Thursday, May 25, 2006

It's Real

It's real. Ian is really starting down the path to weight loss. He's under 600 pounds for the first time since March. He's down to a positively anemic 598 pounds now.

The changes aren't just in his weight either. His spirit has changed. It's hard to say exactly how. It's not like he wasn't driven and enjoying life before. He was, and he's not enjoying life more now. At the same time, he's not enjoying life less. He's just enjoying it differently. Maybe it's like the difference between enjoying a good steak and a good cheesecake. They're both great, and you can't say which is better, but they're definitely different!

Part of it is his connection to his old life. Before he met me he was a bit of a gym rat. As we saw more and more of each other, he saw less and less of the gym until one day he was fat. I don't think he ever really meant to give that up, I certainly never asked him to, so I think that picking it up has really filled in a void that he didn't even notice. In a sense, that makes him more complete than he's ever felt before. He's happy, I'm happy, and I'm happy for him.

Friday, May 19, 2006

1,000+

It's not that I meant to stop updating, it just has seemed less and less important over time.

So what's happened in the month+ since I posted?

The big news is Ian's new 'lifestyle'. He's eating less and exercising more. Shelley's been working really hard with him to help ensure that everything is something he can stick with. Diets always fail, so she says, because people just can't abide the sacrifices they're making. Ian is making sacrifices, but we're trying to make sure they're small enough he can live with it.

For example: dinner is now a single serving. I'm making pretty much the same stuff I always have, just making it in much smaller quantities.

Also, he's snacking less often, and with more healthy alternatives. This is the tough part for him, really. He's very used to just eating and eating and eating. Limiting himself to meal times is his biggest challenge, and he certainly slips up a lot. But we keep fruit, granola bars etc. available, so he can keep up with the routine of snacking without the calories of chocolate bars, ice cream or chips.

He's been spending more time on exercise too. Shelley takes him to the gym daily and they work on various things that he can do. In some ways, he's much fitter than she expected. She didn't quite appreciate that being 600 pounds meant having a musculature and cardiovascular system capable of carrying 600 pounds. So, while he wears out quickly, he's strong, and can do a lot more than skinny people think he can.

The changes have been quite noticeable. I hesitate to say 'dramatic', since he's still 600+ pounds. I can see and feel the changes though. His muscles are getting more powerful as he's been pushing them a lot more. His fitness is also improving, he's got more staying power than he has had in a while.

Even when I'm giving him a massage, I can feel that his fat is shifting, changing, and there's a little more solid muscle to be felt if I dig hard enough.

He's not going to waste away over night, but it's not going to be impossible either. I'm very excited about the progress he's made, and still taking the time to enjoy having a 600 pound husband while I can.

So that's Ian.

Surprising just about no one, I'm on the opposite tack. I've moved into the realm of supersize once again, tipping the scales at 407 pounds. I may be a pin prick next to Ian, but I'm getting that 'huge' feeling again.

I didn't realise how much I missed it, it's like putting on an old sweater, or laying down in your old bed. It just feels RIGHT. I think that it's feeling better this time because I am more active, not just passively packing on the weight.

I'm still going for walks with Paul and Shelley, I still do all the shopping and most of the chores around the house (Ian's helping out more and more though). The shopping is easier now though, since I buy less, and go less often.

As for eating, while Ian has cut back on the snacking, I've taken off. I try to watch what I eat when Ian's around, so I've been compensating when he's at work or when he's asleep. I'm still breastfeeding, so I've still got that appetite going, and cutting back just made me too hungry.

Together, we're over 1000 pounds, and Ian's very proud of that fact. I'm pretty tickled about it too. Never ever even thought about it until it happened.

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