I don’t know how else to frame this: but today, I’m officially the lowest weight I’ve been in my adult life (after college). I’ve hit 167 before. Most recently while living in Charlotte. In 2010.
It’s an amazing feeling on the health side. I dropped 27.5 lbs in a year.
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for what the past few months have made possible for my physical health. I think some of these habits will stay with me forever (some may just be more modest or tempered).
Vegan. Dry. Daily exercise. Intermittent Fasting.
The best part? There are still a bunch of habits I can break (sugar); and I’ve got some things holding me back which should be resolved over the next 5 weeks.
It’s kind of funny that I lost 27.5 lbs and I look at myself and still see so much stuff to work on. Tells you how far off of healthy I was to start.
Happy. Proud. Not yet satisfied.
I’m going to use the next few days to reflect a bit. And then set some goals for the next quarter. New goals, requiring new habits, that stack upon the positive habits that got me here.
People have been asking me about my home setup for a while. I’m really proud of it. It’s also helped me get healthy. On the average workday since December, I walk about 6 miles (the last few weeks I’ve been pushing 10, even 12.5…all while working.)
When the pandemic hit I lost my office upstairs (Priya needed it for her calls more than I did because of the nature of her work). I needed to create a working environment that gave me the flexibility to move around downstairs (different rooms, lighting, backdrops depending on the nature of the call or interview).
Practically speaking, I needed to be around the kids and be able to get away from the kids in spurts, quickly, as work demanded and their distractions afforded.
I also didn’t want to spend a ton of money.
I quickly found a desk that was perfect. I stand all day. It’s light and slim profile so even when I’m not using it, it can be put in the family room and kind of blend right in. It can adjust from sitting to standing to hybrid and it’s awesome. For $75 on Amazon.
This comes in huge when the kids are home and I have to work. Because I can find space to do both and adapt to them, chsnging full locations to be with them without losing productivity (and my monitor and video setup!)
In the Fall, I found a treadmill for $300 on Amazon. A slim, low profile treadmill but it’s perfect. Because I’m able to roll my desk over to it and hop on whenever I am on a call that doesn’t require me to write or be active typing/creating.
(I found this on sale, there are plenty of slim treadmills for $320)
For $400 I have an ideal setup
One that lets me:
– Sit or stand
– Move to any room or space on our ground floor
– Has two screens comfortably (my laptop and the curved monitor I use- slides easily over our treadmill so I can get on for a walk in seconds
– Has everything plugged into one mounted power strip so all I have to do is plug in one plug and my laptop, monitor, cell, everything is all set and charging.
– Bonus: I have more surface area to hang the art my kids give me
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for creatively working through this setup and it’s been on fire for about a year now (the treadmill only a few months).
That’s the thing: time exists. We do have more of it than we appreciate. How do you take the time you have and make it more valuable and productive. I’m lucky that my job allows me to explore working more productively this way.
On March 15, 2020, I set a goal of dropping below 175lbs by March 15, 2021. Lower than my wedding weight. And the second lowest weight milestone I’ve had … since 1997.
The last few days I’ve clocked in at 173.6.
The lowest I’ve been since 1997 is 167.
3x
Once going into business school in 2004.
Once going back in the summer of 2005.
And once in 2010, before I took a bit of a step back with 6 surgeries in the last 8 years.
I think one learning is, I’ve got more ahead (already). So when reality becomes something that holds you back, instead of something you work around, you’ve now started making excuses.
Why is my first question.
But how is my favorite.
By starting with how, now here I am. 173.6. I lost 21 lbs since setting that goal at the start of the pandemic
And #iamgrateful and #iamthankful that I celebrated the win directly, took a deep breath, and then changed my goal again for what’s next. 167, here we come.175 felt too far at some points. Now, I never want to go back. But I’ve been here before and fallen quickly. Every time, was my choice.
How do I avoid that happening again?
Happy.
Proud.
Not yet Satisfied.
The pandemic took space from some things while in my case, creating space for other things. (The favorite space I’ve found is in my t shirts by the way.)Side note and other numbers of note: BMI – For the first time since scales reported these things, my BMI is below 25. It’s 24.9. But for the first time since scales have been telling me things, there telling me I’m no longer overweight. 25 is the low end BMI threshold for overweight. I was at 27.9 sometimes higher.
Skeletal Miscle – used to be 42%. Now it’s over 44%. Good increase but the next step is building more muscle which is hard with come constraints I have but still doable.
Body Fat – Was just at or under 20%. Now it’s 16.3%. Almost a 20% reduction with more to come I hope. Can I get under 15? Do I even want to?
Visceral Fat – Was at 6. Now at 4. Lower the better.
Treadmill for some miles (I think I can get in 6-7 before the kids wake. UPDATE: Walked for 108 minutes.)
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for this setup downstairs and the motivation not to just sit on the couch while the night winds down and the day wakes up.
Suneet Bhatt 