Community blogger Alan Foster, 50 of Fuquay-Varina reflects on his weight-loss efforts:
Starting weight on Jan. 1, 2011: 225
Current weight: 203
What was your goal weight? My real goal was to come off blood pressure medicine and to do that, I thought I needed to get to somewhere less than 200 pounds.
How did you shed the pounds? A combination of exercise and smarter eating habits.
What were your biggest weight-loss stumbling blocks during the year and how did you overcome them?  As with most families, special occasions such as holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, vacations, etc. are accompanied by big meals or sweet treats and hard to resist.  I chose not to overcome them but to enjoy them and maintain my activity level and return to smart eating the next day.  Additionally, life events (illnesses, trips, weather, etc) get in the way of exercise routines.  The best time to exercise is when you can.
What did you learn during this process?  That maintaining a healthy weight is essential to maintaining health.  Due to my weight loss, I was able to stop all hypertension medication.  
What's next for you? Will you continue losing -- if so, will you use the same strategy or something new? If you're looking to maintain, how will you go about that?  
A recent physical revealed I have a borderline high cholesterol level.  Because my physician has faith that I will continue to lose an additional few pounds and maintain a heart-healthy diet, he is foregoing any cholesterol-reducing medication for three months.  My immediate and long-term goals are to continue to exercise, eat smart and really watch my intake of sugar.  I believe this strategy will continue to help me lose a little more body fat and maintain a prescription-free life.
For you, what has been the biggest benefit of losing weight?  The most valuable benefit for me is the improved health.  However, I did come to appreciate the benefit of feeling better and looking a little better.
What advice do you have for others who are embarking on their own weight-loss journey in 2012?  Don’t consider the journey as a diet.  To me, “diet” implies a short-term deprivation to lose a finite amount of weight or inches or clothes sizes. I have found more success by just staying active and being smart about my eating.  Take it slow, stick with it, keep your good health as the goal, and enjoy life.

Final thoughts: One year ago, I began this blog with the famous maxim: “You can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.”  

At the beginning of 2011, I reflected on how life events had contributed to a noticeable weight gain and a general decline in my overall health, to include a new diagnosis of hypertension.  I set a public goal to lose 30 pounds and to come off blood pressure medicine.  

Now I look back on where I’ve been over the year and feel satisfied with the results but a little less than satisfied with the effort. I didn’t quite make the 30 pounds lost, but I’m officially off blood pressure medicine. I know I could have worked harder to lose those last few pounds, and in reviewing my year-long blog, I can better see my weaknesses and obstacles to maintaining a healthy weight.  As far as my health as it relates to my weight, I can say with a little more confidence where I’m going because I know where I’ve been.

Community blogger Alan Foster writes: Starting weight: 225/Current: 204

I just completed my annual physical and as promised, here’s the report from my physician – “You’re doing a great job, your blood pressure is excellent, and you’re fine to not continue the blood pressure medication. Except for a borderline high cholesterol level, you’re in excellent health. Furthermore, if you’ll lose an additional 10 pounds over the next three months, we’ll postpone any cholesterol medication. You’re a perfect example of how weight loss can greatly improve one’s health.”

Woo hoo!! Needless to say, I was quite pleased with those words. This year-long journey has been well worth it on many fronts, and the receipt of a clean bill of health tops them all. I’m going to stick with this effort to lose those few more pounds and get the cholesterol level back to an acceptable level and convince the doctor once again that I don’t need medication. Now if I could just convince him I don’t need that colonoscopy!

Community blogger Alan Foster writes: Starting weight in January 225/ Current weight 204
I’ve been saying all along that I was trying to lose weight more to improve my health than to improve my appearance. I’ve been successful in improving my health but after yesterday, I must admit this journey has also had some “appearance” benefit.
Last week, I had the pleasure of working with a stylist to pick out some new clothes that, let’s just say, “fit better.” I also received a new haircut that somehow successfully minimized my age-appropriate (and well-earned) grey and thinning. Lastly, I forced myself to stand in front of an N&O photographer to properly record the appearance changes. Those around were very complimentary of my new look and I must admit, the smiles came fairly easy, which felt really good.
I always joke I’m past the age of vanity. But I learned yesterday I don’t have to look as old as my age and that feeling good and being healthy is no joke. What a week!
 

Community blogger Alan Foster writes: Starting weight: 225/Current weight: 205

Community blogger Alan Foster writes: Starting weight: 225/ Current weight: 202

Community blogger Alan Foster writes: Beginning weight: 225 Current weight: 205

Last week I read the book “The Belly Fat Cure” by Jorge Cruise. It gave me an interesting insight on the role sugar and insulin plays on the amount of fat our body stores. While I’m not actually counting the grams of sugar I consume as the book suggests, I am paying attention to the sugar content of everything I eat. I’m finding a lot of “diet” foods such as my favorite Lean Cuisines have a sugar content that is a little high according to the book’s standards. Even my favorite fruits such as oranges and apples contribute a notable amount of sugar to my daily intake. Over the remaining weeks of this year-long journey, I’m going to try to significantly reduce the amount of sugar I consume. I sure would love to get below 200 pounds before the holidays arrive with pumpkin pie, eggnog, and Christmas cookies in tow.

Community blogger Alan Foster writes: Beginning weight: 225 Current weight: 205

Well, a week of not worrying about weight loss hasn’t produced any results one way or the other. The scale hasn’t shifted up or down. I have exercised a bit more than normal but I haven’t splurged on any high-calorie meals except for one night of wings and fries with some dear friends. The very next day, the same dear friends became faced with a critical health issue the likes of which really made me stop and consider my health and that of my family. I suppose good health is something we all take for granted until it goes away. It’s no secret that our diet can play a key role in our health or lack thereof. I suppose I’ve always wanted to watch my weight not so much for health reasons, but mostly for appearance reasons. In observing the ordeal my friends are enduring, I’m looking at health with a new perspective. I have a renewed sense of responsibility to maintain my health and will encourage my family to do the same. Obviously, misfortune can creep into anyone’s health regardless of diet, as in the case of my friends. However, to ignore the potential consequences of ignoring one’s diet not only could impact me but also impact loved ones. Here’s to health and here’s to Jacob and Jonathan.

Community blogger Alan Foster writes: Starting weight 225/ Current weight 205

I suppose I should be happy I’ve lost 20 pounds. For the most part, I am. However, it’s becoming such a chore to try to stay at the current weight and even more a chore to try to lose more weight. I’ve stuck to my Lean Cuisine lunches with no problem but the food choices I make on the weekends and evenings are apparently negating the calorie reductions I achieve during the week.

Over the last week, I’ve neither gained nor lost any pounds and the constant frustration of not seeing regular weight loss is testing my patience. Perhaps it’s time to switch to a weight maintenance plan. Not trying to lose weight may actually result in losing some. I remember years ago some sage advice to my wife and me as we were unsuccessfully trying to conceive our second child. We were told to stop trying – and it worked. Obviously, we didn’t stop “trying” but we stopped focusing on it.

Inasmuch as I’m not going to stop watching what I eat, I think I’ll not focus so much on the losing weight, but maintaining the weight. Who knows, I may “conceive” a few more pounds lost.

Community blogger Alan Foster writes:

Starting weight – 225
Current weight -205

Over the last two weeks, I’ve started another effort to eat less.  My workplace has a small kitchen area with a refrigerator and microwave.  Each Monday, I’ve brought in enough frozen Lean Cuisine meals to have for lunch each workday.  These meals are actually quite good and usually less than 300 calories (not that I’m counting).  With the stash of green tea that I keep on hand, I have a week’s worth of lunches for around $15.  The frozen meals come in many varieties.  I haven’t had the same thing twice in two weeks.  In about 5 minutes, I have a nice hot meal that’s lighter on my food intake and my wallet.  That sure beats the same cold sandwich I’ve been bringing from home each day.  Now if I could just get one of my co-workers from bringing in the hot Krispy Kreme doughnuts!