274 - I'm not cheating

273.8 lbs (124.2 kg)

I promise, I don't have a bunch of fat friends all lined up waiting for me to photograph the weighing scales. And I don't have my hand resting/leaning on the bathroom counter top, faking a reading. This really is me, losing weight at a rapid rate. 273.8 lbs this morning! Woot! 😊

275 - lost 8 pounds in two weeks

275.4 lbs (124.9 kg)

 More good news, as I'm down from 284 to 275 lbs in the space of two weeks.

277 - Fourth time up Mount Helena

When I was at the State employee health center in Helena recently, I was given two objectives to meet before I leave town: one was to climb Mount Helena two more times. The other was to walk 80,000+ steps in a week. I was close to the latter goal a couple of times, reaching 75,150 and 76,805 steps two and three weeks ago. This week, I'll likely reach 70,000 again. So, now I have just two more weeks to try to reach my target, which is equivalent to walking about 40 miles in seven days. Since I'll be packing for my house move, the scope for walking will be more limited, but I'll give it my best shot.

The former objective has been met!

Fourth time up Mount Helena in four months

So now, after 19¾ years of having NEVER climbed to the summit (Trailhead Elevation:  4,350 feet; Top Elevation: 5,460 feet), I've conquered it four times in twelve weeks (once each in June, July, August and September). In Richland County (Sidney, MT), where I'm moving to, the peak elevation is about 2,950 feet, located about 40 miles west of Sidney on the Richland/Dawson county boundary. When people say it has no mountains, they're not kidding! So, my new pursuit will be bicycle riding. Of course, we're approaching the snowy winter season, so it won't always be practical, but I'll do what I have to in order to get my leg muscles attuned. I still want to do a long-distance ride some day.

Continuing the good news, this morning's weigh-in gave a new low: 276.6 lbs.

278 - one hundred pounds left to lose

277.8 lbs (126 kg)

The good news continues! For those who don't know, or who haven't read the beginning of this blog (almost a year ago), I started this journey 15 months ago at 405 lbs. This morning I was at 277.8 lbs (127 lbs less). My ultimate goal is to reach 178 lbs (81 kg). 

For the first time in many years, my BMI (body mass index) is below 40 (39.9). I know, it's still way too high, but I'm working on it with a plan that I know works. 

Thanks to the useful Internet Wayback Machine (https://web.archive.org), I was able to find a single snapshot of my old website from 10 years ago (June 16th, 2006). At that time, I had just moved back to England for a year, and was starting from 353 lb. Later on (March 2007), I would eventually reach about 270 lbs or so,... a weight I managed to maintain (within 10 lbs) for the next three years. 

Here's the entry from June 2nd, 2006:

"At my last weigh-in on April 19th (yes, it's that long ago), I weighed 352 lbs. Today I went to the doctor as part of their new patient registration process. My pulse rate was down a couple of points, my BP was a shade lower than it has been, and my weight was... 

343 pounds (155.6kg) 

So, the combination of walking (oh boy, have I been walking!!) and good diet have paid off. I have blisters on my feet right now, but I'm prepared to suffer if it'll enable me to continue losing weight at that rate."

SO, now the challenge is to keep up the good work. Onward and downward!!

279 - it's just melting off again now!

279 lbs (126.5 kg)

After weeks of seemingly little weight loss progress, and a couple of weeks of > 75,000+ steps, the past few days have seen me drop five pounds!! It's been nine years since I was this light.

281 - three pounds off, even with my first visit to Sidney

280.8 lbs (127.4 kg) - a new low

 

I spent a long Labor Day weekend (six days) in Sidney, MT, ... my future home (at least for a little while). Despite not doing my usual amount of walking and hiking, I managed to lose 3 lbs! I didn't do any cycling either. However, there is a good cycle path that goes right next to the house. Now, if only that Montana snow will stay away this winter!