My fifth and final act (hopefully)

It has been a very very long time since I've posted to this blog - this is only my third post since the beginning of March - but I've decided that it's time for me to come back and finish this thing that I started four years ago.

As you know, in fall 2010 I decided to get my ass into gear and get healthy.  I've come a long way, but I still have a ways to go before I hit my final goal.  As I sit here, I weigh 230 pounds.  I'm 80 pounds lighter than when I started, but yet I'm 30 pounds away from my ultimate goal of 200.  At my lightest, I got down to 215, but it was never sustained for more than a week.

Here are how my last four years have gone:

2010 - 2011: lost 65 pounds
2011 - 2012: sustained loss until summer 2012 when I regained 10 pounds
2012 - 2013: Lost that 10 pounds, plus an additional 25 for a total loss of 90 pounds.
2013 - Fall 2014: Sustained my 90 pound loss until the summer when I regained 10 pounds.

As you can see, I've maintained the majority of my weight loss, with just a few minor set backs.  Considering how many people who have lost large amounts of weight gain it all back and then some, I'm quite proud of my accomplishments.  However, these last couple of months I am just not happy with where I am at currently.  I feel uncomfortable in my own skin and have allowed myself to get into my own head.

Unfortunately the last couple of months my work required a lot more of my time than normal and finding time to exercise was pretty much impossible.  Now I feel as though I'm starting from scratch physically, which just frustrates me to no end.

I am still registered for the Avengers Half Marathon in November and I'm still debating whether or not to do it.  I feel as though if I can get myself back up to be able to run 10 miles before the race, then I will do it.  If not, then I won't.  I will work hard to get to that goal, however if I don't reach it, I won't beat myself up about it.  Health and my goal weight are the ultimate finish line, not the one in Disneyland.

In order for me to reach my goal of 200 pounds, I'm going to go back to basics.  No more DietBets, no more low-carb quick fixes.  I'm going back to what worked for me in the beginning: eating right, counting calories and exercise.  I haven't been doing all three of these for the past 2-3 months and I feel it.

So starting tomorrow, I'm entering the fifth and final act of this weight loss journey.  I don't care how long it takes me, but I won't finish until I see at least 200 on the scale.

I can do it.  Now, I just need to get my ass in gear.  I know that it's going to suck for the first couple of weeks, and I'm going to get very frustrated with myself, but I need to just keep moving onward so the scale can move downward.