Go enjoy yourself...it's the weekend. No blog post tonight, but I promise I will make it all up to you this weekend. Perhaps with a double dose of blogtastic action IN YOUR FACE tomorrow. We shall see.
I'm the fat guy. You stay classy, San Diego.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A Traveling Conundrum
Next week, I will be traveling to and staying over in Connecticut. I will be staying at everyone's favorite tribal land. This will be the first time that I will be away from home since I started the diet and exercise routine. I'm not so worried about the diet...I'm definitely more worried about exercising. Here are my options:
- Work out at the on-site gym. The gym apparently has a full range of cardiovascular equipment, including an elliptical and a treadmill, which is all I really need. But it costs $15 to use, and I'm not sure I am ready to exercise in public yet. Plus, I think I will feel guilty if I don't check in with my Wii workouts on a daily basis. I might be afraid of the Wii yelling at me for cheating on it.
- Bring the Wii with me. Why not? It's easy enough to bring along, and it can probably be plugged into the back on the TV in the hotel room. But there's a chance that the TV won't be compatible with it, and I would have to lug along the balance board. Plus, I should probably not be so crazy about having to check in with it every single day. I just don't want it secretly hating me.
- Skip a workout day. I haven't skipped a workout since I started officially trying to lose weight in late June, so I suppose it would be good if my body and its muscles got a rest. But exercise has been a good way to beat stress and avoid hunger, and I get nervous that a day of no exercise will result in less weight loss when I weigh-in. If I take a day off and end up not losing any weight, then I will immediately point the finger at the day off.
I'm interested to hear what your thoughts are. I'll decide by Monday.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Planning For The Future
Quick update tonight, since I'm getting up early tomorrow to travel. I just wanted to share some great websites for information on and tools to help with running.
I'm definitely getting ahead of myself here, but I'm really looking forward to training for runs. I'll probably regret saying that when I actually start training, because my legs will probably feel like they are going to fall off after my first couple runs. But it's kind of cool to think about running, simply because I've never been a runner. It's sort of like learning a new skill or trade, or beginning college (or law school, in my case). It's a little scary to think about, but it's kind of exciting to be learning new things. Anyways, on to the websites...you runners out there probably already know of these places, so feel free to skip today's blogisode.
Hal Higdon is a legendary Runner's World magazine writer who has a ton of books about running and provides a bunch of training programs and information. His site is LOADED with extremely valuable advice. I will absolutely visit this site on a regular basis when I'm ready to train. But I now have a difficult question to answer: follow Hal's 5K training program or Cool Running's Couch-to-5K program? Anyone have any suggestions or have personal experience with either?
Map My Run allows you to plan your running routes in advance, so you can determine how long a route is and whether there is any elevation in your run. You can also view runs set by others (there are over 3.5 million runs), log your training, and even create leaderboards. It is so great to know that a helpful website like this exists, because it gives me greater confidence to get out and run in the neighborhood. I was wondering recently, "How do I know where to run around here?" This site is the solution. Looks like they have a cool iPhone app, too.
I'm sure I will discover more resources as I get closer to training. For now, it's fun just reading all of the articles on these sites and playing around with the cool tools. I'm getting psyched!
I'm definitely getting ahead of myself here, but I'm really looking forward to training for runs. I'll probably regret saying that when I actually start training, because my legs will probably feel like they are going to fall off after my first couple runs. But it's kind of cool to think about running, simply because I've never been a runner. It's sort of like learning a new skill or trade, or beginning college (or law school, in my case). It's a little scary to think about, but it's kind of exciting to be learning new things. Anyways, on to the websites...you runners out there probably already know of these places, so feel free to skip today's blogisode.
Hal Higdon is a legendary Runner's World magazine writer who has a ton of books about running and provides a bunch of training programs and information. His site is LOADED with extremely valuable advice. I will absolutely visit this site on a regular basis when I'm ready to train. But I now have a difficult question to answer: follow Hal's 5K training program or Cool Running's Couch-to-5K program? Anyone have any suggestions or have personal experience with either?
Map My Run allows you to plan your running routes in advance, so you can determine how long a route is and whether there is any elevation in your run. You can also view runs set by others (there are over 3.5 million runs), log your training, and even create leaderboards. It is so great to know that a helpful website like this exists, because it gives me greater confidence to get out and run in the neighborhood. I was wondering recently, "How do I know where to run around here?" This site is the solution. Looks like they have a cool iPhone app, too.
I'm sure I will discover more resources as I get closer to training. For now, it's fun just reading all of the articles on these sites and playing around with the cool tools. I'm getting psyched!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
My Inadvertent Detox
Unsuspectingly, my alcohol intake has reached lows not seen since before college. I haven't limited my drinking on purpose...sort of. It is sort of an indirect result of being on Weight Watchers, since it preaches and demands that I track EVERYTHING that enters my body, including any kind of beverage and any small bite of food.
I love all sorts of beers...Sam Adams, Sam Summer, Heineken, Guinness, most of the beers at the BBC, and of course the occasional hard liquor. But 12 oz. of regular beer is 3 points, and that can add up during a night of shenanigans. Even a beer at a restaurant during dinner can be costly...a lot of those restaurant beers on tap are 16 oz., so it would be 4 points per beer. Some have "super-sized" servings of 22-24 oz., so one of those can be 6 points...just for drinking a frosty beverage. Some of those malt beverages or pre-mixed drinks, like Smirnoff Ice or Mike's Hard Lemonade, are between 4-6 points for 12 oz. But the worst drink is a margarita in a pint glass...11 points! Mudslides come in second with 8.5 points, and long island ice teas take third with 8 points. Surprisingly, hard liquor is not that bad...usually around 2-3 points per shot. In addition, the best alcoholic drinks have hard liquor in them: rum and diet coke, and vodka and soda each cost 1.5 points. White wine spritzers and bloody marys are only 2 points.
Since I would rather spend my points on food, I have been drinking either light beer or just water. Although light beer is only 2 points per 12 oz., it can add up, and I REALLY like spending my points on food. Therefore, I have really only been drinking water over the past couple weeks. I've probably been pretty lame lately because of this, but it's been kind of nice...sort of like a detox or a cleanse, I guess. Maybe it's the exercise and the dieting, but I feel healthier by just drinking water...I feel more in control of my body.
Concerned readers: I haven't eliminated alcohol completely from my life...that would just be tragic. Beer will always have a special place in my heart.
I love all sorts of beers...Sam Adams, Sam Summer, Heineken, Guinness, most of the beers at the BBC, and of course the occasional hard liquor. But 12 oz. of regular beer is 3 points, and that can add up during a night of shenanigans. Even a beer at a restaurant during dinner can be costly...a lot of those restaurant beers on tap are 16 oz., so it would be 4 points per beer. Some have "super-sized" servings of 22-24 oz., so one of those can be 6 points...just for drinking a frosty beverage. Some of those malt beverages or pre-mixed drinks, like Smirnoff Ice or Mike's Hard Lemonade, are between 4-6 points for 12 oz. But the worst drink is a margarita in a pint glass...11 points! Mudslides come in second with 8.5 points, and long island ice teas take third with 8 points. Surprisingly, hard liquor is not that bad...usually around 2-3 points per shot. In addition, the best alcoholic drinks have hard liquor in them: rum and diet coke, and vodka and soda each cost 1.5 points. White wine spritzers and bloody marys are only 2 points.
Since I would rather spend my points on food, I have been drinking either light beer or just water. Although light beer is only 2 points per 12 oz., it can add up, and I REALLY like spending my points on food. Therefore, I have really only been drinking water over the past couple weeks. I've probably been pretty lame lately because of this, but it's been kind of nice...sort of like a detox or a cleanse, I guess. Maybe it's the exercise and the dieting, but I feel healthier by just drinking water...I feel more in control of my body.
Concerned readers: I haven't eliminated alcohol completely from my life...that would just be tragic. Beer will always have a special place in my heart.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Weigh-In Day #3: First Milestone Achieved
Today, I reached my first milestone: I have lost 5% of my starting weight by weighing in at an even 296 pounds. I also reached a mini-milestone by being under 300 pounds for the first time in a long time (I think it's been around eight years). Good news all around!
Obviously, I'm happy with my progress thus far, but I know I still have a very long way to go. I can't let myself get too giddy. In the past, I would celebrate a good weigh-in with a day and night of not tracking points. Naturally, I would eat like a pig and feel OK about it since I was celebrating. But the celebration would continue into the next day...and then for the rest of the week. Before I knew it, I had gained the weight back and would have to get to the same milestone again. Usually, I wouldn't get to it again, because I had gone too far. I had eaten too much the week before, so I usually decided that I had fallen off the weight loss bandwagon and that I would need to start all over again...after a few weeks of binge eating, of course. Yo-yo dieting, indeed.
Today, I "celebrated" by continuing the same routine of dieting and exercise I have been following. And I feel great about it. Granted, I ate a slightly larger dinner than normal, but certainly nothing too extreme. I'm still very much on the weight loss bandwagon.
People may be wondering if I notice any change in appearance. At the moment, I don't see a difference, but I can feel it in somewhat subtle ways. I wore a polo shirt today that used to feel rather tight, but it feels a lot more comfortable on me now. My jeans and khakis are getting loose, but they aren't too big to wear yet. Instead of having -50 muscles, I feel like I have -10 muscles. These are all small things, but they definitely help raise my confidence in the weight loss program that I am following.
Here's to reaching many more milestones. Thank you everyone for your constant support!
Obviously, I'm happy with my progress thus far, but I know I still have a very long way to go. I can't let myself get too giddy. In the past, I would celebrate a good weigh-in with a day and night of not tracking points. Naturally, I would eat like a pig and feel OK about it since I was celebrating. But the celebration would continue into the next day...and then for the rest of the week. Before I knew it, I had gained the weight back and would have to get to the same milestone again. Usually, I wouldn't get to it again, because I had gone too far. I had eaten too much the week before, so I usually decided that I had fallen off the weight loss bandwagon and that I would need to start all over again...after a few weeks of binge eating, of course. Yo-yo dieting, indeed.
Today, I "celebrated" by continuing the same routine of dieting and exercise I have been following. And I feel great about it. Granted, I ate a slightly larger dinner than normal, but certainly nothing too extreme. I'm still very much on the weight loss bandwagon.
People may be wondering if I notice any change in appearance. At the moment, I don't see a difference, but I can feel it in somewhat subtle ways. I wore a polo shirt today that used to feel rather tight, but it feels a lot more comfortable on me now. My jeans and khakis are getting loose, but they aren't too big to wear yet. Instead of having -50 muscles, I feel like I have -10 muscles. These are all small things, but they definitely help raise my confidence in the weight loss program that I am following.
Here's to reaching many more milestones. Thank you everyone for your constant support!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Busy Being Bored
Today was a calm, relaxing day. Humidity was in full force today, and we all know fat guys like me don't do well on hot days, so I spent a lot of time indoors, usually parked in front of a fan or A/C unit. Outdoorsy activities were out of the question, so I did not suck it up and deal with the heat as I previously stated I would. I think I need to lose some more weight before I feel more comfortable in hot weather...right now, I'm still sweating just by waiving my hand.
There's only so much you can do inside before you get bored...and that quickly happened to me today. Naturally, the hunger pains arrived with vigor, so I tried distracting myself, but I didn't do a very good job doing that, since the hunger wasn't going away. I didn't try very hard either...did a lot of TV and movie watching. I think the heat fogged up my brain or something. Regardless, I made it through the day without overeating, and I'm feeling good about tomorrow's weigh-in.
Speaking of boredom, today was the first time that I felt bored with my exercise routine. Since late June, I've been doing the same Wii workout routine: 30-45 minutes a day on either EA Sports Active or Wii Fit. I started using our elliptical machine a couple days ago, but that's only because I am finally below the weight limit for the machine. There's nothing else I do besides the Wii and the elliptical. I wasn't bored with these routines until today. I'm worried that this is gonna be worse as I continue to do the same routines. If I'm not comfortable with doing exercise outdoors, what options do I have? Join a gym? Try workout routines without the Wii? Suck it up and do outdoor exercises? Do nothing and see how it goes?
I'm gonna see how the next week goes before changing up my routine. Maybe it was a one-time twinge of boredom...
There's only so much you can do inside before you get bored...and that quickly happened to me today. Naturally, the hunger pains arrived with vigor, so I tried distracting myself, but I didn't do a very good job doing that, since the hunger wasn't going away. I didn't try very hard either...did a lot of TV and movie watching. I think the heat fogged up my brain or something. Regardless, I made it through the day without overeating, and I'm feeling good about tomorrow's weigh-in.
Speaking of boredom, today was the first time that I felt bored with my exercise routine. Since late June, I've been doing the same Wii workout routine: 30-45 minutes a day on either EA Sports Active or Wii Fit. I started using our elliptical machine a couple days ago, but that's only because I am finally below the weight limit for the machine. There's nothing else I do besides the Wii and the elliptical. I wasn't bored with these routines until today. I'm worried that this is gonna be worse as I continue to do the same routines. If I'm not comfortable with doing exercise outdoors, what options do I have? Join a gym? Try workout routines without the Wii? Suck it up and do outdoor exercises? Do nothing and see how it goes?
I'm gonna see how the next week goes before changing up my routine. Maybe it was a one-time twinge of boredom...
Ore-Oh No
I splurged on some Oreos when I got home from dinner. Argh, I couldn't resist!
I had a healthy day with food. Low-fat strawberry smoothie from Panera Bread in the morning. Lean Cuisine panini sandwich for lunch. Grilled chicken sandwich for dinner. All was right in the world...until I came home.
I had around 4.5 Weight Watchers points left for the day (I am currently allowed 43 points per day, with 35 extra points per week and activity points earned through exercise). 3 Oreos are 4 points, so I decided to have 3. But 3 turned into more than expected...I think I ended up eating 12 Oreos total, so I ate 16 points worth of Oreos. 12 points over for the day.
Now I know that I'm still not over my allowed points for the week, but past experience has shown me that eating at or below my daily points target results in greater weight loss on my weigh-in day. This goes against everything that Weight Watchers preaches: they tell you to eat at least your points target every day AND some of your weekly and activity points. According to WW, if you follow their suggestions, you will lose weight at a healthy rate. But that can mean weeks where you only lose one-tenth of a pound. I'm not sure that is gonna work for me...I need to lose a consistent 1-2 pounds per week to keep my spirits high. It's not a sprint to the finish line...but I don't want to come in last, either.
Since the Oreo guilt is now upon me, I must get through Sunday without going food nutso. Clearly, I can't be tempted at all by ANYTHING remotely bad for me, so I might have to wear a straitjacket and lock myself in a padded room for a day.
I had a healthy day with food. Low-fat strawberry smoothie from Panera Bread in the morning. Lean Cuisine panini sandwich for lunch. Grilled chicken sandwich for dinner. All was right in the world...until I came home.
I had around 4.5 Weight Watchers points left for the day (I am currently allowed 43 points per day, with 35 extra points per week and activity points earned through exercise). 3 Oreos are 4 points, so I decided to have 3. But 3 turned into more than expected...I think I ended up eating 12 Oreos total, so I ate 16 points worth of Oreos. 12 points over for the day.
Now I know that I'm still not over my allowed points for the week, but past experience has shown me that eating at or below my daily points target results in greater weight loss on my weigh-in day. This goes against everything that Weight Watchers preaches: they tell you to eat at least your points target every day AND some of your weekly and activity points. According to WW, if you follow their suggestions, you will lose weight at a healthy rate. But that can mean weeks where you only lose one-tenth of a pound. I'm not sure that is gonna work for me...I need to lose a consistent 1-2 pounds per week to keep my spirits high. It's not a sprint to the finish line...but I don't want to come in last, either.
Since the Oreo guilt is now upon me, I must get through Sunday without going food nutso. Clearly, I can't be tempted at all by ANYTHING remotely bad for me, so I might have to wear a straitjacket and lock myself in a padded room for a day.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Heart Healthy
I've been thinking about buying a heart rate monitor. A friend of mine planted the seed in my head recently, and I never forgot it because it shocked me so much. I know that we all have target heart rates which we should all maintain when we exercise, because they are fat-burning zones. But I didn't know that if you go over those target heart rates, you may not burn off any fat, because your heart goes into a sort of panic state when it is exerting too much energy.
I got concerned about this today when I was on the elliptical in our home. I hadn't been on an elliptical in a very long time, so I was pretty winded within a few minutes. Initially, I tried to do a workout on an incline, but I quickly realized that I couldn't do that quite yet, so I lowered the incline to the lowest setting. Even at this level, I was feeling tired. I checked my heart rate by gripping the stationary handles, and it seemed a little high...I think it was around 175. Part of me thought that I wasn't burning any fat because my heart was working too hard.
So, I think I'm going to venture out tomorrow to the local sporting goods store and see what I can find. This Timex model is the highest rated heart rate monitor by Consumer Reports, but this Omron model is the best seller on Amazon, and I've heard a lot of great things about the Polar models. Price is an issue too...I don't want to cheap out on one, but I don't really want to splurge on a heart rate monitor.
OK, that's all I got for today. The weekend is upon us...go enjoy it.
I got concerned about this today when I was on the elliptical in our home. I hadn't been on an elliptical in a very long time, so I was pretty winded within a few minutes. Initially, I tried to do a workout on an incline, but I quickly realized that I couldn't do that quite yet, so I lowered the incline to the lowest setting. Even at this level, I was feeling tired. I checked my heart rate by gripping the stationary handles, and it seemed a little high...I think it was around 175. Part of me thought that I wasn't burning any fat because my heart was working too hard.
So, I think I'm going to venture out tomorrow to the local sporting goods store and see what I can find. This Timex model is the highest rated heart rate monitor by Consumer Reports, but this Omron model is the best seller on Amazon, and I've heard a lot of great things about the Polar models. Price is an issue too...I don't want to cheap out on one, but I don't really want to splurge on a heart rate monitor.
OK, that's all I got for today. The weekend is upon us...go enjoy it.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Dogs Can Help With Weight Loss? Blasphemy!
This is Ted. Ted the dog. See Ted run. And run and run and run. And play with his ducky.Ted is visiting for a couple days, so I might take the opportunity to go for a walk or a brief run with him. Just a 15 to 30-minute walk, and perhaps I'll try running for a minute just to see what it is like. Humans and dogs need regular exercise to fight off fat and regulate their moods, so why not exercise together? The wifey and I have been considering getting a dog of our own in the future, and I'd like to be able to walk and run with him/her on a regular basis, so I hope I can be somewhat in shape by the time we get one.
Wifey: yes, we will get one soon.
FOLLOW UP FROM YESTERDAY: My friend Michelle sent me a great link to a listing of restaurant foods at Dotti's Weight Loss Zone. Wow...I never knew this site existed. This site has a gigantic listing of restaurants, coffee shops, cafes, and the like, along with meals and drinks served at each place with nutritional information and Weight Watchers points. This is absolutely a must-see for people that like to eat out a lot, like me! The rest of the website is pretty cool and inspirational, as well.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
T.G.I. Wednesday
No, I'm not serious when I say that, but I did eat with the wifey at T.G.I. Friday's this evening. Even though I eat out 2-3 times a week, I still forget how hard it is to eat healthy at restaurants. Sure, a lot more places offer "healthy options" or "low-carb options." Applebee's even offers Weight Watchers meals with points listed right on the menu.
But I can't live without the classic, fatty meals! I've tried those healthy options on the menu...and they just don't satisfy me. For me, I am happy eating smaller portions of the regular menu items than eating the healthy options. I will also try to eat a healthier version of the classics, like grilled chicken instead of fried chicken, or turkey tips instead of steak tips. Tonight, I went with the sizzling chicken and cheese...OK, it wasn't the healthiest thing on the menu, but it is simply grilled chicken with some cheese, peppers, onions, and mashed potatoes. This is a lot better than my favorite meal there, the cheesy bacon cheeseburger, which is basically a bacon cheeseburger with a mozzarella cheese patty on top. Plus fries, of course. I probably ate around 1,500 calories just by eating that atrocious thing.
My friend Becky sent along a great link to the Healthiest Restaurant Meals in America at the Eat This, Not That website. As this site shows, eating healthy at restaurants can be as easy as choosing sirloin steak. I'm quite sure that I can live with eating sirloin steak on a regular basis. I'm going to have to try as many of these choices as I can...I just can't resist a good meal prepared by someone else.
The wifey sent along a link to a CNN.com article about plus-sized TV shows gaining a large viewing audience. I haven't seen any of these shows, except for The Biggest Loser. And I think I've seen Dance Your Ass Off mocked by The Soup. It sounds to me, however, that all these shows are really catching on. I like the realism of them all...real stories, real struggles, real life. I wish shows in general were more realistic, you know? I'm intrigued by Fox's new show More to Love, which is essentially The Bachelor for overweight people. The brief preview I saw looked both touching and entertaining.
Guess what? A new diet pill is on the way. This one sounds promising, but it's still too early to tell. It seems to be different from diet pills that attacks food cravings head on, but I'm more interested in the side effects. Alli is well known for having...ahem...sticky side effects. Remember olestra, which were in those Lays Wow! potato chips? I guess the best way I can phrase it is...waxy discharge from the rear. There are plenty of websites that describe the side effects in more detail, so I'll leave you to find those on your own.
My opinion: don't go the easy way and take a pill. Work hard, eat healthy, and exercise. You and your rear won't regret it.
But I can't live without the classic, fatty meals! I've tried those healthy options on the menu...and they just don't satisfy me. For me, I am happy eating smaller portions of the regular menu items than eating the healthy options. I will also try to eat a healthier version of the classics, like grilled chicken instead of fried chicken, or turkey tips instead of steak tips. Tonight, I went with the sizzling chicken and cheese...OK, it wasn't the healthiest thing on the menu, but it is simply grilled chicken with some cheese, peppers, onions, and mashed potatoes. This is a lot better than my favorite meal there, the cheesy bacon cheeseburger, which is basically a bacon cheeseburger with a mozzarella cheese patty on top. Plus fries, of course. I probably ate around 1,500 calories just by eating that atrocious thing.
My friend Becky sent along a great link to the Healthiest Restaurant Meals in America at the Eat This, Not That website. As this site shows, eating healthy at restaurants can be as easy as choosing sirloin steak. I'm quite sure that I can live with eating sirloin steak on a regular basis. I'm going to have to try as many of these choices as I can...I just can't resist a good meal prepared by someone else.
The wifey sent along a link to a CNN.com article about plus-sized TV shows gaining a large viewing audience. I haven't seen any of these shows, except for The Biggest Loser. And I think I've seen Dance Your Ass Off mocked by The Soup. It sounds to me, however, that all these shows are really catching on. I like the realism of them all...real stories, real struggles, real life. I wish shows in general were more realistic, you know? I'm intrigued by Fox's new show More to Love, which is essentially The Bachelor for overweight people. The brief preview I saw looked both touching and entertaining.
Guess what? A new diet pill is on the way. This one sounds promising, but it's still too early to tell. It seems to be different from diet pills that attacks food cravings head on, but I'm more interested in the side effects. Alli is well known for having...ahem...sticky side effects. Remember olestra, which were in those Lays Wow! potato chips? I guess the best way I can phrase it is...waxy discharge from the rear. There are plenty of websites that describe the side effects in more detail, so I'll leave you to find those on your own.
My opinion: don't go the easy way and take a pill. Work hard, eat healthy, and exercise. You and your rear won't regret it.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
A Tale of Two Weight-Loss Plans
Brief update tonight, since the sleeps are hitting me hard this evening. I just wanted to share two websites with weight-loss stories I found to be particularly interesting.
First, my friend Kelly sent me a link to Joy Fit Club transformations on the Today show website. The first story about Darren Norman really hits home with me. Granted, I have never even come close to weighing 378 pounds, and THANKFULLY I've never had a photo taken of me shirtless drinking two beers. But his feelings before his weight loss were very similar to mine, and he simply followed Weight Watchers and exercised. Pretty basic stuff. Reading stories like Darren's will help motivate me on days when I feel like I'm wasting my time. Gotta be healthy for the future. Be sure to check out the other weight loss stories on the Joy Fit Club website, too.
Second, CNN.com has a story in its Fit Nation section about a man named Rich Roll who went from a miserable man to "Ultraman." Now, I totally respect what this guy did, and it is certainly amazing that he completed the Ultraman World Championships at the age of 42. But check out the before photo of this guy...this guy thought he was fat??? Jeez, I'd love to be sitting on a beach right now with my shirt off with a cute little pug keeping me company. I would gladly be that kind of fat any day. He lost around 30 pounds before competing in the Ultraman competition...so basically, the guy was just slightly overweight. Not really comparable to my situation, but still interesting nonetheless.
Mr. Roll does give some good tips in the second half of the article. But be forewarned: this guy started his weight-loss plan by engaging in a "well-researched and supervised seven-day fruit and vegetable juice cleanse...followed by an entirely plant-based nutrition program." In addition, he feels "quite strongly that a nutrition program built entirely around plant-based foods and completely devoid of animal products is optimal." Yikes...I'm going to pass on the cleanses and plant-only diet. I still love my meat...and meat loves me.
First, my friend Kelly sent me a link to Joy Fit Club transformations on the Today show website. The first story about Darren Norman really hits home with me. Granted, I have never even come close to weighing 378 pounds, and THANKFULLY I've never had a photo taken of me shirtless drinking two beers. But his feelings before his weight loss were very similar to mine, and he simply followed Weight Watchers and exercised. Pretty basic stuff. Reading stories like Darren's will help motivate me on days when I feel like I'm wasting my time. Gotta be healthy for the future. Be sure to check out the other weight loss stories on the Joy Fit Club website, too.
Second, CNN.com has a story in its Fit Nation section about a man named Rich Roll who went from a miserable man to "Ultraman." Now, I totally respect what this guy did, and it is certainly amazing that he completed the Ultraman World Championships at the age of 42. But check out the before photo of this guy...this guy thought he was fat??? Jeez, I'd love to be sitting on a beach right now with my shirt off with a cute little pug keeping me company. I would gladly be that kind of fat any day. He lost around 30 pounds before competing in the Ultraman competition...so basically, the guy was just slightly overweight. Not really comparable to my situation, but still interesting nonetheless.
Mr. Roll does give some good tips in the second half of the article. But be forewarned: this guy started his weight-loss plan by engaging in a "well-researched and supervised seven-day fruit and vegetable juice cleanse...followed by an entirely plant-based nutrition program." In addition, he feels "quite strongly that a nutrition program built entirely around plant-based foods and completely devoid of animal products is optimal." Yikes...I'm going to pass on the cleanses and plant-only diet. I still love my meat...and meat loves me.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Weigh-In Day #2: Tough to Swallow
Now I know what it must have been like to be the '86 Red Sox when they almost won the World Series, or Tom Watson when he almost won the British Open yesterday.
Well, not really, but you get the idea. I weighed in at an even 300 lbs. this morning. 300! My body couldn't have given me that extra tenth of a pound, so that I could be at 299.9??? Instead of beginning my next milestone, I'm still stuck at my first milestone of getting below 300. Frustrating, to say the least.
Obviously, this isn't as bad as I am making it sound. I still lost 1.3 lbs., and I have now lost a total of 15 lbs. I ate healthy and worked out every day, so I don't really have anything to be ashamed about. But still...I like the sound of "under 300" more than "lost 15 pounds." And I feel like I ate healthy enough to have lost at least two pounds.
I'm beginning to wonder whether I miscalculated or underestimated certain food point values in Weight Watchers. For example, on Saturday and Sunday, I had chicken fingers for one of my meals. In Weight Watchers, the generic entry for chicken fingers is "Chicken Tenders, Restaurant Type 1 serving: 6 points." I was calculating this as one meal of chicken tenders, but now I think it might be 6 points for EACH chicken tender. Oops...that might explain the disappointing weight loss a little bit.
I've also learned that I shouldn't trust the weight that Wii Fit gives me every day. For the past couple days, it has put me around 297 or 298. I suppose I should have known that the weight shown isn't entirely accurate, since the balance board isn't a scale. Regardless...FALSE HOPE! BAD WII FIT!
Now I have extra motivation for this upcoming week of eating and exercising...maybe my body was sending me a sign.
INTERESTING ARTICLE OF THE DAY: Check out this Boston Globe article regarding how the recession has affected exercise and eating habits. Now that I think about it, I do find it kind of odd that I started my weight loss journey in the middle of a recession and while I'm a poor student. I guess I should be thankful for my summer job...and student loans...and the wifey's income.
Well, not really, but you get the idea. I weighed in at an even 300 lbs. this morning. 300! My body couldn't have given me that extra tenth of a pound, so that I could be at 299.9??? Instead of beginning my next milestone, I'm still stuck at my first milestone of getting below 300. Frustrating, to say the least.
Obviously, this isn't as bad as I am making it sound. I still lost 1.3 lbs., and I have now lost a total of 15 lbs. I ate healthy and worked out every day, so I don't really have anything to be ashamed about. But still...I like the sound of "under 300" more than "lost 15 pounds." And I feel like I ate healthy enough to have lost at least two pounds.
I'm beginning to wonder whether I miscalculated or underestimated certain food point values in Weight Watchers. For example, on Saturday and Sunday, I had chicken fingers for one of my meals. In Weight Watchers, the generic entry for chicken fingers is "Chicken Tenders, Restaurant Type 1 serving: 6 points." I was calculating this as one meal of chicken tenders, but now I think it might be 6 points for EACH chicken tender. Oops...that might explain the disappointing weight loss a little bit.
I've also learned that I shouldn't trust the weight that Wii Fit gives me every day. For the past couple days, it has put me around 297 or 298. I suppose I should have known that the weight shown isn't entirely accurate, since the balance board isn't a scale. Regardless...FALSE HOPE! BAD WII FIT!
Now I have extra motivation for this upcoming week of eating and exercising...maybe my body was sending me a sign.
INTERESTING ARTICLE OF THE DAY: Check out this Boston Globe article regarding how the recession has affected exercise and eating habits. Now that I think about it, I do find it kind of odd that I started my weight loss journey in the middle of a recession and while I'm a poor student. I guess I should be thankful for my summer job...and student loans...and the wifey's income.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
I Dreamed a Dream
I had a horrifying nightmare last night. I dreamt that I decided to "let loose" and eat like a mofo for one night. I think I wolfed down an entire pack of Girl Scouts' Thin Mints. I woke up early this morning and had of those moments like, oh my god...I actually did that last night...what am I going to do?!?! Panic set in. And then reality set in, and I realized that my Thin Mints binge did NOT happen last night.
Now that I think about it, I have been dreaming a lot about food since I started the diet and exercise. And of course, I'm not dreaming about fruits and vegetables. I'm dreaming about the hardcore stuff: pizza, burgers, buffalo chicken, pizza, brownie sundaes, sausage egg and cheese sandwiches, and pizza. Too many times, I have woken up and thought that I ate those things in large quantities at some point during the previous day. Luckily, it's just been my brain being overly active. I don't blame it...the poor thing is probably still in shock.
I completed the 30-Day Challenge in the Wii EA Sports Active recently, so I have decided to do another 30-Day Challenge. I changed the intensity from easy to medium, and today was my first medium-intensity workout. My body is screaming ouch right now...the first workout involved lots of running. It wasn't so bad...a month ago, there's no way I could have done a medium-intensity workout. But now, I definitely feel like I could keep going without quitting.
Tomorrow is weigh-in day number two, but I gotta get through today first. Hopefully I won't eat too much, both in the real world and the dream world.
Now that I think about it, I have been dreaming a lot about food since I started the diet and exercise. And of course, I'm not dreaming about fruits and vegetables. I'm dreaming about the hardcore stuff: pizza, burgers, buffalo chicken, pizza, brownie sundaes, sausage egg and cheese sandwiches, and pizza. Too many times, I have woken up and thought that I ate those things in large quantities at some point during the previous day. Luckily, it's just been my brain being overly active. I don't blame it...the poor thing is probably still in shock.
I completed the 30-Day Challenge in the Wii EA Sports Active recently, so I have decided to do another 30-Day Challenge. I changed the intensity from easy to medium, and today was my first medium-intensity workout. My body is screaming ouch right now...the first workout involved lots of running. It wasn't so bad...a month ago, there's no way I could have done a medium-intensity workout. But now, I definitely feel like I could keep going without quitting.
Tomorrow is weigh-in day number two, but I gotta get through today first. Hopefully I won't eat too much, both in the real world and the dream world.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
The Summer Is Here
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, everyone is in a wonderful mood...sounds like the perfect day, right? Good day to be outside and do some sort of activity.
But for fat guys like me, hot and humid days like these can be a killer. I take two steps outside, and my shirt already needs changing thanks to everyone's favorite bodily fluid, sweat. I feel ridiculously sluggish, and I actually dread engaging in any form of activity, outside or inside. It's just one of those days when I stand outside for five minutes, and I'm soaking. Not a fun time. It's a little demoralizing because I want to engage in some outdoorsy activities, but I just hate feeling gross.
Part of me thinks that I gotta suck it up and deal with it. When I'm ready to start running on a regular basis, I can't really make those excuses anymore. On race day, you gotta run regardless of whether it is hot, cold, raining, or snowing. The more often I can deal with adverse conditions, the better prepared I'll be in the future. I'd be whining a lot less, that's for sure. No one wants to listen to a whiny fat guy.
I guess we'll see how the rest of the summer goes. Perhaps I'll try to get out and do some kind of activity whenever it gets hot again. Today, it's just gonna be a lazy Saturday (besides the usual Wii workout). Don't tell anyone.
But for fat guys like me, hot and humid days like these can be a killer. I take two steps outside, and my shirt already needs changing thanks to everyone's favorite bodily fluid, sweat. I feel ridiculously sluggish, and I actually dread engaging in any form of activity, outside or inside. It's just one of those days when I stand outside for five minutes, and I'm soaking. Not a fun time. It's a little demoralizing because I want to engage in some outdoorsy activities, but I just hate feeling gross.
Part of me thinks that I gotta suck it up and deal with it. When I'm ready to start running on a regular basis, I can't really make those excuses anymore. On race day, you gotta run regardless of whether it is hot, cold, raining, or snowing. The more often I can deal with adverse conditions, the better prepared I'll be in the future. I'd be whining a lot less, that's for sure. No one wants to listen to a whiny fat guy.
I guess we'll see how the rest of the summer goes. Perhaps I'll try to get out and do some kind of activity whenever it gets hot again. Today, it's just gonna be a lazy Saturday (besides the usual Wii workout). Don't tell anyone.
Friday, July 17, 2009
A Glimpse Into the Not-Too-Distant Future
I prayed to the Wii Fit gods, and they appeared to respond appropriately.
Just under 300! To be fair, the Wii balance board is not a scale, and it never gives you your exact weight...but it is sort of exciting that Wii Fit thinks I'm under 300. Any kind of motivation that I can get in advance of my next weigh-in is much appreciated.
Just under 300! To be fair, the Wii balance board is not a scale, and it never gives you your exact weight...but it is sort of exciting that Wii Fit thinks I'm under 300. Any kind of motivation that I can get in advance of my next weigh-in is much appreciated. So thank you, Wii Fit, you made my Thursday night. In response, I'd like to take you out to dinner. NOTE: since Wii Fit is an inanimate object, I will accept a human substitute...but the wifey has first priority.
The weekend is just about here, and it is yet again filled with parties and get-togethers, where it is harder to have control over my eating habits. However, last weekend I proved to myself that I could make it through that kind of weekend without falling off the weight loss wagon, so this weekend doesn't seem so intimidating.
Speaking of going out, I really need me to get myself a cell phone with a good mobile web browser. The wifey has a BlackBerry, and you can access Weight Watchers Online from its web browser. This is so helpful when you are sitting in a restaurant and don't know what is healthy, or when you get an impromptu call from a friend looking to go out to dinner but you haven't planned your point consumption in advance. I can just go to the WW website, log in, search foods, and update my points tracker. Unfortunately, I still have one of these in my pocket:
(Photo courtesy of Dial a Phone)
It's awkward.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Bad Sleep = Bad Decisions
For me, there’s nothing worse than a bad night’s sleep.
You wake up 20 times in the middle of the night and shift around in bed, hoping to find a position that will keep you stationary for more than a half hour. Your alarm goes off and you want to chuck it against the wall, but it’s OK because you have a couple backup clocks in your nightstand. While lying in bed, you think of all the possible lies you can say to your boss for not going to work. You decide it’s not worth missing work, so you get up and almost fall over because you are so tired. You basically just stand in the shower and let the water hit you while you think of how you can nap while standing up. Conveniently, your commute especially sucks today, so you arrive to work pissed off, and of course you proceed to have a bad day at work because a client is super annoying, or a customer yells at you, or your boss finds multiple ways to criticize you. You come home and your head finally hits the pillow, where you proceed to have a great night’s sleep. It’s a brutal, vicious cycle.
Today, I have not had one of those drastic bad sleep days, but I definitely did not get good sleep. Bad sleep can really mess up your weight loss plans. On bad sleep days, I don’t really look forward to working out later that evening, because all I want to do is sleep when I get home. I also dread the 30 minutes that I have to put in toward exercise…I wish I could just do 5 minutes and get the benefits of a 30-minute workout. On good sleep days, I feel a lot more energized and psyched up for workouts, and I feel like I can go for 45 minutes or longer, even if the workout itself is particularly exhausting. On bad sleep days, I don’t really feel like cooking anything for dinner because of my tiredness, so I just want to get something fast and easy. Unfortunately, food that is fast and easy is generally super fattening. On good sleep days, I can cook a Thanksgiving turkey with all the fixins. Bad sleep can also be a huge downer for your psychological health. You just feel more rundown, depressed, blue, angry, and frustrated.
However, I have generally found that exercise and eating healthy during the bad sleep day remedy the harmful effects of a bad night’s sleep. As much as I don’t want to do that 30-minute workout or eat a healthy, home-cooked meal, I’m usually glad that I did those things, because I become alert, refreshed, and generally happy. If I have a bad night’s sleep, but I eat a healthy breakfast and lunch or find some sort of activity to do in the morning or at lunch, then I usually get lifted out of the doldrums of bad sleep and proceed to have a great day and night. Granted, this can be a very hard thing to convince yourself to do, and exercise can be particularly tough when not fully rested…but sometimes you have to silence your own negative thoughts, and if you can win the psychological battle, then you can usually win the physical battle too.
As of this afternoon, I’m winning the psychological battle, so tonight’s schedule of a healthy dinner followed by exercise doesn’t look so daunting at the moment.
You wake up 20 times in the middle of the night and shift around in bed, hoping to find a position that will keep you stationary for more than a half hour. Your alarm goes off and you want to chuck it against the wall, but it’s OK because you have a couple backup clocks in your nightstand. While lying in bed, you think of all the possible lies you can say to your boss for not going to work. You decide it’s not worth missing work, so you get up and almost fall over because you are so tired. You basically just stand in the shower and let the water hit you while you think of how you can nap while standing up. Conveniently, your commute especially sucks today, so you arrive to work pissed off, and of course you proceed to have a bad day at work because a client is super annoying, or a customer yells at you, or your boss finds multiple ways to criticize you. You come home and your head finally hits the pillow, where you proceed to have a great night’s sleep. It’s a brutal, vicious cycle.
Today, I have not had one of those drastic bad sleep days, but I definitely did not get good sleep. Bad sleep can really mess up your weight loss plans. On bad sleep days, I don’t really look forward to working out later that evening, because all I want to do is sleep when I get home. I also dread the 30 minutes that I have to put in toward exercise…I wish I could just do 5 minutes and get the benefits of a 30-minute workout. On good sleep days, I feel a lot more energized and psyched up for workouts, and I feel like I can go for 45 minutes or longer, even if the workout itself is particularly exhausting. On bad sleep days, I don’t really feel like cooking anything for dinner because of my tiredness, so I just want to get something fast and easy. Unfortunately, food that is fast and easy is generally super fattening. On good sleep days, I can cook a Thanksgiving turkey with all the fixins. Bad sleep can also be a huge downer for your psychological health. You just feel more rundown, depressed, blue, angry, and frustrated.
However, I have generally found that exercise and eating healthy during the bad sleep day remedy the harmful effects of a bad night’s sleep. As much as I don’t want to do that 30-minute workout or eat a healthy, home-cooked meal, I’m usually glad that I did those things, because I become alert, refreshed, and generally happy. If I have a bad night’s sleep, but I eat a healthy breakfast and lunch or find some sort of activity to do in the morning or at lunch, then I usually get lifted out of the doldrums of bad sleep and proceed to have a great day and night. Granted, this can be a very hard thing to convince yourself to do, and exercise can be particularly tough when not fully rested…but sometimes you have to silence your own negative thoughts, and if you can win the psychological battle, then you can usually win the physical battle too.
As of this afternoon, I’m winning the psychological battle, so tonight’s schedule of a healthy dinner followed by exercise doesn’t look so daunting at the moment.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Obligatory "Before" Photos
I got a memory card and reader today, so I can finally start taking and uploading some more photos. Unfortunately, they aren't really the kind of photos I like taking.
Yikes. That is a largesse figure. I put on my best “serious” face, didn’t I? I also wore shiny blue shorts…I think I should find a new pair for future photos. They nearly blinded me.
I wouldn’t normally post photos like these, but I clearly need to see these in order to be motivated. I cringe when I see these, and I’m super embarrassed, but it is all part of the weight loss process. I need to see these photos before I can imagine myself a lot skinnier. Also, it will be cool to compare these to later photos when I have made a lot more progress.
For reference, here is a photo of my workout space for the Wii.
Thrilling, isn’t it? I also have an elliptical trainer in the house, but I haven’t used it in so long that I forget it is there sometimes.
More embarrassing and non-embarrassing photos to come in the future!
Yikes. That is a largesse figure. I put on my best “serious” face, didn’t I? I also wore shiny blue shorts…I think I should find a new pair for future photos. They nearly blinded me.
I wouldn’t normally post photos like these, but I clearly need to see these in order to be motivated. I cringe when I see these, and I’m super embarrassed, but it is all part of the weight loss process. I need to see these photos before I can imagine myself a lot skinnier. Also, it will be cool to compare these to later photos when I have made a lot more progress.
For reference, here is a photo of my workout space for the Wii.
Thrilling, isn’t it? I also have an elliptical trainer in the house, but I haven’t used it in so long that I forget it is there sometimes.
More embarrassing and non-embarrassing photos to come in the future!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
I Need to Find My Inner Busy Bee
When I get ravenously hungry, it's usually because I've been doing nothing except watching TV or doing some other mindless task. Therefore, I usually try to keep myself preoccupied at all moments of the day. Seems like a relatively easy thing to do...but it's not for a lifetime lazy, procrastinating person like myself.
For example, I would try to keep busy by doing some homework for school, but then after an hour or two, I would tell myself that I deserve a break. That's normal...we all need breaks after intense studying. But my break would usually involve watching TV or surfing the Internet. I would dread going back to homework so badly that I would try to prolong the break as much as I could. Naturally, a classic stalling technique would be to make some sort of fatty meal that would taste super yummy. This cycle would occur on a regular basis and work for any kind of activity that I found boring: washing the dishes, cleaning the house, yard work, etc. Besides prolonging my breaks, I generally spent a lot of time doing the TV and Internet thing, which kept me sitting on my butt longer, which constantly kept my hunger levels elevated.
Now, I'm trying to be conscious of my activity levels. In addition to finding 30 minutes a day to do some sort of workout, I'm trying to find ways to keep myself busy each day. I'm still taking breaks, but I'm trying to limit them. If I feel myself getting hungry, I head back to the task I was doing or I find something else to do. I'm limiting my TV and Internet intake, and if I am doing something relatively boring, then I try to eat some sort of healthy snack. I'm trying not to suck all of the fun out of my life by being more conscious of these things, so relaxing activities like TV and the Internet are not completely eliminated from my life...there's no way I'm giving up Lost, Entourage, True Blood, How I Met Your Mother, Red Sox games, Celtics games, etc. But the buzz words are "lifestyle changes," so if I'm gonna succeed on this long journey, those types of changes need to happen.
As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that I've been on the Internet for too long. Time for me to mosey on...
For example, I would try to keep busy by doing some homework for school, but then after an hour or two, I would tell myself that I deserve a break. That's normal...we all need breaks after intense studying. But my break would usually involve watching TV or surfing the Internet. I would dread going back to homework so badly that I would try to prolong the break as much as I could. Naturally, a classic stalling technique would be to make some sort of fatty meal that would taste super yummy. This cycle would occur on a regular basis and work for any kind of activity that I found boring: washing the dishes, cleaning the house, yard work, etc. Besides prolonging my breaks, I generally spent a lot of time doing the TV and Internet thing, which kept me sitting on my butt longer, which constantly kept my hunger levels elevated.
Now, I'm trying to be conscious of my activity levels. In addition to finding 30 minutes a day to do some sort of workout, I'm trying to find ways to keep myself busy each day. I'm still taking breaks, but I'm trying to limit them. If I feel myself getting hungry, I head back to the task I was doing or I find something else to do. I'm limiting my TV and Internet intake, and if I am doing something relatively boring, then I try to eat some sort of healthy snack. I'm trying not to suck all of the fun out of my life by being more conscious of these things, so relaxing activities like TV and the Internet are not completely eliminated from my life...there's no way I'm giving up Lost, Entourage, True Blood, How I Met Your Mother, Red Sox games, Celtics games, etc. But the buzz words are "lifestyle changes," so if I'm gonna succeed on this long journey, those types of changes need to happen.
As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that I've been on the Internet for too long. Time for me to mosey on...
Monday, July 13, 2009
Weigh-In Day #1: That Was a Close Call
In the words of the immortal Johnny Drama...Victory!
I was a little nervous about this morning's weigh-in, because I did a stupid thing and checked my weight last night. Whoo boy, that was not good. It was basically the same weight as last week. I was flabbergasted...I ate under my points target the entire week, I worked out 6 out of 7 days, and I didn't lose?
But this is why I need to weigh myself at the same time every week. The morning came, and all was right in the world...I was down 3.9 lbs. to be at a weight of 301.3 lbs. Good thing too...I probably would have gathered all the fat people in the world and started an uprising against God to demand an answer to why I didn't lose any weight. I'm glad it didn't come to that.
I had a little mini-celebration by going to the British Beer Company for dinner with the wifey. I ate less than I normally do there, but it was a lot compared to my dinners over the past couple weeks, and I felt so full that my stomach almost went Boom Boom Pow. It's OK though...I needed some sort of mini-reward. Besides, I basically ate a cardboard sandwich for lunch.
My friend Rich sent me a great link to the Couch-to-5K Running Plan at the Cool Running website. This is exactly the plan that I'm going to follow once I'm ready to run on a regular basis. Cool Running has lots of other great articles and a gigantic amount of race listings, so I'm sure I'll be checking there regularly in the future.
Onward to Weigh-In Day #2...hopefully next week, my weight scale and I will hug it out.
I was a little nervous about this morning's weigh-in, because I did a stupid thing and checked my weight last night. Whoo boy, that was not good. It was basically the same weight as last week. I was flabbergasted...I ate under my points target the entire week, I worked out 6 out of 7 days, and I didn't lose?
But this is why I need to weigh myself at the same time every week. The morning came, and all was right in the world...I was down 3.9 lbs. to be at a weight of 301.3 lbs. Good thing too...I probably would have gathered all the fat people in the world and started an uprising against God to demand an answer to why I didn't lose any weight. I'm glad it didn't come to that.
I had a little mini-celebration by going to the British Beer Company for dinner with the wifey. I ate less than I normally do there, but it was a lot compared to my dinners over the past couple weeks, and I felt so full that my stomach almost went Boom Boom Pow. It's OK though...I needed some sort of mini-reward. Besides, I basically ate a cardboard sandwich for lunch.
My friend Rich sent me a great link to the Couch-to-5K Running Plan at the Cool Running website. This is exactly the plan that I'm going to follow once I'm ready to run on a regular basis. Cool Running has lots of other great articles and a gigantic amount of race listings, so I'm sure I'll be checking there regularly in the future.
Onward to Weigh-In Day #2...hopefully next week, my weight scale and I will hug it out.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Monday Looms Large
Mondays are my weigh-in days for Weight Watchers Online. It just kind of naturally happened that way; I signed up for WW on a Monday. Mondays can be a tough weigh-in day: if you have a bad weekend, then your Monday weigh-in might be bad. You can change your weigh-in day, and many have suggested that I change it to Wednesday or Thursday, so that I can recover from a bad weekend by having a couple days to get back on track. But I have found that a Monday weigh-in allows me to stay focused on the weekend, so that I don't go on points overload.
I expect to be down around two pounds. For the first two weeks, I lost a lot, but I expect that to slow down. The beginning always starts off well, but reality eventually sets in, which means a more normal weight loss pace of 1-2 pounds per week, or those wonderful things they call weight plateaus. However, if you know the possibilities of what could happen, then you can better prepare yourself for when it happens...and then move on and work hard for next week's weigh-in.
To get ready for Monday, I had a thoroughly enjoyable Sunday. Had some breakfast at the best breakfast place in town, but it was tough picking out a healthy option. I went with two eggs scrambled and some wheat toast...not so bad, I guess. Worked out on the Wii Fit for around 30 minutes. I got paranoid about my weigh-in day being tomorrow, so I only had yogurt for lunch. Attended a wonderful birthday party for my three-year-old niece, Lyla. MAN it was tempting to eat the cheese, the chips, and the cake (aka the Three C's of Food Doom), but I held off the hunger pains by repeatedly filling up and sucking down tap water in my giganta-SmartWater bottle. Made a nice dinner with my wife, Laura. Chicken and pasta with peppers and onions in a pesto sauce...yummay.
I want to pass along a couple of interesting sites. Wii Fit Routine provides workout routines of various difficulty and length for the Wii Fit. The website also lets you generate your own routines depending on your goals, and there are some good fitness articles. I use this site regularly, since Wii Fit doesn't have any preset routines. My friend Jackie recommended an iTunes podcast called Fat 2 Fit Radio. The description of the show says that it advocates "weight loss through lifestyle change, not quick fixes - they simply do not exist." Couldn't agree more with that statement. I have not yet listened to it, but I plan to during my weekly trips to Connecticut.
Bring it on, Monday. I'm ready for ya.
I expect to be down around two pounds. For the first two weeks, I lost a lot, but I expect that to slow down. The beginning always starts off well, but reality eventually sets in, which means a more normal weight loss pace of 1-2 pounds per week, or those wonderful things they call weight plateaus. However, if you know the possibilities of what could happen, then you can better prepare yourself for when it happens...and then move on and work hard for next week's weigh-in.
To get ready for Monday, I had a thoroughly enjoyable Sunday. Had some breakfast at the best breakfast place in town, but it was tough picking out a healthy option. I went with two eggs scrambled and some wheat toast...not so bad, I guess. Worked out on the Wii Fit for around 30 minutes. I got paranoid about my weigh-in day being tomorrow, so I only had yogurt for lunch. Attended a wonderful birthday party for my three-year-old niece, Lyla. MAN it was tempting to eat the cheese, the chips, and the cake (aka the Three C's of Food Doom), but I held off the hunger pains by repeatedly filling up and sucking down tap water in my giganta-SmartWater bottle. Made a nice dinner with my wife, Laura. Chicken and pasta with peppers and onions in a pesto sauce...yummay.
I want to pass along a couple of interesting sites. Wii Fit Routine provides workout routines of various difficulty and length for the Wii Fit. The website also lets you generate your own routines depending on your goals, and there are some good fitness articles. I use this site regularly, since Wii Fit doesn't have any preset routines. My friend Jackie recommended an iTunes podcast called Fat 2 Fit Radio. The description of the show says that it advocates "weight loss through lifestyle change, not quick fixes - they simply do not exist." Couldn't agree more with that statement. I have not yet listened to it, but I plan to during my weekly trips to Connecticut.
Bring it on, Monday. I'm ready for ya.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Can You Eat Healthy at a Red Sox Game?
I'm not entirely sure. I haven't been to Fenway Park to see a Red Sox game for a few years. Tonight's game will be the first time where I have to be conscious of my eating habits. I used to get a couple hot dogs, a small pizza, popcorn with lots of butter, multiple beverages, and some sort of dessert, but clearly I can't do that this time around.
So are there any healthy options there? I'm guessing you can't buy a salad at a concession stand...nor would I want to, since it probably wouldn't be that fresh. Also, I can only imagine the laughs I would get as I sit in the stands and eat my dainty salad. Popcorn is probably a reasonably alternative, as long as I don't get it slathered with butter. One hot dog is decent...but will that suppress hunger? Maybe if I eat it slow.
Surprisingly, the Red Sox website has a list of its concessions and where you can find them throughout Fenway (Fenway Park Concessions). One of the food products is rather ambiguous: "Healthy Options." What does that mean? That could be anything...a piece of lettuce, a veggie burger, a fruit cup, couscous. I'll have to investigate that if I can. Besides "Healthy Options," the only other semi-healthy foods on the list are a chicken sandwich (don't know if it is grilled or fried), kettle corn, and water. We'll see how it goes...I can't afford a recovery day tomorrow.
Question for the reading audience: I woke up and weighed myself this morning and I was UP nearly a pound, and then I weighed myself about 90 minutes later, and I was DOWN around two pounds. I've eaten healthy all week...can someone explain to me what is going on here?!
UPDATE AT 2:24 PM: A friend sent me a link of a great Weight Watchers article regarding how to eat healthy at the ball park. Thank you Meghan!
So are there any healthy options there? I'm guessing you can't buy a salad at a concession stand...nor would I want to, since it probably wouldn't be that fresh. Also, I can only imagine the laughs I would get as I sit in the stands and eat my dainty salad. Popcorn is probably a reasonably alternative, as long as I don't get it slathered with butter. One hot dog is decent...but will that suppress hunger? Maybe if I eat it slow.
Surprisingly, the Red Sox website has a list of its concessions and where you can find them throughout Fenway (Fenway Park Concessions). One of the food products is rather ambiguous: "Healthy Options." What does that mean? That could be anything...a piece of lettuce, a veggie burger, a fruit cup, couscous. I'll have to investigate that if I can. Besides "Healthy Options," the only other semi-healthy foods on the list are a chicken sandwich (don't know if it is grilled or fried), kettle corn, and water. We'll see how it goes...I can't afford a recovery day tomorrow.
Question for the reading audience: I woke up and weighed myself this morning and I was UP nearly a pound, and then I weighed myself about 90 minutes later, and I was DOWN around two pounds. I've eaten healthy all week...can someone explain to me what is going on here?!
UPDATE AT 2:24 PM: A friend sent me a link of a great Weight Watchers article regarding how to eat healthy at the ball park. Thank you Meghan!
Friday, July 10, 2009
The Weekend Is Here...I'm Happy and Scared
The weekend is usually a time for celebration and relaxation. The work week is over for most people, the weather usually cooperates and brings the most sun, and people are generally in better moods and more willing to participate in various shenanigans.
But for me, and perhaps others venturing out on the diet journey, it can be a scary couple of days. The weekend can bring out some seriously tempting foods, especially in the summer. Lots of grilling outdoors, lots of parties with food, lots of late-night fourth meals. It can be extremely intimidating to dieters...one bad weekend, and you might fall off the diet wagon.
During previous dieting escapades, I would have a great week of eating healthy. But then there would be some sort of party or spontaneous get together on a Saturday. I would arrive and see the appetizers all neatly laid out, and I'd stare longingly for a few minutes, but I would eventually snap out of it and try to distract myself by talking or drinking water. Then the pizza arrived, or the lasagna/stuffed shells were done cooking, or the burgers were done grilling. I would tell myself, I gotta eat something...so why not one small piece?
Bad idea. I turned into Food Hulk, or Frankenfood, or Foodenstein, or Foodzilla, or [insert scary food-eating monster here]. I would eat that small piece, but then I would follow it up with a large piece, which would be followed by four more large pieces, which would be followed by all those appetizers that I didn't eat earlier, which would be followed by multiple desserts. I would eat as much as I could possibly fit, without looking stupid or weird.
The recovery day (usually Sunday) would be a wash. I would feel so bad about my food craziness that I would eat terribly all day. All that hard work during the week was wasted: I'd go to weigh myself on Monday morning for Weight Watchers, and I wouldn't lose any weight, or worse, I would have gained some. All because of that Saturday. One day.
So, as the weekend approaches, I'm trying to remind myself of my past food craziness, and I'll hopefully keep things in check. I have a weekend that includes a birthday party and a Red Sox game. Sounds like a daunting task...but I believe I'll make it through, hopefully avoiding that dreaded recovery day.
But for me, and perhaps others venturing out on the diet journey, it can be a scary couple of days. The weekend can bring out some seriously tempting foods, especially in the summer. Lots of grilling outdoors, lots of parties with food, lots of late-night fourth meals. It can be extremely intimidating to dieters...one bad weekend, and you might fall off the diet wagon.
During previous dieting escapades, I would have a great week of eating healthy. But then there would be some sort of party or spontaneous get together on a Saturday. I would arrive and see the appetizers all neatly laid out, and I'd stare longingly for a few minutes, but I would eventually snap out of it and try to distract myself by talking or drinking water. Then the pizza arrived, or the lasagna/stuffed shells were done cooking, or the burgers were done grilling. I would tell myself, I gotta eat something...so why not one small piece?
Bad idea. I turned into Food Hulk, or Frankenfood, or Foodenstein, or Foodzilla, or [insert scary food-eating monster here]. I would eat that small piece, but then I would follow it up with a large piece, which would be followed by four more large pieces, which would be followed by all those appetizers that I didn't eat earlier, which would be followed by multiple desserts. I would eat as much as I could possibly fit, without looking stupid or weird.
The recovery day (usually Sunday) would be a wash. I would feel so bad about my food craziness that I would eat terribly all day. All that hard work during the week was wasted: I'd go to weigh myself on Monday morning for Weight Watchers, and I wouldn't lose any weight, or worse, I would have gained some. All because of that Saturday. One day.
So, as the weekend approaches, I'm trying to remind myself of my past food craziness, and I'll hopefully keep things in check. I have a weekend that includes a birthday party and a Red Sox game. Sounds like a daunting task...but I believe I'll make it through, hopefully avoiding that dreaded recovery day.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
It Figures...
I started this blog yesterday, and of course today I don't work out for the first time since June 22. But I think that is OK...my understanding is that you need to take a day off from exercising every 2-3 days in order to let your muscles rest. I haven't really been working out too intensely, so I don't think it is a big deal that I haven't taken a day off in two and a half weeks. But I still feel guilty, and I don't get any activity points for Weight Watchers today. I'm still below my points target for today, so I should be fine.
Like...WTF?!?! I can see why this game is controversial for kids...this game beats you down mercilessly with the obese talk. And don't even get me started on my balance...I apparently am constantly leaning to the right, and the cutesy balance board gets pissed at me every day for not having perfect balance. I don't mind being told that I'm obese...because I am...but there's something frustrating about the happy-go-lucky way that Wii Fit tells me that I'm obese. It gets my boxers in a bunch. Blargh.
I still used the Wii to make entries into my journals for both of the exercise games I use. This was the usual boring stuff, so I won't go into too much detail, but I wanted to point out a couple interesting things.
First, when entering your profile into EA Sports Active, it doesn't let you enter a weight above 300 lbs.:
Why is there a 300-pound weight limit? There are no contraptions that you need to step on that might have a weight limit. There is a strap you wrap around your leg, but I don't see why that would have a weight limit. What's the deal, EA? Got something against 300+ guys? I don't get it. Regardless, it's a good exercise game...it really makes me work hard to lose calories.
Second, I love waking up in the morning, eating a healthy breakfast, getting psyched up for a good workout...but then things take a turn for the worse. I have to deal with Wii Fit's cutesy talking balance board point out the obvious and tell me every single day in an annoyingly high-pitched robotic-like voice that I am obese, which is accompanied by a little "aww shucks" kind of song played by some synthesized oboe or trombone and by my Wii character getting plump and looking down at his newly-formed belly in astonishment and frustration:
Like...WTF?!?! I can see why this game is controversial for kids...this game beats you down mercilessly with the obese talk. And don't even get me started on my balance...I apparently am constantly leaning to the right, and the cutesy balance board gets pissed at me every day for not having perfect balance. I don't mind being told that I'm obese...because I am...but there's something frustrating about the happy-go-lucky way that Wii Fit tells me that I'm obese. It gets my boxers in a bunch. Blargh.
Back to the regular routine tomorrow...exercise in the morning, eat healthy throughout the day (which basically consists of a Fiber One bar, a turkey and cheese sandwich on wheat bread, yogurt, and some sort of moderate dinner), drink lots of water, track points, and get good sleep.
The Journey Begins, or More Accurately, Began
"Habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time." -Mark Twain
What journey, you ask? Probably the most difficult journey I'm ever going to make. Sure, I've gone through some tough times, and I've had my ups and downs in life. But this is different because I'm now fighting my number one enemy: myself.
Why now? Many reasons. I got married, and suddenly it wasn't just about me anymore. I got sick of making excuses. I saw and experienced too many young people dying of obesity-related diseases and disorders and saw myself going that route. I just didn't feel healthy anymore. Luckily, I have no diseases or disorders that I know of, but I am bringing on all sorts of bad stuff if I stay at this weight. I already know I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and I've been told in the past that my weight puts me at a risk for onset diabetes.
I'm not a complete stranger to this weight loss stuff. I lost around 70 pounds in 2001, but I gained it all back and lots more. I've always had trouble limiting what I eat, and my picky eating habits don't help either. Plus, just the thought of any form of exercise makes me cringe. I've just never been able to keep any sort of weight loss. But the fact that I have previously lost weight makes me believe that I can do it again.
I have a lot higher aspirations this time around. I have a set weight goal. I'm not embarrassed to be honest and realistic about my weight. I have a lot more support this time around. I have this blog. And I'm going to run the 2012 Boston Marathon.
Wh-wh-WHAT?!
I think people who know me just laughed out loud reading that statement because of its incredulity. People who don't know me will probably think I'm crazy or wasting my time. Hell, I sometimes don't believe that I have set such a ridiculous goal. But I believe that this goal is giving me that extra motivation that I need in order to lose weight and keep it off permanently.
The journey began on Monday, June 22, 2009, and the journey will end on Monday, April 16, 2012 for the 116th running of the Boston Marathon. My start weight is 315 lbs. (ouch...it hurts to read that). My current weight is 305.2 lbs. My first step is to lose 5%, which would put me at around 299 lbs. My ultimate weight loss goal is to be 180 lbs. when I start training for the marathon, which would require me to lose 135 lbs. (ouch...it hurts even more to read that). I'm using Weight Watchers Online for food and weight tracking. I'm exercising 30 minutes a day using EA Sports Active and Wii Fit for the Wii video game system; I'm not yet in the right state of mind to be exercising in a gym or in public...too embarrassing for me right now. I'm hoping that will change as I lose weight.
I hope people will follow my progress and find this blog interesting to read. I encourage everyone to make comments and suggestions, both positive and negative. I need all the support and criticism I can get. I also hope people will be motivated and inspired by this blog to make positive changes in their own lives. Even if only one person is inspired, I will consider this blog a success.
Let the transformation from fat guy to fast guy begin...wish me luck! I'm gonna need it...
What journey, you ask? Probably the most difficult journey I'm ever going to make. Sure, I've gone through some tough times, and I've had my ups and downs in life. But this is different because I'm now fighting my number one enemy: myself.
Why now? Many reasons. I got married, and suddenly it wasn't just about me anymore. I got sick of making excuses. I saw and experienced too many young people dying of obesity-related diseases and disorders and saw myself going that route. I just didn't feel healthy anymore. Luckily, I have no diseases or disorders that I know of, but I am bringing on all sorts of bad stuff if I stay at this weight. I already know I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and I've been told in the past that my weight puts me at a risk for onset diabetes.
I'm not a complete stranger to this weight loss stuff. I lost around 70 pounds in 2001, but I gained it all back and lots more. I've always had trouble limiting what I eat, and my picky eating habits don't help either. Plus, just the thought of any form of exercise makes me cringe. I've just never been able to keep any sort of weight loss. But the fact that I have previously lost weight makes me believe that I can do it again.
I have a lot higher aspirations this time around. I have a set weight goal. I'm not embarrassed to be honest and realistic about my weight. I have a lot more support this time around. I have this blog. And I'm going to run the 2012 Boston Marathon.
Wh-wh-WHAT?!
I think people who know me just laughed out loud reading that statement because of its incredulity. People who don't know me will probably think I'm crazy or wasting my time. Hell, I sometimes don't believe that I have set such a ridiculous goal. But I believe that this goal is giving me that extra motivation that I need in order to lose weight and keep it off permanently.
The journey began on Monday, June 22, 2009, and the journey will end on Monday, April 16, 2012 for the 116th running of the Boston Marathon. My start weight is 315 lbs. (ouch...it hurts to read that). My current weight is 305.2 lbs. My first step is to lose 5%, which would put me at around 299 lbs. My ultimate weight loss goal is to be 180 lbs. when I start training for the marathon, which would require me to lose 135 lbs. (ouch...it hurts even more to read that). I'm using Weight Watchers Online for food and weight tracking. I'm exercising 30 minutes a day using EA Sports Active and Wii Fit for the Wii video game system; I'm not yet in the right state of mind to be exercising in a gym or in public...too embarrassing for me right now. I'm hoping that will change as I lose weight.
I hope people will follow my progress and find this blog interesting to read. I encourage everyone to make comments and suggestions, both positive and negative. I need all the support and criticism I can get. I also hope people will be motivated and inspired by this blog to make positive changes in their own lives. Even if only one person is inspired, I will consider this blog a success.
Let the transformation from fat guy to fast guy begin...wish me luck! I'm gonna need it...
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