Week 5 in the books....and scale says....197.6. An unimpressive .4 lbs. for the week, but I am still heading down. To be honest, I did not feel like I was losing any weight this past week and I was apprehensive to step on the scale this morning. It is not that I was off diet, because I have not been (no processed carbs have crossed my lips in 5 weeks...well...excluding a couple low carb beers which I have already discussed), it was just that the mirror was not telling me that my love handle were receding.

Onward to week 6. I continue to stay on plan (3 meals a day, protein and greens) and work out regularly, and I have no problem with myself below 200, but I can go lower and I will.

Week 6 in the books....and the scale says....196.8. That is .8 lbs for the week and 8.4 lbs for the 6 weeks. I am not displeased with that loss, and the trend still remains consistent and downward. My 'love handles' are receding, and my stomach muscles are starting to be visible under a much smaller layer of fat. I am at the point where I can wear a body fitting t-shirt, and I look fit. But there is still a little work to do.

This past week I was good, following my 'Atkins' themed plan of meat, fish, vegetables and eggs, and 3 meals a day. No, I don't weigh or measure, and I eat vegetables regardless of their carbs (tomatoes, red peppers, etc.). My red line in the sand is simple...eat nothing that is mostly carbs. For 6 weeks I have not had any of the following: bread in any form, potatoes in any form, rice, pasta, corn in any form, sweets/desserts in any form, sugary drinks, fruit). I can follow this because my 'being good' does not hinge on whether I had 2 ounces more of something than I should have...I eat until I am full, avoiding the forbidden list. Of course, my appetite has been tamed, and I now tend to eat a little less than I used to at my 3 meals.

I worked out pretty hard this week, as I am now 1 month out to the GoRuck event. Been carrying the 60 lbs pack during cardio workouts and on 5 mile rucks around the neighborhood...it really sucks but it feels great to drop the pack at the end (kinda masochistic I guess).

Well, off to cook my bacon and eggs breakfast, and start my day. On to week 7.

Week 7 down, and the slow but steady decline continues. Scale said 196.2 this morning. I was hoping to see a 5, but that will have to wait for next week. So, after 7 weeks I am down 9 lbs.

Again I pretty much stuck to what I do, animal protein and vegetables, eating 3 meals a day and very limited snacking. Only sins were using some sweet teriyaki sauce on salmon, and some store bought barbecue ribs. I am still having a low carb beer or glass of wine at night, but that is for my mental health. Worked out pretty hard this past 7 days (at least 5 of them), and that will continue this week, as the GoRuck is rapidly approaching.

I will admit that thoughts a nice slice of chocolate cake, or a baked potato, or other carb bombs have entered my mind this past week. I still harbor the hope that I can balance my diet, and indulge sparingly and still maintain my weight. I have tried before and always seem drift way too far to the dark side, but with the son out of the house the food discipline should be better. We will see, but first I need to get down to at least 190, and then I need to do a controlled (that is where I screw up, lack of control once I open the carb spigot jut a little) experiment to see my tolerance. I do not mind hard core low carbing for a month or 2 each year to burn off a little fat, but it seems the rate of loss is getting slower as I age so 2 month low carbing may have to be full time if I am to stay below 200 (which is the top of my comfortable zone).

On to week 8.

Week 8 down, and the scale says....195.2. That makes it a 1 lb. loss for the week and an even 10 lbs from when I started my Atkins-like diet (and maybe a little more as I fasted for 36 hours before 1st weigh-in). I am pleased with that, as I was a bit apprehensive to step on the scale this morning, not because I deviated at all from my course, but just because I did not feel like I had lost much.

I will admit I had thoughts of being at or below 190 after 8 weeks, but because I am not willing to sacrifice calorie intake (I eat till I am satisfied) I am on this slow decline path. Fine.

The week was pretty much as the weeks before, animal protein and vegetables in various forms for my 3 meals, snacking limited to cheese or a handful of nuts, and my beer and wine ration. I also had some good workouts to compliment my efforts.

So now at 195 I played around with BMI and smart BMI. Let me say that BMI, in my view, is just wrong for anyone over 30. For a someone 73 inches it designates the 'normal range' from 140 to 185. I am a normal build guy, average shoulders, not big bones, smaller feet and hands, but with some muscle mass I built in college and have held onto somewhat since then. I was around 185 when I graduated college, and the only time I have been at the low end (150) of the 'average' weight range in the last 35 years was when I graduated Ranger school, 35 lbs down from my starting weight. At 140 lbs I would be skin and bone, and at 185 I am probably at 15% body fat. The Smart BMI seems to make a lot more sense, showing the 'low health risk' range from 160 to 210 for a man my age and height, with me well into the green in that model. I do not like this model just because it has me in the green, I like it because it reflects how I feel about myself at various weights (yes, above 210 I am sporting the man belly). Anyway, if you have just used the BMI to judge where you are, I would suggest you look at the Smart BMI as a better gauge for middle aged and older folks.

On to week 9, no changes planned. I have another 2 weeks until the GoRuck, so I will be dong some hard but sensible training.

I never paid attention to BMI, since it has so little sense to it. Plus, muscle weighs more than fat. That can be significant.

Why I go by pants more than scale.

I like the 'pants' gauge also. I was 32 waist when I graduated college, and at my worst I was 38 waist for a brief time before I got my act together a few years ago (I bought 3 pairs of work pants in 38...then a few month later decided I was not going to go down the ever increasing pants road anymore).

Yesterday, I tried on my 34 waist jeans, and they fit but a bit too tight, so I went to my 35 waist jeans and they fit great. 34 waist is a stretch for me, unless I can find the will and way to stay under 190.

Bottom line, I will be buried in nothing larger than 36 waist pants:-)

Week 9 of my latest effort in the books....and scale says 194.6. That is another .6 lbs. gone, not a huge drop but continues my consistent slow loss. It is also below 195, which is a nice milestone to cross...again.

The week was nothing special. I did what I have been doing, and have not had a carb bomb cross my lips since I started. Animal proteins and veggies, in various forms, with my beer or wine ration at dinner. Workouts were OK this week, but I tweaked my back so I had to take a couple days off. Workouts are starting to tapper down in anticipation of the GoRuck event next week, which will also bring a halt to the beer ration for the 5 days prior, plus lots of hydrating.

Looking at myself in the mirror, fat remains mainly in 2 areas. I still have a thin layer over my stomach, and I have a pad of fat on the lower back, above each hip. I really dislike that back fat, as it moves like fat, unlike anything else on my body at the moment. I know in order to absorb that back fat I need to get under 190....although I am not sure I have the discipline and focus to make it another 10 weeks (if I continue to average .6 lbs. per week) on low carb (Under 50, usually under 30). I would be curious what my body fat is below 190....I would guess that it is well below 20.

All for now. Hoping for a .8 lb loss this week:-)

Week 10 in the books and the scale says.....192.6! Don't quite know where a drop of 2 lbs came from, but I will take it, giving me a grand total loss of 12.6 lbs., and an average of 1.2 lbs per week.

I did not do much different last week, except that on Monday I started hydrating (and cutting out my beer ration) in preparation for the GoRuck Event. My workout were hard last week but have tapered considerably this week due both to a few small dings (wrist a little sore, back a bit stiff) and in run up to the event.

I have decided to stay low carb through the GoRuck event, so sugarless hydration solutions, jerky and nuts, and steak/shrimp/salad for the meal between Toughs. I do, however, plan to have a pizza on completion of the event (kinda a tradition). I will try to weigh myself post event/pre shower and pizza and see where I am.

On to week 11, and a very busy weekend GoRucking and honoring the soldiers that fell in Somalia 27 years ago.

I completed the GoRuck Double Tough this morning, mostly low carb. I did eat some chocolate covered expresso beans at around 3 AM this morning that another person had, because I was falling asleep on my feet and needed the boost, but besides that I stuck to low carb. Overall, after 40+ miles, 110,000 steps from Friday at 9 PM to this morning at 8 AM, my energy level was consistently good and steady throughout (although right now I feel like I have been beaten with a 2x4, and am walking like a 90 year old man).

I did way myself and I was 189.6 this morning when I got home, 3 lbs down from my last weigh in on Wednesday of 192.6. Some was probably due to slight dehydration, and the rest due to fat burn.

I did eat a pizza this morning before getting a 5 hour nap, and am basically eating without concern today. Tomorrow, I will get back to low carbing it, and continue then push to get solidly below 190.

I wanted to add a photo from the end of the GoRuck Tough, but my 1st attempt failed and stopped me from editing. Here is another try (or at least a link):

https://photos.app.goo.gl/syhtZWsqw9jD5Fcn7

This is me at under 190 (at least briefly..lol). Gentleman with me was the leader of the event, a retired Delta Force and Special Forces NCO.

Cool! WTG!

I gained over 20lbs in 4 months, ugh

I'm back at it as well, the best of luck to you!

Excellent progress. As you get closer to goal, things don't move as quickly as they did in the beginning. That means you are achieving success. Looks like you are enjoying your adapted way of life, and that's the ultimate objective.

Week 11 in the books...and the scale says 192.8. A bit of a step backwards, +.2 lbs. from last week, and 3 lbs. since I weighed myself following the GoRuck Double Tough on Sunday late morning (I never did expect to be under 190, as much of the weight loss seen at that weigh in was due to dehydration).

I attribute the weight gain to eating a large pizza following the event (actually, I had 1/2 the pizza immediately following the event and 3 pieces yesterday for lunch). Thankfully the pizza is now gone. To be honest, after I finished the pizza yesterday I felt sluggish and heavy-full, and it was not pleasant. I regretted finishing the pizza and not just throwing the rest out. Lesson learned. (I had asked my DW to just get a medium, but she instead bought the large).

Today I restart my workouts (Still have a little soreness in knees and hips, and back is still a touch tight, but I have pretty much recovered). I am not yet sure what direction the workouts will take now that the GoRuck is behind me. I want to leave some cardio in the workouts, but I may shift them more towards strength training for the near term. Guess I will see what I feel like when I hit the basement at 430ish.

Onward to week 12, and hopefully a little incremental progress to 190.

(Looking at another GoRuck event in late may in Frederick, MD, as I need the next 'hard thing' to keep me motivated)

Week 12 in the books, and the scale says....188.4. Yes, you read that right. I did feel and look thinner, and when you weigh in once a week a well-timed biological function can tip the scales, but I did not expect to be down 4.4 lbs from my last weigh-in, and 1.2 lbs below my post-GoRuck weight.

The last week was pretty typical. I did get back to working out, although I am not working out as hard as before (read..I am not dripping in sweat after the workout). I did stick with low carb pretty much, the only deviation being I went to Five Guys and had a burger with a bun (29 carbs, well worth it). Meat and salad and nuts and cheese and eggs and bacon (and my beer and/or wine ration, of course).

I am still working to adjust my workouts for post GoRuck. At present they look like this: Day 1: 4 sets bench press, 3 sets dumbell press, 3 sets dips, 3 sets dead lift, 3 sets knees raises; Day 2: pull ups/chinups (4 sets or a couple pyramids), Farmers walk (3 sets), 20 burpess x 2, dumbell shoulder pressx3, leg liftsx75 Day 3: cardio. Yesterday, I ran 2 miles...first time I have run in a while, as the last few months it has all been rucking. The run went well, but as always the best thing about running is stopping.

On another note, this weekend I should be able to talk to my son for the 1st time in almost 3 months ( he was in the reception BN for 1 full month because Benning was FUBAR). He will complete basic training (1st 8 weeks of OSUT) this Friday, and he should get phone privileges sometime this weekend. It is just so hard to go from daily interaction with your child to no interaction (he did send a few letters, but not enough:-).

On to week 13. If my weight holds below 190, it may be time to start a controlled carb experiment. My plan is to introduce approx. 50 grams of extra carbs a day (cup of rice for instance), or 350 per week, to be used as I choose (If I want to use 150 grams on a slice of cake I will only have 200 extra for the other days). If I can do that and maintain, I plan to up it to 75 grams, and then to 100 grams. I will keep you all informed:-)