Sub-170
Yesterday I got below 170 pounds for the first time since...oh, I don't know...1995. For those of you who don't know (or care), I've been a pretty stringent low-carber since June of 2004. After watching my weight balloon from 179 to as high as 187 despite my pretty intense workout regimen over 2000-2003, I looked long and hard at my diet. With inspiration from Jerry Liu at work, mom and my love handles, I set out to try the Atkins-esque lifestyle.
One of the biggest culprits for my gelatinous weight gain was my work schedule. After working late 3 or 4 nights a week, I usually ate late, too. I thought I was being good by only having a bowl of cereal before I went to sleep, say at 10 or 11. What I later realized was that eating carb-rich, milk-laden cereal was probably the worst thing to eat right before going to sleep. That stopped immediately.
In addition to going low-carb, getting my work schedule under control has helped. I've been eating at regular hours, and that has definitely contributed to my turnaround. I have given up most bread in favor of low-carb wraps, dismissed milk and cereal completely (a tough one), and kicked Saturday morning donuts to the curb. I have actually reintroduced red meat into my diet sparingly (after I gave up burgers in about 1993) for want of some food of substance. Even those are lettuce-wrapped.
Frankly, my ability to be satisfied with a diet of about 4 to 5 items works to my advantage. All those times as a child being told to "try new things" were actually just making me fat, I see it so clearly now. If I had just stayed with a strict PB&J and pop-tarts diet since age 5, I'd probably be on the cover of Men's Health by now ;)
The most amazing thing about doing low-carb has been my complete avoidance of pop. Even though I had limited my intake to one soda a day and a few on the weekends since about 2002, it was still one of my most unconscious vices. Considering each one packs 50+ carbs (more than I take in now in total per day), the logic of giving it up was hard to deny. I have officially only had two root beers since Fathers Day of last year. That impresses me. I drink water like it is being fed intravenously.
I feel flat and generally good. My skin fits better. I have found the groove of my 1993-96 workout period when being in shape inspired other beneficial activities...regular flossing, crap like that. :) It's definitely a better state of mind to be in. Although I don't do the insane cardio workouts I did back then, I still feel great.
I thought I'd jot this down if for no other reason than to give myself a virtual pat on the back. Everybody have a CarbSmart peanut-butter, double toffee crunch mega protein bar on me!
One of the biggest culprits for my gelatinous weight gain was my work schedule. After working late 3 or 4 nights a week, I usually ate late, too. I thought I was being good by only having a bowl of cereal before I went to sleep, say at 10 or 11. What I later realized was that eating carb-rich, milk-laden cereal was probably the worst thing to eat right before going to sleep. That stopped immediately.
In addition to going low-carb, getting my work schedule under control has helped. I've been eating at regular hours, and that has definitely contributed to my turnaround. I have given up most bread in favor of low-carb wraps, dismissed milk and cereal completely (a tough one), and kicked Saturday morning donuts to the curb. I have actually reintroduced red meat into my diet sparingly (after I gave up burgers in about 1993) for want of some food of substance. Even those are lettuce-wrapped.
Frankly, my ability to be satisfied with a diet of about 4 to 5 items works to my advantage. All those times as a child being told to "try new things" were actually just making me fat, I see it so clearly now. If I had just stayed with a strict PB&J and pop-tarts diet since age 5, I'd probably be on the cover of Men's Health by now ;)
The most amazing thing about doing low-carb has been my complete avoidance of pop. Even though I had limited my intake to one soda a day and a few on the weekends since about 2002, it was still one of my most unconscious vices. Considering each one packs 50+ carbs (more than I take in now in total per day), the logic of giving it up was hard to deny. I have officially only had two root beers since Fathers Day of last year. That impresses me. I drink water like it is being fed intravenously.
I feel flat and generally good. My skin fits better. I have found the groove of my 1993-96 workout period when being in shape inspired other beneficial activities...regular flossing, crap like that. :) It's definitely a better state of mind to be in. Although I don't do the insane cardio workouts I did back then, I still feel great.
I thought I'd jot this down if for no other reason than to give myself a virtual pat on the back. Everybody have a CarbSmart peanut-butter, double toffee crunch mega protein bar on me!
posted by JabberDrew at 1:01 PM
2 Comments:
I was sub-170 once. I think it was 1980 and I was in the 8th grade.
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