Twelve Days…

…nineteen pounds.

It surprised me so much, I rechecked the calibration on the scale. Yep, I had lost nineteen pounds.

I weighed on the morning of Monday, February 4. Our digital, high-capacity scale on the acute care floor was way off, like by thirty-five pounds light. That scale said I weighed 328 pounds. Numerous attempts to calibrate that scale failed. Although it finally did record something close to my actual weight…it then recorded everyone else 15-20 pounds heavier than their actual weight.

The ER scale said I weighed more than its 350 pound capacity, but by how much?

Well, using Dinosaur Doc’s handy dandy trick for extending a scale’s capacity, I discovered my actual weight was 362 pounds.

I’ve deliberately avoided weighing until today, when I stepped on it out of sheer curiosity.

343 pounds, after factoring in the added capacity of the counterweight.

It surprised me so much, I checked the scale without the counterweight, and sure enough, it read 343 pounds. I am now well within the scale’s weight capacity, without modifications.

Heh.

It always used to infuriate the Ex Missus that I could drop weight so quickly and easily. Before our wedding, I lost sixteen pounds in just under two weeks. Looks like I haven’t lost the ability.

I’m not congratulating myself, though. I realize I’ve only dropped about 19 pounds of water. It only gets tougher from here. Still, it feels nice, especially considering that the weather has only allowed me to walk for four days of the twelve.

If you’re wondering how I’m doing it, here’s how:

1. Stop the Cokes and tea altogether. Our tea at work is made with Splenda, but I’d rather just drop the caffeine from my diet as well. Drinking lots of water, and the occasional Coke Zero.

2. Low carbs. I get a six inch Subway club about three days a week, when I pick up KatyBeth from school. On wheat bread with light mayo and two slices of American cheese, it’s still only right at 500 calories.

3. If it was fried, it ain’t going in my body.

4. I have the hospital cafeteria fix me salads. I get a grilled chicken salad and a ham salad every day I work. With all the stuff they put on them, including one packet of regular Ranch dressing, they’re around 500 calories or so.

5. Find something to do. My problem isn’t willpower, or a crappy metabolism, it’s that I eat when I’m bored. Simple as that. So, I occupy my time otherwise, and when I absolutely have to snack, it’s a handful of unsalted peanuts, or celery with Ranch dip, or 4 oz of tuna.

6. Exercise. My next item on the agenda is to get a rainsuit. This wet weather is not going to keep me from walking. It’s a 3.2 mile round trip from home to work, and I plan to walk that much every day. When my legs and knees quit complaining about it, I’m going to extend it, or walk it faster.

Basically, it was nothing Earth-shattering. I just took steps to make it easier to eat the right way rather than the wrong way.

So many of my bad habits were simply a matter of convenience. So, I dumped all the bad crap in the pantry and started over. Now, it’s more convenient to cook something at home, rather than run to McDonald’s. I grill chicken or fish, and I eat one serving of peas or beans. That’s it.

Basically, I’m expending more than I’m consuming. There hasn’t been a day in the past twelve where I’ve consumed more than 1600 calories, and I haven’t really been all that hungry. My tastes are simple, and I like the taste of the foods I’m currently eating.

Plus, Babs has dropped a few pounds too, and I need to keep up with my smokin’ hot girlfriend.