My Charts - Dec. 26

*sniff sniff* My graph, it's ruined. My poor slope.


Check out that final day!

Progress Report LIII - December 26

Last Week's Weight: 193 lbs
Current Weight: 194.6 lbs.
Loss/Gain: + 1.6 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Gain: 0.83%

4.4 lbs. Past Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
4.7 lbs. to NEW Year-End Goal (189.9 lbs.)
25.6 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 16:11:55 hours

Exercise Distance: 100.97 miles (9.00 running; 27.64 walking; 64.33 biking)

Calories Burned: 7,360 (1,051 avg. daily)

Weekly Calories Consumed: 15,289* (2,184 avg. daily)

Net Weekly Calories: 7,929 (1,113 avg. daily)

*On Friday and Saturday, a large portion of calories consumed needed to be estimated due to eating foods and recipes not easily tracked via the Daily Plate website. On Friday, 1,160 calories were estimated consumed, and on Saturday, 4,480 calories were estimated consumed.

BALLS! My first weight gain of the new weight loss run attempt. I sort of knew it might happen, what with the holiday and all. Still, it is disappointing because it ruins my graphs and crushes a bit of my spirit. And it was all the result of just TWO days (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day).

However, I'm not going to let it stop me. I decided Christmas Eve that these few days of holiday celebration only come ONCE a year, and that if I didn't ENJOY them then I'd be kicking myself for a year. Because in the end, does it really - TRULY - matter if I put on a few pounds? I can take them right back off, probably as quickly as I've been taking the pounds off up until this week. I decided to enjoy the days, taking care to not enjoy them TOO much. I didn't need to almost DIE like last year on Christmas.

Still, it is really frustrating when you look at the numbers of my superheroic workout week:

• 100 miles covered!
• 16 hours working out!
• 7,000 calories burned!

This was 6 more hours of exercise from last week, 50! more miles of working out, 1,00 more calories burned (but also 7,800! more calories consumed than last week - over DOUBLE).

The only thing I can think is that all the extra calories came in the last two days of the week when I was also getting the sickest. The overload and the weak body probably didn't help the weight burning process.

I am sick now. Sore throat, cough, congestion. I'm not going to stop working out, but I'm not going to push it to the extremes I did last week. I need to take the recovery time this week to let my body heal and get better.

The plan for this week is to still eat fully today (celebrating Christmas with mom today and more family at grandma's tonight). I'll then get myself back on schedule with strictly enforced caloric intake - not at a level to lose 4.7 pounds to meet the New Year-End goal (that's out, barring a miracle) - and 2 hour workouts following the new, more manageable schedule I created (more on that later). I'm going to pass on eating "fully" during New Year's; these few days around Christmas were enough.

We'll see where that puts me. I'm fully prepared (sort of) to see a gain again this week (sickness, off days, new workout schedule, some extra eating), but after the new year there are no good reasons to see any sort of gain. It's back on schedule, hitting it hard to lose the final 25 or so pounds to reach my goal.

My Charts - Dec. 19

Calorie Update

I decided - after bringing home three baggies of cookies from mom's, holding out against the onslaught of foods at grandma's, and wandering the aisles of the grocery store - that it was time to adjust my weekly weight loss goal, and thus my allowable calories per day. It was set at 3.1 pounds weight loss per week, but that would have given me only 993 calories per day this week. Just not enough by any means.

So I backed the weight loss down to 2 pounds per week, and that boosted my calories per day to 1,543. With the exercise I do, the foods I want to eat, and the holiday temptations, I think this is a much more reasonable expectation. It'll be a huge difference from the past 9 weeks, but hopefully it doesn't impact the weight loss too much. Granted, I don't expect to see my average of 5 pounds loss this week, but I don't want to see a gain. That's my biggest worry. If I see a gain I might give up and the past 9 weeks will have been all for nothing.

I was going to have to increase the calories at some point, why not now? I'm just worried. Worried, worried, worried.

Progress Report LII - December 19

Last Week's Weight: 197.8 lbs
Current Weight: 193 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 4.8 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Loss: 2.43%

6 lbs. Past Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
3.1 lbs. to NEW Year-End Goal (189.9 lbs.)
24 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 10:43:01 hours

Exercise Distance: 50.92 miles (8.25 running; 17.95 walking; 24.72 biking)

Calories Burned: 6,127 (875 avg. daily)

Weekly Calories Consumed: 7,416 (1,059 avg. daily)

Net Weekly Calories: 1,289 (184 avg. daily)

Still killing it, week after week. I'm down a total of 46.4 pounds (an average of 5.16 lbs. per week) after only 9 weeks.

I tried something a little different this week. I ate more calories (68) on the days that I worked out to give myself a few extra calories on those days I knew I'd be cranking out negative numbers. Didn't seem to hurt the weight loss total. I'll continue the trend this week and next. After the start of the new year, I'll be backing down the weight loss, but for two more weeks I'll continue to be militant about it all.

This week holds the toughest day of the entire year: Christmas. Last year I ate so much I was crippled, curled up on the flow aching to throw up because my body went into calorie shock (too many calories of a type I was not used to - straight up sugar and processed food). I vowed I'd not put myself through that kind of pain again. However, there are so MANY temptations. And it's on Saturday, right before I weigh in. This is going to be a tough week.

Going to try my best to make it to the gym 5 times this week. I had good intentions last week, but by Friday I crapped out and skipped my workout. Still, I did manage 4 fantastic workouts, and I was able to log more hours at the gym than last week, going farther, doing more...killing it.

The Plan for Tonight--UPDATED

The plan for tonight's workout:

3 hours and 10 minutes
[3:18:15]
1994 calories burned
[1937 - just short; damn]

Needs to include:

My missing run from yesterday (2.75 miles, with the last .25 mile sprint at 7.6 mph)
[Check]
A total walk/run/walk of 90 minutes
[Check]
A bike of 40 minutes
[Check]
Abs [Check]
Weights [Check]
Pushups [Check]
Stretching [Check]

[PLUS: Pushups!]

Since I consumed a level of calories yesterday based on putting in a workout, I've got to flip-flop my consumed calories today with those (shorting me 68 calories today). I'll still be over in my total calories for the week - when compared to last week - but this was a new plan, and the flip today will allow me to stick with the plan I made for the week.

There, all planned. Now hopefully the tickle of a cough doesn't explode into something worse throughout the day. I don't want anything keeping me from the gym tonight. (Can't believe I was so lazy yesterday.)

My Dilemma / My Good Night

I Wish

I have all these food cravings. The problem is, I see something wonderful


and so I make a low calorie, smaller serving of something along the same lines, and it's not nearly as good. (The pasta I cooked for dinners this week is just a simple rotini, sauce, and cheese.)

That's been the toughest part of the whole diet - satisfying, rather subverting, the cravings.

My Charts - Dec. 12

How I Track

This is how I keep track - in addition to filling out my page on The Daily Plate - of what I've done throughout the week. Just an extra insight into my disciplined, healthy lifestyle.

FrontBack

Progress Report LI - December 12

Last Week's Weight: 202.8 lbs
Current Weight: 197.8 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 5 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Loss: 2.47%

1.2 lbs. Past Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
28.8 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 10:06:01 hours

Exercise Distance: 43.43 miles (7.5 running; 16.32 walking; 18.33 biking; 1.28 elliptical)

Calories Burned: 5,967 (852 avg. daily)

Weekly Calories Consumed: 7,222 (1,037 avg. daily)

Net Weekly Calories: 1,255 (179 avg. daily)

I. Did. It.

I passed over the 200 pound barrier. And not just barely. This week I lost another 5 pounds, putting myself safely below the 200 pound mark. It was a tough week to get to this point. I worked hard to ensure I met my year-end goal a full THREE weeks early. Since I started this journey again 8 weeks ago, I've lost 41.6 pounds (an average of 5.2 pounds per week!). I'm now under 30 pounds from my goal weight. It just blows my mind to think that I've come so far so fast.

The hard work I mentioned? This week I exercised 3 more hours than last week, nearly doubled my total mileage covered, consumed fewer calories daily (barely), and burned about 2,000 more calories than I did last week. All of this in just 4 days of working out. I averaged a net of only 179 calories a day. That's a strict week.

In reviewing my data (which I do obsessively), I've noticed that I don't consume nearly enough fat. There's a huge discrepancy. When The Daily Plate calculates its percentages of the different nutrients and such, it does so based on the number of calories it suggests you eat daily to meet your weekly weight loss goal. For example, suppose I want to lose 3.1 pounds a week, it factors in my weight and gives me the total grams of fat I should consume, scaled down from a 2,000 calorie diet. I'm eating maybe 50% of the scaled down recommendation. So that's essentially a tiny amount of fat daily. I'm sure that isn't super great, but the low calories foods and small portion sizes I eat just don't contain much fat. I've always chosen foods with little fat, only now it shows more visibly with this low-calorie approach to weight loss. I need to do some research and find out just how important that fat consumption is. I may have to adjust some of the foods I eat.

Now that I've met my year-end goal, I need to think about the next three weeks, and plan for the new year. While I was sitting out in my hut, huddled next to the space heater at work, I did some planning:

I'm creating a NEW year-end goal of 190 lbs. I am 7.8 pounds away from that goal, leaving me an average of 2.6 pounds to lose per week over the next three weeks. That seems possible based on the progress I've made so far over the past 8 weeks. I gave some thought to the excessive (yeah, I see that) exercise and calorie deficit, and I came up with the following plan. I'm going to eat 1,100 calories on the days I exercise (an attempt to start building back up the consumable calories), while following the weight loss recommendation of total calories on the days I don't exercise (1,032). If all goes according to plan, that will give me a weekly total of 7,564 calories (avg. of 1,080 daily). This will allow me to eat a bit more on the days I need the extra calories.

That will leave me with just 21 pounds to lose in the new year. I'm going to slow down the weekly weight loss in the new year; that has always been the plan. I'm going to shoot for an average weekly weight loss of 1.5 pounds, allowing me to build back up the number of calories consumed daily to a more sustainable level. On this plan, it will take me approximately 14 weeks to reach my goal, sometime around mid-March. This is still well before my original projection of May. Fantastic.

To the Point of Exhaustion

Workout Summary - 3:06:54 hours; avg. HR 123; Walk 1, Run 2.5, Walk 6.19; Stretching; Abs; Weights; Pushups.

Burned 1,877 calories, for a net -841 calories today.

I didn't go to the gym with the plan of a 3 hour workout. In fact, I had planned to workout 2 hours, maybe 2 hours 19 minutes to help round out my total weekly workout minutes. While I was walking and running the idea popped in my mind to try put in 3 hours. So I kept at the walking after my 65 minutes were up. I figured another 45 minutes would be a good addition. That 45 became 60, and before I knew it, my workout was already over the 2 hour mark.

I knocked out my stretching and ab routines (with the exception of one ab exercise due to the strain I was feeling on my already sore left lower ab), followed by my pushups. All that was left were my weights, and I could see that I'd be crossing that 3 hour barrier with them.

I outlasted everyone who was there when I arrive, and all but one of the people who arrived after me. The only guy left in the gym was a man who came when I had only 10 minutes left of my workout.

I was hoping that when I checked my burned calories I'd have crossed over the 2,000 mark, but I fell short. It was the lower heart rate during weight lifting that slowed the rate of burn. If I'd have had the strength of body (and mind) to get on the bike for 15 more minutes, I could have crossed that threshold. But I just couldn't. It took the last of my energy to get through the final 2 weight machines.

Even typing this after icing my left knee, I'm finding myself wanting to close my eyes and drift to sleep. I'm wiped out.

Dead tired.

Still, what a rush. What a workout.

Running Out of Clothes

I'm down to my skinniest pair of pants. I've dropped from a 44 waist to a 38 waist...in just 7 weeks! I'm also at the notch I had to create on my belt because it no longer would cinch tight enough. I didn't think I'd have to go buy new clothes so soon, but I might not even make it to Christmas before I need some new pants. Definitely can't go to work pantless.

Don't get me wrong, I'm NOT complaining. In fact, I'm downright impressed with my progress. It's nice (again) to be out of the giant boy pants.

The Week of Killer Workouts (and Rest)

I took Sunday off after a big workout Saturday...and because I can be lazy. I was talking with the Monkey about how tough it is to fit in a workout after my second job on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we both decided it would be in my best interest to take those days as my rest days for the week. That means I'll have workouts on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday (if I don't skip this one due to laziness after a movie), and Saturday.

In theory, it seems like a good idea, even though I'm a little worried about two rest days a week. (Seems counterproductive.)

Doing this I have to do all that was I was doing over two days in one night's workout. That makes for an extra long time at the gym. I was splitting the ab work and weight work up over different nights. Now I'm doing all of it, plus some extra biking or work on the elliptical trainer. I'm shooting for a workout lasting around 2 hours, burning 1,200 calories. That would give me 6,000 calories burned in a week.

Just typing it I now recognize how ambitious it sounds. But wouldn't it be cool if I could manage it? I'd be in pretty decent shape after a few months.

I know I won't have perfect weeks - I'm busy as shit. But I'll do my best and catch the rest when I can. Any workout is better than no workout.

My Charts - Dec. 5

It was impressive to me, so I thought I'd share. Here are my weekly calories chart and total weight loss chart:

Progress Report L - December 5

50th week since starting this twice-restarted journey of loss!
Last Week's Weight: 209.2 lbs
Current Weight: 202.8 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 6.4 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Loss: 3.06%

3.8 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
33.8 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 6:31:56.4 hours

Exercise Distance: 24.9 miles (6.75 running; 11.98 walking; 6.17 biking)

Calories Burned: 3,913 (559 avg. daily)

Weekly Calories Consumed: 7,280 (1,040 avg. daily)

Net Weekly Calories: 3,367 (481 avg. daily)

Simply stunned. There's no other way to describe how I felt when I weighed in this morning. I lost 6.4 pounds this week! That's nearly double what I lost last week.

And I guess it makes since when you look at the numbers. I worked out 2 more hours, covered 10 more miles, burned 1,600 more calories, and ate 500 fewer calories. Still...shocking.

I only have 3.8 more pounds left to lose to meet my year-end goal of 199 pounds. I think I can manage that in the four weeks I have left. Heck, I might even do it this week.

I was curious how this stretch of weight loss compared to the similar run I made at it a year ago. I started about the same time in October at about the same weight and worked hard to meet a similar year-end goal. So I looked back. During this same week last year I only had a loss of 1.2 pounds and was still 8.6 pounds from the year-end goal. I only exercised 27 minutes that week. And the week before, Thanksgiving, I actually put on 0.8 pounds. At the time I was reminding myself to hit the cardio to boost the calorie burn. (Which I did over the next couple of weeks: 4.6 lbs. and 3 lbs.) I was then at 200 pounds, just above my goal of 199. I then noted that the last time I was at 200 pounds I immediately put back on 11 pounds in two weeks on my way to putting ALL the weight back on. So what happened? I got killed at Christmas - even with 5 hours of exercise I put on 1.6 pounds and didn't stop there. I put it all back on again.

So here I am now, at nearly the same point I've been twice before on this weight loss journey - that 200 pound barrier. And with Christmas right around the corner.

People have been on my case for not being healthy or smart in going about this weight loss, but I am just worried. If I change things now, what's going to happen? I don't feel that I've taken anything to such an excessive extreme. I started out obese. I needed to lose the weight and I did while eating healthy (tracking the calories in smaller portions has been the key) and exercising (and I'm not above taking days off - the past two weeks have seen 5 days of rest). I'll set new goals, building the calories back up once I reach my goal - my healthy - weight. It will just take a bit more time.

Progress Report XXXXIX - November 28

Last Week's Weight: 213 lbs
Current Weight: 209.2 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 3.8 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Loss: 1.78%

10.2 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
40.2 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 4:31:19.5 hours

Exercise Distance: 14.5 miles (2.25 running; 12.25 walking)

Calories Burned: 2,371 (338 avg. daily)

Weekly Calories Consumed: 7,705 (1,100 avg. daily)

Net Weekly Calories: 5,334 (762 avg. daily)

So the week started off well. I was working out like normal, albeit in colder and colder weather. It got to the point that no matter how warm I stayed inside my multiplying layers of clothing, my feet froze after about 20 minutes. I did what I had to: I renewed my membership to the gym. And that was amazing for my next couple of workouts.

Then...

Thanksgiving.

And while I didn't splurge on Thanksgiving, in fact I was downright strong-willed with only 1,048 calories, I didn't do so hot the next two days. Friday I had the most calories I've eaten since starting this weight loss endeavor again (1,375) and skipped my workout. Saturday I sat around the house all day long - again, no workout - and ended the night with 1,156 calories.

These two days didn't seem to hurt the progress this week, but they were a mental stumbling block that needs to be overcome quickly. It's like falling down in the middle of a marathon. I just need to stand back up, dust off my knees, and continue running. I didn't hurt myself to the point that I can't finish the race.

I need to make it through the night, a good dinner and a trip to the gym, and then I'll be back to my normal routine, vacation over. At least for another 4 weeks until my next vacation - this one even longer than a few days.

---

I think the thing I'm lacking at the moment is the motivation to continue. I'm down to that point where I'm only 10 pounds from where I always give up and revert back to my unhealthy ways. What is IT that gets me beyond that point?

Back to the Gym

I went yesterday and renewed my membership (at a significant rate increase and 12 month contract) at the local Anytime Fitness facility.

And it couldn't have been more worth it.

I went late last night for my run and some weights and everything was just as I remembered it. It took some fumbling and an almost dropped iPod before I had everything set just right on the treadmill, but the run itself was great. I was able to push it a bit harder than I probably was doing outside because of the ability to adjust the pace, and stay on pace. I added a little sprint to the end of the workout, the last .25 miles. Overall: fantastic.

In fact, I could have stayed at the gym much longer than I did, getting reacquainted with all the different weight lifting opportunities. Knowing I'd be back in the morning was the only thing (okay, and it was already 11PM) that sent me home.

---

I didn't quite make it back to the gym at the time I wanted (5AM) this morning, so as to beat the crowd, but I was there at a little after 8, back on the treadmill for a couple miles of walking. I did some ab work and stretching after that. I love it. It's freezing cold outside and I'm able to still put in a fantastic workout.

Sure, it's expensive at about $1.37 a day, but there was no way I was going to be able to stay motivated as the layers of clothing needed to battle the cold outside kept adding up.

---

Chances are I'll be back tonight. I think I've got another hour in me. I might as well put in two-a-day workouts while I can on vacation because the time I'll have available when I go back to work Monday will be just as limited as before. If not more as things wind down toward winter break.

Weight Loss Graph - November 21

Progress Report XXXXVIII - November 21

Last Week's Weight: 218.4 lbs
Current Weight: 213 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 5.4 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Loss: 2.47%

14 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
44 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 6:16:26.4 hours

Exercise Distance: 22 miles (6 running; 16 walking)

Calories Burned: 4,251 (607 avg. daily)

Weekly Calories Consumed: 7,516 (1,073 avg. daily)

Net Weekly Calories: 3,265 (466 avg. daily)

Sweetness! It's just like I'm on THE BIGGEST LOSER: put up a good week's weight loss and the next week suffers. And THEN the following week you're back to the big numbers. Like this week: 5.4 lbs.

Actually, it probably has more to do with the change in exercise. After a month of basically the same workouts, my body had adapted to lifestyle and settled into a groove. Shake it up by adding in running and a few new weight lifting exercises and the body goes into weight loss shock again. I just need to keep things fresh.

And I was less stressed.

Ah, who knows? Could be any of those things, or nothing at all. I'm just happy with my progress, and my goal looks to be within reach again. I only need to lose an average of 2.33 pounds a week to meet the year-end goal.

It was nice getting back into the running, but it's getting a little late in the year for it (outside, at least). I'm going to go to 24 Hour Fitness and renew my membership on Wednesday. It's an additional expense, but it ensures I'll be able to workout no matter the weather. It also allows me the opportunity to vary my workouts to a larger degree. I'm most excited about being able to continue with the running once the weather turns bad. And let me tell you, the cold is already starting to frustrate me - too many layers.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with how the week went. I didn't average very many calories, but at this point I need that deficit to power the weight loss. The challenge I'll have after the new year is building the calorie consumption back up to a reasonable, sustainable level while not adding weight. It'll be a delicate balance between diet and exercise. But that's a challenge for later.

Run #2

Tonight was my second night of running this week. And it was not as easy as the first.

That's not to say that it was overly difficult. In fact, after the first mile, I actually started to find my rhythm - my pace - and was able to finish strong. I went into the run a bit sore, even after a 2 mile walk last night to loosen the stiff muscles. My bad knee (left) ached some throughout the day and was sore after the run. Not so sore that I'm concerned any more than normal. I stretched like I've been doing for the past month, and then iced the knee. That's about the best I can do.

As for "killing it," I'm not doing too bad. The extra two miles last night should push my weekly total to 20 miles, unless I'm willing to add another 2 miles tomorrow or something more on my rest day, Saturday. Shouldn't push it too much though. I don't want to burn myself out.

Inspiration...and the Right Attitude

A tweet I read linked to this article, and I have to say, that while written probably for women...it's quite awesome. It's motivating. It has a great message. And, well...just read it. "A Call to Arms (And Abs, Quads, Calves, and Shoulders)"

Here's a sample:

"Lose 12 pounds by tomorrow by doing these three exercises! Hungry? Eat seven almonds! Fuck that."

"My attitude toward my body changed as well. I stopped really thinking about how it looked and instead focused on getting shit done, realized that any physical changes I was seeing were happening because my body knew best how to shape itself to complete the task at hand."

But seriously...READ. IT.

Killing It

I'm going to kill it this week with my workouts.

I started running tonight. I'm easing myself back into the routine. After three weeks of building up to this point by walking, I figured I'd start easy with a mile warmup walk, then two miles running, finishing with a mile walk to cool down.

It went very well. In fact, I felt like I was flying. What a difference 20 lbs. and a month can make. The running was not this easy when I did the same at Run for the Roses back in October. That's not to say it was all peaches. I was still a bit mentally fatigued at the end of my two mile run. It wasn't bad, but there was that creeping voice in the far back of my mind urging me to stop, walk it in. I ran through the voice, but it was there.

I also added 5 more pushups to my set, a set of 12 squats with weight, and a set of 12 lat presses. Needed to do more than just curls.

It has crossed my mind that the weather will not hold out forever. Tonight it was a brisk 40 with minimal wind - tolerable. But the rain and snow and ice will be coming soon enough, and I'll be left without the outdoors to workout in. It's $35 a month to join back up with the 24 hour fitness place near home. Expensive, but necessary. Especially if I plan to continue this weight loss journey through the winter.

I will have to look into rejoining. Can't keep killing it if I have nowhere to run.

Progress Report XXXXVII - November 14

Last Week's Weight: 220.4 lbs
Current Weight: 218.4 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 2 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Loss: 0.9%

19.4 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
49.4 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 5:43:12.2 hours

Exercise Distance: 18 miles

Calories Burned: 3,257

God, I'm disappointed! Even though I worked out a hour longer, went six miles farther, burned 670 more calories, I lost less than half what I lost last week. And it's not as if I ate any more this week than I did last week. In fact, I probably averaged just a few calories less per day this week than I did last week. I didn't eat any differently. It's...disappointing.

*big breath*

I understand I can't always expect to put up large numbers. I was a lot more stressed out this week with work and car problems. I probably got less sleep than I should have. I didn't push my heart rate up during my walks; I walked a bit more leisurely. I just lost 19 pounds in three weeks. All those things could have had an impact on my weight loss this week.

Two pounds is still a loss. It put me under 50 pounds towards my goal weight. I can still consider the week a victory.

I can't let it bother me. I just need to move on and do what I do for a successful next week. This week I'm going to start running again. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I'm going to walk 1 mile, run 2 miles, walk 1 mile for my workout. Starting at this distance has worked for me in the past. The nice thing about running is that it ensures my heart rate will be elevated for at least the two miles I'm running. I might also add some exercises to my weight routine, which currently only involves curls (although it's an impressive amount of curls 1 set of 55 reps at 35 lbs.).

To reach my year-end goal I need to lose an average of 2.77 lbs. per week for the next 7 weeks. I'm going to try and keep my calorie intake around 1,171 calories per day (90% the recommended amount for a loss of 3.1 lbs. in a week). I was a bit more hungry this week than I've been in the past few, so I may actually eat all 1,191 calories I'm recommended. We'll play it by ear.

Progress Report XXXXVI - November 7

Last Week's Weight: 225.8 lbs
Current Weight: 220.4 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 5.4 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Loss: 2.39%

21.4 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
51.4 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 4:32:01.7 hours

Exercise Distance: 12 miles

Calories Burned: 2,587

That's frustrating. No, not frustrating...disappointing? I can eat fewer calories, workout more, burn more calories, and still lose less weight? I understand - and so am not really disappointed - that as you lose more weight it becomes harder to lose weight. Still, I like those big numbers and will keep shooting for them. I'll need decent numbers to reach my year-end goal anyway.

It is amazing that I've lost 19 lbs. over the last 3 weeks. That's an average of 6.33 lbs. a week. Not too shabby. It'll be nice to get to my first goal, but the real challenge will be working on those last 30 pounds. I've made it to the point where I'd be ready to tackle those 30 pounds, but then backslid immediately after.

I noticed this week that I had to tighten the belt a little bit to keep the pants from hanging too loose. I was looking at my belt and I noticed the notch I had to add to the end of it when I was down just over 200 lbs. last December. Now I've got something to shoot for again. I'm working toward that notch.

And on a related note, it's a nice feeling having your clothes a little baggy instead of tight and constricting, squeezing the comfort from the day.

On the workout plan I created while standing around at work a few weeks ago I noticed that I'm supposed to start running again this week. I think I'm going to push that back one more week to give myself the chance to build up my total weekly mileage a little more so that the addition of running isn't a doubling of what I'm doing now.

I'm also instituting a (mostly) rest day on Saturdays instead of working out 7 days a week. I work Saturday and more often than not I'm working hard, and I'm exhausted by the time I come home. Pushing carts for hours or moving concrete blocks takes a toll. It does elevate the heart rate, especially at the speed in which I work - always trying to get done as fast as possible. I might still take a leisurely walk or something like that on Saturday, but I'll otherwise take it easy and try recover from the week's workouts.

Progress Report XXXXV - October 31

Last Week's Weight: 232.2 lbs
Current Weight: 225.8 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 6.4 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Loss: 2.75%

26.8 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
56.8 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 3:58:14.1 hours

Exercise Distance: 10 miles

Calories Burned: 2,452

I'd say my second week of weight loss was a success. Adding in the exercise component - keeping the daily caloric intake relatively the same as last week - kept my weekly weight loss number high. 6.4 pounds is still quite impressive.

The exercise activities I began this week were: walking, an ab routine (crunches, inhales, leg lift curls, leg lifts), pushups, weights (arm curls, arm reverse curls), and a stretching routine. I wore my heart rate monitor to measure calories burned.

Thursday night/Friday I was not feeling very well. Feverish with an upset stomach. Couldn't place the cause of my discomfort, but it didn't last much past 24 hours, so I'm thinking it was nothing more than a bug.

I can tell you this: My arms were killing me all week! Jumped into the weights with only arm curls, but I tore my muscles up. Thursday night, in addition to the sickness, my arms hurt so bad I had difficulty falling asleep. 55 reps of 35 pounds (1,925 lbs. of weight being curled) might have been an extreme start. Still, I stuck with it, and my arms, while no longer throbbing extensions of pain, are adapting.

Need to work over the next few weeks on finding some recipes to cook that I can store as leftovers throughout the week so that on nights I work or am rushed for time I have something filling, and healthy to eat.

To reach my year-end goal weight I need to lose an average of 2.96 lbs. per week for the remaining 9 weeks, so I've set my Daily Plate calorie goal at a loss of 3.1 lbs., giving me 1,250 calories a day as my consumption goal.

What A Difference A Day Can Make

On Monday when I went out to walk at 8 PM it was a warm 70 degrees. I was in shorts and a t-shirt and it was entirely comfortable, if not a little warm as I turned around and had the wind at my back.

Two days later, at the same time of night, the temperature has dropped 30 degrees, and the winds are gusting over 30 mph. I'm bundled up in slicks, a long-sleeve shirt, and a jacket. Hat and gloves, too.

Big change. But I suppose this is the end of October, and these are the conditions I need to expect for awhile now.

I'm ready. This is my season, my weather. Bring it on!

Progress Report XXXXIV - October 24

Starting Weight: 239.4 lbs
Weight: 232.2 lbs.
Loss/Gain: - 7.2 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Loss: 3%

33.2 lbs. to Year-End Goal (199 lbs.)
63.2 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

Exercise Hours: 0

Exercise Distance: n/a

I'm back. Back on The Daily Plate, tracking my calories (and soon exercise) in an attempt to take off the pounds that hold me down, that hold me back from life as I want it.

I've set my weekly goal as 3.3 lbs. I've marked my lifestyle as lightly active. I was allowed 1,260 calories a day last week, and 1,202 calories a day this week. Adding exercise into the mix should keep the weight coming off, but it'll take some tweaking to figure just the right amount of calories I'm able to consume to maintain the energy for exercise and still lose weight. That's part of the challenge of a healthy life.

Can't promise the attention to detail I provided in the past with regards to posts about exercise, or regular blog postings in general. The time I have is limited. I'll do my best to keep the world (my 2 or 3 readers) informed.

Thanks for the support. Wish me luck.

(It's only my life.)

He's Back, Bigger than Before (but shrinking)

It's funny what a year off from healthy living can do.

Funny in a sad way because I packed back on all the weight, plus some. I was over 240 pounds a couple of weeks ago. Funny in a great way because I lost a massive amount of weight in just my first 6 days of starting back. And funny in a maddening way because when I look back to a year ago, I was consuming only about 1,400 calories a day and netting a -666 calories after at least an hour of exercise a day, and I know (think) I can't come close to that now.

How do I juggle two jobs, a tendency to eat when stressed (and let's face it, when am I not stressed, depressed, or otherwise moody?), a change in the weather for the poorer, and the other inherent difficulties of losing weight?

The best I can. That's the only answer that I have. The only answer there is.

I was able to follow the suggested number of calories to consume during my first week, and that number only shrinks with each passing week and pound lost. I know what happened in the past, but this is a different time, a different life, and I can only do what works for me now.

This week I add exercise to the mix (outside on the days it isn't raining and doing what I can inside on the days it pours). I can't expect to see weight loss numbers like I saw this week, but at least with the addition of exercise I stand a chance of continuing to lose weight on a weekly basis.

I'm 30 years old now. And it's time to finally be healthy. I'm looking to be down under 200 by year's end. By summer I hope to have met that goal I set a few years back: 169 lbs. and in the best shape of my adult life.

The ball's rolling...