3 More to Go

I’m just three pounds away from hitting my goal weight and stopping this infernal diet. Two years ago I was a bulky, weighty, (seemingly) muscular, 248 pounds. Some days a bit more. I blame too much eating, the creative I tried, and other sundry things. Now, I’m at 208 and I’m hoping to hit 205 by next week. Slimmer, trimmer, and hopefully just as strong and fit as before. 

I want to go on record . . . Because I’ve heard from others about a new diet pill that stops cravings . . . That that is NOT how I was able to manage my weight loss. 

I’ve lost this much and more weight before. I was 270, . . . Almost 280 as a junior and high school. I lost almost 90 pounds over a year by being a vegan. I tried that again, and boy this time, at this point in my life, it didn’t work.

My brother called and told me that he had looked into the craving diet pill, I guess it’s called Lumen. Apparently my sister in law has been using it to great effect. My brother was turned down by his doctor for it’s use due to our shared history of thyroid cancer in our family. But, again, I am not using it. 

I’ve never taken the pill(s) to improve who I am. There were guys in the Rangers who took steroids. I never did. And you know what, they might have looked stronger, but when we went out on missions, they were the ones falling out, and I was plodding on. Hell, Corporal Rowe who worked for me was taking steroids, ripped fuel, creatin, just about every chemical to try and keep up with me on runs! (He never could). I see it as a crutch. A quick win that yields results without the hard work needed to retain the results. 

So if not Lumen, and not veganism, how did I lost 40 pounds? 

Mostly calorie deficit. I tried fasting for a while, that didn’t work, but then I hooked up with Margaret who is a diet coach and she helped a ton. I ate 6 times a day, just 100 calories each time, enough to never feel too terribly hungry. Then one meal that was about 800 calories, and I had to weigh and measure that sucker so my stomach could shrink. Plus it was all mostly protein, the 6 meals all day and the one meal at night, all mostly protein. 

That’s it. I didn’t have to workout more. In fact when I really wanted to lose weight and get over the hump, I wouldn’t work out. It screws up the calculus of how lay 1500 calories a day. 

Oh and for that initial 25-30 pounds I talked to Margaret all the time. The first three weeks she called every day to check on me. Then twice a week. Then once a week. She was a great accountability partner. 

So the point? 

I almost feel too skinny now. But I’m about to hit 50 years old and I’d rather be too skinny than bulky when I hit 50. Plus, I’m doing much better on my fun run races. Even came in first in one! Worth the effort.