Here’s what’s been going on in the last month:
I started jogging and weight training programs. For jogging, I’m using the Couch to 5K program. Unlike the times I have done it before, I’m not going to hold strictly to the weekly schedule; I’m planning on doing each week repeatedly until it doesn’t feel like I’m going to die. At this point, I’m in week 2, and it’s going reasonably well. For weight training, I’ve joined the fitness center at Palomar College, and (after a brief bit of research) decvided which machines to use. I’m seeing some progress, in terms of how much weight I’m moving, and some visible muscle growth.
My weight loss was progressing very nicely until about a week and a half ago, when it slowed and then plateaued just under 240 for several days. This was something they mentioned in the Kaiser class as a possibility, so I tried not to worry about it. Today, it seems to have broken through again and begun dropping. My caloric intake hasn’t changed, still hovering around 500 calories per day, but it may be related to the weight training. Anecdotally, I have noticed that, when my weight loss slows, it seems to be associated with seeming reductions in sagging abdominal skin.
I’ve been slowly expanding my food choices. Cooked shrimp and raw tuna have both gone well, as have salad greens and tomatoes. I’m trying to aim for 60g of protein a day with one Premier shake and two meals, and usually have managed to do it. I’m still unable to eat more than about 2 oz. at a time, which seems OK but is frustrating; there are times when I really want more food than that. Unfortunately, on the couple of occasions that I have allowed myself to eat a bit more than I know I should (and can feel that I shouldn’t), I’ve had the expected stomach discomfort and vomiting.
Only one real moment of unhappiness with the whole affair. After a pretty lousy day at work recently, I went out to my car and sat for a moment, thinking that what I really wanted to do was (as I had often done in the past) curl up around a big plate of macaroni and cheese, always one of my favorite comfort foods. And then I realized that I would probably never be able to stuff myself in that way again. And despite the fact that I know that that’s exactly the kind of emotional eating I need to avoid, I really wanted it, and was very frustrated and sad. I know that small portions of foods like that will probably be possible someday; small portions are really all I should ever have been eating. Still, it’s hard to get over decades of practice.