Diary of a Fat Man: Climb ev’ry mountain, search high & low…

This is me, atop a mini-mountain at the Phipps Conservatory this summer on July 9.  I’m not on top of the world just yet, but I’m getting there. 

I was with my friend & former classmate Diana, who I hadn’t seen since the summer of 2023 when we toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s house.  After that tour, I saw pictures of myself and made a vow to lose 50 pounds the next time I saw Diana.  I weighed 270 lbs then.

I didn’t keep that vow.  After our recent get-together, I returned home from the Conservatory and dug out my digital scales and groaned when I stepped on. 

I weighed 250 lbs.  It wasn't 270 at least, but still…

I’d love to get down to 215 pounds and stay there.  But I haven't been that low in 25 years.

So… here we go again.  I’ve been tracking my weight since the first of August, not dieting, but making a real effort to avoid second helpings, late night nibbles and sweets.  With my plantar fasciitis, my favorite exercise (walking) isn't what it used to be, but I try to stay active throughout the day.

I think it will help my motivation if I make this public.  30 pound loss, here I come.

DATE	WEIGHT	TOTAL SINCE AUG 1
AUG 1 2025	249.4	0
AUG 8	248.8	-0.6
AUG 15	247.8	-1.6
AUG 22	246.7	-2.7
AUG 29	244.4	-5.0
SEP 5	242.0	-7.4
SEP 12	239.6	-9.8
SEP 19	238.5	-10.9
SEP 26	237.4	-12.0
OCT 03	236.4	-13.0
OCT 10	236.0	-13.4
OCT 17	234.5	-14.9
OCT 24	234.6	-14.8
OCT 31	233.8	-15.6
NOV 7	235.0	-14.4  :(
NOV 14	236.2	-13.2  :(
NOV 21	237.4	-12.0  :(
NOV 28	238.0	-11.4  :(
DEC 5	238.0	-11.4
DEC 12	235.4	-14.0
DEC 19	234.6	-14.8
DEC 26	237.0	-12.4 :(
JAN 2 2026	238.8	-10.6
JAN 9	239.4	-10.0
JAN 16	238.4	-11.0
JAN 23	239.8	-9.6
JAN 30	241.2	-8.2  :-(
FEB 6	241.2	-8.2
FEB 13	240.0	-9.4
FEB 20	238.6	-10.8
FEB 27	237.8	-11.6
MAR 6	237.6	-11.8
MAR 13	237.6	-11.8
MAR 20	237.4	-12.0
MAR 27	237.0	-12.4
APR 3	236.0	-13.4

Our third week in, and I’ve already broken two—no, three resolutions

I got up this morning, looked at the temperature on my phone (-12 in Pittsburgh, for you celsius people that’s minus 24.4) then started my coffee and dug out my weight scales from behind my bathroom vanity.

Okay, it says –8 but I swear this morning it was –12!

My weight is 235.0 – that’s an 8 pound gain since the last time I got on my scales back on Nov 20.  Doggone it.  This is what happens when you stop checking your weight every day.  It’s not as bad as it was one year ago when I weighed 272, but I made a resolution to continue downward in 2025 and have gotten off track.  

Man, the thought of gaining all that weight back terrifies me.

Speaking of terrified, after I put my scales away and got a cup of coffee, I decided to break another resolution and turn on the news; I honestly just wanted to hear how people were dealing locally with these subzero temps.  Instead I got a big earful of national news.

The first thing Trump did after moving back into the White House was go after the Affordable Care Act, stripping away the recent additions made by Biden while in office.  Well, that’s no surprise.  Trump then went after the Federal agencies promoting racial & sexual equality in the government workplace, mustn’t have that.  And now 22 states are threatening lawsuits as Trump tries to dismantle the 14th amendment in the Constitution, granting citizenship to anyone born on American soil. 

Yes, yes I know what he’s doing there but at the same time, this would have pretty far reaching implications.  Oh and then they showed Elon Musk giving Trump a Nazi salute.  That’s no surprise either.

Now I’m breaking a third resolution by getting on my blog and writing about him, I promised myself I wouldn’t spend a single day of the next 4 years putting my despair on display, blogging about this monster.  And yet, here I am.  Wishing very much I was somewhere else.  Like Finland.

Yes, yes I know—no one’s stopping me, there’s the door.

I just wanted to say I’m probably going to continue posting upbeat, dorky things on here because like it or not, it’s who I am.  Also, I want to focus my energies on a happier existence while I can.  Y’know, I spent the last YEAR in pain and isolation fighting this long covid and while I’m not fully out of the woods yet, I’m seeing better days. 

But I also want it known that deep down I hope & wait for Trump to drop over; as for the people who support the man, we’ll never see eye to eye and hopefully never come face to face. 

Oh and thanks for the calendar, Congressman Deluzio.  Boy have you got an uphill battle.

I am not the person in this photo—I miss the guy, but hope I never see him again

This is me, one year ago, September 2023.  I was with my friend & former classmate Diana on one of our late summer road trips.  We were on our way to tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house, but stopped at “Lucky’s Casino” to check things out.

That night when I got home and Diana sent me the photos she’d taken, I almost had a meltdown when I saw this one.  How did I get so fat?  How?  I weighed myself, 270 1/2 pounds.  I made a vow to exercise more and lose 20 pounds by Christmas.

Three months later, the week before Thanksgiving, I had my annual check-up with my PCP.  When I stepped on his scales, they said 272.6.  I was aghast.  Dr.Ahmed said “I sure wish you’d try to lose 20 pounds in the next 6 months.  You’d feel SO MUCH better.”

Two weeks later I got covid.  And two weeks after that I got long covid.  And here we are, now in it’s 9th month, and I’m getting hopeful signs everyday, but it’s been a very slow recovery.  One of my doctors said “From what we’ve learned about this condition, short of cancer it’s probably the worst thing a person will go through.”   I believe that 100%.

At the start of the year, I began weighing myself every 4-5 days (just to have something to do while living in misery).  Other than giving up ice cream, I pretty much eat the same foods and haven’t done a lick of exercise.  And yet, I still managed to lose 45 pounds.  With a little luck I’ll hit 50.

• Jan 04  -  270.5    Feb 05 -  266.6    Feb 20 -  262.5    Mar 04 -  259.1
• Mar 12 -  255.2    Mar 19 -  252.0    Mar 21 -  249.0    Mar 30 -  250.2
• Apri 03 - 249.0    Apr 10 -   250.2    Apr 12 -  249.8    Apr 16 -  247.0
• Apr 20 -  246.8    Apr 23 -  246.4     Apr 28 -  246.8    May 3 -   245.8
• May 08 - 244.4    May 15 - 244.6     May 30 - 246.8     Jun 03 -  245.6
• Jun 06 -  243.4    Jun 09 -  242.6     Jun 14 -  241.4     Jun 18 -  240.4
• Jun 22 -  240.0    Jun 26 -  238.0     Jun 30 -  237.8     Jul 04 -   236.8
• Jul 09 -   238.4    Jul 15 -   237.2     Jul 20 -  236.8      Jul 24 -  236.0
• Jul 27 -  234.8     Aug 01 - 233.8     Aug 05 - 233.0      Aug 10 - 231.6
• Aug 14 - 230.5    Aug 27 - 231.2     Sep 03 - 230.4      Sep 08 - 228.8
• Sep 13 - 226.6    Sep 18 - 225.6

I was trying to prove my weight loss with a selfie, but not having a lot of luck.  Trust me, this t-shirt used to be skin-tight a year ago, now it’s baggy

Anyway, I’m hoping to be 85% recovered (or more) by the end of the year.  I’d love to visit the senior center again at least once before 2025, I’ve only been outside 4 times since June.  Anything longer than 10 minutes causes me to shake and sweat profusely for an hour or so.  Still dealing with chronic fatigue (that’s a real thing) and godawful bouts of burning pain in my hands, face and backside but they’re not constant like before. 

Still smelling that creepy odor of diesel fuel off & on throughout the day though.  I swear I think my brain is frying.

Well, I know this must’ve been a real drag to read but just wanted to put SOMETHING new on here.  I also wanted to thank everyone who took the time to leave those very nice comments on my last post.  I hope you know I don’t take any of those for granted.

Take care, everyone.  Talk to you again soon.

 

A tale of two coats (or… torn between two coats, don’t know what to do)

Last week when I wrote about my ill-fated trip to the doctor (and learning I was 60+ lbs overweight) I included—then later went back and deleted—a piece about my winter coat.  I was getting dressed that morning, had my radio on and when they said it was 25F and not expected to get much warmer, I knew it was time to get out my dark brown winter coat. 

When I put it on, I was dismayed to find it really tight around my midsection; I could barely zip it up.  (I’d soon discover when I got on the bus headed downtown I couldn’t sit down without unzipping it first.) 

I bought the thing on clearance from JCPenney a dozen years ago, had been meaning to replace it for awhile anyway.  It was fine for most winter days, but never quite warm enough in January or February, when temps dipped into the teens or below zero.  Why I kept putting off buying a new coat every year is beyond me.

When I got home, I spent a couple hours online looking at LL Bean, JCPenney, Columbia (ouch they’re pricey!) and a couple others.  I finally found what I was looking for on Amazon.com, a Dockers MicroTwill Long Parka.  It came in 3 colors—black, olive, navy, priced at $89.99.  Most of the reviews were glowing, though some warned to be careful, as sizes ran “a bit small”.

I knew I wanted the olive, but do I order an XL, or XXL?  Wouldn’t the latter be much too big?  The XL Olive had 3 left in stock with the message “Only 3 left, order soon”, the XXL had 4.

I thought I’d sleep on it.  The next morning I decided I’d order the XL, if it was too snug, I’d return it for the XXL.  But when I went online to place my order, both sizes now said Only 1 left in stock.  I was out of time.  I put both in my shopping cart & pressed ‘Buy’.  They weren’t kidding about their inventory, the olive XL & XXL now showed “Out of Stock” for both sizes.

Have you ever ordered something from a catalog or the internet, only to discover it wasn’t as nice as what was pictured?  THIS WAS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT.  The Docker coats that arrived looked twice as nice than what was pictured (or expected).  Dark olive, very soft, “lofty”.  Made for very cold weather.  At the same time, they weren’t heavy.  Big zippers and metal buttons, quilted lining, pockets inside & out, water resistant—I’m in real love here.

HERE’S MY DILEMMA.  After trying on both, the XL is too small.  Unlike my old brown coat (also an XL) which is snug but zippable, this one can’t be zipped together at all.  Other customers said sizes ran small… but would it fit if I was 60 pounds lighter?  

The XXL (on the right in that photo above) is very roomy.  But will it become too big if I lose 60 pounds? 

Amazon is giving me a couple weeks to return one of the coats.  I have no choice but to keep the XXL, I need a warm winter coat that fits NOW.  But do I keep the smaller XL too?  What if I send it back, then lose the weight by next winter, want a smaller size and it’s no longer available? 

Questions questions… any advice? 

I think therefore I am… a fat man. A very, very fat man.

This isn’t what I intended to write about.  I was planning on writing that I haven’t been up to blogging as of late, and was going to take a break from things on here for awhile.

And then yesterday morning I had an appointment with my doctor to re-evaluate my hypertension meds.   

After a disastrous weigh-in (where I asked to be weighed again without any clothes), I met with my doctor who said she was aware of the “catch-22” with these drugs.  They promote weight gain, but she can’t reduce the dosages until I lose weight.

She said for a man my age & body type, my ideal weight was in the 205-210 range.  I asked if she was sure, told her that 6 years ago when I hit 260 pounds, made a big deal of it, posted a weekly online weight chart on my blog.  After one year of diet & exercise, I lost 50 lbs.  When I showed my sister, she thought I still had a ways to go.

My doctor said “My expertise is in nutrition & diet.  And 210 would be a healthy number for you to get to & maintain.”   As of this writing, I weigh 277.6 lbs.   

So I figure if I post another online weight chart, with a weekly weigh-in and public shaming—it might help motivate me.  So, beginning this Friday, I’ll be updating the chart below.  Wish me luck.

GOAL 210.0 CHART

Date	Weight	Gain/Loss	Feeling	Total
Nov 30 2021	277.60
Dec 03	277.20	-0.40		-0.40
Dec 10	274.80	-2.40		-2.80
Dec 17	272.80	-2.00		-4.80
Dec 24	271.80	-1.00		-5.80
Dec 31	270.00	-1.80		-7.60
Jan 07 2022	271.20	+1.20		-6.40
Jan 14	271.00	-0.20		-6.60
Jan 21	264.60	-6.40		-13.00
Jan 28	263.40	-1.20		-14.20
Feb 4	264.20	+0.80		-13.40
Feb 11	265.60	+1.40		-12.00
Feb 18	263.40	-2.20		-14.20
Feb 25	264.20	+0.80		-13.40
Mar 04	263.0	-1.20		-14.60
Mar 11	264.0	+1.00		-13.60
Mar 18	262.0	-2.00		-15.60
Mar 25	262.0	0		-15.60
Apr 01	260.0	-2.00		-17.60
Apr 08	258.20	-1.80		-19.40
Apr 15	257.00	-1.20		-20.60
Apr 22	257.60	+0.60		-20.00
Apr 29	257.60	0		-20.00
May 6	257.60	0		-20.00
May 13	256.40	-1.20		-21.20
May 20	256.40	0		-21.20
May 27	256.40	0		-21.20
June 3	256.40	0		-21.20
June 10	256.40	0		-21.20
June 17	251.20	-5.20		-26.40
June 24	253.0	+1.80		-24.60
July 1	254.80	+1.80		-22.80
July 8	255.60	+0.80		-22.00
July 15	253.20	-2.40		-24.40
July 22	252.20	-1.00		-25.40
July 29	252.20	0		-25.40
Aug 5	253.40	+1.20		-24.20
Aug 12	253.40	0		-24.20
Aug 19	253.00	-0.40		-24.60
Aug 26	254.20	+1.20		-23.40
sept 2	252.60	-1.60		-25.00
Sept 16	249.00	-3.60		-28.60
Sept 23	249.00	0		-28.60
Sept 30	248.20	-0.80		-29.40
Oct 7	249.00	+0.80		-28.60
Oct 14	250.60	+1.60		-27.00
Oct 21	250.60	0		-27.00
Oct 28	249.80	-0.80		-27.80
Nov 4	248.00	-1.80		-29.60
Nov 11	247.00	-1.00		-30.60
Nov 18	246.00	-1.00		-31.60
Dec 2	247.60	+1.60		-30.00
Dec 9	246.60	-1.00		-31.00
Dec 16	246.00	-0.60		-31.60
Dec 23	246.80	+0.80		-30.80
Dec 30	248.80	+2.00		-28.80
Jan 06 2023	245.00	-3.80	colonoscopy	-32.60
Jan 13	247.20	+2.20		-30.40
Jan 20	248.20	+1.00		-29.40
Jan 27	247.20	-1.00		-30.40
Feb 3	248.00	+0.80		-29.60
Mar 10	246.40	-1.60		-31.20
Mar 17	242.20	-4.40		-35.40
Apr 7	242.80	+0.60		-34.80
Apr 14	243.40	+0.60		-34.20

How to lose 40 pounds in three months or less, without really trying

On March 13 when the pandemic “officially” began, my doctor’s office called to postpone my appointment for the forseeable future.  When they asked me if I had an accurate scale, I said yes & Sandy (Dr.Marvi’s nurse) said “Why don’t we get your weight for our records.”

Reluctantly, I fished my scales out of the closet, climbed on and told her:  260.2

She said “Are issues with your jaw improving?  Your weight is pretty high.”  

I told her I began to see some improvements with my tmj in February, and admitted I had added foods like ham sandwich spread, pancakes & overcooked pasta to my TMJ diet of scrambled eggs, mushroom soup and mashed potatoes & gravy.  (I know, I know—a lousy diet.  Let’s not go there.)

She spoke to the doctor, then told me Dr. Marvi wanted me to lose 10 lbs by my next appointment, whenever that was.  Well, if & when I do see them again, they should get their wish and then some.  I got on my scales this morning, 219.4. 

That’s a 40.8 pound loss since mid-March.

As glad as I am for the weight loss, I admit I wasn’t trying.  I suffered a backslide with my TMJ in April, and chewing became too painful an ordeal again.  But this time I told myself “Doug, you’re not going back to cream soups and gravy again.”

I now have a cup of coffee & glass of Carnation Breakfast Drink for breakfast, another coffee and glass of Metamucil for lunch (love that bulk fiber) and a tall glass of V8 Healthy Greens juice for dinner (along with hummus or a scrambled egg if my face is calm enough).

Lots of water, hot & iced tea throughout the day.  No ice cream.  Well, maybe a little on the weekends.  I get plenty of vitamins from those Carnation & V8 drinks, but I still take a vitamin D3 pill daily.

Do I miss stuffing my face?  Yes, very much.  Until this TMJD, food was my buddy.  I’d give anything for a big hamburger right now, french fries, pot roast, a plate of spaghetti & meatballs and garlic bread...

A tall pot of my spaghetti and homemade meatballs; I used to make this on Saturday, feast all weekend & still have enough for leftovers for the week

I know what you’re thinking, I am too: Your tmj is going to get better, then you’ll gain it all back.  But I can’t go back to how things were before. 

Chronic stomach issues (including a non-alcoholic fatty liver), hypertension, insomnia, a swollen leg & foot in the summer, a pounding chest and panting like a dog while walkiing home from the supermarket or barbershop.  I’m getting too old for this kind of stuff.  

I’ve lost weight before, of course.  5 years ago I began a “Weight Loss Challenge” to lose 50 lbs (I blogged about it here) and succeeded.  But it took a year of intense, daily workouts and careful meal planning.  It was exhausting.

I grew tired of the effort, and gained the weight back in two years.  “Near fasting” and a daily walk is easier.  I wish I wasn’t being FORCED to near-fast, but perhaps that’s what I needed.

Y’know, I weighed 170 lbs when I graduated from high school and will never be that skinny again.  I don’t WANT to be—I’m a shortish, stocky fellow who likes having some meat on his bones.  But if I could lose another 25 lbs and get down to 195, man that’d be something.  I haven’t weighed that in 25 years. 

At the same time, I’d happily slap those 40 pounds of fat back on my thighs & belly if I was guaranteed to wake up tomorrow morning TMJD-free.  After wrestling with it for 18 months, I’m scared things will never be normal again.  I have an appointment with a TMJ surgeon on June 25, and frankly I’m dubious. 

So (for now at least) I’m trying to put a positive spin on things and use those TMJ lemons to make lemonade—well, without too much sugar.

The Big Short(s): From 44 to 40, and falling fast

Well, it was one year ago today that I purchased a couple pair of shorts for the summer from JCPenney.  I was relieved to finally have some pants that I could both button & breathe in, but was depressed over the fact they were a 44 waist. 44!  It was then that I knew I had to make a real change.

These 40w shorts got down there all on their own; so far, 42 lbs lost

By the end of the summer, I’d happily lost enough weight to squeeze into some 42 waist pants (but just barely).  Confident I’d be able to lose a little more, I bought 3 pair and gave those Memorial Day 44s to my neighbor Jim.

So here we are, a year later & the warm weather’s returned.  In April I pulled out my 42 waist shorts and was surprised at how big they’d gotten over the winter.  I should’ve been happier but doggone it they cost me $60.00 & I’d only worn one pair!  I gave ‘em to a friend’s brother, turned around & spent another $45.00 on 2 pair of 40 waist shorts.  A little snug, but still a good fit.  Six weeks until summer, I’m all set.

Well, I thought I was.  This past Friday I put on a pair of those 40 waist for the first time for a trip to the dentist (which is just a 10 minute walk from my apartment).  I felt them sliding down my hips along the way, thought this can’t be happening and then PLUP!  They almost fell right off!  Another step or two & they would’ve been down around my ankles.  I walked the rest of the way with the front of them bunched in my fist, in disbelief.   (That’s them, in the photo.)  I know that’s how some of these kids today wear them, but at my age just wearing flat-fronts is a gutsy move.

So now what.  I refuse to buy more pants, well, at least this summer.  (Besides I’ve seen where those people on ‘The Biggest Loser’ gain the weight back and I’m one pizza away from regaining 40 pounds.)  Maybe I can shrink these down some, I dunno—and that’s what belts are for, from what I’ve been told.  All I know is, I haven’t worn a 38 waist since the 1990s & can’t believe I could be headed in that direction.  But these shorts speak for themselves!

Hope everyone has a nice summer ahead

Still on that quest to drop 50 pounds, but I feel like I’m up against a wall

 

I’ve been feeling pretty discouraged today.  When I climbed on the scales this morning for my weekly weigh-in, I saw the exact same number I’d reported last week, right down to the same 2 tenths of a pound.  227.20, which was not only the same number as last week, but the week before that as well.  Three consecutive weeks at the exact same weight, how can that be?

It’s not like I’ve fallen off the fitness wagon & gone back to former staples like Coke, bacon and cake; in fact, the last couple weeks I’ve almost redoubled my efforts.  But I seem to be up against that dreaded “weight wall”. 

I guess I could look at it as keeping those hungry fat cells around my middle at bay; I’m sure they resent the 35 lbs loss there & will do just about anything to get those cuddly inches back.  (Sorry fellas, but I don’t want to be carrying that extra tire around again.)   Still, what’s this going to take?

I thought I’d get on here and write down everything I’m doing wrong but guess what—I’M NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG.  So here’s what I’ve been doing right!

1.  Until last summer, I drank a 20 oz. bottle of Coke a day.  Every single day. 

It’s now been 10 months since I’ve tasted a Coke.  I allow myself an 8 oz. glass of grapefruit soda once a week.

2.  Monday thru Friday breakfast used to be a cup of coffee & a pair of donuts, or a giant muffin or a couple of those godawful Lil’ Debbie snack cakes.

I haven’t eaten a donut, pastry or snack cake in 8 months;  I now enjoy a cup of coffee and a pear, banana, or apple.  I’m partial to pears.

3.  Saturday breakfast was 2-3 fried eggs, bacon or fried ham, and 2-3 slices of buttered toast.  Sundays were pancakes or french toast, and more bacon.

My weekend breakfast is now one scrambled egg & a sliced tomato.  (I still have 2 slices of toast on Saturday.)

4.  I used to pat myself on the back if I went 2 days in the same week without red or processed meat.

Now I’m surprised if I HAVE red or processed meat twice in one week.  I eat chicken, tuna or no meat at all.

5.  I never drank plain water, I mean NEVER. 

Since last summer I drink 32 oz. of water daily.  Every single day. 

6.  Walking was my only exercise.

I still walk, but for 6 months I’ve been working out a solid 45 minutes, 4-5 days a week.

Also, I can’t remember the last time I’ve eaten fast food and I haven’t eaten a single cookie or piece of candy since Christmas—and I’m okay with that!  But gosh darn it, for all the exercise I do... 

Grrr! 

So I don’t know what I’m doing wrong here, or even IF I’m doing something wrong.  Why did I stop losing after 35 lbs?  Am I eating too much still?  Not enough?  I can’t promise to step up my game, because I’ve stepped up about as far as I can go.  My one failing is sleep, I know how important that is for weight loss.  Problem is, I can’t seem to do it more than 5 1/2, 6 hours a night.  I tried giving up afternoon naps and going to bed earlier, but I’m still unable to fall asleep before midnight, or stay zonked past 5:30-6am.  

It’s ironic that sleeping in is the one luxury I can afford now, if only my middle-aged body would oblige.  So for now, I guess I have no choice but to keep doing whatever it takes to catch up to that skinnier me.  I just wish I didn’t feel like Wile E. Coyote chasing the Road-Runner.  I know just how he feels.

The Domino Effect: It helps keep things in perspective

 

It’s not a good time to call me if it’s a Thursday night; for as long as I can remember, that’s when I do my weekly kitchen-bathroom scrubdown.  (And I’m talking down on the floor, on my hands & knees--none of those sissy-ass Swiffer mops for me!) 

So last night after cleaning both rooms, and putting everything back in place—the kitchen stool & wastecan, the bathroom rugs and my digital scales in just the right spot, I banged them down a little too hard & saw “Err” flash on it’s readout window, followed by “2.5”.  Ulp! Friday morning is my weekly weigh-in, I’ve gotta make sure those numbers are right on the money!  I ran into my kitchen and got the sack of Domino Sugar I’d purchased earlier in the week, I hadn’t opened it yet so I knew it was precisely 4 lbs.

(By the way, just mention you have a 4 lb bag of sugar in the house and it always seems to get a reaction from people.  “What are you doing with a big sack of sugar?  I thought you were trying to lose weight!” or “Oh, we don’t keep sugar in our house”  or “What do you need with all that sugar, do you do a lot of baking??”  No, and it’s not like I sit on my couch with an open sack and a spoon either—I like a teaspoon in my morning coffee and I add 1/4 cup to the gallon of iced tea I brew twice a week.)  

Anyway, where was I… oh yeah, calibrating my digital scales.  I turned them on again, waited until I saw 0.0 then plunked down that sugar and saw they were right as rain.

So of course this morning was my weekly weigh-in, which I’ve been doing since the start of last summer.  I’d lost 1.8 lbs since last Friday and as of today, exactly 32 pounds. 

Truth be told, I didn’t do a whoopee-dance or anything.  I thought about the last 7-8 months and the nightly exercising & healthier diet I’ve committed myself to, and felt a little bummed that I still have a ways to go to hit that 50 pound mark.  After all this effort, it still seems so far off, and frankly I’m pooped.  I still feel fat as ever too.  I’ve been in weight-races & weight-challenges since 2003, and my latest Diary of a Fat Man chapter is my 5th chart in 4 years.  But then again, I’ve never come close to these results, not even by half.  A couple hours ago I tried on the pair of pants I wore a year ago on my last day in the office, and was surprised at how big they were now around my waist.  That helps!

What’s really brought this in better perspective though is that sugar.  I just hoisted that same sack down from the cupboard to sweeten a fresh pitcher of tea, and two thoughts occurred to me;  this is a hefty little thing, and since June I’ve lost the equivalent of eight of these from my body.  Eight!  That’s something. 

Chocolate teepees and my so-called secrets of weight loss (hint, it’s all in my head)

Last weekend I drove down to my sister Shawn’s house to celebrate my birthday. I knew she was planning a special day with a custom cake, but had no idea what it would be.  (I was assuming something of the spaceship or superhero variety; a giant bug would’ve been a tasty treat too.)  This is what I got, a decadent chocolate mousse cake with a confectionary teepee on top.  Loved it, couldn’t have been happier.  Thanks again Shawn!

I confess that after dinner, when we were all enjoying a slice, I felt like someone coming out of a coma.  This was the first cake I’d tasted in 5 months, and it awoke the “sleeping fat Doug” inside me.  “CAKE!  GOOD!  WANT PIZZA NOW!  AND HOT DOGS!  PANCAKES!  I WANT EGGROLLS AND WHAT ELSE HAVE I BEEN MISSING OUT ON!!”

It took a couple days (and a frozen pizza, 2 bottles of pop and a couple chili dogs) to nip that in the bud, but I managed to put that hungry man back in the nappy part of my brain—I’m even holding out hope I can still report a minus number on tomorrow morning’s weigh-in.  That’s been my big secret, y’know…

FORGET THE BIG PICTURE.  JUST TRY TO WEIGH LESS THAN LAST WEEK’S NUMBER.

It’s what I’ve been doing since I began weighing myself weekly back in June (and posting it here since August), and yes, there were a few weeks when I didn’t lose more than 1-2 ounces but so what?  I always got my minus number.   

But then last night I sent a brief email to my sister a friend, saying I was worried I messed up once too often this week & probably wrecked my record of consecutive losses.  I knew I was opening the gates so to speak, because she’s struggling to find her own “weight loss mindset” & responded with a fairly lengthy letter that pretty much left me at a loss for words.  Unlike me, it helps her to talk about it, relate to it, vent her frustrations, get inspired, speculate on how much I’ll lose by Christmas, attach motivational articles—whew.   All I know is, it has just the opposite effect on me.  The more I read, the more I wanted to say to hell with it all, let’s just eat.

My advice would be, enough with the words.  Just keep a weekly chart, drink lots of water and go to bed hungry.  All you have to do is beat last week’s number.

As for myself, I’m keeping my fingers crossed about tomorrow.  I want to keep that record going—oh, and this wedge of chocolate mousse cake I have tucked away in the freezer, I want that too.  Hey, with victory comes reward!

You want the truth? Okay here it is--I couldn’t handle the truth

This is me on May 25, 2015.  I’m only sharing it here because of a few messages I’ve gotten in the last couple weeks. Here’s one from just a couple hours ago:

Keep going, you won’t believe the difference 10 pounds makes!

They’re referring to the weekly weight chart I posted on August 21, where I’ve yet to hit the 10 lb. mark. But here’s the truth: I DID hit it—a few days before I posted that chart. Y’see, this (latest) weight loss battle didn’t begin in August, it actually started May 25, Memorial Day.

Since leaving my job in December, I’d gone kind of overboard with delicacies like bacon, lemon cake & butter pecan ice cream. So I was all prepared to go into summer with a newfound resolve to tackle this weight issue for real.

What I WASN’T prepared for was those scales when I climbed aboard. My God, I weighed almost 263 pounds! I decided not to do an online weight chart blog, I was just too embarrassed.

Holding my clunky camera on the scale only made things worse

But I DID spend the next couple months losing some of those pounds—no more big breakfasts every day of the week, no more bacon PERIOD. Get outside, walk everyday rain or shine. 10-11 weeks later, I’d dropped 11 lbs & that’s when I decided to begin posting my weekly weigh-ins here. 

I’m still enjoying foods like rigatoni, but not like before where I’d add a pound of ground beef & gobble down a couple plates of it; now I use 1/4 the meat, double the tomatoes & eat a dark green salad with everything. I’m hooked on romaine lettuce & spinach leaves!

The thing is, I KNOW I have to lose weight but I don’t want to do it thru low-carb diets, cabbage soup, Dr. Oz supplements or programs like Weight Watchers. Here’s what my own Sun-Thurs plan boils down to:

• No more gorging until it “hurts so good”
• Foods like hamburgers, pizza & ice cream are Friday & Saturday only  
• 50 sit-ups every night—well, 4-5 days a week
• Two glasses of ice water every evening
• NO EATING AFTER 5 pm.  That’s what the ice water is for!

 

Here’s some “healthy cookies” I baked yesterday; 2 cups oats, 2 bananas, 1/3 cup applesauce, 1/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup raisins, 1 tsp cinammon, 1 tsp vanilla. Drop rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet & bake for 15-20 minutes at 350F.

(Warning—these are an acquired taste…)


I’m sure lots of people have their own ideas, and I bet some of ‘em would love to tell me why my plan isn’t healthy or good enough. I just know that I’m comfortable with what I’m doing, and it seems to be working—for now, at least.

Since August 21 I’ve lost close to 9 lbs, and since May 25 I’ve lost 20. I’m getting there!

Chapter 5 in my Diary of a Fat Man: The giant Doug who ate Pittsburgh

This past weekend I had the pleasure of spending time with some friends on Mt. Washington, which overlooks Pittsburgh.  We had brunch at this little french restaurant where the owner’s dog wore a colorful scarf and sat at our feet, then took in the sights before returning to my friend Danielle’s house (that’s her above) for a lively discussion of religion & politics and some much needed bashing of both.  All in all, a terrific day.

I returned home, and a couple hours later, received some photos of our time together and I wanted to go back up there and throw myself over that railing.  I look like John Hurt in ‘Alien’, right before that lizard baby burst thru his stomach!

I’ve been tracking my weight weekly since May, when I weighed over 262 lbs & began a diet-exercise regimen but have decided to start posting it online to stay motivated.

GOAL:  LOSE  15 25 50 60 POUNDS OR LOOK OUT BELOW

Date	Weight	Gain/Loss	Feeling	Total
May 25	262.60
Aug 21	251.50	-11.10		-11.10
Aug 28	249.50	-02.00		-13.10
Sep 04	248.50	-01.00		-14.10
Sep 11	247.50	-01.00		-15.10
Sep 18	245.80	-01.70		-16.80
Sep 25	245.60	-00.20		-17.00
Oct 02	244.80	-00.80		-17.80
Oct 09	243.60	-01.20		-19.00
Oct 16	242.80	-00.80		-19.80
Oct 23	242.00	-00.80		-20.60
Oct 30	240.60	-01.40		-22.00
Nov 06	240.20	-00.40		-22.40
Nov 13	239.80	-00.40		-22.80
Nov 20	240.20	+00.40		-22.40
Nov 27	239.40	-00.80		-23.20
Dec 04	237.80	-01.60		-24.80
Dec 11	237.20	-00.60		-25.40
Dec 18	235.80	-01.40		-26.80
Dec 25	237.80	+02.00		-24.80
Jan 01 2016	235.20	-02.60		-27.40
Jan 08	235.20	0		-27.40
Jan 15	233.20	-02.00		-29.40
Jan 22	232.60	-00.60		-30.00
Jan 29	232.40	-00.20		-30.20
Feb 05	230.60	-01.80		-32.00
Feb 12	229.60	-01.00		-33.00
Feb 19	228.80	-00.80		-33.80
Feb 26	229.40	+00.60		-33.20
Mar 04	228.50	-00.90		-34.10
Mar 11	227.20	-01.30		-35.40
Mar 18	227.20	0		-35.40
Mar 25	227.20	0		-35.40
Apr 01	225.60	-01.60		-37.00
Apr 08	224.60	-01.00		-38.00
Apr 15	224.60	0		-38.00
Apr 22	224.00	-00.60		-38.60
Apr 29	224.00	0		-38.60
May 06	223.40	-00.60		-39.20
May 13	222.20	-01.20		-40.40
May 20	222.20	0		-40.40
May 27	220.40	-01.80		-42.20
Jun 03	220.40	0		-42.20
Jun 10	218.20	-02.20		-44.40
Jun 17	220.40	+02.20		-42.20
Jun 24	219.00	-01.40		-43.60
Jul 01	217.20	-01.80		-45.40
Jul 08	218.20	+01.00		-44.40
Jul 15	217.60	-00.60		-45.00
Jul 22	215.60	-02.00		-47.00
Jul 29	213.80	-01.80		-48.80
Aug 05	213.00	-00.80		-49.60
Aug 12	208.80	-04.20		-53.80
	NEW	GOAL	60 LBS
Aug 19	206.40	-02.40		-56.20
Aug 26	206.20	-00.20		-56.40
Sep 02	207.20	+01.00		-55.40
Sep 09	208.40	+01.20		-54.20
Sep 16	207.60	-00.80		-55.00
Sep 23	205.80	-01.80		-56.80
Sep 30	209.60	+03.80		-53.00
Oct 07	209.80	+00.20		-52.80
Oct 14	211.20	+01.40		-51.40