ELEVEN POUNDS

Today's weigh in! 11 pounds to lose!

Until a few days ago, I hadn't stepped on the scale in a while. When I was finished losing weight back in 2011 I was 165 and pretty soon this crept upward to around 170 once I started running about a year later. I figured it was mostly muscle gain since my pants were still fitting the same. It probably was, I don't know. Anyways, I'd weigh myself from time to time and I was always in the "high 160s, low 170s" range. That was perfectly fine.

It had probably been a year or so since I really stepped on a scale. Not purposefully or because I was scared of it, but mostly because I was out of the routine and running a bunch so who gave a shit. This year wasn't as prolific running and I have taken an entire month off (two weeks earlier this year and then the two weeks just recently). Then, the two weeks between the Portland and Detroit Marathons I only ran twice but kept eating like normal and carbing back up. So this year I'd bet I've put on about five pounds, which isn't much at all. Not enough for other people to notice, but enough for me to notice. The belt buckle is still using the same hole but it's just a little snugger than it used to be.

So in 4.5 years I gained 11 pounds apparently, as I weighed in at 176 this morning. Again, some of that is muscle, but probably only a couple pounds. So that's not bad at all. However, I would like to get back down to 165 pounds. It will certainly help my running, which needs all the help it can get recently. And mostly it will just prevent me from continuing to creep upwards and before I know it see 180. If I have to buckle down for a month or two every 4-5 years then I think I can handle that. It's not asking too much.

From my 2011 weight loss spreadsheet.

I'm planning to lose weight in the same manner I did back in 2011. Counting calories and hoping for around 1-2 pounds of loss per week. My target goal is about 1700 calories with no exercise. If I run, then I can eat more. Typically I eat back about half of what I burn and that seems to be a good balance of not starving yourself but also not negating all exercise. I need to relearn to eat until I am satisfied and not stuffed. I also need to curb the snacking and needless calories I eat. I'm not a terrible snacker, but enough where I can certainly make a difference.

There are two approaches I could take with this. A gradual, less painful reduction in calories that would result in me hitting my goal in 3-4 months. Or a more aggressive approach that should have me there in 1-2 months. I'm going with the second option and mirroring what worked for me before. The slower option would also be more susceptible to weeks where I don't really see any movement as I'd lose like a 1/2 pound a week. Anyways, I'd rather just buckle down and get it over with as soon as possible.

Anyways, that's that. I'll have "Weigh In Wednesdays" where I post a picture of the scale every week, and today marks Day One. So you, fair reader, can follow along. Hopefully I'll be at goal by Christmas. This already sucks. The last two days I feel like I've been starving (I started counting on Tuesday). Brings back memories.