Week 37 - Progress

Well, it's another week down, and another week of positive results.  This week I lost 1.5 pounds, to weigh 273.6 pounds total for an overall loss of 60.3 pounds.  I suppose this goes to show that if I stick to my workout plan and continue to track what I eat (and make smart choices where I can), the results will happen.  I just need to be patient.

60 pounds down is a fantastic result, and I am extremely happy to be here.  But I can't help but look at the flip side of that number, namely, that I still have more than 108 pounds to lose.  Put another way, that's an entire gymnast's worth of weight that still needs to go.  The thought of that is depressing, so I am instead going to focus on the 60 pounds that is gone, which is the weight of a small child. 

To reframe the focus on the good results, let's look at a graph showing my weight lost since I started this journey:

It's not all smooth, and I don't lose every week, but the overall trend is definitely down.  And my weight is significantly down from where I was.  I have lost 18% of my starting body weight, and 36% of my overall weight loss target. 

I am generally feeling pretty good, physically.  My left knee is still dodgy when I am walking, but mostly only when I am thinking about the mechanics of walking, so if I can just stop thinking about my knee possibly giving out, I will likely have a better time with it.  My back is almost entirely back to normal, thank god.  I do not do well with back pain, and having a sore back for a mere week and a half was a reminder of how physically compromised I was before I started working out. 

My fasting blood sugars were high all this week, which was disappointing.  Not super high, like they were before, but consistently in the 6.3-6.4 mmol/L range.  Since I haven't changed my diet at all this week, I am not sure what it triggering this.  Perhaps there is something in the Rogan Josh curry that I have been eating all week that is setting me off?  Not sure, but it's something we'll have to watch for next week. 

I donated blood this morning, and it was a fun experience - - all the staff at the clinic are very nice, and I left with a feeling of goodwill (and just a little tipsiness).  I did not bleed as quickly as I have in the past, but that is perhaps due to the fact that I have a much lower resting heart rate - - at 60 bpm there are simply fewer beats to push out the blood.  I have to accept that it is not a competition, and leave it at that.  There is no prize for being the fastest bleeder, and in fact, holding on to my blood is probably a good survival skill if I ever get cut or stabbed, if you think about it. 

So, the objectives for this week are to keep doing what I am doing, and stick to my workout and eating plan as much as possible.  This weekend is Thanksgiving here in Canada, so there will be the obligatory turkey dinner at my parents' house this Sunday.  It is also my nieceling's 8th birthday, and there will be 2 - count them - 2 different cakes to avoid.  My mother does birthdays to excess, but it's fun, so we run with it. 

I will have to try not to get discouraged if I do not lose weight this week, what with all the turkey, gravy and cake around.