Progress Report LIV - June 26

Current Weight: 196.8 lbs.
Last Week's Weight: 201.4 lbs
Loss/Gain: - 4.6 lbs.
Weekly Percentage of Weight Gain: 2.3%

27.8 lbs. to Goal (169 lbs.)

This sure has become one roller coaster ride of a weight loss journey. Up and down and up...and now down again. I've said this many, many times before, but this time it - my weight - stays down.

I've been back at the diet since May 10th and the exercise since the start of June. It's done wonders. I've taken off 23.4 pounds in 47 days. That's essentially a half a pound a day!

Looking back a few posts, it was Christmas time again that sent me back up. I burned myself out with the diet and exercise. Add to that the temptation of the food at that time of year, and it was all shot again.

The cool thing this time around is that I've started back on the path BEFORE the summer. Typically I wait until August or September. I was laziest during the easiest months to workout. And that just packed on the pounds. This time around I'm taking full advantage of the weather and longer days. I'm getting the most out of this summer. Also, I'm eating more. That's helped with maintaining the diet. I'm not being so strict with the calories. I'm enjoying meals when I want. I'm just being responsible when I can.

Right now it's been a lot of biking and running. Fast running. For me. Which is an awesome thing. I love seeing those quick miles fly by. It's all building up to the Goofy Challenge at Walt Disney World in January. It should be a nice cap to the whole weight loss journey.

Here's a couple of graphs and charts because you KNOW how much I like seeing these. (Especially when they look like this.)

Back for the Thousandth Time

With 2.8 pounds lost over the past 6 days, I'm back on track. For like the thousandth time. My weight loss journey would be some badass roller coaster. Huge ups and downs and seems to go on forever and ever.

I'm going to stay positive and believe that this will be the last big drop. Then it'll be just years of level - healthy - going.

There are no excuses other than the choices I made, but the past has past. I'm trying to be more Zen and living in the moment. I'll do what I can day by day.

The weight loss over the past 6 days came strictly by diet. I counted calories and was extremely strict in what I ate. Small portions in all the food groups daily along with 8 cups of water.

This week I'll get out and exercise in addition to the diet. It was a combination that worked so well for me last fall/early winter. It was manageable and not too unrealistic. It will help not having the two jobs this summer. It'll free up time so that the exercise doesn't eat up the time I would use for sleep. Being fully rested and unstressed helps with any weight loss program.

So, I'm back to it. Here we go again.

It Happened Again

I did it again, just what I worried I might do. I fell off the weight loss train. Got mangled in the tracks, my plan all torn to shreds.

However, I am not going to let that stop me this time. Sure, I've spent the last two weeks eating like a pig and doing nothing for a workout other than shoveling heavier and heavier plates of snacks into my mouth. The guilt was ENORMOUS. And the pounds packed themselves back on. On the 2nd I was 204.4 pounds. Today I'm up one more at 205.4. I was all the way down at 193! That's 12.4 pounds in 2 weeks. That's an even worse gain than the last time I fell from the train.

*sigh*

There, that's out of my system. I'm done with the failure. The guilt is gone (or going). Today, I'm back. It's going to be difficult. I mean, I was standing in my kitchen this morning staring at all the tempting snacks sitting on the counter, some I purchased just yesterday. I was asking myself: "What's the worst that could happen if it's just one more day of snacking?" I knew the answer before asking the question. The worst is what has happened the past two times I went one day, then another, and another until I was back to the overweight wreck I've all too frequently become.

Breakfast today was 180 calories (Fiber One cereal and milk with a glass of V8). I drank 2 glasses of water. I faced my shame and updated my weight and restarted my tracking on The Daily Plate. I'm back.

This time until the end.

I'm going all Spartan on the calories again for a few weeks, just until I get under 200 pounds - 5.5 pounds to lose to reach that goal. I'll then start building the calories back up to a normal person's level, shooting to consume a net of 1,800 - 2,000 calories a day while maintaining my new healthy weight of approximately 165 pounds.

The exercise will have to decrease in hours because I simply don't have the time to workout as much as I did during November and December. I want to do more (write, draw, read, start to date...yeah, I need to get on that - that's what she said - if I want to have a family anytime soon). So the weight loss will be slow going. Once under 200 pounds I'll shoot for an average of 1.5 - 2 pounds loss a week. I'm hoping to be at my 165 pounds by the end of June. Just in time for RAGBRAI and the start of training for the Walt Disney World "Goofy" (half-marathon AND full marathon, back-to-back) next January.

Onward, Pirate! You've got some work to do.

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.

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.

My Charts - Dec. 12

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.

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?

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.