Celebrations and Goals

Yeah, I celebrated. And, I had a salad at one of my favorite restaurants. But I also had a steak! OK, it was a small one, about half the size I would have had before I started on this dietary oddessy. All in all, I think I did just fine.

So, breaking 200 for the first time in five years has gotten me thinking about what's ahead. Where should I stop losing? Should I set goals along the way? Once I'm done losing, how should I proceed?

For the first question, I Googled and found a BMI calculator with helpful tables and other information. According to the information here, I should weigh less than 174 (I'm 5' 10"). Wow, it's been a long time since I weighed that little! I'm not even sure if I can safely get down that low at my advanced age :) And, 174 is the top of my range, it would be great to actually be comfortably below the top. So, if I take the first two questions together, here's what I'm coming up with:

• First goal: 185
• Second goal: 173
• Third goal: 165(!)

I think that the first goal represents a weight which I can reasonably reach and maintain. I think it'd keep my doctor off my back, assuming my body recovers from whatever is happening to my liver. If I get here and can go no lower, but I maintain that weight, I think I'd be happy. The second goal is the top of the range per the BMI. I don't know if I can get there, but I'll do what I safely can to reach it. If I get that far down and my doctor tells me that I should be heavier, or if I get there and find that it's so much of a struggle that I'm not enjoying life, I'll revert to the first goal. The third goal is well within my "normal" range, per BMI. I have serious doubts whether I can hit that, and even more serious doubts about whether I can maintain that weight long-term. But, a guy can dream, and if I can do it and still be healthy and active without feeling like I'm killing myself trying to maintain it, well then, so much the better.

Which leaves the third question unanswered. I'll have a lot of thinking to do, and I'll need to ask some questions of the kind folks at McConnell before my subscription runs out. But enough thinking for one day... :)

Diet Update

Breakfast 1/23:

South Beach bar

8 oz light yogurt

banana

40 oz water

20 oz coffee

Lunch 1/23:

Ham and hard salami (3 oz) and colby jack (1 oz) on white w/ mustard

8 oz lettuce w/o dressing

4 oz carrots

banana

32 oz water

Dinner 1/23 (Damon's):

8 oz charbroiled prime rib

6 oz salad w/ parmesan peppercorn on the side

10 oz baked potato w/ ~1/2 tbsp butter and ~1/2 tbsp sour cream

1 roll

30 oz iced tea

~1/2 c strawberry sorbet (from Graeter's)