In looking over my weight progress charts from the past five months, I discovered something kind of interesting. I started with my lowest weight, then observed when I hit the highest weight, and then checked my weight this week. After a little number crunching, it works out over this period of time that it has taken me three times longer to lose weight than to gain it. Three times. Wow.

It makes sense, based on my past experience, but it was useful to do the numbers and ponder the results. The consequences of overeating are pretty immediate. By contrast, progress made from healthy corrective action (that is to say, NOT dieting, but rather eating better) is much, much slower.

Now, I suppose that after my rapid climb in June I could have taken some more draconian steps to bring things back in line. I could have cut out desserts, or bumped up my exercise, or both! I could have switched to more low calorie foods, and I could have decreased my overall daily target.

But none of those solutions seemed very appealing. I dont mind being a healthy eater and exerciser, but I abhor the thought of restricting myself. And Im not all that enthusiastic about pushing the limits on physical activities, either.

So because I was only willing to take very small steps, I was therefore in line to get only very small results. Makes sense, right?

At any rate, even the small steps Ive taken the past few weeks have been hard-won. After five years of doing this maintenance thing, it isnt always easy to think of little changes that I havent already tried.

Since I strive to be a glass-half-full kind of guy, my biggest takeaway from the whole thing is that these results are based on an overall change of about five pounds. When I think of how many times Ive lost 20 pounds or gained 35 pounds, when I remember the bingeing and dieting of the past, these past five months are really instructive. In fact, Id be willing to go out on a limb and say that, rather than gaining or losing, what Im really doing nowadays is maintaining.

Will wonders never cease!