Keeping an Eye on Things

If you're a regular reader, you know that I've really been struggling to keep my weight down within a reasonable range of the 100 pounds lost mark. Ideally, I'd like to be ahead of that, meaning below 272 pounds, but lately it's been about 10 pounds more than that. At least it's been pretty consistent, I guess, but I'd feel a lot better if I could just drop that 10 and be done with it. How hard is it, right? I've already lost more than 100 in the past two years, what the heck? ("What the heck?" is something I picked up from my friend Amy F., who I don't get to see nearly as much as I'd like these days, so when I use it reminds me of her.)

So anyway. I've certainly been a very active person lately, between tennis, gardening and yardwork, and running. But as they say, you can't outrun a poor diet, and that is what I am dealing with. I just can't seem to get back on the right track. I know a lot of it has to do with how I deal with stress (not well, as in, I want to eat everything in sight), and it's been very stressful at work lately. Fortunately, that should abate starting next week, at least for a few months (stressful time happens twice a year in my industry and lasts for about a month or so each time). It is my intention to make a full-blown effort to knock this weight down, even just a little – even just below 280 solidly! That's not a lot to ask of myself.

I was poking around the Photobooth app on my computer and found a photo of myself from this day last year. I weighed just about the same as I do now, maybe two or three pounds less. (So that's pretty good!) I also found a photo of the time when I was at my lowest weight, the day before Thanksgiving at 264. I wanted to see how I compare now to both, so here are the results.

On the left, 6/2/2105; on the right, today!

I look pretty much the same except for longer hair and different glasses. And I still need better bras and posture, amiright??? (P.S. I think I do like the longer hair better after all.) I'm nothing if not consistent in my wardrobe choices.

Now, here's the other set.

On the left, the day before Thanksgiving 2015 (264 pounds); on the right, today (283 pounds)!

I dunno. Not too much of a difference, but I feel like I can see those 20 extra pounds in my face, can you? My chin looks pointier on the left?

I guess what I am doing here is trying to keep an eye on things – that is, not let the weight come back any more than it already has. There's something kind of comforting about self-scrutinization, I don't know. Like that "I've got my eye on you, so you better watch it!" sort of thing.

Today after work, even though I am super NOT feeling it and I haven't run since last week Thursday, I'm running the Gay 5K in downtown Buffalo. It was a great race last year with excellent swag bags and post-race chow, so I am looking forward to that and to seeing my running pals again. Maybe it will help get me out of this running funk I've been in. I'll see how it goes. 

In tennis news, my partner and I went on a short-ish road trip to Pittsburgh on Tuesday to play on some clay courts that are volunteer-run and open to public play – very unusual as most courts in the US are hardcourt. Well, not only did I fall in love with the surface – so easy on the old bones! – I played some of the best tennis I've ever played and actually won four games out of six in the second set. WOW!!!

Me, post-play at the Frick Park clay courts!

We ended up playing for two hours, which is a LOT for us. We usually top out at an hour, maybe an hour and fifteen minutes. And we usually play either early in the morning, or in the evening to avoid the hottest time of day. In Pittsburgh, we didn't really have a choice but to play in the afternoon, so that made it extra brutal! At least the more gentle and less reflective clay surface kept us cooler, and you can see the lovely wooded surroundings of the park that probably helped in that regard, too. We both got a lot of sun, for sure! (No, I didn't wear my jacket during play! That would have been crazy.)

It was lovely, fun day of exploring a new city and having quality time together. I can't wait to do it again! Pittsburgh is very cool and worth the 4 hour+ drive. 

That's it for now. Wish me luck for the race today – I'm going to need it.