Fit2Lose

Thanksgiving is without doubt the most food-related holiday celebrated in the US. Here are some tips to help you put on that extra layer of insulation (aka “blubber”) to help keep you warm this winter.
1) Get started early
2) Eat slow and steady - ALL day
3) Don’t stop at a second helping
4) Wear comfortable, loose fitting pants
5) Leave your belt in the closet
6) Forget using a plate… bring an animal feeding trough
7) Conversation only slows you down. Grunting will suffice.
8) Don’t fill up on ‘green’ things
9) Lots and Lots of GRAVY
10) The correct answer to “Pumpkin pie or apple pie?” is “YES, please”

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Oh Chinese Buffet, how I love thee!
Your tubs are filled with flavorful goodness,
and I am filled with joy.
Your walls are filled to capacity,
and my stomach is filled to bursting.
Your servers are attentive and friendly,
and my cup is never empty.

And now my belly has expanded,
and there is more to me than when I arrived.
With sadness I must pay the keeper and depart.
But fear not, for one day I shall return.

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I was surprised at my last weigh in by almost breaking the 170lb barrier! I had weighed in earlier in the week and was actually up a pound or two (most likely water retention). So it was a nice surprise to be so close to a lower weight bracket. I am now 170.25 pounds, which puts me 1/4lbs. away from my end goal of 155. Huzzah!

I missed my weekend bike ride today, but I did stay active by helping my dad work on an old boat he is trying get sea-worthy. I actually got a decent workout, which I didn’t think was possible. It’s funny how that works. My guess is that your muscles adapt to the exercises you do in your daily workouts, and when you do new activities and work them from different positions they aren’t used to, they are more impacted.

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I mentioned earlier that I was going to add in some cardio after my weight training sessions to try and drop the pounds a little faster. Well, it appears to be working. Since I started last week, I’ve lost about 1 to 1.5 pounds more per week!
I really don’t do that much cardio. I’m usually pretty spent after a workout, so I’ve only been doing 20 minutes on the elliptical machine. And I don’t even push it that hard. 20 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill is like an eternity to me, so I try to mix up the speed and resistance settings. That seems to keep me occupied.

Of course, you don’t have to do your cardio in the gym. There are plenty of everyday activities you can do to work in a little extra cardio: take the stairs, mow the lawn, wash your car, play dodgeball, run from ‘the Man’. Use your imagination and you can come up with plenty of ways to add more physical activity into your day.

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I wrote this little blurb during the first week of my diet journey but posted it. It’s slightly amusing (to me at least) to look back and remember the pain I was in that first week.

———-
Wednesday
I am fairly sore in every muscle group today, so I am taking the day off from the gym.
I could probably do some chest exercises, but my arms, especially my left arm, is very sore. My legs are starting to feel the burn from yesterday’s session. I don’t know if it’s good or bad to work sore muscles, but better safe than injured.

Muscle soreness has always been a problem for me. Even in high school, the days following an intense football practice would be extremely painful. I felt, and probably looked like, an 80 year old man, walking slowly and methodically, unable to fully extend my arms or legs. The same happens after good workout at the gym. So for the first week, I will be taking it fairly easy.

I’ll take the opportunity to find a local bike repair shop and get my tires fixed and ready for the weekend.

*update: My arms are still incredibly sore, particularly at the base of the bicep and forearm areas. My legs are starting to stiffen up as well. No doubt it is worse from sitting most of the day. The muscles tend to loosen up after walking around or stretching. The second day after an intense workout is usually the worst. Tomorrow I expect my legs to be in pain, but my arms should be feeling better.

Thursday
My arms are STILL sore! I’m gonna pick up a heating pad and kick back on the couch.

———-

That first week or two was serious pain. I’ve finally got my body used to the punishment working out, and I’m only getting a little sore the day after a workout. If I don’t feel anything the day after, I know I probably didn’t push hard enough.

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My strategy for exercise will be focused on full body resistance training (free weights and some machines), as opposed to cardiovascular/aerobic workouts. Why? Muscle burns fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn. Go into any gym and look for the most fit people. I guarantee you will find them in the free weight area. This is true for women as well. Many women are concerned that resistance training will make them buff and too muscular. The truth is, 3 days of weight training a week isn’t nearly enough to turn you into a bodybuilder. You can achieve a firm, lean look by training with light weights and concentrating on form and range of motion.

I am not entirely ignoring cardio though. Endurance and stamina are important, and cardio is the way to build it.

My workout schedule looks like this: 3 days of weight training, and 2 days of cardio.
I will be posting my entire workout routine soon.

My weight loss progress has been slower than I would like. I did attend a friend’s wedding over the weekend, and have eaten out (not fast food), so I’ve exceeded my calorie limit a few times I’ve also skipped more cardio days than I care to admit…

With that in mind, I have added an additional 20 minutes of cardio after my resistance training, and will try harder to get to the gym for my cardio workouts. I want to start seeing more results!

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Getting back in to the gym is a little intimidating, especially after putting on so much weight. I see a lot of the same people from when I was working out a few years in the past. I’ll be a regular again in no time, though.

I think a lot of overweight people are embarrassed to step foot in a gym. Sure it’s a little intimidating and even a little embarrassing. Everyone else seems to be in shape, and you think they are weighing you or judging you. And some people may do that, but for the most part, people are friendly and willing to help you out if you ask. The way I look at it, the hardcore fitness folks probably respect you for at least stepping up and taking on the challenge. After a few sessions, you’ll learn your way around the equipment, and your confidence will grow. Soon you will fit right in with the regulars. If you are totally lost and don’t know where to start, consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions. Personal trainers are expensive, but one or two sessions will get you well-aqcuainted with the gym equipment and get you a good workout routine to follow. Some gyms include one or two free training sessions when you sign up, so be sure to take advantage if that is the case.

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I am not a big fan of popular “diets”, as I think they are ineffective for long term weight management and nutritional health. They also have a negative connotation– that you are sacrificing and giving up something you want (and sometimes need). Losing weight and keeping it off requires a permanent change in lifestyle. Diets just don’t do that for you. And most of us have some history of failed diets under our belts.

I think it’s better to take a positive approach and just eat healthy and sensibly. You will need to do some calorie counting and be strict with yourself to actually lose weight, though. I’m sure that builds character or something.

My “diet” plan is simple: 3 well-balanced, low-cal meals and 2 snacks per day. And lots of water.

My meals include:
Lean meats (chicken breast, turkey, lean beef)
Vegetables
Low-fat* sides (low fat sour cream or cheese)
Low-carb and whole wheat breads/tortillas
Low-fat, sugar-free deserts (pudding, etc)
That’s not a complete list by any means, and there are many varieties of food under each item.

*”Low-fat” is a huge marketing ploy, and it doesn’t mean Low Calorie! Always look at the serving size and calorie (and carb) content on the nutrition information label!

Foods I avoid:
Sweets
Sodas (except diet)
Excess fats when cooking (olive oil only)
Pasta/Potatoes/Rice/Bread
Tropical Fruit
Cheese (a little parmesan goes a long way)

I can’t avoid bread altogether, so I get low-fat, low-carb tortillas.

So far, I’ve been having a bit of trouble getting three meals in. It takes me a few hours after I wake up to feel like eating anything, and that throws off my eating schedule a bit. I usually end up eating 2 meals and having 2 or 3 snacks. I get the munchies at night, so I have to be careful not to eat too close to bedtime. I’ve heard you shouldn’t eat anything 4 hours before bed, when your metabolism starts slowing down for the night.

I’ve also not been getting nearly enough water.

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So far, my progress has been somewhat slow. After 3 weeks I’ve only lost about 8 pounds. I think I expected to lose more weight quickly up front. I think this is because I’ve had to take a number of days off from the gym due to muscle soreness. I have a tendency to get really sore, and after so much idleness my muscles atrophied a bit. The first 2 weeks were really bad, but now I am only having minor soreness, which lasts about 2 days.
I think I need to add in an extra bit of cardio on a daily basis in order to maximize my chances of dropping the pounds more quickly.

As you can see, it does take time to lose weight in a healthy manner. So don’t be discouraged if you are working out and don’t seem to be losing much weight. If you aren’t losing any weight on a weekly basis, you may need to examine your diet and see if extra calories are sneaking in. I try to weigh myself only once a week, otherwise I get fixated on the numbers and begin losing motivation when the numbers barely change from day to day.

And don’t get discouraged or overwhelmed at the thought of never eating good food again! Don’t look at your diet as a negative thing where you say “I can’t eat this anymore”, or ” I can’t do that anymore”. Begin to change your way of thinking about food. Eating healthy is a very positive thing and can be enjoyable. You will feel better, you will sleep better, you will have more energy, and you will be happier– and, ultimately, you will live longer. Understand that it will take time to overcome your cravings for fried food, sweets, and fatty foods.

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I bought a flexible tape measure at Wal-Mart the other day. I have no idea what they are really called…it’s one of those tape measures you find in the fabric department. Needless to say just finding the thing was a bit of a challenge.

I think this thing is misprinted, because according to it, my waist measures a whopping 39 inches! Holy crap.
I took (and retook) this measurement more than a few times from different angles and positions. At worst, I thought maybe I was 36″ or so. Wow… I really let myself go.

My new motivation is “39″. When feel myself lose motivation I just chant the number “39″ over and over, and that seems to do the trick.

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