Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 68: Coming Up on the Big 5-0
Though I've been stuck at 219 pounds for the last month (damn these cursed weight-loss plateaus), it's occurred to me that if I continue to lose weight, I will shortly pass the 50-pound weight-loss threshold. I guess this really is a serious diet I've been on.
When I decided to do something about my weight a little more than a year and a half ago, I weighed in at an all-time high of 265 pounds. Small for an NFL offensive lineman, but way, way too much for me, a pretty good, fast-on-my-feet-considering-I-weighed- 250-pounds, scrambling flag football quarterback in college (my teams did win the intramural flag-football championship at Grinnell four years in a row).
So being stuck on 219 means I have lost forty-six pounds up to this point. Forty-six pounds is a lot of weight to lose. Don't get me wrong, if I didn't lose another pound I would still regard it as an incredible accomplishment if in fact I manage to keep it off. But 50 pounds—wow, 50 pounds—would just be amazing. I know it's just a number, an arbitrary number at that, but what a number that would be. And based on my interim daily weigh-ins this week, unless Thinner is broken from me jumping on it too many times during my serious diet, I just may have a shot at the big 50. Holy shit!
The week started off at my son's college graduation at Kenyon in Gambier, Ohio. My wife and I flew to Columbus, picked up a one-way rental car at the Columbus airport, and immediately found our way to our favorite Columbus eating spot, City Barbecue. And much to my delight, when we did drive in to the City Barbecue parking lot we noticed that a frozen custard stand, Whit's, had opened up across the street.
After a most excellent barbecue and frozen custard lunch we made our way to Gambier, 50 miles away. Gambier is in Knox County, which might be the worst food county in America. I have searched, Lord, have I searched, for something seriously delicious to eat in Knox County, but it's just not there. The Kenyon College food service serves up unspeakably bad food on a regular basis, and the surrounding family-style restaurants that advertise home cooking serve Country Time lemonade. What more needs to be said?
So needless to say the three days we spent on the Kenyon campus for Will's graduation were so exciting for so many reasons (that was our boy up there getting his diploma—yay!), but the food wasn't one of those reasons. So by the time I got on the scale Monday morning, I was already down to 217. The big 50 was in sight. Subsequent weigh-ins have indicated that this morning just might be the moment. Let's see.
The Weigh-In
Here we go. 214 pounds. Either Thinner really is broken or I have really broken the big 5-0. Fifty-one pounds to be exact. Can you believe it, serious eaters?
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.
20 Comments:
Congrats, Ed! I think what happened to you is what I've heard called the "whooshing" effect? I think. I read an article a few months back that talks about how sometimes people stay at a steady weight for a couple of weeks and then suddenly drop a considerable amount of weight all at once. Not sure why it happens, but it does. Hooray for you and your 50+ lbs.
pgbakes at 8:43AM on 05/22/09
Congrats, Ed! It's a great milestone, but don't stop there! You're on a roll!
pastry262 at 8:43AM on 05/22/09
That's so awesome! Congrats. It's really cool that you're able to lose this weight and still do what you love (work with food) - so inspirational.
Junie at 8:52AM on 05/22/09
Ed, your column here has been a real inspiration to me. I've tried to lose weight before, but every time it has been so focused on "Don't eat this. Don't eat that." and substituting in bland low-fat and low-cal versions of REAL food that I just couldn't stick with it. This time, I'm trying to eat real food, since that's what I'm going to be exposed to 99% of the time, and just learn to eat smaller portions. I don't feel as deprived, and it's WORKING. Since the beginning of March, I've lost about 15 pounds, and reading your column every week has really helped keep me going. So thank you, and a HUGE congratulations on breaking the 5-0 barrier!
trillian42 at 8:52AM on 05/22/09
I think it's freaking fantastic! As I've mentioned before, my hubby started at about 250 when he went on his diet and he's hovering around 222 now. So proud of him AND of you Ed. I'll say it again: I don't know how you can do it with your job!! Congrats!
arm1970 at 8:58AM on 05/22/09
Congrats!!
misterhee at 9:14AM on 05/22/09
Congratulations, Ed!
RunningWithScissors at 9:25AM on 05/22/09
Congratulations, Ed!
Steen at 9:44AM on 05/22/09
Ed--great job! Throw in some regular exercise and you'll drop another 10 before you know it. Keep it up!
KevinFinnerty at 10:10AM on 05/22/09
Way to go, Papacito!
Alaina Browne at 10:22AM on 05/22/09
I'd say that 50 is more than an arbitrary number--it's quite an accomplishment! Good job, Ed!
homesicktexan at 11:22AM on 05/22/09
Ha! Alaina beat me to it! Congrats, Papacito!!!
Kerosena at 11:27AM on 05/22/09
Also, I can't believe how long I've been reading SE. It seems like your Serious Diet just started a few weeks ago.
Kerosena at 11:28AM on 05/22/09
Impressive! I really love this series. You've been brave about posting all your triumphs and mistakes. And, all i can say (as a thin person who eats candy and junk food almost every day): portions, portions, portions.
rachelb at 11:31AM on 05/22/09
Hooray, Ed! I've been reading your diet posts with admiration and interest, and I probably speak for a lot of posters when I say that I feel like your victory is ours too :)
absentmindedprof at 11:42AM on 05/22/09
Good job, Ed! I agree with you about Knox County food. Even the county fair food was blah.
Kenyon: I wish my kids had gone there. Love that school!
Bridget
boylitas at 12:18PM on 05/22/09
Congratulations!!! And while I understand the caveat "if I manage to keep it off", do you really think you could easily slip back and gain 50 lbs very easily? Give yourself the praise you deserve... a year and a half, most people don't have the patience to keep a diet for that long :)
... nor the courage to actually put it out there on the internet for everyone!
I read this column every week and it really encourages me, even though my weight loss has all but stopped. Good job!!!
feistyfoodie at 1:06PM on 05/22/09
Ed, that is amazing! Well, not amazing because we watched it happen, but I still so proud of you--and loved reading your delicious reviews on your way down!
On an unrelated note--I can't help find it funny that your son graduated from an excellent school with woefully bad food. Did he lose lots of weight in college?
HeartofGlass at 6:33PM on 05/22/09
Ed- Congrats!!!! SERIOUSLY, R U EATING?? ACTUALLY, u really r an inspiration for serious eating in terms of quality while watching the quantity.....It is VERY INSPIRING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! U r totally proving the point that one does not have to go through serious deprivation in order to lose weight and I think that is the most important point. U r still ENJOYING FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JB
Jbout at 9:23PM on 05/22/09
Fabulous! And, I love Whit's Custard, too!
MeganCochran at 7:48PM on 05/26/09