The Island of Gradual Weight Loss

The other day I spoke on the phone with a family member who missed recent family gathering. During our conversation they commented on pictures of me at the gathering, which showed how I wasn’t “as skinny.” My weight had gone up over the last year from 190 to around 202, through a combination of weightlifting and less restrictive dieting. This comment reminded me of how isolating this health journey can feel at times. It can truly seem like one is on an island of gradual weight loss.

The feeling of isolation came from the notion that I was alone on this health and wellness journey. This was not the first relative to comment on me being “skinny” and then be first to notice any weight gain. This experience was far worse when I struggled with much heavier weight. The moment pounds started to come off, I was warned not to get too skinny. As soon as I regained weight, these relatives were first to lecture me on how I needed to lose weight – while feeding me fat-inducing, but tasty meals! 🙂

But this is only one side of the island of gradual weight loss. The other side is the causal fitness trainer who has the solution for weight loss. These sages of fitness discourage gradual weight loss as an excuse to train soft or eat with less discipline. While this theory seems popular, I prefer to enroll myself in the underwhelming, dull school of gradual progress. I will remain on my island of gradual weight loss and stay the course.

My eventual goal is to settle around 184-188. Even my doctor feels it’s a somewhat unnecessary endeavor so long as my numbers remain good. But I like this journey of gradually changing my habits over time and observing the results as I would flower seeds planted in a garden. Of course, there are online communities with like-minded souls who believe in health and wellness. I also have a loving inner circle that just cannot relate to this aspect of my life and that’s okay.

It’s just good to realize these tendencies as I continue on this journey of health and wellness. I look forward to an extended stay on the island of gradual weight loss as my loved ones bemoan my increased “skinniness.” Undoubtedly, I will end up around 184-188 pounds within the next years. An important question will be the muscle-to-fat ratio, which is to be determined. What’s certain is that I’ll be hanging around the island of gradual weight loss indefinitely.