20 Pounds Down!

I started on Weight Watchers Online for Men on January 24th, 2013 and weighed in at 260lbs. I had just gotten bigger and bigger, again, and that 260lbs mark was the straw that broke the camel’s back. It was time for me to do something!

I’ve tried Lose It! and MyFitnessPal over the past couple of years. Lose It! was great and I lost 20 or so pounds on it, but gained it back when I got tired of playing the calorie counting game. MyFitnessPal was more recent. The app was great with its bar code scanner and expansive food database, but I suffered from the same problem. I was just playing a game with the calorie counting, and not really being honest with myself.

So, I started off on Weight Watchers with a new goal — learning how to eat. Yes, learning how to eat. More vegetables, lean means, less carbohydrates, less processed foods, more fruits. No more pizzas after a long run, no more drinking a six pack of craft beer, etc. I CAN still eat all that stuff, but I pay for it with the higher PointsPlus values of the food, so I’ve been choosing not to. I can have a couple beers and a slice of pizza — it’s about moderation.

And accountability. I need that app to hold me accountable. The problem I had with calorie counting was the guilty feeling when I’d go over my calories for the day. Weight Watchers helps me with that by giving me a weekly points bucket that I can borrow from. So if I use all my daily points, then I can use a few weekly points and still be on the plan. Those backup points, though I’ve never had to use them, have really been helpful for me. It’s something in the back of my mind that I can use as a crutch to keep my eating on track.

As of Friday, April 5, 2013, I am down 20 pounds exactly! My clothes fit better, my pants are looser, and I am eating far better than before. I went to lunch with my mom today and instead of having a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich I had a grilled chicken salad. And I enjoyed it. I am eating a lot more fruit — those “cuties” oranges are awesome little snacks. And I like bananas. And grapes. And I’ve bought more bags of frozen vegetables over the past two months that I have in my entire life I think. This isn’t a diet or calorie game for me; it’s my new way of eating, being accountable, and being honest with myself.

I’d like to get down to the 200lbs range, maintain that, then see how I look and feel before I decide if I should continue on.

What’s this have to do with running? Simple — I’ll have less weight pounding on my legs so I’ll be injured less and running faster. I’m looking forward to my running hobby becoming more enjoyable.