Goodbye Columbia 50, Welcome Ralph Lauren 46

Back in October as my weight was increasing and increasing, I was running out of options for pants. I needed to go home to visit my Mom for a family function.  I literally had nothing remotely appropriate to wear.  I purchased a pair of Columbia pants, 50W.  They were ridiculously loose when I got them... but as 2019 drew to a close they started to fit much better - which is quite sad as I was 'growing' into them.

This week I was able to 'revive' a pair of Ralph Lauren pants size 46. They ain't loose. But they fit.  Before too long, I hope to make these too big, so that I can hunt in my closet for the some 44's.
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I am a ridiculous person.  I am good at gaining weight and losing weight.  I really stink at maintaining weight. Well at 280+ that will not be something I need to worry about for quite awhile!  There is nothing about my current weight that I wish to maintain!

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RALPH LAUREN NO LONGER SAYS THAT I AM BIG

Way back on January 3, 2015 my blog was titled:

RALPH LAUREN SAYS THAT I AM BIG

A few weeks ago as I was continuing to pack on the pounds, it became necessary to search for new clothes yet again.   My blue jeans did not fit, the black trousers that I had purchased before summer were no longer comfortable.   My final purchase of jeans on the way up to 309 lbs was a two pair of WRANGLERS 50" WAIST, 32" LENGTH RELAXED FIT.   When I bought those Wranglers in Mid-November they fit, however by the end of December they were becoming tight and uncomfortable.   Fast forward to today, January 3, 2014.   I am able to wear my RALPH LAUREN trousers again.   The size of these trousers is somewhat ironic.   I feel thin (thinner) wearing them.   They look much better than the 50/32 relaxed fit Wranglers.  The size of the Ralph Lauren Trousers: BIG.  You would have to search for a smaller tag near the zipper to discover that these are a 48" waist. (48B/32 - Mr. Lauren thinks that without the 'B' people won't know that they are big?) I have successfully reduced my size so that I am BIG.   If I am BIG now, what size was I two weeks ago?  (BIGGER?) The irony is that I am pleased to be wearing these trousers, as I know that they may be BIG, they are still smaller than what I was wearing went I went to see my doctor for a 'wellness' checkup way, way back on December 24, 2014.

On January 3, 2014 I was quite happy to be able to slip on my 48 waist Ralph Laurens.   Fast forward to yesterday, May 7 and I experienced a far more rewarding day landmark day in my personal history.  I was able to wear my new RALPH LAUREN BLUE JEANS that I purchased online.  I purchased a pair of 36 Waist, 34 Length blue jeans with the expectation that they would not fit yet.   To my surprise, they fit perfectly.  I am not necessarily tricked into thinking that my waist size is unambiguously a 36" as I know that various manufacturers will have slight variations in how they size their products.  Nevertheless, these particular blue jeans ARE 36".  No longer are Ralph Lauren sizes anything along the lines of 36B. (36 BIG)  The reason for this is that they are not big.  A 36" waist is well within the normal size range of a normally sized human being.  And that is what I am these days - a normally sized human being.  Here is a picture of me wearing my new jeans while with my daughter at the Springfield, Illinois History Fair Expo yesterday.  The jeans fit great and it was very enjoyable to wear them yesterday.

Springfield, Illinois History Fair May 7, 2015

THURSDAY MENU

breakfast     Ramada Breakfast two eggs, two sausages, two apples, two cups oatmeal, orange    789 calories

lunch            SUBWAY DOUBLE CHICKEN SPINACH SALAD, apple                                              300 calories

dinner          HYVEE SPINACH SALAD, 28 almonds                                                                         670 calories

TOTAL CALORIC CONSUMPTION 1759 CALORIES

calories burned

7AM  RAMADA ELLIPTICAL 30 minutes 295 calories

THURSDAY NET CALORIES 1464 CALORIES

At this event, our daughter received her BLUE RIBBON for her paper: SWEET HOME CHICAGO
HOW CHICAGO BECAME THE CANDY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

ROLLING STONES (POUNDS & KILOGRAMS)

I am a reader of various international articles and blogs on diet and weight loss.  I know that my readers come from all over the world.   Some of my readers probably don't understand exactly how much a pound is, and conversely, until this morning, I had no idea what a 'stone' was.   So today, I provide a public service:

1 STONE = 14 POUNDS
1 KILOGRAM = 2.2 POUNDS

I weighed 309 lbs on December 24, 2014      
Last Saturday, January 18, 2015 I weighed 284.7 lbs

Therefore, on December 24, I weighed approximately 22 Stone, 140.5 Kilograms
Last Saturday, January 18, I weighed approximately 20.3 Stone, 129.4 Kilograms.

As of last Saturday I had lost nearly 2 STONE, or 11 Kilograms.

I plan on ROLLING away quite a few more STONES in the coming weeks.

Now if you want to weigh less, without dieting.
The solution is simple.
Weigh yourself on the Moon.  Due to the lower gravity there, you would weigh less.
Approximately 1/6th less.
Unfortunately, your mass would be the same, so you might weigh less, but if are wearing a 48" waist pair of Levi' or wearing a size 20 Chanel dress, you would be wearing the same clothing on the Moon.   So the best plan to lose weight remains diet and exercise no matter whether you are measuring your success in pounds, kilograms or stone.

Moon Weight measured in 'Newtons' (N) is 1/6th the weight on Earth.  Unfortunately the mass is the same.  

THURSDAY MENU

BREAKFAST   three poached eggs, 2 slices turkey 'bacon'                   280 CALORIES
LUNCH             5oz. Mahi Mahi, 1 cup Sweet Potato Bisque Soup       290 CALORIES
DINNER            1 cup Sweet Potato Bisque Soup, Polish Sausage         
                            two tablespoons Trader Joe's Sauerkraut                    365 CALORIES

TOTAL CALORIC INTAKE      935 CALORIES

EXERCISE

5:00AM  60 minutes @ 4mph - 4 miles         600 CALORIES
6:00PM   60 minutes @ 4mph - 4 miles         600 CALORIES

THURSDAY CALORIC DEFICIT 265 CALORIES


My January 3rd post, 'RALPH LAUREN SAYS THAT I AM BIG' spoke of my excitement to fit back into a pair of 48" waist Ralph Lauren pants.   Yesterday, January 22, was the day that those pants have been retired and put in a pile to be donated.   My waist size in now 46"    I purchased an inexpensive pair of black pants yesterday, size 46" waist and they fit perfectly.  I have lost 4" from my waist in 30 days.   Thursday January 22 was DAY 30 of my new program, which I have dubbed the 'Rabbi Hillel Diet.'

It is Friday morning as I post this.
I don't know precisely what time I am going to wake up on Saturday to step onto my scale - but I am guessing it is going to be early.    See you tomorrow!

I have consistently been having the same breakfast every day that I am home.  Three poached eggs and two slices of turkey 'bacon'   (Note: no pigs were harmed in the production of this 'bacon' - but some turkeys were)  280 CALORIES

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Today, Thursday January 15, is DAY 23.   For twenty-three days I have broken my habit of eating at  McDonalds, Burger King, Panda Express, and White Castle.  For twenty-three days I have broken my habit of eating an unending river of snacks including Hershey Bars, M&M's, Hostess Ho-Ho's, Klondike Bars, Dunkin' Doughnuts, Nestles Chocolate Chip Cookies, Lays Potato Chips, and quite a few other unhealthy things.   (You understand, that it took some real 'effort' to balloon up to 309 lbs.  You just don't wake up one day 100 lbs overweight - you really have to 'work' at it!)

I have some GREAT EXPECTATIONS of GREAT SUCCESS in my quest to look healthy and more importantly to be healthier.   As much as I would like to snap my fingers and lose all my weight by tomorrow - it does not work that way.    My 'BIG' Ralph Lauren slacks which are waist size 48 and were too small, when I first fished them out of my closet two weeks ago,  have become loose.   It is ironic that these slacks which have been patiently awaiting the day when their owner could wear them again, may soon be packed off and donated as they will soon be too big for me.   It appears that their window of opportunity to be worn will last only three weeks. Good. Time to go shopping!

I must remember to manage my expectations with regard to the speed of my weight shedding.   I cannot expect to lose weight going forward as fast I have in the initial stages of my new lifestyle.

A friend posted this amusing New Yorker Magazine cartoon on her facebook page a couple of days ago.   I told her that I was going to use it for my blog.   This cartoon basically sums up the importance of having great expectations, but also emphasizes that the expectations should be reasonable.   I would like to lose one hundred pounds before next New Year's Eve.   I have two things going for me.  I only have to lose one hundred pounds not thirty-eight thousand pounds. New Year's Eve is nearly twelve months away.  I believe that I can manage my great expectations!

This morning started off well.  The treadmill at my hotel was out-of-order.  I hopped onto an elliptical machine for the first time in seven years.  This machine didn't power on.  I had no measurement of distance or calories burned or resistance level.   I know this.  I spent twenty minutes on it and it was a struggle.   Therefore it was a good workout.   My next goal is to start using an elliptical more often and increase the amount of time I can spend on it.   My all-inclusive Days Inn breakfast was two hard-boiled egg and one orange.  (Approximately 240 calories)

My next weigh-in will be early Saturday morning.   
I can't weight!  (<----- not a typo - just a minor attempt at humor)

New Yorker Cartoon by Kaamran Hafeez

RALPH LAUREN SAYS THAT I AM BIG

A few weeks ago as I was continuing to pack on the pounds, it became necessary to search for new clothes yet again. My blue jeans did not fit, the black trousers that I had purchased before summer were no longer comfortable. My final purchase of jeans on the way up to 309 lbs was two pair of WRANGLERS 50" WAIST, 32" LENGTH RELAXED FIT. When I bought those Wranglers in Mid-November they fit, however by the end of December they were becoming tight and uncomfortable.   Fast forward to today, January 3, 2014. I am able to wear my RALPH LAUREN trousers again.   The size of these trousers is somewhat ironic. I feel thin (thinner) wearing them. They look much better than the 50/32 relaxed fit Wranglers. The size of the Ralph Lauren Trousers: BIG. You would have to search for a smaller tag near the zipper to discover that these are a 48" waist. (48B/32 - Mr. Lauren thinks that without the 'B' people won't know that they are big?) I have successfully reduced my size so that I am BIG. If I am BIG now, what size was I two weeks ago?  (BIGGER?) The irony is that I am pleased to be wearing these trousers, as I know that they may be BIG, they are still smaller than what I was wearing went I went to see my doctor for a 'wellness' checkup way, way back on December 24, 2014.

Ralph Lauren Polo Preston Pant - Size BIG

48B/32 (is the 'B' really necessary?