Ryan - Week 41

Previous Weight: 221 lbs
Current Weight: 221 lbs
Change: 0 lbs lost
Total: 139 lbs lost

I went down to Balaton this weekend, see my folks and sisters. I had a lot of fun, but I also did a lot more snacking than I have in a while. Consequently, I'm holding steady at 221 this week. No loss, but at least no gain either.

I figured this would happen eventually, but it's still a wee bit disappointing. Oh well, the important thing is, I got back onto my diet first thing Monday morning.

And no, Mom, I don't blame you for it. Nobody forced me to eat the brownie (or the cookies, or the muffin). I chose to.

And my picture looks really goofy this week, for some reason.

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NASA Voice says: W-minus 21 pounds and counting...

Ryan - Week 40

Previous Weight: 224 lbs
Current Weight: 221 lbs
Change: 3 lbs lost
Total: 139 lbs lost

Melissa asked last week what I'm going to do once I reach my goal weight. I'm really not sure. As I approach 200lbs, my trainer has said he's going to switch the workouts to focus more on muscle building than weight loss, and he's already starting to do that a little. I also remember talking with someone, way back in February, who said I should find an activity to keep me, well, active once I hit my goal. I'm open to suggestions, people.

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NASA Voice says: W-minus* 21 pounds and counting...




(*Because really, we're counting down Weight, not Time)

Ryan - Week 39

Previous Weight: 226 lbs
Current Weight: 224 lbs
Change: 2 lbs lost
Total: 136 lbs lost

I'm beginning to see these pictures, and I guess myself, differently. Instead of looking at the picture and seeing a thinner Ryan, I'm starting to see just a thin Ryan. I'm not sure when I made that transition, but I like it.

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NASA Voice says: T-minus 24 pounds and counting...

Ryan - Week 38

Previous Weight: 228 lbs
Current Weight: 226 lbs
Change: 2 lbs lost
Total: 134 lbs lost

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NASA Voice says: T-minus 26 pounds and counting...

Ryan - Week 37

Previous Weight: 233 lbs
Current Weight: 228 lbs
Change: 5 lbs lost
Total: 132 lbs lost

I like being in the home stretch. It's like my current weight has become a countdown. I imagine a guy coming over the loudspeaker at NASA saying "T-minus 28 pounds and counting..."

It occurred to me the other day, that since I started this, I haven't even considered giving up. The thought just never entered my mind. Sure, there have been days where I didn't feel like exercising, but I still did it. And aside from the occasional Diet Coke, I haven't really had any cravings for junk food, once I "detoxed" and got it all out of my system.

Wait... do peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches count as junk food?

Ryan - Week 36

Previous Weight: 235 lbs
Current Weight: 233 lbs
Change: 2 lbs lost
Total: 127 lbs lost

Week 35

Previous Weight: 240 lbs
Current Weight: 235 lbs
Change: 5 lbs lost
Total: 125 lbs lost

Wow! Looks like I'm more than back on track this week. I was worried that my vacation would completely ruin any momentum I had. But enough about me.

Now, my big sister, our very own Ms Know-It-All, has decided she's going to lose this last 40 pounds with me. Let's everyone wish Jen luck - I can only hope she gets just as much support from y'all as I have over the past year. (but no more... that just wouldn't be fair!)

Week 34

Previous Weight: 241 lbs
Current Weight: 240 lbs
Change: 1 lbs lost
Total: 120 lbs lost

When I left for vacation, I promised myself I wouldn't get sunburned. Fat lot of good that did.

Hey, one pound down isn't too bad, considering I wasn't following my diet this past week. I've now officially hit the three-quarter mark. Only forty more pounds to go!

Week 33

Previous Weight: 243 lbs
Current Weight: 241 lbs
Change: 2 lbs lost
Total: 119 lbs lost

By the way, if anyone needs me, I'll be here for the next few days.

Week 32

Previous Weight: 246 lbs
Current Weight: 243 lbs
Change: 3 lbs lost
Total: 117 lbs lost

Week 31

Previous Weight: 250 lbs
Current Weight: 246 lbs
Change: 4 lbs lost
Total: 114 lbs lost

No major developments this week. We're taking my measurements at the gym today, so I may post that if I have a chance later.

Week 30

Previous Weight: 254 lbs
Current Weight: 250 lbs
Change: 4 lbs lost
Total: 110 lbs lost

Wow. I only have another fifty pounds to go. In contrast, on Week 13 I'd just lost 50 pounds. I figure about three more months, and I'll be at 200 lbs.

Ran into some folks this weekend, who haven't seen me in a while. It's kind of fun to see someone's jaw drop when they figure out who this skinny guy they're talking to is.

Week 29

Previous Weight: 257 lbs
Current Weight: 254 lbs
Change: 3 lbs lost
Total: 106 lbs lost

Don't really have anything to say this week.

Week 28

Previous Weight: 259 lbs
Current Weight: 257 lbs
Change: 2 lbs lost
Total: 103 lbs lost

Lessons learned from this weekend's Tour de Vail/Buffalo Lake Days:

• Owning a bottle of sunblock doesn't do you much good if you leave it on the bathroom counter when you go away for the weekend.
• If you know, two months beforehand, that you're going to be required to walk 3 miles at once, go ahead and get some comfortable tennis shoes.
• Bright red skin really screws up the color balance in a picture.

I know these both seem obvious, but people forget. Okay, I forgot. At least I've got my annual sunburn out of the way. Now I can stay inside for the next 11 1/2 months.

Week 27

Previous Weight: 263 lbs
Current Weight: 259 lbs
Change: 4 lbs lost
Total: 101 lbs lost

So yeah... there you are. I'm pretty excited about this week's total, but I've also had a few days to get used to the idea. We took my measurements at the gym on Thursday, and I was down 99 1/2 lbs total. Close, but not quite there yet. I figured I'd break through this week. It spoiled the surprise a little, but I guess I'll have to live with that :-)

Week 26

Previous Weight: 269 lbs
Current Weight: 263 lbs
Change: 6 lbs lost
Total: 97 lbs lost

Holy Crap!

Week 25

Previous Weight: 272 lbs
Current Weight: 269 lbs
Change: 3 lbs lost
Total: 91 lbs lost

Awesome! Closing in on Triple Digits... We'll be there before we know it.

Any doubts I may have had over the past few weeks? Yeah, that last comparison pretty much took care of them. It helps, psychologically, to see the changes side-by-side like that.

Week 24

Previous Weight: 274 lbs
Current Weight: 272 lbs
Change: 2 lbs lost
Total: 88 lbs lost

Another 2 pounds gone this week. Must remain positive. This is still a loss, and that's exactly what counts. I've been spoiled by 4- and 5-pound weeks, I just need to get used to what I'm supposed to be losing each week. Of course, it doesn't help that I'm closing in on triple-digits, and I really, really want to get there.

Oh! And smaller clothes again this week: size XL t-shirt, 44"-waist on the shorts, I even went down a shoe size (though I'm not wearing them in the picture). So, that helps things.

Week 23

Previous Weight: 278 lbs
Current Weight: 274 lbs
Change: 4 lbs lost
Total: 86 lbs lost

Okay... getting back on track this week. It's odd. I don't think I did anything different between the past few weeks. Same general eating habits, same general workout (actually started stepping it up a little). But obviously there was something different.

Guess I'll file it under Stuff Just Happens.

Week 22

Previous Weight: 280 lbs
Current Weight: 278 lbs
Change: 2 lbs lost
Total: 82 lbs lost

Still a loss this week, just not as much. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up the 5-lbs-a-week streak forever. Fortunately, we were already going to change things up a bit this week anyway. So I really just have to do what we were already going to do. Ahhhh....fatalism