Weight, Weight, Don't Tell Me

"Have you lost some weight?" It's a question I've been hearing a lot lately. And while that question is usually meant as a compliment (as in, "Hey, you look great! Have you lost some weight?"), that's not so in my case. I have lost weight. My wife has noticed. My parents have noticed. (Actually, I think they're a little concerned.) My boss at work has noticed. And in a recent Skype call with Coach Tom, the first words out of Coach's mouth were, "Geez, looks like you've lost a few pounds."

I've noticed, too: I'm swimming in shirts that used to fit perfectly. In training, I feel lost inside my gi. I'm using the next-tightest hole on my belt to keep my pants up. Folks, for me, these are not good things.

Not my waistline! :)

I usually hover around 186 lbs. This is a good weight for me based on my fitness goals and the demands of my practice. I'm no bodybuilder, but I carry a little more muscle than the average person as the result of the weight training that I do. I didn't need to lose any weight at all. In fact, In the beginning of this year, in an earlier blog, I noted that I weighed in at 187.4 pounds — with the specific goal of gaining a few pounds in lean, functional muscle during the course of 2011. Reaching 195 lbs by the end of the year, I thought, would be terrific.

Well, it appears that a lengthy personal illness at the start of the year, plus a ton stress, aggressive physical training, a profound lack of sleep, and a combination of missed, skipped, and interrupted meals is really taking its toll on me: I'm running on empty, it seems. I just weighed in at 179.6 lbs — Yikes! I've lost almost eight pounds!

I haven't been under 180 lbs since 1998. Back in my U.S.M.C, days, when I used to hover at about 176 lbs, I ran 3 - 5 miles 3 - 5 days a week, with little to no strength training beyond basic calisthenics. So being about 10 lbs lighter back then made a lot of sense. These days, I'm not exactly as gaunt as a marathon runner, but I'm clearly heading in the wrong direction!

I need more rest, less stress, better eating, and smarter training. It's time to right the ship (before I disappear!).