I’ve started a journey today, a weight loss journey, fueled by a health program recommended by my health insurance provider. This will be my fourth (yes fourth) time to attempt weight loss. The other three times were successful weight loss journeys, just not keeping it off. Hopefully the 4th time is the charm. Cause I’m getting too old to care anymore.

I decided to apply for this program and I got accepted based on my physical condition. I’m 70 lbs overweight (at least), I have high blood pressure and my lab work lately has been hinting at diabetes. Additionally I feel tired a lot. I can’t go up the flight of stairs at home without getting a little breathless. Don’t get me wrong, I’m obese by today’s health standards but I can still walk and ride bikes. I’m still able to participate in physical activities in a somewhat diminished capacity. And if I lost some lbs so my knees wouldn’t hurt, I could run again.

The program is called Omada. And today is the first day of the program. I have a coach, I’m part of a group of around 30 people all wanting to get healthy. Most of the folks are around my age (soon to be 59), some a bit older. We have online lessons once a week going over nutrition, exercise, etc. I got a free weight scale that sends my weight to an app on my phone. I track my meals and physical activities. I’m going to make the best of this and get healthy again.

I’ve done weight loss 3 other times. The first and most successful was Weight Watchers point counting around 2006. I would meticulous count my points and enter them online (this was before the iPhone and apps). I ended up losing 90 lbs. I got down to around 190 lbs from 280 lbs. Quite an accomplishment and I was just one waist size larger than when I graduated high school. I was healthy. I joined Tae Kwon Do. I bought a motorcycle. Things were good. Then I let peer pressure break me down. I started eating junk food again, like Taco Bell, and telling myself what could it hurt. I know how to lose weight I can do it anytime I need to. I was wrong. Peer pressure – everyone else around me was able to eat what they wanted and not gain weight. It was frustrating.

The second time was with Jenny Craig around 2010. I’d jumped back up to 265 lbs. This time I got down to 210-215 and stopped. Jenny Craig was expensive. You had to eat their food which was costing me about $130 per week, sometimes more. So I stopped and preceded to balloon back up to 265-270 again.

The third time was just recently, 2017. Myself and three buddies at work made a bet who could lose the most. Everyone put in $50 and the winner took it all. Once again I focused and became a food hermit, not eating out, eating the same thing over and over cause I knew the calorie count, I used (and still do) an app called LoseIt! I went from 270 lbs to 215 lbs and won $150. That was just two years ago and I am back up to 270 lbs.

So here we go again. Determined to make it stick this time. I’ll be tracking my progress her and possibly on YouTube. Suffice to say, this morning weigh in was 270 lbs.

Wish me luck.