When I arrived in the Philippines last year, I was 70 inchs/178 centimeters tall and 240 pounds/109 kilograms in weight. While I haven't become any shorter or taller, I've lost a quite a bit of weight, most of it as part of an unexpected weight loss.

Weight Loss Goals

I was slowly losing weight over the first 13 months here in the Philippines. It was a slow weight loss that was intentional. I wanted to get back down to my optimal weight of 180 pounds/82 kilograms, where I was at in 1997 (about 10 years ago). The hot and humid weather, along with reducing my consumption of trans fats while fighting my big belly, were the primary contributors to this plan.

When my wife left on the 20th of May to work in the US, I started losing weight even faster. My eating habits changed almost immediately. Then the ordeal that I recapped in "The Force Is Strong With This One" caused an even faster loss of weight because I drank gallons of water without eating very much.

I Need New Clothes

I wore snug, size 38 trousers when I arrived in the Philippines, without a belt. Now, I have to wear a belt with those same trousers or they will fall to my ankles, which would be kind of embarrassing to say the least. I don't have a weight scale to check, but I estimate I've lost about 20 pounds/9 kilograms in the last month and maybe 10 pounds/5 kilograms in the previous year, which would put me at about 210 pounds/95 kilograms. That's much closer to my weight goal than I expected.

I have shorts that I can no longer wear (no belt loops). I can pull one pair up to the top of my belly and they still fall down to my ankles. I guess it's time to buy more shorts.

Update: February 2009

I had my weight checked when I renewed my driver's license last month. According to their scale, which was pretty beat up, I weighed about 110 kilos, which would mean that I'm back to my original weight. I find it hard to believe since my belly hasn't become larger again and I'm still wearing the same size trousers and they still fit the same. Well, they say that muscle is heavier than fat and perhaps I've just become leaner.

I'm not worried about my weight since I'm healthy and a few extra pounds (or kilos) aren't going to make much of a difference. If I was worried about it, I'd definitely begin investigating rapid weight loss techniques.

You know, I'm 48 years old. I shouldn't expect to be as slim as I was 10 or 20 years ago. The best I can do is try and without killing myself in the process.

• Weight Loss Programs in the Philippines? I Don't Think So
• Weight Lifting for Weight Loss?
• Fighting My Big Belly
• Fighting My Big Belly, Take 2
• Swimming for Fitness