Then and Now

Maybe it's just my vanity, but I think I look younger today than I did 6 years.

I had to get a new security badge today. I broke my old one.  The plastic just snapped when I sat on it.  (Promise I didn't do it on purpose.)

The last time I needed a new badge, the security office just printed out a new one with the same photo they took when I was a new employee in 2004.  This time, I wanted a new photo since I've changed.  Back then, I guess I weighed between 160-165...maybe more.  I don't know.  I had stopped checking sometime back around 1999 or so as my fitness was slowly getting away from me.

In 2008, just a few weeks shy of my 48th birthday, I made a change.  It was slow at first as I had to rehabituate myself to getting exercise, but by January 2009 I was in full bore mode.  I weighed in at 164 around Christmas 2008.  By the beginning of February I was at 160.  By the beginning of May, 155.  And by May 1st, I'd reached 147 and started to plateau.  That's roughly about 1 lb. per week, and I've been within 2-3 pounds of 145 ever since.

I don't take a flattering picture anyway, and ID pics are the worst.  But I'm still much happier with 2010 than I was with that joweled moon-face I was saddled with for the past 6 years.  I'll never be "young Bob" again, but I think I look 6 years younger rather than 6 years older.  (My neck looks longer probably because I've got my chin up and wasn't wearing a collar up to my Adam's apple this time.  Neither color tone is right...or is it?  Guess it depends on the lighting.)

Found another picture from 2007 (left) before my return to good physical conditioning.  No idea how much I weighed there, but easily 165 or more.  A few months ago I tried to re-pose that picture...same shirt, but the jeans are no 30" instead of the 34" I was starting to lap over 3 years ago.

Anyway, I'm much happier with ID photo now.  But enough of this.  My fitness is for my health; not how I look.  (Right?)