Losing, and then maintaining a weight loss, is not a static endeavor. For me, it has required constant monitoring. For the past 2 1/2 years, I have been able to maintain my weight in the 190’s to low 200’s — no more than a 5-8 lbs difference. And during that time, I have maintained a rigorous exercise routine, and have been careful not to eat food high in calories — e.g., I have not any pizza in 5 years, and avoided any “comfort foods.”  However, I do eat a lot in volume.

But when I had my should surgery, that balance was thrown off, and my weight increased by 19 lbs. As I understand, gaining weight after surgery is typical, and since my surgery I have felt fatigued, frustrated in my slow recovery, and constantly sore. Even though I have continued exercising 7 days a week, I have not been consistently exercising with the same intensity, and not playing tennis twice a week like I did before my surgery, which is really missed. Also, I have not been able to weight train, which I believe is an integral component to weight loss and maintenance, since historically, cardio has not been sufficient for me.

So as I approach the end of the calendar year, my goal is the reset and reboot my life, and try to get my weight back into the 190’s by December 31st.  One step towards that goal is to head to the Canyon Ranch Spa, in Lenox, MA, at the end of October, and meet with the exercise physiologist who I worked with in 2009-2012, Rich Butler, to set up a plan for exercise and weight training to lose the weight I have gain since my surgery, and to also get me back in shape to play tennis and ski.  Rich is also a tennis player, and I have permission from my surgeon to start playing tennis at the end of October, so I will also be using the opportunity to take baby steps to playing tennis again.

Losing and maintaining weight loss is a lifestyle that will never go away, and for me, always has to be tended to, and never taken for granted. It might have something to do with a metabolism that does not burn calories quickly, and an upbringing where food was bountiful, and it served as both a reward and comfort. What really bothers me is that I had to buy some new larger-sized pants, since my existing pants were getting too tight. That was a bit discouraging, but in my family, we do not give up, and if we fall down, we get back as quickly as possible. So for those of you who may experience some setbacks, be it with weight loss or maintenance, or some other aspect of life, do not give up, or be discouraged, when you experience a set back, but get back up, and fix the situation.  As of this past Saturday, which is my official weigh day, I have now lost 4 lbs in two weeks, and hope to continue the tend this week — rebooting and rededicating.