The pitfalls of weight loss

So last September, my wife and I decided to go on Weight Watchers together. She wanted to lose the left-over baby weight from being pregnant and I needed to drop some weight for health reasons. My wife hit her goal of 40lbs about a month ago. That's losing 40lbs, not that she's down to that weight! :)

As of two weeks ago, I, too have lost 40lbs. I weigh less now than I did when I got married. I still have about 20lbs to go but it's nice to be more than half-way there. The feeling of accomplishing this is simply amazing, not to mention the high levels of energy I have now. Also... my last four shirts I purchased were size 'Medium'. Do you have any idea when the last time I wore a medium shirt is? I think it was around my freshman-sophomore year in high school! :D

I am learning, however, that there are some pitfalls to such drastic weight loss. First of all, I began to run out of clothes to wear. I had to go and purchase clothes so that I had something which fit properly and didn't make me look like a slob. This is fine and dandy but I was still in the process of losing weight... so what happened? Two to three weeks after buying new pants, they started to become too big! Again, exciting, but painful on the pocketbook! At the present time, I am down to about six shirts and two pairs of pants which fit... but the pants are becoming questionably large.

The second, and more drastic pitfall, regards my wedding ring. I never thought that losing weight would cause my fingers to get smaller. Apparently I had fat fingers! My wedding ring finger has dropped a full number size. Even the jeweller was surprised at this. She said that it is common with people in my situation to lose a half or quarter size... but not a full size! What's really bad about it is that when I am cold, my fingers get even smaller. Where my knuckle would usually hold my loose ring on, it falls right off from the simple force of gravity if I am out in the cold.

Last night we went out for ice cream (this really cool stuff called 'Glace' which is non-fat, non-dairy, and has zero sugar. There is only 40 calories per 4oz serving... and it is heavenly!) and after leaving, I was halfway down the road when I realized my ring was gone. Cassandra and I both thought it was gone for sure. We went back to the ice cream shop and lo and behold it was on the floor under the chair I was sitting in. Praise God!!

The pitfall regarding the ring is this: unfortunately the jeweller we purchased the ring from is out of business and did some things in making the ring which were shortcuts and not done right. Due to this fact, it cannot be sized down. Now I will have to get a new ring. Although I can trade the one I have in toward a new one, I don't like the idea of replacing the original ring my wife gave me on our wedding day. I don't think I have much choice in the matter this time, though... we can't afford a new one outright and I don't like to walk around without one. Until then, it resides on my middle finger. :)

I refer to these issues as pitfalls, partially in jest. I am very happy that I have been able to discipline myself and lose the weight. It has drastically improved my health and my ability to be there for my family in the long-term. The week before we decided to do it, I had a dream in which I had a heart attack at the age of 30 and my son watched me die. Yeah... if that doesn't get you to change a lifestyle, nothing will!

This is a long post... hehe... I am done now! :D