Healthy Living

This morning when I stepped on the scale I weighed in at 199.5. This is the first time I have been under 200 pounds in probably 8 years (when I was traipsing around Switzerland all summer long). I think this can partially be attributed to not following through with my Drive-Thru Diet plans, due to my inability to eat at Taco Bell (take that, Christine!). Another factor may have been eliminating Subway from my diet (in your face, Jared!).

Really, the ball started rolling in the spring when we took the Honda in to get some issues checked out, and we were handed a list of repairs totaling over $1000. Kristen and I were hesitant to pump all that money into a car that was barely worth that much. Instead we sold ye olde Honda and spent $20 on new tubes for my bike. My office is only a little over 3 miles away, so I started regularly riding to work. It has been helpful having such a practical reason to exercise every day, and we have been getting by quite comfortably as a one car family (at least until the winter hits).

In addition to the exercise, I have made some dietary changes. I have always predominantly been a carnivore. But after I turned 30, I noticed almost immediately that my metabolism wasn't what it once was. I could no longer pound down large quantities of meat with suffering some consequences (I'll spare you the details). Suffice it to say I have cut way back on my meat consumption, and have been eating a lot more fruits and vegetables. And as it turns out, it ain't that bad. For example, when we went out to eat a few weeks ago, I ordered a dish that was probably 75% grilled vegetables. I was kind of shocked how much I enjoyed it.

My old idea of a balanced meal.

I have also made a conscious effort to control my portions. At first it was a little tough to not eat until I was stuffed silly, but my body has quickly adjusted to consuming a little bit less. Participating in an ongoing wellness program at work has also provided some extra motivation. Now that I have attained one goal, my next one is to get down into a healthy BMI range, which means dropping another 10 pounds.

Even when I was at my peak weight, I never really looked in the mirror and thought I was fat. But now when I look back at photos from 3-4 years ago, I'm surprised by how big I was. Since everyone loves a good before and after photo, here is mine: