I was thinking the other day about progress pictures and how I used to look forward to taking them every ten pounds I lost. I kept that up for a really long time... even taking new pictures at weights I'd already done progress pictures for when I lost weight for a second, even third time (most famously for my 60 pounds gone (2008), 60 pounds gone again (2010), and 60 pounds gone AGAIN (2012) pictures. I was not about to do another set when I finally got back down to 218 again last month). My last post on Thursday included a link to pictures of me weighing 214 pounds. As I head back down the scale I notice I've lost the enthusiasm for posting progress pictures. You've seen it all before. But now, I am starting to get kind of excited about it again! I am pretty sure I only ever took "70 Pounds Gone" pictures once, the first time I hit that weight in 2010. So I think I will do some new pictures when I reach that weight. I'll take some measurements, too, because I haven't done that in ages! I think it will be interesting to compare the pictures and measurements to those at the same weight in the past.
But for now, a comparison: July 2017 (from this post), and today:
The other thing on my mind lately is formulating a weight loss and maintenance plan for after I stop taking phentermine. It helps me by suppressing my appetite; I am not hungry nearly as often and am satisfied with much smaller, less frequent portions. But I am not really sure what is going to happen when my doctor says it's time to stop the phentermine. I have one more refill left after this month, and I don't know if she is going to refill it again after that, or tell me that's enough. But at some point I'll be off it and if my appetite comes raging back, how am I going to handle that? How will I keep losing weight without it? I did it once before, but I was on Medifast. The whole thing makes me pretty nervous. I really LOVE how I feel being lighter and finally dropping weight after FIVE YEARS weighing more than I weigh now. I soooo don't want to go back, or stall, or get frustrated about dieting again. I don't want it to turn into a big emotional thing like it used to be. I want things to be like they are now... happy, content, calm, non-food-focused, and LOSING WEIGHT. And then I want maintenance to be... I dunno, not *easy*, but easiER than losing. And I don't think it will be. I have time to plan now, so I figure I better take the next six weeks and get my plan formulated in a way that makes sense and that I can stick to.
Preparing/gathering data: Sometime soon I will go and have metabolic testing again. After I have lost all the weight I want to lose, I will wait a couple of weeks and then have it re-tested. I will use that knowledge immediately if the scale heads in the wrong direction, by counting calories and tracking.
Important: I won't skip weighing. I have to weigh every day, plot it on a graph, and immediately adjust for any uptick. I know there will be holidays or times I *decide* to indulge, but I will still weigh and expect no more than a 3 pound gain that comes back off it no more than 3 days (like my Thanksgiving and Christmas week gains/relosses). Speaking of which, I almost forgot to add my weigh in today. I now weigh 212 pounds, a loss of 3 pounds this week.
Eating: I generally look at any food and decide if I will have it based on whether I can have an enjoyable serving for about 15 grams of carbs or less. And I eat small portions, not too often. I'll keep doing that. But I know I will probably be more hungry, so I'll fill that "hunger gap" with produce: lots of low calorie vegetables and a couple servings of fruit every day. I really hope that is enough to make a solid eating plan that will keep me losing and then maintaining. If it's not, I will have to start counting calories again.
Exercise: I think this is going to make all the difference in whether I can keep losing and then maintain or not. I am not formally exercising at all now, because I don't have much to burn while eating only 500-700 calories a day. But I am definitely more active than I was a couple months ago and will have to maintain the lifestyle activity. I also HAVE to exercise in a more scheduled, formal way. I will strength train and start biking again but honestly I think I have to find something different that I really love to do, for the long term. I mean I don't usually mind lifting weights or riding the stationary bike but there's really no joy in that activity itself... only in the results. I think I have GOT to find something that I love to do.... something active. I'm not sure what that's going to be. Maybe paddleboarding in the summertime, but I need year-round activity besides stuff like walking dogs, raking leaves, and pulling weeds.
That's it for now. Here's to another good week!
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