Day 14
by Scott Hardie on January 16, 2010
In lieu of "weight loss Wednesday" since I'm much too busy on Wednesdays even to get online, let me write today that I'm on day 14 of a new diet, which is 13 more days than nearly all of my attempts last. This is, in fact, the second-longest I've ever lasted on a diet, and in a few weeks it will be the longest. This should indicate how lousy my self-discipline is and why I've ballooned to this size, around 450 pounds. I'm forced to guess because our scale only goes up to 400 and I crept past its limit years ago and kept growing. I have no more motivation this time than the obvious: I'm way too big, I'm out of my twenties and need to harness my metabolism while I still can, I need to do this before my knees or my back give out and the sedentary lifestyle becomes mandatory, et cetera.
After thinking about it for weeks, I settled on a very low calorie diet, which might be dangerous (one guy died when it affected a pre-existing heart condition), but the same diet has worked for thousands of people who needed to lose a lot of weight. The biggest risk that I'm taking is not doing it with a doctor's supervision, but one doctor refused to treat me unless I had bariatric surgery and another doctor refused to treat me at all (she referred me to OA), so I'm taking my chances with it. So far I've maintained a steady average of 700-900 calories per day and around 20 grams of fat. I expected the fatigue and light-headedness, but I didn't expect other odd physiological symptoms, like random spells of itchiness all over my body, or my gums stiffening. (I'm on vitamins; they're fine.) I take these oddities as signs that my body is beginning to change, but the best signs are the compliments from people who see me beginning to get slimmer, and that keeps me going. Here's to 14 days and counting.
Four Replies to Day 14
Steve West | January 17, 2010
Heart strength or any other bodily part strength does not come from caloric intake but from a nutritional intake. You can lower calories with little side effects if you focus on quality foods. Quality being defined by nutritional value. Go for it , Tiger!
Aaron Shurtleff | January 17, 2010
Woo hoo! Way to go, and keep it up!! :)
Jackie Mason | January 21, 2010
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Logical Operator
The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »
401.8
Most people wouldn't find anything to celebrate in weighing four hundred pounds. But when you're above that and working your way down, and that number is as high as your scale will go, it's a good milestone to cross. I've weighed more than this for at least four years (how long I've had the scale), and it feels good to know that I've dropped whatever weight I've put on during that time. Go »Scott's Pet Peeve #2519
Why do some microwaves have a convenient quick-start option if you press 1 or 2 or 3, so that they instantly start cooking with 1:00 or 2:00 or 3:00 on the clock... but DON'T have this same functionality programmed into 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9, which do nothing when pressed alone? How does an engineer possess both the vision to provide the former and the lack of imagination that results in the latter? Go »Illinois, October 2012
Our road trip to see friends and family in Illinois was well worth it. The drive both ways was pleasant. I indulged in junk food like a man taking a break from six months of dieting (since my post-Atkins diet started in June, I've lost 50 pounds). Go »Crash
Some days are so bad, you feel like you've been the only driver in a demolition derby without a car. Go »Bombed Back to the Jurassic Age
Judging from what happened to my car the other day, not only is there a species of pterodactyl still alive in Sarasota, but it's suffering from an outbreak of dysentery. Go »
Amy Austin | January 17, 2010
Wow, Scott...
Far be it for me to say anything discouraging... especially if you apparently seem to be experiencing some success! But without a doctor's supervision does make me a little bit nervous for you. I guess it really shouldn't, though... as far as you know, you've got a strong heart with no history of disease, right? And I've never really had much care for doctors, anyway -- it's a precious few that I've ever thought to be respectful, helpful or concerned... the rest are just a bunch of arrogant assholes with often namby-pamby attitudes about care (such as refusing to treat you) that I believe to be far more reflective upon their own personal concerns and fears, such as liability and record of mortality under their supervision than anything to do with the actual patient. Yeah. So... having said that, fuck what those doctors said, and kick some serious (and literal!) ass, Scott -- I'm glad you're feeling encouraged!!!