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August 2

This has been a challenging year so far for my weight.

Please don’t think that I consider myself to be heavy by any means. It’s just that I function best at a certain size, and try and keep myself in that zone.

If for nothing else, doing this lowers the pressure that my knees have to undergo in my favourite fun activity; Jiu-Jitsu. I also like to run, which is even harder on the knees.

My joints have already had issues with osteoarthritis. Being a few pounds over for a younger person is not as important as it is for me. If I treat myself badly, I could end my Jiu-Jitsu and my running permanently.

So I try and keep my weight within the range of 173-175 pounds. This is where things feel the best.

The trouble is, while staying in my target range is easy to do while at home, we travel very often. When away, a big part of life’s enjoyment is food (even more so than when at home), and I choose to partake. Weight always increases during travel.

This year has been absolutely fantastic for travel, and for food, but not so much for weight, or for how my body feels.

That has meant it’s been weight reduction time whenever we weren’t away.

The first trip of 2018 was over a month in South-East Asia, most of it on a cruise ship. I kept myself from going really crazy with the fabulous food, and ran on the stupid treadmills, but still came home in the neighbourhood of 188 pounds.

Less than a week after returning home, we were off for a month-and-a-half in California. Not as dangerous as cruising, but still very foodie. I took my fancy scale along, and kept an eye on things. Did plenty of desert runs, and a fair bit of Jiu-Jitsu. Still did plenty of piggy eating. Came home after that at around 184 pounds.

Managed to claw that down to within my target range, and then we promptly did a two-week cruise to Alaska. That put me back to 185.

In July, we spent three weeks on Vancouver Island with family, which slowed but didn’t stop my progress. Ran a lot while there. Came home at 179.

That was only a week ago, and in that time it’s been dropping nicely. Today’s weigh in was 175 pounds. Huzzah.

That doesn’t mean relaxation quite yet. I’ll have to hit 173 before that can happen, but it shouldn’t take long. Then I just have to keep my eye on things and experience some stability.

There is a lovely, long period of home time.

I love travel, but it does come with a lot of calories.

To enjoy it fully, the food must be eaten. I am lucky in that I do not hate the exercise that helps making a bit of overeating less critical.

On cruises, I run in the gym, and on shore. When near an appropriate Jiu-Jitsu academy, I train. Very many miles get run when holidaying on land.

I don’t begrudge myself fabulous meals when abroad, but I restrict my eating during other times.

At home, there is and even greater amount of running, and a constant flood of Jiu-Jitsu training sessions. Eating is whatever is appropriate to maintain weight.