Would a Camper Van be worth it?

 

I've always questioned whether a camper van would be worth the cost.    I personally don't really need it for camping or cross country trips.   My truck and GFC camper work fine for just myself and it's less than half the cost of a camper van, but it would be nice to have a quieter space to sleep overnight when I'm at Cracker Barrels or Walmarts while driving cross country.  It's just hard to justify an expensive camper van when you're not full time van life-ing.   Although, if it kept me from going down the 2nd home route; it makes more sense financially.   

The ones I like are around 200k usd....but maybe I can get a used one in 3-5 years if/when my current Ranger dies.    Or maybe by then, I'll just pull an insane YOLO rationalization.   I figure once I hit 60; it won't be as easy to do the yoga moves when I want to drop down to the truck bed to use the toilet or change my clothes via the truck's roof top tent floor openings.     Not in a rush to pull the trigger though.  

I'm still hopeful Ford will make an EREV version of their full size Transit van after they launch the F150 EREV in 2027.    An EREV (extended range electric vehicle) is basically using all electric drive train.  Electric motors turns the driveshaft or wheels.   But an EREV only has 1/3-1/2 the battery pack of something like the F-150 Lightning.   You don't need >300 miles of range because they add a gas generator to supply the electricity you need when doing longer road trips, so no more worrying about the batteries running out of power.   They're projecting a 700 mile range with a full tank of gas.   Also, I'd bet they'd have an inverter on it to power tools, which would be perfect for camping purposes too.  Wait and see I guess, in the meantime, I want to focus more on bike touring while my body can still do it.  No point trading in the truck just yet.

But today and yesterday (Monday-Tuesday feb 16/17 2026),  Jacqui hung out in the xc ski house while I went xc skiing.   It was 50-60F upstairs(10-15C); they had a woodstove heating the building on the first floor.   But what if she could have hung out in a warm heated camper van?    A camper with a fridge full of snacks and a coffee machine.    A bathroom when needed.   Starlink to stream whatever she wanted?    A bed to nap on, etc.    She said she didn't mind hanging out while I skied, but I still felt a little bad.    If I'd brought my portable diesel heater, I could have set her up in the GFC roof top tent with an air mattress and quilt.   That little heater can get it above 70F/21C when it's 32F/0C out.   If there's a next time, I'll have to ask her if she'd like to try that.   I could turn the Weboost on too and she'd have gotten a much better cell signal.

I skied for about 3 hours each day, and I wouldn't have felt as guilty about it if Jacqui had a nicer hang out spot. After I finished skiing today, i would have had a nice spot to change or even shower before driving home for 3 hours.  

I stole this photo to set the mood of my post above

 

Even so, I've struggled to justify a van because it's kind of overkill for just me, and I know off grid camping isn't something Jacqui would enjoy.   My truck can get more remote and it only cost 85k total after I finished adding everything.  $40k for the truck in Jan 2021, and then all this stuff, click here for google sheet summary.       I think I'd also worry about leaving an expensive van at a trailhead.   My friend always worries about his expensive Sprinter based camper van.   He even installed custom deadbolt locks on all the doors.    Still, there are horror stories of thieves just cutting large holes through the sheet metal with a cordless angle grinder, or smashing out windows.   Your best protection is having a camper that doesn't look expensive IMHO.   Hence, why I'd prefer a Grit van that's still solid but a little dinged up.

Anyhoo, for winter ski trips like we just did, it's actually hard to find a place to overnight in a van in the Northeast, so we'd likely still get a hotel room somewhere anyway.   The dinner out and a nice Bed & Breakfast is why Jacqui would want to tag along most likely.

But I do like my bike/kayak/hike/ski outings.   Now, that I've lost weight, I want to do even more outings.  If Jacqui could tag along when she wanted, but had a  mobile version of her bedroom, it helps me justify the cost of a van a lot more.   It was a light bulb moment I guess.  Maybe it makes more sense than I was thinking?   Especially, if it helps me avoid the itch to get a summer house/cottage.   I occasionally think about a small plot of land with Yurt, where there's nearby access to the outdoorsy stuff I like,  but property taxes add up.   And I know, land value goes up, vans depreciate.    Study global warming.   That isn't going to math that way much longer.   It's not a matter of whether you believe in it, Home insurance companies are already pricing it in and denying coverage based on climate model projections.   Capitalism has spoken.

Back on subject... 

One last pro,  if it's just me using a van on my own for a more local outing.    I ALSO get a nice space to take a break, eat my weird bean/lentil health food, take a short nap, etc and maybe go out a second time before driving home.   My truck has it's outdoor Joolca shower stall, but it would be nice to have a more private & warm space to change clothes/take a shower before driving home too.   Especially as I get more old and wrinkly...lol.

I think part of my reluctance has also been I can't see using a van for long, scenic day drives like my friend does with his wife, and Jacqui and I wouldn't do cross country trips together like they do either.    So I've been judging it through that lens.    That's how they use their van, and Jacqui and I would never do that, so I've always landed on a hard NO to a van.     On a cross country trip, I think at best, Jacqui would fly out and rough it a couple days before flying back or being dropped off to visit with nearby friends/family while I go off to camp more.    

But... I do like doing lots of local outdoorsy activities.   A van would make it way more comfortable for Jacqui to tag along (if/when she wants), let me do my thing, she could comfortably read/cross stitch in the van; and then after I finish and clean up, we could dine out somewhere and drive home.

I may have finally figured out a use case that makes sense for Jacqui and I....   Stay tuned!  (semi-joking, it'll still be a few years) 

 

 

Grit Overland Camper Van fanboy

First of all, I'm happy with my Truck.  It's still perfectly fine for me right now.   I'm just thinking out loud and planning for when I'll need to replace the truck (3-5 years?)     And I had an "Ah Ha!" realization on an overnight trip I just did with Jacqui.  I wrote more about that in this blog 

Anyway, I recently found a Ford Transit based camper van I like,  and unlike Vandoit vans; the Grit Overland camper doesn't have any deal breakers.   Before this, a Vandoit was the closest van I liked , but the Grit Overland are darn close to what I've imagined building myself.  They're selling them now, so maybe I could get a used one in a few years   https://gritoverland.com 

A good youtube tour video they put out, around the 9:30 minute mark is the shower setup 

 https://youtu.be/CGrTe4BH_Ac?si=Wy4mrouAvo-CqDt2 

 

Pro's of the Grit van

• It's based on a high roof Ford Transit, 148" wheelbase
• i like Fords and have experience working on my old F150 and current Ranger
• there are far more Ford dealers everywhere for easier service
• no complex diesel emissions control systems like the Sprinter vans
• yes diesel engines last longer, but DEF, diesel, servicing cost more.  
• taller and wider inside than a Sprinter
• All year round camping vs my truck GFC camper, cold days and super hot
•  super well insulated 
• 12 volt ac dometic unit, 6,000btu's, battery can run overnight
• timberline hydronic gasoline heater and hot water, siphons off tank
• Awesome electrical system
• top of the line Lithionics battery, 4kwhr or 8kwhr, heated too.   
• Super easy to replace the battery or victron components if I buy used in a few years.  
• 200 amp charging from 2nd alternator, ford controlled, simple & robust, easy to service at dealer.   easily can recharge after running AC all day or overnight.
• 180 watt solar minimum, can be doubled for extra $
• Inside layout
• lengthwise bed, North/South, in the back,  6'6" long.   I don't fit in side to side bed layouts
• bed folds up out of the way to access the under bed garage space from inside 
• no dedicated bathroom, so more open space
• shower sets up in aisle behind front seats, way more room for my shoulders
• cassette toilet stores under sink, i love my joolca gottago and can use that.
• room to store bicycles under bed inside 
• loads of sitting area,   driver & passenger seats swivel, and bench seat options behind the driver seat with a Laguna table 
• included window covers 
• Exterior stuff that's standard
• awning
• roof maxxair fan 
• dometic 12v ac unit 
• 180 watts solar
• side steps  
• Grit Overland installed upgrades I'd want (another $30-40k, worth it)
• better suspension 
• bigger tires
• steel front bumper with winch
• rock rails 
• off-roading hid lights 
• rear door tire carrier (driver),   storage box (passenger)
• side ladder and side pole for mounting my surfski on driver side above door, not on roof 
• if that won't work, then the thule hullavators, mounted driver side. 
• starlink dish mount and wiring 

 

 

Before discovering the Grit vans and my recent epiphany, I've been considering a Vandoit van.    The only other brand with a lengthwise or North/South bed arrangement.    I know there are slightly bigger vans like the Winnebago Ekkos, but I want something small enough for running errands around town, and the Ekko is big.    I want something i can tow a small trailer with too

Back to the Vandoit vans, they also have a more spartan, open interior, but they use 80/20 which wastes a lot of space IMHO.    Still, better than the land yacht look.    I want something I don't have to clean very often

The bigger cons for me with Vandoit is that they use Method marine based electronics instead of Victron and Lithionics.    The Method battery chemistry is lithium ion, not LFP/lifepo4 (lithium iron phosphate).   LFP batteries do so much better when cold, and LFP last longer, way more charge/recharge cycles than Lithium.  The Method batteries don't even have built-in internal heating either, so once they get below freezing you can't even draw power from them to run the heater to warm them up.    LFP batteries you can draw even if they get down to -5F, you just can't charge them unless they're over 25F.  Lithium ion, you can't charge/draw once they're below 32F.   I'd have to hope the van's dash heater could do warm them , which is doubtful.    It would be a nightmare up in the frequently cold Northeast.   

Also, Vandoit can only pull 50amps off the alternator (vs Grit's build pulling 200amps), which isn't adequate for recharging a battery bank after running AC overnight.   Running AC all night will use at least 400 amp hours, so do the math on how long you'd have to drive to recharge.   Grit 400/200 = 2 hours,  Vandoit 400/50 = 8 hours.     Solar wouldn't help much, only adding 15-20amps per hour in full sun.   Not even sure the Vandoit AC unit is 12volt.   Running an inverter adds more draw.   Vandoit isn't as well insulated either.   To run the Vandoit AC all night (assuming it could), you'd have to go to a campsite with electric power to recharge your batteries, or figure out how to use EV charging maybe.   That's a hard pass for me.

 And....they cost the same!   No thanks.

Vandoit would be closer though.  Missouri (Vandoit), Grit Overland (made in Washington state) if there are warranty issues.

Maybe in 2027, I'll do a shop tour at Grit Overland, if things go to plan and I do a cross country bike trip next year.     I'll be flying out to Washington anyway.   Jacqui can tag along for that if she wants.     

 

Technically, no longer obese!

 Just barely though, so as I bounce around weight-wise this week, it won't be technically true.   And I'm probably a tick under 6'2" now too, but WHO CARES!!!

At 6'2", stepping on the scale seeing 233.9, subtracting 0.8lbs for clothing, I'm 233.1   which is a BMI of 29.9     Overweight is 25-29.9.   So I'm just barely, baaaaarrrrrrley   out of the obese range, but I'll take it!

 Time to go do my morning workout, celebrate the little wins!    

Not stopping here.   The goal is to get well under 220lbs.   I want my new max weight to be 220, so I'm shooting for the lower 210's to have a buffer.

Will keep on the Mediterranean diet and continue the daily weight checks as a lifestyle.    might even bring a scale when I go on long camping trips in the truck camper.    It's more about joint health though, so I don't think i'll get a scale that does body fat.   I don't want to obsess over that too.

 

Next day update....   weigh-in was 232.8!!!!     I think I've been retaining water because I've been hitting the local xc ski trails hard.    I keep relearning my body likes to retain water when I'm pushing harder than normal and my muscles get sore.     It's just weird because I go through these cycles of seeing the same number day after day on the scale, and then all of a sudden over a couple days, there's a massive 2 pound drop.

 

A failed week? Not really...

Part of why i track my weight in a spreadsheet is for when I have weeks like this.   Weight went up and down a few times.   I felt like I was failing this week.    But looking at the numbers, I still lost a pound this week.   Now that I weigh less, losing 1 lb a week is my new goal.     At some point, I"ll have to accept a half pound a week most likely.

Anyway, I've noticed that when I exercise harder than normal, in this case lots of xc skiing, I'll retain water as my body tries to heal up sore muscles.    Throws the daily weigh-ins off.    Could be the added exercise pushes me to overeat too.   Who knows?    Weirdly though, I didn't feel hungry this week, more like I was bloated/constipated.     TMI, I know, but I share that just to say I'm not ravenous or starving myself.

 

And....while I still ate healthy this week, I think my retrospective lesson is that I can't eat my black bean patty recipe AND this higher calorie red lentil curry every day and still lose weight.   The recipes are still very healthy, just heavier calorie-wise.   With the lentil curry I did air fry a bunch of cauliflower to lessen the caloric hit, but it has a full can of regular fat coconut milk in it.   I need to find an easier Indian, lower calorie lentil soup recipe i like.   I have a butternut squash based one, but it's a fair amount of work.   

I made my mexican lentil soup yesterday, and I think that helped me have a good weigh-in today.  https://www.cookingclassy.com/mexican-lentil-soup/#jump-to-recipe 

I need to make a video on my approach to soups like that.    The 2 main things I do is a bit of sauteeing to add flavor before putting everything in the instant pot to finish cooking, and the second is I'll reserve a little bit of the instant pot contents with a slotted spoon before pureeing the rest.    It makes a creamy soup that still has some textured bites, so you don't feel like you're eating nursing home gruel.

 Anyway, today is the Superbowl.   Patriots fans are so spoiled.  I'm going to splurge with home made sushi for lunch, and my 50% whole wheat sourdough pizza for dinner.   I've learned to only eat 2 slices out of 8 and to eat a big salad so I don't pig out.   It's actually satisfying and I avoid the blood sugar crash/nap I used to get after eating pizza.   We normally eat at old people/farmer hours for dinner (5p.m.) so if I have the salad then, I can hold off on the pizza until 6-6:30.

I did get a couple new toys for my xc skiing this week.   A boot and glove dryer and a winter camelbak/backpack.    

Boot and glove dryer, https://a.co/d/0gdEJGgP 

I like you can turn off the heater and just run air.    the heater and fan is in the center and it forces the air out of the 4 towers in the corners.       Skiing every day, I was wondering why my feet would get cold sometimes, and I realized it was because my ski boots hadn't dried out fully from the day before.   Problem solved!    Great for after snowblowing and drying my gear out. 

 

 Insulated CamelBak backpack   https://a.co/d/0dRh9B3P 

 It has a 2 liter water reservoir.   I've found I just wasn't drinking as much as I should while skiing.   I tried my regular camelbak that has an insulated sleeve, but if I didn't drink every 15 minutes it would freeze the line.    This bag works much better, and it has extra storage for day hikes/ski outings.   for food and extra hats/gloves/clothes.   The insulation might help keep the water cool on hot summer hikes; I'll find out this Summer

 

 

 I'd bought a two pack of these back ventilation things to help your back not get so sweaty.   It does fit with this camelbak, just barely.  Helps that i've lost weight i suppose.   Even in the cold temps i wore it.  my xc ski jacket has vents on the back.   You get sweaty skiing, and wet clothes get cold.   Need ventilation.

https://vauclusegear.com/products/ultralight-ventilation-backpack-frame 

 

xc skiing and snowshoeing

I lost 6.4lbs over January.    Took a rest day yesterday (Friday) because it was super cold, but today, I plan on going skiing later after it warms up.    It's -2F/-19C right now.     It'll be 20F/-6.5C by noon.

Nothing exciting ski-wise.   Just a 2 mile flat section of rail trail that doesn't get much use by hikers or dog people.

I bought new backcountry skis (Madshus, 62 Panoramas, steel edged), and I enjoyed them for a quick outing Thursday.   They're 20mm wider than my old off track skis, but still fast enough for ungroomed classic cross country stride skiing, but the extra width helps with trails with fresh powder or other people have walked or snowshoed on.   Helps me slide over the dips and divots.

In the nearby Carlstrom Forest woods down the street from7ujm my house, I've been using my 37" long Crescent Denali aluminum frame snowshoes.    I can walk a 2 mile loop in the woods.   It's not scenic.   No views really, but good to be under the trees.    The one view you get is of a lot of dead fall in a swamp/marsh area.

https://crescentmoonsnowshoes.com/mens-powder-ski-snowshoes-denali-37-white/ 

 

First couple days I was noticing nothing other than the occasional rabbit/squirrel tracks crossing my trails.    Thursday I finally noticed some dog tracks in my snowshoe trails from nearby houses.    Good to see, and it felt nice to pack down some trail to make some puppers happy. 

 

Last Winter I also bought a smaller pair of their much smaller and lighter foam snowshoes.   Those are super fun and great for big guys walking on packed trails, either from other walkers or snowmobiles.      Half the price, more than half the weight, and they have little screw heads in the bottom so you don't slip on ice.   Super fun.   But again, they'd be useless in fresh snow IMHO.   I'm going to see if I can get Jacqui to go snowshoe with me after it warms up to 32F/0C.   I'll have her try the fun ones below

https://crescentmoonsnowshoes.com/eva-foam-snowshoes/ 

 

I did have an exciting weigh-in this morning 235.9!!!!, but I bet it'll be higher tomorrow morning.  I retain water after intense exercise, and again I'm going skiing later today.   I do my weekly weigh-ins on Sundays, my normal rest day.   Oh well.   At least I got to see 235 something.   And during my weigh-ins I'm wearing 0.8lbs of clothing too.      

I took my rest day yesterday because it was too cold for skiing/snowshoeing yesterday, only a high of 12F/-11C .      I've notice that the day after a rest day, i get my best weigh-ins.   I think it's because my body stops retaining water to help repair muscle.

In good news, I don't really feel like i'm dieting anymore.    I feel more like I've figured out a new way to eat healthy but enjoy it.    Eating a diet with more fiber and nutrients, I actually feel less hungry than when I was overeating.   It's frikkin weird!    Like a diet induced way of going on Ozempic/GLP1 shots.   The only caveat is dining out.   I don't crave it anymore.  There really aren't great healthy, dining out options, which is fine.   There's always salad I guess, and I can get lentil/bean dishes at Indian/Mexican restaurants. Dining out is too expensive now anyway.    

At BJ's, I even bought unsalted, roasted peanuts, still in their shells yesterday....AND I LIKED THEM!!!!    I used to hate the unsalted nuts.    Hate is too strong.   I just found them super bland.     Now,  they're not so bad.   Probably because I rarely eat chips anymore (crisps for your Brits).      

Per a recent Viva Longevity episode, I'm now working on upping my nut and seed oil intake.   I know peanuts aren't technically nuts, but they're very similar.    I also eat almonds, walnuts, pecans daily.   I should increase my healthy oil intake some probably.   

The guy that hosts the Viva Longevity channel was a tech guy.   Made his money and got out, but I don't think he's rich enough to be obnoxiously out of touch.   A kindred spirit.   He made enough money to retire early and spend more time doing the stuff he loves.    

 Anyhoo, he's older than me (70 something), a couple inches taller, and vegan.   But his blood work was still not good.   He's had bad numbers his whole life.   Like ridiculously high.    He recently re-tweaked his diet to eat more seed oils and nuts and BAM, amazing numbers!    The exact opposite of what the current health fad people are saying sadly.

 Again he was VEGAN, but his overall cholesterol was still 280 mg/dL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg_oDjern20 

 Look at his numbers now

His oldest Triglyceride numbers were when he was down to 185lbs and doing Ironman Triathlons.   He stopped racing due to AFIB risks.    As he started to put on weight, he tried low fat, high carb diet for awhile and the triglycerides and cholesterol spiked.

In his video above he really does a wonderful job explaining why there's so much misinformation.    A lot of it is the same old story the USA has been cursed with,  "Grifters grifting".    Glorified carpet baggers.        Sometimes it's a doctor meaning well but just not having the background in causal statistics to know better, but oftentimes, it's just a photogenic, extroverted doctor/health expert looking to make a buck.

 People get hurt and taken for a ride.     And then we all sit back and wonder why Trump supporters don't trust the experts.    THIS IS WHY!!!!

 Maybe as AI improves, we'll be able to use AI to filter through the mess.    But for now, AI doesn't really have true intelligence yet.    It's insanely good pattern recognition (better and far faster than human abilities), and it will regurgitate answers it finds most often.    

 So why would i put so much trust into a single youtube channel?    He doesn't make money on it.  He's not pushing books, he's not selling supplements or protein powder.   He does it because he nerds out on it.   He's retired, it's not even his job.    Any money made, goes back into the channel's production costs.    Also, if you open the description on his videos, it's all linked to the books and research he uses.

The problem is his channel isn't filled with attractive fit people and he's not paying for bots to push his content.    I fear it'll never break through, but I'm thankful to have found it.    Even if at times it feels like it's just me.

 

 

unsticking the weight loss

I'm getting better at tweaking things when my weight loss gets stuck.

I had 5 days in a row last week where my weight wasn't budging.   At first I was ecstatic at seeing a 230 something weight on the scale, but then the worry crept in.   I was plateauing again.    But after a few small changes, I just ended up with one of my best weeks in a while, ending at 237.8 lbs!

 

First of all....sometimes you're going to indulge in more pizza, bread, desserts, etc. than one should.  It happens, move on.   Maybe my relief at seeing a 230 something weight was triggering some snacking, idk.    I also think sometimes if you're lacking nutrients, it pushes your body to snack more.  

 I tried to get out of the rut by doing longer rides on my indoor weight trainer.   This was dumb...   I have to keep reminding myself that losing weight solely by trying to burn it off is NOT sustainable.  In fact, it usually just makes you binge on higher calorie stuff.     And I STILL need to find a comfier seat for the indoor bike, my poor butt.   

I realized I'd been cooking the same dishes for a month, so I think I just needed to change things up a little.  

Not having indian food in a while, I made a tikka masala, using a 1/2 cup of regular fat coconut milk instead of the recipe's heavy cream.   But here's the real kicker. no chicken/tofu.   I just used the instant pot to cook a cup of dried navy beans instead.     I thought the creaminess of navy beans might go better with the sauce than when I tried chickpeas.   Sure enough, tasty!     Maybe a future youtube video I'll make.

Upping my low calorie, high fiber intake helped me to stop overeating my 50% whole wheat sourdough, and BAM! weight loss back on track.     

I also made some home made (Greek) tzatziki sauce to replace the ranch dressing I used when snacking on raw broccoli or celery.    Actually, I started snacking mid afternoon more consistently and I found i was eating less at dinner.

I also have started having an apple or grapefruit at the end of each meal.

Less hunger, more weight loss.     It's frikkin weird!

And no Mom, I'm not overdoing it  (lol, jk).   I only lost 2.2 lbs this past week.   Which is still < 1% of my body weight.     I'm sure it'll slow down again, my goal is 1 pound per week until I get below 220.

In retrospect, what made me the most happy this past week is that I got the weight loss going again by actually upping the amount I was eating.   Just stuff like tofu, apples, grapefruit, raw celery/broccoli.   Cheap at our local BJ's warehouse.

Feels good. 

Currently ahead of my 1lb/week plan again, due to this past week's success.   Using a BMI for 6'2" I'll no longer be obese once I'm under 233.    BMI Healthy weight will likely never happen, < 192 lbs.   BMI is for average build, so I'll be happy with middle of the "overweight" range.      Ideally I want to hover around 215, with a new, permanent max weight of 220 (once I see 220, back on diet until 215).   I'll get there by June if I stick to losing 1lb/week

 

 

 

 

weighing 230 something!

First time I've weighed 230 something since 2000!      What's the big deal?   I just posted about losing 50lbs a week ago.   I guess I just like to celebrate/mark the milestones.    Keeping myself motivated.    Side note, I also wear at least 0.8 lbs of clothing when I weigh in, so I'm actually well below 240.    I keep my scale in the kitchen so I can't avoid it;  and I don't want to flash the neighborhood during weigh-ins.

Also, I waited until I weighed < 240 for at least 3 days straight before posting this.   My lowest weight was 239.4 (or 238.6 el bucko after subtracting the 0.8lbs).   I'm going to keep pushing until I get under 220, so I'm no longer medically "obese"     I find it funny that I feel driven to only being "overweight" medically speaking, but it's a goal.   I'll take it!   LOL  

 

Last time I remember seeing a 230 something weight was way, way back in 2000.  (in the year 2000,  in the year 2000!!!!  Conan O'Brien reference)  I was visiting Jacqui down at Chapel Hill, UNC when she was getting her PhD.   At the time, I remember stepping on the scale in her bathroom and being bummed at seeing 234 something.   Not upset enough to actually change anything, just remember the feeling of being disappointed I'd let myself gain the weight back after all the work I did the last couple years of college.   Back in Mass, I hadn't even bought a scale for my house yet.    

 

During my solo years in Mass was when I really went off the rails, weight-wise.  It's all on me.    To be honest, I think the same thing would've happened if Jacqui went to school in Mass.    I had a job where I could go out to eat during lunch 2-3 times a week, and I piled on the weight at the Chinese/Indian all you can eat buffets, and nearby Italian place (Ziti's).    I was just enjoying food way too much.     It was my reward/stress relief of choice, and I spent the last couple decades drifting between 250-275lbs most of the time because I kept indulging that vice.

 

I think part of my new found motivation is that I'm jut too old to eat poorly (and too much) and still feel ok.   It finally started making me feel unhealthy, and occasionally flirting with going over 300lbs was going to shave years if not decades off my life. 

 

I recorded some specific weights in my spreadsheet where I could remember specific milestone weights.   Double click on the screenshot below to make the photo bigger.   The couple of decades, I'd gain at least 20lbs over Winter and lose most of it over the Summer.    As I've gotten older, I slowly stopped losing as much as I'd put on.  The only exception was 2018.   That was the year I was finally org'd out of AZ, so I wanted to look better for interviews while I still had a job; plus I needed to get my blood pressure down to get the good pain meds for a dental implant.  Lidocaine raises BP.   During the first extraction, I only got the less effective stuff.     All I'll say is Ouch, and that I definitely had extra motivation to drop weight that year.   But the motivation was fleeting.

  

 

 

I've blogged about it before, the HUGE difference this time around is that I've finally improved what I eat.   I'm now following the Mediterranean diet, like the following food pyramid.    It doesn't literally mean eating Greek/Italian regional dishes.   To me it means eat fruit, low starch veggies, and beans/lentil based dishes most of the time.    I'm not losing weight by fasting until Lunch like I did back in 2018 to lose weight over Winter.

 

 6 months on the new diet I feel great, and with my new stable of healthy dishes, it feels far easier to maintain and keep going.   I now have a quiver full of high fiber meals that are filling.   for recipes click here     I will say the only downside is when I travel.   I haven't figured out fast food options that fit well with my new diet, but if I have my truck it's easy to cook/bring stuff along.

 

I'll also say if I was working full time still, it would have taken me way longer to figure this stuff out.   It takes time to learn how to cook this stuff and to find recipes you like.   And it's kind of antithetical to how most Americans eat.    You'll feel like you're on your own, most likely

 

 

 

 

Finally, I've cropped the photo below a bit, I had major bed head.   The joys of balding.  the wispy hair I have left now likes to stand straight up after I roll out of bed.   Sorry the photo is a little blurred too, not important.   This red jacket was super tight last Winter.     I could barely zip it up.   I looked like a stuffed sausage.    The poor zipper has hanging on for dear life.    Now, the jacket is nice and loose.    I've lost 6 inches off my waist per my belt.