Weight loss
To my surprise, I’ve managed to shed quite a few pounds over the past year. I started out around 193 pounds, which, on my 5 foot 10 frame (more like 5 foot 10 and 5/8, but who’s counting), put me on the pudgy side. And I felt pudgy. I was never quite happy with my appearance, how clothes fit, etc.
For the past few months, I’ve been hovering between 173 and 175 pounds, so I’ve dropped nearly 20. I’m feeling better. Leaner. I’ve still got a layer of winter coat, so to speak, but I always have. Plus, I’m 45 (or more like 45.76, but who’s counting) with a degenerative ankle condition. I didn’t expect to make it this far!
Here’s what that progress looked like:
I credit the progress to a few things, though the correlations are a bit fuzzy. First, I hit bottom of some sort. Maybe not rock bottom, but I felt like shit, and I decided one day to do something about it. I started eating better and drinking less alcohol.
Second, a factor I forgot to consider until just this week: I started taking ADHD meds. Methylphenidate, specifically. In hindsight, I think that really helped me resist cravings and stop eating out of boredom, or at least reduce that behavior substantially. I thought about that this week because I stopped taking the meds for a couple days as an experiment, and my willpower with food took a nose dive. I was all up in those tortilla chips.
Exercise is of course a factor. I bike commute to work and I have a treadmill desk at home. But, as the saying goes, you can’t outrun a bad diet. I see exercise as more of a mental and holistic health benefit than a weight loss strategy.
I’m out of time to write. I’ll close with this: I never thought I’d be able to stay at 180, let alone crack it. I tried and failed several times. If you’re in the same boat, keep trying, keep experimenting.
TTFA!