Are you satisfied with your current level of health and fitness? Why or why not?

[Nick_Miller]

For the past few weeks, we've been using a local small business for meal prep, mostly for lunches. Typically, my wife and I order lunches for 3 or 4 workdays each week (we're occasionally working from home, or on the road). It's more expensive than frozen meals or ham sandwiches, but the food qualify is high, providing us with the calories and macros we need. With two kids going to school, dealing with full-time jobs, training a dog, etc., the convenience has been worth it for us. We just heat meals in a microwave for 2 minutes, tap in the meal info on MyFitnessPal, and enjoy. Plus, we pick them up from a storefront just a couple miles away, so no worrying about food being left on the porch or anything.

Thus far, this has kept both of us out of restaurants for lunch, which would be just as expensive, if not more expensive, and would likely involve tons of calories.

It's a psychological boost for me when lunch time rolls around and I think, "Oh I have a tasty, healthy lunch in the fridge in the breakroom." Plus, it gives us a wider variety of meal options.

[jrhampt]

I’ve lost 5 pandemic pounds over the past couple of weeks.  Partly using the veggie flooding method (most days large bowl of tomatoes w a spoonful of pesto for lunch) and partly just keeping track of calories and going easy on the booze.  We’ll see if I can keep it off on vacation next week, but I’ll have another few weeks to try to lose another 5-10 pounds before I go out of town again.  Then I just go into maintenance after that.

[mm1970]

I concur with @Malcat on the veggie thing.  I found that doing this was the least painful to cut weight for competition.  Rather than feeling like you're starving all the time, you just . . . kinda get sick of trying to eat and give up.  :P

You guys crack me up. And it's true. When I really have success at weight loss, about 75% of my plate is vegetables, as opposed to 50-70%.

For me it's less the chewing, it's the chopping. So. Much. Chopping, especially when you are also feeding a husband and two boys.  I eat so many veggies typically and really the only thing that holds me back is that prep. It's easier now that the boys are getting free lunch at school.

[mm1970]

@Malcat and thanks. The race was fab.

There were 9 of us, and I was NOT the caboose!?

6 of us started at 6, and the 3 fast people started at 6:40. The fast people finished in a hair under 3 hours.

I finished in 3:37 something, ahead of THREE people.

I was amazed to not be the caboose, and am happy that I just ran my own race. I couldn't keep my heart rate under 185 though. And I didn't die.

[mspym]

Not! The! Caboose!

do you get a special prize for that or just a glow of satisfaction?

[mm1970]

Not! The! Caboose!

do you get a special prize for that or just a glow of satisfaction?

Just the glow of satisfaction.
My super secret goal that I didn't say out loud to anyone was to beat an average of 17:00 per mile, and I did.

Also, not sore the next day either.

[mspym]

I have been deconstructing some of my ideas about size and health recently and mostly lurking in this thread until I was more settled in my thoughts. Once I worked out that I needed to separate health/fitness from weight and also include mental health in there, it became a lot easier to see that I am in a pretty sweet spot.

- I just had all my bloodwork done and all my markers are *great*
- I run every second day with my dog whose enthusiasm makes it a joy
- I am actually doing my physio exercises every day to rehab a repeatedly sprained ankle and prevent the resulting linked injuries in other places
- I have started being able to enjoy lifting weights and doing some martial arts again without it triggering the pretty terrible internal drill sargeant that turned these activities I enjoyed into areas of failure and a reason to beat myself up

While I am a bit softer than I used to be, my mental health and enjoyment of moving and doing things are way higher than they were 10 years ago, when I was physically cut but a bit of a wreck with a whole lot of negative scripts running in my head 24/7.

[Metalcat]

I have been deconstructing some of my ideas about size and health recently and mostly lurking in this thread until I was more settled in my thoughts. Once I worked out that I needed to separate health/fitness from weight and also include mental health in there, it became a lot easier to see that I am in a pretty sweet spot.

- I just had all my bloodwork done and all my markers are *great*
- I run every second day with my dog whose enthusiasm makes it a joy
- I am actually doing my physio exercises every day to rehab a repeatedly sprained ankle and prevent the resulting linked injuries in other places
- I have started being able to enjoy lifting weights and doing some martial arts again without it triggering the pretty terrible internal drill sargeant that turned these activities I enjoyed into areas of failure and a reason to beat myself up

While I am a bit softer than I used to be, my mental health and enjoyment of moving and doing things are way higher than they were 10 years ago, when I was physically cut but a bit of a wreck with a whole lot of negative scripts running in my head 24/7.

Great post.

[Luke Warm]

Am I happy about my current condition? Not at all. Age is catching up with my sloppy ways and demanding lasting changes to how I eat and operate.

Walt mentioned smoke. For me its the summer heat and humidity. Its miserable to exercise hard in. My adaption has been my ebike but I need to ride more often. Today is wonderful and I'm eager to be active this evening.

In a few months the problem won't be the cold - but the dark. This part of this time zone gets dark about the same time my work day ends. That is a motivation killer every year. It is also an opportunity to do something b/c without daylight, many of the other things I do aren't an option so I have time. ignore that TV! Sure is easy to slip into that bad routine. Work, home, TV, dinner, TV, TV, TV, bed. And every spring I feel worse b/c I wasn't active enough.

Honestly - I'm ready to go to the gym a couple of nights a week but COVID needs to be behind us. SO! That leaves our basement or my garage. That is how I'll cope this winter. I'll find some combination of activity - kettle weights or yoga or chasing the dog around the yard (playing ball).

The other part of the equation that needs solving is food. Lots of good ideas here. Thanks to all your ideas - ready veggies in the fridge,  a reminder about MyFitnessPal, etc. I simply have to learn how to eat better.

I have been doing better in the slightest ways. Soda has been a rare thing for all of COVID rather than multiple times per day thing. Me and my water bottle every day. Need to manage sweets (my Achilles heal) but even that is marginally better. Rather than multiple somethings in the house there is something and when it is gone, it is gone for the week.

What I need to develop is a healthy recipe rotation. And just eat that over and over.

i'm with you on the heat and humidity. every year i struggle more with it. this year has been especially bad.
i also hate the time change. it's almost dark after work and it's the time of year when the heat has gone.

[mm1970]

I have been deconstructing some of my ideas about size and health recently and mostly lurking in this thread until I was more settled in my thoughts. Once I worked out that I needed to separate health/fitness from weight and also include mental health in there, it became a lot easier to see that I am in a pretty sweet spot.

- I just had all my bloodwork done and all my markers are *great*
- I run every second day with my dog whose enthusiasm makes it a joy
- I am actually doing my physio exercises every day to rehab a repeatedly sprained ankle and prevent the resulting linked injuries in other places
- I have started being able to enjoy lifting weights and doing some martial arts again without it triggering the pretty terrible internal drill sargeant that turned these activities I enjoyed into areas of failure and a reason to beat myself up

While I am a bit softer than I used to be, my mental health and enjoyment of moving and doing things are way higher than they were 10 years ago, when I was physically cut but a bit of a wreck with a whole lot of negative scripts running in my head 24/7.

This is totally great.  Totally totally great.

Yesterday, as the internet was still out at home, after dinner I chopped a bunch of veggies for food prep - made a salad that will last a couple of days of lunches.  Still, it took me 30 minutes, and I was pretty beat when I was done.  Needed to go to bed early (I'm not blaming the chopping for that, lol, just life in general.)  Luckily, I was still able to access Paprika on my phone, with the recipe.

Today, I almost didn't work out, but alas, the internet was back.  So DH and I did a 35 minute pilates workout with BB and I walked the dog. Yesterday I did a "zone 2/ Maffetone" run (14:20 miles). I really really enjoy doing different workouts.  Devil MM says "but you are so slow this way!"  Smart MM says "who gives a crap?"

[Freedom2016]

So are other folks happy with their health and fitness? Unhappy? Do you yo-yo or are you pretty steady? Do you have specific health or fitness goals? And do you prioritize this, or does it take a back seat to other "life" elements?

I'd love to hear other peoples' situations and the obstacles you've faced.

How much time do you have?

Currently unhappy.

Over my adult life, my health and fitness have yo-yoed even though the overall trend has been athleticism and fitness (rowing in college, running after college, yoga, rollerblading, rock climbing, swimming). Since 2010 the yo-yos have all been because of health problems that utterly derailed me for months or years at a time. I would eventually get back into a routine, with running being my go-to activity. I like 10K's best, but have also done half-marathons, a marathon, and a 200-mile relay race.

As others have noted, weight is not a proxy for health. In college I was at my heaviest...~170 on 5'9" female. But I was very fit as I was a rower. Today I weigh around 130 and although outwardly I look healthy, I have cancer, and I underwent (unrelated) back surgery 3 months ago after being bedridden with sciatica.

Today, I'm doing PT for my back, and I'm managing side effects of cancer treatment. On a good day I get 7000+ steps in (having a dog to walk helps!), but I am not at all ready for anything intense. To wit: I've been doing regular body-weight squats for PT, and the other day I tried do a modified squat where you extend a leg to the side when you come up. It tweaked my back, causing back pain for two days. Gah!

My diet is crap. I've never been a particularly healthy eater; I frequently forget to eat, and then when I'm starving (and hangry) I just grab the nearest carby food. I love carbs and sugar. Yes, I know. I'm open to making tweaks in the right direction (reducing bad, increasing good), but I'm never going to be someone who radically changes her diet a la whole30 or keto etc. I know me and I just wouldn't stick to it; I have an easier time fasting.

But I have started taking Vit D3 and calcium, and am newly committed to staying active and (slowly) building to a good exercise regime that I can keep up for the foreseeable future. Reducing work stress is a big part of that equation, and I am taking steps to reduce the load.
 

[jrhampt]

I’ve lost 5 pandemic pounds over the past couple of weeks.  Partly using the veggie flooding method (most days large bowl of tomatoes w a spoonful of pesto for lunch) and partly just keeping track of calories and going easy on the booze.  We’ll see if I can keep it off on vacation next week, but I’ll have another few weeks to try to lose another 5-10 pounds before I go out of town again.  Then I just go into maintenance after that.

I biked over 100 miles on vacation, ate moderately, and lost another pound.  Not bad for a vacation!  On to the next 5 pounds.  Pants are starting to fit better and yoga is more comfortable without the squishy midsection.

[TheFrenchCat]

I thought I'd post a small update.  For the past three weeks, I've started doing an easy 15-30 minute exercise program everyday or going for a 30-60 minute walk outside every day my daughter is in school.  I've also been using my fitness pal most days.  I haven't lost any weight yet, but I've noticed I can more easily walk up stairs and the hill to our house.  So two pretty small changes, (I mostly do 15 minutes of the exercise program), and I'm already seeing positive movement.  I'm a bit happier with my health now.

[Financial.Velociraptor]

I thought I'd post a small update.  For the past three weeks, I've started doing an easy 15-30 minute exercise program everyday or going for a 30-60 minute walk outside every day my daughter is in school.  I've also been using my fitness pal most days.  I haven't lost any weight yet, but I've noticed I can more easily walk up stairs and the hill to our house.  So two pretty small changes, (I mostly do 15 minutes of the exercise program), and I'm already seeing positive movement.  I'm a bit happier with my health now.

Gogogogogogogo!

I monitor my weight and it is going the right direction but IMO it is more important to monitor your hip to waist ratio.  You can gain muscle/lose fat, without changing the scale number and still be much healthier.  BMI is a flawed measure.   Waist to hip ratio (.9 for men .72 for women) is ideal.  I've lost 5 inches of spare tire!

[mm1970]

I thought I'd post a small update.  For the past three weeks, I've started doing an easy 15-30 minute exercise program everyday or going for a 30-60 minute walk outside every day my daughter is in school.  I've also been using my fitness pal most days.  I haven't lost any weight yet, but I've noticed I can more easily walk up stairs and the hill to our house.  So two pretty small changes, (I mostly do 15 minutes of the exercise program), and I'm already seeing positive movement.  I'm a bit happier with my health now.

Gogogogogogogo!

I monitor my weight and it is going the right direction but IMO it is more important to monitor your hip to waist ratio.  You can gain muscle/lose fat, without changing the scale number and still be much healthier.  BMI is a flawed measure.   Waist to hip ratio (.9 for men .72 for women) is ideal.  I've lost 5 inches of spare tire!

5 inches is fantastic!!

[dignam]

During college/right after college I was in fantastic shape.  I walked everywhere on campus, and had a physically demanding warehouse job.

At the moment, not satisfied.  I put on about 10 covid pounds, and was already about 10-15 pounds over where I wanted to be (so high of 169lbs, 5'6 male).

I'm reasonably active, so the main culprit was my eating.  My goal is to lose 24 pounds from my peak, and I'm down about 2 pounds over the past couple weeks, just by changing what/how much I eat.  Activity level is about the same.  I put on muscle and fat both pretty easily, so I'm hoping it works the opposite direction.  Goal is to be at my desired weight by late January.

[Nick_Miller]

Checking in.

In the past 3.5 months, I've lost 24 pounds and lowered my triglycerides from 169 to 99. Still nowhere close to satisfied, but if I lose another 24 pounds, I'll be down to my old law school weight and I might be able to get off off cholesterol meds, per my doc. Got to keep momentum this winter.

[boarder42]

Checking in.

In the past 3.5 months, I've lost 24 pounds and lowered my triglycerides from 169 to 99. Still nowhere close to satisfied, but if I lose another 24 pounds, I'll be down to my old law school weight and I might be able to get off off cholesterol meds, per my doc. Got to keep momentum this winter.

congrats!  i've gained 10lbs since this started.  and there isnt an end in sight i'll probably just wobble between 220 and 230 for the next 3 weeks based on our current social calendar.  i have built muscle mass and can do 3 pullups now up from 1 and am doing pushups and walking daily.

[Samuel]

Nice work!

I'm not facing the same degree of challenge but have had to refocus on this stuff again recently myself. Between a nagging foot issue (plantar fasciitis? heel spur?) and fresh hop beer season in the PNW I recently hit an all time high on the scale (which luckily is only 10 or so pounds over where I'm comfortable being and 15 over where I'd love to be, I don't vary all that much).

By wrestling the foot issue back down to the point where I can resume my 5-6 mile a day walking habit (with serious hills involved), switching back to a loose IF fasting scheme (2 main meals a day, minimal healthy snacks), and switching mainly to red wine while reducing overall drinking by 30% I've got things going back in the right direction. Down 6 over the last 3.5 weeks but I've also worked my way back up to 100 push ups and 10 pull ups a day so I'm putting muscle on too. Good to see my "whoa, better tighten things up" protocol is still working at age 42 (although it's noticeably slower than it used to be).

The winter momentum problem is real, though. It feels good to be building some momentum now to carry in to the dark and rainy season. And I really notice a difference in mood between when I can do my long walks and when I couldn't.

[mm1970]

Checking in.

In the past 3.5 months, I've lost 24 pounds and lowered my triglycerides from 169 to 99. Still nowhere close to satisfied, but if I lose another 24 pounds, I'll be down to my old law school weight and I might be able to get off off cholesterol meds, per my doc. Got to keep momentum this winter.

This is fab. 

I've maybe lost 4 out of the 10 lbs I gained.  Maybe.  I decided to start IF again...but for me, since my body really doesn't like it so much, that means fasting from 7 pm to either 8 or 9 am.  9 am if I can make it, 8 if I can't. 

I ate so many carbs for 4 months straight due to the half marathon training that I can FEEL it.  It doesn't feel good.

[partgypsy]

This is very timely. I want to be in better health and I realize this is something important to me, and it's not going to "just" happen. Up until about 5 years ago I walked to and from work and that usually 4x a week of walking close to an hour each day, plus little extra things I did (I used to walk up 10 flights of stairs each work day, dancing) was enough that actually I was in pretty decent shape. Went through a breakup, bought a car and started driving into work. Also through COVID would "entertain" myself with wine and desserts.
Anyways I am not in terrible shape but I'm not where I was 5 years ago, and I want to get back to that level. This past year has been tough because I had a dx of breast cancer, and then got COVID this past fall. Anyways I am actually pretty well recovered from both things so it is time.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

@Samuel - I notice a huge difference in my mood with general exercise, but particularly with long walks. They are such a mood booster. I have an elliptical that I use for a fill in (this is more likely excessive heat or smoke in California), but it's not the same.

On my fitness, I'm doing great. No regrets. I'm going back to the office once a week or so, to test out how to keep my momentum going when I return to the office (it's likely three days a week, starting in January). So far, it's going well. I'm using the work gym treadmill, and also asking for any single person meetings to be walking, when possible. I have my desk now set to standing 90% of the time. I've noticed a huge reduction in back pain, as a significant bonus.

On the eating side, still more work to do. I'm definitely toning up, but my weight loss is hovering around the same amount for the last couple of months. I'd be fine with slow progress - 1/2 a pound/week. It's just a big harder to detect, and thus can be unmotivating.

[tygertygertyger]

My weight is dropping very. slowly. Mostly due to food choices, though we're in the process of moving also, so I have been spackling and sanding and painting and packing plenty of boxes. I don't explicitly work out otherwise (I meander with my dog daily), but I have started a stretching plan every day, since my back twinges with recent house work.

Can't wait until we get into the new place, so I can get into a real routine.

[mm1970]

This is very timely. I want to be in better health and I realize this is something important to me, and it's not going to "just" happen. Up until about 5 years ago I walked to and from work and that usually 4x a week of walking close to an hour each day, plus little extra things I did (I used to walk up 10 flights of stairs each work day, dancing) was enough that actually I was in pretty decent shape. Went through a breakup, bought a car and started driving into work. Also through COVID would "entertain" myself with wine and desserts.
Anyways I am not in terrible shape but I'm not where I was 5 years ago, and I want to get back to that level. This past year has been tough because I had a dx of breast cancer, and then got COVID this past fall. Anyways I am actually pretty well recovered from both things so it is time.

Oy, that makes for a tough year.  Glad you are recovered.

[mm1970]

@Samuel - I notice a huge difference in my mood with general exercise, but particularly with long walks. They are such a mood booster. I have an elliptical that I use for a fill in (this is more likely excessive heat or smoke in California), but it's not the same.

On my fitness, I'm doing great. No regrets. I'm going back to the office once a week or so, to test out how to keep my momentum going when I return to the office (it's likely three days a week, starting in January). So far, it's going well. I'm using the work gym treadmill, and also asking for any single person meetings to be walking, when possible. I have my desk now set to standing 90% of the time. I've noticed a huge reduction in back pain, as a significant bonus.

On the eating side, still more work to do. I'm definitely toning up, but my weight loss is hovering around the same amount for the last couple of months. I'd be fine with slow progress - 1/2 a pound/week. It's just a big harder to detect, and thus can be unmotivating.

It's very unmotivating.  My weight easily fluctuates by a few pounds in a single day, so it's super hard to tell if I'm actually losing anything...

I guess my Garmin app tells me that my average weight for the last 4 weeks is 2.7 lbs less than the average was for the 4 weeks in August-ish.  So, that's 2.7 lbs in 3 months?

I LOVE long walks, but I really need to figure out how to carve that time in.  I have an eye dr appt today, and I almost wore sneakers to work so that I could walk the mile there, and back again.  However, my DS2 has his 1st COVID shot today, and it's only 2 hrs after my appt starts, so I really don't think I have the time.  Ugh.

Next week I'm off all week.  Bring on the walks!

[MaybeBabyMustache]

@mm1970 - I'm with you. It takes big trends for me to notice the drops. My weight fluctuates a lot as well. I can tell trends over time, and need to just be better about weighing in every Monday or whatever, and using that as my baseline. I can say that I've definitely added some muscle, which is a positive, but also doesn't help the scale.

[wenchsenior]

This is very timely. I want to be in better health and I realize this is something important to me, and it's not going to "just" happen. Up until about 5 years ago I walked to and from work and that usually 4x a week of walking close to an hour each day, plus little extra things I did (I used to walk up 10 flights of stairs each work day, dancing) was enough that actually I was in pretty decent shape. Went through a breakup, bought a car and started driving into work. Also through COVID would "entertain" myself with wine and desserts.
Anyways I am not in terrible shape but I'm not where I was 5 years ago, and I want to get back to that level. This past year has been tough because I had a dx of breast cancer, and then got COVID this past fall. Anyways I am actually pretty well recovered from both things so it is time.

Oy, that makes for a tough year.  Glad you are recovered.

Ditto. I was not aware, and am partgypsy's doing better.

[wenchsenior]

So are other folks happy with their health and fitness? Unhappy? Do you yo-yo or are you pretty steady? Do you have specific health or fitness goals? And do you prioritize this, or does it take a back seat to other "life" elements?

I'd love to hear other peoples' situations and the obstacles you've faced.

How much time do you have?

Currently unhappy.

Over my adult life, my health and fitness have yo-yoed even though the overall trend has been athleticism and fitness (rowing in college, running after college, yoga, rollerblading, rock climbing, swimming). Since 2010 the yo-yos have all been because of health problems that utterly derailed me for months or years at a time. I would eventually get back into a routine, with running being my go-to activity. I like 10K's best, but have also done half-marathons, a marathon, and a 200-mile relay race.

As others have noted, weight is not a proxy for health. In college I was at my heaviest...~170 on 5'9" female. But I was very fit as I was a rower. Today I weigh around 130 and although outwardly I look healthy, I have cancer, and I underwent (unrelated) back surgery 3 months ago after being bedridden with sciatica.

Today, I'm doing PT for my back, and I'm managing side effects of cancer treatment. On a good day I get 7000+ steps in (having a dog to walk helps!), but I am not at all ready for anything intense. To wit: I've been doing regular body-weight squats for PT, and the other day I tried do a modified squat where you extend a leg to the side when you come up. It tweaked my back, causing back pain for two days. Gah!

My diet is crap. I've never been a particularly healthy eater; I frequently forget to eat, and then when I'm starving (and hangry) I just grab the nearest carby food. I love carbs and sugar. Yes, I know. I'm open to making tweaks in the right direction (reducing bad, increasing good), but I'm never going to be someone who radically changes her diet a la whole30 or keto etc. I know me and I just wouldn't stick to it; I have an easier time fasting.

But I have started taking Vit D3 and calcium, and am newly committed to staying active and (slowly) building to a good exercise regime that I can keep up for the foreseeable future. Reducing work stress is a big part of that equation, and I am taking steps to reduce the load.

And speaking of damn cancer, I hope you are doing ok as well.

[stoaX]

So are other folks happy with their health and fitness? Unhappy?  I'm reasonably happy but I do notice that as each year passes I need to eat cleaner and exercise/move more just to stay the same.

Do you yo-yo or are you pretty steady? I am blessed with a constitution that isn't prone to yo-yoing.

Do you have specific health or fitness goals? no.

And do you prioritize this, or does it take a back seat to other "life" elements?  yes, but being retired makes it much easier. I try to do something strenuous every day. If life throws me a curve ball and I can't get some vigorous exercise in, then that becomes a "rest day". 

[achvfi]

Checking in.

In the past 3.5 months, I've lost 24 pounds and lowered my triglycerides from 169 to 99. Still nowhere close to satisfied, but if I lose another 24 pounds, I'll be down to my old law school weight and I might be able to get off off cholesterol meds, per my doc. Got to keep momentum this winter.

@Nick_Miller . Great progress in short time!

I am assuming you take statins. Be wary of statins, there is some evidence to say they cause people to develop chronic issues over long time such as metabolic syndrome( insulin resistance, diabetes etc.), cognitive issues - dementia.

Your triglycerides are a marker for your carbohydrate/sugar intake. If you reduce  carbs, triglycerides may go down.

[Nick_Miller]

Checking in.

In the past 3.5 months, I've lost 24 pounds and lowered my triglycerides from 169 to 99. Still nowhere close to satisfied, but if I lose another 24 pounds, I'll be down to my old law school weight and I might be able to get off off cholesterol meds, per my doc. Got to keep momentum this winter.

@Nick_Miller . Great progress in short time!

I am assuming you take statins. Be wary of statins, there is some evidence to say they cause people to develop chronic issues over long time such as metabolic syndrome( insulin resistance, diabetes etc.), cognitive issues - dementia.

Your triglycerides are a marker for your carbohydrate/sugar intake. If you reduce  carbs, triglycerides may go down.

Thank you for your concern! I mean that sincerely, not in a snarky way. Yeah Mrs. Miller and I have really cut down on carbs, especially simple carbs. Juices, crackers, chips, cookies, all that crap, we've essentially eliminated it. We're relying on brown rice, whole fruits/veggies, some whole wheat pasta, and a few potatoes for carbs, but every meal has significant lean protein, and most include veggies. We're supplementing with protein shakes; they work for us and get our macros in line. I'll bet our historical macros probably looked like 50% carb, 30% fat, 20% protein, and now we're focusing on keeping that 33/33/33.

Trust me, I'd LOVE to get off my simvastatin. My doc (she is my new doc, just got her a couple of years ago) said that she would seriously consider taking me off my meds at my next visit come spring if I've lost another 15-20 lbs and if I've kept consistent with exercise. She didn't put me on the meds (my old doc did) and I can tell she's not a big proponent of me just accepting it as a lifetime sentence of taking meds. I do feel a bit more foggy-headed than I have in the past but I've chalked that up to just getting older. Even Ken Jennings was talking about how his brain doesn't work as sharply in his late 40s.