More from Just Under the Clouds

It's been over 8 weeks since I last weighed myself, so I don't have a new, magic, here's-where-I-am number. I haven't gone on a crazy binge or even simply been eating a little too much (I hesitate to call what I'm doing, tracking and watching what I eat and exercising with some regularity, a "program"). If you're losing a pound or two a week, a very reasonable and respectable rate, weighing yourself every couple of weeks poses problems. If your "method" isn't consistent - same scale, approximately similar time of day, similar clothing and shoes - your progress can be diminished or exaggerated as a result of having eaten an extra (or one less) meal, or a different pair of shoes, or wearing jeans instead of light exercise shorts. So I've been focusing on doing well: eat right; find "right" things to eat that are enjoyable; regular, challenging (for me) exercise (which I can't imagine being enjoyable).

But there are tangible, if less measurable, signs of progress. Many of the XL shirts I've been wearing since summer are fitting loosely. The 38 waist jeans I started wearing in August, which were marginally comfortable (not close to sausage-like, though), are now quite comfortable and getting loose. The belt I started wearing in July, starting at the 2nd notch, is now at the 5th and last notch, and comfortable (time to get out the drill!). Last Sunday we went to Kohl's and I learned that some L shirts fit. There are limits on shirt size reductions - my broad shoulders and my greater than average height waist to shoulders - that I probably am close to reaching. I doubted whether I would be able to go from XL to L (other than those that are also denoted "Tall"). So this is cool and a bit unexpected! I also tried on - and bought several pair - some 36 waist jeans. I'm not sure about comfort, but if I had to, I definitely could wear them without damaging the jeans or me. I have not worn 36 waist jeans since college, maybe not since high school! We aren't on Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig, but losing weight (and not accidentally self-disrobing while walking down the street) is still expensive.

I'm also preparing - "training" sounds way more athletic than I am at this point - to do a 5K run-walk with my son. He runs marathons and half-marathons (approximately 26 and 13 miles, respectively), so I expect to see him at the Start and the Finish of this ~3 mile event. But it's something that, just a year ago, I would never have imagined doing! So, for the past week I have been doing something I have not done since high school, running ... for tortu ... errrr ... exercise!

So I'm still making progress in becoming less of a man than I've been. I'm now at a point - weight and clothes - that I don't think any of my kids have ever seen me, possibly excepting my oldest in her infant and toddler years. It's progress. Maybe for my 40th high school reunion next year (if there will be one) I can be around the weight I was when I graduated! In immediate prospect, the holidays are coming, and planning moderate ways of thoroughly enjoying family, food, and thanking God for His blessings and love are the current challenge.