Its week 52 and exactly 1 year from when I started on this journey. It has flown by and has been one of the best years of my life. I have enjoyed keeping this blog and have had alot of fun looking back at the weeks and seeing how much I have lost and how much I have grown. This blog has been very important to me and has helped to keep me accountable every step of the way.
Recap:
Last year on October 15th, 2010:
I weighed in at 290 lbs. I wore an XXL or an XXXL depending on the cut of the shirt. I wore a size 46 pant and was so out of shape that walking a mile hurt every joint in my legs and lower back. I had sleeping issues and snored. I never felt rested. I was drinking 80-100 oz of Coke Zero a day. I was unhappy with my life and lost all the self confidence and swagger I had.
Today October 15th, 2011
I now weigh 215 lbs. I wear a L/XL shirt depending on the cut. I now wear a size 38 pant and and will soon be in a 36. I can now RUN a mile and then go get a full strength training workout in. My ankles and knees only hurt now if I run more than I should. I now get restful sleep and no longer snore. I now drink the occasional Coke Zero on the weekend or with a night out with friends. I have a new job with a great company and I am loving my life. More importantly I love myself again. I have found my Swag! What a difference a year makes!
I had a goal to lose 100 pounds this year. I fell short of my goal and only lost 75 pounds. I really wanted to meet my goal of a year, but even I have to agree that was fairly aggressive, but not impossible. I am very happy with my progress this far and am really looking forward to continuing my journey. I WILL NOT stop until I have reached my goals. I am not sure how long it will take, but I will get there. I am fully committed to my new lifestyle and plan on living this way for the foreseeable future. I hope that I will be able to lift weights for the rest of my life and continue to keep physical fitness in the forefront of my life and the life of my family.
I really need to thank several people. I have drawn inspiration from so many of them. I first would like to thank my wife, she is amazing and has been so supportive over this last year. In fact she has lost 32 pound so far this year and is looking amazing. It really has been the best year! I also need to thank my good friend Brian Boykin, aka "Big Pappa Pump" for meeting me in the gym every morning at 6am for the last 3.5 months and lifting with me. I would also like to thank my sisters Karrie, and Eilene for letting me pick their brains and for inspiring me, you guys look great! I also would like to thank my Georgia family: Dan Bryant, Melissa Adair, and Angela Martindale... Thank you for being great friends! I love you guys!
This may be the end of my year, but not the end of my journey. I will keep blogging and will post updated photos next week and let you know what else I have been up to. Again, thank you all, if I missed you by name I apologize, but know that I have appreciated every word of encouragement!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
09/26/2011 Week 49 Not much to talk about
So I figured that it would be okay if I skipped a week or two from here on out to my quest for 100 pounds lost. There just wasn't alot to say. I lost another pound doing the same stuff as the week before. Trying to eat a clean diet, lifting 5 days a week, and getting a few cardio sessions in. There really wasn't anything new. In fact this week was much of the same, except I didn't lose any weight. So I guess I will only blog once every other week, unless something great happens or I feel I have something to share other than the same old stuff.
I am down to 3 weeks til I hit my year mark of being on a diet. That year has really flown by and I honestly cant believe I have stuck with it as long as I have. I think this blog had a big part in helping me to keep my accountability. I also cant believe that I am more motivated now than I was a year ago. I really have a made a lifestyle change and a commitment to being better.
Here are the numbers. Week 48 I lost 1 pound and week 49 I didn't lose any, so I am down another pound from my last blog entry. That puts my weight at 217 pounds, down a total of 73. I have 27 more to go to hit 100 lost and 17 more to hit the magic 200 pound mark. I am hoping to lose at least another 2 pounds by week 52 and hit at least 75 lost in the year. I know I wont hit my goal, but at least I am much closer than I was a year ago at this time.
I am starting a no carb/low carb diet for the next 3-4 weeks. I really need to try and jump start some fat loss. I haven't really lost anymore inches around my midsection for a month or so. I really need to get that down if I am going to be successful in this body transformation challenge. I hate going no carb, but I love seeing the results it brings. I will keep you posted.
I would also like to comment about my wife. She joined me on this journey in May and she has lost 28 pounds and is looking so great! I am really proud of her and it is really cool that we can say we have lost 100 pounds together, as a team. I am a lucky guy to have a such a great wife!
I am down to 3 weeks til I hit my year mark of being on a diet. That year has really flown by and I honestly cant believe I have stuck with it as long as I have. I think this blog had a big part in helping me to keep my accountability. I also cant believe that I am more motivated now than I was a year ago. I really have a made a lifestyle change and a commitment to being better.
Here are the numbers. Week 48 I lost 1 pound and week 49 I didn't lose any, so I am down another pound from my last blog entry. That puts my weight at 217 pounds, down a total of 73. I have 27 more to go to hit 100 lost and 17 more to hit the magic 200 pound mark. I am hoping to lose at least another 2 pounds by week 52 and hit at least 75 lost in the year. I know I wont hit my goal, but at least I am much closer than I was a year ago at this time.
I am starting a no carb/low carb diet for the next 3-4 weeks. I really need to try and jump start some fat loss. I haven't really lost anymore inches around my midsection for a month or so. I really need to get that down if I am going to be successful in this body transformation challenge. I hate going no carb, but I love seeing the results it brings. I will keep you posted.
I would also like to comment about my wife. She joined me on this journey in May and she has lost 28 pounds and is looking so great! I am really proud of her and it is really cool that we can say we have lost 100 pounds together, as a team. I am a lucky guy to have a such a great wife!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
09/11/2011 Week 47 God Bless America! 10 years later and we will never forget...
It is week 47 and 09/11. It was one of the most bittersweet days of my life. Here we were, still in the hospital celebrating the birth of our first child, Addisyn (born on 09/10/01) overwhelmed, exhausted and excited to parents. We were awoken the next morning by the nurse telling us to turn on our television. There we sat shocked, both sobbing holding our new born daughter wondering what kind of world our daughter would be raised in. 10 years later and we have a smart, beautiful, caring, and amazing daughter. She is a blessing in our lives and her and her brother Preston (7) have been the best things that have ever happened to us. We are grateful for the brave men and women who have answered the call to protect our Nation and the freedoms that we so richly enjoy.
Week 47 wasn't the most eventful. It was just like so many other. Waking up early, working hard in the gym and battling temptation every day to eat a clean diet. That's my biggest battle these days. Making sure I am eating the proper food at the proper time in the proper ratios to maximize my fat burning and muscle growth. I have some good days and I have some bad days. There are still times that I want to eat everything in site and others where I could care less about eating anything. As much as I like eggs, chicken and steamed veggies I do get tired of it from time to time. I am afraid my food temptation and nutrition is going to be a battle I will fight my whole life. On to the numbers...
I started the week at 219 and ended the week at 218 for a loss of 1lb. for the week. That brings my grand total to 72 lbs lost in 47 weeks putting my weekly average loss at 1.53lbs. I have 28 to go to reach my final goal of 100lbs lost and 18 to get below 200.
Til next week!
Week 47 wasn't the most eventful. It was just like so many other. Waking up early, working hard in the gym and battling temptation every day to eat a clean diet. That's my biggest battle these days. Making sure I am eating the proper food at the proper time in the proper ratios to maximize my fat burning and muscle growth. I have some good days and I have some bad days. There are still times that I want to eat everything in site and others where I could care less about eating anything. As much as I like eggs, chicken and steamed veggies I do get tired of it from time to time. I am afraid my food temptation and nutrition is going to be a battle I will fight my whole life. On to the numbers...
I started the week at 219 and ended the week at 218 for a loss of 1lb. for the week. That brings my grand total to 72 lbs lost in 47 weeks putting my weekly average loss at 1.53lbs. I have 28 to go to reach my final goal of 100lbs lost and 18 to get below 200.
Til next week!
Friday, September 2, 2011
09/02/2011 Week 46 I'm like Benjamin Button, See ya 20's, welcome teens!
6 more weeks til my year mark.Where did the time go? It has gone by so fast! I have really enjoyed the ride!
So I will get to the numbers early this week. Last week I was sitting at 220.0 even and had lost 5lbs in the previous 2 weeks, and hit the 70lbs lost mark. I was really guarding against a letdown this week. I kept me diet clean and didn't miss a workout. I kept my fingers crossed and got on the scale. It was 219.0 I was able to drop another pound. That's 6 pounds in the last 3 weeks. That brings me to a grand total of 71lbs lost and a puts me 29lbs from 100 and 19 from 200. It felt really great to get out of the 220's. I had been stuck and plateaued there for several months. I hope my trip through the teens will be much quicker!
So I will get to the numbers early this week. Last week I was sitting at 220.0 even and had lost 5lbs in the previous 2 weeks, and hit the 70lbs lost mark. I was really guarding against a letdown this week. I kept me diet clean and didn't miss a workout. I kept my fingers crossed and got on the scale. It was 219.0 I was able to drop another pound. That's 6 pounds in the last 3 weeks. That brings me to a grand total of 71lbs lost and a puts me 29lbs from 100 and 19 from 200. It felt really great to get out of the 220's. I had been stuck and plateaued there for several months. I hope my trip through the teens will be much quicker!
Friday, August 26, 2011
08/26/2011 Week 45 It's starting to get a little crazy up in here!
Its been a while since I have had 2 good weigh in's in a row. So I am very excited with the past two weeks, and more so with this week. Its was a big one. I haven't had one of those in a while, so again, pardon the excitement.
I have been very dedicated to my lifting and have been in the gym every morning M-F for the past two weeks. No skipping, dogging it, or sleeping in. I'm getting in, getting focused and getting it done. There is almost no better feeling than walking out of the gym knowing you gave everything you had. It very addicting to say the least. I have to give another big thanks to my boy Brian "Big Papa Pump" Boykin for joining me every morning and helping me to make this happen. I know your reading this... I appreciate all you do brother!
I was looking online at bodybuilder.com for supplements and came across a 12 week body transformation competition being sponsored by MusclePharm called "Live Shredded". It was free to enter and the winner gets 10 grand, so I figured what the heck. I had a friend take my front, side, and back photo's (Thank you again Angela!) I submitted my entry and photos and now have the next 12 weeks to see how much I can change my body shape and try to win 10k. Will I win, who knows, but its worth a shot and it is always nice to have something to keep me motivated, besides, I love the competition. On to the numbers...
I started the week at 223.0 and was coming off a 2.5lb week, I thought there was no way I was going to have another good week. I got on the scale and was 220.0. I lost 3 pounds this week and it brings me to an even 70 pounds down! That's an average loss of 1.55lbs a week. I am now 30 pounds away from my goal of 100 pounds lost and 20 pounds away from cracking the 200 mark on the scale.
Another week down and another begins! Til next week remember this: "Work will win, when wishing wont."
I have been very dedicated to my lifting and have been in the gym every morning M-F for the past two weeks. No skipping, dogging it, or sleeping in. I'm getting in, getting focused and getting it done. There is almost no better feeling than walking out of the gym knowing you gave everything you had. It very addicting to say the least. I have to give another big thanks to my boy Brian "Big Papa Pump" Boykin for joining me every morning and helping me to make this happen. I know your reading this... I appreciate all you do brother!
I was looking online at bodybuilder.com for supplements and came across a 12 week body transformation competition being sponsored by MusclePharm called "Live Shredded". It was free to enter and the winner gets 10 grand, so I figured what the heck. I had a friend take my front, side, and back photo's (Thank you again Angela!) I submitted my entry and photos and now have the next 12 weeks to see how much I can change my body shape and try to win 10k. Will I win, who knows, but its worth a shot and it is always nice to have something to keep me motivated, besides, I love the competition. On to the numbers...
I started the week at 223.0 and was coming off a 2.5lb week, I thought there was no way I was going to have another good week. I got on the scale and was 220.0. I lost 3 pounds this week and it brings me to an even 70 pounds down! That's an average loss of 1.55lbs a week. I am now 30 pounds away from my goal of 100 pounds lost and 20 pounds away from cracking the 200 mark on the scale.
Another week down and another begins! Til next week remember this: "Work will win, when wishing wont."
Friday, August 19, 2011
08/19/2011 Week 44 ...and its about time!
What can I say... This week was as good as last week was bad. What a difference a week makes! I was determined, focused, didn't cheat and worked my tail off in the gym. I went back to a straight calorie count but still trying to eat every 3 hours. I really like the fact that I can cycle between calories and carb cycling. It really has helped in keeping my diet fresh and keeping my body guessing. I also did my 60 day measurements, and while I will keep most of them private I am happy to report that I dropped 3.5% body fat in the last 30 days, and have dropped 4.5% in the last 60 days since I started strength training.
Here is a breakdown of the last 60 days. I have lost 8lbs of body weight while losing 4.5% of my body fat. Based on the LBM (Lean Body Mass) calculator I increased my lean mass from 161 lbs to 167 lbs while dropping my total body weight from 231 to 223. So that a gain of 6 lbs of muscle and a loss of 8 lbs of body weight for a total net change of 14 pounds! In the last 60 days I was able to gain on average of .75 lbs of muscle a week. Most experts say that it is impossible to gain more than 1 lbs a week of muscle unless your on the juice, so I am very pleased with my results. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't want the scale to be the only indicator of my success. The numbers speak for themselves, so while I may have only "lost" 8 pounds in the past 2 months I have reshaped my body and gained muscle and strength. In the word of Charlie Sheen... Winning!
On to the numbers on the scale. I started the week at 225.5 and had gained a pound the previous week. So I was ready to see a loss. I was 223.0 this morning and have a loss of 2.5 lbs this week. That's a total of 67 lbs lost and it puts me 33 pounds from my goal and 23 pounds from breaking the 200's and getting into One-derland. Based on the previous 2 months of training and the numbers I am seeing I guess it could take a little time to get there. I have 8 more weeks til I hit my year mark and although I will not see 100 lbs lost I think getting to 210-215 would be great and give me a loss if 75-80 pounds this year. If I hadn't started putting muscle on I may have been able to get closer to my goal, but I am very pleased with my progress and weight loss.
Til next week, get out there, get active, and keep it moving. If your thinking about changing your life and getting into shape. Don't wait til Monday, start today!
Here is a breakdown of the last 60 days. I have lost 8lbs of body weight while losing 4.5% of my body fat. Based on the LBM (Lean Body Mass) calculator I increased my lean mass from 161 lbs to 167 lbs while dropping my total body weight from 231 to 223. So that a gain of 6 lbs of muscle and a loss of 8 lbs of body weight for a total net change of 14 pounds! In the last 60 days I was able to gain on average of .75 lbs of muscle a week. Most experts say that it is impossible to gain more than 1 lbs a week of muscle unless your on the juice, so I am very pleased with my results. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't want the scale to be the only indicator of my success. The numbers speak for themselves, so while I may have only "lost" 8 pounds in the past 2 months I have reshaped my body and gained muscle and strength. In the word of Charlie Sheen... Winning!
On to the numbers on the scale. I started the week at 225.5 and had gained a pound the previous week. So I was ready to see a loss. I was 223.0 this morning and have a loss of 2.5 lbs this week. That's a total of 67 lbs lost and it puts me 33 pounds from my goal and 23 pounds from breaking the 200's and getting into One-derland. Based on the previous 2 months of training and the numbers I am seeing I guess it could take a little time to get there. I have 8 more weeks til I hit my year mark and although I will not see 100 lbs lost I think getting to 210-215 would be great and give me a loss if 75-80 pounds this year. If I hadn't started putting muscle on I may have been able to get closer to my goal, but I am very pleased with my progress and weight loss.
Til next week, get out there, get active, and keep it moving. If your thinking about changing your life and getting into shape. Don't wait til Monday, start today!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
08/13/2011 Week 43 Not the best week I have ever had...
Week 43 is here regardless of whether I want it to be or not. I guess my post is a little late for the week. I have been making excuses about writing it. You know I have been busy and didn't have time, etc, etc, etc. In truth, I just had a terrible week on the scale. I guess the silver lining is I had a great week in the gym and had some killer workouts.
So my weekend of fun ended in a nightmare. It wasn't that I ate crazy amounts of terrible food, but I didn't drink any water, drank too much diet soda and ate way to many salty snacks. I picked up a serious amount of water weight. I got on the scale on Monday morning and weighed in at 231.8, over 7 pounds from my Friday weigh in. Obviously there is no way I gained real weight. I got back onto plan and started drinking water and had gotten back down to 225.0 by Thursday morning. I was feeling confident I would be able to get back to my weight of 224.5. Then I went to the PGA championships and did not stick to plan. Needless to say I was still at 225.5 as of Friday morning. I gained 1 pound for the week. That puts me at 65 lbs lost and still needing 35 pounds to go to hit the 100 mark. As I said, the silver lining was I had some great gym sessions. I am really loving my workouts and loving the results. I am going to be very diligent in week 44 and will stick to plan as best as I can. No sneaks, no treats and no letting up. Lets see if we can get some results on the scale this week. Wish me luck!
So my weekend of fun ended in a nightmare. It wasn't that I ate crazy amounts of terrible food, but I didn't drink any water, drank too much diet soda and ate way to many salty snacks. I picked up a serious amount of water weight. I got on the scale on Monday morning and weighed in at 231.8, over 7 pounds from my Friday weigh in. Obviously there is no way I gained real weight. I got back onto plan and started drinking water and had gotten back down to 225.0 by Thursday morning. I was feeling confident I would be able to get back to my weight of 224.5. Then I went to the PGA championships and did not stick to plan. Needless to say I was still at 225.5 as of Friday morning. I gained 1 pound for the week. That puts me at 65 lbs lost and still needing 35 pounds to go to hit the 100 mark. As I said, the silver lining was I had some great gym sessions. I am really loving my workouts and loving the results. I am going to be very diligent in week 44 and will stick to plan as best as I can. No sneaks, no treats and no letting up. Lets see if we can get some results on the scale this week. Wish me luck!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
08/06/2011 Week 42 Stay the path...
Another week has come and gone. I wish I had more to report on this week but it has been much of the same. Eating right, waking up early and working hard, going to the Y in the evenings and working out again. I am enjoying my routine, but there isn't a lot of excitement with it.
Last week I started a carb cycle program and had moderate success. I was able to move the scale, and was hoping to continue the same this week. I didn't have as good a week as I had hoped, but there was a loss. I started the week at 225.5. I weighed in at 224.5 this week, it was a loss of 1 pound. That brings my total to 65.5 lost.
I haven't been burning up the scale as of late and have decided to take the weekend off. I will let myself relax, no calorie counting, no carb cycling, just relaxing. I need to give my brain and body a few days off. I will get back to plan on Monday and refocus my efforts. Here's hoping to a big number on week 43!
Til next week...
Last week I started a carb cycle program and had moderate success. I was able to move the scale, and was hoping to continue the same this week. I didn't have as good a week as I had hoped, but there was a loss. I started the week at 225.5. I weighed in at 224.5 this week, it was a loss of 1 pound. That brings my total to 65.5 lost.
I haven't been burning up the scale as of late and have decided to take the weekend off. I will let myself relax, no calorie counting, no carb cycling, just relaxing. I need to give my brain and body a few days off. I will get back to plan on Monday and refocus my efforts. Here's hoping to a big number on week 43!
Til next week...
Friday, July 29, 2011
07/29/2011 Week 41 A little bit of progress goes a long ways emotionally...
Its week 41 and almost August. I cant believe where the time has gone. It seems like just yesterday I started on this journey. It has been a good week on the scale and in the weight room. I love feeling stronger and seeing results. It really is the best motivation. I have also been doing alot of research on nutrition and how to maximize my diet for fat burning, and building muscle. For those of you who don't know, I am a HUGE fan of trainer Chris Powell. Its way past man-crush status. He is the trainer on the show Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. He has been doing weight loss and body transformations for years and has helped one client lose over 400 lbs in 2 years. Obviously he knows a little something about weight loss and fat burning. After some serious research on the Internet I was able to stumble across an article with his plan and YouTube videos. http://www.skinnybliss.com/chris-powell-diet-plan-the-carb-cycle-solution-video.html
I have been stuck on this plateau of mine for about 6 weeks and I was looking for something I could do to get off it and to burn fat. What he talks about really does make sense and really resonated with me. I have been unknowingly living on cycle 1 of the program for the past few months, so I started on cycle 2 this week. I was hoping to see something, anything on the scale. I am past the cravings and the feeling of being out of control with my diet. I have a friend who says food is fuel. That's the truth, its fuel. I'm still trying to enjoy what I eat, but that is taking a backseat to what I eat and when I eat it. I am eating every 3 hours and eating 5 times a day. It is work to make sure you have the right foods packed in a cooler so you have them with you when the timer goes off, but in the end it will be worth it and will get me to my ideal weight and shape. Sacrifice and hard work, there is no other way. So far so good! On to the numbers!
I started the week at 227.2 and really frustrated. By Monday morning I was at 230 and about to lose my mind! I started cycle 2 of the carb cycle solution on Tuesday morning. As of my weigh in this morning I was at 225.5. That's a loss of 1.7 lbs for the week. Its been one of my bigger weeks in the last 2 months. I am now down 64.5 lbs. I am hoping that I can gain some traction with this new plan and lose some more weight and fat!
The weight loss is really good for me emotionally. I know that I have been strength training and gaining muscle, but I get so tired of hearing the whole "Muscle is heavier than fat" thing. Here is the truth behind it.
FACT: Muscle IS heavier than fat.
FICTION: "Fat turns into muscle". Fat and muscle are TWO separate things, fat will never be muscle and muscle will never be fat. Ever.
FICTION: You cannot build more than 1lb of muscle a week naturally. A half pound is more realistic. I don't do steroids, so I will not be seeing 2 lbs a week of muscle gains.
FACT: You can burn 1-2 pounds of fat per week.
I have never been good at math, but I should still be able to lose 1-2 pounds of fat a week and only gain .5 lbs of muscle. So I can lose fat and gain muscle without gaining weight. Its science folks. I should still be losing weight. So YES, losing almost 2 pounds this week was really good for me emotionally. It gives me a new found focus and helps to break out of the discouragement and frustration of this plateau I have been on. It has been mentally draining, and emotionally taxing. Its amazing how a few pounds goes a long ways...
I have been stuck on this plateau of mine for about 6 weeks and I was looking for something I could do to get off it and to burn fat. What he talks about really does make sense and really resonated with me. I have been unknowingly living on cycle 1 of the program for the past few months, so I started on cycle 2 this week. I was hoping to see something, anything on the scale. I am past the cravings and the feeling of being out of control with my diet. I have a friend who says food is fuel. That's the truth, its fuel. I'm still trying to enjoy what I eat, but that is taking a backseat to what I eat and when I eat it. I am eating every 3 hours and eating 5 times a day. It is work to make sure you have the right foods packed in a cooler so you have them with you when the timer goes off, but in the end it will be worth it and will get me to my ideal weight and shape. Sacrifice and hard work, there is no other way. So far so good! On to the numbers!
I started the week at 227.2 and really frustrated. By Monday morning I was at 230 and about to lose my mind! I started cycle 2 of the carb cycle solution on Tuesday morning. As of my weigh in this morning I was at 225.5. That's a loss of 1.7 lbs for the week. Its been one of my bigger weeks in the last 2 months. I am now down 64.5 lbs. I am hoping that I can gain some traction with this new plan and lose some more weight and fat!
The weight loss is really good for me emotionally. I know that I have been strength training and gaining muscle, but I get so tired of hearing the whole "Muscle is heavier than fat" thing. Here is the truth behind it.
FACT: Muscle IS heavier than fat.
FICTION: "Fat turns into muscle". Fat and muscle are TWO separate things, fat will never be muscle and muscle will never be fat. Ever.
FICTION: You cannot build more than 1lb of muscle a week naturally. A half pound is more realistic. I don't do steroids, so I will not be seeing 2 lbs a week of muscle gains.
FACT: You can burn 1-2 pounds of fat per week.
I have never been good at math, but I should still be able to lose 1-2 pounds of fat a week and only gain .5 lbs of muscle. So I can lose fat and gain muscle without gaining weight. Its science folks. I should still be losing weight. So YES, losing almost 2 pounds this week was really good for me emotionally. It gives me a new found focus and helps to break out of the discouragement and frustration of this plateau I have been on. It has been mentally draining, and emotionally taxing. Its amazing how a few pounds goes a long ways...
Friday, July 22, 2011
07/22/2011 Week 40 Updated 30 day pics
Its week 40 and I have 12 weeks to go to hit my year mark. I'm not stopping there, but that will signal the end of my initial goal period to lose 100 pounds in a year. Regardless of the final 1 year weigh in I will still continue my journey until I hit my end goals and get my body to look and feel how I want it to. I'm in this thing for life!
So last week I reported my 30 day numbers. I didn't have my photos ready to post, but I have taken them and had a friend put them side by side so you could do a real comparison. I will post the photo at the bottom of this post. These are not "before" pics as far as when I started my weight loss, but they are photos of when I started my strength training. I had already lost 60 pounds in the pics on the left.
So on to the numbers for the week. I started the week at 227.2 and I ended the week at 227.0 So only a minimal weight loss. I can attribute that to several things. From the photo you will see I am reshaping my body, so by adding muscle I am not going to "net" as much of a loss as before. I also was taking a supplement (N.O. Explode, BSN Labs) that had creatine monohydrate, that type of creatine makes you retain water and therefore you retain water weight, which can effect the scale. I switched supplements (NeuroCore, MuscleTech) this week to something that has creatine hydrochloride, which does not make you retain water, however it will take at least a week for the water I retained to exit my body. So maybe next week I will see a difference. So after that lengthy explanation I am down 63 pounds after 40 weeks, that is an average of 1.395 lbs a week, which is almost a half pound off what I needed to average a week to lose 100 pounds for the year. I am very hopeful that I can come of this plateau soon and that the supplement change will help. I am lifting 4-5 days a week and doing 4-5 cardio sessions a week, so eventually something has to give. Quitting is not an option, so I will keep working and hope for the best!
I appreciate all the support, there is so much sacrifice and dedication that goes into this endeavor. 5:30am strength training, evening cardio, and strict adherence to a nutrition regimen. There are days I want to eat like 100 cheeseburgers, but I don't, and wont. So thanks for help keeping me accountable to myself! Til next week!
So last week I reported my 30 day numbers. I didn't have my photos ready to post, but I have taken them and had a friend put them side by side so you could do a real comparison. I will post the photo at the bottom of this post. These are not "before" pics as far as when I started my weight loss, but they are photos of when I started my strength training. I had already lost 60 pounds in the pics on the left.
So on to the numbers for the week. I started the week at 227.2 and I ended the week at 227.0 So only a minimal weight loss. I can attribute that to several things. From the photo you will see I am reshaping my body, so by adding muscle I am not going to "net" as much of a loss as before. I also was taking a supplement (N.O. Explode, BSN Labs) that had creatine monohydrate, that type of creatine makes you retain water and therefore you retain water weight, which can effect the scale. I switched supplements (NeuroCore, MuscleTech) this week to something that has creatine hydrochloride, which does not make you retain water, however it will take at least a week for the water I retained to exit my body. So maybe next week I will see a difference. So after that lengthy explanation I am down 63 pounds after 40 weeks, that is an average of 1.395 lbs a week, which is almost a half pound off what I needed to average a week to lose 100 pounds for the year. I am very hopeful that I can come of this plateau soon and that the supplement change will help. I am lifting 4-5 days a week and doing 4-5 cardio sessions a week, so eventually something has to give. Quitting is not an option, so I will keep working and hope for the best!
I appreciate all the support, there is so much sacrifice and dedication that goes into this endeavor. 5:30am strength training, evening cardio, and strict adherence to a nutrition regimen. There are days I want to eat like 100 cheeseburgers, but I don't, and wont. So thanks for help keeping me accountable to myself! Til next week!
Pic on the left: June 15th 230lbs
Pic on the right: July 18th 228 lbs
Friday, July 15, 2011
07/15/2011 Week 39 Retest and One month measurements!!!
Hey all, its week 39! I'm down to 13 weeks left to hit my year mark. I have some mixed emotions only because I may miss my goal of 100 pounds lost by October 15th, but we are gonna keep working!
I had to shut down the running this week to rest my knees. I however did not take a break from the cycle. Last week I hit 38 miles on the bike and so far this week I am sitting at 24, with another 15 mile ride planned for Saturday. so that will put me to 39, who knows I may go 16 to make it an even 40 for the week. I got some new cycling shorts with built in gel pads in them. Oh what a difference! My ride last night was heavenly!
So here is the good, bad and ugly of it. I am still on my plateau! I thought I was moving off of it, but I was wrong. As of this morning I was still sitting at 227.2, another week of no weight loss. I am still down 63 pounds and still have 37 pounds to go to hit my goal. I am so confused at this, but I will not quit! All of the cardio and strength training , and nothing to show for it on the scale. I however did retest my body fat percentage last night and remeasured, and that showed some great results!
June 15th/ July 15th/ Difference
Body Fat: 30.30/ 29.40/ - .90%
Neck: 17.5/16.75/ - .75 inches
Chest: 43/46/ + 3 inches
Waist: 41/41/ no change
Hips: 45.5/44/ - 1.5 inches
Thighs: 25/26.5/ + 1.5 inches
Calf's: 15/17/ + 2 inches
Biceps 12.5/14/ + 1.5 inches
Forearm: 9/11.5/ + 2.5 inches
Based on the measurements I know I am reshaping my body. I am gaining inches in my muscles and losing inches of fat in my hips and waist. So although I have not seen the numbers on the scale change, there is positive changes happening. Eventually I will have to start losing weight again, but I am not going to obsess about it. I will just keep trying to mix things up and get proper nutrition and calories, and see where it goes. There really isn't any other alternatives, because I am not going back to being fat, lazy and out of shape.
Til next week, keep it moving!
I had to shut down the running this week to rest my knees. I however did not take a break from the cycle. Last week I hit 38 miles on the bike and so far this week I am sitting at 24, with another 15 mile ride planned for Saturday. so that will put me to 39, who knows I may go 16 to make it an even 40 for the week. I got some new cycling shorts with built in gel pads in them. Oh what a difference! My ride last night was heavenly!
So here is the good, bad and ugly of it. I am still on my plateau! I thought I was moving off of it, but I was wrong. As of this morning I was still sitting at 227.2, another week of no weight loss. I am still down 63 pounds and still have 37 pounds to go to hit my goal. I am so confused at this, but I will not quit! All of the cardio and strength training , and nothing to show for it on the scale. I however did retest my body fat percentage last night and remeasured, and that showed some great results!
June 15th/ July 15th/ Difference
Body Fat: 30.30/ 29.40/ - .90%
Neck: 17.5/16.75/ - .75 inches
Chest: 43/46/ + 3 inches
Waist: 41/41/ no change
Hips: 45.5/44/ - 1.5 inches
Thighs: 25/26.5/ + 1.5 inches
Calf's: 15/17/ + 2 inches
Biceps 12.5/14/ + 1.5 inches
Forearm: 9/11.5/ + 2.5 inches
Based on the measurements I know I am reshaping my body. I am gaining inches in my muscles and losing inches of fat in my hips and waist. So although I have not seen the numbers on the scale change, there is positive changes happening. Eventually I will have to start losing weight again, but I am not going to obsess about it. I will just keep trying to mix things up and get proper nutrition and calories, and see where it goes. There really isn't any other alternatives, because I am not going back to being fat, lazy and out of shape.
Til next week, keep it moving!
Friday, July 8, 2011
07/08/2011 Week 38 ...
It is week 38 and I think I may slowly getting off this plateau I have been on. I have been working hard to zig zag my calories and been very careful with my nutrition. I can only hope I keep seeing the numbers move down!
I started the week at 228.5 and am now down to 227.2, so it wasn't a huge loss, but it is down over 7 pounds from 11 days ago. I am down 62.8 pounds. I only have 37 more to go to hit my 1 year goal of losing 100 pounds. It is getting so close, but feels soooo far away! One step at a time I guess. They say the great wall of china was built one brick at a time, so I guess my situation is no different, one pound at a time and I will eventually get there.
I hit another personal best on my mile time and did it in 10:22 this morning and that was after a heavy leg workout. One of these days soon I will go under 10. This has been a pretty tough week as far as mileage goes. I am sitting at 25 miles on the bike (10 mile and 15 mile rides) and just over 2 miles running. Maybe next week I can get 30, its something to shoot for anyways.
Til next week guys!
I started the week at 228.5 and am now down to 227.2, so it wasn't a huge loss, but it is down over 7 pounds from 11 days ago. I am down 62.8 pounds. I only have 37 more to go to hit my 1 year goal of losing 100 pounds. It is getting so close, but feels soooo far away! One step at a time I guess. They say the great wall of china was built one brick at a time, so I guess my situation is no different, one pound at a time and I will eventually get there.
I hit another personal best on my mile time and did it in 10:22 this morning and that was after a heavy leg workout. One of these days soon I will go under 10. This has been a pretty tough week as far as mileage goes. I am sitting at 25 miles on the bike (10 mile and 15 mile rides) and just over 2 miles running. Maybe next week I can get 30, its something to shoot for anyways.
Til next week guys!
Friday, July 1, 2011
07/01/2011 Week 31 Nothing says the 4th of July like pumping up!
Another week has flown by and it has been eventful! It is getting a lot easier to wake up at 5:30am to get to the gym. I am seeing results and getting stronger. It is worth the lack of sleep. I gotta give a big shout out to my partner is crime Brian "Big Papa Pump" Boykin. He has been keeping me honest and working me into the ground. I forgot how much I loved it!
I ran my simulated 5k on Saturday morning and had a time of 36:53, that's a pace of 11:55 a mile. I also had a speed workout this week and beat my previous mile time and went under 11:30. I am hoping to get it around 10:00 a mile by Duathlon time. I have had a little stiffness in the knees this week and cut my running from 4 days to 3 days, and still ice religiously. I need to work into and slow it down. I don't need to be shelved for another 3 months for tendinitis!
So I figured I had been on a plateau for a few weeks and did some research on how to break one or get off one. I went over calories on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and by Monday morning I had gained 3.8 pounds. I then cut my calories each day until this morning. I lost 5 pounds from the Monday weigh in and am hoping that I can say adios to this plateau. I am going to be doing something called "zig zaging" my calories. Your body gets used to the same amount of calories everyday and then adapts. I need to keep it guessing so it cant get comfortable. I will still be eating around 13,000 calories a week, but I will be eating over 2000 someday and around 1300 on others. I don't want to get back into a predictable pattern until I have gotten past this plateau. So on to the numbers!
I started the week at 230.0 and by Monday was up to 233.8. As of weigh in this morning I was 228.5 and down 1.5 pounds for the week bringing my total lost to 61.5. I still have 38.5 to lose before October 15th to hit my goal. I am hoping with the added strength training and cardio along with keeping my body guessing I will be back to my 2-3 pounds a week and will be back on pace in no time!
I have added a few races to my schedule and will now be running my first official 5k on July 23rd. I will still be racing the Y 5k on August 13th and then the Dualathlon on August 27th. I am then targeting November 5th for the "Rock and Roll" Half marathon in Savannah. I am hopeful that my knees will hold up and I can train. This is a very lofty target, but I really want to put it out there and see if I can get there.
I hope everyone has a safe and Happy 4th of July. God Bless America!
I ran my simulated 5k on Saturday morning and had a time of 36:53, that's a pace of 11:55 a mile. I also had a speed workout this week and beat my previous mile time and went under 11:30. I am hoping to get it around 10:00 a mile by Duathlon time. I have had a little stiffness in the knees this week and cut my running from 4 days to 3 days, and still ice religiously. I need to work into and slow it down. I don't need to be shelved for another 3 months for tendinitis!
So I figured I had been on a plateau for a few weeks and did some research on how to break one or get off one. I went over calories on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and by Monday morning I had gained 3.8 pounds. I then cut my calories each day until this morning. I lost 5 pounds from the Monday weigh in and am hoping that I can say adios to this plateau. I am going to be doing something called "zig zaging" my calories. Your body gets used to the same amount of calories everyday and then adapts. I need to keep it guessing so it cant get comfortable. I will still be eating around 13,000 calories a week, but I will be eating over 2000 someday and around 1300 on others. I don't want to get back into a predictable pattern until I have gotten past this plateau. So on to the numbers!
I started the week at 230.0 and by Monday was up to 233.8. As of weigh in this morning I was 228.5 and down 1.5 pounds for the week bringing my total lost to 61.5. I still have 38.5 to lose before October 15th to hit my goal. I am hoping with the added strength training and cardio along with keeping my body guessing I will be back to my 2-3 pounds a week and will be back on pace in no time!
I have added a few races to my schedule and will now be running my first official 5k on July 23rd. I will still be racing the Y 5k on August 13th and then the Dualathlon on August 27th. I am then targeting November 5th for the "Rock and Roll" Half marathon in Savannah. I am hopeful that my knees will hold up and I can train. This is a very lofty target, but I really want to put it out there and see if I can get there.
I hope everyone has a safe and Happy 4th of July. God Bless America!
Friday, June 24, 2011
06/24/2011 Week 36 This cant be right... There is no explanation!
Alright guys its been another week of brutal morning workouts and evening runs and rides! I am feeling good and more importantly there is NO knee pain. My brother in law is a Chiropractor and he mentioned a few months ago that it may be tendinitis and I needed to stop activity and ice it. Well I did what he said and the pain is gone. I have also lost almost 40 pounds since the injury so I think the rest, ice and weight loss have all contributed to the health of my knee. I need to make sure I don't go too hard to0 early to make sure that it stays that way. I still regularly ice my knees after runs as a precaution, so I am hoping I am in the clear.
I managed to get several training runs in this week and had my first training bike ride. I was really excited to run my fastest mile since I have been training. I then followed the next mile up with another mile under 12:00 minutes! I am really hoping to get my average down to about 9 minutes before the Tri. I have managed to run about 6 miles so far this week, biked 5.5 miles, and swam 1500 meters. I have another ride this afternoon and will probably try to stretch that one out to about 10 miles. I am also running a trial 5k tomorrow morning to establish a baseline time to work against. So for the week I will be over 24 miles of total distance! On to the numbers!!!
So now that I have got the good news out of the way, here is the bad. After all that I did this week. 3 days of lifting and almost 12 miles covered, I lost a whole .6 pounds! That's right, I basically lost nothing this week. Last week 230, current weight 229.4. Total lost 60.6 pounds. I cant explain it. I have been diligent with my diet and have been keeping under my calorie counts every day. I also have been using my low carb, low sugar protein after workouts. I know I have been getting at least 500-1000 calories a day of deficit. That should equate to 1-2.5 pounds of weight loss. I have heard that the first couple of weeks of a weight training program that you may gain weight as you develop more muscle which is heavier than fat. I am not sure how much I buy into that, but I will just keep doing my thing and increasing my miles. Eventually it will have to come off, right????
So I am seriously considering changing my Tri to a Dual. Instead of swimming you run, then bike, then run. I haven't fully decided that yet and will still try to keep my swim sessions. I just don't know how excited I am to swim in a pack and get kicked and or elbowed. I also think I may be slightly allergic to chlorine. I feel sick, my head hurts and I get all congested after swimming in the pool at the Y. I definitely don't want to keep swimming if it makes me feel ill.
Til next week guys, keep on moving!
I managed to get several training runs in this week and had my first training bike ride. I was really excited to run my fastest mile since I have been training. I then followed the next mile up with another mile under 12:00 minutes! I am really hoping to get my average down to about 9 minutes before the Tri. I have managed to run about 6 miles so far this week, biked 5.5 miles, and swam 1500 meters. I have another ride this afternoon and will probably try to stretch that one out to about 10 miles. I am also running a trial 5k tomorrow morning to establish a baseline time to work against. So for the week I will be over 24 miles of total distance! On to the numbers!!!
So now that I have got the good news out of the way, here is the bad. After all that I did this week. 3 days of lifting and almost 12 miles covered, I lost a whole .6 pounds! That's right, I basically lost nothing this week. Last week 230, current weight 229.4. Total lost 60.6 pounds. I cant explain it. I have been diligent with my diet and have been keeping under my calorie counts every day. I also have been using my low carb, low sugar protein after workouts. I know I have been getting at least 500-1000 calories a day of deficit. That should equate to 1-2.5 pounds of weight loss. I have heard that the first couple of weeks of a weight training program that you may gain weight as you develop more muscle which is heavier than fat. I am not sure how much I buy into that, but I will just keep doing my thing and increasing my miles. Eventually it will have to come off, right????
So I am seriously considering changing my Tri to a Dual. Instead of swimming you run, then bike, then run. I haven't fully decided that yet and will still try to keep my swim sessions. I just don't know how excited I am to swim in a pack and get kicked and or elbowed. I also think I may be slightly allergic to chlorine. I feel sick, my head hurts and I get all congested after swimming in the pool at the Y. I definitely don't want to keep swimming if it makes me feel ill.
Til next week guys, keep on moving!
Friday, June 17, 2011
06/18/2011 Week 35 Beasting with Bryan!
What a week! This was my first full week of strength training and I am sore! I am feeling muscles I forgot I had. A big shout out to my workout partner/trainer Brian Boykin! He is a complete beast in the weight room and is destroying me every workout. It really makes a difference to have someone to workout with. It keeps you more focused and I think we push each other to work harder. It also helps me to not hit the snooze button at 6am, because I know he will be there. I don't want to be a lazy guy and leave Brian hanging at the gym. Besides the strength training I also started my sprint triathlon training program. http://www.ytriseries.com/register/race-7/ I am doing the couch to 5k running program and met with the swimming director at the Y to develop a swimming plan. I am getting my bike this weekend and will start road training next week. I want to compete in the series next season. So needless to say between workouts, work and family my schedule is packed!!! Here is a sampling of my weeks until August 27th:
Monday: AM: Chest/Triceps PM: 5k training
Tuesday: AM: Back/Biceps PM: Cycling training
Wednesday: AM: Shoulders PM: 5k training
Thursday: AM: Legs/Abs PM: Cycling training
Friday: AM: Swimming PM: OFF
Saturday: AM: Swimming PM: 5k training
Sunday: OFF
I also met with the fitness director and had my BMI and measurements taken. I will have them done each month to see my progress in cutting body fat and seeing the inches melt away!
June 15th:
BMI: 30.30%
Chest: 43''
Waist: 41''
Hip: 45.5"
Thigh: 25"
Calf: 15''
Forearm: 9.5"
Bicep: 12.5"
I will retest on July 14th and update my numbers.
Now onto the weight loss! After all I did this week I was surprised to see that I hadn't lost any weight this week. I spoke to the trainer about that and she said it is common for people to gain a little weight the first week or two of a new strength training program. I guess I will have to go with that for now. I know the amount of work I put in this week and although I did not see the results on the scale, I know I have gotten stronger, built more muscle and improved my cardio and running. Current weight: 230 , 0 pounds lost for the week. I am still down an even 60lbs. I know that with the increased activity level that I will lose weight and am confident I will get to my initial goal of 100 pounds lost by October 15th. I didn't really exercises to lose the first 60, so I know that by doing all that I will be doing I will start losing at a faster pace then I have been. I upped my calorie intake this week to keep up with the demands of all the activity and will keep my calories at that level this week and see what happens. I talked to my nutritionist about it and she said I am definitely within a good calorie range for my activity level. So we will see on the scale next week.
Til next week!
Monday: AM: Chest/Triceps PM: 5k training
Tuesday: AM: Back/Biceps PM: Cycling training
Wednesday: AM: Shoulders PM: 5k training
Thursday: AM: Legs/Abs PM: Cycling training
Friday: AM: Swimming PM: OFF
Saturday: AM: Swimming PM: 5k training
Sunday: OFF
I also met with the fitness director and had my BMI and measurements taken. I will have them done each month to see my progress in cutting body fat and seeing the inches melt away!
June 15th:
BMI: 30.30%
Chest: 43''
Waist: 41''
Hip: 45.5"
Thigh: 25"
Calf: 15''
Forearm: 9.5"
Bicep: 12.5"
I will retest on July 14th and update my numbers.
Now onto the weight loss! After all I did this week I was surprised to see that I hadn't lost any weight this week. I spoke to the trainer about that and she said it is common for people to gain a little weight the first week or two of a new strength training program. I guess I will have to go with that for now. I know the amount of work I put in this week and although I did not see the results on the scale, I know I have gotten stronger, built more muscle and improved my cardio and running. Current weight: 230 , 0 pounds lost for the week. I am still down an even 60lbs. I know that with the increased activity level that I will lose weight and am confident I will get to my initial goal of 100 pounds lost by October 15th. I didn't really exercises to lose the first 60, so I know that by doing all that I will be doing I will start losing at a faster pace then I have been. I upped my calorie intake this week to keep up with the demands of all the activity and will keep my calories at that level this week and see what happens. I talked to my nutritionist about it and she said I am definitely within a good calorie range for my activity level. So we will see on the scale next week.
Til next week!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
06/12/2011 Week 34 Its a love hate relationship...
The ultimate frustration has set in! I am so happy that my knee has seemed to calm down, but so utterly frustrated with my lack of any real weight loss in weeks. I feel so lost right now. I think I need to meet with a trainer to see if I need to adjust my calorie intake. I don't think I am eating enough calories for my activity level. I feel like my body is just holding onto everything it can. Not knowing is the frustrating part. I don't know how to jump start this thing! Suggestions are always welcome. I am learning as I go.
The good news... After a few hours on an elliptical and the treadmill this week I am experiencing NO knee pain, which is fantastic. I am feeling like I can get serious about running again, but will take it very slow this time. I am eyeing a sprint tri in August, so I will start working towards that. Praying my body holds up this time. I am also really happy about being able to stay on the elliptical for a full 60 mins. My stamina is increasing and getting that cardio stamina will really help in Tri training.
To the numbers! I managed to lose another pound and get down to 230. So I am down 60 pounds overall. But I have only lost 10 pounds in the last 8 weeks. I am falling further off pace and really need some help to get back on track. I may try a new approach this week. I wont divulge my plan, but will see if it works and then report next week.
Til next week!
The good news... After a few hours on an elliptical and the treadmill this week I am experiencing NO knee pain, which is fantastic. I am feeling like I can get serious about running again, but will take it very slow this time. I am eyeing a sprint tri in August, so I will start working towards that. Praying my body holds up this time. I am also really happy about being able to stay on the elliptical for a full 60 mins. My stamina is increasing and getting that cardio stamina will really help in Tri training.
To the numbers! I managed to lose another pound and get down to 230. So I am down 60 pounds overall. But I have only lost 10 pounds in the last 8 weeks. I am falling further off pace and really need some help to get back on track. I may try a new approach this week. I wont divulge my plan, but will see if it works and then report next week.
Til next week!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
06/04/2011 Week 33 Let the games begin!
Another week has flown by. My kids spent the week in Pennsylvania with Grandma and Grandpa, so needless to say we went out often and had a vacation type of week. I didn't get to the gym or work out (with the exception of a test run I took on Friday morning) and probably had too many calories. I still managed to see a loss on the scale. So I will take it. It is buckle down time and I have an appointment set to get a body composition test done this week. I want to see how my body fat percentage changes when I start lifting weights. I know I may not see the results on the scale all the time, but seeing my percentage change will let me know its working and changing the way my body looks. That way I wont get so discouraged if I dont see the numbers I want on the scale. Now to numbers:
My starting weight was 232, I lost 1 pound again this week and am now at 231, a total loss of 59 pounds. I am still off pace by 3 pounds, and am losing weight at an average of 1.78 pounds a week. So I really need to ramp up my efforts in the gym. I have mainly lost weight with just diet alone, but I think if I want to continue to see the weekly losses I am used to I will need to add cardio and strength training. So I have laid the gauntlet down and have made a pledge to start on Monday. No excuses, vacation is over. It is time to get serious and get this party started! I have to lose 2.15 pounds a week for the next 19 weeks to hit my goal. It will be hit on time.
So I tried a run on Friday to test my knee and it went pretty well. I ended up running for a minute and walking for a few minutes, then running for a minute or two for a mile. I didn't feel any pain in my knee and I haven't had alot of pain in my knee for the day after. I may try to do another run or two this week and very slowly get back into running shape. Lets see if the knee holds up this time. I may have just tried to do too much to quickly. I could feel a huge difference running yesterday, as I have dropped about 30 pounds since my last run. I felt stronger and quicker.
I included an updated picture at the bottom of the blog. It is right above my "before" picture. There is quite a difference in the two pictures. I am so glad I don't look like that guy any more. I feel better, and I feel better about myself.
Til next week!
My starting weight was 232, I lost 1 pound again this week and am now at 231, a total loss of 59 pounds. I am still off pace by 3 pounds, and am losing weight at an average of 1.78 pounds a week. So I really need to ramp up my efforts in the gym. I have mainly lost weight with just diet alone, but I think if I want to continue to see the weekly losses I am used to I will need to add cardio and strength training. So I have laid the gauntlet down and have made a pledge to start on Monday. No excuses, vacation is over. It is time to get serious and get this party started! I have to lose 2.15 pounds a week for the next 19 weeks to hit my goal. It will be hit on time.
So I tried a run on Friday to test my knee and it went pretty well. I ended up running for a minute and walking for a few minutes, then running for a minute or two for a mile. I didn't feel any pain in my knee and I haven't had alot of pain in my knee for the day after. I may try to do another run or two this week and very slowly get back into running shape. Lets see if the knee holds up this time. I may have just tried to do too much to quickly. I could feel a huge difference running yesterday, as I have dropped about 30 pounds since my last run. I felt stronger and quicker.
I included an updated picture at the bottom of the blog. It is right above my "before" picture. There is quite a difference in the two pictures. I am so glad I don't look like that guy any more. I feel better, and I feel better about myself.
Til next week!
Friday, May 27, 2011
05/27/2011 Week 32 Biggest Loser finale week!
I love the "Biggest Loser" finale. It is probably one of my favorite shows to watch. I love seeing these people taking control and taking their lives back. Hannah and Olivia looked simply amazing and you could tell that they were so happy to finally be at a place physically that they have always wanted to be. You could see the peace they had. Everyone looked fantastic and they are just so inspirational! I hope that I will be able to get to that place. I will just keep fighting for every ounce until I get there! I personally cant wait to be a card carrying member of the "100 Pound Club" and I am even more excited to be back into what the contestants called "One-derland" where your weight starts with a 1 instead of a 2. Good times ahead for sure!
Well this week proved to be a difficult one. No I obviously did not get eaten by a bear or lost in the woods, but I did not leave my weekend of outdoor fun unscathed. I probably got one of the worst sunburns of my life at the lake and have been in agony all week. I burned it so bad it blistered! I tried Aloe, Solarcain, Hydrocortizone cream, and good ol' fashion Ice, all to no avail. I am finally feeling better and I only have a few spots that still hurt, the rest of the spots are itchy. No more swimming without a rash guard or at the least rub on sunscreen, no more of this spray on stuff! So needless to say I was unable to do anything physically this week. For most of the week I couldn't get my arms above my shoulders! Lol! I also had to drink a ton of water so I could stay hydrated and start the healing process. That coupled with one to many Jalapeno Cheddar dogs around the campfire spelled doom for the week. I am happy to report that I did not gain any weight though! Here are the numbers:
I started the week at 233, so I was absolutely blown away by seeing 232 on the scale this morning. I am normally not too thrilled by seeing only 1 pound, but this week it was golden! The one pound loss brings me to 58 pounds lost in total. I am still carrying a per week average of 1.81 pounds and I am a little over 3 pound off pace. According to my weight tracker app I am on pace to hit goal on 12/12/2011, so I need to accelerate that a bit if I am going to make it by 10/15/2011. With the sunburn in the rear view, I am going to ramp up my cardio this week and see a big number next Friday.
Enjoy the holiday weekend! Thank a soldier past or present and let them know you appreciate their service! I am thankful everyday for my freedom, and the sacrifice of those brave men and women who make it possible! I salute you!
Well this week proved to be a difficult one. No I obviously did not get eaten by a bear or lost in the woods, but I did not leave my weekend of outdoor fun unscathed. I probably got one of the worst sunburns of my life at the lake and have been in agony all week. I burned it so bad it blistered! I tried Aloe, Solarcain, Hydrocortizone cream, and good ol' fashion Ice, all to no avail. I am finally feeling better and I only have a few spots that still hurt, the rest of the spots are itchy. No more swimming without a rash guard or at the least rub on sunscreen, no more of this spray on stuff! So needless to say I was unable to do anything physically this week. For most of the week I couldn't get my arms above my shoulders! Lol! I also had to drink a ton of water so I could stay hydrated and start the healing process. That coupled with one to many Jalapeno Cheddar dogs around the campfire spelled doom for the week. I am happy to report that I did not gain any weight though! Here are the numbers:
I started the week at 233, so I was absolutely blown away by seeing 232 on the scale this morning. I am normally not too thrilled by seeing only 1 pound, but this week it was golden! The one pound loss brings me to 58 pounds lost in total. I am still carrying a per week average of 1.81 pounds and I am a little over 3 pound off pace. According to my weight tracker app I am on pace to hit goal on 12/12/2011, so I need to accelerate that a bit if I am going to make it by 10/15/2011. With the sunburn in the rear view, I am going to ramp up my cardio this week and see a big number next Friday.
Enjoy the holiday weekend! Thank a soldier past or present and let them know you appreciate their service! I am thankful everyday for my freedom, and the sacrifice of those brave men and women who make it possible! I salute you!
Friday, May 20, 2011
05/20/2011 Week 31 Finally a little love!
I finally got a little satisfaction this week on the scale! I will get straight to the numbers this week. We are heading out to hit the great outdoors this weekend for our first camping trip of the season. Bart Scott of the Jets said it best "Can't wait!".
I started the week at 235 and am happy to report a 2 pound loss this week. That brings my grand total to 57 pounds lost. I finally hit pace this week. I'm still off pace by about 2.5 pounds but I feel confident I can make that up in the next few weeks. I did some swimming this past week and loved it! What a great workout! I'm a definitely going to keep swimming.
Well folks, I will see ya next week unless I get ate by a bear or lost in the woods! "Can't wait!"
I started the week at 235 and am happy to report a 2 pound loss this week. That brings my grand total to 57 pounds lost. I finally hit pace this week. I'm still off pace by about 2.5 pounds but I feel confident I can make that up in the next few weeks. I did some swimming this past week and loved it! What a great workout! I'm a definitely going to keep swimming.
Well folks, I will see ya next week unless I get ate by a bear or lost in the woods! "Can't wait!"
Saturday, May 14, 2011
05/14/2011 Week 30... Back to business
Hey all! After a skipping week 29 to help aid in disaster recovery in Alabama I am back!
This was a good week and I lost a little more than I had in the past few weeks, but still not enough to get back on pace. I don't want to try anything drastic with my diet, but I do admit I need to get into the gym more. I was able to get a few sessions in this week on the elliptical and it did not hurt my knee, so I think I may have found an exercise I can do that wont cause me pain. I am going to try and get a full week of workouts in and see where that gets me.
Here is the breakdown for week 30.
I lost 1.4 pounds and am now down 55 pounds. I now weigh in at 235 pounds and now off pace by 2.9 pounds. At this rate I will hit my goal weight on 11/26/2011, that's over a month past my goal. Hopefully the new gym regimen will help me gain back my percentage.
Til next week!
This was a good week and I lost a little more than I had in the past few weeks, but still not enough to get back on pace. I don't want to try anything drastic with my diet, but I do admit I need to get into the gym more. I was able to get a few sessions in this week on the elliptical and it did not hurt my knee, so I think I may have found an exercise I can do that wont cause me pain. I am going to try and get a full week of workouts in and see where that gets me.
Here is the breakdown for week 30.
I lost 1.4 pounds and am now down 55 pounds. I now weigh in at 235 pounds and now off pace by 2.9 pounds. At this rate I will hit my goal weight on 11/26/2011, that's over a month past my goal. Hopefully the new gym regimen will help me gain back my percentage.
Til next week!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
050/1/2011 Week 28 Weigh in.
Sorry for the delay. There was too much fun in the sun this weekend. Golf, Fishing, UFC... It was a good weekend! Now for the breakdown of week 28.
I had a little catching up to do after my letdown in week 27. I tried to get a little more active, and was able to get a few good walks in without too much knee pain. I am down 1.6 pounds for the week, almost what I needed to keep my weekly pace. I am now down 52.6 pounds and weigh in at 237.4. I am 1.16 pounds under pace, so I gotta step up my game or I'm going to be looking at falling off pace by a week.
Well guys, not to much to else to report. Maybe next week I will be able to report I am back on pace. that would be nice. I could use a 3 pound week!
I had a little catching up to do after my letdown in week 27. I tried to get a little more active, and was able to get a few good walks in without too much knee pain. I am down 1.6 pounds for the week, almost what I needed to keep my weekly pace. I am now down 52.6 pounds and weigh in at 237.4. I am 1.16 pounds under pace, so I gotta step up my game or I'm going to be looking at falling off pace by a week.
Well guys, not to much to else to report. Maybe next week I will be able to report I am back on pace. that would be nice. I could use a 3 pound week!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
04/23/2011 Week 27 weigh in. It feels like the day after Christmas...
Week 26 came and went with much anticipation and excitement. I hit my week 26 goal and hit my 50 pounds lost and all was right with the world. Then it was week 27 and it suddenly felt like the day after Christmas. I am only halfway, but seem to be finding myself lacking in motivation. Did I put too much emphasis on the halfway point? Maybe I need another carrot? I guess I need to get pshyched about week 39, and the 75 pound mark. So with out further delay... The good, bad, and ugly of week 27...
I had been up at one point in the week to 242.5, but by weigh in time I was able to get that number back down to 239.0 for a total loss of 1.0 pound for the week. That takes me to 51 pounds lost. I am grateful for that pound after the week I had, but it isnt enough to keep me on pace. I should be at 51.84 lost. I am .84 off pace, so I am off pace almost a full pound now. This is the first time I have been off pace for months. I would need to lose 2.76 pounds next week to get back on pace. Is it doable? Yes. Will it be done is the question.
I have a few ideas for working out other than the traditional weight room. I want to try something new and fun, something I can really get into and find excitement in. Has anyone done any MMA training? I have heard that is a really great way to cut weight and gain strentgh and flexibilty. I know on the biggest loser two of the trainers have taken more of a "boxing/ martial arts" training regimen, and it looks like it has brought results. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Til next week... Keep on keeping on!
I had been up at one point in the week to 242.5, but by weigh in time I was able to get that number back down to 239.0 for a total loss of 1.0 pound for the week. That takes me to 51 pounds lost. I am grateful for that pound after the week I had, but it isnt enough to keep me on pace. I should be at 51.84 lost. I am .84 off pace, so I am off pace almost a full pound now. This is the first time I have been off pace for months. I would need to lose 2.76 pounds next week to get back on pace. Is it doable? Yes. Will it be done is the question.
I have a few ideas for working out other than the traditional weight room. I want to try something new and fun, something I can really get into and find excitement in. Has anyone done any MMA training? I have heard that is a really great way to cut weight and gain strentgh and flexibilty. I know on the biggest loser two of the trainers have taken more of a "boxing/ martial arts" training regimen, and it looks like it has brought results. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Til next week... Keep on keeping on!
Friday, April 15, 2011
04/15/2011 Week 26... Its halftime and were down by 50!
Its week 26, The halfway mark! I cant believe it has been 6 months since I started my journey. It has gone by so fast. So here's the recap:
It was mid October and I had just gotten back from Disney World and saw my vacation photos. I decided that things needed to change and fast. I started on weight watchers and set a goal to lose 100 pounds in 1 year, or 52 weeks. I need to average 1.92 pounds of weight loss each week to hit my goal of 100 pounds in a year. I thought it was a reachable goal, and wasn't too aggressive. So it began...
In the last 6 months I have changed a few things up. I am no longer on weight watchers. I have been following the livestrong.com plan and just counting calories. No points, no weird calculations, just easy math. I use the livestrong app on my iphone to track my calories. Its pretty easy, the hard part is not eating the bad stuff! I have not been doing a lot of working out either. Due to knee problems my physical activity has been down, so it has really just been diet for the most part. I am hoping to get started back at the gym within the next few weeks and really get into a strength training program. Its time to firm up and start getting stronger. I think that's when the real body transformations will happen.
Weight recap:
Starting weight: 290 lbs
26 week goal: 240lbs
52 week goal: 190lbs
My current weight: 240.0 , I did it! I hit 50 pounds lost at the halfway mark! 50% to my goal and I feel great!
I wanted to thank all of you for your support and encouragement. It has really helped me and kept me accountable to keep a weekly blog. I have often felt like having lazy days and just giving up at times, but I KNEW I had to write my weekly report and I didn't want to have to report I gained weight or gave up. I just didn't want to let you guys down, or myself. As I said in my first post. I am a great started but have always had trouble finishing. I want to finish! Thanks for keeping me accountable.
All right guys. Its time to get back to business! I need to lose 1.92 this week and keep pace. There is only 26 weeks left, and I know there gonna fly!
It was mid October and I had just gotten back from Disney World and saw my vacation photos. I decided that things needed to change and fast. I started on weight watchers and set a goal to lose 100 pounds in 1 year, or 52 weeks. I need to average 1.92 pounds of weight loss each week to hit my goal of 100 pounds in a year. I thought it was a reachable goal, and wasn't too aggressive. So it began...
In the last 6 months I have changed a few things up. I am no longer on weight watchers. I have been following the livestrong.com plan and just counting calories. No points, no weird calculations, just easy math. I use the livestrong app on my iphone to track my calories. Its pretty easy, the hard part is not eating the bad stuff! I have not been doing a lot of working out either. Due to knee problems my physical activity has been down, so it has really just been diet for the most part. I am hoping to get started back at the gym within the next few weeks and really get into a strength training program. Its time to firm up and start getting stronger. I think that's when the real body transformations will happen.
Weight recap:
Starting weight: 290 lbs
26 week goal: 240lbs
52 week goal: 190lbs
My current weight: 240.0 , I did it! I hit 50 pounds lost at the halfway mark! 50% to my goal and I feel great!
I wanted to thank all of you for your support and encouragement. It has really helped me and kept me accountable to keep a weekly blog. I have often felt like having lazy days and just giving up at times, but I KNEW I had to write my weekly report and I didn't want to have to report I gained weight or gave up. I just didn't want to let you guys down, or myself. As I said in my first post. I am a great started but have always had trouble finishing. I want to finish! Thanks for keeping me accountable.
All right guys. Its time to get back to business! I need to lose 1.92 this week and keep pace. There is only 26 weeks left, and I know there gonna fly!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
04/08/2011 Week 25 Weigh in, and Tiger is on the hunt!
Week 25: Not only is it almost the halfway mark, but it is Master Week, and Tiger is on the prowl!
Now on to the weigh in. I ended up losing 1.8 pounds this week and now tip the scales at 241.4, for a total loss of 48.6 pounds. Next week is the halfway mark so I need to lose at least 1.4 pounds to be on pace. I really cant believe how fast this has gone by.
Alright guys, wish me luck. This is a big week. I NEED to hot that 50 lb mark this week. Til next Friday (or Saturday...)!!!
Now on to the weigh in. I ended up losing 1.8 pounds this week and now tip the scales at 241.4, for a total loss of 48.6 pounds. Next week is the halfway mark so I need to lose at least 1.4 pounds to be on pace. I really cant believe how fast this has gone by.
Alright guys, wish me luck. This is a big week. I NEED to hot that 50 lb mark this week. Til next Friday (or Saturday...)!!!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
04/1/2011 Week 24 Weigh in...This is no April fools joke!
It looks like I was a little bit tardy in getting my post out this week. I was rather busy last night and it was late when I got home. Now on to the report!
My starting weight for the week was 245.6 and I had a really low weight loss the week previous so I had my sights set on a good number this week. I am happy to report that I lost another 2.4 pounds for the week and am currently hitting the scales at 243.2, putting my total weight loss at 46.8 pounds. I am only 3.2 pounds away from hitting the halfway mark! I am still above my 52 week average so that made me happy too! My average per week loss is now at: 1.95 pounds. Keeping me just above the average needed to lose 100 pounds in 52 weeks.
It has felt pretty good to get back into wearing clothes with only one "x" in front of it! I am getting to the point where my old clothes are literally falling off me. Thank goodness for belts! Fortunately for me I don't have to do too much shopping for new clothes. I kept a good portion of my clothes that were too small with the intention of someday wearing them again. My whole closet fits now, not just a small portion.
I also have begun to feel a little more confident again too. Not that I was ever lacking in that department. I have always been confident in my abilities, but was always self conscious in the business world about my weight and the impression I left on people. I have always felt that a man who is trim and in shape is taken more seriously than one who is overweight. So in that regard I am gaining more confidence, and feeling better about my appearance and the overall impression I leave when I visit and office.
Along with the physical changes comes the mental an emotional changes. It was a part of the journey I wasn't expecting or anticipating. Its hard top describe it, but there are serious deep seeded emotional issues that I have had to work through. The way that I approach food now versus the way I used to approach it. Food became a medicine, a drug, a way to self medicate and deal with stress and anxiety. When I was happy, it was time to celebrate and go out and eat food. When I was sad, depressed or stressed I turned to food for comfort. Double cheeseburgers always understand you and have a way of letting you know things will be okay. Lol! It truly has been a journey of more than weight loss.
Do the extra rep, and dig a little deeper! Til next week!
My starting weight for the week was 245.6 and I had a really low weight loss the week previous so I had my sights set on a good number this week. I am happy to report that I lost another 2.4 pounds for the week and am currently hitting the scales at 243.2, putting my total weight loss at 46.8 pounds. I am only 3.2 pounds away from hitting the halfway mark! I am still above my 52 week average so that made me happy too! My average per week loss is now at: 1.95 pounds. Keeping me just above the average needed to lose 100 pounds in 52 weeks.
It has felt pretty good to get back into wearing clothes with only one "x" in front of it! I am getting to the point where my old clothes are literally falling off me. Thank goodness for belts! Fortunately for me I don't have to do too much shopping for new clothes. I kept a good portion of my clothes that were too small with the intention of someday wearing them again. My whole closet fits now, not just a small portion.
I also have begun to feel a little more confident again too. Not that I was ever lacking in that department. I have always been confident in my abilities, but was always self conscious in the business world about my weight and the impression I left on people. I have always felt that a man who is trim and in shape is taken more seriously than one who is overweight. So in that regard I am gaining more confidence, and feeling better about my appearance and the overall impression I leave when I visit and office.
Along with the physical changes comes the mental an emotional changes. It was a part of the journey I wasn't expecting or anticipating. Its hard top describe it, but there are serious deep seeded emotional issues that I have had to work through. The way that I approach food now versus the way I used to approach it. Food became a medicine, a drug, a way to self medicate and deal with stress and anxiety. When I was happy, it was time to celebrate and go out and eat food. When I was sad, depressed or stressed I turned to food for comfort. Double cheeseburgers always understand you and have a way of letting you know things will be okay. Lol! It truly has been a journey of more than weight loss.
Do the extra rep, and dig a little deeper! Til next week!
Friday, March 25, 2011
03/25/2011 Week 23 weigh in
Its weigh in day again, and I was dreading getting on the scale this week. I always try to have a realistic approach the week after I have a big loss. Last week I lost over 4 lbs so I knew this week would be really low. I was relieved to see I actually saw a loss. It was a small loss, but a loss none the less. I lost .8 lbs this week, my lowest week in almost 2 months. That brings my total loss to 44.4 lbs. My official weight is 245.6 lbs. I am still .24 lbs above my 52 week pace. I have been under calories and have been very diligent with my diet. I know if I keep doing the right things I will keep seeing good things on the scale on Friday mornings.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog post Jamie has also been on plan with me. She had a great week and lost 2 lbs bringing her total loss to 7lbs in 3 weeks. We are really enjoying taking this journey together. It makes it so much easier having a partner. We can support each other and keep each other in line. Its been fun finding healthy recipes.
Til next week!
As I mentioned in an earlier blog post Jamie has also been on plan with me. She had a great week and lost 2 lbs bringing her total loss to 7lbs in 3 weeks. We are really enjoying taking this journey together. It makes it so much easier having a partner. We can support each other and keep each other in line. Its been fun finding healthy recipes.
Til next week!
Friday, March 18, 2011
03/18/2011 Week 22 Weigh In, It was a big one!
Big week! My first week using the livestrong.com app for the iphone was a success. I had my second biggest week on program! I lost a whopping 4.2 pounds this week! That brings my total weight lost to 43.6 pounds and it has put me a little over a pound above my 52 week pace. I currently weigh in at 246.4 pounds. I am getting close to reaching the 50% mark. At my current pace I should hit my goal weight sooner than week 52.
I was supposed to run my first 5k tomorrow and have had to scrap it due to knee trouble. I am not sure what is going on, but it hurts to run. I have tried a few things like ice, rest, stretching, ibuprofen, and anti inflammatory gel and I have come to the conclusion that I need to consider that this could be more than inflammation. I really hope there isn't too much damage. So my dreams off being a runner are on hold. No 5k and no half marathon. I am really unhappy about this. I really wanted to become a runner, but it isn't in the cards for now. Maybe after I lose more weight I can try again.
That's about it for week 22. Not too much else to say. See you all next week!
I was supposed to run my first 5k tomorrow and have had to scrap it due to knee trouble. I am not sure what is going on, but it hurts to run. I have tried a few things like ice, rest, stretching, ibuprofen, and anti inflammatory gel and I have come to the conclusion that I need to consider that this could be more than inflammation. I really hope there isn't too much damage. So my dreams off being a runner are on hold. No 5k and no half marathon. I am really unhappy about this. I really wanted to become a runner, but it isn't in the cards for now. Maybe after I lose more weight I can try again.
That's about it for week 22. Not too much else to say. See you all next week!
Friday, March 11, 2011
03/11/2011 Week 21 Weigh In, and another mile marker passed!
Another Friday is upon us! Another week of weight loss and another week closer to my goal weight!
The big one challenge came and went and we were defeated by the 30" Pizza! I am happy to say that even after eating 12 peices of triple pepperoni pizza I lost weight this week. It is kinda nice to know that you can really endulge every once in a while and it wont erase all of the hard work you put in.
So, the weigh in... This was my scheduled week to get to 250. I was 252.4 last week. I lost 1.8 pounds this week to get to 250.6 I hit my scheduled goal! I am still a .9 pounds under my 52 week pace, so I will have to hope for a good week to make up the difference and get on pace. I have now lost 39.4 pounds and should hit the 40 pound mark next weigh in. I am creeping up on the 50% mark and should hopefully hit 50 in a month. I did a little shopping today and to my surprise I have dropped 2 pant sizes. See ya later big and tall section, this kid can get "normal" clothes now!
I have decided to try a little experiment with my diet plan. I am always searching for ways to mix it up and keep my body guessing. I don't want to get into a diet rut and hit a plateau. I have downloaded the livestrong.com app for calorie counts and the amount of calories I need to eat everyday to lose 2 pounds a week. Its super easy and I can input it in my phone as soon as I eat it or look it up before it goes in my mouth! I am going to keep eating the whole grains foods, fruits, and vegetables, but I will only be worried about daily calories. I get a little over 1900 for the day. I am very curious to see what results I get compared to going low carb and volumetrics. In the 5 weeks I did volumetrics I lost 12 pounds, so I will use the next 5 weeks to see how many I lose going strictly on calories from livestrong.com. I will keep you all posted and give an analysis when the 5 weeks are up. I will most likely choose the plan I like better after the 5 weeks and go with it the rest of the year. How exciting. I love mixing it up. It helps keep it fresh and it also keeps me learning and researching more.
The big one challenge came and went and we were defeated by the 30" Pizza! I am happy to say that even after eating 12 peices of triple pepperoni pizza I lost weight this week. It is kinda nice to know that you can really endulge every once in a while and it wont erase all of the hard work you put in.
So, the weigh in... This was my scheduled week to get to 250. I was 252.4 last week. I lost 1.8 pounds this week to get to 250.6 I hit my scheduled goal! I am still a .9 pounds under my 52 week pace, so I will have to hope for a good week to make up the difference and get on pace. I have now lost 39.4 pounds and should hit the 40 pound mark next weigh in. I am creeping up on the 50% mark and should hopefully hit 50 in a month. I did a little shopping today and to my surprise I have dropped 2 pant sizes. See ya later big and tall section, this kid can get "normal" clothes now!
I have decided to try a little experiment with my diet plan. I am always searching for ways to mix it up and keep my body guessing. I don't want to get into a diet rut and hit a plateau. I have downloaded the livestrong.com app for calorie counts and the amount of calories I need to eat everyday to lose 2 pounds a week. Its super easy and I can input it in my phone as soon as I eat it or look it up before it goes in my mouth! I am going to keep eating the whole grains foods, fruits, and vegetables, but I will only be worried about daily calories. I get a little over 1900 for the day. I am very curious to see what results I get compared to going low carb and volumetrics. In the 5 weeks I did volumetrics I lost 12 pounds, so I will use the next 5 weeks to see how many I lose going strictly on calories from livestrong.com. I will keep you all posted and give an analysis when the 5 weeks are up. I will most likely choose the plan I like better after the 5 weeks and go with it the rest of the year. How exciting. I love mixing it up. It helps keep it fresh and it also keeps me learning and researching more.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Week 20 Weigh In
I had a pretty crazy week as far as weight loss is concerned, and a great week of learning! On to the good stuff. I lost another 1.2 pounds this week. I am down 37.6 and am sitting at 252.6, inching closer to that 250 mark. Hopefully I will make the 250 mark next Friday. I am not holding my breath though. I have decided to compete in a pizza eating challenge on Monday with some friends. I have done the calculations and my portion of the pizza will equal just under 3000 calories. I will not be eating during the day until the challange, and will try to drink a gallon of water in the morning to stretch out my stomach, as I havent over eaten in months, and my stomach has shrunk. It is a 30 inch pizza and is square cut into 52 pieces. Each piece is about the size of a deck of cards. We each have to eat 17.3 pieces. It is a new challenge and we want to set the record to beat. I am thinking that since it is only 1 day of endulgence I should be okay. I will let you all know how we fare next week and (fingers crossed) if I have lost any weight.
So onto the learning. I was doing some research about food and calories. My weight loss has really started to stall out again and I was freaking out. I have been eating a ton of food on volumetrics, but I had never kept a daily calorie count. I reveiwed my food journals and had found out I wasnt eating enough calories. I was constantly full, but the foods I was eating just didnt have a lot of calories. I was only eating approx 1200 calories a day and my metabolisn started slowing way down. Your body doesnt know the difference between starving and dieting. My body started trying to hold on to everything. I was up to 257 by Tuesday. I started eating more calories and started introducing some good whole grains back into my diet. It made a huge difference on the scale and I was able to start losing again. So this week I actually gained and lost 5 lbs! I am now eating 1600-1800 calories a day and sometimes forcing myself to eat, but it is working. I have always heard people say you need to eat more to lose more and never really understood until that until this week. I had no idea how much there is to learn about healthy eating, nutrition and keeping your body fueled for performance. Knowledge is power!
Til next week! Wish me luck in my quest to take down "The Big One Challenge"!
www.fb.com/bigonechallenge
So onto the learning. I was doing some research about food and calories. My weight loss has really started to stall out again and I was freaking out. I have been eating a ton of food on volumetrics, but I had never kept a daily calorie count. I reveiwed my food journals and had found out I wasnt eating enough calories. I was constantly full, but the foods I was eating just didnt have a lot of calories. I was only eating approx 1200 calories a day and my metabolisn started slowing way down. Your body doesnt know the difference between starving and dieting. My body started trying to hold on to everything. I was up to 257 by Tuesday. I started eating more calories and started introducing some good whole grains back into my diet. It made a huge difference on the scale and I was able to start losing again. So this week I actually gained and lost 5 lbs! I am now eating 1600-1800 calories a day and sometimes forcing myself to eat, but it is working. I have always heard people say you need to eat more to lose more and never really understood until that until this week. I had no idea how much there is to learn about healthy eating, nutrition and keeping your body fueled for performance. Knowledge is power!
Til next week! Wish me luck in my quest to take down "The Big One Challenge"!
www.fb.com/bigonechallenge
Friday, February 25, 2011
02/25/2011 Week 19 weigh in
This was a great week. I was able to get out and put some miles on my new shoes, ran the fastest mile I have ran since I started training and did a whole practice 5K. I put almost 7 miles in this week, and had 2 strength training sessions. Nothing makes you feel better than physical activity! I tried to do a treadmill session, but for some reason I cant run on treadmills. I'm definitely an outside runner.
I had a pretty good week on the scale too. I lost another 2.0 pounds this week to bring my grand total to 36.4 lost. Since switching my diet plan I have lost 9 pounds in 3 weeks. I will take a 3 pound weekly average all day! I now weigh 253.6 and I am getting closer to the 250 mark. I am really hoping for a strong week so I can get there by next Friday.
So I have some really exciting news! My wife has decided to join the fight! She has started on a modified version of my plan and is running with me. We are going to race our first 5k together and then she is gonna run the half with me in Utah in August. The even better news is she beat me on the scale this week and dropped 3 pounds! I am so proud of her! Look out world, here we come!
Alright guys, have a great week! Now get out there and get active! Take a walk, ride a bike, go for a hike, play ball with your kids. Keep it moving!
I had a pretty good week on the scale too. I lost another 2.0 pounds this week to bring my grand total to 36.4 lost. Since switching my diet plan I have lost 9 pounds in 3 weeks. I will take a 3 pound weekly average all day! I now weigh 253.6 and I am getting closer to the 250 mark. I am really hoping for a strong week so I can get there by next Friday.
So I have some really exciting news! My wife has decided to join the fight! She has started on a modified version of my plan and is running with me. We are going to race our first 5k together and then she is gonna run the half with me in Utah in August. The even better news is she beat me on the scale this week and dropped 3 pounds! I am so proud of her! Look out world, here we come!
Alright guys, have a great week! Now get out there and get active! Take a walk, ride a bike, go for a hike, play ball with your kids. Keep it moving!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Updated Photo
This is a photo at 255 lbs. Not a full body shot, so I will try and get another one up soon.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
New Shoes... Nike Air Pegasus+ 27
I had to retire the red Adidas until I lose more weight. They are a lightweight shoe and my legs just couldnt handle the constant pounding. I had to get something with a little more cushion and support. They are extra wide, so its a Nike that finally fits! It feels like I'm running on clouds. They are also the + so I will be able to insert my Nike+ communicator in the sole.
Friday, February 18, 2011
02/18/2010 Week 18
Week 18 is here and I am officially back on pace for losing 100 pounds in a year! 52 weeks in a year and and you need to lose 1.93 pounds a week to make it an even 100. So to be on "pace" I would need to be at 34.5 lost. As of last week (week 17) I had lost a total of 31.8 and even though I pulled a 4 pound week was still off pace, as of this morning I am officially down 34.4 pounds and right where I should be after 18 weeks. So for those of you doing the math at home that was a total loss of 2.6 pounds for week 18! My total weight is now 255.6. I am about ready to hit another marker and go below 250, I cant wait! Since switching from WW points to Volumetrics (well I based my program on the principle and concepts, not the actual plan as outlined in the book) I am down 6.6 lbs in 2 weeks, and eat more than I did before. It is sooo easy, veggies, salad, fruit, lean protein, low fat dairy and little bit of whole grain. No counting points, no counting calories. Eat when your hungry and stop when your full. My typical days diet:
Breakfast:
* 1-2 Chicken tenderloins or 3 egg whites and 1 full egg
* 1 Dannon light n fit yogurt
* 1 stick low fat string cheese
* 1 Apple (Apples are scientifically proven to have the same effect on a person as a cup of coffee in the morning)
Mid morning Snack:
*Diet Soda (Yes, I am back on the juice!)
*1 piece of fruit
Lunch:
* Lean protein (chicken or fish)
* 6-8 ounces of steamed mixed veggies
* Large salad with a little dressingof your choice (mine is ranch. I need a little fat in my diet)
Mid afternoon snack:
* Diet Soda
*1 piece of fruit
Dinner:
*Lean protein or 3 eggs and 1 whole egg
*6-8 ounces of steamed veggies
* Large salad, dressing of choice
* I also drink lots of water through the day.
If I am hungry later in the evening I will eat another peice of fruit or a low fat string cheese.
As you can see there is plenty of eating going on, and thats a good thing. I have found that if I am too deprived or too hungry I will binge. This plan takes a little preperation too. You need to be able to make a few lunches at a time and keep them in the fridge that way you can just grab them in the morning on your way out the door. It also helps to keep the tempting food out of the house. I try not to keep salty snacks and other quick snacks around and instead try to keep a full stock of fruits, yogurt, and cheese sticks.
I am under 30 days to my first race and I am feeling pretty good. My knee and shin splits are calming down and I am starting to find a pace the is comfortable. I am by no means fast, so dont get the wrong idea. I am still a 250+ guy, so it isnt like I look like Usain Bolt out there, but I am able to go farther and faster than I was when I started my journey. I may actually make a runner out of this fat guy!
Til week 19... Keep it frosty!
Breakfast:
* 1-2 Chicken tenderloins or 3 egg whites and 1 full egg
* 1 Dannon light n fit yogurt
* 1 stick low fat string cheese
* 1 Apple (Apples are scientifically proven to have the same effect on a person as a cup of coffee in the morning)
Mid morning Snack:
*Diet Soda (Yes, I am back on the juice!)
*1 piece of fruit
Lunch:
* Lean protein (chicken or fish)
* 6-8 ounces of steamed mixed veggies
* Large salad with a little dressingof your choice (mine is ranch. I need a little fat in my diet)
Mid afternoon snack:
* Diet Soda
*1 piece of fruit
Dinner:
*Lean protein or 3 eggs and 1 whole egg
*6-8 ounces of steamed veggies
* Large salad, dressing of choice
* I also drink lots of water through the day.
If I am hungry later in the evening I will eat another peice of fruit or a low fat string cheese.
As you can see there is plenty of eating going on, and thats a good thing. I have found that if I am too deprived or too hungry I will binge. This plan takes a little preperation too. You need to be able to make a few lunches at a time and keep them in the fridge that way you can just grab them in the morning on your way out the door. It also helps to keep the tempting food out of the house. I try not to keep salty snacks and other quick snacks around and instead try to keep a full stock of fruits, yogurt, and cheese sticks.
I am under 30 days to my first race and I am feeling pretty good. My knee and shin splits are calming down and I am starting to find a pace the is comfortable. I am by no means fast, so dont get the wrong idea. I am still a 250+ guy, so it isnt like I look like Usain Bolt out there, but I am able to go farther and faster than I was when I started my journey. I may actually make a runner out of this fat guy!
Til week 19... Keep it frosty!
Friday, February 11, 2011
02/11/2011 Week 17... Total Domination!
What a week!!! I decided to make a few minor changes to my diet this week and they paid off big time! I had my second biggest week since I started! I decided I was going to try and eat less carbohydrates. I didn't cut them all out, but was just focusing on not eating as much bread, rice and pasta while I was trying something called "Volumetrics" http://www.webmd.com/diet/volumetrics-what-it-is I loved it! I felt full and satisfied. A typical lunch meal this week was a plate full of steamed veggies, a salad, and a lean protein like roasted chicken.
Now on to the good stuff! My weight as of last Friday was 262.2, when I stepped on the scale this morning it was 258.2! I lost 4 pounds this week!!! I have now officially lost 31.8 lbs! I am really starting to notice it in the way my clothes fit and how I feel. I can only imagine what it will feel like to lose 100 lbs.
Select opens its spring softball season in a month and I am really excited to get out there and see how much of a difference I notice playing softball. I am hoping I can lose another 10lbs before the season starts. Before I would get winded running bases and was not the fleetest of foot if you know what I mean, so I am hoping I'm a little bit faster around the bases and a little more agile in the field. I will keep you all posted!
I hope everyone has a great week! See you back here next Friday!
Now on to the good stuff! My weight as of last Friday was 262.2, when I stepped on the scale this morning it was 258.2! I lost 4 pounds this week!!! I have now officially lost 31.8 lbs! I am really starting to notice it in the way my clothes fit and how I feel. I can only imagine what it will feel like to lose 100 lbs.
Select opens its spring softball season in a month and I am really excited to get out there and see how much of a difference I notice playing softball. I am hoping I can lose another 10lbs before the season starts. Before I would get winded running bases and was not the fleetest of foot if you know what I mean, so I am hoping I'm a little bit faster around the bases and a little more agile in the field. I will keep you all posted!
I hope everyone has a great week! See you back here next Friday!
Friday, February 4, 2011
02/04/11 Week 16 weigh in, and a little added swagger!
Another week has flown by! I cant say I had the best week in regards to weight loss, but I did lose, so that's something to cheer about. I lost another 1.2 pounds and am now down to 262.0, for a total loss of 28 pounds. I didn't get to 260 like I wanted to, but that's okay. I have actually been wrestling with this for some time and a light bulb finally went off. I am not in a contest, or in a race to lose weight. I am just in this for me. I am going to work as long as it takes to get the weight off and I am in this for the long haul, even if it takes a year, two or more. I think it actually brought me alot of peace. I have been so caught up in trying to lose it quickly, instead of just trying to lose it I lost sight of the real reasons I am losing the weight in the first place. I want to lose it for so many reasons, its hard to explain it. I don't want any handouts, magic pills, or quick fixes. I want it to be hard work and I want to lose it pound by pound clawing, scratching, and fighting. I don't ever want to forget what it took for me to lose the weight, because I never want to gain it back. Life is not easy, weigh loss certainly isn't easy, but it is so emotionally fulfilling to do it. People always ask me what I am doing to lose the weight, expecting me to say something profound. They are always disappointed in what I tell them. Eating less, and exercise. That's it. No secret pill, or special elixir, just work, hard work. I wouldn't have it any other way!
Until next week... Clear eyes, full hearts, cant lose!
Until next week... Clear eyes, full hearts, cant lose!
Friday, January 28, 2011
01/28/2011 Week 15 weigh in
Another week has come and a few more pounds are gone! I had another great week this week. Not only did I start a new job with a great company, I also lost 2.2 pounds! That brings my current weight to 263.2 and I have now lost a grand total of 26.8 lbs! I am hoping I can have a super week and get down to 260 by next Friday.
I am planning on doing a little more training this week. Unfortunately I was hit with the injury bug this last week and was not able to do my timed 5k and have been battling through some shin splints. I was able to get 2 miles in on Saturday morning before I had to stop. I have not walked or ran this entire week hoping the time off will help. I am planning on running again tomorrow morning, shins permitting. Strangely enough I didnt get them from running, but from playing full court basketball. No more hoops while I am training for my runs! I just hope the time off wont hurt me too much. I was just starting to get a little base going, and there is less than 50 days til my first race.
Any runners out there with some advice on treating and preventing shin splints? Please share! Til next week!
I am planning on doing a little more training this week. Unfortunately I was hit with the injury bug this last week and was not able to do my timed 5k and have been battling through some shin splints. I was able to get 2 miles in on Saturday morning before I had to stop. I have not walked or ran this entire week hoping the time off will help. I am planning on running again tomorrow morning, shins permitting. Strangely enough I didnt get them from running, but from playing full court basketball. No more hoops while I am training for my runs! I just hope the time off wont hurt me too much. I was just starting to get a little base going, and there is less than 50 days til my first race.
Any runners out there with some advice on treating and preventing shin splints? Please share! Til next week!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Week 14 Weigh in
Another week has flown by. I really can't believe how fast Fridays come now. It was a great week! Alot has happened this week other than weight loss, but lets start with that first.
I lost 2.6 pounds this week and that brings me to 265.4. I am .4 pounds away from losing an even 25 lbs., I finally came off that plateau I had been stuck on for the last couple of weeks. I think the new running training program has alot to do with finally starting to see some weight loss.
I have run approx 6 miles this week and threw a few hours of full court basketball in there for good measure. I am hoping to kick my mileage up to 9 miles next week. I am going to run a timed 5k tomorrow. I need to get a baseline set so I can so how much I have improved. I am always looking to be able to measure my progress.
I am also closing a significant chapter in my life this week. I have officially left Chase bank. I spent over 5 years with Chase/WaMu and had some really good times there, but in the end is was becoming more about numbers and less about people. I was really fortunate and blessed to be able to find a great new job with a great company. Im really looking forward to being able to grow and learn with this new challenge.
Til next week!
I lost 2.6 pounds this week and that brings me to 265.4. I am .4 pounds away from losing an even 25 lbs., I finally came off that plateau I had been stuck on for the last couple of weeks. I think the new running training program has alot to do with finally starting to see some weight loss.
I have run approx 6 miles this week and threw a few hours of full court basketball in there for good measure. I am hoping to kick my mileage up to 9 miles next week. I am going to run a timed 5k tomorrow. I need to get a baseline set so I can so how much I have improved. I am always looking to be able to measure my progress.
I am also closing a significant chapter in my life this week. I have officially left Chase bank. I spent over 5 years with Chase/WaMu and had some really good times there, but in the end is was becoming more about numbers and less about people. I was really fortunate and blessed to be able to find a great new job with a great company. Im really looking forward to being able to grow and learn with this new challenge.
Til next week!
Friday, January 14, 2011
01/14/2011 Week 13 Weigh in
This was a wild, crazy week here in the ATL. We had some serious snow and that put a cramp in my routine. The storm started Sunday night and by Monday morning we had 7 inches of snow. I know what your thinking, but that is a TON of snow in the South. By Monday afternoon it was all ice. The kids were out of school all week and I was snowed in from work for 2 days. Idle time at home does not mix well with my diet plan.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a 1 pound weight loss for the week. I am now back to pre vacation weight at 268.0
I had my first training run on Sunday and it went pretty well, the only unfortunate part was all the snow kept me from running outside and the gym was closed until Thursday. So I didnt get my second run in until earlier this evening. I am supposed to make 3 runs a week, so I am now behind! I should be able to get back on pace within a week or so. I need those rest days though, so I cant get too aggressive.
I really enjoy running outside much more than on a treadmill. I have been looking at running tights to help combat the cold weather. Any suggestions on any brands that are good or to stay away from?
I was pleasantly surprised to see a 1 pound weight loss for the week. I am now back to pre vacation weight at 268.0
I had my first training run on Sunday and it went pretty well, the only unfortunate part was all the snow kept me from running outside and the gym was closed until Thursday. So I didnt get my second run in until earlier this evening. I am supposed to make 3 runs a week, so I am now behind! I should be able to get back on pace within a week or so. I need those rest days though, so I cant get too aggressive.
I really enjoy running outside much more than on a treadmill. I have been looking at running tights to help combat the cold weather. Any suggestions on any brands that are good or to stay away from?
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Breakfast of Champions
This is the first of many meal/ recipe posts to the blog. I thought I would share some of my meals and what I am eating. These meals are really great ways to start the day and have very few WW points. I am crunched for time in the mornings, these meals can be made in 5 min or less. These are my two favorite breakfasts, and they keep me full and satisfied all the way to lunch!
Breakfast 1:
1 bowl of Quaker instant grits (75 seconds in the microwave), 1/2 cup of southwest flavor egg beaters (scrambled), a Dannon light and fit yogurt, a low fat cheese stick, and a full glass of water. I like to mix my eggs and grits together and add salt and pepper.
Point breakdown:
Grits: 2 points
Eggs: 1 point
Yogurt: 1 point
Cheese stick: 1 point
Total: 5 WW points
Breakfast 2:
1 sliced medium banana, 1 Dannon light and fit yogurt, and a sprinkle of corn flakes combined in a bowl
1/2 cup of any flavor egg beaters (scrambled), 1 slice of turkey bacon, 1 low fat cheese stick, and a full glass of water.
Point breakdown:
Banana: 1 point
Yogurt: 1 point
sprinkle of corn flakes: no points (not enough to calculate)
Eggs: 1 point
Turkey bacon: 1 point
Cheese stick: 1 point
Total: 5 WW points
Breakfast 1:
1 bowl of Quaker instant grits (75 seconds in the microwave), 1/2 cup of southwest flavor egg beaters (scrambled), a Dannon light and fit yogurt, a low fat cheese stick, and a full glass of water. I like to mix my eggs and grits together and add salt and pepper.
Point breakdown:
Grits: 2 points
Eggs: 1 point
Yogurt: 1 point
Cheese stick: 1 point
Total: 5 WW points
Breakfast 2:
1 sliced medium banana, 1 Dannon light and fit yogurt, and a sprinkle of corn flakes combined in a bowl
1/2 cup of any flavor egg beaters (scrambled), 1 slice of turkey bacon, 1 low fat cheese stick, and a full glass of water.
Point breakdown:
Banana: 1 point
Yogurt: 1 point
sprinkle of corn flakes: no points (not enough to calculate)
Eggs: 1 point
Turkey bacon: 1 point
Cheese stick: 1 point
Total: 5 WW points
Friday, January 7, 2011
01/07/2011 Week 12 Weigh in
This was a crazy week. I went back to work on Monday after having 2 weeks off and my parents left to go back home on Thursday morning. So it was back to my daily routine. I hadn't been drinking much water on my vacation, so I had to start that back up again. I am consuming anywhere between 100-120 ounces a day. So needless to say, my body had some adjusting to do this week. I got on the scale this morning and came in at 268.8, which is a .4 gain from last week. I am not really to disappointed or surprised considering I had taken New Years weekend off and have been drinking about a gallon of water a day since Monday. I am really hoping that I will be able to get back into my routine and start seeing some weight loss again. The holidays were tough, but I survived them. I started my vacation at 268.0 and only gained .8 lbs.
It's official. I have started my marathon training and have already scheduled my first few races. I will be racing the "Hope for the cure 5k" in Winder in March 19th. My training program starts tomorrow and in 8 weeks I should be able to run 3 miles, without walking. Lol! I have my second race April 9th, also a 5k. This one is called "Run Zulu" and all the proceeds go to help get township kids in South Africa shoes, and a running track. This is going to be a special one for me as I used to live and work in the townships of South Africa. I am trying to get ready to run a half marathon with my sister and brother in law in Utah in September. Its called "Top of Utah". I am really excited to start running (see photos of my new running shoes below) and hope that I can become a "runner" in time. If any of you have any tips, or tricks for running I would love to hear them. Leave your tips in the "comments" section below.
Til next week!
It's official. I have started my marathon training and have already scheduled my first few races. I will be racing the "Hope for the cure 5k" in Winder in March 19th. My training program starts tomorrow and in 8 weeks I should be able to run 3 miles, without walking. Lol! I have my second race April 9th, also a 5k. This one is called "Run Zulu" and all the proceeds go to help get township kids in South Africa shoes, and a running track. This is going to be a special one for me as I used to live and work in the townships of South Africa. I am trying to get ready to run a half marathon with my sister and brother in law in Utah in September. Its called "Top of Utah". I am really excited to start running (see photos of my new running shoes below) and hope that I can become a "runner" in time. If any of you have any tips, or tricks for running I would love to hear them. Leave your tips in the "comments" section below.
Til next week!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
My new running shoes!
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