Also, here's a picture of what I look like with clothes, so you guys don't only know me as shirtless fat guy.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
New Pictures
Thought I would post some new pictures of myself 10 pounds lighter. To be honest, I can't tell any difference in the pictures, although I feel thinner and stronger. They're mainly for motivation and posterity, so here we go.
Also, here's a picture of what I look like with clothes, so you guys don't only know me as shirtless fat guy.
Also, here's a picture of what I look like with clothes, so you guys don't only know me as shirtless fat guy.
December goal: Accomplished
Today's Weigh-In: 219.2 lbs.
5-Day Average: 219.28 lbs.
Well, my average is finally under 220, which means I've now officially lost all the weight I gained this year. Cutting out the alcohol seems to really be helping, and I've been eating pretty well. I got back in the gym yesterday and it felt good, so back to the old routine this week. My cold is getting better as well, a few more days and I'll be good as new.
I haven't decided what my goal weight-loss should be for January, since it took me almost 3 months to lose 11 lbs. (but most of the weight lost was in the past couple of weeks). I think 10 lbs. might be to extreme for me, but 5 lbs. might be too easy. I dunno, I'll think it through and update my goals by the first.
5-Day Average: 219.28 lbs.
Well, my average is finally under 220, which means I've now officially lost all the weight I gained this year. Cutting out the alcohol seems to really be helping, and I've been eating pretty well. I got back in the gym yesterday and it felt good, so back to the old routine this week. My cold is getting better as well, a few more days and I'll be good as new.
I haven't decided what my goal weight-loss should be for January, since it took me almost 3 months to lose 11 lbs. (but most of the weight lost was in the past couple of weeks). I think 10 lbs. might be to extreme for me, but 5 lbs. might be too easy. I dunno, I'll think it through and update my goals by the first.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Awesome
Today's Weigh-In: 219.0 lbs. (new low!)
5-Day Average: 220.76 lbs.
Looks like I'm almost out of the 220s! It's weird, I have not worked out at all this week, and my eating has been okay but not great, but I keep losing weight. I guess my body just needed a rest. I do miss the soreness of a good workout, though.
My cold has moved into my lungs, so I'm coughing up some horrible stuff. I hope to still work out tomorrow, but I'll have to use my judgment. Hopefully I can stay on track for my Jan 1st goal and not gain any weight :-)
5-Day Average: 220.76 lbs.
Looks like I'm almost out of the 220s! It's weird, I have not worked out at all this week, and my eating has been okay but not great, but I keep losing weight. I guess my body just needed a rest. I do miss the soreness of a good workout, though.
My cold has moved into my lungs, so I'm coughing up some horrible stuff. I hope to still work out tomorrow, but I'll have to use my judgment. Hopefully I can stay on track for my Jan 1st goal and not gain any weight :-)
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Woo-hoo
Today's Weigh-In: 219.4 lbs. (new low!)
5-day Average: 221.2 lbs.
Well, my weigh-in today has broken the 220 barrier, and my average is inching its way along as well. Actually, I weighed in this morning after I ate, so it's probably under 219. I really have no idea why it's so low, I haven't been doing anything special. I've actually been sick, and I haven't been to the gym since Saturday (taking the week off, since I've been at this for about 3 months now, body needs a break). My eating hasn't been great (had some leftover Christmas candy yesterday). I'm not dehydrated though, so I don't think it's that. I weighed 218 in October of last year. So I'm on my way to losing all the weight I gained this year. It's kind of sad to think where I was headed if I continued gaining weight in such a fasion (13 lbs. in a year, and 25 lbs. the year before). I would've been 300 by the time I turned 30 at that rate. No thank you. Never again.
All the candy is gone so I'm eating 100% clean again. I tried to get in a small bodyweight workout last night but my lungs practically exploded. I'll give it a few more days. Hope everyone else is doing well!
5-day Average: 221.2 lbs.
Well, my weigh-in today has broken the 220 barrier, and my average is inching its way along as well. Actually, I weighed in this morning after I ate, so it's probably under 219. I really have no idea why it's so low, I haven't been doing anything special. I've actually been sick, and I haven't been to the gym since Saturday (taking the week off, since I've been at this for about 3 months now, body needs a break). My eating hasn't been great (had some leftover Christmas candy yesterday). I'm not dehydrated though, so I don't think it's that. I weighed 218 in October of last year. So I'm on my way to losing all the weight I gained this year. It's kind of sad to think where I was headed if I continued gaining weight in such a fasion (13 lbs. in a year, and 25 lbs. the year before). I would've been 300 by the time I turned 30 at that rate. No thank you. Never again.
All the candy is gone so I'm eating 100% clean again. I tried to get in a small bodyweight workout last night but my lungs practically exploded. I'll give it a few more days. Hope everyone else is doing well!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Post Christmas Update
Today's Weigh-In: 220.8 lbs. (new low)
5-day Average: 222.3 lbs.
Well, Christmas was fun. Busy as heck, but fun. My eating was pretty good, but not 100%. I knew it wouldn't be, so no surprises there. The real food that I ate was good, it was the candy that was not so good. I'm surprised I weighed in at a new low today, but I'm not going to complain. I'm taking the week off from weight lifting, since I've been doing it for about 3 months now total, and I want to give my body a rest before I start a new program.
In the new year I plan on joining my local CrossFit affiliate to get in some awesome exercises. My whole goal here isn't just to lose weight, but to get really fit. I've never been particularly fit; I was strong because of weightlifting in high school, but I could hardly run a mile, and my flexibility is terrible. I want the all-around fitness that CrossFit provides.
I'm still sick, unfortunately, but I am getting better. I think I should be fine by the weekend, so I can probably get back to some good cardio workouts. That's it for today.
5-day Average: 222.3 lbs.
Well, Christmas was fun. Busy as heck, but fun. My eating was pretty good, but not 100%. I knew it wouldn't be, so no surprises there. The real food that I ate was good, it was the candy that was not so good. I'm surprised I weighed in at a new low today, but I'm not going to complain. I'm taking the week off from weight lifting, since I've been doing it for about 3 months now total, and I want to give my body a rest before I start a new program.
In the new year I plan on joining my local CrossFit affiliate to get in some awesome exercises. My whole goal here isn't just to lose weight, but to get really fit. I've never been particularly fit; I was strong because of weightlifting in high school, but I could hardly run a mile, and my flexibility is terrible. I want the all-around fitness that CrossFit provides.
I'm still sick, unfortunately, but I am getting better. I think I should be fine by the weekend, so I can probably get back to some good cardio workouts. That's it for today.
Monday, December 24, 2007
That's more like it
Today's Weigh-In: 221.2 lbs. (new low!)
5-day Average: 223.5 lbs.
Well, the weight seems to be going in the right direction again. I ate really well this weekend, so I think I've earned it. My brother and I have made a small pact: I will not drink any alcohol through December 31st, and he won't bite his nails (a bad habit he's trying to kick). He really wants to see me be successful at this, and alcohol can be pretty limiting when it comes to weight loss, so I think it's a good idea.
I've come down with a nasty head cold, so that's a bummer. Also no workout today as the gym has limited hours and I can't make it. Tomorrow I'm going to attempt to get in a workout on my home weight set, but I don't know if time will permit it (I have to go to my parents' house in the morning, my grandparents' in the early afternoon, then pick up my girlfriend from her grandma's house and go back to my parents' house for dinner).
On a brighter note, my brother and I recorded our one-rep maxes for bench press. I beat my high-school record of 215 lbs. and lifted 222 lbs. I could probably get 5-10 lbs. more, but my shoulder was bugging me and my back was cramped (I did deadlifts and squats earlier in the day). So I can bench my body weight once, which is a heck of a lot better than what I could do 2 months ago. I find it odd that I haven't lost any strength since high school, even though I haven't done much lifting in the years since, but I'm not going to complain.
5-day Average: 223.5 lbs.
Well, the weight seems to be going in the right direction again. I ate really well this weekend, so I think I've earned it. My brother and I have made a small pact: I will not drink any alcohol through December 31st, and he won't bite his nails (a bad habit he's trying to kick). He really wants to see me be successful at this, and alcohol can be pretty limiting when it comes to weight loss, so I think it's a good idea.
I've come down with a nasty head cold, so that's a bummer. Also no workout today as the gym has limited hours and I can't make it. Tomorrow I'm going to attempt to get in a workout on my home weight set, but I don't know if time will permit it (I have to go to my parents' house in the morning, my grandparents' in the early afternoon, then pick up my girlfriend from her grandma's house and go back to my parents' house for dinner).
On a brighter note, my brother and I recorded our one-rep maxes for bench press. I beat my high-school record of 215 lbs. and lifted 222 lbs. I could probably get 5-10 lbs. more, but my shoulder was bugging me and my back was cramped (I did deadlifts and squats earlier in the day). So I can bench my body weight once, which is a heck of a lot better than what I could do 2 months ago. I find it odd that I haven't lost any strength since high school, even though I haven't done much lifting in the years since, but I'm not going to complain.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Frustrating numbers
Today's Weigh-In: 224.6 lbs.
5-day Average: 223.48 lbs.
Stupid weigh in. Somewhat expected, but I'm still angry. I went to the gym on Tuesday and felt like crap, was really sore, had shin-splint pain, and bagged my workout after 15 minutes. Then I went home and ate a crappy dinner, followed by crappy drinks.
Ate well yesterday (well, maybe a bit too much salt, not enough veggies) and I'm eating well today, so I'm hoping I can stop my average from going up any more. It seems like if I slip up even a tiny bit the weight comes right back with a vengeance. I'm just wondering how the crap I'm supposed to keep it off if it does that... I can't eat this little food forever. Ah well, hopefully it's just a fluke and I'll be back down under 222 within the next few days. My body feels better today so I'm gonna get a good workout in to make up for the lack on Tuesday.
5-day Average: 223.48 lbs.
Stupid weigh in. Somewhat expected, but I'm still angry. I went to the gym on Tuesday and felt like crap, was really sore, had shin-splint pain, and bagged my workout after 15 minutes. Then I went home and ate a crappy dinner, followed by crappy drinks.
Ate well yesterday (well, maybe a bit too much salt, not enough veggies) and I'm eating well today, so I'm hoping I can stop my average from going up any more. It seems like if I slip up even a tiny bit the weight comes right back with a vengeance. I'm just wondering how the crap I'm supposed to keep it off if it does that... I can't eat this little food forever. Ah well, hopefully it's just a fluke and I'll be back down under 222 within the next few days. My body feels better today so I'm gonna get a good workout in to make up for the lack on Tuesday.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Food is not a good gift
Today's Weigh-In: 223.2 lbs.
5-day Average: 222.96 lbs.
Hey everybody. Not too much to report. I can't wait for the holiday season to be over, too much stress, too much food. Who's great idea was it to start the tradition of giving food as gifts? Mondo popcorn tubs, chocolate covered cherries, almond roca. Whoever it was I want to punch them in the nuts. Now I have to find someone else to give this stuff to, since I can't even have it around the house. Not a good gift, if you ask me.
I'm going to change my end of year goal to 220 lbs., since I'm losing weight more slowly than I had expected. 215 lbs. will now be my end of January goal since I only seem to be able to lose 5 lbs. a month. Not that I mind, since the slower I lose the weight the less likely I am to damage my metabolism or burn muscle, it just takes longer. I'll get there.
5-day Average: 222.96 lbs.
Hey everybody. Not too much to report. I can't wait for the holiday season to be over, too much stress, too much food. Who's great idea was it to start the tradition of giving food as gifts? Mondo popcorn tubs, chocolate covered cherries, almond roca. Whoever it was I want to punch them in the nuts. Now I have to find someone else to give this stuff to, since I can't even have it around the house. Not a good gift, if you ask me.
I'm going to change my end of year goal to 220 lbs., since I'm losing weight more slowly than I had expected. 215 lbs. will now be my end of January goal since I only seem to be able to lose 5 lbs. a month. Not that I mind, since the slower I lose the weight the less likely I am to damage my metabolism or burn muscle, it just takes longer. I'll get there.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Stupid alarm clock
Today's Weigh-In: 223.2 lbs.
5-day Average: 223.64 lbs.
I've been pretty lazy these past two weeks. A while ago I decided to start going to the gym in the morning, so I could get my workouts out of the way, and because it's actually much nicer in the morning: less crowded, natural light coming in, less stress throughout the day. The only problem is I *hate* waking up. I don't even have to wake up that early to get to the gym. But when my alarm clock goes off at 7:30 (even if I went to bed by 11 the night before) I am just in a world of hate. And lately I've just been resetting the clock and going back to bed. I mean, I'm still getting in my workouts (after work) but I know I'm shortchanging myself by doing this. Does anybody have any tips for actually getting up early? I don't know how some of you wake up before 6:00, that's insane to me.
I guess another reason I don't like to get up is that I don't seem to get restful sleep, so I'm tired and sore when I wake up. I toss and turn all night, and I always wake up stiff and my neck hurts. I'm starting to think it's time for a new bed and pillows, but that'll have to wait until after the holidays, since beds aren't cheap.
On the diet front, everything has been good. I've been eating much less starchy carbs and more protein and fats (good fats, mostly). I also bought a whole bunch of frozen vegetables yesterday, so I have no excuse not to eat veggies with every meal.
5-day Average: 223.64 lbs.
I've been pretty lazy these past two weeks. A while ago I decided to start going to the gym in the morning, so I could get my workouts out of the way, and because it's actually much nicer in the morning: less crowded, natural light coming in, less stress throughout the day. The only problem is I *hate* waking up. I don't even have to wake up that early to get to the gym. But when my alarm clock goes off at 7:30 (even if I went to bed by 11 the night before) I am just in a world of hate. And lately I've just been resetting the clock and going back to bed. I mean, I'm still getting in my workouts (after work) but I know I'm shortchanging myself by doing this. Does anybody have any tips for actually getting up early? I don't know how some of you wake up before 6:00, that's insane to me.
I guess another reason I don't like to get up is that I don't seem to get restful sleep, so I'm tired and sore when I wake up. I toss and turn all night, and I always wake up stiff and my neck hurts. I'm starting to think it's time for a new bed and pillows, but that'll have to wait until after the holidays, since beds aren't cheap.
On the diet front, everything has been good. I've been eating much less starchy carbs and more protein and fats (good fats, mostly). I also bought a whole bunch of frozen vegetables yesterday, so I have no excuse not to eat veggies with every meal.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
So long to too-much-carbs
Today's Weigh-In: 222.8 lbs.
5-day Average: 223.7 lbs.
Down a pound from yesterday, and almost 2 pounds from Monday. I won't be surprised if my weight goes up tomorrow (unless I was retaining water or something weird on Monday).
I've been tracking my calories for a while now, and I took a look at the amount of each macronutrient I have been eating. It seems that I am consistently over my goals in carbs, and consistently under my goals for protein. But no more. I am shifting to a 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat macronutrient split (by calories, not weight). Before I was at probably 55% carbs, 25% protein, 20% fat split, and I think the carbs are causing my slow weight loss. This means I gotta eat more meat, more (healthy) fat, and less starch, bread, pasta, rice, and cereals. I thought about going on a full-blown ketogenic diet, where you cut out all carbs except for green vegetables, but that's too restrictive for my lifestyle. It seems to work for a lot of people, but I don't think I could do it. Plus, if you slip up on a keto diet, you kick your body right out of ketosis and it starts releasing insulin, and I just don't think I can be quite that rigorous with it.
I also realized that I haven't been eating nearly as much fruits and vegetables as I did when I first started, and I want to change that as well. Instead of having a chicken breast and rice, I'll have a chicken breast, some salad, and some broccoli. That should provide the right amount of fiber, nutrients, and vitamins that I need, as well as healthy carbs and protein. Gotta eat your veggies :)
5-day Average: 223.7 lbs.
Down a pound from yesterday, and almost 2 pounds from Monday. I won't be surprised if my weight goes up tomorrow (unless I was retaining water or something weird on Monday).
I've been tracking my calories for a while now, and I took a look at the amount of each macronutrient I have been eating. It seems that I am consistently over my goals in carbs, and consistently under my goals for protein. But no more. I am shifting to a 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat macronutrient split (by calories, not weight). Before I was at probably 55% carbs, 25% protein, 20% fat split, and I think the carbs are causing my slow weight loss. This means I gotta eat more meat, more (healthy) fat, and less starch, bread, pasta, rice, and cereals. I thought about going on a full-blown ketogenic diet, where you cut out all carbs except for green vegetables, but that's too restrictive for my lifestyle. It seems to work for a lot of people, but I don't think I could do it. Plus, if you slip up on a keto diet, you kick your body right out of ketosis and it starts releasing insulin, and I just don't think I can be quite that rigorous with it.
I also realized that I haven't been eating nearly as much fruits and vegetables as I did when I first started, and I want to change that as well. Instead of having a chicken breast and rice, I'll have a chicken breast, some salad, and some broccoli. That should provide the right amount of fiber, nutrients, and vitamins that I need, as well as healthy carbs and protein. Gotta eat your veggies :)
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Hmm...
Today's Weigh-In: 223.8 lbs.
5-day Average: 223.93 lbs.
So, I went ahead and bought on of those electronic body fat analyzers. I bought the same one that I used in the gym when I first measured my body fat. My original reading was 27.3% and yesterday's reading was 24.5% (an average of a few readings), so I've lost almost 3% body fat thus far. I did some calculations based on my weight and the percentage, and it looks like instead of losing lean mass, I've actually gained 2 pounds of muscle. The problem (if you can call it that) is that if this reading is accurate I have almost 170 lbs. of lean mass. If I were at 10% body fat that would mean I would need to weigh 189 lbs. Seems a little high for my height (5' 10") but I am really stocky, so maybe I have less to lose than I thought. Or maybe as I continue to shed fat I'll lose some muscle and need to be lower. To be honest, I don't really care how much I weigh, as long as I'm muscular and have a body fat percentage < 12%. This doesn't change anything, but I may have to reevaluate my goal weight as I approach it and make reasonable adjustments. One day, when I get closer to my goal, I'll get hydrostatic weighing done and find a more accurate measurement of my body fat percentage, and use that to adjust my goal.
As far as everything goes, my weight is going down steadily, my diet's been spot-on, and I hit the gym yesterday. I had to skip out on my cardio, though, since I began feeling nauseous. That tends to happen when I do heavy squats and deadlifts, I guess I should do the cardio beforehand on days when I do heavy compounds. Lesson learned.
5-day Average: 223.93 lbs.
So, I went ahead and bought on of those electronic body fat analyzers. I bought the same one that I used in the gym when I first measured my body fat. My original reading was 27.3% and yesterday's reading was 24.5% (an average of a few readings), so I've lost almost 3% body fat thus far. I did some calculations based on my weight and the percentage, and it looks like instead of losing lean mass, I've actually gained 2 pounds of muscle. The problem (if you can call it that) is that if this reading is accurate I have almost 170 lbs. of lean mass. If I were at 10% body fat that would mean I would need to weigh 189 lbs. Seems a little high for my height (5' 10") but I am really stocky, so maybe I have less to lose than I thought. Or maybe as I continue to shed fat I'll lose some muscle and need to be lower. To be honest, I don't really care how much I weigh, as long as I'm muscular and have a body fat percentage < 12%. This doesn't change anything, but I may have to reevaluate my goal weight as I approach it and make reasonable adjustments. One day, when I get closer to my goal, I'll get hydrostatic weighing done and find a more accurate measurement of my body fat percentage, and use that to adjust my goal.
As far as everything goes, my weight is going down steadily, my diet's been spot-on, and I hit the gym yesterday. I had to skip out on my cardio, though, since I began feeling nauseous. That tends to happen when I do heavy squats and deadlifts, I guess I should do the cardio beforehand on days when I do heavy compounds. Lesson learned.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Ah, the weekend, a fat dude's worst enemy
Today's Weigh-In: 224.6 lbs.
5-day Average: 224.0 lbs. (this is not really a 5-day average, as I forgot to weigh myself Saturday and Sunday)
Friday was my company's Christmas party. The food they had was pretty decent, not too unhealthy. I had some salmon and some chicken, along with some rice pilaf and red potatoes. I knew I was going to eat a larger portion than normally, so I didn't eat too much earlier in the day. The only problem is that they had free drinks, of which I had about 4. I'm a sucker for free drinks. Then I went and had a couple of beers with my buddies afterwards, so that pretty much ruined my discipline up to that point.
This is something I've noticed that happens pretty often to me: I will do really well all day, be right on track with diet and exercise, and then I'll blow it at the end of the day by drinking a few beers. I really need to be more disciplined when it comes to that. I still have the goal of not drinking during the week, so that should keep me on track, just gotta watch those weekend days.
Saturday and Sunday I ate really well, I didn't count my calories but I believe I was under on both days. I did not work out on Saturday due to my throat infection (my body was in such need of rest that I slept until 3:00 in the afternoon on Saturday). So I haven't really been to the gym since last Tuesday. I think it's okay though, as my back and abs were still hurting, so giving them the rest will help me to be stronger in the end. I'll be back in the gym tonight, though, as my throat is feeling much better and I'm not all weak and tired like I was previously.
I would rate my weekend a 7/10 in the weight loss department. Not 100%, with definite room for improvement. But today begins a new week, and I'm gonna give it my best.
5-day Average: 224.0 lbs. (this is not really a 5-day average, as I forgot to weigh myself Saturday and Sunday)
Friday was my company's Christmas party. The food they had was pretty decent, not too unhealthy. I had some salmon and some chicken, along with some rice pilaf and red potatoes. I knew I was going to eat a larger portion than normally, so I didn't eat too much earlier in the day. The only problem is that they had free drinks, of which I had about 4. I'm a sucker for free drinks. Then I went and had a couple of beers with my buddies afterwards, so that pretty much ruined my discipline up to that point.
This is something I've noticed that happens pretty often to me: I will do really well all day, be right on track with diet and exercise, and then I'll blow it at the end of the day by drinking a few beers. I really need to be more disciplined when it comes to that. I still have the goal of not drinking during the week, so that should keep me on track, just gotta watch those weekend days.
Saturday and Sunday I ate really well, I didn't count my calories but I believe I was under on both days. I did not work out on Saturday due to my throat infection (my body was in such need of rest that I slept until 3:00 in the afternoon on Saturday). So I haven't really been to the gym since last Tuesday. I think it's okay though, as my back and abs were still hurting, so giving them the rest will help me to be stronger in the end. I'll be back in the gym tonight, though, as my throat is feeling much better and I'm not all weak and tired like I was previously.
I would rate my weekend a 7/10 in the weight loss department. Not 100%, with definite room for improvement. But today begins a new week, and I'm gonna give it my best.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Finally
Today's Weigh-In: 223.4 lbs.
5-day Average: 226.2 lbs.
My 5-day is pretty much the same as the last time I posted, but my weight finally seems to be going down since the creatine load I started last week. It's such a crappy feeling to see the same number 3 weeks apart, even though I know it's water weight. The psychological impact of the scale should not be underestimated.
I've contracted a pretty severe throat infection, which the doctor thinks might be strep (they're testing my throat culture at the lab), so I'm taking antibiotics, since recently there's been a lot of strep throat in my area and the doctor wanted to play it safe. I skipped my workout yesterday so I could go to the doctor, and I can't make it up today because I have my company's Christmas party to go to, so that sucks. So for now I'm just going to try to get as much sleep as I can tonight, and hopefully my throat will feel well enough tomorrow so that I can hit the gym.
It's weird, it used to be that I would have to drag myself to the gym, but yesterday I had to force myself not to go so I could see the doctor. Whereas I used to hate going, I now hate *not* going. I feel like a fat load if my muscles stop feeling sore. I guess that's a more healthy mindset, I just don't want to overdo it and become one of those people who is totally obsessed with exercising and how my body looks, as that probably isn't so healthy.
5-day Average: 226.2 lbs.
My 5-day is pretty much the same as the last time I posted, but my weight finally seems to be going down since the creatine load I started last week. It's such a crappy feeling to see the same number 3 weeks apart, even though I know it's water weight. The psychological impact of the scale should not be underestimated.
I've contracted a pretty severe throat infection, which the doctor thinks might be strep (they're testing my throat culture at the lab), so I'm taking antibiotics, since recently there's been a lot of strep throat in my area and the doctor wanted to play it safe. I skipped my workout yesterday so I could go to the doctor, and I can't make it up today because I have my company's Christmas party to go to, so that sucks. So for now I'm just going to try to get as much sleep as I can tonight, and hopefully my throat will feel well enough tomorrow so that I can hit the gym.
It's weird, it used to be that I would have to drag myself to the gym, but yesterday I had to force myself not to go so I could see the doctor. Whereas I used to hate going, I now hate *not* going. I feel like a fat load if my muscles stop feeling sore. I guess that's a more healthy mindset, I just don't want to overdo it and become one of those people who is totally obsessed with exercising and how my body looks, as that probably isn't so healthy.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
100 Percent
(Sorry for stealing your blog title, Rob)
Today's Weigh-In: 226.4 lbs.
5-day average: 226.28 lbs.
My average has gone up in the past two days, but I think it's because I began supplementing with creatine at the end of last week, so I'm probably retaining more water than normal. And my weigh-ins are starting to come down, so I'm hoping the creatine water-retention level has evened out.
After reading Rob's recent blogs, I've decided that I, too, need to go 100% if I'm going to do this effectively. I had been doing about 80-85%, and my slow weight-loss reflects that. Since Monday I have been going 100% on everything: diet, cardio, weight-lifting, sleep. I've decided to drop my calorie limit from 2200 to 2000, as I think my body can handle it without suffering any ill effects. If I start feeling tired or weak I'll bring it back up a bit.
My goals for this month are:
-no alcohol during the week, and only once during the weekend (in moderation).
-consume no more than 2000 calories a day
-hit the gym 4 times a week (same as last month)
I've already had to decline one offer to go to the bar to play pool, but I think it will be worth it. If I can be consistent with my calories and gym time, I know my weight loss will kick into high gear and I can lose more in this month than I have in the 2 months since starting all this. I want to win this month's challenge :)
Today's Weigh-In: 226.4 lbs.
5-day average: 226.28 lbs.
My average has gone up in the past two days, but I think it's because I began supplementing with creatine at the end of last week, so I'm probably retaining more water than normal. And my weigh-ins are starting to come down, so I'm hoping the creatine water-retention level has evened out.
After reading Rob's recent blogs, I've decided that I, too, need to go 100% if I'm going to do this effectively. I had been doing about 80-85%, and my slow weight-loss reflects that. Since Monday I have been going 100% on everything: diet, cardio, weight-lifting, sleep. I've decided to drop my calorie limit from 2200 to 2000, as I think my body can handle it without suffering any ill effects. If I start feeling tired or weak I'll bring it back up a bit.
My goals for this month are:
-no alcohol during the week, and only once during the weekend (in moderation).
-consume no more than 2000 calories a day
-hit the gym 4 times a week (same as last month)
I've already had to decline one offer to go to the bar to play pool, but I think it will be worth it. If I can be consistent with my calories and gym time, I know my weight loss will kick into high gear and I can lose more in this month than I have in the 2 months since starting all this. I want to win this month's challenge :)
Monday, December 3, 2007
Give a little bit, get a little bit
Today's Weigh-in: 227.4 lbs.
5-day Average: 225.2 lbs.
Today's weigh-in is a bit high. I don't know the reason for this jump in weight, but I hope it's just a fluctuation that won't stick. I'm ready to get away from the 220s.
So this weekend was a bit of a mixed bag. Saturday I went to dinner with some friends, but I made decent choices, I think. I had a sesame chicken salad and about 2 bites of pazookie (cookie with ice cream). But I also had 3 pints of beer, which probably wasn't the best idea when I'm watching my calorie intake.
Sunday I was home most of the day, and ate pretty well. I think I'm still having a problem with eating larger portions on the weekends than I would during the week, and that's something I need to work on. I guess it doesn't matter if the food is healthy, if you eat too much you're not going to lose any weight. So my goal for this week and weekend is to maintain portion control and not eat to total fullness.
I went to the gym yesterday. I love the gym on Sundays as there's hardly anybody there, and I can have free reign of the weights and machines. I went running for the first time in a while, and I think I did pretty well. I ran a mile, walked a quarter mile, ran another mile, and walked another quarter mile in 30 minutes. My legs are sore today, but it wasn't too bad. I definitely had to push myself to keep running, but it felt good. One thing I realized is that I need some new running shoes, so I hope to get some this weekend. For now, I'm going to alternate running on the track and using the elliptical, at least until I get some new shoes and my legs feel strong enough to run every day.
I'm going to attempt 100% clean eating this week. No more little indulgences, no more eating more than I should, and definitely no more eating because I feel like I've earned it. That's dangerous territory, and I need to stay away from that mentality.
5-day Average: 225.2 lbs.
Today's weigh-in is a bit high. I don't know the reason for this jump in weight, but I hope it's just a fluctuation that won't stick. I'm ready to get away from the 220s.
So this weekend was a bit of a mixed bag. Saturday I went to dinner with some friends, but I made decent choices, I think. I had a sesame chicken salad and about 2 bites of pazookie (cookie with ice cream). But I also had 3 pints of beer, which probably wasn't the best idea when I'm watching my calorie intake.
Sunday I was home most of the day, and ate pretty well. I think I'm still having a problem with eating larger portions on the weekends than I would during the week, and that's something I need to work on. I guess it doesn't matter if the food is healthy, if you eat too much you're not going to lose any weight. So my goal for this week and weekend is to maintain portion control and not eat to total fullness.
I went to the gym yesterday. I love the gym on Sundays as there's hardly anybody there, and I can have free reign of the weights and machines. I went running for the first time in a while, and I think I did pretty well. I ran a mile, walked a quarter mile, ran another mile, and walked another quarter mile in 30 minutes. My legs are sore today, but it wasn't too bad. I definitely had to push myself to keep running, but it felt good. One thing I realized is that I need some new running shoes, so I hope to get some this weekend. For now, I'm going to alternate running on the track and using the elliptical, at least until I get some new shoes and my legs feel strong enough to run every day.
I'm going to attempt 100% clean eating this week. No more little indulgences, no more eating more than I should, and definitely no more eating because I feel like I've earned it. That's dangerous territory, and I need to stay away from that mentality.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Check-in
Today's Weigh-In: 223.0 lbs.
5-day Average: 224.84 lbs.
Just a check-in today. I've been doing well lately, hitting the gym consistently and with exuberance, and eating well. All my hard work in the gym seems to be paying off, as I feel strong (and sore) today.
The one thing that is plaguing me is my cardio. When I go to the gym I usually do 30-40 minutes of cardio on the elliptical machine before I do my 45 minutes of lifting, but for some reason I just don't feel like the elliptical machine is really increasing my endurance for real-world activities. I get sweaty and my heart rate goes to the correct level, but it doesn't tax my lungs like running does. Walking up stairs still makes me just as winded as it used to, and I just don't feel like my cardio is at the same level as my weight-training. I think I'm going to change it up a bit in the next few days and run on the track at the gym, just to see how it feels (and how far I can go without passing out). I have never been a fast (or durable) runner, but I really want to change that. We'll see how it goes.
On a side note: if you want to be sore after a workout, incorporate weighted squats and deadlifts into your workout. I guarantee you will feel the burn (they're also the most metabolically impactful exercises you can do, since they incorporate the largest muscles). Ugh my butt hurts :)
5-day Average: 224.84 lbs.
Just a check-in today. I've been doing well lately, hitting the gym consistently and with exuberance, and eating well. All my hard work in the gym seems to be paying off, as I feel strong (and sore) today.
The one thing that is plaguing me is my cardio. When I go to the gym I usually do 30-40 minutes of cardio on the elliptical machine before I do my 45 minutes of lifting, but for some reason I just don't feel like the elliptical machine is really increasing my endurance for real-world activities. I get sweaty and my heart rate goes to the correct level, but it doesn't tax my lungs like running does. Walking up stairs still makes me just as winded as it used to, and I just don't feel like my cardio is at the same level as my weight-training. I think I'm going to change it up a bit in the next few days and run on the track at the gym, just to see how it feels (and how far I can go without passing out). I have never been a fast (or durable) runner, but I really want to change that. We'll see how it goes.
On a side note: if you want to be sore after a workout, incorporate weighted squats and deadlifts into your workout. I guarantee you will feel the burn (they're also the most metabolically impactful exercises you can do, since they incorporate the largest muscles). Ugh my butt hurts :)
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Yay progress!
Today's Weigh-In: 226.2 lbs.
5-day Average: 224.76 lbs.
I was in the bathroom, getting ready to take a shower, and I noticed my Myotape sitting there, so I figured I would measure myself and compare to the last set. All I can say is dang, that's pretty gnarly. Check it out:
11/17/07:
Bicep: 15"
Waist: 43.5" Unflexed, 42" Flexed
Neck: 17.5"
Wrist: 7.5"
Hips: 42.5"
Thighs: 25.5"
Calf: 17"
Chest: 42" Relaxed, 45" Flexed
11/29/07:
Bicep: 16" (+1")
Waist: 42.5" Unflexed (-1"), 41" Flexed (-1")
Neck: 17.5" (no change)
Wrist: 7.75" (+.25")
Hips: 41" (-1.5")
Thighs: 25" (-.5")
Calf: 16.5" (-.5")
Chest: 43" Relaxed (+1"), 45.5" Flexed (+.5")
I've put inches where I want them, and lost them where I need to. It's amazing to think I put a full inch onto my biceps in less than 2 weeks (I did start supplementing with creatine as of yesterday, so that may have added a little due to intracellular volume). I never really felt that measurements could be a good indicator of progress, as it's so ingrained in our minds that the scale is what matters, but call me a believer. This also means that I've gained muscle while losing fat, even in a caloric deficit. Now I'm not going to fool myself and believe I'm going to continue to make progress in these kinds of strides, but it's a nice little boost to my motivation.
If you're feeling down about the scale, break out the measuring tape and see what happens :)
5-day Average: 224.76 lbs.
I was in the bathroom, getting ready to take a shower, and I noticed my Myotape sitting there, so I figured I would measure myself and compare to the last set. All I can say is dang, that's pretty gnarly. Check it out:
11/17/07:
Bicep: 15"
Waist: 43.5" Unflexed, 42" Flexed
Neck: 17.5"
Wrist: 7.5"
Hips: 42.5"
Thighs: 25.5"
Calf: 17"
Chest: 42" Relaxed, 45" Flexed
11/29/07:
Bicep: 16" (+1")
Waist: 42.5" Unflexed (-1"), 41" Flexed (-1")
Neck: 17.5" (no change)
Wrist: 7.75" (+.25")
Hips: 41" (-1.5")
Thighs: 25" (-.5")
Calf: 16.5" (-.5")
Chest: 43" Relaxed (+1"), 45.5" Flexed (+.5")
I've put inches where I want them, and lost them where I need to. It's amazing to think I put a full inch onto my biceps in less than 2 weeks (I did start supplementing with creatine as of yesterday, so that may have added a little due to intracellular volume). I never really felt that measurements could be a good indicator of progress, as it's so ingrained in our minds that the scale is what matters, but call me a believer. This also means that I've gained muscle while losing fat, even in a caloric deficit. Now I'm not going to fool myself and believe I'm going to continue to make progress in these kinds of strides, but it's a nice little boost to my motivation.
If you're feeling down about the scale, break out the measuring tape and see what happens :)
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Musings
Today's Weigh-In: 225.4
5-day Average: 224.88
Well I seem to be squarely in the 225 range, which is okay. I was kind of discouraged at this, until I looked at my 5 day average a week ago, which was 227.07, so I'm actually down 2 pounds. I'm trying to shake the need for instant gratification, but it's so ingrained in us through media and culture that it's very hard to drown completely. That's the reason the diet industry is a multi-billion dollar venture, and America is still getting fatter. Everyone wants it now, but they don't want to work for it, which is like asking for all your groceries in one bag, but demanding that the bag not be heavy :-)
I've found that the people who have been successful, not only in losing weight, but in other ventures, are the people who are willing to put in the hard work and take the time to see the results. America used to be the land of hard work, industry, and pulling oneself up by the bootstraps. Now that sense of enterprise and pride in a job well done has been replaced with one of entitlement, laziness, and vanity. Scientists and social commentators bemoan the state of Americans with regards to obesity, and politicians and advocacy groups attempt to make policy changes to reduce the obesity rate, but it's done little good, because the sense of entitlement dooms it to failure. We need a cultural shift that will instill work ethic and determination in individuals, not this post-modern claptrap we've all grown up with. Unfortunately, I don't know how this will be accomplished, and we may be doomed to our fate already. The American dream may be dead to most, but not to me. I will live my life with my head held high, doing what I know must be done even though it is difficult.
Sorry for the rant, but it's something I wanted to get off my chest.
5-day Average: 224.88
Well I seem to be squarely in the 225 range, which is okay. I was kind of discouraged at this, until I looked at my 5 day average a week ago, which was 227.07, so I'm actually down 2 pounds. I'm trying to shake the need for instant gratification, but it's so ingrained in us through media and culture that it's very hard to drown completely. That's the reason the diet industry is a multi-billion dollar venture, and America is still getting fatter. Everyone wants it now, but they don't want to work for it, which is like asking for all your groceries in one bag, but demanding that the bag not be heavy :-)
I've found that the people who have been successful, not only in losing weight, but in other ventures, are the people who are willing to put in the hard work and take the time to see the results. America used to be the land of hard work, industry, and pulling oneself up by the bootstraps. Now that sense of enterprise and pride in a job well done has been replaced with one of entitlement, laziness, and vanity. Scientists and social commentators bemoan the state of Americans with regards to obesity, and politicians and advocacy groups attempt to make policy changes to reduce the obesity rate, but it's done little good, because the sense of entitlement dooms it to failure. We need a cultural shift that will instill work ethic and determination in individuals, not this post-modern claptrap we've all grown up with. Unfortunately, I don't know how this will be accomplished, and we may be doomed to our fate already. The American dream may be dead to most, but not to me. I will live my life with my head held high, doing what I know must be done even though it is difficult.
Sorry for the rant, but it's something I wanted to get off my chest.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Post-Turkey Day update
Today's Weigh-in: 225.0 lbs
5-day average: 224.84 lbs.
Hello everyone, hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Having 4 days off was awesome, as I finally got a chance to rest my body and mind, and simply do nothing for at least one day (Saturday). My weight fluctuated like crazy over the weekend (on one day I actually weighed in at 222 lbs.) but I'm back at exactly 225 today. I might actually be able to hit my goal of 215 by the end of the year if I keep at it.
The good new is that I ate very well over the weekend; I don't think I went over my calories on any day. Bad news is I missed two workouts (Friday and Saturday). Friday I woke up early to drive out to the desert to go skeet shooting with my friends, and when I got home I was dead tired and fell asleep. Saturday was just me being lazy, though.
But no worries, I woke up early today and got my workout done before work. I think I'm going to make a habit of this, so I can get it out of the way and not have to worry about it all day. The nice thing about my job is that I don't have to come in at any particular time, as long as I put in my hours, so I don't have to get up at 4:30AM or anything :).
My body is feeling much stronger today than it did last week, so I think the time off actually helped. But no more missed workouts for me, I'm back on the motivation bus.
5-day average: 224.84 lbs.
Hello everyone, hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Having 4 days off was awesome, as I finally got a chance to rest my body and mind, and simply do nothing for at least one day (Saturday). My weight fluctuated like crazy over the weekend (on one day I actually weighed in at 222 lbs.) but I'm back at exactly 225 today. I might actually be able to hit my goal of 215 by the end of the year if I keep at it.
The good new is that I ate very well over the weekend; I don't think I went over my calories on any day. Bad news is I missed two workouts (Friday and Saturday). Friday I woke up early to drive out to the desert to go skeet shooting with my friends, and when I got home I was dead tired and fell asleep. Saturday was just me being lazy, though.
But no worries, I woke up early today and got my workout done before work. I think I'm going to make a habit of this, so I can get it out of the way and not have to worry about it all day. The nice thing about my job is that I don't have to come in at any particular time, as long as I put in my hours, so I don't have to get up at 4:30AM or anything :).
My body is feeling much stronger today than it did last week, so I think the time off actually helped. But no more missed workouts for me, I'm back on the motivation bus.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Pre-Thanksgiving update
Today's Weigh-In: 225.2 lbs. (new low)
5-day Average: 226.46
Weight lost: 3.54 lbs.
Well I hit a new low on the scale today. Dunno if it's a fluke or if it'll stay off, but it feels nice. Anyway, I've been eating below my calorie limit for the past two days, which is good. I moved yesterday's workout to today and Thursday's workout to Friday (due to Turkey Day and whatnot). Having not been in the gym since Saturday I'm starting to miss the soreness in my muscles, so I'll try to hit it hard today.
Other than that, not much to say. I seem to be steadily losing, and I hope I can keep up the progress. I know many people are worried about the holidays and all the food that comes with family get-togethers, but I'm not really too concerned. I'm not big on pies or sweets, so there won't be any temptation there. Thanksgiving I will most likely just eat some turkey and mashed potatoes, and I will make sure not to stuff myself. I will most likely use Thanksgiving as my cheat meal and then eat clean on Friday, just to keep myself on track.
Happy Thanksgiving to the F.A.T. Coalition!
5-day Average: 226.46
Weight lost: 3.54 lbs.
Well I hit a new low on the scale today. Dunno if it's a fluke or if it'll stay off, but it feels nice. Anyway, I've been eating below my calorie limit for the past two days, which is good. I moved yesterday's workout to today and Thursday's workout to Friday (due to Turkey Day and whatnot). Having not been in the gym since Saturday I'm starting to miss the soreness in my muscles, so I'll try to hit it hard today.
Other than that, not much to say. I seem to be steadily losing, and I hope I can keep up the progress. I know many people are worried about the holidays and all the food that comes with family get-togethers, but I'm not really too concerned. I'm not big on pies or sweets, so there won't be any temptation there. Thanksgiving I will most likely just eat some turkey and mashed potatoes, and I will make sure not to stuff myself. I will most likely use Thanksgiving as my cheat meal and then eat clean on Friday, just to keep myself on track.
Happy Thanksgiving to the F.A.T. Coalition!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Weekend in review
Today's Weigh-in: 227.4 lbs.
5-day Average: 226.85 lbs.
Weight lost so far: 3.15 lbs.
Well, the weekend's over. How did I do? Half bad, half okay.
Saturday I woke up and did not feel well. I was dizzy, tired, and felt all-around crummy. I had not been getting enough sleep the 3 days before, and I think I was dehydrated as well. I went to the gym anyway, hoping it would make me feel better. It didn't. It made me feel way worse. I actually had to cut my gym session short as I started to get extremely dizzy and nauseous. So that sucked.
Since I didn't feel well I did not eat very much, which is a big no-no. I came home and started drinking a bunch of water and took a nap, which made me feel much better. I went out to the Tiger Army show and had some beers, and then we went to a bar afterwards and I had a few more beers (not enough to get me drunk though, as this was over a 7-hour period). So I didn't go over on my calories, but I did not get nearly enough nutrition for the day.
Sunday I felt much better. I woke up pretty late (as we didn't get home 'til 4:00 the night before) and made a baked salmon fillet with some rice and broccoli. This was around 1:00. At 5:00 I went to my parents' house and ate dinner with them. I ate half a Cornish game hen with some rice and a salad, and one of my dad's homemade beers. Later in the evening I had some peanut butter and crackers. So Sunday was pretty good, I could have maybe eaten a little less at dinner, but it was all high quality stuff and I don't feel too bad about it.
I'm supposed to work out today, but I'm going to give my body a rest. I haven't missed a workout for a month, and I think my body is trying to say it needs a rest, as I'm very fatigued and tired. I need to switch the days of my workouts as well; it's usually easier to get a bench-press session in on Saturdays as opposed to Mondays and Thursdays. So I will take today off and do my Chest/Tricep/Shoulder workout tomorrow.
5-day Average: 226.85 lbs.
Weight lost so far: 3.15 lbs.
Well, the weekend's over. How did I do? Half bad, half okay.
Saturday I woke up and did not feel well. I was dizzy, tired, and felt all-around crummy. I had not been getting enough sleep the 3 days before, and I think I was dehydrated as well. I went to the gym anyway, hoping it would make me feel better. It didn't. It made me feel way worse. I actually had to cut my gym session short as I started to get extremely dizzy and nauseous. So that sucked.
Since I didn't feel well I did not eat very much, which is a big no-no. I came home and started drinking a bunch of water and took a nap, which made me feel much better. I went out to the Tiger Army show and had some beers, and then we went to a bar afterwards and I had a few more beers (not enough to get me drunk though, as this was over a 7-hour period). So I didn't go over on my calories, but I did not get nearly enough nutrition for the day.
Sunday I felt much better. I woke up pretty late (as we didn't get home 'til 4:00 the night before) and made a baked salmon fillet with some rice and broccoli. This was around 1:00. At 5:00 I went to my parents' house and ate dinner with them. I ate half a Cornish game hen with some rice and a salad, and one of my dad's homemade beers. Later in the evening I had some peanut butter and crackers. So Sunday was pretty good, I could have maybe eaten a little less at dinner, but it was all high quality stuff and I don't feel too bad about it.
I'm supposed to work out today, but I'm going to give my body a rest. I haven't missed a workout for a month, and I think my body is trying to say it needs a rest, as I'm very fatigued and tired. I need to switch the days of my workouts as well; it's usually easier to get a bench-press session in on Saturdays as opposed to Mondays and Thursdays. So I will take today off and do my Chest/Tricep/Shoulder workout tomorrow.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Pictures!
Today's Weigh-in: 226.8 lbs.
5-day average: 227.5 lbs.
Official weight lost: 2.5 lbs.
Alrighty, finally got some pictures. I haven't quite figured out this camera yet, so the quality is not great, but it's good enough :-)
Here's the front, relaxed:
And the side (ugh, I hate side shots. My beard doesn't hide my turkey neck like it does in the front):
Flexed (sad, I know :)
And back, flexed:
Finally, one for the ladies :-)
I also have measurements. Yay!
Bicep: 15"
Waist: 43.5" Unflexed, 42" Flexed
Neck: 17.5" (yes I have a huge neck, and it's a pain to find nice shirts)
Wrist: 7.5"
Hips: 42.5" (around where my butt meets my legs)
Thighs: 25.5"
Calf: 17"
Chest: 42" Relaxed, 45" Flexed
So there you go. I've put myself out there for your scrutiny :-)
Actually, I just want to be able to look back at this post a year from now and see how much more awesome I look ^_^
5-day average: 227.5 lbs.
Official weight lost: 2.5 lbs.
Alrighty, finally got some pictures. I haven't quite figured out this camera yet, so the quality is not great, but it's good enough :-)
Here's the front, relaxed:
And the side (ugh, I hate side shots. My beard doesn't hide my turkey neck like it does in the front):
Flexed (sad, I know :)
And back, flexed:
Finally, one for the ladies :-)
I also have measurements. Yay!
Bicep: 15"
Waist: 43.5" Unflexed, 42" Flexed
Neck: 17.5" (yes I have a huge neck, and it's a pain to find nice shirts)
Wrist: 7.5"
Hips: 42.5" (around where my butt meets my legs)
Thighs: 25.5"
Calf: 17"
Chest: 42" Relaxed, 45" Flexed
So there you go. I've put myself out there for your scrutiny :-)
Actually, I just want to be able to look back at this post a year from now and see how much more awesome I look ^_^
Friday, November 16, 2007
Here comes temptation
Today's Weigh-in: 227.0 lbs.
5-day average: 228.45
Weight lost: 1.5 lbs.
Well it seems like I'm safely under 230 territory now. Today's weigh-in was actually after I ate breakfast (I forgot to do it before) so it's more likely in the 226 range. That's good times.
No pictures, as the UPS guy left my camera in the manager's office so I couldn't get it until this morning.
So... the weekend. My dreaded foe. Foiler of diet plans, crusher of dreams. I'm going to try to keep my eating scheduled on both days, and track my calories (which I sadly had not been doing on previous weekends). I'm going to see Tiger Army at the Wiltern tomorrow, which should be awesome. I sure love me some Tiger Army.
I know I will be tempted to drink a lot, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand I enjoy going out and having some drinks, but on the other hand I know alcohol is nothing but empty calories. I'll probably follow Billy's example of drinking straight whiskey (which I normally do anyway, but usually with lots of beer as well) and water to pace myself and keep me from drinking *too* much. We'll see how it goes :-)
5-day average: 228.45
Weight lost: 1.5 lbs.
Well it seems like I'm safely under 230 territory now. Today's weigh-in was actually after I ate breakfast (I forgot to do it before) so it's more likely in the 226 range. That's good times.
No pictures, as the UPS guy left my camera in the manager's office so I couldn't get it until this morning.
So... the weekend. My dreaded foe. Foiler of diet plans, crusher of dreams. I'm going to try to keep my eating scheduled on both days, and track my calories (which I sadly had not been doing on previous weekends). I'm going to see Tiger Army at the Wiltern tomorrow, which should be awesome. I sure love me some Tiger Army.
I know I will be tempted to drink a lot, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand I enjoy going out and having some drinks, but on the other hand I know alcohol is nothing but empty calories. I'll probably follow Billy's example of drinking straight whiskey (which I normally do anyway, but usually with lots of beer as well) and water to pace myself and keep me from drinking *too* much. We'll see how it goes :-)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Yay!
Today's Weigh-in: 226.2 (new low!)
5-day average: 228.9
It looks like I'm finally starting to see some pounds drop. 2 weeks ago I was fluctuating pretty steadily between 230 and 234 lbs. Now I seem to be going between 226 and 230, so that tells me that at least the range of weight is going down.
I have a new workout routine that I'm going to do through the end of the year. Previously I was doing weight training 4 times a week and working each body part once per week, but hit it hard with at least 4 different lifts in each session. I now realize that this was a bit too ambitious for my current fitness level. I have been reading Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle (which is a great book by the way, very informative), and he recommends that you have at least a year of solid weight training experience before doing the 3 or 4 day split that I was doing. Thankfully the book has templates for beginning, intermediate, and advanced lifting routines, so I borrowed one of the intermediate level routines that should help me build good muscle without stressing my body too much (or injuring myself). My new workout is as follows:
3 sets of each exercise, 8-12 repetitions (excluding abs and calves, do 15-25 reps each set).
2 different lifts per muscle group.
Mon, Thurs:
Chest: Flat bench, incline flys
Shoulders: DB shoulder press, DB side lateral raise
Triceps: Tricep pushdowns, overhead tricep extensions
Abs: Crunches, Reverse Crunches (or weighted crunches)
Tues, Sat:
Legs: Leg Press machine, Leg extension machine, Lying Leg Curl
Back: Low back extension/hyperextension, Pull-ups or lat pulldowns, Seated Cable Rows (or Bent-over Barbell Rows)
Biceps: Barbell curl, Seated alternating dumbbell curl
Calves: Standing Calf Machine, Seated Calf Machine
I think this is a more reasonable approach than the one I was taking. I'm going to follow this through January 1st (I may substitute different types of lifts for the same body parts, but the basic routine will stay the same) and judge whether I need to adjust to a new program or continue with the current one.
I got my myotape the other day, but I left the measurements at home. I should be getting my camera today, so I hope to post pictures and measurements by tomorrow. Also, it turns out I don't have pink eye, it was just irritated (why, I'm not sure). Seems to be all better today, thank God.
5-day average: 228.9
It looks like I'm finally starting to see some pounds drop. 2 weeks ago I was fluctuating pretty steadily between 230 and 234 lbs. Now I seem to be going between 226 and 230, so that tells me that at least the range of weight is going down.
I have a new workout routine that I'm going to do through the end of the year. Previously I was doing weight training 4 times a week and working each body part once per week, but hit it hard with at least 4 different lifts in each session. I now realize that this was a bit too ambitious for my current fitness level. I have been reading Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle (which is a great book by the way, very informative), and he recommends that you have at least a year of solid weight training experience before doing the 3 or 4 day split that I was doing. Thankfully the book has templates for beginning, intermediate, and advanced lifting routines, so I borrowed one of the intermediate level routines that should help me build good muscle without stressing my body too much (or injuring myself). My new workout is as follows:
3 sets of each exercise, 8-12 repetitions (excluding abs and calves, do 15-25 reps each set).
2 different lifts per muscle group.
Mon, Thurs:
Chest: Flat bench, incline flys
Shoulders: DB shoulder press, DB side lateral raise
Triceps: Tricep pushdowns, overhead tricep extensions
Abs: Crunches, Reverse Crunches (or weighted crunches)
Tues, Sat:
Legs: Leg Press machine, Leg extension machine, Lying Leg Curl
Back: Low back extension/hyperextension, Pull-ups or lat pulldowns, Seated Cable Rows (or Bent-over Barbell Rows)
Biceps: Barbell curl, Seated alternating dumbbell curl
Calves: Standing Calf Machine, Seated Calf Machine
I think this is a more reasonable approach than the one I was taking. I'm going to follow this through January 1st (I may substitute different types of lifts for the same body parts, but the basic routine will stay the same) and judge whether I need to adjust to a new program or continue with the current one.
I got my myotape the other day, but I left the measurements at home. I should be getting my camera today, so I hope to post pictures and measurements by tomorrow. Also, it turns out I don't have pink eye, it was just irritated (why, I'm not sure). Seems to be all better today, thank God.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Uh-oh
Today's Weigh-in: 230.0 lbs.
5-day Average: 229.05
I've started using the 5-day average as my official weight, so I'm down a pound :-)
Bad news is, I seem to have developed pink-eye. My right eye is all swollen and gross, and I think it's spreading to my left eye as well. I'm going to go to the urgent care center tonight and get some antibiotics, so I'm hoping it won't interfere with my workout schedule (although I may have to workout at home, since I don't think it would be very nice of me to spread it all around the gym). I actually think the gym is probably where I got it from, by wiping my face with my workout towel after it touched the equipment. I'll have to be more careful about that.
I know I said I would have pictures up yesterday, but I still have not received my new camera in the mail. The UPS estimate says I should get it on Thursday, so hopefully Thursday night or Friday I will have pictures (and measurements) up.
5-day Average: 229.05
I've started using the 5-day average as my official weight, so I'm down a pound :-)
Bad news is, I seem to have developed pink-eye. My right eye is all swollen and gross, and I think it's spreading to my left eye as well. I'm going to go to the urgent care center tonight and get some antibiotics, so I'm hoping it won't interfere with my workout schedule (although I may have to workout at home, since I don't think it would be very nice of me to spread it all around the gym). I actually think the gym is probably where I got it from, by wiping my face with my workout towel after it touched the equipment. I'll have to be more careful about that.
I know I said I would have pictures up yesterday, but I still have not received my new camera in the mail. The UPS estimate says I should get it on Thursday, so hopefully Thursday night or Friday I will have pictures (and measurements) up.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Weekends are killing me
Today's weigh-in: 230.8 lbs.
I think the weekends are what's keeping me from making progress on the scale. During the week it's relatively easy for me to eat correctly, since I make my food in the morning, take it to work, and eat only what I've brought. I also tally my calories using Spark People's calorie database, so I'm usually fairly confident as to how much I've eaten. On the weekends, however, my schedule is inconsistent, I sort of eat whenever I'm hungry (which usually means I'm not eating smaller, more frequent meals). We also tend to have a lot of barbecues and parties at my apartment, which don't provide the most nutritious things in the world. Alcohol is always involved as well, which is something I need to cut back on if I want to drop the pounds. My goal for this next weekend is to not fall into these nutritional traps, and to keep myself on a sane schedule (this past Friday night I didn't go to sleep until 6:30 AM) so I get enough rest and have plenty of time to plan my meals and my workouts.
One good thing about the weekends is that I'm not too pressed for time, and I can put in a really good workout on Saturdays. This Saturday was great, and I'm still sore in my chest and triceps. I will be doing cardio today, along with some light resistance training. Tomorrow is my leg day, which includes squats, deadlifts, and power cleans. Fun :-)
I think the weekends are what's keeping me from making progress on the scale. During the week it's relatively easy for me to eat correctly, since I make my food in the morning, take it to work, and eat only what I've brought. I also tally my calories using Spark People's calorie database, so I'm usually fairly confident as to how much I've eaten. On the weekends, however, my schedule is inconsistent, I sort of eat whenever I'm hungry (which usually means I'm not eating smaller, more frequent meals). We also tend to have a lot of barbecues and parties at my apartment, which don't provide the most nutritious things in the world. Alcohol is always involved as well, which is something I need to cut back on if I want to drop the pounds. My goal for this next weekend is to not fall into these nutritional traps, and to keep myself on a sane schedule (this past Friday night I didn't go to sleep until 6:30 AM) so I get enough rest and have plenty of time to plan my meals and my workouts.
One good thing about the weekends is that I'm not too pressed for time, and I can put in a really good workout on Saturdays. This Saturday was great, and I'm still sore in my chest and triceps. I will be doing cardio today, along with some light resistance training. Tomorrow is my leg day, which includes squats, deadlifts, and power cleans. Fun :-)
Friday, November 9, 2007
Feeling better
Today's weigh-in: 229.2 lbs.
Weight seems to be back in the normal area today. I think I might stop doing daily weigh-ins, as they seem to discourage me, even though I know daily fluctuations are to be expected. But on the other hand, the daily weigh-in keeps me accountable to myself. So I don't know what I will do.
I didn't get to workout yesterday because I had a meeting, so that sucks, and I won't be able to get to the gym today either. Oh well, I'll just go tomorrow and Sunday to make up for it (I usually only go on Saturday).
My eating has been really good today, even though I did have a big breakfast. Still on track to stay within my calories. I ordered a MyoTape so I can take consistent measurements of my body, that should arrive next week, as should my camera, so I can get a decent "before" picture up. I hope to have the picture and measurements up Monday night.
Weight seems to be back in the normal area today. I think I might stop doing daily weigh-ins, as they seem to discourage me, even though I know daily fluctuations are to be expected. But on the other hand, the daily weigh-in keeps me accountable to myself. So I don't know what I will do.
I didn't get to workout yesterday because I had a meeting, so that sucks, and I won't be able to get to the gym today either. Oh well, I'll just go tomorrow and Sunday to make up for it (I usually only go on Saturday).
My eating has been really good today, even though I did have a big breakfast. Still on track to stay within my calories. I ordered a MyoTape so I can take consistent measurements of my body, that should arrive next week, as should my camera, so I can get a decent "before" picture up. I hope to have the picture and measurements up Monday night.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
This sucks
Today's weigh-in: 232.8 lbs.
This sucks. I've been eating well and exercising for a month now, and I have not lost a single pound. It's incredibly frustrating to bust your butt at the gym only to see no (measurable) benefit. I feel stronger and have more energy, but I want to be less fat, dangit! I'm trying to hit 215 by the end of the year, but at the rate things are moving I don't see how that's going to happen. Maybe my body will reach its muscle-gaining limit and will just start burning up the fat. Not that I don't want to gain muscle, but I would rather lose fat, and then worry about the muscle later (I know more muscle=more metabolism=more fat loss, but I'm venting).
Usually at the beginning most people lose a bunch of weight, but me? Nada. Well I'm gonna keep at it and hopefully kickstart my body. What I've decided to do is get a tape measure, and do a weekly measurement and picture session. Then I will put my weight, measurements, and picture either up on the blog or in a binder (probably both, actually) so I can visually see my results. That should help me to not feel down (or to motivate me to kick it into gear if I'm not getting the results I want).
This sucks. I've been eating well and exercising for a month now, and I have not lost a single pound. It's incredibly frustrating to bust your butt at the gym only to see no (measurable) benefit. I feel stronger and have more energy, but I want to be less fat, dangit! I'm trying to hit 215 by the end of the year, but at the rate things are moving I don't see how that's going to happen. Maybe my body will reach its muscle-gaining limit and will just start burning up the fat. Not that I don't want to gain muscle, but I would rather lose fat, and then worry about the muscle later (I know more muscle=more metabolism=more fat loss, but I'm venting).
Usually at the beginning most people lose a bunch of weight, but me? Nada. Well I'm gonna keep at it and hopefully kickstart my body. What I've decided to do is get a tape measure, and do a weekly measurement and picture session. Then I will put my weight, measurements, and picture either up on the blog or in a binder (probably both, actually) so I can visually see my results. That should help me to not feel down (or to motivate me to kick it into gear if I'm not getting the results I want).
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Hello world
Hello everyone. My name is Geoff, and I've created this blog so that I can keep track of my fitness goals and share my progress with the world. I have my own web site, but the hosting I have is terrible and blogger is more integrated anyway.
To tell you a bit about myself, I am a 24 year old software engineer from southern California. I am also overweight, to the point where my doctor has warned me that I need to lose weight or be placed on blood-pressure medication. Let me reiterate: I'm only 24 years old. So it's time for me to lose some of this fat. I am 5'10" tall, and am currently 230 pounds, 27.3% body fat (as calculated by a BIA machine). My goal is 175 lbs. My ultimate goal is 10-12% body fat, at whatever weight I need to be.
I have been working out and eating clean for about a month now, so I'm not starting from the very beginning here, but pretty close to it. Unfortunately I don't have a starting photo, as I'm waiting for my new camera to be delivered, but I will have one up as soon as I get that. I will also take some measurements tonight (the most recent ones I have are about a month old, so I can compare those as well).
Currently I go to the gym 4 times a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday). I do 30 minutes of cardio, and then 30-45 minutes of weight training. I like to hit a different body part set each day, with 3-4 different exercises per part, and 2-3 sets for each exercise. I track my calories daily, and try to keep them under 2200, with a 50/30/20 macronutrient split (50% of calories from carbs, 30% from protein, 20% from fats). I'm tweaking my diet to hit this, since as of late I've been high on the fats and low on the carbs.
I'm learning as I go, and hopefully I will learn enough and stay diligent to accomplish this task I have set before me.
To tell you a bit about myself, I am a 24 year old software engineer from southern California. I am also overweight, to the point where my doctor has warned me that I need to lose weight or be placed on blood-pressure medication. Let me reiterate: I'm only 24 years old. So it's time for me to lose some of this fat. I am 5'10" tall, and am currently 230 pounds, 27.3% body fat (as calculated by a BIA machine). My goal is 175 lbs. My ultimate goal is 10-12% body fat, at whatever weight I need to be.
I have been working out and eating clean for about a month now, so I'm not starting from the very beginning here, but pretty close to it. Unfortunately I don't have a starting photo, as I'm waiting for my new camera to be delivered, but I will have one up as soon as I get that. I will also take some measurements tonight (the most recent ones I have are about a month old, so I can compare those as well).
Currently I go to the gym 4 times a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday). I do 30 minutes of cardio, and then 30-45 minutes of weight training. I like to hit a different body part set each day, with 3-4 different exercises per part, and 2-3 sets for each exercise. I track my calories daily, and try to keep them under 2200, with a 50/30/20 macronutrient split (50% of calories from carbs, 30% from protein, 20% from fats). I'm tweaking my diet to hit this, since as of late I've been high on the fats and low on the carbs.
I'm learning as I go, and hopefully I will learn enough and stay diligent to accomplish this task I have set before me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)