goal!

On April 11, 2007, I first started weighing myself, thinking vaguely about losing weight.

On May 21, I decided on a goal, including a specific weight and a specific date: February 8, 2008.

On December 16, I hit my goal weight for the first time.

On December 29, my trend line (for those late to the party, I’ve been weighing every day and using physicsdiet.com to track a weighted moving average) hit my goal weight.

I lost 44 pounds, about 4 dress sizes, and went from an Obese BMI to a Healthy one. This is what I did with 2007, so it seems fitting that it should be probably the last post of the year.

It’s been probably one of the best things I’ve done for myself in the last…well, honestly, quite possibly in my entire life: up there with learning web design, finally learning how to drive, and getting help for my depression.

Which, interestingly enough, this year coincided with the beginning of my weight loss.  I don’t think it’s any coincidence, though. I needed to get back in therapy, to do some work on my own, and to get my medication sorted out to be able to do this.  And at the same time, doing this has fed positively into my mental health over and over again over the course of the year.

I know it’s vanity, but I love the exclamations that I’ve gotten from people as they notice. It’s good to have people notice.

My FIL cracked me up last week, when MIL broached the subject, very gently, as some people do. They asked how I’d done it, and I gave my short/stock answer: “Eating less food. Getting more exercise.” FIL faux-exclaimed: “Why, that’s un-American? Why can’t my daughter-in-law take a pill or something?!” It was sort of sweet.

The long version of the short answer is pretty much the same as it’s always been:

1. I weigh myself every day. I plan on doing this for pretty much the rest of my life.
2. I plan to eat 500 calories a day less than what I generally needed. In the first couple of months, I did a lot of calorie-counting, to be able to see and know what the right amount of calories look like.
3. I do not forbid myself any particular foods, or even worry that much about changing the content of my diet, only adjusting to get the right amount of calories and to keep myself from getting too hungry at any point. (I tried a lot of different particular combinations and found things that worked for a little while at a time.)
4. I’ve increased my physical activity. Until November or so, that meant bike commuting. I put almost 1000 miles on my bike computer from April thru December. The last couple of months, I’ve switched to more walking and using the elliptical trainer.

And that’s pretty much it. I’ve been kinda hungry occasionally, but not that often. I did discover that it’s very hard for me to keep on track if I bake, so I’m keeping that to baking for other people.

I suppose that’s why the external validation helps — sometimes it just feels like not that big a deal, and it help to hear that, yeah, maybe it is.

Up next — maintenance. Working out what my new calorie level looks and feels like. Keeping on track through day-to-day stuff. Maybe dropping a little bit more, gradually, until I hit a good set point.

And OMG: buying new clothes! Right now, I have 3 work outfits. Seriously. I’ve gone through 2 complete wardrobes, pretty much. I think there’s a thrift store shopping spree in my near future, now that I’ve stabilized my clothing size.

Now maybe this can start being a little less of a weight-loss blog, and more something else. I dunno, maybe writing honestly about where things are with the house remodel? (ugh) But that’s for another day.  Today, I celebrate!