Week 242 Update

Here it is, the very last day of 2005, New Year’s Eve. A new year lies before us, and an old year is nearly completed. The old man of 2005 is ready to pass the baton to the baby of 2006, which is only hours away from being born.

This morning, the very last weigh-in for 2005, I stepped up on Mr. Scale at 07:15, and he said, “188.0 pounds!”

On December 31, 2004 I weighed 185.0 pounds. I had eaten 47.36 points-per-day over the previous 7 days, and the scale had never topped 186.0 pounds. It is amazing the differences that a year can make.

In 2005, all of my daily weigh-ins averaged 185.8 pounds. I am very happy with that!

In 2005, I averaged drinking 7 cups of water per day. I am very happy with that!

In 2005, I averaged eating 44.1 points-per-day. I am very happy with that!

In 2005, I averaged a BMI of 23.2. I am very happy with that!

In 2005, I walked 839.24 miles, averaging 2.3 miles per day. I fairly happy with that!

I averaged 6.8 aerobic points-per-day, and 47.8 aerobic points per week. My goal was to get 30 per week, and so I am happy with that.

The year certainly was not perfect but it was fabulously successful when compared with the years before I started my journey. Never in my life have I done so well with controlling my weight as I have the last 4 years, including 2005!

Clearly I have a challenge before me, and I must rise to meet it, but today I can place the year 2005 into the successful category. It was a good year for my weight control journey. I hope very much to make 2006 a better year, but I would be happy if it will only match what 2005 produced for me.

Dotti continued right on track this week! She lost another half-pound, and remained right on program. The holidays were a non-issue with her journey this year. She walked right through them, like they were not even there as far as the scale is concerned! Since early November, her weight loss graph is a nearly straight line, showing a consistent loss. Holiday temptations? What temptations? Bravo Dotti!!!

This week Dotti hit 200 pounds. With her next loss she falls into “One-derland,” a place she has not been in for quite some time. She has lost a full 10% of her starting body weight (223.0 pounds) and stands poised on the border of the “One-derful” land where Goalville is situated. After years of working to shake off the quitting smoking legacy of added weight, Dotti is a non-smoker (Yes!); she is eating in control (Yes!); and she is exercising regularly (Yes!). When Dotti hits goal this time, there will be no dark cloud of smoke hanging over her success any longer, and she will be free from tobacco and thin at the same time. Dotti, you ROCK!!!

You can continue to follow her progress at her Dotti's Return to Goal page.

Meanwhile, I find myself back in the trenches again, or still, rather. I continue to eat lower than normal and to watch the scale creep up. At some point, I am sure that a new status quo will be established where I will return to my target zone for my weight on a regular basis. I shall endeavor to bring that day closer.

In the meantime, here is how my last full week in the year 2005 went:

Saturday- Christmas Eve - I weighed in at 186.5 pounds. I used to consider that a high weigh-in, but today that is a low one.

LeRoy drove us down to Grandma’s house. We stopped along the way in Eugene, thinking that we might hit the food court at the shopping mall there, near the hotel where Dotti and I normally stay when we are in Eugene. Alas, it was Christmas Eve, and we were faced with a parking lot that was completely full, and a mall that was clearly a madhouse, even when viewed from our car. We desisted from our attempt and moved down the road to Taco Bell instead. I had two tostadas (9.0 points) and a bean burrito (6.0 points), which is my normal order when we eat at that establishment. I split a bag of some dessert crisps (3.0 points) with Dotti to bring my meal to 15.0 points. I had eaten light at breakfast and I did so again for dinner, so my meals for the day only came to 26.0 points. I did have a few snacks throughout the day, and by day’s end I had consumed 41.0 points.

When we arrived, my Mom was happy to see us, and we had a very nice visit. It was Christmas Eve, and the family was together. It just doesn’t get any better than that. J

Sunday – Christmas Day! - I weighed 188.0 pounds. The main thing on Christmas is the fun and personal sharing between loved ones. We had a great day together. (No partridge in a pair tree but it was fun!) Eating was fairly light, with the only exception being a steak dinner, but it only brought my total points for the day up to 33.0!

Monday - This, the “Second Day of Christmas,” I weighed 186.5 pounds. This is the day for “two turtle doves” according to the song. J

The whole family piled into the car and we headed off for the “thriving metropolis” of Roseburg, Oregon. We hit some stores for shopping (the ladies looking for some bargains) and I even found a few of the old “McGuffey’s Readers” series of school books. I purchased books one through three. They were originally published in 1836, and I had heard them highly praised by an older gentleman that I respected a great deal. So, since these reprints were reasonably priced, I grabbed them. I love anything that reaches back into American roots and traditions. These readers date back before even the Civil War.

After we shopped for a bit, we became hungry (especially it was I J) and we ended up by mutual consent at a restaurant called Los Dos Amigos. We have eaten there several times in the past and very much like the food. Once again, I had a 30+ point meal. It helped push my points for the day to 51.0.

Tuesday - I weighed 190.0 pounds late in the day. (I started out at 191.5 pounds. L)

The “third day of Christmas” was not only devoid of three “French hens” but it was also the day when we had to head back home. It is always sad to say goodbye to Mom, and the time came for it too quickly. Soon, we were on the road heading north to our home.

We hit Taco Bell on the way home (it had hit the spot so well on the way down, we decided to have a replay), and then we said goodbye once more when LeRoy headed back to his apartment, after dropping us off.

I ended up eating a total of 34.0 points for the day.

Wednesday - I weighed 187.5 pounds. The Fourth Day of Christmas turned out to be a nice quiet one, with Dotti and I spending some quality time together.

At the end of the day I had eaten 32.0 points.

Thursday - I weighed 188.0 pounds. The Fifth Day of Christmas found me on the pager. That was certainly not as nice as “five golden rings.” Fortunately, it was quiet and left me free to enjoy another day off with Dotti! We made a run to Costco and just had a great day together.

At the end of the day, I had eaten 38.5 points.

Friday - I weighed 188.0 pounds again. The Sixth Day of Christmas started out just like the 5th had. We stopped by Subway for lunch and then relaxed at home for the evening.

I did some snacking during the day and my total points for Friday moved up to 45.0, and that helped me to remain at 188.0 pounds for my weekly weigh-in today.

How do I rate this week? Once again it was a struggle. I bounced around all week long between the top of my target range and above it.

Eating – Monday was high in points, but the rest of the week really wasn’t too bad. I ended up averaging 39.93 points-per-day, and that is quite good, and once again below my overall average points-per-day for my entire journey of 42.3.

Weight – I averaged 188.00 pounds this week. That is slightly down from last week, even though I ate slightly more.

Water – I didn’t do too badly. I only drank 3 cups on Thursday, but I averaged 6.5 cups (52.57 oz.) per day, and that is fine.

Exercise – Once again I didn’t do any. The second half of this year was terrible for exercise.

And so ends 2005. There were some good parts and some bad. I definitely have room for improvement, and I hope that I will be able to make some in 2006.

4 years, 234 days OP; a lifetime to follow.

-Al-

6 '3" 239.5/188.0/180±2/BMI:23.50/WK-242

GRAPHS:

Weight Loss Maintenance Year 1 Maintenance Year 2 Maintenance Year 3 Maintenance Year 4 Maintenance Year 5 2005 Walking Data

2004 Walking Data