Day 365

Day 365.  A milestone.  One year ago today, I restarted my fitness journey.  It feels simultaneously like a long time ago and a short time ago.

I started out the morning with a breakfast of fresh fruit and nuts, followed by a tall glass of ice water and a multivitamin.  I didn't work out the day before and had gone to bed early.  I wanted to be fresh and rested for today’s session.  I took the day off from work because I wanted to work out early in the morning, when fewer people would be in gym, giving me better access to the equipment.

When I leave the house, it’s snowing and streets are covered.  The temperature is 10 degrees Celsius, not counting the wind chill factor.  I take this as a good sign.  The weather conditions should make the gym even emptier this morning.  I ask God for travelling mercy and head off to the gym.

As I hoped, the gym floor is pretty empty.  I move from station to station with no waiting.
After I get home and weigh in, I’m surprised to find that I've gained 3 pounds, while still on the fast.  I’m going to assume that the gain is muscle mass and move on.  I know that I've definitely lost some inches!

Unfortunately, I didn't formally track my weight loss from the start of the process. This chart shows my weekly progress for the last twenty weeks.  As you can see, there were plenty of ups and downs, but the peaks were always followed by a deeper valley, so don’t get discouraged!

I've heard it said that fitness is the poor man’s plastic surgery.  After assembling my before and current pictures, I’d strongly agree.  You can’t really tell how well you are doing without the comparison photos.  Many times during the process, I would have doubts as to whether or not I was making progress.  From these photos, I can tell that I have.

Before & Current: Same clothes

Before & Current:  With a bit less belly!

Before & Current: Holding my approximate weight loss

I know that I have more "squish" that needs attention, but for today, I'm celebrating the progress that I've made to date!

Accomplishments

In the last twelve months I've…

…lost 49 pounds, going from 271 lbs to 222 lbs.
…burned 107,800 calories.
…lost one shirt size, going from XXL to XL.
…lost three pant sizes, going from size 42+ to size 36.
…gained more strength, energy, endurance, and stamina.
…become more proactive in my healthcare.

Lessons Learned

I've learned that…

…it is essential to make a plan and to track your progress.
…setting short term and long term goals is vital to success.
…it actually takes much less food to get full than I thought.
...pounds lost are less important than muscle gained.
…consistent effort is key.

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I thank God for giving me the tools to make my progress possible.  Next, I thank my wife for her love, support, and participation.  I thank all of my instructors and trainers for their help and insights.  Thanks to all of my family, friends, and acquaintances who gave me encouragement.  Thanks to the strangers who gave me positive feedback just with a look or a smile.  Thanks to the folks who shared their fitness stories on the internet.  They provided lots of information and inspiration.  Finally, thanks to those who wished me less than well.  Those vibes got turned into workout fuel!

Goals

My fitness goals for the next 365 days are to…

…incorporate the dietary lessons learned on the fast into my normal diet.
…get my waist size down to a size 32.
…have a visible “six pack.”
…further refine and develop my musculature

Thanks to all who have been following my journey.  I hope that it has provided some inspiration in your own fitness quest!

Weight loss to date: 48.8 lbs.