The Weight Loss Journey, 2022 Version

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It has been an ongoing struggle for years. That’s the truth.

And there were times that I just didn’t give a damn. And it shows.

I love my pasta, pizza, and burgers but they are probably killing me, at least at the rate I am eating them. I knew it was time to make a change but I have been down this road before. I even succeeded once or twice in reaching my goal weight.

I haven’t been happy with how I looked or felt for years. While this might sound like a corny New Year’s Resolution, it’s not. I needed to make a change for my health, and for my kids. I started about 2.5 weeks ago with a change to my diet.

Before I get into this blog post I should tell you I am far from a nutritionist or health expert. I just knew I had to make changes to feel better, so I did.

I should also point out I have been declined life insurance coverage because my A1C was high. I was able to find alternative coverage but couldn’t afford the benefits I wanted because of my type 2 diabetes. I am now on a mission to beat it and not let it control me.

I have also come to realize that I eat horribly when I am stressed out. A lot of sweets, carbs, and fried foods. Recognizing why you eat and what contributes to bad habits is the first step in making a change.

What Changes Did I Make?

The first thing I did was quit sugary goods cold turkey. No more cookies, cakes, cupcakes, or cannolis. I stopped eating ice cream and candy. This was one of the hardest things to do. I often stopped at a convenience store and grabbed water, 5-hour energy, and some kind of sugary product.

The irony was the 5-hour energy was because I was tired, sometimes exhausted. The sugary product was because I was stressed, and caused me to feel tired to a point where I felt I needed a nap. The struggle was real.

I started taking multivitamins late last year to help build up my immunity during the pandemic. Also ironic is two weeks after I started taking them I caught COVID-19. I am still taking them and they have definitely helped me feel healthier. It’s an affordable way to build up immunity and increase your energy naturally.

I take GNC Mega Men every morning.

I used to eat a bowl of oatmeal every morning, with a tablespoon of peanut butter. I love peanut butter. Peanut butter is loaded with sugar though so I cut this out in the morning and now drink a smoothie with fruits and vegetables. When I can find a peanut butter not loaded with sugar that still tastes good I will probably go back to oatmeal in the morning.

I eat a healthy-sized lunch loaded with veggies and usually chicken or fish. I have cut out red meat for now. And dinner is usually a protein shake or meal replacement shake.

Most importantly the sugary snacks have been eliminated. If I feel the need for something sweet I will eat a granola bar or something along those lines.

I have been on a water-only diet for years and drink at least a gallon almost daily. This is not a challenge for me. I did not have to cut soda or juices because I was not drinking them anyway. I can tell you when I first stopped drinking soda I lost a lot of weight very quickly.

I also eat very few carbs now. I haven’t been eating pasta at all which is very difficult for me. I don’t eat bread or rice. I substitute it with Quinoa. This is the brand my wife usually makes. It’s good and I don’t miss eating rice at all because of it.

There are days that there is not enough time between the kid’s school and their activities to make dinner so I will treat them to fast food. I used to eat it too but have completely cut that out as well. This is something I am working to eliminate from their diet too. I will blog about that at some point down the road but I do notice a difference in attitude when they eat it.

How Is It Going?

It was hard to get started but it is getting easier now. I don’t have as many cravings as I did when I started. I am learning to drink more water when I feel the urge to eat a snack and to handle stress a different way, one of them is getting back to this website.

The worst part of the day tends to be the end of the day. I typically go from 5:30 am to 11 pm every day between the businesses and the kid’s activities I don’t have a lot of time so snacks always seemed necessary. I am so busy until after the kids go to bed that I don’t usually pay attention to snacks until then. Then I realize I am hungry and want a snack but I don’t eat after 6 pm now.

I definitely lost weight but I don’t know how much. My scale is broken but I went down a belt size. I also have more energy and cut down on the amount of 5-hour energy I take.  For instance, I have not had any today. There were some days I was drinking one every 5 hours.

There are days that there is not enough time between the kid’s school and their activities to make dinner so I will treat them to fast food. I used to eat it too but have completely cut that out as well. This is something I am working to eliminate from their diet too. I will blog about that at some point down the road but I do notice a difference in attitude when they eat it.

What Are The Results?

As I mentioned already I have not been keeping track of my weight. I do feel better with fewer aches and pains already. I definitely have more energy. My shirts are starting to fit better and I went down a belt size so there are some measurable differences.

The increase in energy leads me to believe my A1C is also lower but I do not have a way to measure that at home. I am planning to get a physical soon.

I have a long way to go and just today I started doing some exercise. I did a few push-ups. If you read this blog then you know I was running for a while, until I got injured. I want to get back to running at some point but the gym is too crowded in the COVID world, it’s winter so outside is not ideal, and my treadmill broke. But soon hopefully. I will continue to increase what I can at home.

In short, eating better foods, less food, taking in more vitamins, fruits, and vegetables has improved my overall mood, energy and has helped me to lose weight.

I have some weights at home that I can start lifting with again. I will also be purchasing this adjustable dumbbell soon (look for a review).

 

They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. I have taken a few steps in the right direction now so hopefully, I can reach that destination.

One thing I will tell the younger generations (I am Gen-X) is to take care of their body at a young age. Avoid junk and fast food. Don’t drink soda, etc… It is so much harder to lose weight and get healthier as you get older.  I have successfully completed this journey before only to get off the treadmill and start eating horribly again. It gets harder every time.