My weight today was 256.8 lbs. That’s almost 20 lbs more than a year ago. That’s unacceptable. There are a few factors – and I have some ideas to combat them.
Goals
I still intend to get down to 175 lbs. Anything under 200 is great, but 175 is still the goal. I need to lose 7 lbs a month. That will get me to my goal weight before the end of 2014. It’ll also have me solidly under 200 for Gravel Grovel in November.
Accountability
I started this blog to be accountable. I’ve lost track of that. I no longer weigh daily. I don’t track my calories. I’ve been soft on goal-setting.
I’m weighing again every morning and will be updating my weight page. I may even start the progress photos again – even though I’ve gained weight and a few years.
Food
I don’t believe food is the biggest issue right now. I’ll need to watch what I eat, but in some ways, my eating isn’t bad at home. I do poorly when I go out to eat, but Diane prefers we eat at home most days. If I continue to gain weight I’ll start tracking calories again.
Beer
This is the big one. I’ve dilly-dallied around this one. I love beer. Not just drinking it, but tasting it, talking about it, and trying new beer. I’ve considered giving it up entirely. Normally, just cutting back works for a while, then I slip back into old habits, so I need something new.
I’ve thought of something that will control my consumption, and allow me to further enjoy the beer. Beer Tickets. I’ve printed out a sheet of seven tickets – each good for one beer. I get a new batch of tickets every Sunday. The tickets expire that Saturday night so I can’t hoard them.
I can have one beer a day, or seven all at once for the week. I’ll probably drink a couple a few nights a week.
How will I enjoy the beer more? The tickets are mostly blank. I write the name of the beer, where I had it, what I paid for it, and what I think about it. I can review it later to determine what beers I prefer, or what I drink too much of, and tell me when it’s time to branch out.
If seven beers per week turns out to be too much, I’ll drop the number down.
This is the beginning of the year. It is effective immediately. I’ve had no beer today, so I have my seven tickets, but three are already crossed out due to the “partial week” so far this year.
A ticket is good for a normal size beer. An 8, 12, 16, or 22oz pour is all “normal”. A can or bottle is normal. A monster 32oz beer from the Mexican restaurant is two beer tickets – and not really worth it.
Exercise
I need more fast bike rides. I generally plod along at a leisurely pace now. That’s fine for getting to work, but I need to step it up to burn calories. I need to get faster to feel better on longer rides.
I need to branch out and do some strength training. Maybe Diane and I could do a little running. These are not new ideas. I’ve been trying for over six years now.
Depression
I’ve suffered with depression pretty badly over the last year. In April I started an anti-depressant. It worked for a while, then it didn’t. I quit taking it. I’ve since started taking a different one with mixed results. I’m still taking it. Cutting back on alcohol could be hugely helpful here. Easing the depression helps me control overeating and drinking too much.
Habits
I’m in the habit of going out to eat and drink. Diane and I need to build habits of doing healthy things together. When we ride the tandem together, it’s usually to ride to a restaurant, bar, or party. We need to change that.
Happy New Year
I don’t know why we make changes with the new year. Wouldn’t it make sense to do it on your birthday? I dunno, but it’s time to change.
I hope your beer solution works for you. Starting today, I’m 90 days alcohol free. I entered a weight loss competition at work. In order to be my most successful, I need to be alcohol free. I did it last year with alcohol, but my eating was sloppy as a result and it was harder than it needed to be.
I did read another comment elsewhere in your blog. I remember the time I gave up beer all summer. Not because I wanted to give up beer, but because it interfered with training for my bike riding. I couldn’t get up and ride 30 miles at 5:00 AM if I drank the night before. I wanted to do that so I could do some longer rides by the end of the summer. It worked. Not because my goal was go give up beer, but because beer interfered with achieving my other goals.
BTW, I gave up on anxiety meds (which are also an anti-depressant) after about 2 weeks when I was taking them. The side effects were worse than the anxiety. I hated them. I hope you find one that works for you.
I only recently started drinking to the point of making it difficult to get up in the morning. It’s more about the calorie intake – Yet that has prevented me from doing things I want. I bailed on Gravel Grovel in November. I was too fat to race without suffering too much.
I had a small amount of beer on New Years Eve (before my new plan took effect). I had none yesterday. I’m not feeling well today, so I won’t be having any today either.
Good luck, Dave. Your beer ticket idea is intriguing, I hope it works. I should do a martini ticket plan, myself. Sigh. It’s so hard to give up enjoyable things, isn’t it? It’s tough to feel deprived in the present for the sake of feeling better in the future. But it must be done, so we will soldier on with our new healthy plans! We can do this!
Unfortunately, for some reason as I get older almost any amount of alcohol makes it more difficult to get up in the morning. It seems that I get really dehydrated even with small amounts.
Granted, I never drink just 1 – 2 beers in a sitting, unless I’m at a restaurant.
I admire your honesty and accountability. I like beer too.
So you know those 7 beers a week are the equivalent of a full day of calorie allocation.
long term behavior change is tough. good luck on the health journey.