Month 17: What I’ve lost

Week 1 vs. Week 74 - front

Week 1 vs. Week 74 – front
[Click image for a larger version.]

Measurement Sept. 1, 2012 Jan. 31, 2014 Change
Weight (pounds) 121.8 125.0 +8.1
Body fat percentage 23.5 20.3 [Dec. 31] -3.2 percentage pts.
Fat weight 28.6 25.4 -3.2
Lean weight 93.2 99.6 +6.4
Total inches 113.6 116.5 +2.9

Exercise Start* Jan. 31, 2014 Change
Kettlebell swing 32 x 20 lbs. 56/19 x 60 lbs. +200.0 percent
Myotatic crunch 6.5 x 2.5 lbs. 10.0 x 20 lbs. +700.0 percent
Single-arm kettlebell swing 25 x 15 lbs. 11/8 x 40 lbs. +166.7 percent
Isolateral dumbbell
incline bench press
2.4/3.0 x 30 lbs. 0.3/1.1 x 40 lbs. +33.3 percent
Yates row 7.0 x 55 lbs. 3.3 x 165 lbs. +200.0 percent
Reverse drag curls 6.0 x 25 lbs. 0.3 x 55 lbs. +120.0 percent

*I started these exercises on different dates.

Losing is never easy.

The good news comes first. I’ve lost an additional 5 pounds in January.

weight  - January 2014

Weight through January 2014

I’m almost at my starting weight, but more importantly, at a healthier body fat percentage. This is a loss I can live (longer) with.

The bad news is that I said goodbye to Freshfully today, a business created by my friend Jen. I’ve known her a long time, and she will triumph again soon.

I remember her talking about the concept years ago, dreaming about a day when she could make it a reality. I remember when she and her partner started putting together the website, the branding, the entire business plan.

And how I remember the victories: winning huge contests, getting national media coverage, setting up and opening the retail store. I hope she savors those successes for a long time.

She won’t, though. Jen just can’t sit still for too long.

What we lose as a community is a place where food choices matter. Buying and eating food that comes from a single middleman means more money going to farmers, a smaller negative impact on the environment and a healthier populace.

In the 3 years Freshfully has worked to bring fresher local food to our doorstep, more options have arrived. That’s a triumph in and of itself for Birmingham, a place with a notoriously unhealthy citizenry.

My last 17 months have not meshed well with Freshfully’s mission. The first 12 were spent on protein shakes with bananas and protein bars. The last 5 have been invested in beans, lentils, frozen vegetables and piles of junk food.

In other words, I have not always put my money where my mouth was, at least where Freshfully was concerned.

But I still believe in local food. I still believe in healthier measures we can all take. And as always, I still believe in Jen.

I am lighter, but today my heart is heavy. I will miss our times catching up in her little shop in Avondale.

But I can’t wait to see what she pulls off next.

January’s average workout time was 26 minutes and 9 seconds.

I averaged 2,052 calories a day in January. I also had 128 g protein a day on average.

The project has cost me $866.44 so far. I spent $53.49 more on food in January compared to previous monthly averages.

You can see all the numbers updated in real time on the Measurements page.

Week 1 vs. Week 74 - side

Week 1 vs. Week 74 – side
[Click image for a larger version.]