Week 38 Progress Report: Travails with Leftovers

I apologize for missing last week. Frankly, it’s hard to think of a plausible excuse, other than that I’ve been obsessed with restarting my insurance business. Also, the last couple of weeks have been a little rough in the weight-loss department. More on that below; right now, let’s get to the week-ending numbers:

Week 37:

Starting Weight:	220.6
Original Target*:	236.0
Adjusted Target:	221.6
Actual Weight:	220.6
Loss/Gain:	+ 1.0
Total Loss:	81.0
% of Goal:	58.4%
Avg. Loss/Wk.:	– 2.2
*Original target calculated from a starting weight of 302.6 lbs. and an average loss/wk. of 1.8 lbs.

Week 38:

Starting Weight:	221.6
Original Target*:	234.2
Adjusted Target:	218.7
Actual Weight:	219.4
Loss/Gain:	– 2.2
Total Loss:	83.2
% of Goal:	60.0%
Avg. Loss/Wk.:	– 2.2
*Original target calculated from a starting weight of 302.6 lbs. and an average loss/wk. of 1.8 lbs.

By the monthly progress line, I was 1.9 lbs. over target; by the 90-Day Challenge line, I was 0.7 pounds over. (As of this morning’s weight, 218.4, I’ve returned to the line on the 90-Day challenge, but I’m still 1.2 lbs. over the month line.) On the positive side, I’m still almost 15 lbs. ahead of the original plan and have lost 60% of my excess. Moreover, the weight is heading back down again after a week or more of fluctuations, and I’m back within the range where I spent most of my twenties and thirties.

But why the fluctuations? Simply put, leftovers and a boss who loves a particular Italian restaurant.

Let’s go back to Week 36: When my sister’s family left, as I said at the time, the fridge was stuffed with leftovers. “We have a strong tendency to cook for more people than are eating, especially when Clan Cronin is gathered together.” What I didn’t mention is that my brother had decided to subscribe to Home Chef. With one exception, we’ve been very pleased with their meals (and even the exception wasn’t bad).

The first box of two meals arrived the Tuesday before Clan Toth arrived; for reasons I can’t recall, we had only had one of the meals the night they flew in (landing at DFW just before midnight). Fortunately, the vegetables of the second meal were pretty durable, because they had to wait for just over a week … by which time the next box of two meals had arrived. And then, my brother and sister-in-law went out of town for the weekend.

This time, when Monday rolled around, the vegetables of the second dish (green beans) hadn’t survived. Nevertheless, we finished that round. Tuesday, Derrick, my boss, took his agents out to Italianni’s, where I overdid it on pasta and bruschetta. When I got home, there was another Home Chef box waiting on the doorstep. That night, Ted told me it would be the last shipment — although the meals are great, having regular shipments really doesn’t fit our lifestyles.

By that time, I’d realized my discipline had slipped, and the next morning’s weigh-in proved it — I hit 222.8, which was just over three pounds above the monthly line and 2.4 pounds above the Challenge line. So I got back on my horse, watching my intake and making a point to get my steps in daily. Derrick brought in Italianni’s to the office on Friday, the first day of open enrollment for Obamacare and most companies’ health benefits; this time, however, I managed to control my portions and keep the entire lunch under 500 kcal.

Understand that I’m not shucking the blame off onto Ted or Derrick. Nobody forced me to overeat or blow off my diet. And some of the leftovers still found their way into the trash. But jeez, to leave a glutton all alone with a refrigerator full of food that has to be eaten soon …!

Friday morning, I go in for that special procedure, so today and tomorrow I’m restricted on fiber and certain colors of food. Thursday is all clear liquids, a special concoction, and a date with the porcelain goddess. If I don’t lose weight then, I’ll really wonder what’s wrong with me. I may decide to have a Whataburger to make up for it! Then again, maybe not — I have about 3.2 pounds to lose in the next six days to catch the month-end goal.