I started my “weight loss journey” late last year. After I got laid off in July, I managed to lose 20 lbs off my original 199, and I maintained a weight under 180 until this morning (180.2!).
How I got here? Well, once I hit a particular milestone (probably around 185) I stopped logging my meals into MyFitnessPal (it felt tedious), and I basically just ate reasonably well and walked 10K steps a day. “Reasonably well” for me meant making my own lunches, and most nights having a home-cooked veggie and some flesh (or vegan sausage). I also dance pretty vigorously twice a week, and occasionally go to a yoga class.
I started a new job two weeks ago, and frankly it’s been difficult to maintain the discipline I had when I was unemployed. For one, even though my commute is shorter and I told myself I’d make the time to prepare my own lunches, I haven’t. Two, there’s less free time in the day, and some nights I’m just exhausted. As a result, I’m eating more “prepared foods for the corporate worker” and I’m struggling to meet my 10K daily goal.
Often I have to force myself at night to go on a walk to reach the green bars (see image). I try to go on at least a 30 minute walk during lunch and then a shorter one on break, but my commute calls for virtually no walking, because I can jump on the subway around the corner, and arrive across the street from my office.
180 lbs is an arbitrary number, but I figure if I can maintain 179 or less, I’ve kept off 20 lbs from my original weight, and I’m happy enough with that. According to various weight loss formulas, my ideal weight is 155-165, but I just don’t see that happening. I’m willing to have somewhat of a “dad bod” as long as I’m not overweight. (To be at the top of the BMI range of “normal weight” for my height, I’d need to be 176. On a really good day I weighed that much.)
Anyway, I’m not thrilled to have crossed the 180 threshold, but it’s not the end of the world. I just have to recognize that given my more stagnant lifestyle as a corporate drone, I have to step up my game: make sure to reach my 10K step goals daily, and etch out some time on Sundays to prepare some lunches for the week.
Leave a Reply