A photo journal of my annual weight fluxuation.

Every year I allow myself to "live" between Thanksgiving and a week or two after New Years.  It's a time of year for food, and family and hanging out, and drinking beers and not being "A-type" for a little while.

As a result, I typically put on between 20 and 30 pounds in that span of time.  I know, that's a lot.  But I stop running and working outside, and replace that time with eating food, drinking beer and sitting on my ass - so it adds up.

Adding on weight in the "off season" isn't actually a bad thing.  I've read about many very successful triathletes that actually do the same thing.  They allow a season for "healing", in which they stop training, and typically pack on some pounds.  They feel like it gives their muscles and joints some time to heal from the beating they give them the rest of the year.  I think, like me, they just like to eat at the holidays.

So if it's good enough for a Triathlete: it's good enough for an aging Landscaper/Outfitter.

Below, I'll show my progression into my work season, and I'll post what I did in that time to get back to where I typically spend most of my days.

Start photos: 1/15/16

First few pounds: 1/22/16 

Here is a typical day of lifting.  I did this every other day:

(get this off the iPad)

Slow progress: 1/29/16 

Slow progress: 3/1/16

Early Summer: 6/1/16

GOAL ATTAINED! - 6/20/16

Here is my typical level of activity in the Spring months:

Time for the beach and other more physically fit activities.

But don't worry, Thanksgiving isn't that far away, and that's when this whole cycle starts all over again.