weight loss update

Bottom line is that I'm down around 40lbs since I started the I-Can't-Believe-It's-Not-Atkins diet.

update on 08/29/11: make that 41.2lbs officially.  \o/




There wasn't much loss over the past 6 weeks because I was out of town, staying with my brother.  Carbs were consumed.  :(  However, there was some offset because we were doing physical work (building a shed, yardwork, etc) and he's pretty hardcore about sugar-free stuff (even his sandwich bread).  From a diet standpoint, Atkins was wrecked by Powerade (we were working out in a heatwave that kept temps around 100F), a weekly pizza, and I'd guess about 3-4 nights a week involved carb-loaded dining choices (ie, chinese food, subs, burgers, etc).

The end result is that I didn't lose much weight over the course of the trip.  However, I didn't gain any either.  There were some physical changes, though, and folks are saying I look like I've lost weight in addition to clothes fitting better.  I suspect that I did lose some fat, but gained some muscle along the way, too.  I'm now comfortably wearing clothes a size smaller than I was in April, and I'm able to squeeze into clothes 2 sizes smaller than April (although it's not pretty by any means).  A belt I bought before the trip and was fastening at the second notch is now down to the fourth, and we're getting close to taking it down to the fifth notch.  Another interesting bit: I was able to get up on ladders to do some construction work without having to worry about the sucker collapsing on me.

I'm averaging about 10lbs a month, and if this rate continues (which is a big if... I'm expecting it to flatten out here pretty soon), then I'll be back to the weight I was at after my freshman year of college shortly after Halloween, my high school football weight by my birthday.  If we just drive full speed into fantasy land and assume the trend continues into next summer, then I'd be at what I'd consider my athletic weight (basically, the point where I can start doing pullups and dips again).

One problem that is emerging is saggy skin.  It's not really noticeable at the moment, but there are places where you can pinch the skin and see it.  I have to admit that I'm worried about that aspect of weight loss and the fact that even after dropping the weight it's going to be another 2-3 years for the skin to reabsorb back, but ah well.  Hopefully I can minimize the impact by resuming some athletic activity and drop the tobacco usage.  To be honest though, I think I can hide saggy skin better than I can a body by Dominos, so although it is a concern it doesn't outweigh the desire to keep losing the weight.

Another issue I've been having to deal with is impatience.  I like to see results fast, and while 10lbs a month is a pretty good clip, it's not moving as quick as I'd like.  I have to remind myself it took me about 15 years to pack the weight on gradually, so in the Big Picture losing weight at this rate is actually pretty good.