About Fogdog's Weight Loss

Don't Focus on the Goal...

If you've followed this blog you know that I've struggled for many years with improving my health. I've finally reached a point where I've managed to maintain a small amount of success. Now it's time to take the next step, but I believe it requires a new way of thinking.

Instead of trying to get healthy, why not shift focus toward learning how to build healthy habits instead. Follow me as I try to teach myself how to Engineer healthy habits that will allow me to take my health to the next level. Let's see where this experiment goes!

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Day #90 - A Brief Look Back (and Ahead)

I can't believe it's been 3 months since I started this journey!  I can still remember the first day thinking about how long a road I had laying in front of me.  Now here I am already one quarter of the way through.

Overall it's been a real good quarter.  I set out with my 3 goals; Quit Smoking, Stay Sober, and Lose 100 Pounds.  Here's how I've done so far...

From the smoking perspective, outstanding is the only word that I can think of to describe my performance.  On day 1 I literally just stopped smoking.  No nicotine patches or gum, I just quit cold turkey.  90 days later and I don't even think about smoking.  I am absolutely thrilled to have this monkey off my back!

Alcohol was a bit more of a struggle.  Without smoking to deal with stress in January I turned to drinking more alcohol on the weekends.  Originally I planned to give up alcohol in February, but weeks just kept going by and I just kept drinking until the next thing you know it was March.  I did finally get control though, and now it's been 21 consecutive days of sobriety.

The weight loss was the last focus.  Over the first couple months my weight was all over the place.  With so many changes going on in my body it's no wonder.  By March I really started to get control and so far I'm about 10 pounds down from where I started.

So a quick recap, in the first 90 days:
  1. 100% Smoke Free
  2. 21 consecutive days of sobriety
  3. 10 pounds lost
OK so now what?  Simple, just keep pushing forward one day at a time.  I feel like my first 2 goals are kind of on autopilot now; I just need to watch out for those rare impulse moments that can cause you to temporarily lose your mind.  So now I want to shift my focus hard toward the weight loss.  I'm setting myself a mini goal for these next 90 days.  I'm currently at 338 pounds, so my 90 day goal is to get under 300 pounds.  That will not be easy, but it is definitely achievable if I put my mind to it. 

With my added focus on weight loss I think now is also the time to get back into working out.  Walking has been great, but it's time to step it up a notch, so I'm going to start thinking about some cardio as well as some strength training.

I went back and read my Day #1 post and I can still remember how I felt that day.  I remember how the not smoking had me simply exhausted and I can remember just getting home and crashing on the couch.  Fast forward to today and I'm not the same person.  I can't believe how far I've come in just 90 days.  I can feel the changes and my mood is better than it's been in years.  I truly am getting excited about what the future holds.  I'm on a roll and I don't want to stop!

But let's not get too far ahead of myself, this journey is still going to take one day at a time.  90 days are now in the books; On to day #91.

Stay Strong!

[Photo: Flickr / Alberto Otero García   ]

26 comments:

  1. You have done so well - be proud.

    Here's to the next 3 months .......

    All the best Jan

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  2. Amazing progress. I'm glad you can feel the difference so strongly.

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    1. It's a great feeling but I still have a long way to go.

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  3. Keep going FD! You've done great so far!

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  4. You can reach your goals FD, it's great that you have mini goals. Stay strong and stay focus.

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    1. You can count on it Richard. Using you as an example, I can't lose!

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  5. You've got to have some pride in those accomplishments. cutting the empty calories of beer is helping you loose weight too not to mention the increases in being able to breathe better without the tar coating on your lungs! That is ALOT to do at once. a Foolsfitness thumbs up for you! Dont forget the factor that you are talking about day 90, I'm always sad at peoples "new years resolutions" or when they talk about just "going on a diet" like it's something you start and stop but like you said in the end of your post... "this journey is going to take one day at a time." That is profound, thanks for that.

    At foolsfitness today has been all about mugging that little bunny for his chocolate eggs-Alan

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    1. You'll notice I purposely didn't start on January 1st because I didn't want this to be one of those "resolutions". In fact, this journey started back in 2014 as I started to get my mind right first. I finally learned that you can't just do this physically, you have to prepare mentally first. Thanks for your comment.

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  6. Congrats on all that you have achieved!! That is incredible that you quit smoking cold turkey and 10 pounds is excellent. I truly love how self-aware and open you are and am excited to see your continued progress! Keep it up!!

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    1. Thanks Caroline, stay tuned because there's a lot more to come!

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