Weight Loss Ticker
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Mood
It has been a month and I cannot say that my mood has had much improvement. Of course, it may be the lack of sun where I live. I am not always sad, but I am not much happy. Even when I am doing things I enjoy, I feel this disastisfied gnawing because of my work situation. I do not expect that getting fit will solve my work problems. I am hoping that it will help me cope better mentally. I am happy with my family, and I enjoy spending time with them. I wish I could spend all day with them every day. Of course, that is not reality, nor would it be a helpful lesson for my kids. Anyhow, if do eventually make a career change, being fit will be a great asset over my current obesity. Again, I don't expect being fit will land me a different job. However, I believe obesity is a detriment to finding another job. Whether or not I decide to change careers, being fit will be an asset.
"Workouts" NOT, exercise routine
Like the word "diet," I havea hang-up with the word "workout." In my mind, "working out" is something you do to lose weight, but once you lose the wieght, you can quit. A routine is something that I always do, like brush my teeth every morning. I don't brush my teeth until the dentist says that my teeth are in good shape and then quit. It's simply something I always do. So, I am making exercise a part of my routine. Again, I am no expert. I have read a few non-fad type exercise books and have come up with the following routine for myself.
Mondays & Thursdays: Morning=30 min. cardio (video or other activity) Late afternoon=10 min. stationary bike + Upper body weight training + 20 min. staionary with 20-30 sec. speed bursts every 5 min.
Tuesdays & Fridays: Morning=30 min. cardio (video or other activity) Late afternoon=10 min. stationary bike + mid and lower body weight training + 20 min. staionary with 20-30 sec. speed bursts every 5 min.
Wednesdays & Saturdays: 60 min. cardio
All my weight training is done at home with dumbbells and a bench. I bought a nice sturdy bench at fitness equipment store which can be adjusted all the way to a sitting position.
All the strength training is done with the goal of 3 sets of 12 reps. Weights should be heavy enough to make this difficult. Although I do one set of light weights in order to warm up the muscle a bit more.
This is the third day of that I have started this structured exercise routine. So far, so good.
Mondays & Thursdays: Morning=30 min. cardio (video or other activity) Late afternoon=10 min. stationary bike + Upper body weight training + 20 min. staionary with 20-30 sec. speed bursts every 5 min.
Tuesdays & Fridays: Morning=30 min. cardio (video or other activity) Late afternoon=10 min. stationary bike + mid and lower body weight training + 20 min. staionary with 20-30 sec. speed bursts every 5 min.
Wednesdays & Saturdays: 60 min. cardio
All my weight training is done at home with dumbbells and a bench. I bought a nice sturdy bench at fitness equipment store which can be adjusted all the way to a sitting position.
All the strength training is done with the goal of 3 sets of 12 reps. Weights should be heavy enough to make this difficult. Although I do one set of light weights in order to warm up the muscle a bit more.
This is the third day of that I have started this structured exercise routine. So far, so good.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Today I weighed in at 360 lbs. My goal was 361. This makes my weight loss around 20 lbs so far. Since it is the next ten pounds, I will post some more of those gross pictures. At my weight, I can't really tell the difference. The percentage difference in weight is so much smaller than it would be for someone closer to a healthy weight. However, I still look forward to seeing a difference, no matter how gradual.
Friday, February 23, 2007
"Diet" NOT, but part of my living fit lifestyle
The word "diet" is a legitimate word to describe what I will outline. Basically, anything we eat is our diet. However, the phrase "to go on a diet" means that we are going to change our eating patterns. In my mind, "going on a diet" means temporarily changing our eating patterns. My goal is to permanantly change my eating patterns. So I avoid calling what I am doing a "diet." It is simply how I am making food part of my living fit lifstyle.
I am not a nutrition expert, doctor, or anything else that gives me any credentials to recommend, develop, or critique any "diet." These are simply things that I have gleaned from some of the "diets" I have tried and some books and articles I have read. I hope that I have added a dose of common sense. My first 2 weeks, I tried a popular "diet" which forbade breads, cereals, grains, or pastas AND FRUIT. It was at the end of the first 2 weeks that I came to my sense and realized what a wacko "diet" that was. I ignored my common sense which was screaming at me, "Any 'diet' that forbids fruits is insane!!!!!!" I then turned to a few websites which wanted to charge me money weekly to tell me to eat healthy. Being the cheapo that I am, I decided that I knew enough to avoid "dieting" and simply start living a lifestyle of fitness. Here is the plan I came up with for my eating habits:
Food Do's & Dont's:
1) Only eat whole grain breads, pastas, cereals, and rice. (Check labels and ignore claims)
2) #1 will never be the main dish of a meal.
3) No potatoes except sweet potatoes.
4) Added fats will be in the form of olive or canola oil. Salad dressing will be home made and oil based. Instead of butter use a heart smart spread.
5) #3 will be used sparingly
6) No high sugar fruits such as canned fruit, fruit juice, or dried fruit. (No pineapple or bananas either)
7) No more than 1 serving of lowfat cheese (not including cottage cheese) a day.
8) No food with sugar added.
9) Sugar substitute may be used sparingly
10) Red meat only once a week
11) No foods which do not have a positive net sum of nutritional value. (For example, apples have good positive nutritional value, but covering them with caramel or baking them in a pie cancels out the nutrition of the apple)
Follow these habits:
1) Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner
2) Eat 3 snacks each day: mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and after dinner
3) Sip 8 oz. of water before each meal and snack
4) Divide each meal into 2 parts. The first part is eaten immediatly following the cup of water. The second part is not eaten until at least 15 minutes after you began drinking the water. In this way, it should take at least 20 minutes to eat the meal giving the brain enough time to realize that there is food in the stomach.
5) Use serving sizes to measure food.
5) Only 1 helping of food. No seconds.
6) No breads, grains, pastas, rice, couscous, potatoes, etc... after 4 PM
7) No eating after 7 PM
The following is the meal planning guide I came up with:
Breakfast
First Course:
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- One serving of whole grain (bread, cereal)
- One serving of dairy (low fat milk or yogurt)
Second Course:
- 15 minutes after the water 1-2 servings of protein (egg beaters or cheese or turkey bacon, cottage cheese)
- 1-2 servings of fruit
Mid-morning Snack
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Vegetable
- 1 serving of protein (string cheese, nuts, hard boiled egg, etc…)
Lunch
First Course:
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Vegetables (Not carrots every day)
Second Course:
- 15 minutes after the water 1 serving of protein (chicken, low-fat lunch meat, nuts)
- 1 serving of starch (whole grain bread, rice, or pasta or a sweet potato)
- 1 serving of fruit
Mid-afternoon Snack
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Vegetable
- One serving of dairy (low fat milk or yogurt)
Dinner
First Course:
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Vegetables (Not carrots every day)
- One serving of dairy (low fat milk or yogurt)
Second Course:
- 15 minutes after the water 1 serving of protein (chicken, fish, turkey, beef*)
- Vegetables (Squash-legumes are acceptable)
- 1-2 serving of fruit
After Dinner Snack (No later than 7PM)
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Freebie (Anything but starches) e.g. sugar free fudgicle
That's the plan, and I am nearing the end of my second week eating this way.
I am not a nutrition expert, doctor, or anything else that gives me any credentials to recommend, develop, or critique any "diet." These are simply things that I have gleaned from some of the "diets" I have tried and some books and articles I have read. I hope that I have added a dose of common sense. My first 2 weeks, I tried a popular "diet" which forbade breads, cereals, grains, or pastas AND FRUIT. It was at the end of the first 2 weeks that I came to my sense and realized what a wacko "diet" that was. I ignored my common sense which was screaming at me, "Any 'diet' that forbids fruits is insane!!!!!!" I then turned to a few websites which wanted to charge me money weekly to tell me to eat healthy. Being the cheapo that I am, I decided that I knew enough to avoid "dieting" and simply start living a lifestyle of fitness. Here is the plan I came up with for my eating habits:
Food Do's & Dont's:
1) Only eat whole grain breads, pastas, cereals, and rice. (Check labels and ignore claims)
2) #1 will never be the main dish of a meal.
3) No potatoes except sweet potatoes.
4) Added fats will be in the form of olive or canola oil. Salad dressing will be home made and oil based. Instead of butter use a heart smart spread.
5) #3 will be used sparingly
6) No high sugar fruits such as canned fruit, fruit juice, or dried fruit. (No pineapple or bananas either)
7) No more than 1 serving of lowfat cheese (not including cottage cheese) a day.
8) No food with sugar added.
9) Sugar substitute may be used sparingly
10) Red meat only once a week
11) No foods which do not have a positive net sum of nutritional value. (For example, apples have good positive nutritional value, but covering them with caramel or baking them in a pie cancels out the nutrition of the apple)
Follow these habits:
1) Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner
2) Eat 3 snacks each day: mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and after dinner
3) Sip 8 oz. of water before each meal and snack
4) Divide each meal into 2 parts. The first part is eaten immediatly following the cup of water. The second part is not eaten until at least 15 minutes after you began drinking the water. In this way, it should take at least 20 minutes to eat the meal giving the brain enough time to realize that there is food in the stomach.
5) Use serving sizes to measure food.
5) Only 1 helping of food. No seconds.
6) No breads, grains, pastas, rice, couscous, potatoes, etc... after 4 PM
7) No eating after 7 PM
The following is the meal planning guide I came up with:
Breakfast
First Course:
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- One serving of whole grain (bread, cereal)
- One serving of dairy (low fat milk or yogurt)
Second Course:
- 15 minutes after the water 1-2 servings of protein (egg beaters or cheese or turkey bacon, cottage cheese)
- 1-2 servings of fruit
Mid-morning Snack
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Vegetable
- 1 serving of protein (string cheese, nuts, hard boiled egg, etc…)
Lunch
First Course:
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Vegetables (Not carrots every day)
Second Course:
- 15 minutes after the water 1 serving of protein (chicken, low-fat lunch meat, nuts)
- 1 serving of starch (whole grain bread, rice, or pasta or a sweet potato)
- 1 serving of fruit
Mid-afternoon Snack
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Vegetable
- One serving of dairy (low fat milk or yogurt)
Dinner
First Course:
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Vegetables (Not carrots every day)
- One serving of dairy (low fat milk or yogurt)
Second Course:
- 15 minutes after the water 1 serving of protein (chicken, fish, turkey, beef*)
- Vegetables (Squash-legumes are acceptable)
- 1-2 serving of fruit
After Dinner Snack (No later than 7PM)
- Slowly drink one cup of water, not all in one swallow
- Freebie (Anything but starches) e.g. sugar free fudgicle
That's the plan, and I am nearing the end of my second week eating this way.
Fitness Goals
My fitness goals are:
1) Daily eat healthy, nutritious, well-proportioned meals. See my "diet" post.
2) Exercise on a regular basis. See my exercise post.
3) Reduce my body fat to a healthy level. (Lose about 190 lbs.)
4) Be able to run 5 miles
5) Take up Kayaking
6) Have a positive disposition
7) Be energetic
* Note: All the above goals are ongoing except #3
1) Daily eat healthy, nutritious, well-proportioned meals. See my "diet" post.
2) Exercise on a regular basis. See my exercise post.
3) Reduce my body fat to a healthy level. (Lose about 190 lbs.)
4) Be able to run 5 miles
5) Take up Kayaking
6) Have a positive disposition
7) Be energetic
* Note: All the above goals are ongoing except #3
Half Man
On January 28, 2007 I began my journey of fitness. About one and a half weeks into it, I received a home scale that weighs up to 400 lbs. I was praying that I did not tip this scale. Hoping for the best and expecting the worse, I ended in between. My weight was at 370 lbs. Since I started "dieting" over a week before I weighed myself (and you usually lose quite a bit of water weight the first week), I estimate that I weighed around 380 lbs when I began. I am a 6'2" tall male with a big frame. BMI indexes shows that I should weigh around 190 lbs. Hence the name of this blog, "Half Man." One of my fitness goals is to lose half my body weight.
I decided to blog my journey to fitness in hopes that in doing so, I will be motivated to keep on track. I hope that I might get some encouraging feedback along the way. Part of my motivation will be the inclusion of some disgusting pictures of myself. I hope to take pictures whenever I lose 10 lbs.
I decided to blog my journey to fitness in hopes that in doing so, I will be motivated to keep on track. I hope that I might get some encouraging feedback along the way. Part of my motivation will be the inclusion of some disgusting pictures of myself. I hope to take pictures whenever I lose 10 lbs.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)