Weight Loss Update and Growing Food

Progress to date has been going very well. I have so far this year lost just shy of 50lbs. To be exact 48.3 lbs as I am writing this. What I like about this number is that is it relates to the 45lb Olympic plates used in most gyms. If you have ever loaded those plates you know they are heavy. Heavy enough that gyms need to put up signs to motivate people to unload their machines after using them. Therefore it feels good to imagine one of those plates being removed from my body that I no longer need to lug around all day. 50 lbs doesn’t sound that much at first and I am only 1/3 the way to my goal but the relief in feeling better is so much improved from it being gone. Combine that with the idea of no longer carrying one of those Olympic plates inside my body anymore puts it into great perspective.

Growing Food as a way to engage in health

This year I have begun another side hobby, growing some of my food. I have started with building some raised planters. Right now I am growing a variety of herbs, strawberries, blueberries, rhubarb and will be adding more. Having lost some weight has given me a lot more energy and allowed me to capitalize on some physical strength to tackle some projects. So this seemed very fitting.

Growing food to focus interest

Building an albeit small but productive garden is fun. It helps combine an interest in food that is harmonious with healthy living and weight loss. It is easy to feel passionate about fitness when you have ripped abs and can bench press a truck. But when you struggle with body image and physical things most take for granted it can be hard to have an ongoing interest in nutrition. So adding an activity like this is a good way to push farther into nutrition long term.  I was joking the other day with a friend that growing food is natures stock market. A diversified group of plants (like companies) that grow (capital appreciation) and provide harvest (dividends) is much the same. It was a silly observation but I have a strong passion for investing, one that often involves me talking to people until their eyes glaze over in boredom. The point of me thinking of it that was it tied something I love into this process of making myself healthy. It did this along with both adding more physical activity and with interest in the food I consume. So I thought it was at least an interesting observation and one maybe other people can think about how to do in connecting their interests somehow.

I am thinking if this garden takes off a bit maybe adding a section to this blog dedicated to growing healthy foods. We will see how things progress. But for right now with this update, I am very pleased with how much more healthy I feel today.