Thin Living

By October of 2008, I hit the end of my diet. I weighed between 204 and 207, depending on the day. Keeping the weight off is now the battle. I live on the scale, constantly keeping myself between the numbers. My decision is to be no higher than 207. It isn’t an easy thing, particularly in the summer when the family get-togethers seem to increase geometrically. Vacations are tough. Hot days make exercise a chore. But you have to push through.

I had an interesting dilemma and it has impacted the diet the last couple of weeks. I was kayaking on a river in New Hampshire and the kayak capsized. As I was body surfing the rapids in 50 degree water, I must have hit my knee hard on a rock. I was ok for about a day, until the pain kicked in. The cold (or the beer we were drinking all weekend) kept me from truly understanding the extent of the damage. Suffice it to say I have not been able to walk well or run at all. If you have been following this blog, you know that I have stressed that diet and exercise have to go hand-in-hand with a life that is going to include ‘thinness.’ Going two weeks without exercise was worse than the soreness in my leg.

I cut down on my food intake. I was hoping the injury would be short lived. I was real conscious of the number on the scale. It hovered around 206-207 for the whole time. Then at the end of the two weeks…disaster.

My boss decided that we needed a morale boost and we threw a barbeque at work during Friday lunch for about 2 hours. I ate a lot more than I should have. Lots of carbs. Carbs go in easy, taste great, and absorb water in your body. This makes the weight go on and if you don’t exercise, it stays on. Normally, I would have gone home and exercised. I couldn’t and didn’t. Also, because I hadn’t exercised in two weeks, my metabolism had to be going real slow. Those calories just got absorbed right into my system. I had a salad on Friday night, and a few beers.

The next day, worse than a barbeque, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law invited me to go to the Jimmy Buffet concert in Mansfield, MA. Ever been to one of these? It is not so much a concert as it is a food and alcohol driven block-party with a tiny concert jammed in at the end. Food. Drink. Food. Drink. Food. Food. Drink. Drink. Drink. 12 noon to 10:30PM at night. Sunday morning around noon I hopped on the scale.

213. Ouch. Big Ouch. I haven’t been North of 209 since last October.

So. What to do? No cheating. No booze. Exercise. Daily. Get the weight back to where it is supposed to be.

Sunday night, 3 miles on the treadmill on the bad knee. It actually didn't feel bad. Apparently if I don't twist on it and stay in a forward motion, I am OK. Monday morning, 211. Monday night, 4 miles on the treadmill. Again, the knee is fine. Tuesday morning, 209. Tonight, mowed the lawn with push mower, 3 miles on the treadmill. Scale says 207 tonight...it WILL be less tomorrow.

I am going to keep going this way for the rest of the week. I have to get back to the range...there is no other option. Wish me luck...will keep you updated.

Next: Your new life...don't let vacation mess you up.