has been an ongoing, and not always successful, battle.

This morning, determinations have been renewed and mindsets are being wearily dragged back into position, so I hope to have stablised, and have everything back under control by the next post.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7lb - 175lbs
Body fat: 23.3%
Total Weight Loss: 100lbs

Monday, July 16, 2007

Week 126

1.4lb gain.

Not too surprising. I can account for this with a combination of a couple of celebratory deserts and my kids doing some home baking, which was far tastier than I expected.

Big meal out tonight too, so I'll need to be vigilant the rest of the week.

Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 5.6lb - 173.6lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 101.4lbs

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

The Difference Between Habit and Addiction

Like the last post, this one was imported from Ramblings of the Bearded One, my other blog. After the comments I received, I realised that some people still don't really get what we're up against - that for those of us who are or have been 50, 100 150+ pounds overweight, it's not just about being greedy and too lazy to go for a walk. So I created this follow-up post. Once again, it seemed worth placing a copy on this site for obvious reasons.

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Generally speaking I don’t like to write posts trying to explain what the last one was about. I can’t help but feel that if I failed to get my message across first time, the writing wasn’t good enough. Usually at this point I prefer to give an embarrassed cough and move swiftly on.

However, there were some touching, heartfelt and intense responses posted in "For the next time you see the finger being pointed at the fat person" that made me feel further thoughts needed to be expressed on the subject.

What has become clear from the range of comments is the need to draw a distinction between habit and addiction.

Very often, those who criticise people who are overweight assume that it’s purely down to bad eating habits. If only fat people were able to see that their behaviour was putting their health at risk then they would modify that behaviour. If it’s pointed out to you that the reason your hand hurts and is disfigured is because fire burns flesh, then you will understand that if you stop sticking your hand in the fire, you will stop being hurt. Likewise, if you just stop eating as much crap your health won’t be so badly affected. It is so bloody obvious, it seems insane the fat person just doesn’t get it.

Perhaps if you say it slowly and loudly they will understand. Perhaps if you give them smaller portions they will take the hint. Perhaps if you humiliate them it will draw their attention to their unacceptable behaviour and they will start to modify it.

The fact that you do all these things and they still eat too much just beggars belief.

But the reality is for many, especially those who are 30% or more overweight, "habit" is not what it’s about. Even once you get beyond the fact that the supermarket shelves are stuffed with foods loaded up with sugars, fats and salts to make the body crave more, and are wrapped in covers designed using some of the most sophisticated marketing techniques on the planet, eating is still much more than just fuel for the body.

For some people certain foods items are addictive and promote cravings that go far beyond just “the munchies”. Some foods are trigger foods – foods that once you start on them there is no stopping until not only is the rest of the packet empty, but half the contents of the larder and fridge too.

Some people use food for self medication – a way of dealing with extreme emotion, in the way an alcoholic or drug addict will use their chemical of choice to dull the pain, the ache in the chest, the deep hollow in the gut.

For some people food is used as a form of self-abuse in a similar way that self-harmers will cut themselves or burn themselves with cigarette ends.

For some, being fat is a way of keeping people at arms length because of fear of relationships, or even fear of appearing sexually desirable.

For some people, a combination of any or all of these reasons can be at play at any one particular time

In all these cases, the relationship with food is an unhealthy one. It goes far beyond just a lack of self-discipline.

The thing to realise here is that the food in itself if not the issue. Food is being used as a tool, or weapon, for something else. In a different set of circumstances, the person who struggles with food would have struggled with alcohol, self-harm, or any kind of illegal or prescription drugs.

So for those who are feeling exasperated with loved ones who won’t take the hint, or who seem intent on continuing to eat more than necessary despite the obvious damage they are doing to their health, you need to look beyond the food.

Just like alcoholism, drug abuse, self-harm, anorexia and bulimia, or any other damaging addiction, over eating is an expression of another problem, or more likely problems. And until those problems are dealt with, the eating will never be fully under control.

This isn’t about over indulging at Christmas or anniversaries then being too lazy to work off a few pounds. People who fall into that category become a bit overweight, develop a couple of love handles and a bit of a belly.

But people who are a third or a half as much again, or even double the weight they should naturally be, are people who have a problem beyond food.

For them, the fat you see are the outward scars of a thousand internal battles

For the next time you see the finger being pointed at the fat person

This post has been imported from Ramblings of the Bearded One. Given the nature of the topic, it seemed a good idea to place a copy on this site where most of the readers would have a natural understanding. It sparked quite a few interesting comments on the other site. If you click on the link above it will take you to them

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“If you want to lose weight, you just have to stop eating as much.”

Wow. How simple. Wish I’d thought of that. So it’s a bit like saying if I don’t want to burn my flesh I shouldn’t stick my hand in the fire?

“Exactly”

But what if I have to keep sticking my hand in the fire?

“What?”

What if I feel compelled to stick my hand in the fire, again and again, over and over?

“Why on earth would you do that?”

Suppose it was habit, or suppose I enjoyed it, or suppose every time I did it, it released endorphins that made me feel good, or suppose it was addictive, or suppose I hated myself so much I felt I deserved to be disfigured, or suppose by looking disfigured people would have less expectations of me, or suppose by looking disfigured people would leave me alone. Suppose at different times I stuck my hand in the fire for each of these different reasons, or any combination and it changed every time.

Do you think just saying “well don’t do it then” is going to make the slightest bit of difference?

“Er, probably not.”

Do you think that telling me I’m stupid for doing it is going to make me stop?

“Well, it might… tough love and all that…”

If my response to feeling bad is to stick my hand in the fire, what do you think calling me stupid is likely to make me do?

“Er… stick your hand in the fire again?”

And calling me lazy, useless, ugly and a drain on the health services?

“…stick your hand in the fire again.”

You know, I do believe we’re starting to get somewhere.

“But you don’t stick your hand in the fire.”

No, I overeat instead.

“Well, if you want to lose weight, you just have to stop eating as much.”

Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap...

Monday, July 09, 2007

Week 125

1lb loss!

One of the odd things this I've noticed this week has been that my belly is looking slightly smaller.

Well, ok, it is. Obviously. I've lost weight again.

But only a pound.

Surely 1lb isn't going to make a perceptable difference is it?

But maybe it is. What I tend to forget is that because I'm now only about 15lbs or so overweight, one of those pounds is a considerably higher percentage of the excess baggage than it used to be.

One pound now counts for something like 6% or 7% of my overweightness, instead of the less than 1% it used to.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 4.2lb - 172.2lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 102.8lbs

Monday, July 02, 2007

Week 124

1.6lb loss!

Just when I thought I'd levelled out, I drop to create a new lowest recorded weight for 20 years - 173.2lbs (12st 5.2lb, 78.56kg).

Lord Chubalot of the Knights of the Round Bottoms has been asking for a while about whether I'm ready to stop being Sir Man Boobs and take on the mantle, Lord Man Boobs.

Although I have lost over 100lbs, a British hundredweight is in fact 112lbs and there is no doubt that I am still overweight by, well probably at least 12lbs, so I've been reluctant so far to upgrade my title as it implies that somehow my task has finished.

And yet, in a way it has.

When my wife and I decided to change our eating habits, we knew it was a lifelong decision. The aim was to have healthier bodies that would last for longer in a better condition. The weight loss was always a SIDE EFFECT of eating healthily.

As such, I'm just doing what I have been doing for the past 29 months and will continue to do for the next 40 years, namely, be aware of what I eat and chose the healthy options over the processed foods.

My task then, has not been to achieve a specific weight loss target, but to fight my own impulses to gorge, binge and stuff my face with foods that are not good for me.

The side effect of me facing, battling and finding ways to conquer my demons has been the loss of over 100lbs in weight.

Originally, I thought that if I dropped to 15 stone (210lbs) I'd be more than happy. I was overjoyed to get down to 13 and a half stone (189lbs), as this was a figure I remember from my early 20s. I was ecstatic to get below 13 stone and gobsmacked to lose 100lbs.

The Hundredweight of the title of this blog was only ever a fantasy and a wry joke. I never seriously expected to get close.

So yes, I have achieved, and yes I will accept the title Lord Man Boobs.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the many months.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 5.2lb - 173.2lbs
Body fat: 22.8%
Total Weight Loss: 101.8lbs

Monday, June 25, 2007

Week 123

Even.

The evidence is mounting up that I've probably settled where I'm going to for a while now, around the 175lb mark, give or take a couple of pounds.

I'll continue to post my stats so I get warning if I take my eye off the ball too much, but that's pretty much it.

However, if you have any questions you'd like to ask about my 100lb weight loss - thoughts, techiniques, challenges or anything else that springs to mind, please leave a question in the comments and I'll answer as best I can in the weekly post.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 6.8lb - 174.8lbs
Body fat: 22.4%
Total Weight Loss: 100.2lbs

Monday, June 18, 2007

Week 122

0.8lb gain.

Considering it was my son's birthday this weekend so I had birthday cake, popcorn from our trip to the cinema and various other treats to contend with, I feel less than a one pound gain is quite a remarkable achievement.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 6.8lb - 174.8lbs
Body fat: 23.2%
Total Weight Loss: 100.2lbs

Monday, June 11, 2007

Week 121

1.4lb loss!

This takes me back to where I was 2 weeks ago again.

Since March 26th I've constantly moved about within 174lbs and 176lbs, so I have to conclude that this is my settled weight unless I make any drastic changes, such as giving in to the cravings again, or upping my activity levels.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 6lb - 174lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 101lbs

Monday, June 04, 2007

Week 120

1.4lb gain.

I'm just bouncing back and forth around this 100lb loss mark.

Given that I just don't have the energy to up my activity levels, I think I'm just going to have to think of myself in maintenance mode and keep an eye on the weight to make sure it doesn't start rising significantly.

I'll keep posting each week for the meantime, though.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7.4lb - 175.4lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 99.6lbs

Monday, May 28, 2007

Week 119

2lb loss!

Frankly I'm stunned.

I was expecting to be withing half a pound either side of where I was last week, so a 2lb loss is quite surprising.

Hmmm...

There is an explanation that's just leapt to mind, although I don't like it much and I don't know enough about these matters to be sure.

I wonder whether the loss is more to do with muscle mass than fat. Quite simply with the increased tiredness, my activity levels have really dropped off.

We know that unless you are exercising, you tend to lose muscle before fat, and that muscle weighs more than fat.

According to my scales (although they were not expensive ones, so I can't say I completely trust them), my body fat percentage is slightly higher now than it was a few weeks ago when I was slightly heavier.

It's a theory. Unfortunately I have no idea how good a one it is. If anyone has a better understanding of these things please let me know.


Statistical Significance: I am at my lightest now since I began.

Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 6lb - 174lbs
Body fat: 23.2%
Total Weight Loss: 101lbs

Monday, May 21, 2007

Week 118

0.6lb gain.

I'm a bit disappointed, although I've had a couple pieces of cake that account for it.

What's so bloody difficult at the moment is that I don't have the energy for exercising. Before I can reach the point 10 minutes in, where everything starts happening, I've run out of momentum. And it's steadily getting worse.

The last B12 injection doesn't seem to have had much impact and there are times when motivation or anything even vaguely resembling enthusiasm for life is non existent (see Bollocks on my other blog).

Activity is the key to moving further forward, but my energy levels are getting lower and lower.


As an aside, discounting introductory entries, this is my 100th post to this blog.

Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 8lb - 176lbs
Body fat: 23.5%
Total Weight Loss: 100lbs

Monday, May 14, 2007

Week 117

0.6lbs loss!

Finally a move back in the right direction! Not quite as much as I'd have liked considering the internal battles I've been fighting this week, but although my eating has been nigh on perfect, activity levels have been negligible.

Unfortunately, weight gain or loss doesn't seem to reflect how much you battle with your cravings, only whether you give in to them or not. You can spend an entire week fighting every waking moment, or just glide through with barely a second thought: the result is to do with the outcome of the fight, not how hard it was.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7.4lb - 175.4lbs
Body fat: 22.6%
Total Weight Loss: 99.6lbs

Monday, May 07, 2007

Week 116

1lb gain.

Part of me is relieved that it's only been a pound and another is really pissed off that I've slipped back under the 100lb loss mark.

What I hadn't catered for last week was the emotional fall out from the exhibition. Yes it went well, but it was such an emotional roller-coaster on the build up and the actual thing itself that there was an inevitable come-down afterwards and this past week has been quite a battle.

A friend of ours took the kids Friday night, which gave us a couple of days away on a well needed break, but that meant lunches and dinner out, plus coffees and nibbles in the mornings and afternoons.

All in all, a 1lb gain could have been so much worse.

This week, however, I really am hoping that we can properly get back on track.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 8lb - 176lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 99lbs

Monday, April 30, 2007

Week 115

Even.

Phew. I'm happy to have maintained this week. With Maggie's exhibition in full swing, our eating patterns were a little erratic. A lot less meals were thought through in advance and with the sheer emotional toil of it all, there have been a few comfort treats.

All in all I feel I've had a lucky escape. Hopefully this week will see us properly back on track.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7lb - 175lbs
Body fat: 22.8%
Total Weight Loss: 100lbs

Monday, April 23, 2007

Week 114

No Change.

Which is no bad thing considering the past few days. With my wife's art exhibition and my father coming up to visit, our eating patterns have been completely awry. I was fully expecting to have put on a couple of pounds at least.

Still, it's a even week (see last post for this theory), so perhaps I've been able to absorb more - it just means that next week it could all show up quite badly.

But being 0.2lbs up from a fortnight ago means an end to the zig-zag decline. Ah well, it was a fun excuse while it lasted...


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7lb - 175lbs
Body fat: 23.1%
Total Weight Loss: 100lbs

Monday, April 16, 2007

Week 113

o.2lb gain.

That's a bit disappointing. Despite the fact that I've been on track this week, and that I'm at least a tooth lighter, I've not really budged.

My hope at the moment is that next week will show a drop again. Looking at my stats over the past couple of months it's like there are 2 different scales going on, alternating between weeks. If you measure the weight fortnightly, then I drop on both levels:

ODD WEEKS
Week 105 - 179.8lbs
Week 107 - 178.6lbs
Week 109 - 178lbs
Week 111 - 176.4lbs
Week 113 - 175lbs

EVEN WEEKS
Week 106 - 181.2lbs
Week 108 - 177.2lbs
Week 110 - 175lbs
Week 112 - 174.8lbs

However, if you put them together, I'm zig-zagging all the way. So, as next week is an even week, I should have a bigger drop.

So after years of struggle I've finally realised it's got nothing to do with food, and everything todo with whether it's an odd or even week...


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7lb - 175lbs
Body fat: 22.5%
Total Weight Loss: 100lbs

Monday, April 09, 2007

Week 112

1.6lb loss!

Woohoo! Back over the 100lb mark!

Which is all a bit confusing to be honest. This week I had a major blow out on Friday when eating lunch out with Dr Maroon, then having a family meal out in the evening. Stuffed to the point of bursting. I've been more or less on track the rest of the week, but as last week showed, that doesn't always mean anything.

Whatever strategies I've managed to develop over the past 2 years to lose the weight I have, I still fall apart the minute I eat out. First of all the portion sizes are so much larger, then there are deserts available, but mostly it's the idea that I'm paying for it so I'm buggered if I'm going to waste a single crumb.

Fortunately I don't eat out that often these days.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 6.8lb - 174.8lbs
Body fat: 23.2%
Total Weight Loss: 100.2lbs

Monday, April 02, 2007

Week 111

1.4lb gain

Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks.

I thought I was going to be OK this week. In fact I was actually convinced I should have lost a pound, maybe two. Right up until the point that Maggie reminded me about The Chocolate Cake.

I'm still annoyed though. Apart from that I've had a near perfect week.

Now I'm going to yo-yo around the 100 pound mark for weeks and weeks to come. What I would like now is to get comfortably past this marker so that pound or two wobble isn't going to push me back over the wrong side of it again. But on Friday I'm meeting a friend for lunch and then we've got a big family meal in the evening, which is always worth 2 or 3 lbs.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 8.4lb - 176.4lbs
Body fat: 23.3%
Total Weight Loss: 98.6lbs

Monday, March 26, 2007

Week 110

3lb loss!

100 Pounds!!!

I've lost 7 stone 2lbs or 45.36kg - in other words:

100lbs!!!

I wasn't expecting to hit that target this week. I can only guess that last week was one of those funny abberations because I never lose 3lbs in one week, but it does translate as having lost 2lbs in the last 2 weeks, which makes much more sense.

110 weeks ago, on February 15th 2005, I was 19 stone 9lbs, or 275lbs. This morning I am 12 stone 7lbs, or 175lbs.

I want to celebrate with a big meal out for the whole family and a huge cake. Unfortunately, if I do that then next week I'll be 4lbs heavier again.

It could be a few weeks before I'm comfortably past this marker and am not likely to slip back under because of an abberation, but this is the first time I've hit this weight for something close to 20 years.

I think I am going to allow myself a brief *smug* moment.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 7lb - 175lbs
Body fat: 23.5%
Total Weight Loss: 100lbs

Monday, March 19, 2007

Week 109

0.8lb gain.

Bollocks.

I thought I'd been on track this week, although it's been particularly tough.

There's been a subtle difference in the cravings this week. Whereas the past couple of weeks have been more the kind of physical addiction type, this week, especially since Friday has been almost purely emotional - wanting to eat to fill the void in the stomach and chest rather than satisfying teeth-gnashing munchies.

However, I can only think of one or 2 of the smallest of extra nibbles I've indulged in, which shouldn't account for a gain. So either I've been nibbling more and not been consciously aware of it or this is just one of those abberations where I have to think about the larger trend rather than the individual week's reading.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 10lb - 178lbs
Body fat: 23.5%
Total Weight Loss: 97lbs

Monday, March 12, 2007

Week 108

1.4lb loss!

Woohoo!

This finally gets me below my pre-Feastmas level and takes me down to the lowest weight since I started this quest.

It's not always been easy and there have been several times this week when I could easily have started chewing my own arm off, but the way I see it, another week or so and the severe cravings should ease off significantly.

Statistical significance:
I am now just 0.2lbs shy of the 7 stone weight loss mark


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 9.2lb - 177.2lbs
Body fat: 23.3%
Total Weight Loss: 97.8lbs

Monday, March 05, 2007

Week 107

2.6lb loss!

Wow, the last 2 week's weight gain has come off in one week. Over 2lbs in one week is the biggest drop in a single week for months and months.

Still, I'd have been surprised if I'd not lost anything as I have been on track all week with not a single slip-up.

It's not been easy, but I've been determined to get back under control. One of the things that was proved last Autumn was that our system gets easier if we can stick with it for about 3 weeks. Last November (Week 90) was really tough after an October of various meals out and celebrations. My body had to go through another withdrawal before I was able to get past the worst of the cravings.

Last week I determined that I was going to face down those demons for the next couple of weeks no matter what, and so far I have.

And there's a real difference between saying "I have to get through the next couple of weeks" rather than saying "I have to get rid of the next X-number of pounds". The knowledge that if I get past this stage then it WILL GET EASIER really helps the motivation.

The battle this week was not with the weight, it was with my determination which, in the end, it always is.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 10.6lb - 178.6lbs
Body fat: 23.5%
Total Weight Loss: 96.4lbs

Monday, February 26, 2007

Week 106

1.4lb gain.

Aw shite.

Well the only consolation with the weight gain this week is at least it came from a nice weekend away with my wife - coffees & shortbread in the afternoons, a meal out in the evening and a full English fry-up for breakfast.

But now the excuses are really all used up and I hope that next week will show a change in the direction of my weight.

Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 13.2lb - 181.2lbs
Body fat: 23.9%
Total Weight Loss: 93.8lbs

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Week 105

1.2lb gain.

Considering it was my daughter's birthday on Wednesday, and we were out for a big family meal on Thursday, and I was eating popcorn at the cinema on Friday, and my wife decided to make a fruit crumble for pudding last night because my stepson is down visiting, it's hardly surprising I put on what I'd lost the week before.

I'm out for a meal today too, but after that there are no excuses on the horizon, so it should be back to normal.

I am now past the 2nd anniversary (15th Feb) of the change to our eating lifestyle, and as promised, below are some photos that document the weight loss. It wasn't easy finding them because I'm usually the one behind the camera.

The first was taken in January 2005, one month before we began.

The second was taken in June 2005, when 4 months had passed and you can see the difference was quite noticeable. As with any change like this, you lose the weight quickest at the beginning, and at this point I had already lost over 40lbs

The third photo was taken at my father's birthday at the end of last September. Because of Christmas and various birthdays I'm only about 7lbs lighter now, so there's no noticeable difference in the face. However, I can wear my 34inch waist jeans now, whereas back then I was still wearing the 36s.


Changing faces

Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 11.8lb - 179.8lbs
Body fat: 23.9%
Total Weight Loss: 95.2lbs
.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Week 104

1.2lb loss!

I'm happy with that. It takes me to within half a pound of my pre-feastmas lowest point of 178.2lbs.

In 3 days time it will be the 2nd anniversary of when we began the change in eating.

When I add up all the times I've put on a pound or two (especially over 2 xmases) and had to take it off again, I find I've actually lost about 121lbs in the past 2 years - several pounds more than the hundredweight of the title of this blog. However because all these little pounds add up to about 25lbs, my nett loss to date is 96.4lbs.

Next week will be just past the 2nd anniversary, so I'll see if I can dig out some then & now photos.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 10.6lb - 178.6lbs
Body fat: 23.8%
Total Weight Loss: 96.4lbs

Monday, February 05, 2007

Week 103

Even.

To be honest, I'm a little disappointed in that. There have been struggles throughout the week, but I've pretty much had things under control. I was hoping to have continued the trend of the past couple of weeks, but apparently not.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 11.8lb – 179.8lbs
Body fat: 24.3%
Total Weight Loss: 95.2lbs

Monday, January 29, 2007

Week 102

1lb loss!

I'm pleased with the pound loss. It's been a tough week emotionally, with declining health issues for Maggie's parents and my own battles with trying to make sense of my existence in the universe.

There have been plenty of time that I've wanted to wolf down the entire contents of the fridge, freezer and food cupboards, but at the back of my head has been the voice that is determined to try and keep some kind of control. So on the couple occasions where I have indulged, I've managed to keep them contained, and I feel pleased about that.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb – 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 11.8lb – 179.8lbs

Body fat: 23.9%
Total Weight Loss: 95.2lbs

Monday, January 22, 2007

Week 101

1lb loss!

It's not been an easy week, but I have managed to stay on top of the cravings.

Always for me, the problem is stopping eating once I start. By far and away my greatest ally (beyond my wife, that is) is fruit & herbal tea. I'm a fan of the red fruit (strawberry, blackcurrent, raspberry etc) ones, with my favourite being blackberry. I can't stand perppermint or camomile, which is what everyone seems to have in their cupboards if I visit them and ask if they have anything without caffeine.

I boil the kettle and pour the water over a blackberry teabag just before I sit down to eat, so it's ready to drink straight after breakfast, at the end of lunch, after my dinner and in the middle of the evening after I've had an apple if I really need to snack.

This works well on a several of levels for me.

1. It delays the amount of time before I can put food back in my mouth, thereby allowing my brain to catch up with my stomach and realise it's eaten

2. It washes away any food bits left in the mouth that are continuing to trigger the cravings

3. As time has gone on, it has become a ritual of ceasing to eat. The more often I do it, the stronger it reinforces the signal to stop.

I should stress that these are "herbal infusions" and not flavoured teas, if you go looking for them in the supermarket.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb – 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 12.8lb – 180.8lbs
Body fat: 24.3%
Total Weight Loss: 94.2lbs

Monday, January 15, 2007

Week 100

1.4lb loss!

Back on track!

It's been a tough week but I'm delighted to have just scraped back under the 13 stone mark, which is a good place to be as I reach Week 100.

Writing week 100 feels a bit weird. Triple figures.

Just as well I wasn't expecting it to be a temporary diet.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 13.8lb - 181.8lbs
Body fat: 24.5%
Total Weight Loss: 93.2lbs

Monday, January 08, 2007

Week 99

0.2lb loss!!!

What the...

I was awake early this morning, so long before Maggie and I had our weigh-in I wrote a piece containing all my excuses for putting on more weight this week - so much for lines in the sand, the problems of out of control cravings following a fortnight of eating fattier, saltier and sugarier foods etc.

I was completely and utterly expecting to have put on weight this week; the only question was going to be how much.

And yet, here I am, 0.2 lbs lighter than last week. I do not understand.

There are 3 possibilities, one of which involves benign deities, so perhaps there are only 2.

The first is that my metabolism has speeded up with all the extra food, so I am in fact burning up more than usual. I know the metabolism can slow down when you reduce your food intake, so this might be a possibility.

The other is that it's not been as bad as it seems in my head. The reality is that while there have been at least 3 evenings of pure gluttony I probably still don't eat as much as I did in the days before the change in lifestyle, and I've been almost angelic through the daytime.

Could it be a combination of metabolism and an over inflated sense of what I've eaten, or has the same God that allows war, death, famine, torture, tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes and daytime soap operas taken time out of His busy schedule to allow me to eat a bit of extra chocolate and not pay the consequences?

Hmmm...


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb – 275lbs
Current Weight: 13st 1.2lb – 183.2lbs
Body fat: 24.0%
Total Weight Loss: 91.8lbs

Monday, January 01, 2007

Week 98

4.8lb gain!

Oh for F***'s sake.

I knew I'd put on a few pounds, but 5? This takes me up over the 13 stone mark and places me back where I was at the beginning of November.

Sigh

OK, I know this is the gorging season but I've tried to at least be aware of what I'm gorging. However, it's been the evening eating that has really taken its toll as old habits of out-of-control eating have returned.

By saying to myself "Hey, it's Christmas! It's OK if I eat snacks while watching TV or DVDs in the evening" I've set myself up to fall straight back into one of my worst battlegrounds. Not only is the evening the worst time of day to be eating, but it's when my resolve is at its lowest and trigger foods set off binges that can only end in feeling ill.

But no more. I draw a line in the sand right here and will not be moved! Today I return to a healthier way of being!

What's that? Maggie's going to make bacon and French Toast using a brioche loaf for lunch? And she's still got some goose fat left to cook the roast potatoes in for dinner tonight?

OK, tomorrow I draw a line in the sand and will not be moved...


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb – 275lbs
Current Weight: 13st 1.4lb – 183.4lbs
Body fat: 24.1%
Total Weight Loss: 91.6lbs