LIFE final checkin tomorrow

Well, Monday is your final LIFE check-in (we'll see what happens with work). I think you will be net -20 from your starting point after 2 years. Your peak was -46.

Reflecting back on the process, I am not thrilled with the result on my behalf but that's largely a matter of my own failings, not the program. (From my last post, Jesus would probably tell me to pick my butt up out of the chair and take it outside for some non-keyboard exercise).

That's the key for me. I think I have made fundamental changes to my diet and that's been what's kept the weight off for this period - I don't feel like I'm on a diet so much as I'm just being responsible for what I eat. It's not bad deprivation, it's resisting the urge to do what thou wilst in the world.

Now if I could just do the same thing with walking/exercising I think I could get another 20-30 off. But it's time, and not just time (scheduling being the last rampart of avoiding an unpleasant task), it's inclination. Walking with the dogcast was OK but it got lonely at some point and now I have a real distaste for it. Working out early is good but when I get to work early I want to actually work in order to have a chance of being able to go home before sundown.

So it's a challenge for me. I think when this is over I am going to finally complete that project to summarize the LIFE modules and reassess what I'm doing and what I need to do.

For you, older self, this is what I learned in the LIFE program:

• Weight is nothing but biology, which is nothing but physics and chemistry, the most fair judges in the universe. They do not care if you're happy or if you're sad or if you're just doing it this once. If you eat more than you need you gain weight. If you eat less or need more than you eat you will lose weight.
  
  
• Weigh yourself regularly, in the morning. Doesn't have to be every day but if you shoot for every day you'll do better than letting six months go by and then wondering who's that bloated buffoon in the mirror. Track the numbers - CalorieKing was good but I like The Hacker's Diet trend mapping.
  
  
• Nothing good happens between midnight and 4 AM, diet or otherwise. Caffeine makes things happen between midnight aand 4 AM.
  
  
• Take responsibility for your daily calorie budget. Plan. Count calories. Calories count. You know damn well what three ounces of chicken looks like and that three bowls of crunchy corn bran is not a serving.
  
  
• Nothing wrong with a big breakfast (especially when followed up by a smaller lunch) but remember -more protein and less carbs/sugar for breakfast means fewer furtive trips to the substitute bagel lady at 10 AM.
  
  
• Body weight x 12 = number of calories you need to maintain. This stopped working for you earlier this year, unless you are seriously underestimating calorie intake. According to my measure with CalorieKing I should weigh 250 and let's just say I don't.
  
  
• 3500 calories in a pound - 7 days in a week - 500 less calories than your base requirements per day - should result in ABOUT 1 lb loss. It will usually time that 1 lb until just after you weigh in for the 7th day and then stomp off to work in a funk.
  
  
• Non-starchy vegetables (not corn, peas, potatoes, etc) are your best dietary friend. You can eat a bag of them for a penny a calorie and throw them into anything BUT...
  
  
• The more you eat - of anything - the more your body expects to eat. A few tiny meals spread out through the day gets you used to eating tiny meals.
  
  
• If you are going to skip a meal, skip dinner.