Week 12 End - Adapt and Overcome

It was a good week in some respects and a tough week in others. I met my weight loss goal for the week, but my workout schedule has suffered. I lost a total of 4 lbs for the week, bringing my total loss so far to 47, which is outstanding. It's great when you can see progress of this type (and it doesn't happen every week). I am extremely pleased with that. I am excited to be closing in on the halfway mark of this year's goal and the 1/3 mark for my total goal.

Where my disappointment has come in, is that for the first time since I started to the gym on 2/8/16, I have missed 3 days in a row. Today, being Easter Sunday, is of course excusable, as the gym is not open. Friday and Saturday, I just couldn't do it. I have managed to get a miserable cold (initially thought it was allergies). It has just sapped my strength so entirely that a workout was out of the question. I left a charity motorcycle ride early on Saturday, because my head closed up so completely, that I could only breath through my mouth. I have been able to keep my calorie count under my allowances, but I'm missing out on the bonus calorie burn the workouts have been giving me. Hopefully this thing will run its course quickly and I can get back to normal.

It's a little frightening to go near our kitchen today. My wife is cooking a feast that is as big as anything we've had for Thanksgiving or Christmas (both before I started this journey). What makes it so scary is that it's all my favorites. It is going to be very hard to control my eating later today. I do plan to go out for an hour walk later in order to burn off some of the calories. I hope my cold will cooperate.

I had a very up and down week at the gym this week. I think because I was getting sick, some days were just extremely tough.

Monday, I had the best workout I think I've had to date. In my hour I was able to add two miles to my average distance from previous weeks. That was the high mark.

On Tuesday, I struggled with every step. I put in 1/2 hour on my machine of choice (the recumbent elliptical) and was still struggling so much, I changed up and moved to a tread mill for the second 1/2 hour. I intend to start transitioning to more walking in order to prepare for the upcoming Color Walk/Run in June. But, it was more a matter of just not being able to put the time in on the other machine that had me change over.

Wednesday was very tough again until about the 30 minute mark. I think at that point I had sweated this thing out enough, that all of the sudden I was able to get in gear and finish strong.

Thursday was a mediocre day. I mostly went through the motions. I got the workout and the steps in, but it was all very hard. I was glad that I did drag myself to the gym in the end.

The weekend has been a total wash. My good intentions and desire have just not met up with the physical ability to get the workout in. As I am typing this, I am having sweats, and the house is only about 73*.

It's very important that I push through this and continue to work hard on this journey. I really hope to be able to announce at next weekend's weigh in that I have passed the 50 lb. mark. I need 3 more lbs. to do this, and normally I would be very confident. I'm just a little worried at this point because of the missed workouts and the illness, that I may not hit the mark. In any case, it will surely fall soon.

I will say it was very uplifting to have many people noticing and mentioning my weight loss this past week. For the first time since I started this journey, it seems that it is finally noticeable. This effort is not about recognition, it's about reclaiming my life. But, it is very encouraging when people see you and realize that something is happening. This IS about transformation, and the fact that there are finally visible signs of that transformation out there is very heartening. Of course there is a very long way to go, and it is not going to get any easier. But, this is a lifestyle change. I'm in for the long haul and for those who have been so encouraging.... You ain't seen nothin' yet!

For your entertainment. Here is a collage of pictures over the last 3 months. It will only get more interesting from here.

Progress as of 3/27/2016