Starting point. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com
Usually when I talk about goals on Career Break Secrets, they are related to taking a career break. But, today I’m going to include you on a personal journey of mine. Chances are, at some point of your life, you’ve had the same goal: lose weight!
I’ve had a life long battle with the scale, and I usually have lost. One of the goals I had on my career break was to lose weight and get healthy. The corporate life got the best of me. The combination of losing control of my work-life balance and a history of weight gain (and loss, and gain, and loss, ad infinitum) meant that I got up to a hefty 259 pounds (117.5 kgs). I have the pictures to prove it, but would really rather not, thanks. The amazing thing is that this wasn’t my all time highest weight. Back in early 2002, I topped out at 268 (121.5). Wow! Did I really just disclose that?
I worked out for 6 straight months before I left to go travel. I didn’t want to get on the road in that condition. And, while I was traveling, I continued to lose weight. If you ever need proof that all that travel helps get you into shape, I can provide you with a testimonial. At my peak on the road, I got down to 207 lbs (94 kgs) and 17% body fat. I was pretty proud of myself, even though I always felt I could have gone further.
Since my career break ended, I’ve maintained fairly well (some ups and downs). But, I haven’t been in the gym a whole lot. So, while my weight isn’t too far up from my low, I’ve lost some of my muscle mass and my proportions are not where I want them.
Enough!
Spin class, here I come! Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com
I am determined to take back control before I let any more of it slip away. So, to help keep myself honest, I’m going to be blogging my progress. I won’t be going into painstaking detail about it. But, as I progress, I will post.
Now that I’m in Colombia, it’s all metric. So, like it or not, I’ll be posting for every kilogram drop, or 2.2 pounds. It’s a rounder number and I like talking about my weight in kilograms. For a former fat kid to talk about his weight being under 100, it’s a slight (albeit ego-stroking and insignificant) motivator.
I weighed in on Monday at 98.5 kiolgrams (216.7 pounds). My goal for the next few months is 90 kilograms (198 pounds), a weight I haven’t been at since, well, ahem, for some time. I’ll be eating well and hitting the gym: a mix of spinning classes and weights. Once I hit that goal, I’ll reassess to see where I am and if I should keep going or switch over to maintenance mode.
Time to get spinning! Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com
Bear with me. It will take me a bit to get going, but hopefully, once I’m in the zone, it will all come right. Thanks in advance for the support!
Jeff
If you like this post, sign up for our newsletter or subscribe to our RSS feed to keep up with Career Break Secrets’ career break and travel advice.
You can do it Jeff!!
Jeff, I know you can do it…so proud of you…love mom
Go, GO, GO!
Just this once we get to say…Lose lose lose! Thanks for sharing and above all, feel good.
Thank you all for the support! I’m getting off to a bit of a slow start unfortunately. But, one day at a time, right??!!
Hi Jeff!
It works!
I found this post thanks to your newsletter!
Good for you!!! With a lot of press trips last year (read: eating amazing free meals), I gained some weight and was not happy. I’ve been doing Loseit.com for 2 months or so now – basically good old fashioned counting calories and it’s really worked great! I’ve been dropping a pound/week consistently! It’s been fun actually as it feels like a challenge and I am so much more aware of everything I eat and how much calories are in bread, etc! It’s super easy too b/c it has most things in its library already and if not, you can add it. Plus it subtracts for exercise. I really like it…plus you can’t beat that it’s free! Good luck!!
LL
Lisa | LLWorldTour recently posted..Photo of the Week: The Underwear of Aracena, Spain