Week 158

1.8lb loss!

Woohoo! I'll take that with a smile.

I expected to lose something as I've been on track virtually all week (we'll ignore that Cornetto on Saturday and the scone last Monday), but I wasn't expecting such a drop. This takes me back under the 13 stone mark.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 13lb - 181lbs
Body fat: 25.2%
Total Weight Loss: 94lbs

Week 157 - Starting year 4

1.6lb gain.

Not the most auspicious start to my 4th year of healthy eating, and a reminder that this is a lifestyle, and never was a short-term diet.

This past year has essentially been one of maintenance. I am in fact about 4lbs heavier than I was 12 months ago, but given that it has been an extreme year emotionally, and my default reaction to stress is still to want to stuff my face, then not have put on more weight is actually quite an achievement.

The medical establishment has decided that the diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is the right one, which means upping my activity levels as a way of losing further weight is not a good idea. My energy has to be balanced and I have to avoid boom-and-bust style activity.

However, after 6 months of playing around with different kinds of anti-depressants at different dosages, my Depression is now finally under control. This doesn't mean I don't get stressed and don't what to stuff my face, only that I don't get walloped by extreme feelings out of the blue with no warning anymore, so that's one thing less to have to fight against.

One other thing that occured to me this morning was that my wife and I had taken our eyes off the future. When we set out on our quest, we had a clear vision of happier, healthier selves to focus on and help us fight some of the worst cravings.

But with various crises this year, especially the CFS, we have been treading water where the future is concerned. To mix analogies, we have been constantly firefighting and have had precious little time to look at the direction we wanted to go.

The upshot of this is when faced with, say, a buttery scone, the reaction has been "Do I have this scone or not? - I feel lousy, I really want it so I'm going to have it" rather than "Do I have this scone and satisfy a short term desire, or not have it and so take a further step towards a happier, healthier future?"

When stuck in the present, long term goals and aspirations fail to be any part of your armoury.

Of course I was most of the way through a buttery scone (with jam) in the cafe with my wife when I this occured to me...

Still, it was a valuable insight.

Here's to a happier, healthier future. Let's celebrate by not having a cake :)


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 13st 0.8lb - 182.08lbs
Body fat: 25.5%
Total Weight Loss: 92.2lbs

Week 156

0.6lb gain

Well it was my stepdaughter's birthday on Wednesday, and the anniversary of my mother's death on Friday so the eating was a little haywire.

It's my daughter's 10th birthday this Thursday so I daresay I won't be losing anything this week either.

Still, could have been worse.


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 13.2lb - 181.2lbs
Body fat: 25.3%
Total Weight Loss: 93.8lbs

Week 155

0.4lb loss

Same again.

It is gratifying to know that when I stay on track the weight comes off. This means that if things go awry with pancake day tomorrow, my step-daughter's birthday on Wednesday and my daughter's birthday next week, it's not the end of the world.

And given that the rest of the time should be more or less OK, everything feels under control.

Which is an enjoyable, if rare, feeling.


And I'd also like to say Welcome Back Sir Squishy :)


Starting Weight: 19st 9lb - 275lbs
Current Weight: 12st 12.6lb - 180.6lbs
Body fat: 24.5%
Total Weight Loss: 94.4lbs