I am dedicated to focusing on the positive today, so here we go. At 67 weeks since I started this journey I have:

• Lost 120 pounds
• Dropped my weight by 34.8%
• Reduced my A1C from 7.1 to 5.3
• Lowered my BMI from 46.79 to 30.52
• Logged hundreds of miles of walking
• Reduced my pants size from 56 to 40
• Reduced my dress shirt size from 18.5 to 16.5
• Started wearing size Large T-Shirts, when I was in 3XL
• Worn out a pair of running shoes which were only ever used INSIDE a gym (for walking, I don’t run)

I feel great. I have more energy than I have in decades. No longer do I labor to do things simple like go up 2 flights of stairs to the bathroom. No longer do I hate going to big box stores because parking is so far from the door and the walking inside is laborious. When I camp, I actively seek opportunities to hike where once I’d have made excuses and settled for sitting to read a book under a tree.

Today I weighed in at 225.0. That is a 4.2 pound increase from last week. It is explainable because I had my wisdom teeth out, ate differently than I have recently, didn’t exercise and am probably holding some water weight. I could be upset about that, or I could re-read the list above and even add to it. The fact is I am in a far better place than I was 14 months ago. Do I want to lose more? Yes! I want to get to my goal weight of 195. But there is no timetable for that. If it takes another year, then so be it. The important thing is to not have meaningful gains in that time.

So, I am on a plateau. Heck, for as long as I have been in the 220s, it is a full on mesa. I stay here much longer, it will be a continent.

This afternoon we head off to camp. I am excited. It’s been too long since we were out. In the week ahead I will get back to normal on my eating (my mouth is essentially healed), and I will enjoy this new lease on life.

As I am writing I am asking myself, what is the point of losing the weight and becoming more healthy, if I don’t enjoy myself? The answer is that there would be NO point to doing that. Life is to be lived. I have given myself an opportunity to not only live longer, but healthier and happier. I am not letting negativity over a number on a scale get in the way of that!