Learning curve?

NORECUMYET

Regarding how I lost it so fast, and so on. First of all I've been extremely fit and of a low body fat/muscular build for all my life with the exception of about an eight to ten month period. During this period I was laid off from a twenty-six year job and actually enjoyed doing absolutely nothing but watching the idiot box and snacking. So, the weight I lost quickly was weight that was put on very quickly as well. I understand that has something to do with it. Secondly, I went from eating approximately 3500 to 4500 calories a day of fifty percent junk to less than 2000 per day and went from completely sedentary to riding twenty five miles a day and lifting weights. (Remember, I've got all day to do whatever I please.) I've gotten back to the point where I've not only equaled my performance running but have even surpassed it. (How fast I can run 3 miles is my benchmark of just how fit I am cardio wise. I'm down to a little over 6 minutes per mile for three miles. Nothing for a lot of guys, but very fast for me. I was previously at 7 per mile for three miles even twenty years ago.) I'm just about to hit 47 years old by the way. I doubt I'll gain any of it back. It was much harder to get back in shape than I thought it would be so I doubt I'll let myself go like that again. Especially now that I've found by extreme experimentation a great performance enhancing diet that fuels me beyond where I thought I'd ever go. Out went the protein powders and supplements. In came fresh vegetables in a wide variety, low fat milk in fairly large quantities, and lots of cold-water fish such as salmon. I even go for a bag of M&Ms before a "time trial". WOW. It's working really well, and I'm still losing weight. I'm now averaging 2500 calories a day. Once again, still losing. It's loss on a slow road however, about 2 pounds a week now. I do also have periods of my weight being on a plateau for a few weeks at a time. I understand is this is quite normal.

Now to change the subject. I know that if you didn't see every post that was written between the heavyset woman and myself it could and does look like I'm just a really mean and nasty person. If I remember correctly however, she started off the whole series by making a point of letting us all know that she was a very big girl but being big is perfectly O.K. Hell, not just O.K., but something to be celebrated. In fact, it's the same as being born black, or Latin, or Germanic, white, Jewish, or any other "race". I'm sorry it's not. It's a lifestyle choice, and for virtually all that choose to have it, it's a very dangerous one at that. I wasn't going to attempt to be politically correct so that this girl's self esteem could remain artificially high. For some reason it's become perfectly O.K. to radically lambaste a smoker, but almost against the law to mention that someone needs to lose some weight. Don't worry folks. It's coming. It won't be much longer before chowing down a big mac becomes as unacceptable as lighting up in a restaurant. In the U.S., if Hilary gets her way, we'll all be on state sponsored medical care and detriments to health like smoking, drinking, taking drugs, and speeding will cost you in higher premiums. If you don't think that slippery slope will lead to penalties for eating too much fat, sugar, and salt, you've got another thing coming.

Being overweight is no different than smoking cigarettes. At least statically speaking that is. There are numerous recent studies that seem to prove that being overweight carries with it the same or higher risks of cancer that smoking does. In addition, obesity also carries with it one of the fastest growing epidemics in America. That epidemic is Diabetes. I'll even go so far as to say that our terrible U.S. diets are probably responsible for the drastic increases in Autism, A.D.D., Depression, certain types of cancer, and numerous types of heart disease. The list is much longer than what I've written by the way.

To finish my response with a confusing jump, congratulations on your weight loss. It can be a very difficult thing to do. The rewards however are too numerous to list. For a while now I've come to the conclusion that the only really important thing in life is make every day count. So if you truly are happy and healthy by not putting limits on your intake, then more power to you. If however, performance is what floats your boat, then I guarantee that your boat will float higher and faster if you slim your fat ass down.

I of course don't know diddly squat. I just learned this morning that my fifty six year old, in fantastic shape and buffed up brother has passed away from heart failure. (I just went running with him a few weeks ago and couldn't even come close to keeping up with him.) He never did anything detrimental to his health but unfortunately had romatic fever as a boy and this was more than likely the reason for his unexpected passing. He did everything right. Worked hard, saved his money, stayed married, took care of his kids, did EVERYTHING by the book, and still died VERY unexpectadely. I'm left with a pretty empty and confused noggin'. I'll miss you big brother. "Only the good die young." Guess I'll live forever. It's not fair is it?