Back to the diet plan

It's not a diet. I think....

According to the internets, I have been on my diet now for 1353 days. That's a record for me sticking with any diet. With this one though, it's been easy. I've been eating a low carb diet now for all this time. There's been a handful of times I've had a slice of pizza or pumpkin pie  or something "carby", but it's a very rare event since 1353 days ago.

A history of Jimmy's diet if you're interested

In 2012 I began the year Obese. I later learned I was Obese Class III. Sounds like a military classification but it is called "morbid obesity". A pretty scary classification but I could get around fine, no back pain, no joint pain but I could feel inflammation. And it varied on intensity. Salt and carbohydrates made my fingers feel like sausages. I could see my ankles swell a bit. Annoying to say the least, but not a real concern. See, I was looking for a job in a very tough job market. I had more important shit to do than worry about my weight. Had things to do and bills to pay that took priority. Plus, more importantly, I needed medical insurance. Not for me, (I was just fine as you can obviously tell) but for my daughter who has Type 1 diabetes.

 Me and Cardinal Timothy Dolan back in the day (2/28/2012)

2012 went on like this where I was networking, looking for work and meeting some great people. One was a gentlemen named Ed M. who had a group of folks he would meet with to help organize their job search. Ed was talking to the group of us about this importance of taking care of ourselves. Not just for looking for a job, but to take care of ourselves and take care of our families. I don't know why...but the message clicked with me. But I figured that was that. I'll do it soon. I mean look! I was happy! What? Me worry?

 My Daughter and I - St Patrick's Day 2012

Later, could have been the same week - I'm not sure though - I asked my daughter to check her blood sugar/glucose. I had asked her a few times. She was getting annoyed. And so was I. I then insisted she check her glucose right then and the words that changed everything came from her mouth:
"Check your own glucose Dad! Look at the SIZE of you! You probably have Type II diabetes!!!"

Well, she dd check her glucose. But....I also checked mine. And it was high. High enough that were it my daughter, she'd need insulin to bring it down. High enough that I knew a doc would be putting me on metformin immediately. No questions asked. BUT...I had A LOT of info on how Type 1 diabetes worked. And...rather than go to the doc...I cooked up 4 eggs and bacon. I was done with carbs for a few days. HAD to try and lower that glucose number without hearing from a doc how I was fat...and here's your prescription buddy.  You should lose weight! Good luck!

Well, 3 days of bacon, eggs, chicken, steak my glucose responded immediately. Normal. Under 100. But...I figured I was KILLING MYSELF eating all this fat and meat! But that's not exactly what happened. I didn't really know how a low carbohydrate diet worked. I just keenly understood how carbohydrates affected blood glucose. And a very low carbohydrate was like treating my blood glucose issue with a giant hammer. Fixed!!! The weight loss however, was a great unexpected and unintended benefit.

Fast forward to today and here's a graph of my weight loss. This morning I was 218 pounds (haven't weight in since Christmas day where I was 217.5 pounds). I am still maintaining a 90+ pound weight loss. Below is a graph from an app I use to track my weight called Libra. It works well for me.

 As you can see from the trend line, if I work hard I can be 285 pounds by New Year's Day 2017!

2016 brings new opportunities to improve myself and my goal is to at least get below 200 pounds. 181 pounds is the blue line (I'm 6'1") I'd REALLY like to get to which would put me at a BMI of 23.9

Here's me in my underwear to show where I am starting from  (not sure if that's NSFW or what...but you havebeen warned!!!  I apologize in advance for any offense taken! Ladies....I'm married...sorry)

 

Onto the blue line!!! See ya soon!