In May of 2017 I weighed 400 lbs, and at age 51 I was starting to wonder if that whole “I can lose the weight any time I want” thing I’d been saying to myself since my mid-20’s wasn’t ACTUALLY true. It sounds pretty delusional now, come to think of it.

But of course, I’d lost weight before. I’d lost a lot of weight. A few times I’d lost about 80 pounds. Once on a prepared meals diet and another on one of the more fashionable diets at the time.  In each case it turns out I was either really bad at hiding or really good at seeking, because that weight I lost? I found it right back, and then some.

I’m not sure what it was about seeing 400 lbs on the scale that May day two years ago that made me finally decide that “today was the day”, but that’s when I made my decision.  I figured I’d sort out the how’s as I went along.

I began this blog two years later, at 257 lbs (at the time), not feeling a single day as if I’ve deprived myself of anything. Never waking up and asking myself “how much longer do I have to do this” and happy in knowing that I did eventually did figure out the how’s.

A big key was deciding not to punish myself this time.  I called this blog Lighten Up not just because it’s about losing weight, but also because it’s about being good to yourself.  Celebrating your choice to do something nice for yourself.  Learning that you can still love food and get joy from eating it.  And even if you trip, stumble and fall… you dust yourself off and keep going on the journey.

I’ve accumulated a bunch of recipes, tips and tricks over the last few years, and am still learning every day. I’ve had some wonderful help from people who I consider to be on my team.   And it made me realize that if I didn’t launch this blog and share this info with other people who might find use for it… I start to come off as a bit impolite.

Anyway, I hope you find some stuff here that helps you, or inspires you to come up with ideas that will help yourself, or even makes you think “wow, that’s a terrible idea, I’ll never do THAT” (that still, technically, counts as help in my book).

Either way, welcome to Lighten Up!

Frank

P.S. You’ll note on the right-hand menu a number of recent links to guest appearances I’ve made on fitness and weight loss podcasts with of the most thoughtful and interesting people in the online weight loss community. If you have a chance, check them out!