A Major Milestone

I remember the moment well.

Andy was 2 years old, and so it would have been about 13 years ago.

My nephew Jared and I had gotten an apartment together... I can't remember how the conversation came up, but the topic of weight was being discussed.

Jared was looking a little "husky" those days, but I was shocked when he told me something along the lines of "I remember when I passed 200 pounds, that was kinda scary!" I couldn't believe he weighed more than 200 pounds! I mean, that was the realm of really fat people!! I quietly passed judgement on him, and felt very smug that I hadn't ever seen a 200 or greater reading on a scale. (it hadn't occurred to me that maybe - just maybe - that was because I hadn't stepped on a scale in a few many years.

Then a few weeks after that conversation, I was at a relative's house (either my mom's, or my sister Karen's) and I noticed a scale in the bathroom. Remembering that conversation with Jared, I stepped on, and was stunned, shocked, awestruck and gobsmacked to see that I had joined Jared in the 200+ club.

And just like Jared's tale to me, it was scary, but I didn't really get motivated to do anything about it. It just was what it was. And there are SO many ways you can justify something like that! Pretty soon the shock wears off, and you just kinda resign yourself that you're going to be there. I had been a fat kid before shooting up in height between 7th and 8th grade, and I did NOT like the idea of returning to that status, so I tricked myself by learning how to pose when looking in a mirror, masking the truth - if I can fool myself, I can fool anyone, right??

Sure, it worked in mirrors for the most part. But cameras were not forgiving. I'd think I was doing okay, then we'd get the proofs from the latest family pictures back, and YIKES! Who's the fat guy!??!

Real motivation came a couple years ago. I have a mole/sunspot/expanded freckle on my back that my wife and my mother were just sure was cancerous. Cindy convinced me that I should go to the doctor... It had been a good ten years since I'd been to the doctor! When I weighed in to start the appointment, their official reading of my gravitational impact on their scales was a whopping 245 pounds.

I. Was. Mortified.

Over the course of that appointment, the doctor said that there was most likely nothing to worry about with the skin thing... But scheduled a follow up to have it removed. He also ordered all the blood tests that would be expected after a decade of self-guided medicine. At the next appointment, my weight was again around the 245 point, and as he was killing me with pain carefully removing my skin blemish, casually mentioned that I have a thyroid problem too.

THIS IS WHY I NEVER WENT TO THE DOCTOR!!! My thyroid was PERFECTLY FINE until I started having blood tests and checkups!!

Well, he told me that it only meant I needed to take a pill every morning, and that it could be a contributing factor to my weight problem, my heartburn, and energy levels.

OK. So now the doctor is calling my weight a problem. I guess it's time to do something about it.

And thus began my on-again, off-again fitness program. I decided right up front, that I wasn't going to do any gimmicky diets or programs, but would blaze my own revolutionary weight loss trail.

My Earth-shattering concept??

EAT LESS! EXERCISE MORE!

I know, I know... That's crazy talk! But it showed early results!! By my next checkup, my weight was down to the 230-235 range, and it felt good! My energy level was doing better, and the blood tests showed that the thyroid medicine was working well.

Since then, I've tried to stay consistent. And I've been very consistent with my inconsistent behavior! Two years ago I hit 212, and was so excited to be within striking distance of 210... But it was not to be. Vacation, schedule changes, lack of discipline, and I wound up back at 220, 225... 212 was really a hard line to cross. I'd reached it several times, but COULD NOT pass it.

Until a couple months ago, when I finally saw 210 looking back at me from the scale! The biggest change was that now I had a real accountability group, some guys I play racketball with on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. That way, even if I miss my lunchtime workouts, I was guaranteed - and accountable - to get two good workouts in each week.

Two weeks ago I was heavily flirting with the 200 mark. It would be 201, then back up to 205.

Last Friday I saw 199.8! WOO HOO!!! Ran upstairs, grabbed the camera, got back on the scale...

202.4.

WHAT?!?!! Grrrrrrrr......

This week started off at 199 again, but I decided to not get too excited until I'd held it for a couple days. Yesterday was 197..

And Today??

YES!!

I feel I can safely say that I have finally broken through the 2 Century mark, and am on my way to my next mini-goal, which is 190 by July 4th.

Wish me luck!! And Willpower!!

Although results like this really do create their own willpower!