Today is day 60 of the weight loss journey that I began on September 25th. As of this morning, I've lost a total of 59 lbs - just 1 lb from averaging a pound a day over an almost 2 month stretch. To say that I'm pleased would be an understatement; to say that I'm satisfied... Well, nothing could be further from the truth.
I can't claim to know how the next 60 days will go, or even the next 30 days, but I know that I have a plan that's been working, and that I possess the dietary knowledge and understanding of it's affect on my 39 year old body (a great contrast to my 19-25 year old body, let me tell ya) to tweak as is necessary.
With the continued increase to my aerobic and anaerobic capacity, I'm pushing my body much harder than I have been; the most obvious benefit to that is the intensity of both my cardio and weight training routines are steadily ramping up, and that I can feel and see the results. At this point, with my diet more or less dialed in, the ongoing evolution of my training routine will be ever more critical to my fitness gains in the days yet to come.
As the wife, kids and I travel first to my in-laws, then to my own family's gathering... When I'm presented with tempting platters of forbidden deliciousness... As I see everyone else's plate overloaded..
As I watch them gorge themselves on meats, pastas, potatoes, breads, casseroles, and desserts... I will reflect back on the number 271 - the beautiful number blinking up at me from the scale this morning - and I will make a modestly sized plate containing only the correct foods for my diet plan. I will balance my portion size and the ratios of macro-nutrients so as to meet my needs, and only for that purpose.
I will avoid the foods that I've been steadfastly avoiding for the past 2 months. I will deal with the questions, the bewilderment, the awkwardness. I will answer questions about my diet, my exercise routine, about how much I've lost, and wish to lose. I will reveal how there's no 'one weird trick' or 'magic routine'; that it's hard work, dedication, honesty, education, and consistency.
If pressed, I'll speak of refined sugars and carbs, of portion control, of empty belly cardio, of apple cider vinegar, of live cultures in yogurt, of drinking ridiculous amounts of water, of yoga, of free weights, of getting enough sleep.
I'll be ready for the quizzical looks and the doubtful retorts, and of the 'advice' that 'helped so-and-so' loose a ton of weight. I'll be ready for the attempts to persuade me to 'just try a little bit of that, I made it from scratch, just one bite won't hurt'. I'll be ready to politefully decline however often as the situation requires. I'll still have a travel bag packed with bottles of water, seeds, nuts, whole grains, and some protein; and I'll be ready for the reactions that will undoubtedly accompany me breaking it out, on schedule, to help me uphold what I hold to be true. The proof is the truth, and the truth is 271.
I will do what is needed to stay on the path, and I won't give it so much as a second thought.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. May this day be what you make of it.
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