Week of Working Out - Dec. 27

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
December 21st – December 27th.
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Monday: BIKING (22:15 minutes) – on trainer in garage; approx. 3.66 miles at 10 mph.

PERFECT PUSHUPS (3:00 minutes) – 2 sets Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (6:00 minutes) – Crunches: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Leg Lifts: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Scissor Leg Lift: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10.

Tuesday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (4:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Wednesday: BIKING (1:03:30 hours) – on trainer in garage; approx. 10.58 miles at 10 mph; a few breaks of less than a minute each to coast.

PERFECT PUSHUPS (3:00 minutes) – 2 sets Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (6:00 minutes) – Crunches: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Leg Lifts: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Scissor Leg Lift: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10.

Thursday: BIKING (1:40:54 hours) – on trainer in garage; approx. 16.6 miles at 10 mph; a few breaks of less than a minute each to coast; 1,273 calories burned.

WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (4:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Friday: BIKING (1:07:42 hours) – on trainer in garage; approx. 11.28 miles at 10 mph; a few breaks of less than a minute each to coast; 834 calories burned; avg. HR 136, in zone 1:00:19 hours.

PERFECT PUSHUPS (1:30 minutes) – 2 sets Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (2:00 minutes) – Crunches: 1 set of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 1 set of 13, 12, 11, 10; Leg Lifts: 1 set of 13, 12, 11, 10; Scissor Leg Lift: 1 set of 13, 12, 11, 10.

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Rest

Progress Report XXXXIII - December 27

Weight: 201.6 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 1.6 lbs.

31.6 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
2.6 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 5:51:51 hours (Biking: 4:14:21 hours; Perfect Pushups: 7:30 min.; Weightlifting: 8:00 min.; Abs: 14:00 min.; Stretching: 8:00 min.)

Exercise Distance: 42.12 miles (Biking: 42.12 miles)

On the plus side, I did get out on the bike trainer. And I purchased a heart rate monitor to more accurately track the number of calories I burn during my workouts.

That’s all I can chalk up to the plus side of this week.

Just as I knew would happen, Christmas – and the obscene amount of (tasty) food available – brought me to my knees. There was no way (easy) way to accurately count the number of calories consumed Christmas day, so I was forced to estimate. 9,000 calories. (And I’m hoping that the number is on the high side, though I fear it may not be high enough.) I did a little better (still about 5,000 calories) the day after Christmas, but there were still too many temptations.

My body, last night, decided to try and kill me. I was sick – or felt sick – but my body would not let me do anything to fix that feeling. Couldn’t throw up for the life of me – and I hate throwing up, but I thought that must be the only way I’d get a release from the intense pain – and I suffered for over an hour rolling and rocking back in forth in front of the toilet, trying to find comfort. I finally just went to bed, and tried to calm myself enough to pass out. I must have eventually done so, because I slept and woke up feeling much, much better. There’s still a hint of stomach pain. The only thing I can think is that my body went into shock over the amount of unhealthy calories I’d consumed in a 2-day period. I’ve said “never again” to holiday binges like this before, but sweet monkeys, this was painful.

I am pleased that I was out on the bike and that I kept up on the exercise. It could have made the week much, much worse. I have five more days this year to bring things back under control so that I can start the new year out on the right foot. I’m not going to meet the goal I set out on January 1st, but I will get there by my birthday this coming year. I’m seeing results and it’s motivating.

Oh, and if you’re curious to see my daily nutrition/exercise progress, check out my page on The Daily Plate.

A Quick Comparison

My weight is currently the lowest it’s been in YEARS (200 lbs.). I went back to earlier this year on March 8th when I found myself at 200.2 lbs., pleased to be halfway to my goal of 170 lbs., and at the time that was the lowest my weight had been in years.

And then within 2 weeks of that achievement, my weight had jumped back up 11 lbs. ELEVEN POUNDS IN TWO WEEKS! It was disappointing, and it set me on a path that led to gaining back the 30 lbs. I had lost earlier in the year.

So here I am, down 30+ lbs. (again), within 1 lb. of my year-end goal weight, and only 11 days until the New Year.

I’m not scared, but I am concerned. I need to be careful. It all comes back so very, very easily.

Progress Report XXXXII - December 20

Weight: 200 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 3 lbs.

30 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
1 lb. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 55:00 minutes (Perfect Pushups: 9:00 min.; Weightlifting: 16:00 min.; Abs: 18:00 min.; Stretching: 12:00 min.)

Exercise Distance: 0 miles

This was a tough week. It was difficult maintaining such a low calorie intake with the added temptation of Christmas cookies and candy piling up in my pantry. I did very well, though. I limited myself to 2 cookies the entire week, while also managing to average only 1,099 net calories a day (after exercise). It’s a very low number of calories, but I know that this week, with Christmas, the calories may add up. I am 1 lb. away from my year-end goal, so I need to be careful. I don’t want to flush all the hard work I’ve done the past 3 months down the drain in the last 11 days of the month.

Still, I want cookies! And food.

I’m just going to have to get on that bike trainer. It’s been tough not being able to walk outside (slick, snow covered roads) and burn big chunks of calories through cardiovascular work. There’s only more snow forecasted for this week, so trainer I must ride.


Oh, and if you’re curious to see my daily nutrition/exercise progress, check out my page on The Daily Plate.

Week of Working Out - Dec. 20

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
December 14th – December 20th.
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Monday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (2:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Tuesday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (3:00 minutes) – 2 sets Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (6:00 minutes) – Crunches: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Leg Lifts: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Scissor Leg Lift: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10.

Wednesday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (2:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Thursday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (3:00 minutes) – 2 sets Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (6:00 minutes) – Crunches: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Leg Lifts: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Scissor Leg Lift: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10.

Friday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (4:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Saturday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (3:00 minutes) – 2 sets Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (6:00 minutes) – Crunches: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Leg Lifts: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Scissor Leg Lift: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10.

Sunday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (4:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Week of Working Out - Dec. 13

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
December 7th – December 13th.
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Monday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (2:00 minutes) – Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (3:00 minutes) – Crunches: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 2 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10.

Tuesday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (2:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Wednesday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (3:00 minutes) – 2 sets Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (5:00 minutes) – Crunches: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Leg Lifts: 3 sets of 10, 9, 8, 7.

Thursday: WEIGHT LIFTING (3:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.) – left arm only, Hammer Curls (15 lbs.) – left arm only, Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (2:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Friday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (3:00 minutes) – 2 sets Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (5:00 minutes) – Crunches: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Leg Lifts: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10.

Saturday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (2:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Sunday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (3:00 minutes) – 2 sets Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; 1 set Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

ABS (6:00 minutes) – Crunches: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Inhales: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Leg Lifts: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10; Scissor Leg Lift: 3 sets of 13, 12, 11, 10.

Progress Report XXXXI - December 13

Weight: 203 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 4.6 lbs.

33 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
4 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 47:00 minutes (Perfect Pushups: 11:00 min.; Weightlifting: 11:00 min.; Abs: 19:00 min.; Stretching: 6:00 min.)

Exercise Distance: 0 miles

I was a little concerned about my weight loss this week because I started the week off last Sunday going out to eat. I did my best to make a smart choice (herb grilled chicken breast w/broccoli), but even it was cooked in butter – tasted amazing – and was more calories than I had allotted for the day. To make up for that I was shorting myself 125 calories a day the rest of the week all in hopes of losing the 2.7 lbs. I have The Daily Plate calculating calories for me. It appears I shouldn’t have been worried. The little bit of exercising I’ve been doing, along with sticking to the diet gave me better than expected results.

(It also helps to not have any snack food around the house. Being broke means you only buy what you need to eat.)

My right shoulder is sore. I imagine I’ve pulled a muscle there doing either my pushups or weights. I took some Advil, took it easy on the weights one day with my right arm, but it’s still a dull pain, almost as if the muscle is strained. I don’t want to quit the pushups or the weights, so I guess I’m going to try more Advil and maybe some ice or heat. Still, it’s frustrating. I’ve never had much luck when it comes to upper body work; my body (elbows, shoulders, muscles in general) always seems to crap out on me. And then I give up.

Halfway through the month and things are going well. Now comes the hard part: the holiday. 4 lbs. to go to meet my year-end goal!


Oh, and if you’re curious to see my daily nutrition/exercise progress, check out my page on The Daily Plate.

Week of Working Out - Dec. 6

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
November 30th – December 6th.
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Monday: rest

Tuesday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (2:00 minutes) – Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

Wednesday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.); set of 12: Triceps Dips.

CRUNCHES (1:00 minute) – 10 crunches.

Thursday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (2:00 minutes) – Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

CRUNCHES (2:00 minutes) – 13, 12, 11, 10.

Friday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (2:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Saturday: PERFECT PUSHUPS (2:00 minutes) – Regular (from knees) 4,3,2,1; Wide (from knees) 4,3,2,1; Close (from knees) 4,3,2,1.

CRUNCHES (2:00 minutes) – 13, 12, 11, 10.

Sunday: WEIGHT LIFTING (4:00 minutes) – Set of 12 reps: Curls (15 lbs.), Hammer Curls (15 lbs.), Barbell Curls (40 lbs.), and Reverse Barbell Curls (40 lbs.); set of 5 reps: Front Press (40 lbs.).

STRETCHING (2:00 minutes) – stretched arms/chest/abs after workout.

Progress Report XXXX - December 6

Weight: 207.6 lbs.
Loss/Gain: -1.2 lbs.

37.6 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
8.6 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 27:00 minutes (Perfect Pushups: 6:00 min.; Weightlifting: 12:00 min.; Crunches: 5:00 min.; Stretching: 4:00 min.)

Exercise Distance: 0 miles

Starting with December 1st I’ve been doing a better job following the diet that was working so well for me during the month of October. This week I also began a pushup and crunch routine, along with some weightlifting. This didn’t add up to a lot of exercise time, but did make my arms and chest extremely sore. They are feeling better now after a week of strain, and it is my hope to keep this program up throughout the month of December to see what kind of results I’ll achieve.

But, if I want to reach my Year-End weight loss goal I’m going to have to step it up in the cardiovascular department. I need to get back out walking (and running) nearly every day. Without that larger calorie deficit, I will not be able to lose the 8.6 lbs. I have left in the remaining 25 days.


Oh, and if you’re curious to see my daily nutrition/exercise progress, check out my page on The Daily Plate.

To Build A Better Bicep - December 1

I’ve had a set of the Perfect Pushup disks sitting in my living room – unused – for over 3 months. It was finally time to bust them out and build myself some biceps.

I’m going to follow the plan that came in the box and see what happens after a month of pushups. Now, I’m not going to stop working out (walking, biking, weights, etc.), instead I’m just going to pay more attention to pushups in particular and see what happens.

I did measure my biceps before beginning – unflexed: 12.5 inches; flexed: 13.5 inches – and I will measure again on December 31st. I’m not expecting huge changes (although, how cool would that be?), but I wanted to make a comparison.

Oh, and this pathetic thing:


Unfortunately it’s my arm. Let’s see if I can’t go all Popeye on these bad boys.

Progress Report XXXIX - November 29

Weight: 208.8 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 0.8 lbs.

38.8 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
9.8 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 0 hours

Exercise Distance: 0 miles

Even with Thanksgiving and some just terrible diet decisions I managed to only gain 0.8 lbs. I shouldn’t feel as happy as I do about this. I should think about just how much I might have lost if I had been doing things the correct way.

It is my goal to lose 10 lbs. in December so that I can meet my Year-End Goal of breaking the 200 lb. mark. It’s going to take a massive amount of willpower and discipline to succeed. It all starts December 1st.

Here's my last 10 days of calories consumed and burned:


Oh, and if you’re curious to see my daily nutrition/exercise progress, check out my page on The Daily Plate.

Week of Working Out - Nov. 29

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
November 23rd – November 29th.
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Mondays: rest

Tuesdays: rest

Wednesdays: rest

Thursdays: rest

Fridays: rest

Saturdays: rest

Sundays: rest

Weeks of Working Out - Nov. 22

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past two weeks,
November 9th – November 22nd.
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Mondays: rest

Tuesdays: rest

Wednesdays: rest

Thursdays: rest

Fridays: rest

Saturdays: rest

Sundays: rest

Progress Report XXXVIII - November 22

Weight: 208 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 4.6 lbs.

38 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
9 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 0 hours

Exercise Distance: 0 miles

October went swimmingly, but November, not so much. That’s not to say that I haven’t lost weight; I have. I just don’t understand how. The past two weeks I have not worked out, and I have not eaten healthily. My caloric intake has been massive (compared to October totals), and I’ve been stressed. Not a winning combination.

Or so it would seem.

Last week I lost 3.6 lbs, and this week 1 lb. I’m getting closer and closer to my year-end goal. Still, I have a feeling that these last 9 lbs. are going to be a beast to unload. Hopefully with almost a week of vacation from work – that is, unless I gain the part-time job I’m interviewing for on Tuesday and start Wednesday or Friday – I can get back in the habit of healthy eating and exercise.

But there is Thanksgiving, and the meals and movies and temptations involved.

Nothing to do but try. And hopefully succeed.

November 15	November 22

Oh, and if you’re curious to see my daily nutrition/exercise progress, check out my page on The Daily Plate.

Counting Calories - Week of November 8

2 weeks ago…
Recommended calories to be consumed per day for a moderately active individual at 214.8 lbs with a weight loss goal of 2.7 lbs for the week: 1,789 (day)

Total calories consumed (week) --> Total calories consumed (day)
9,328 (week) --> 1,333 (day)

Net calories consumed (week) --> Net calories consumed (day)
2,225 (week) --> 318 (day)

Calories burned (week) --> Calories burned (day)
7,103 (week) --> 1,014 (day)

Last week…
Recommended calories to be consumed per day for a moderately active individual at 211.2 lbs with a weight loss goal of 2.7 lbs for the week: 1,755 (day)

Total calories consumed (week) --> Total calories consumed (day)
20,382 (week) --> 2,912 (day)

Net calories consumed (week) --> Net calories consumed (day)
19,191 (week) --> 2,742 (day)

Calories burned (week) --> Calories burned (day)
847 (week) --> 121 (day)

Week of November 8…
Recommended calories to be consumed per day for a moderately active individual at 212.6 lbs with a weight loss goal of 2.7 lbs for the week: 1,768 (day)

Total calories consumed (week) --> Total calories consumed (day)
9,800 (week) --> 1,400 (day)

Goals for the Week
Net calories consumed (week) --> Net calories consumed (day)
4,200 (week) --> 600 (day)

Calories burned (week) --> Calories burned (day)
5,600 (week) --> 800 (day)

*All of the calculations are based on averages for the week and day.

Week of Working Out - Nov. 8

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
November 2nd – November 8th.
---
Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: rest

Sunday: WALKING – outdoors at 6:00 AM; 4 mile out-and-back course, with 2 loops around the complex for 4.62 miles; 1:02:41.00 hours; temp of 49 with little to no wind; the entire walk was nice and uneventful; felt great to be back exercising after a week off from any activity; 847 calories burned.

Progress Report XXXVII - November 8

Weight: 212.6 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 1.4 lbs.

42.6 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
13.6 lbs. to New Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 1:02:41.00 hours (walking: 1:02:41.00 hours)

Exercise Distance: 4.62 miles (walking: 4.62 miles)

Not the best way to start November. I did not follow my diet. I did not exercise. And there was no good reason why I fell back into familiar bad habits. (Well, aside from stress and laziness.)

Monday through Saturday I raided the leftover Halloween candy stash. I also ate McDonalds twice and had pizza one night. I’m sure all of this wouldn’t have been so terribly bad if I’d done the even the easiest of workouts.

I’m just pleased I didn’t gain more weight than I did. Here’s to hoping I can turn things around this week. So far today has gone pretty well.

Here's my last 10 days of calories consumed and calories burned:


Here's my last 30 days of calories consumed and calories burned:


Oh, and if you’re curious to see my daily nutrition/exercise progress, check out my page on The Daily Plate.

A Disaster of a Week

This week - at least the first half - has been a total failure. No exercise. A crap-ton of candy consumed. Just poor choice after poor choice. I've already eaten more than my normal week's worth of calories, and that was by Wednesday.

Doing some calculations, it does look like I might be able to salvage some of the week. If I can reign in the calories to my weekly goal of 1,400 a day, while also burning a minimum of 800 calories a day over the next three days, I might be able to maintain my weight. Best case scenario would be a loss of maybe a pound, but I'm not holding out any hope. I thoroughly screwed myself earlier in the week.

It's frustrating how easy it is to fall back into bad habits.

Counting Calories - Week of November 1

2 weeks ago…
Recommended calories to be consumed per day for a moderately active individual at 220 lbs with a weight loss goal of 2.7 lbs for the week: 1,837 (day)

Total calories consumed (week) --> Total calories consumed (day)
9,806 (week) --> 1,400 (day)

Net calories consumed (week) --> Net calories consumed (day)
4,177 (week) --> 597 (day)

Calories burned (week) --> Calories burned (day)
5,629 (week) --> 804 (day)

Last week…
Recommended calories to be consumed per day for a moderately active individual at 214.8 lbs with a weight loss goal of 2.7 lbs for the week: 1,789 (day)

Total calories consumed (week) --> Total calories consumed (day)
9,328 (week) --> 1,333 (day)

Net calories consumed (week) --> Net calories consumed (day)
2,225 (week) --> 318 (day)

Calories burned (week) --> Calories burned (day)
7,103 (week) --> 1,014 (day)

Week of November 1st…
Recommended calories to be consumed per day for a moderately active individual at 211.2 lbs with a weight loss goal of 2.7 lbs for the week: 1,755 (day)

Total calories consumed (week) --> Total calories consumed (day)
9,800 (week) --> 1,400 (day)

Goals for the Week
Net calories consumed (week) --> Net calories consumed (day)
3,850 (week) --> 550 (day)

Calories burned (week) --> Calories burned (day)
5,950 (week) --> 850 (day)

*All of the calculations are based on averages for the week and day.

Progress Report XXXVI - November 1

Weight: 211.2 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 3.6 lbs.

41.2 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
12.2 lbs. to New Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 7:56:08.25 hours (walking: 6:42:32.20 hours; running: 1:13:36.05 hours)

Exercise Distance: 37.41 miles (walking: 29.41 miles; running: 8 miles)

This was another great week for me with regards to exercise and weight loss. I did have ambitious plans of fitting in 50 miles of exercise distance, but with two days of rest it was impossible to accomplish. Still, I’m pleased with the amount of exercise I did manage. (I had a run Saturday of 4 miles at a pace of 8:44 minute/mile – one of my best runs in the past few years!)

I also managed to meet my calorie goals for the week. Actually, I blew them away. And that might not be a good thing – there is only so much of a calorie deficit a body can handle. I did only manage to lose 3.6 lbs., down quite a bit from last week’s 5.2 lbs., and it’s frustrating because I ate less and worked out about the same, but it’s still a loss, so I can’t complain too much.

November is a new month, so I’m going to try different approaches to the calorie goals and weight loss expectations. Some of this will come with the change in weather and some will come with an increase in workload. My hope is to maintain a large weekly weight loss (at least 2.7 lbs.) while also getting a bit more than 1,400 calories a day.

October was a bang-up month! I ended up losing 21.2 lbs. over the month, for an average weekly weight loss of 4.5 lbs. And check out my graph for calories consumed and netted over the course of October.


Oh, and if you’re curious to see my daily nutrition/exercise progress, check out my page on The Daily Plate.

Week of Working Out - Nov. 1

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
October 26th – November 1st.
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Monday: WALKING – outdoors at 5:00 PM; 4 mile out-and-back course with 2 loops around the complex for 4.62 miles; 1:03:38.00 hours; temp of 48 with winds from SSW at 5 mph; beautiful walk, if not a bit chilly; 867 calories burned.

Tuesday: RUNNING – outdoors at 5:45 PM; 1 mile WALK to warm up, then run of 4 miles with splits of 9:52.00, 9:31.66, 9:42.53 and 9:30.45, for a total of 38:36.64 minutes running, followed by a 3.62 mile WALK to cool down/additional workout for a total of 1:05:04.52 hours walking; course was 2 loops of the 4 mile route, with 2 loops around the complex to end; temp around 50, winds from SE at 7 mph; both knees hurt terribly bad – grinding pain on the inside bottom part of knees – during the entire first mile (hence the slow first mile split); the slow first mile running set the slower pace for the rest of the run; once the knees warmed up? the rest of the run went better; there was no mental block keeping me from completing the fourth mile; the walk felt chilly from the temp drop with the setting sun and sweat from running, but it was still a great workout; 895 calories burned walking and 627 calories burned running.

Wednesday: WALKING – outdoors at 5:30 PM; 4 mile out-and-back course with 1 loop around complex, then 2 mile out-and-back course with 2 loops around the complex for 6.93 miles; 1:35:40.00 hours; temps from 58 down to 53 with winds from SE at 14 to 21 mph – chilly in that direction; legs felt tired and knees still a little sore – I may be pushing the exercise a bit too far; lot of traffic at every intersection I crossed – it was beginning to piss me off; 1,315 calories burned.

Thursday: Rest – rainy weather all day and not motivated enough to set up the bike trainer in the garage; felt terribly guilty about not netting a low number of calories – those 1,350 calories for the day felt like a massive (but tasty) weight on my consciousness.

Friday: Rest – still rainy (even though the weather man said it wouldn’t be); when it did clear off it was already late and I decided to use the day for another break.

Saturday: RUNNING – outdoors at 1:30 PM; 1 mile WALK to warm up, then an amazingrun of 4 miles with splits of 8:55.54, 8:48.60, 8:48.35, and 8:26.92, for a total of 34:59.41 minutes running, followed by a 5.62 mile WALK to cool down/additional workout for a total of 1:30:01.68 hours walking; course was 2 loops of the 4 mile route and the middle two miles repeated a 3rd time, with 2 loops around the complex to end; temp of 53, winds from W at 10+ mph; the entire workout was fantastic, but the run was especially impressive: each split was quicker than the last, and that includes waiting for traffic and stopping to tie a shoe during the 3rd mile – fastest, best run since the training I did for the marathon a few years ago; everything was perfect; 2 hours later and my legs were tired; 1,238 calories burned walking and 625 calories burned running.

Sunday: WALKING – outdoors at 7:30 AM; 4 mile out-and-back course, and the middle two miles were repeated a 2nd time, with 2 loops around the complex for 6.62 miles; 1:28:08.00 hours; temps of 49 with winds from S at 9 mph; the entire walk was nice and uneventful; 1,191 calories burned.

Counting Calories - Week of October 26th

2 weeks ago…
Recommended calories to be consumed per day for a moderately active individual at 224.4 lbs with a weight loss goal of 2.7 lbs for the week: 1,878 (day)

Total calories consumed (week) --> Total calories consumed (day)
9,953 (week) --> 1,421 (day)

Net calories consumed (week) --> Net calories consumed (day)
4,633 (week) --> 661 (day)

Calories burned (week) --> Calories burned (day)
5,320 (week) --> 760 (day)

Last week…
Recommended calories to be consumed per day for a moderately active individual at 220 lbs with a weight loss goal of 2.7 lbs for the week: 1,837 (day)

Total calories consumed (week) --> Total calories consumed (day)
9,806 (week) --> 1,400 (day)

Net calories consumed (week) --> Net calories consumed (day)
4,177 (week) --> 597 (day)

Calories burned (week) --> Calories burned (day)
5,629 (week) --> 804 (day)

Week of October 26th…
Recommended calories to be consumed per day for a moderately active individual at 214.8 lbs with a weight loss goal of 2.7 lbs for the week: 1,789 (day)

Goals for the Week
Total calories consumed (week) --> Total calories consumed (day)
9,450 (week) --> 1,350 (day)

Net calories consumed (week) --> Net calories consumed (day)
3,850 (week) --> 550 (day)

Calories burned (week) --> Calories burned (day)
5,600 (week) --> 800 (day)

*All of the calculations are based on averages for the week and day.

Week of Working Out - Oct. 25

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
October 19th – October 25th.
---
Monday: Rest – physically exhausted; could not bring myself to workout (a mistake because of the rainy weather later in the week).

Tuesday: RUNNING – outdoors at 5:45 PM; 1 mile WALK to warm up, then run of 3 miles with splits of 9:08.35, 9:21.17, and 9:17.35, for a total of 27.46.87 minutes running, followed by a .62 mile WALK to cool down, and then a 2.62 mile WALK out-and-back- course with 2 loops around the complex for a total of 1:00:23.33 hours walking; 58 degrees, and perfect until the last mile or the run and the 2nd workout when a rainy mist arrived, but never got too bad.

Wednesday: WALKING – outdoors at 5:00 PM; 4 mile out-and-back course; 55:52.53 minutes; temp of 62, but with huge drop during the last quarter mile as a rain storm blew in, cutting out my normal 2 loops around the complex; left knee felt a bit sore.

Thursday: Rest – rainy weather all day and not motivated enough to set up the bike trainer in the garage; felt terribly guilty about not working out for the second time this week.

Friday: WALKING – outdoors at 5:15 AM; .31 mile loop around complex; 4:29.08 minutes; too rainy to continue; low 40’s and windy; a bust of a workout, but at least I tried.

RUNNING – outdoors at 7:30 PM; 1 mile WALK to warm up, then run of 3 miles with splits of 9:05.54, 9:22.91, and 9:09.25, for a total of 27:37.53 minutes running, followed by a .62 mile WALK to cool down, and then a 2.62 mile WALK out-and-back- course with 2 loops around the complex for a total of 59:42.47 minutes walking; temp of 41, winds from WNW at 8 mph; could really feel the chill from the west, but had a nice view of the stars above and a shiny crescent moon; leg stiff the first mile of the run, but loosened up after.

Saturday: WALKING – outdoors at 7:15 AM; 7.24 mile out-and-back courses (4 mile loop and 2 mile loop) with 4 loops around complex; 1:42:14.00 hours; temp of 31 with winds from WSW at 5 mph making it a chilly start, but it seemed warmer when the sun came out.

WALKING – outdoors at 4:00 PM; 2.93 mile out-and-back course with 3 loops around complex; 41:28.44 minutes; 54 degrees with light rain sprinkles.

Sunday: RUNNING – outdoors at 3:00 PM; 1 mile WALK to warm up, then run of 4 miles with splits of 8:53.04, 9:11.55, 9:06.32, and 9:23.96, for a total of 36:33.93 minutes running, followed by a 3.62 mile WALK to cool down/additional workout for a total of 1:04:12.07 hours walking; course was 2 loops of the 4 mile route, with 2 loops around the complex to end; temp of 53, winds from N at 10 mph; could really feel the chill and strength from the north; blasted through a longer workout because I felt great coming off my weight loss for the week; later in the night my legs are exhausted after three big days of working out.

Progress Report XXXV - October 25

Weight: 214.8 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 5.2 lbs.

44.8 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
15.2 lbs. to New Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 8:00:20.25 hours (walking: 6:28:21.92 hours; running: 1:31:58.33 hours)

Exercise Distance: 37.58 miles (walking: 27.58 miles; running: 10 miles)

There were a couple of days of rest this week that made the remainder of the week a bit more structured and stressful than normal. No matter, I rose to the challenge and banged out three big days of working out, resulting in three straight days of netting a negative number of calories. All of this, I’m sure, helped to create that awesome weight loss I achieved.

I did some calculations (I’ll post more about them later), and then some extrapolation while running, and it is possible - however unlikely – that I could reach my original goal of 170 lbs. by the end of the year if all could stay the same as it is now. It’s impossible – especially with the upcoming winter weather conditions, two big holidays and the food that entails, and an increasingly busy work schedule. Still, it’s cool to think that the possibility exists.

I do have one giant bag of Halloween candy sitting on my kitchen counter, tempting me to tear into it. I won’t; I’ve become disciplined. And I don’t want the guilt of seeing my calorie graph all messed up. But it’s there. Calling…

Oh, and did I mention that I bumped my run today up to 4 miles? It’s been over 2 years since I ran more than 3 miles. It was a big mental block to power through, but I hope since I did it once I can do it again. We’ll see Tuesday, my next day to run.

I Tried

Last night I went to bed hoping I'd wake up early enough that I could squeeze in a workout before work. The waking would be hard enough, but even if I did manage to wake in time, there was still the constant rain that would need to have cleared.

I did pull myself from bed. I checked the window, and it looked as if the hard rain had passed. I could still see some plops in the puddles, but I geared up for my workout.

Within moments of my walk it became clear that even such a little amount of rain was going to soak me (and my shoes) to the point that I probably wouldn't be able to run a workout after school. I turned back from my walk and here I am.

(I wish I could afford that gym membership because then the weather could suck it.)

At least I tried.

End of the Week Crunch

My apathetic Monday, and the rainy weather today, has left me in a bit of a bind concerning my caloric intake this week. I was impressed with my weight loss last week (4.4 lbs), and hoped to recreate it again this week. To do so, I needed to consume about 1,400 calories a day, while adding in enough exercise so that I only netted 660 of those calories.

Between Friday and Saturday I must now average a burn of 1,243 calories a day through exercise to reach this goal. That's double workouts. And those are draining experiences.

I'll be curious to see if it happens. If it does, I wonder if the two days of rest and one day of 1,500 calories consumed will have an impact on that weight loss number.

And if I don't meet my weekly calorie goals, I wonder just how much weight I will lose?

(It better be at least 2.7 lbs - the weight loss amount "promised" based on a "moderately active" lifestyle and a diet of 1,837 calories from www.thedailyplate.com.)

Stressed Eating

I eat when I'm stressed.

That becomes obvious on days like I had today when I try to follow my careful counting of calories. I'm not going to splurge and gorge myself on food, even though I want to do just that. I'll maintain my daily goal of less than 1,400 calories, but it won't be easy.

I guess I have always been aware of this connection between stress and food, but it's never been as painfully obvious as it was today.

Ah, weight loss. You enlightening bastard.

Calorie Counting

From October 11th to October 18th, for my weight of 224.4 lbs., and attempting to lose 2.7 lbs. during the week, it was suggested that I consume 1,878 calories a day to meet my goal. That would be 13,146 calories for the week.

I ate a total of 9,953 calories during the week (~1,421 calories a day). With exercise, I consumed a net of 4,633 calories during the week (~661 calories a day).

I ended up losing 4.4 lbs.

This week I’m supposed to shoot for 1,837 calories a day. I think I’m going to try and keep it right around the 1,400 calories I consumed last week and see if I see the same results.

What I really want is a heart rate monitor that also tracks the calories burned. I want to wear it throughout the day to get a more accurate count on the calories burned to help plan the calories I can safely still consume and healthily lose the weight I want to lose to reach my goal.

Week of Working Out - Oct. 18

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
October 12th – October 18th.
---
Monday: WALKING – outdoors at 5:00 PM; 2 mile out-and-back course; 27:08.69 minutes; temp of 42; sore left leg: outside of knee, Achilles tendon, and blister on heel.

Tuesday: RUNNING – outdoors at 5:30 PM; 1 mile WALK to warm up, then run of 3 miles with splits of 9:26.07, 9:59.41, and 10:05.92, for a total of 29:31.40 minutes running, followed by a .62 mile WALK to cool down for a total of 23:24.09 minutes walking.

Wednesday: WALKING – outdoors at 5:00 PM; 2.62 mile out-and-back course with 2 loops around complex; 36:33.97 minutes.

Thursday: RUNNING – outdoors at 5:30 PM; 1 mile WALK to warm up, then run of 3 miles with splits of 9:33.04, 9:47.32, and 9:35.99, for a total of 28:56.35 minutes running, followed by a .62 mile WALK to cool down for a total of 22:59.13 minutes walking; temp of 48, calm but cloudy; run felt quick, but great.

Friday: WALKING – outdoors at 11:00 PM; 2.62 mile out-and-back course with 2 loops around complex; 35:52.19 minutes; temp of 43 with light drizzle, but it was calm; used the stress of the day to power through the walk, and felt amazing afterward.

Saturday: RUNNING – outdoors at 7:00 AM; 1 mile WALK to warm up, then run of 3 miles with splits of 9:33.64, 9:32.93, and 9:30.38, for a total of 28:36.95 minutes running, followed by a .62 mile WALK to cool down for a total of 23:19.89 minutes walking; temp of 39, calm and still dark to start; no leg troubles except for sore blister during the mile warm up.

WALKING – outdoors at 8:00 PM; 2.62 mile out-and-back course with 2 loops around complex; 36:34.38 minutes; nice walk with no leg problems at all – the lanced blister was much improved.

Sunday: WALKING – outdoors at 8:15 PM; 2.62 mile out-and-back course with 2 loops around complex; 36:00.21 minutes; temp of 56 with 11 mph winds from the south; blood blister on left side of waist is sore, but didn’t bother me during the walk; was jumpy in the dark because of scary movie this afternoon – the heart rate was definitely up.

Progress Report XXXIV - October 18

Weight: 220 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 4.4 lbs.

50 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
21 lbs. to New Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 5:28:57.25 hours (walking: 4:01:52.55 hours; running: 1:27:04.70 hours)

Exercise Distance: 26.34 miles (walking: 17.34 miles; running: 9 miles)

This has been a great week for exercise. I’ve been out everyday (some days more than once), and I’ve lengthened my walks to include another 9-10 minutes. My big concern is that when the weather finally turns bad (i.e. snow and/or ice) and I can no longer walk and run on the roads, I’ll drop back out of the habit. I don’t have the money to afford a monthly gym membership, so I’ll have to get creative.

The diet is going well. I like the up and down of my graph of calories consumed on days I run instead of walking. It makes a neat pattern. I’m still keeping both my total calories consumed and my net calories less than recommended until I can judge just how accurate the program is in predicting my weekly weight loss based solely on my height, weight, daily activity level, and the exercise I put into the program. I’m not starving, but I do get pretty hungry after longer workouts.

I did add another serving of vegetables to the dinners I ate this week. I’m hesitant to add more fruits until I can find some lower calorie fruits I enjoy.

Picked up a couple of treats (Smokin’ Cheddar BBQ Doritos and fun-sized 3 Muskateers bars) at the store – we’ll see how portioning out these impacts the diet. (I did notice that it was more difficult to fit them in today and not exceed my daily calorie goals.)

Damn Double Heel

No, I don't really have a double heel. Although the blister on my left foot has grown nearly that large.

I struggled with blisters earlier in the year when I was working out as much as I've been the past few weeks. I can't remember if they ever went away, or if I just managed them with lancing and draining.

I thought about taking a picture and posting the blister in all its disgusting glory, but decided against it. Why ruin a good day for some unsuspecting person visiting the blog?

I did lance the mother, and will see how things go with another, shorter workout later today.

Progress Report XXXIII - October 11

Weight: 224.4 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 3.8 lbs.

54.4 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
25.4 lbs. to New Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 4:10:47.94 hours (walking: 3:40:03.15 hours; running: 30:44.79 minutes)

Exercise Distance: 19.1 miles (walking: 16 miles; running: 3.1 miles)

Boo ya! Another week of weight loss. I’m steadily working my way towards my goal. It was a good week, with exercise every day and the diet strictly followed. What I need to do now is increase the exercise so that I can increase my calorie intake – 1,500 calories a day is not a lot of food. Don’t get me wrong, it’s enough; I’m not starving, but I guess I just wish I could have a little more leeway in my choices.

Run for the Roses (my 13th consecutive showing at this run!) was a lot of fun. My uncle Jeff came with me this year, and we had a great run. It was chilly, but not unpleasant. I’m going to do my best to find the motivation to add running to my workout regime. It would be nice to run until the weather forces me off the roads.

Week of Working Out - Oct. 11

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
October 5th – October 11th.
---
Monday: WALKING – outdoors at 8:30 PM; 2 mile out-and-back course; 26:53.21 minutes; temp of 60; felt quick, but was probably due to the fact that I haven’t exercised since the end of July.

Tuesday: WALKING – outdoors at 5:30 PM; 2 mile out-and-back course; 27:27.37 minutes; temp of 52 with winds of 21 mph; out trying to beat the rain – and I succeeded, barely.

Wednesday: WALKING – outdoors at 5:00 PM; 2 mile out-and-back course; 27:42.01 minutes; temp of 66 with winds of 14 mph; legs a little stiff and sore heels where I’ve had blisters from walking in the past.

Thursday: WALKING – outdoors at 4:30 PM; 2 mile out-and-back course; 27:41.81 minutes; temp of 49; just the right amount of chill in the air for a short walk; feeling less stiff, but there’s some new-to-exercise chafing that’s annoying.

Friday: WALKING – outdoors at 4:15 PM; 4 mile out-and-back course; 55:21.57 minutes; temp of 53; perfect, beautiful walk; feet sore from rubbing in shoe on inside of both heels.

Saturday: WALKING – outdoors at 5:30 PM; 2 mile out-and-back course; 27:08.48 minutes; temp of 39; blister on left inside heel is a pain, but not while walking.

Sunday: RUNNING – Run for the Roses XXIII – 5K; 9:00 AM; 30:44.79 minutes – 1st mile split: 9:55; 2nd mile split: 19:35; temp of 30 degrees, but bundled up I was warm by the 2nd mile; very fun run; felt great even hours after the race; no problems at all with blister on left heel; ran with Jeff.

WALKING – outdoors at 12:00 PM; 2 mile out-and-back course; 27:48.70 minutes; temp of 40; nice recovery walk after the run earlier in the day.

Progress Report XXXII - October 4

Starting weight on October 1st: 232.4 lbs.
Weight: 228.2 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 4.2 lbs.

58.2 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)
29.2 lbs. to New Goal (199 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: none

Exercise Distance: none

So I was gone for a while. Okay, not a while – a long time. I could make excuses, but they won’t change what’s happened. Basically I quit exercising and quit watching what I ate. I ballooned back up to 232.4 lbs – only 4.4 lbs from where I started this year. And this was after losing close to 30 lbs!

Frustrating, to say the least.

I’m back on the warpath now. I started with the beginning of the month – October 1st – weighing in at 232.4 lbs. Over 3 days I’ve managed to lose 4.2 lbs by simply eating the correct foods at the right portions. I’m holding myself accountable for the calories I’m eating, and it has worked wonders.

I’ll start the exercising again this week, and we’ll see where it goes from here. I know my original goal of 170 lbs is unreachable (with healthy weight loss), so I’ve adjusted my expectations and hope to reach 199 lbs by December 31st.

August 23	October 4

Week of Working Out - Aug. 2

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
July 27th – August 2nd.
---
Sunday: rest

Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: rest

Sunday: rest
---

Progress Report XXXI - August 2

Weight: 227.6 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 5 lbs.

57.6 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: none

Exercise Distance: none

Late in posting because there was nothing here to post that I was pleased about. Some of the weight gain had to be due to the fact that a lot of what I lost on RAGBRAI was water weight, but still…I didn’t exercise and I ate crap all week. So there’s that too.

RAGBRAI XXXVII - July 19-25, 2009

The big RAGBRAI post is up over at Another Great Escape, Pirate.

Week of Working Out - July 26

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
July 19th – July 26th.
---
Sunday: RAGBRAI Biking – 68.44 miles in 5:11:36 hours on a tandem with Jeff at an average of 13.1 mph with a maximum speed of 44.4 mph.

Monday: RAGBRAI Biking – 78.59 miles in 6:42:08 hours on a tandem with Jeff at an average of 11.7 mph with a maximum speed of 37.6 mph.

Tuesday: RAGBRAI Biking – 81.19 miles in 6:34:48 hours on a tandem with Jeff at an average of 12.3 mph with a maximum speed of 38.3 mph.

Wednesday: RAGBRAI Biking – 53.86 miles in 4:23:21 hours on a tandem with Jeff at an average of 12.2 mph with a maximum speed of 39.3 mph.

Thursday: RAGBRAI Biking – 81.35 miles in 6:11:57 hours on a tandem with Jeff at an average of 13.1 mph with a maximum speed of 40.9 mph.

Friday: RAGBRAI Biking – 80.76 miles in 6:06:42 hours on a tandem with Jeff at an average of 13.2 mph with a maximum speed of 34.5 mph.

Saturday: RAGBRAI Biking – 48.68 miles in 3:28:03 hours on a tandem with Jeff at an average of 14 mph with a maximum speed of 41.1 mph.

Sunday: rest
---
I would have provided more information about temperatures and specifics of the ride, but by the end of the week it all blurred into a jumble. Know this: it was VERY hilly, mostly cool with only one day of real heat and sun, and rain on the ride for half of one day. The last two days of the ride were the easiest, while the other five days were killers.

Progress Report XXX - July 26

Weight: 222.6 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 7.4 lbs.

52.6 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 38:38:35 hours (biking: 38:38:35 hours)

Exercise Distance: 492.87 miles (biking: 492.87 miles)

RAGBRAI XXXVII

This was the one week of the year I knew I’d get some exercise. One would think that that would guarantee weight loss, but I’ve proven that assumption wrong in the past. I took the extra effort to ensure I didn’t gain weight by overeating on the ride by bringing my own healthy snacks and limiting consumption to one big meal (dinner – mostly pizza and salad buffets) a day. It worked pretty well after the first couple days (extreme dehydration and discomfort from the drastic change in exercise time and diet).

Now that I’m home, coming off a big week of exercise and weight loss, I’ve got to make sure I stay on the wagon and continue marching toward my (unreachable?) goal weight of 170 lbs. by December 31st.

Oh, and 38 hours of exercise: impressive!

Week of Working Out - July 18

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
July 13th – July 18th.
---
Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: Bike – 2.42 miles in 14:52 minutes, riding around the campgrounds in Council Bluffs the day before RAGBRAI on a tandem with Jeff.

Progress Report XXIX - July 18

Weight: 230 lbs.
Loss/Gain: 0 lbs.

60 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 14:52 minutes (biking: 14:52 minutes)

Exercise Distance: 2.42 miles (biking: 2.42 miles)

I was happy to not gain a huge amount of weight before leaving for RAGBRAI. I mean, I was already up to 230 lbs after being down so close to 200. When I was losing weight I imagined it would make RAGBRAI so much easier – and it probably would have helped – so I wasn’t happy leaving to ride another year with a lot of extra weight.

Also, because RAGBRAI starts on a Sunday and we need to be at the campgrounds Saturday, this week’s progress report is a day short (ended on a Saturday). Next week’s report will run from Sunday to Sunday (a day long). This should be the only glitch of the year with regards to weights, face photos, etc.

A Brief Interruption

I'm off to ride RAGBRAI this week. I'll catch up with all posts next weekend. 442 miles of riding, here I come!

Week of Working Out - July 12

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
July 6th – July 12th.
---
Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: rest

Sunday: rest

Progress Report XXVIII - July 12

Weight: 224.4 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 5.6 lbs.

63.8 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: none

Exercise Distance: none

Depressed, really.

Week of Working Out - July 5

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
June 29th – July 5th.
---
Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: rest

Sunday: rest

Progress Report XXVII - July 5

Weight: 224.4 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 1.4 lbs.

58.2 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: none

Exercise Distance: none

*frown*

Week of Working Out - June 28

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
June 22nd – June 28th.
---
Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: Bike – 25.11 miles in 1:31:38 hours, at an average of 16.4 mph; rode the loop from home, north through Grimes, over by Saylorville Lake, south by Camp Dodge to 70th Street and then back west to home, with a loop over by Ry’s along my walking course; HOT – high 80’s – and overcast and humid, with only minimal winds.

Thursday: Bike – 29.19 miles in 2:02:42 hours, at an average of 14.2 mph; rode from home to the Saylorville trails between Johnston and Ankeny and went north to the Mile Long Bridge, then west to Beaver Avenue and back through Grimes on my way home; HOT – high 80’s (feels like 98 – according to the Weather Channel, and ME) – and sunny and humid, with only winds from the west at 15+ mph.

Friday: rest

Saturday: Run – 3.1 miles (5k) in 30:15 minutes; ran with Jeff an out and back course on the south side of the main drag east-west through Prairie City; mile 1 at 9:08, mile 2 at 18:51; hot – low 80’s – and sunny and humid, with winds from the south at 15+ mph.

Bike – 3.88 miles in 25:34 minutes; rode with Jeff from his house to the start of the Prairie City Days 5k at the ball fields on the south side of town and then back afterwards; hot – high 80’s – and sunny and humid, with winds from the south at 15+ mph.

Bike – 19.07 miles in 1:22:11 hours, at an average of 13.8 mph; rode with Scott and Steve from grandma’s in Altoona on the trail to Pleasant Hill and around Copper Creek Lake 2 laps before returning; hot – high 80’s – and sunny and humid, with winds from the south at 15+ mph.

Sunday: rest

Progress Report XXVI - June 28

Weight: 224.4 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 0.8 lbs.

56.8 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 5:52:20 hours (biking: 5:22:05 hours; running: 30:15 minutes)

Exercise Distance: 80.35 miles (biking: 77.25 miles; running: 3.1 miles)

I did a much better job this week getting out there and exercising. It was only 3 days, but each day was a long, tough workout. I’m hoping – that is, if I can walk (sore body from the unexpected 5k run) – that I’ll get out more this week. The weather is supposed to be a bit cooler and not as humid. Maybe I won’t feel as close to dead after a workout if that’s the case.

What I need to watch is the eating. Still doing a poor job of eating the right foods in the right amounts. Too easy to be gluttonous when you just sit around home all day.

Not Quite a Triathlon

I have a feeling my uncles are out to kill me. Yesterday Jeff called me and asked, out of the blue, if I’d like to run a 5k in Prairie City today. Run a 5k? Sure, I haven’t run in over 2 months – why not!

Not an hour later, Steve asked about doing a bike ride in Altoona. Sure, why not. I’d already be in the neighborhood and sweaty.

That meant a tough morning for me.

Prairie City Days 5k – The run went about as well as I could have expected. Actually, it went better – quicker – that I expected. I was able to finish the race at quicker than 10-minute per mile pace (my “normal” speed). I didn’t need to stop and walk. I finished. Overall, it was a success. Near the end I had a shoe come untied and needed to take off the hat so my bald head could breathe, but I did not stop. We even rode our bikes from his place to the start of the race and then back afterwards. It was a great, early start to the morning. Wish I would have remembered to stop my watch at the end, but I’m sure my finishing time was right around 30 minutes – one of my better 5k’s in the past 6 or 7 years. [UPDATED - race results have Jeff and I clocked at 30:15]

Bike Ride – It didn’t take long, only about 12 miles, before I began to notice that the run had eaten away a lot of my power and motivation to be outside in the hot, muggy weather. I also had some stomach cramping (probably should have had more than a granola bar for breakfast) that made the last 8 or so miles uncomfortable. I was just happy for the ride to be over.

And that no birds attacked me.
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Run Summary: 3.1 miles (5k) in 30:15 minutes; ran with Jeff an out and back course on the south side of the main drag east-west through Prairie City; mile 1 at 9:08, mile 2 at 18:51; hot – low 80’s – and sunny and humid, with winds from the south at 15+ mph.

Bike Summary: 3.88 miles in 25:34 minutes; rode with Jeff from his house to the start of the Prairie City Days 5k at the ball fields on the south side of town and then back afterwards; hot – high 80’s – and sunny and humid, with winds from the south at 15+ mph.

19.07 miles in 1:22:11 hours, at an average of 13.8 mph; rode with Scott and Steve from grandma’s in Altoona on the trail to Pleasant Hill and around Copper Creek Lake 2 laps before returning; hot – high 80’s – and sunny and humid, with winds from the south at 15+ mph.

A Sudden and Mysterious Injury

As mysteriously as my sore left knee appeared, the pain has suddenly disappeared. Monday night I was jarred from sleep by a very sore left knee. It was as if the ligaments had been stretched beyond breaking. And the pain continued – probably exacerbated by 50+ miles of biking the next few days – until it was suddenly gone when I woke this morning.

I have a feeling something got out of alignment while I was sleeping and finally found its way back into place, days later. Whatever it was, I’m just glad it doesn’t hurt anymore. It was painful and annoying.

Biking - June 25

Turns out there is a reason I enjoy my 20 mile loop course so much: it’s mostly downhill. You know how I know? I rode part of it – about 10 miles – going the opposite direction and it was entirely uphill. Balls!

And that wasn’t the worst part; that was just the last 10 miles of my ride.

I left home planning a short ride of only an hour for a leisurely 14 or 15 miles. It was hot and my knee was no better and I wasn’t all that excited about doing the ride in the first place, but as often happens, as soon as I got going, I kept going.

Once I decided to extend my ride, I wanted to see just how far it was to Kyle’s Bikes in Ankeny. I got to the Saylorville trails between Johnston and Ankeny, and changed plans. I hopped on the trail headed north and rode to the Mile Long Bride (turns out to be only .94 miles long). I took the bridge west to meet up with my loop, and rode the course in the opposite direction the 10+ miles to home.

And then the bird attacked me again. Same spot and all. It was as if the bastard bird was waiting. More screaming and arm waving ensued. As an added bonus I got to do this routine in front of a car coming up behind me. I’m sure it was quite the show.

Earlier in the ride, while cruising up the trails I was almost knocked off my bike by a deer. Right in front of my bike the deer burst across the path. At the time I thought the birds had recruited other animals to the cause. After the bird attack later, I’m sure they have.

I’m a marked rider. Beware.

I also decided that I’m a bit of a trail snob. After riding the wonderfully smooth (and relatively flat) trails north of Ankeny and over at Chichaqua, I don’t think I can ride the HORRIBLY maintained, bumpy as hell, hilly Saylorville trails. That was 12 miles of the worst riding I’ve had in years.

I don’t think I have heat exhaustion, but it was a killer ride. There was no way I could go another mile. I was done at 29; there was no reaching 30. The sun even managed to eat through my sun block, not burning my arms and face, but toasting them a much darker tan than they were a day ago.

Ride Summary: 29.19 miles in 2:02:42 hours, at an average of 14.2 mph; rode from home to the Saylorville trails between Johnston and Ankeny and went north to the Mile Long Bridge, then west to Beaver Avenue and back through Grimes on my way home; HOT – high 80’s (feels like 98 – according to the Weather Channel, and ME) – and sunny and humid, with winds from the west at 15+ mph.

Biking - June 24

Another in– it being summer and all – what I’m sure will be a long list of HOT bike rides.

Even though my left knee was in pain and it was the warmest part of the day and I didn’t really feel like riding, I decided to get out on the bike. A quick change of the batteries in my bike speakers fixed my lack of music problem and was probably the deciding factor in me riding today. A quick change and an even quicker charge of the iPod, and I was out the door.

And it couldn’t have been a more AWESOME ride. Aside from the attacking bird, the ride was near perfect. It was hot, sure, and I was sweating, but I was also cruising along very comfortably. It was almost as if I had been out riding every day the past few months. (I have not.) Needless to say, I’m excited about getting back out there soon.
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Ride Summary: 25.11 miles in 1:31:38 hours, at an average of 16.4 mph; rode the loop from home, north through Grimes, over by Saylorville Lake, south by Camp Dodge to 70th Street and then back west to home, with a loop over by Ry’s along my walking course; HOT – high 80’s – and overcast and humid, with only minimal winds.

Week of Working Out - June 21

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
June 15th – June 21st.
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Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: 22.07 miles in 1:24:40 hours, at an average of 15.6 mph; rode the loop from home, north through Grimes, over by Saylorville Lake, south by Camp Dodge to 70th Street and then back west to home; HOT – high 80’s – and sunny and buggy and sunny, with only minimal winds.

Sunday: rest

Progress Report XXV - June 21

Weight: 225.2 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 1 lb.

57.6 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 1:24:40 hours (biking: 1:24:40 hours)

Exercise Distance: 22.07 miles (biking: 22.07 miles)

The Sun Is Not My Friend

I knew it was going to be a tough ride. The sun was out and the temperature was 85° and rising.

It was also 12:15.

Rides after noon in Iowa – in the summer – are never pleasant. But, with RAGBRAI only 28 days away, I had no choice. Train, or die.

I was actually excited to get back out on the bike after a week off (flat tire – and yes, this time I asked at the bike shop to be shown how to fix my own flat tires) because I was given a new speaker to hook my iPod into (thanks Grandma and Steve for the birthday present) that I wanted to try.

Turns out I should have tested the speakers a bit more before setting off on the ride. The sound was terrible and quiet, and after 9 miles I just shut the whole thing off because it wasn’t doing anything but pissing me off. I’m thinking – hoping – that it was just some near-dead batteries causing the distortion and quietness. I’m going to take some new AA’s out there in a little while and fire it up once more. (*crossing my fingers*)

I decided to ride the one ride I know well that takes me out on the country roads instead of staying on the much busier streets in town. I’ve only ever ridden this entire loop once before. It was last year, with Steve, and it just about killed us – heat, speed, and distance. I remembered it was 25 miles (including some extra diversions), and thought it would be nice to know the loop’s true distance.

So I set off.

Like always, my left knee – and my mind and body in whole – didn’t warm up until I was north of Grimes, about 7 miles into the ride. It wasn’t that I was having difficulty keeping a strong average speed, I just felt tired and weak and whiny.

Warmed up, though, I picked up the pace and flew past the “mile-long” bridge over Saylorville Lake. Heading east, out in the country with few cars swinging around to pass me, I was beginning to enjoy the ride. I could see downtown Des Moines off in the distance, could watch the National Weather Service “soccer” ball tower get closer and closer. It was all good.

With a couple miles of downhill/flat road I was able to pedal easily at 20 mph. I pushed it here to help keep my average from falling too much when I hit those last 3 miles of my ride – the uphill battle to home.

And then, 19 miles in, I hit the wall. In all honesty, I’m glad I made it as far as I did. I haven’t been working out regularly in months so I can’t expect to not find that wall waiting near the end of any workout in the foreseeable future.

Tired, cursing, and breathing heavily, I powered up the hill home. I was sure I’d collapse as soon as I unclipped from the bike, or in the very least, puke, but I managed to contain myself.

I know I need to do more of these rides in the sun to better acclimate myself to the conditions I’ll face on RAGBRAI, but I think I’m going to shoot for a shady, slower ride tomorrow. I’m not Superman, you know.

Not yet.
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Ride Summary: 22.07 miles in 1:24:40 hours, at an average of 15.6 mph; rode the loop from home, north through Grimes, over by Saylorville Lake, south by Camp Dodge to 70th Street and then back west to home; HOT – high 80’s – and sunny and buggy and sunny, with only minimal winds.

Week of Working Out - June 14

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
June 8th – June 14th.
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Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: 20.85 miles in 1:31:18 hours, at an average of 13.6 mph; rode Altoona to Pleasant Hill, and back, with Steve – entire trail and 3 loops around the Copper Creek lake; cool – high 50’s – and misty and messy, with strong wind from the North.

Sunday: 32.09 miles in 2:07:11 hours, at an average of 15.1 mph; rode Ankeny to Slater, and back, with Steve – with 1.5 loops around DMACC lake at end; warm – high 70’s – and sunny, with moderate winds from the South-South East.

Progress Report XXIV - June 14

Weight: 224.2 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 4 lbs.

56.6 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 3:38:29 hours (biking: 3:38:29 hours)

Exercise Distance: 52.94 miles (biking: 52.94 miles)

It’s a great feeling to have been out exercising once again. Okay, so I’m sore and tired and not feeling great great, but I am happy to be active once more. (And look: 50+ miles in two days - not bad.)

What I’m not so impressed with is the weight gain. Gah. That’s going to change this week. There are no more excuses for the poor diet choices I’m making. I’m going be counting calories each day. That will help. It has to. I’m almost back to my starting weight.

(There. A smile. Happy, Steve?)

A Need(?) for Speed

Today’s bike ride was a beast. The ride was eleven miles longer than yesterday, with an average speed closer to 2 mph faster! By the last 7 miles I was exhausted. Spent. Legs like noodles and arms nearly too weak to stay on the handlebars.

I rode with Steve from Kyle’s Bikes in Ankeny, on the trail, north to Slater, and then back by way of DMACC, with one and a half loops around the lake. The wind was out of the South-South East, giving us a bit of a tailwind on the mostly uphill ride to Slater. Coming back the wind was against us, so even the mostly downhill ride seemed tough. By the end I was convinced that I had flat tires – what else could explain the sheer difficulty I was having pedaling? (Well, the fact that I’ve not exercised at all the past two months, plus a 20-mile ride yesterday, might have something to do with it.)

My knees and legs are shot. I’m limping around like a much older man tonight. My arms and neck saw some sun and are burned, but not badly. I’ll sleep well tonight. That’s for sure.

And I’ll be right back out there tomorrow, but maybe at a slower pace.
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Ride Summary: 32.09 miles in 2:07:11 hours, at an average of 15.1 mph; rode Ankeny to Slater, and back, with Steve – with 1.5 loops around DMACC lake at end; warm – high 70’s – and sunny, with moderate winds from the South-South East.

Biking in the Rain

Okay, so it wasn’t exactly raining. It was more of a mist, or sprinkles. Still, by the end of the ride we were a mess.

We? I rode with my uncle Steve. He had my RAGBRAI bands and jersey, so we decided to meet for a ride. And let’s face it: we both needed a ride. (We planned for a Tuesday night ride, but were rained out earlier in the week.)

We rode at a good pace for not having been out much (me) and for just having knee surgery (him). The ride out was easier than the ride coming back – uphill and into the wind.

There’s even talk of another ride tomorrow afternoon, weather permitting. I need to be out every day in prep for RAGBRAI. It’s sunny now – I should go out again today…

Ride Summary: 20.85 miles in 1:31:18 hours, at an average of 13.6 mph; rode Altoona to Pleasant Hill with Steve – entire trail and 3 loops around the Copper Creek lake; cool – high 50’s – and misty and messy, with strong wind from the North.

Week of Working Out - June 7

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
June 1st – June 7th.
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Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: rest

Sunday: rest

Progress Report XXIII - June 7

Weight: 220.2 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 0.8 lbs.

52.6 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: none

Exercise Distance: none

Week of Working Out - May 31

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
May 25th – May 31st.
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Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: rest

Sunday: rest

Progress Report XXII - May 31

Weight: 219.4 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 4.8 lbs.

51.8 lbs. to Goal (170 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: none

Exercise Distance: none

Week of Working Out - May 24

Here is a list of the exercise I completed during the past week,
May 18th – May 24th.
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Monday: rest

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: rest

Friday: rest

Saturday: 14.98 miles in 1:06:21 hours at an average of 13.5 mph; rode Altoona to Pleasant Hill with Ryan; warm – high 60’s with minimal wind.

Sunday: rest