I'm not sure how to feel about this post. I've lost around 40 pounds over the last 4 or 5 months. Most of it was lost in the first 3 months. Last month, I just wanted to enjoy the last month of summer, so my goal was to simply not gain any weight. I hit that no problem and even managed to lose a pound! That was August.
For the month of September I was really shooting for a little more. Unfortunately I only lost another 2 pounds. I honestly didn't put in the same effort I did during the previous months when I lost all that weight. Frankly, I was just a little tired of dieting and was enjoying myself, enjoying the summer with a little food and drink. Still dieting, but the cheats were much more frequent through September.
My diet over the first three months really wasn't that extreme. The results were phenomenal though. I cut out all manufactured sugar products and only ate fruits, vegetables, a small portion of meat at dinner, and drank fruit juice, water and tea with honey. I also cut out most heavy carbs like breads and potatoes. Most of my food was consumed between 1 PM and 7 PM, with some intermittent fasting mixed up throughout the week.
The good news is I'm not putting the weight back on like I did when I stopped doing hardcore keto. I'm still eating fairly clean, but managed to sneak in some beers and whiskeys. I also drank a little more soda than I should have. Personally, although I didn't lose a lot of weight over the month, the fact I lost 2 pounds, cheated, and didn't gain a ton of weight should be reason to celebrate. Oh, let us not forget all the bread I ate... I ❤ bread!
Running on the treadmill has to be a really big factor as well. I also have to bring up the fact that marijuana could be a factor contributing to my weight loss. Recently more and more studies are showing that although marijuana can change our eating habits and give us the munchies, there are several other indicators that it can help with motivation and BMI (Body Mass Index). Here's an article from Men's Health in 2021 talking a little about it. This could be a huge factor of why I'm losing weight so much easier this time around. It's one of the few factors that have really changed.
I recently wrote a little about this in a strain review I did in the weedcash community. Marijuana has had a synergistic effect on my health. Basically I started smoking marijuana again to relieve back pain. As the pain subsided I started running on the treadmill again and that also helped with losing weight. The more weight I started to lose, the better my back started to feel.
You know what, I want to talk a little about that... Here's what happens when you're 40 pounds lighter.
I have WAY MORE energy.
I don't have to take a nap in the middle of the day anymore and actually hadn't even thought about it until the other day when I realized I stopped taking naps.
Libido is noticeably stronger (I'm in my 50s)
Back pain is almost all but gone.
I've began meditating again. (I stopped because I couldn't sit cross legged on the floor without severe pain.)
I'm jogging at least 1 to 2 miles per day.
I feel like I'm more clear headed, yet I'm also noticing my memory isn't what it used to be. Seems more getting old than pothead problems. I actually noticed this well before I started smoking pot regularly again too. I haven't noticed it getting worse though.
My clothes fit better and all my old clothes that I didn't think I'd fit into again, actually fit and I look good in them. Well at least I think I look good.... Narcissist much! LOL sorry.
Maybe that image isn't the best example of looking good, but my gut used to hang out of the bottom of this shirt so I never wore it. It fits again with no gut fat hanging out 🤣
I've actually dropped several sizes going from a 42 inch waist down to a 38 inch waist. My shirts went from 2XL and 3XL down to Large and XLarge. I'm a product of the 90s though and like my clothes a little loose fitting.
My face is also noticeably thinner.
Anyway, the benefits have just been extraordinary. All the above reasons have also been a huge motivating factor in keeping me on track. I remember how crappy I felt before I lost the weight and how much better I look and feel now. I can't go back this time! I'm not putting this weight back on! I'm getting under 200 pounds in 2023 and I'm staying there!
With that said, it's Sunday and I think I'm going to afford myself one last cheat day. The Buffalo Bills are playing football, I've got some decent beers and a little Basil Hayden' whiskey. I think I'll over-indulge for the football game then get back to serious dieting between now and Halloween. Only clean foods, water, fruit juices, tea, and easy on the heavy carbs. Let us see how much weight I can lose by October 31st. For a loose goal that should be pretty easy to hit, I want to lose AT LEAST 5 pounds. Hopefully more. At the bare minimum I have to be in the 240s by October 31st. A cheat day on Halloween, then more serious dieting until November. My long goal for November would be for anywhere in the 230s by Thanksgiving. Then try to maintain my weight throughout the rest of the holidays. If I start the New Year anywhere in the 230s or 240s I'll be extremely happy and on track for getting below 200 in 2023!
So short term goal for the next two months. Lose at least 5 pounds and get anywhere in the 240s by Halloween. Then for November try to get myself into the 230s by Thanksgiving! Then enjoy the holiday season and maintain until the New Year! Easy peasy! I got this!
The rewards earned on this comment will go directly to the people( @the-bitcoin-dood ) sharing the post on Twitter as long as they are registered with @poshtoken. Sign up at https://hiveposh.com.
You can do it my friend. I know you will achieve your goal of losing at least five pounds. I am sure that you are so disciplined and you are committed at it. But I believe what is shown on it is just a number. What matters most is a good health. So I am wishing you a good health today and success in all
your endeavors. Have a nice time and take care always.
Thank you! I appreciate your support and kind words. Wishing you good health and successful endeavors also!
The pleasure is mine and you are most welcome my friend. Thank you so much as well for your well wishes to me. Take care always.
💪😊😎🤙 Lookin good!
Don't worry so much about what the scale tells u.. it's all about how u feel, your health, and how good u can function. I am 48 now and hope I can get up to your weight. well, I am still too skinny after getting real sick, so I was just celebrating a .5 lb gain from last month.. so maybe take where I am now (173), and where u are in weight, and we can meet somewhere in the middle! :)
If only it could work this way!
I agree though, it's all about feeling good and staying healthy. I feel much better now though.
Writing these posts must be some motivation to keep going. Life has to be a balance between doing what you should as against what you enjoy. Good health means we can do more.
You can do it!
Thanks man. These posts have helped a lot. At the very least, it helps reinforce the benefits I'm receiving.
Congratulations @the-bitcoin-dood! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s):
Your next payout target is 8000 HP.
The unit is Hive Power equivalent because post and comment rewards can be split into HP and HBD
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCheck out the last post from @hivebuzz: