Achievement of the week/month/year May 16, 2009
Posted by downwithabsolutes in Personal Bidness.trackback
It’s been a while since I’ve updated you on my diet. I guess it’s as good a time as any to let you know of my success. It seems Delaware’s Big Fat Losers may become a thing of the past. I really don’t update it much, as I’ve been focusing mostly on this blog.
Anyhow, just to update: In the first three months since I began my Weight Watchers journey, I’ve lost an astonishing 50.6 pounds! Yes! Yes! Yes! Let me repeat, because I think it’s so awesome: I’ve lost 50.6 pounds! In 12 weeks! There’s no stopping this (morbidly obese) locomotive! I started this battle at 349 pounds. Yes…349 pounds! I most recently weighed-in at an astonishing 298 pounds. This is, honestly, the lightest I’ve been in at least a decade and I feel great. Just being UNDER 300 pounds is the best feeling one can have.
Continuing my numbers crunch:
- I’ve lost, on average, about 4 pounds per week. My lowest one-week total was 2.2 pounds back in March. My highest one-week loss was 7.8 pounds, again in March.
- My BMI (body mass index) was a frighteningly high 44% when I started in February. In short, that means that my complete human body was nearly half fat!!! I’ve recently recalculated and my BMI is now 37%. That’s a decrease by 7 percentage points! A healthy BMI for a guy like me is between 20-25%. My goal is to get to, at the highest, 25% by Christmas. I think this is a goal I can definitely reach.
- I still haven’t gone new-clothes shopping. Doesn’t interest me at this point. I’m happy finding “in-between” clothes at this point. The shirts I wore three months ago are noticeably larger and my slacks are EMBARRASSINGLY bigger. I don’t know if my trick of poking additional holes in my belt will last much longer!
- When I started Weight Watchers, I was such a huge MF’er that I maxed-out on the program’s Points. I was entitled 44 Points a day, which is a ridiculous amount of food. Only once I got below 300 pounds did my Points FINALLY recalculate. I now get 43 Points per day. I will lose one Point as I decrease in decades (ie. go from 290s to 280s to 270s etc.)
- Exercise has certainly played a key role in this weight loss. Being underemployed has allowed me great flexibility in my work-out routine. When I first started, I was LITERALLY exercising seven days a week for at least two hours. Well, after doing some research, I found that exercising so many days for so many hours may not actually be healthy. So, I’ve cut back to about five days a week for at least two hours at a time. The weight is still melting away and I actually find the days I don’t go to the gym allow my muscles to relax and take a breather.
- Carrots! Carrots! Carrots! These have been my saving grace…100%. Lots of people don’t like raw carrots. I love them. I eat probably half-a-pound of those babies every day. They are so loaded with fiber and so low in calories that I actually think I BURN calories while eating them! The fiber keeps me gassy throughout the day, but who cares? Keeps me cleaned out!
- Breakfast: I was never much of a breakfast eater. I’ve found eating breakfast is now essential to getting me going for the day. I’m up by about 7 every morning and I either make a smoothie (about 4 Points), have some berries with cottage cheese (3 Points), or have a simple glass of grapefruit juice (2 Points) to get my day started.
- I try to make lunch my biggest meal so I won’t eat much at dinner. Eating late at night is no good for me. After a certain hour, I no longer burn calories.
- Kilroy’s original challenge to me was to lose 100 pounds by the end of August. Although this will be cutting it close, I do think this is an attainable goal. So, Kilroy…you’d better have Christine O’Donnell waiting at the finish line!
There you have it. Three months in and many successes to report. Let’s hope I can keep at it!
downwithabsolutes
Dominique
Mike Matthews
hey! your purty eyes are really starting to stand out on your face. Nice~!
“So, Kilroy…you’d better have Christine O’Donnell waiting at the finish line!”
Now you went and did it! Tonight I’ll put a post calling on Christine O’ Donnell.
Congratulation!
Impressive feat, man. I’m seriously impressed. I thought your goal was overly optimistic; good on you for being (roughly) on pace. But BMI and body fat% aren’t the same thing are they?
I really need to do something similar to lose weight, but it’s tough here in China. You never know what you’re eating because the ingredient list is indecipherable, and the gym culture hasn’t hit here yet. The best I could do would be to stop eating meat and stop drinking. Or go full Atkins and only eat unflavored meat (can’t add flavorings, because they frequently contain sugar). Neither option sounds appealing.
Joe,
According to a definition I read, BMI is the number calculated from a person’s weight and height to determine the percent of body fatness. Although that definition seems to be under debate by doctors today.
Wikipedia has some info.
Mike, check out her eye in the photo. I swear to God she now has your eyes, lol
http://kilroysdelaware.blogspot.com/2009/05/breaking-chistine-odonnell-has-eye.html
You’re awesome, man. Keep it up.
I agree with Dave. Awesome job & keep on rockin.
You are my hero and inspiration!
Mike: Up for a pepperoni pizza and some beers? I’m buyin’!
Fantastic Mike, congratulations!
Well done Mike! And you are soooo handsome too!
I just have one question for you. Since your BMI has improved, wouldn’t that make you overweight, instead of morbidly obese? You should check that, I believe you’ve relinquished your morbidly obese status Mikey.
Keep up the good work, and you’ll be as good looking as Hannity in no time:)
great job! you look great. once you get to 200 lbs., we’re arm wrastling!
Susan,
I believe the classification of “overweight” is between 25-30 BMI. Morbidly obese is anything above 30. I think that’s correct. So, I’ve still got a way to go!
Tremendous accomplishment !!!! Keep it up. You have my respect !!
F
Yes! I will echo Frieda’s comment. I have tremendous respect for your accomplishments and your dedication to this very tricky endeavor. You are amazing. And that is a very sweet photo of you.
Great inspiration, Mike. Congratulations !
I read this post as I was finishing the last bite of my butter-laden bagel. Nothing like starting the day with a dash of guilt. ;^)
Seriously, I’m so proud of you. You’re an inspiration to the rest of us (the ‘doughier’ blogger community.) I’ve mentioned this before – I can’t wait to see what you look like in another 25lbs.
Dude, you keep it up at this pace, I’m gonna have to keep you away from my wife.
Jen yes. it’s that photo
” And that is a very sweet photo of you.” it got to me as well, so kissable for an old Grandma like me
Good going, Mike! Keep at it!! I hope you meet Kilroy’s goal, for your sake and for Christine’s too!!!
Mike that is a very fetching pix….my first thought: this has something to do w/Andy Warhol. Really. Keep up the good work!