The Incredible Shrinking Ray!

If you are a regular reader, you know I have been going through some health issues, a main one being a tear in my right knee, which I hope will be resolved later this year.

Even with the knee like it is, I tried various exercises to get in better shape. But my body kept saying stop.

So I decided to try a different tack. Lose some weight! Duh! I figured any weight reduction would help take the pressure off my knee and help with other pain issues.

It is has been a very slow process. But I have to keep reminding myself, again and again, that it took years to put it on and it will take time to take it off.

The results, bottom line are so far I have been successful on my quest. But I am not done yet.

Some eye opening stats, at least to me.

Blue jeans waist size a year ago. "42"

Blue jeans waist size today "36"
6 inches!!

I am very excited. I had by accident had bought a pair of jeans and had not noticed the waist size was "38". But I did not bring them back, left them hanging in the closet and on occasion would try them on to see where I was size wise. I could see progress now and then. I did not get discouraged.

Last week though with inventory coming up, I decided to try them on. They fit!! I was very happy.

I wore them all week, (yes, I did wash them), but a funny thing, during the long day, they would start to droop. After inventory, I went to buy a smaller size "36", and use them as an incentive once again to downsize myself once more. When I got home I thought I would try them on to see where I was and to guess how much more I had to go before they would fit.

To my shock and awe, they fit! Even better then the "38" size. I was literally dancing around the house with happiness and excitement. So tomorrow I will be back at the store to buy a pair of size "34" jeans.

Weight loss so far 46 lbs.
weight to still lose 54 lbs.
Time frame, about one year, so far.

I don't use vending machines. I don't do fast food. I read labels. I don't like additives, food dyes and the like. I bake my own bread and cakes and cookies. I will turn down food if I don't know how it was made. I drink coffee black. I make a quart of tea a day to drink at work, no lemon or sugar. I make my own breading for pork chops or chicken, It's easy. I eat fruit instead of drinking juice. My concession on veggies is to drink Low Sodium V-8 juice.

Someone has taught me, without trying, to be thoughtful about what I eat or drink. It has worked well I think.

I will stand in front of any open fridge and look and not grab anything, turn and walk away. Many times in one day that will happen. I still drink beer. One or two a day. Once in a great while I will binge on sweets and salty foods. It happens every 3-4 weeks. It doesn't bother me when that happens, it is almost like a palette cleansing of sorts.

I weigh my naked self every morning, the tale of the scale so to speak. No surprises except when the scale moves down. Those surprises are happy ones. There might be weeks when nothing happens and some discouragement sets in. But I soldier onward and downward. Doing your own cooking and baking takes time so allow for it. But to me, it is not a chore, it is fun.

When I hit my weight loss goal, I will write about this once again. I wrote about this to give some hope out there. The saying goes, "If I can do it, anyone can."

And now it is time for breakfast, coffee and bread baking time!

ray