Wednesday Weigh-In: Week 119

Even though I've been weighing in every week, it didn't really hit me until a couple of days ago that it's been well over TWO YEARS since I started losing the weight I'd gained in 2018. It's kind of hard to remember what it was like in May of 2021 when I started counting calories again. And it certainly feels like a lifetime ago!

I can't say this with certainty, but I'm pretty sure that this is the first time I've ever been the same size a year later. My wardrobe is the same as it was last year at this time and it's such an odd feeling! I don't have any clothes that I'm holding on to because they're too small and I hope to get into them someday. Instead, I've altered most of my clothes to fit me well at this size (with room for a little fluctuation).

The fact that I managed to go a whole year without counting calories and don't have to replace my entire wardrobe is kind of hard to believe. My weight didn't stay completely steady through the year, of course, but I took care of my winter weight gain before it got out of control and took the weight off before I felt like it was "too far gone".

And regardless of what my weight has been, I've continued my healthier eating habits. Being vegan played a huge role in that. I also learned a big lesson recently that I think is going to be key to maintaining my weight loss. I started to write about that here, but realized it really should be its own post because it's kind of hard to explain.

Anyway, my weigh-in:

I was at 129.8 today. Last week, I was at 129.4, so I am happy with it! I consider "maintenance" to be within a 3-4 pound range or so. Sometimes, one particular meal the night before a weigh-in will make my weight go up by a couple of pounds and I certainly don't want to obsess over that. What's important to me is that I know I made healthy choices all week.

This has actually been a really great week for me! My mood has done a 180, I've been working on implementing new habits into my life, and I've had a lot more energy. I've been on top of meal prepping, which is a big stress reliever, and I do have hope that the bad luck my family has experienced over the last year is going to turn around.

Speaking of, last night was kind of funny. Since we only have one car between Jerry, Eli, and me right now, we've had to change things up. Jerry was off work yesterday and Eli had the car at work. Jerry decided he wanted to ride his bike to Kroger for a couple of things. If we lived in an area that prioritized bike riding, this would be great! It's only three and a half miles away, so we would probably do it frequently.

However, the roads here are not at all bike-friendly. Not only are the roads made of rough concrete (uncomfortable to bike on), there are also no bike lanes. For a mile on one side of the road is a so-called bike lane, but it's essentially just a small shoulder that abruptly ends halfway down the road. There are no shoulders on the rest of the road. For cyclists and pedestrians, it's pretty dangerous.

Drivers regularly drive 10-15 miles per hour over the speed limit of 45 mph and paying attention to the road seems to be a very tough concept for many to understand. I have to be very aware when I'm running, and it's kind of scary! I don't run on that road very often, and never past the point of where the shoulder ends.

Anyway, Jerry brushed a few years' worth of dust from his bike and filled the tires with air. He wanted me to time him for his round-trip; I guessed it would take him about an hour. After he left, I started thinking about how the last couple of months have come down to us having to ride bikes to Kroger and it made me laugh out loud.

And then it occurred to me that Jerry doesn't have a bike lock, and HOW FUNNY it would be if someone stole his bike while he was in the store! A year ago, it wouldn't have been funny at all; but our perspective has changed for sure. I almost thought about asking my dad to drive me to Kroger so that I could prank Jerry by moving his bike so he'd think it was stolen when he walked out.

When he got home, I asked him what he'd have done if he went outside only to find his bike was gone, and he agreed--he'd think it was hilarious. He said he would probably "laugh maniacally", haha. So, I think we're finally at the point that all we can really do is laugh about our situation (either that or we've lost our minds).

The person handling our claim at the car insurance company has been on vacation (yes, seriously) and is *supposed* to be back today. Let's hope so!