Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 51: My Birthday Gift to Myself
"And as I approach my birthday in four days, I keep thinking about what a fine birthday present I will be giving myself when those magic numbers come up."
As any serious eater who has wrestled with a weight problem will tell you, there are certain numbers in your head that loom ever so large—milestones and targets that you can't stop thinking about.
Sometimes these numbers come in ten-pound increments. Other times they come out of books or tables.
Though I started blogging about Ed Levine's Serious Diet almost exactly a year ago, when I weighed 252, I had actually started losing weight six months before that, when I was horrified to find that I was tipping the scales at 265 pounds.
Fast forward to 51 weeks ago, when I weighed in at the aforementioned 252. I then set my sights on weighing 240. When I hit that number I imagined high-fiving everyone who had supported this weight loss endeavor (which includes all of you).
I then set my sights on hitting the big (2)30, which is where I find myself today, poised on the precipice of weight respectability.
Last week I tipped the scales at 230, and in the ensuing days I have started to fantasize about what it's going to feel like getting on Thinner and seeing two twos first.
Yesterday I weighed 230, so I keep thinking that today just might be the day Thinner says 229. And as I approach my birthday in four days, I keep thinking about what a fine birthday present I will be giving myself when those magic numbers come up.
So if I don't hit 229 today that's okay, too, but that day is coming, and when it does I'm going to give all of you a digital chest bump. Not because I've reached my goal, which is 218 (a number I got after reading Protein Power and calculating my BMI (body mass index), but because I know I will get there sometime in the near future, in part because of the support I have received from all of you.
The Weigh-In
229. OMG. Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me!
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
22 Comments:
Congratulations on hitting 229 Ed and happy birthday!
SusanP at 9:20AM on 01/23/09
Congratulations, Ed! What an excellent way to begin another year. Happy Birthday!
nosillak at 9:20AM on 01/23/09
Congratulations and happy birthday! You're an inspiration!!
CookiePie at 9:28AM on 01/23/09
Wow, Ed. Congrats! I feel ya. I don't know why it's so exciting to see a new, lower second digit on the scale (I went through the same thing this week) but it is really thrilling. Digital high-five to you!
Joy Manning at 9:37AM on 01/23/09
Congratulations! On achieving your goal AND your birthday! You are an inspiration to all serious eaters out there - you can enjoy being a foodie AND lose/maintain the weight factor!
Maureen at 9:50AM on 01/23/09
oh, wow, that is so spectacular. i'm so happy for you!
what's even more fun is weighing yourself at the gym on one of those counterweight scales and sliding the 50 pound weight back because you don't need it anymore.
i'm still trying to lose that last 30 pounds after having gone down six sizes, but have been at a standstill for quite some time. i've been trying bittman's food plan since new years: vegan and whole grain until dinner. details to follow.
happy, happy birthday!
cybercita at 9:56AM on 01/23/09
HOORAY ED!
french tart at 10:05AM on 01/23/09
Awesome!
Luby26 at 10:06AM on 01/23/09
Congratulations, Ed and happy birthday!!!
brooke29 at 10:14AM on 01/23/09
CONGRATS and Happy Birthday!
mrsbao at 10:16AM on 01/23/09
happy birthday & congrats! :)
courtguerra at 10:30AM on 01/23/09
YAYYY ED!!! Happy Birthday!
Jenn Sit at 10:41AM on 01/23/09
Congrats, Ed! And Happy Birthday!
I read through all of your posts a little while ago, and man, I can understand why it's a struggle. Last year I started going out to restaurants a lot more and ended up putting on 15 pounds. I had to cut way back on my meals out to lose the weight. With all the eating out and tasting and minefields you go through everyday, I'm incredibly impressed. Way to go!
margaux at 11:25AM on 01/23/09
I refuse to say congratulations Ed! because I knew you would get there all along. But I do want to applaud you yet again for doing so in a long range way, eating what you love and using a common sense approach that will work in the long run. Stay healthy and happy and know that I am proud of you, as I'm sure everyone on SE is! and Happy Birthday Ed!
huneybumper at 11:47AM on 01/23/09
Wow, congratulations! I've been following your story the whole way, as I'm just embarking on my own weight loss plan--my first one ever. I always just assumed I was too lazy and too in love with food to lose weight, but I have to tell you that reading your story has really shown me that it is possible to love food and lose weight.
I really hope you continue to post, even after you reach your magic number. I think that's one thing I find so difficult about weight loss. How do you maintain? How do you continue to feel like you get to enjoy life and food without bulking back up again? That part is just as hard as the initial loss, I think, and maybe scarier.
Once again, congrats and than you for sharing your story. (And Happy Bday!)
jenl at 1:08PM on 01/23/09
Big congrats Ed! All that hard work is really paying off.
FrostyGhost at 1:56PM on 01/23/09
THREE CHEERS FOR ED! Happy Birthday :)
beatle9 at 2:03PM on 01/23/09
GO Ed! I wish my husband would read your story...he's 260 now (6'1") up from 195 when we got married 11 years ago.
I had the shock thing too at the beginning of this year...on January 5 I was 139.4 (which is a lot when you're Asian and 5 feet tall). I started exercising 3-5 times a week and watching what I ate. This past Wednesday, January 21 I was 136.4. My goal is 110 by the end of April.
My birthday is March 28, maybe I'll see double 1's on the scale by then. =)
akk328 at 2:05PM on 01/23/09
Happy birthday and congratulations, Ed!
onalark at 2:20PM on 01/23/09
Happy birthday and Congrats! I'm working on losing some weight myself so I understand how difficult it can be when you love to eat -- and I love to eat. I'm down almost 7 pounds so far.
Bethae at 2:31PM on 01/23/09
Happy birthday, Ed... and congratulations! I'm very happy for you.
Steen at 4:58PM on 01/23/09
You're an inspiration, Ed - I'm sure I'm not the only serious eater trying to knock some pounds off as well. Have a great birthday, and congrats!
MMinNYC at 5:56PM on 01/24/09