I have always tried to manage my weight. I was a fat kid in grade school, no buts about it. Carbs have always been a comfort food for me, and it showed.
Sophomore year in high school was the first time I went on a diet. It was a rather unsophisticated one where I skipped breakfast and had a package of cheese crackers for lunch every day. I ended up losing quit a bit of weight, getting down to 165 pounds at my lightest. That may have been aided by the fact that I was (a) a teenage boy with a metabolism to match, and (b) running track.
ROTC continued to keep me active in college, but not quite enough. Which is strange to say, since I ran more and ran harder than I did in high school. The Freshman Fifteen moved in, liked what it saw, and invited a few friends over. I started putting the pounds back on. That continued on through my time in the Navy. By the time I got out of the military, I’d learned to both love burritos, and to drink my coffee black. If I was going to put on pounds, it was going to be because of that awesome Mexican food out in SoCal, not because of sugar and cream.
Then kids showed up. Anyone who’s been there will tell you that while they tire you out, it’s not because you’re getting a solid workout. Plus, you end up eating their leftovers a lot, because it would be a crime to let that pot roast go to waste. So it goes to waist, instead. I tried a couple of different variations on diets including some of the “low carb” versions like Atkins and South Beach. Mind you, this was back in the 90’s where “low carb” bread looked and tasted like stale cardboard sprinkled with dirty sawdust.
Skip forward to 2017. I quit chewing tobacco, thanks to the support of the good folks at KillTheCan.org. One of the things we tell new quitters is that you can put anything in your mouth except tobacco. So I did. After my first three months or so nicotine free, I was close to 250 pounds. I think I hit 249 before I decided enough was enough. No diet this time, though. I got serious about my walking. I started estimating and logging my time distance, then got a phone app to make it easier. I walked 2019 miles in 2019. That helped me get back down to the vicinity of 215.
Then came COVID and lockdown. I kept walking, and started focusing on keto. High fat, high protein, low carb. That let me shed quite a bit of weight. I was down to 185 pounds at one point, but it was rough. Bacon every day sounds great until you’re eating bacon every day, you know? Plus, remember what I said about comfort foods. No carbs is painful for me.
Over time, with a lack of attention, my weight has crept up a bit. In the past year or so, I seem to have settled in at about 210 pounds. Not bad, mind you, but it could be better. I’d like to loose another 20 pounds, maybe settle in at 190.
This past month, with my heart issues, I’ve gotten what’s likely going to be my final diet recommendation. I need to keep my triglycerides down, my cholesterol down, and hopefully watch my weight. All of which adds up to a Mediterranean diet. Lots of fish, chicken, fruits and veggies. My beloved carbs are back, too, although in moderation.
Oh, and exercise. It’s not like I’m going to quit walking. It’s more than a habit at this point; as I've mentioned here, it’s how I take a break, let my mind wander, and sharpen my saw.
Have you ever changed your diet or your lifestyle to help you manage your health? What’s worked for you, and how did you manage it?
The Business of Writing
A mid-week update on my three major commitments: to write, to edit, and to read.
I think I may be starting to adjust to my new medication. I’ve been tired lately, but not exhausted. You might not think there’s much of a difference, but trust me, there is!
This past week has been taken up with getting out the suggested edits for all the various Tull anthology stories. I am very pleased with the overall response I’ve received from authors regarding our recommendations. Most people are more than happy for the feedback, and updated stories have started to roll in. It looks like I’m going to be able to start copy editing sooner than I anticipated.
In the meantime, I still have a promised story to finish. I am somewhat anxious about this one, because it’s in an existing world that I’m not terribly familiar with. I don’t want to screw this one up. Fortunately, I have some folks that are familiar with the IP in question in the Alpha Mercs. I need to just bite the bullet and write. On the plus side? I had the chance to think about it a bit today during an appointment, which resulted in 300 words of notes. I know what I want to do, now I just need to do it.
Oh, and we finally have a cover reveal from
for their upcoming Wyrd West anthology! I’m going to be appearing in this one alongside a host of great stories (including ones from and a few other Alpha Mercs!) "A Benediction in Lead" is creepy as all git out, and definitely belongs in a collection of stories about the things that haunt the plains - and the cowboys who hunt them.Other Stuff
Taxes are done and off! The new guy did a bang-up job. Best money I spend every year. I’m really going to have to look at forming a S-corp for Reasons. I’m going to have income from writing, Shari’s going to have income from editing, and we really need to be more formal about how we handle things.
The girls are home this weekend because we’ve got some really good friends getting married tomorrow! Saying “we’re excited for them” doesn’t really cut it. Tomorrow’s going to be a great day.
See you all next week!
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Type II diabetic and I remember the 'diabetic cookies' in the 80's. Basically stick half a teaspoon of preserves on a pile of sawdust and there ya go, buddy, enjoy! What worked for me was two-fold. 1. Get rid of the temptations. Out of the house, gone. 2. And realizing why I was going for comfort food, whether that was a 'reward' or boredom, habit, whatever. Taking a hard look at it and just going okay, that doughnut is going to cost you a couple hours on the treadmill and you hate the treadmill. After a while on a lower fat/carb lifestyle, eating what used to be 'good' is like licking a spatula full of Crisco shortening. Bleh, no thanks.
First, congrats to your friends on their wedding. Second, I am glad to be in an anthology with you, Sam. Third, I've put my notes in my Scrivener file for "Journeyman" and will be running edits next week. And finally, you're not alone with dietary and health changes. Last week, I noticed that my blood pressure had crept up into the danger range and got my prescription changed from the trash generics that my health insurance was shipping me. I've also given up on refined/processed sugars to keep my blood sugar out of its own danger zone. I'll just enjoy my fond memories of tastycake pies, gingerbread birthday cakes, and jelly beans (the most dangerous with all that high fructose corn syrup) while I cruise on by them in the grocery story. 😁 I have too many stories to write to ignore my health. 👍