Back to the Blog!

It has been a while since I last blogged. I am currently sitting anywhere between 208-213lbs putting me anywhere between 79-84 pounds down from my start weight. I have been lifting every morning and trying to add 30 mins of cardio 3 times a week. I have been on a plateau of sorts and have been looking for something to get me off of it. My wife has lost 44 pounds and is looking great. She is living a gluten-free lifestyle (She has gluten sensitivities and needed to go gluten-free). Based on her results and the research that I have done, I have come to some interesting conclusions.

Not all carbohydrates are created equally. There are good carbs and bad carbs. The good carbohydrates are often referred to as "clean". I looked at what almost all of these had in common. I found that almost all "clean" carbs contain no gluten. Veggies, fruit, brown rice, beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes, oats, etc. all contain no gluten. There are other carbs that are not considered "clean" such as corn and white rice that are also gluten free. Diets that eliminate all carbohydrates are missing the basic principles and foundations of good health. Carbohydrates are essential to body functions as well the vehicles that transport water, protein and other nutrients to our muscles. The reasoning behind eliminating carbs is understandable, but I think that carbs get a bad rap from the gluten. So while it is essential to eliminate the gluten it isn't essential to eliminate carbs. Finding a balance between protein, veggies and "clean" carbs are essential to good health and are the building  blocks to building strong, lean muscle.

I am developing my own nutrition plan based on the these principles. I will still be tracking my caloric intake, but will be more concerned with eating 5-6 balanced meals that are equal parts protein, and clean carbs. I will throw in some green veggies and fruits in at least 2 of these meals a day.

I have decided to blog again for several reasons. The first is to keep myself more accountable, the second is to keep a journal of my progress through this transformation and the third is to become a resource for anyone who is looking to make positive changes to their lifestyles and need help, or just someone to compare notes with. I look forward to embarking on another journey and as always am grateful for the support from my friends and families.

Remember the 3 D's to success. DESIRE to change, DEDICATION for yourself to your program and goals, and DETERMINATION to be successful and reach your goals!

10/15/2011 Week 52 ONE YEAR Later...

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!

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!

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!

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!

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."

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!

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!

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...

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...

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!

Pic on the left: June 15th 230lbs

Pic on the right: July 18th 228 lbs

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!"