checking in

9 months ago, I weighed 147, was running about 3 miles a day, and was still a bit more fat than muscle.

Now, I weigh 135 (which I've been at for about 6 months), run nearly 4.2 miles a day at a 9 mph pace but still live in the same apartment in Denver. I've directly burned 53,000 calories through running, which is 15 straight pounds of fat I would have otherwise retained.

I still don't smoke cigarettes. I still have the same TV, the same car, but a wonderful girlfriend and a wonderful life.

My brother is married. He lives in Washington DC. He works as a journalist.

They say if you can keep weight off for a whole year, you've reached your actual weight. I've been under 150 for a whole year. I'll never be over 150 again, which means I've at least permanently lost 70 pounds, and I'm hoping I've permanently lost all 85 pounds. If I'm still at 135 in Sept 2010, I'll have done it.

3rd goal

When I started writing this blog, I had three goals: to lose 50 pounds, to lose 60 pounds and to lose 70 pounds.

I have now lost 73 pounds.

Yeah, I had that much to lose. I could probably stand to lose another 10. I probably will, but only as a function of continuing to run (when I started this weight loss thing, I could run two long and five short blocks of denver. now I can run 5 kilometers without stopping, and am currently training for my first 5k, which I hope to be able to do in under 22 minutes.)

I still have a little bit of stomach. I still have thighs that are a little big (i won't be wearing skinny jeans anytime soon. but I do look better in regular jeans). But I won't be religiously counting calories anymore unless I can 5 or 10 pounds. I'm in maintenance mode now. 

Wow, it feels great to say that.

So now that weight loss won't be my number one priority anymore, here's a new list of fitness goals for me to reach:

1- run 5K in under 22 minutes.

2- start playing soccer in a weekend league

3- continue to eat well and post here

4- eventually, and we're talking 2,3 years down the road, run colfax marathon in under 3 1/2 hours

5- Never smoke cigarettes again (I've been without a cig for 158 days today, and I don't even want one anymore)

All attainable goals. Thanks for reading.

want to read what I've been writing lately?

radminds.blogspot.com

Go for it. I won't be updating this one very much anymore, but I'll keep it for posterity's sake. Over there, I don't write personal stuff, I write free form. It sucks, but it helps when I have writers block at work.

As for my healthiness, I've been running 3 miles a day, don't have to stop anymore, lost a few more pounds, continue to feel a little bit better everyday (and look the part, too). I'm hoping to run a good time (sub 24 minutes) in 5K later this summer.

I haven't smoked a cigarette in 109 days.

Nico-free

Been without nicotine for 29 days. It's been relatively easy, so far. I'm surprised.

Still on a maintenance schedule for weight loss. I'm planning on shifting back to a loss routine when the days get longer. Hopefully within the next month.

I'm feeling less crazy than I have been in a long time. I'm starting to think that I wasn't masking anxiety with cigarettes, that in fact the cigarettes were causing anxiety. 

Sometimes I walk around the office and run to my destination for no reason. Literally, run. What does that tell you?

Ex called last night for the first time in a month. Yes, I made it a month without calling her. Things are changing. Nice.

No ciggies, and more weight loss

It's been too long since I've written a blog. I guess writing every day for a living will do that to you.

Weight loss is picking back up again, although I did not make my previously stated goal of being at 3rd goal by Jan. 1. I am still five pounds away from that goal, and it's obviously about a week since New Year's Day.

I've now lost twelve pounds since I took my new job. In about 4 months, so that's progress, I suppose.

I'm more proud that I've been able to keep the weight off. I've been running again, trying to every day, and still watching what I eat. I haven't regained any of the weight and feel the most healthy that I've ever been, even since I was 8 or 9 years old.

I also quit smoking. Been cigarette free for one week, now. If I can make it to six months, I'll know I've kicked the habit forever.

slow.

Progress is slow since I started my new job. 

I've lost 2 pounds since my last post, for a total of 62. I've lost those two pounds over the course of probably 30 or so days, which is not great, but is still about an ounce a day.

I've shifted into more of a maintenance cycle for my calorie intake. Instead of 1,500, I've been eating probably 1,800. Which explains the drop off in weight loss.

Still, I'm proud that I haven't had to be so stringent in my application of diet, and have instead allowed myself to eat more things that I would have normally eaten. I just haven't gone off the deep end with eating them.

My 3rd goal (which I never thought I'd get to, remember) is still another 8 pounds away. I think I'm going to say that I hope to achieve that by the end of the year, which is a good goal to have, I think. 44 days, 8 pounds, or a pound every 5 1/2 days. I think I can do that. I'll have to go back to being stringent, but that shouldn't be a problem.

It's been tough to get runs in because of the time change. Most days when I get home from work, it's dark so I don't want to run in the dark. I've been relegated to running on Saturday and Sunday exclusively, cause I don't think I'll be able to run in the mornings.

Goal number two

So, I made it to my second goal, which means I've lost 60 pounds so far (in 331 days). 

That means I lost a pound every 5.51 days over the last year or so.

Recently, it took me 54 days to lose 10 pounds, meaning I lost a pound every 5.40 days, which is actually extremely good progress, seeing as how I don't walk to work anymore.

So I'm proud of myself. I'm 10 pounds away from my final goal. 

My BMI is a normal-range 24.3, which is still on the heavier side, but not techinically overweight.

Wow, that feels good to say. Not overweight.

Anyway, 22 days to the election. FiveThirtyEight has Obama way up and not looking back. We'll see how things go.

Interesting story: I'm dog-sitting for my mom while she's on vacation (again), and I received a phone call yesterday.

Phone: Hello, may I speak to Kevin or Andrew, please?

Me: This is Kevin.

Phone: Hi, my name is (redacted) and I'm with the McCain-Palin campaign. Can I ask you a few questions?

Me: Um, sure.

Phone: Okay, first, in the race for president, do you support John McCain and Sarah Palin?

Me: Hell no.

Phone: (pause) Ooookay. (another long pause) Thinking about your reasons for voting in the election what would you say is your number one issue? The economy, terrorism, national defense or taxes?

Me: HA HA HA. The economy.

Phone: And does Andrew feel the same way?

Me: I'm pretty sure he does, lady.

Phone: Okay. Thanks for your time. (hangs up)

Thank you for that, God.