Today's Weigh-In: 206.4 lbs.
5-Day Average: 207.6 lbs.
Hello everyone. Sorry about the lack of posting this week. I've been pretty busy with work and personal life and just haven't had the time. Let me recap the past few days.
Friday I got my 4th workout of last week in, and then I had my cheat meal right afterward. Saturday was really good as far as eating goes. No workout, but stayed plenty active and walked a lot. Sunday I went to an amusement park (Six Flags Magic Mountain), so my activity level was very high. My food intake, however, was not very good. I helped myself to quite a few Doritos, some candy, and a non-diet soda. All the walking probably balanced it out, but I shouldn't have let that happen. Monday I was back on the diet train, and hit another workout. I started having a lot of stomach pain and nausea yesterday, so I actually ended up under-eating, and I didn't get to work out either. My stomach still hurts a little bit today but not nearly as bad as it did yesterday, so I'm hoping I'll feel well enough to get a workout in today.
The weight isn't dropping as quickly as I would have liked, unfortunately. I've been pretty darn good about my calorie intake and exercise, so I would have expected it to drop at least a bit by now. I've just gotta remember that it's all about seeing loss on a long-term scale, not necessarily having a great weigh-in every day. Eventually I'll start seeing 205s and 204s, and my average will start to drop. I've been there before, and I need to just remember that if I'm consistent there's nothing my body can do except drop the fat.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
4 days in
Today's Weigh-In: 208.0 lbs.
4-Day Average: 207.4 lbs.
My weigh-ins are up a bit since Tuesday, but I'm not worried because I know I've been 100% spot-on with nutrition, exercise, supplementation, and sleep this week. I've consumed right around 2000 calories each day, I've gotten 3 workouts in so far, I've taken my vitamins, fiber, and fish oil religiously, and I've gotten at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Along with my fish oil and fiber supplementation I've added creatine back into the fold. I'm guessing that a combination of retained water from the creatine supplementation and some stomach contents are what are keeping the weight a bit higher than I'd expect.
Warning: poop talk ahead. You've been warned.
As I commented on Billy's blog yesterday I noted that the first day of clean eating I purged my bowels 3 times, which is probably why I got down to 205 on Tuesday. But even though I've been supplementing with fiber and eating quite a bit of fruit and vegetables I haven't very regular since then. I know it will take a bit of time for my body to optimally process the new kinds of food that I'm giving it, so I'm not worried, but it's something to note. It probably also has to do with the fact that I'm simply eating less food, so there's not as much waste being created. I'll just keep my fiber intake high and wait it out.
End poop talk
My workouts have been really good this week. I already feel my body adapting positively to the high intensity workouts. I'm sore like crazy, but I haven't felt like I'm going to puke or pass out during the workouts. I'm taking a rest day today and I will be back into it tomorrow.
I ordered some Vibram Five Fingers and I received them yesterday. I got the black KSO model. They look funny, and it's weird to have to fit each toe individually into its own compartment, but they're really cool and quite comfortable. I plan on using them for barefoot running (mainly on sand and grass, concrete is a bit too hard for the normal human foot), gymnastics work, weight lifting, and any other activity where I can get away with wearing them. One of the main reasons I bought them is that I've always had a bit of pain in my heels caused by the way I walk (incorrectly). It's bothered me so much that I started wearing heel and arch support insoles in my normal shoes a few years ago. But I've been researching information about how humans naturally walk without shoes, and I think that if I can train myself to walk correctly (without the hard heel strike that we all tend to do when wearing shoes) I can rid myself of this pain and strengthen my feet and legs. I'll keep you posted on whether or not it works.
That's it for me, hope everyone else is doing well this week.
4-Day Average: 207.4 lbs.
My weigh-ins are up a bit since Tuesday, but I'm not worried because I know I've been 100% spot-on with nutrition, exercise, supplementation, and sleep this week. I've consumed right around 2000 calories each day, I've gotten 3 workouts in so far, I've taken my vitamins, fiber, and fish oil religiously, and I've gotten at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Along with my fish oil and fiber supplementation I've added creatine back into the fold. I'm guessing that a combination of retained water from the creatine supplementation and some stomach contents are what are keeping the weight a bit higher than I'd expect.
Warning: poop talk ahead. You've been warned.
As I commented on Billy's blog yesterday I noted that the first day of clean eating I purged my bowels 3 times, which is probably why I got down to 205 on Tuesday. But even though I've been supplementing with fiber and eating quite a bit of fruit and vegetables I haven't very regular since then. I know it will take a bit of time for my body to optimally process the new kinds of food that I'm giving it, so I'm not worried, but it's something to note. It probably also has to do with the fact that I'm simply eating less food, so there's not as much waste being created. I'll just keep my fiber intake high and wait it out.
End poop talk
My workouts have been really good this week. I already feel my body adapting positively to the high intensity workouts. I'm sore like crazy, but I haven't felt like I'm going to puke or pass out during the workouts. I'm taking a rest day today and I will be back into it tomorrow.
I ordered some Vibram Five Fingers and I received them yesterday. I got the black KSO model. They look funny, and it's weird to have to fit each toe individually into its own compartment, but they're really cool and quite comfortable. I plan on using them for barefoot running (mainly on sand and grass, concrete is a bit too hard for the normal human foot), gymnastics work, weight lifting, and any other activity where I can get away with wearing them. One of the main reasons I bought them is that I've always had a bit of pain in my heels caused by the way I walk (incorrectly). It's bothered me so much that I started wearing heel and arch support insoles in my normal shoes a few years ago. But I've been researching information about how humans naturally walk without shoes, and I think that if I can train myself to walk correctly (without the hard heel strike that we all tend to do when wearing shoes) I can rid myself of this pain and strengthen my feet and legs. I'll keep you posted on whether or not it works.
That's it for me, hope everyone else is doing well this week.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Starting day 2
Today's Weigh-In: 205.6 lbs.
My weight is back down where I expected it to be this morning, which made me breathe a sigh of relief. I really didn't want to have to try to lose 9 pounds in a month instead of 6. So far I've started out my day with a healthy breakfast, and I've got my lunch and snack packed and ready to go. I'll be doing another workout tonight, then I'll be visiting my girlfriend. Not sure what we'll be doing for dinner but I'll make sure that it's something that fits into my dietary requirements (probably El Pollo Loco chicken).
I've been getting up much earlier than normal to make sure I have time to get into the gym after work, and I actually feel pretty good about it. I went to bed at 10:30 last night and woke up at 7:30 today. I slept great, probably due to the lack of alcohol in my system. I'm looking forward to more positive changes like these in my life this month. I don't have my measurements with me (I'm at work) but I'll try to post them either tonight or tomorrow.
My weight is back down where I expected it to be this morning, which made me breathe a sigh of relief. I really didn't want to have to try to lose 9 pounds in a month instead of 6. So far I've started out my day with a healthy breakfast, and I've got my lunch and snack packed and ready to go. I'll be doing another workout tonight, then I'll be visiting my girlfriend. Not sure what we'll be doing for dinner but I'll make sure that it's something that fits into my dietary requirements (probably El Pollo Loco chicken).
I've been getting up much earlier than normal to make sure I have time to get into the gym after work, and I actually feel pretty good about it. I went to bed at 10:30 last night and woke up at 7:30 today. I slept great, probably due to the lack of alcohol in my system. I'm looking forward to more positive changes like these in my life this month. I don't have my measurements with me (I'm at work) but I'll try to post them either tonight or tomorrow.
Monday, June 1, 2009
First day: done
Today's Weigh-In: 209.8 lbs.
So today was the first day of my hard routine, and I've gotta say I've done perfectly so far. I ate exactly 16 blocks of food, but I chose higher fat protein sources to make sure I don't get under 2000 calories. If I do that then I end up not recovering from my workouts and start feeling run-down. Between 2000 and 2200 calories per day is the perfect range for me to lose weight and still perform well. My meals consisted of bacon, eggs, and an English muffin for breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch, protein powder and an orange for snack #1, crackers and kippered herring for snack 2, and steak with onions and mushrooms for dinner, with some watermelon for dessert. I'm still a bit hungry, but it's that good hungry feeling that makes me know that I'm doing something effective.
I did a gnarly workout at Crossfit 714 which included lots of cleans and pull-ups. I'm writing this 2.5 hours after I finished and I still can't stop sweating, and it's not particularly hot here. I didn't think I was going to be able to finish, but I found that second wind that I remember so fondly but had forgotten as of late and finished as strong as I could.
Haven't touched a drop of alcohol today. This is the first day in 4 months that I haven't had any (since my fast in January), and I thought it would be harder. I actually feel great right now. My drive is very strong today, and I can only hope that I can keep it up.
My weigh-in today was taken this evening, after dinner, since I forgot to do it this morning, so it's a bit higher than it would be in the morning. Also, as promised, current pictures, taken yesterday:
Back:
Side:
Front:
So there you are. I also took measurements, but I'll post them later because this post is long enough as it is.
UPDATE: Here are my measurements, as of 5/31/09, for posterity's sake.
Biceps: 14.5"
Waist (flexed): 38"
Waist (relaxed): 40.25"
Chest (flexed): 44.25"
Chest (relaxed): 42"
Thighs: 25.25"
Calved: 15.75"
Neck: 16.5"
Hips: 38"
So today was the first day of my hard routine, and I've gotta say I've done perfectly so far. I ate exactly 16 blocks of food, but I chose higher fat protein sources to make sure I don't get under 2000 calories. If I do that then I end up not recovering from my workouts and start feeling run-down. Between 2000 and 2200 calories per day is the perfect range for me to lose weight and still perform well. My meals consisted of bacon, eggs, and an English muffin for breakfast, a turkey sandwich for lunch, protein powder and an orange for snack #1, crackers and kippered herring for snack 2, and steak with onions and mushrooms for dinner, with some watermelon for dessert. I'm still a bit hungry, but it's that good hungry feeling that makes me know that I'm doing something effective.
I did a gnarly workout at Crossfit 714 which included lots of cleans and pull-ups. I'm writing this 2.5 hours after I finished and I still can't stop sweating, and it's not particularly hot here. I didn't think I was going to be able to finish, but I found that second wind that I remember so fondly but had forgotten as of late and finished as strong as I could.
Haven't touched a drop of alcohol today. This is the first day in 4 months that I haven't had any (since my fast in January), and I thought it would be harder. I actually feel great right now. My drive is very strong today, and I can only hope that I can keep it up.
My weigh-in today was taken this evening, after dinner, since I forgot to do it this morning, so it's a bit higher than it would be in the morning. Also, as promised, current pictures, taken yesterday:
Back:
Side:
Front:
So there you are. I also took measurements, but I'll post them later because this post is long enough as it is.
UPDATE: Here are my measurements, as of 5/31/09, for posterity's sake.
Biceps: 14.5"
Waist (flexed): 38"
Waist (relaxed): 40.25"
Chest (flexed): 44.25"
Chest (relaxed): 42"
Thighs: 25.25"
Calved: 15.75"
Neck: 16.5"
Hips: 38"
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Hard Routine
Beginning June 1st I will be attempting something called a Hard Routine. What this means is that I have a certain list of goals and restrictions that I will follow for the entire month with no cheating. It's basically a "trial by fire" experience designed to strengthen one's willpower and to get them used to doing things that they are not currently doing (or to break some bad habits). I think this is something that I really need to get the fire going again in my fitness life, as right now it's just a pile of smoldering embers. If I can get back in the routine of consistently getting into the gym, eating clean, and blogging then I know I can get back on track and keep that momentum for a while. So here are my goals for the month of June:
- No Alcohol - This one is very important, because I know I consume a lot of empty calories in alcohol.
- At least 4 workouts per week - This is the optimal amount of training for me to allow for weight-loss and recovery. If I can manage an additional workout it will probably be something I come up with that's both fun and challenging.
- Weigh-in every day and record - Just to get back in the habit.
- Take body measurements before and after - To have an objective measurement of progress.
- Record all workouts on beyondthewhiteboard.com - So I can compare my results when I repeat them in the future as another empirical measurement.
- Get under 200 pounds - Totally doable with this plan.
- Take weekly progress pictures each Sunday - It's been a while since I've done this, and I want some visual evidence to help keep me motivated.
- Strict Zone diet @ 16 blocks - This has worked well for me in the past, and it's not terribly difficult. It just takes a few extra seconds of weighing and measuring everything I put in my mouth.
- Practice pull-ups daily - Goal is to get 5 dead-hangs by the end of the month (currently at around 3).
- 1 cheat meal per week - This allows a little bit of something to look forward to each week so I don't completely burn out mentally. This has also worked well for me in the past.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Back from vacation
No weigh-in today, but I weighed in at 204.9 on Tuesday and 204.2 yesterday, so I'm finally headed in the right direction again. I've been pretty good with tracking my food and not mindlessly snacking like I am wont to do at night. Even healthy snacks can put you over on your daily calorie needs.
My fishing trip was a lot of fun. I only caught one fish, but it was great to get away from civilization with all the congestion, pollution, and stress that it brings. The weather was amazing, in the low 80s every day with a nice breeze, extremely blue skies, and it was nice and dry so it didn't even feel as hot as it was. The creek water was about 45 degrees, and I was using some thin hip-waders, so that kept me nice and cool.
My dad loves to cook, so he cooked all the food we had during those 4 days. We actually ate very healthy, except for the many, many beers consumed. They were light beers, though, and we were extremely active, so we burned those off pretty easily. All in all it was a good time.
I found a new Crossfit gym which is pretty close to my work and my girlfriend's house, and their prices are very reasonable (with a couples discount to boot) so I'm going to go check them out next week and see if it's a good fit for us. The globo-gym scene is really starting to bother both of us, so it will be nice to start working out in a real CF gym again.
My fishing trip was a lot of fun. I only caught one fish, but it was great to get away from civilization with all the congestion, pollution, and stress that it brings. The weather was amazing, in the low 80s every day with a nice breeze, extremely blue skies, and it was nice and dry so it didn't even feel as hot as it was. The creek water was about 45 degrees, and I was using some thin hip-waders, so that kept me nice and cool.
My dad loves to cook, so he cooked all the food we had during those 4 days. We actually ate very healthy, except for the many, many beers consumed. They were light beers, though, and we were extremely active, so we burned those off pretty easily. All in all it was a good time.
I found a new Crossfit gym which is pretty close to my work and my girlfriend's house, and their prices are very reasonable (with a couples discount to boot) so I'm going to go check them out next week and see if it's a good fit for us. The globo-gym scene is really starting to bother both of us, so it will be nice to start working out in a real CF gym again.
Monday, May 11, 2009
I'm still alive!
5-day average: 207.1 lbs.
Hey everyone! I know it's been a while since my last post, so I'll try to bring you up to date on where I am.
The new routine has been a bit spotty so far. I've been getting 2-3 workouts in a week, but my girlfriend got sick for almost 2 weeks so she hasn't been in the gym since then. I've been playing with my gymnastics rings quite a bit, and they're really fun. Just doing simple things like skin-the-cats and attempting back levers really works the shoulders and core muscles, and my abs are killing me today from working out with them on Saturday.
My eating has been pretty crappy. It's the whole weekend thing, still. I eat fine Monday through Thursday and then blow it Friday through Sunday, even though I'm home more and could just take the time to cook. I think there are a couple of reason why I choose the easy route of convenience foods. First, I'm usually running low on food in my fridge and cupboards by about Friday or Saturday, since I usually go shopping on the weekend. Second, I'm tired by the end of the week and just want to relax. Third, my focus on eating well tends to wane when I'm not on a fixed schedule like I am throughout the week.
I can fix the first issue by going shopping in the middle of the week to restock essentials so I don't run out of anything. I can also try to prepare some food in bulk in the middle of the week as well so I will already have something healthy pre-made for when I don't feel like cooking. The third issue is not an easy one to overcome, so I'll have to think of some tricks for motivating myself a bit better.
My weight is fluctuating between 204 and 208 right now. I want to stabilize it on the lower end of this range and work towards getting under 200 again, so I'm weighing in every day again and keeping the 5-day running average. I'm also doing some intermittent fasting again to help give me a bit of a metabolic advantage (and to keep calories lower).
I am going camping and fishing this Thursday and will be gone all weekend. I plan on bringing my rings with me and creating some fun outdoor workouts. I foresee lots of burpees, ring pull-ups, and lifting of logs in my future :) I'm going shopping for the trip with my dad, so I will try to make sure that we don't get a bunch of garbage food. My dad has been focused on eating healthier lately, and cutting out a lot of bad carbs, so this shouldn't be too much of a problem. And, if we catch anything, we'll have some delicious rainbow trout to feast on. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
Hey everyone! I know it's been a while since my last post, so I'll try to bring you up to date on where I am.
The new routine has been a bit spotty so far. I've been getting 2-3 workouts in a week, but my girlfriend got sick for almost 2 weeks so she hasn't been in the gym since then. I've been playing with my gymnastics rings quite a bit, and they're really fun. Just doing simple things like skin-the-cats and attempting back levers really works the shoulders and core muscles, and my abs are killing me today from working out with them on Saturday.
My eating has been pretty crappy. It's the whole weekend thing, still. I eat fine Monday through Thursday and then blow it Friday through Sunday, even though I'm home more and could just take the time to cook. I think there are a couple of reason why I choose the easy route of convenience foods. First, I'm usually running low on food in my fridge and cupboards by about Friday or Saturday, since I usually go shopping on the weekend. Second, I'm tired by the end of the week and just want to relax. Third, my focus on eating well tends to wane when I'm not on a fixed schedule like I am throughout the week.
I can fix the first issue by going shopping in the middle of the week to restock essentials so I don't run out of anything. I can also try to prepare some food in bulk in the middle of the week as well so I will already have something healthy pre-made for when I don't feel like cooking. The third issue is not an easy one to overcome, so I'll have to think of some tricks for motivating myself a bit better.
My weight is fluctuating between 204 and 208 right now. I want to stabilize it on the lower end of this range and work towards getting under 200 again, so I'm weighing in every day again and keeping the 5-day running average. I'm also doing some intermittent fasting again to help give me a bit of a metabolic advantage (and to keep calories lower).
I am going camping and fishing this Thursday and will be gone all weekend. I plan on bringing my rings with me and creating some fun outdoor workouts. I foresee lots of burpees, ring pull-ups, and lifting of logs in my future :) I'm going shopping for the trip with my dad, so I will try to make sure that we don't get a bunch of garbage food. My dad has been focused on eating healthier lately, and cutting out a lot of bad carbs, so this shouldn't be too much of a problem. And, if we catch anything, we'll have some delicious rainbow trout to feast on. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
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