Well that's the end of week one. Overall pretty good, we'll have to wait for the scale tomorrow, but no matter what it says I know I've started making real change this week.
Lots of people help me with this journey, and every Monday I intend to recognize some of them. Today I want to talk about the guy who has developed the workout program I am following.
Robert Foster, Owner of www.trainersonsite.com , and his wife Michelle are a potent health combination. Robert is an accomplished Personal Trainer, Michelle a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Between the two of them is a ton of knowledge about the human body and how to get it healthy.
I met Rob through Karate a couple of years ago, and quickly recognized the intense passion he has for physical training. Rob keeps himself in top shape, working out daily in addition to Karate, and delivering training sessions for clients. He does all this while still finding time for his wonderful family.
Rob and Michelle have been cheering me on as I try to get healthy for the last while now, and their help in this 100 day challenge cannot be understated.
Besides designing my workouts to maximize what I can do, while avoiding exercises that could trigger old injuries I deal with, Rob has given me a program I trust, at a level that provides sufficient challenge for change. He checks with me on a regular basis to see what is working and what isn't, he calls or emails just to let me know he is there to help me achieve my goals.
The passion these two have for fitness, the energy they bring, the belief they show in me being successful is infectious, and I am forever grateful for having them help me start this journey.
Today's Workout
TRX and Strength
Calories Eaten - 2222
Calories Burned - 3240
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Monday, August 26, 2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Day 1 - Where are we at?
WARNING - if you find images of overweight men disturbing, stop reading now
When we talk about getting healthy its always about weight....Always. We tell ourselves we need to lose 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 lbs.
Here's the problem with weight...It goes on a lot faster then it comes off. So we get discouraged, we don't see results.
We stop.
Well, I can't stop, because I committed to all of you to do it for 100 days, but how else can we measure besides weight.
Exercise and being healthy is more than a number on a scale. Its how healthy our heart is. How well our bodies can perform different tasks, so I spent Day 1 compiling a few different numbers
Pushups to exhaustion - 18
Pushups are a good measure of muscular endurance, so lets see how that improves over the first 25 days and over the 100 total.
I don't run, not with this gut, so I row. I have a concept2 rowing machine. I used it for a few of the baseline numbers too.
2000m time = 8:46.5 A good measure of cardiovascular fitness.
I also did a 500m rowing sprint and measured my heart rate at various times.
Peak = 190bpm
After 1min = 147
After 2min = 132
After 5min = 110
This gives me an idea of how fast I can recover from exertion
Comparing future results to these will let me see beyond the scale, if the scale doesn't move, but these numbers get better, I'm still making improvements, I don't have to feel discouraged just because one number didn't move,
Now for the ugly part...the body measurements and before pictures
Weight = 255.4lbs
BMI = 34.6 (Obese) - this used to be worse! Used to be Class II obese!
% Body fat = 42.4 %
Waist - 45 in
Hips - 44 in
Chest - 43 in
Thigh - 28 in
Every 25 days along this 100 day journey we will revisit these numbers, to see if we can effect more than just the scale
Well that's me right now. Day 1 is drawing to a close.
Tomorrow the real work begins. Rob Foster from Trainersonsite.com has sent me my new workouts, so we'll report back on them
Today's workout
Rowing - 2741 meters
Swimming - 1 hour leisure
Pushups to failure
Calories eaten - 2100
Calories burned - 3500
Check back tomorrow!
When we talk about getting healthy its always about weight....Always. We tell ourselves we need to lose 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 lbs.
Here's the problem with weight...It goes on a lot faster then it comes off. So we get discouraged, we don't see results.
We stop.
Well, I can't stop, because I committed to all of you to do it for 100 days, but how else can we measure besides weight.
Exercise and being healthy is more than a number on a scale. Its how healthy our heart is. How well our bodies can perform different tasks, so I spent Day 1 compiling a few different numbers
Pushups to exhaustion - 18
Pushups are a good measure of muscular endurance, so lets see how that improves over the first 25 days and over the 100 total.
I don't run, not with this gut, so I row. I have a concept2 rowing machine. I used it for a few of the baseline numbers too.
2000m time = 8:46.5 A good measure of cardiovascular fitness.
I also did a 500m rowing sprint and measured my heart rate at various times.
Peak = 190bpm
After 1min = 147
After 2min = 132
After 5min = 110
This gives me an idea of how fast I can recover from exertion
Comparing future results to these will let me see beyond the scale, if the scale doesn't move, but these numbers get better, I'm still making improvements, I don't have to feel discouraged just because one number didn't move,
Now for the ugly part...the body measurements and before pictures
Weight = 255.4lbs
BMI = 34.6 (Obese) - this used to be worse! Used to be Class II obese!
% Body fat = 42.4 %
Waist - 45 in
Hips - 44 in
Chest - 43 in
Thigh - 28 in
Well that's me right now. Day 1 is drawing to a close.
Tomorrow the real work begins. Rob Foster from Trainersonsite.com has sent me my new workouts, so we'll report back on them
Today's workout
Rowing - 2741 meters
Swimming - 1 hour leisure
Pushups to failure
Calories eaten - 2100
Calories burned - 3500
Check back tomorrow!
Monday, August 19, 2013
100 Days
100 Days. Little more than 3 months.
How much has changed in your life?
How much of your life have you changed?
100 days ago I had a huge eating binge. How huge? 14579 calories.
14579. No that's not a typo. That includes at one point 5536 during a 40 minute car ride home from downtown.
Can't live like that. You cannot go out and eat a weeks worth of food in a day and expect life to be grand.
100 days ago I had my last binge. I'm proud of that. But what can I do with the next 100?
What could I do to change the fat man by November 26th?
I made a commitment 100 days ago not to go on any more crazy binges. I've battled binges all my life, and 100 days later I've been successful so far.
So lets lay down a new challenge.
A good friend of mine Rob Foster is the owner of Trainersonsite.com. Rob is a great guy and he's been trying to help me for a while now. Despite my struggles he has maintained his energy and drive to see me through it all.
So what if I made this commitment. I'm going to follow Rob's program he's given me for the next 100 days.
In the last 100 days I helped myself. Now lets start getting help from experts. I'm going to take advantage of people who want to help me, like Rob. I'll use tools like bodymedia.com and Myfitnesspal.com to track my food for the next 100 days, making sure I finish in the negative at least 6 days out of every 7.
Lets spend 100 days and start reversing this fat man. Lets spend 100 days together and see what happens.
100 days ago I had my last binge. Today starts the next 100 days. Join me, see how it goes.
Check back here frequently, my goal is to update as often as I can, daily whenever possible so that people can see the progression.
How much has changed in your life?
How much of your life have you changed?
100 days ago I had a huge eating binge. How huge? 14579 calories.
14579. No that's not a typo. That includes at one point 5536 during a 40 minute car ride home from downtown.
Can't live like that. You cannot go out and eat a weeks worth of food in a day and expect life to be grand.
100 days ago I had my last binge. I'm proud of that. But what can I do with the next 100?
What could I do to change the fat man by November 26th?
I made a commitment 100 days ago not to go on any more crazy binges. I've battled binges all my life, and 100 days later I've been successful so far.
So lets lay down a new challenge.
A good friend of mine Rob Foster is the owner of Trainersonsite.com. Rob is a great guy and he's been trying to help me for a while now. Despite my struggles he has maintained his energy and drive to see me through it all.
So what if I made this commitment. I'm going to follow Rob's program he's given me for the next 100 days.
In the last 100 days I helped myself. Now lets start getting help from experts. I'm going to take advantage of people who want to help me, like Rob. I'll use tools like bodymedia.com and Myfitnesspal.com to track my food for the next 100 days, making sure I finish in the negative at least 6 days out of every 7.
Lets spend 100 days and start reversing this fat man. Lets spend 100 days together and see what happens.
100 days ago I had my last binge. Today starts the next 100 days. Join me, see how it goes.
Check back here frequently, my goal is to update as often as I can, daily whenever possible so that people can see the progression.
Monday, January 23, 2012
The 260lb bounce
For those of you losing weight, do you have a number that gives you trouble?
I do, 260lbs.
I've been over that number for along time now, and every time I approach it I bounce off it like some sort of damned trampoline.
I can't tell you the number of times I've hit it, like some sort of perverse paddle ball I slam into 260, then BOING, 261, 262, 263, refocus, 262, 261, 260, 259.8 (feel the trampoline stretch...) BOING 261 262.
I'm sick of it.
So the question is why? And I hate the answer.
The answer is me.
I focus for a few weeks, I maintain my discipline, and about the time I get near that milestone, I start to slack off. It happened again over the last couple of weeks. My commitment, particularly to healthy eating, started to slack off a bit and the hard work I had done to get down to 260 goes out the window.
The number actually means nothing. Nada, zilch. It's only in my head because I let that correlation start to convince me that somehow 260lbs is different than 261.
It isn't. It's just a number, one of many I have to work through in order to achieve my goals.
How many of your life's challenges are like that? How often do you say, "oh, that's the one I can't get past"? Are you being honest with yourself? Is it a true milestone? A true obstacle? or just something you let get into your head?
Is it simply you?
My demonic trampoline isn't 260lbs, its my own inability to maintain the commitment required to punch through it.
I was 261.4 this morning, after being 260.2 earlier last week. When I next write this blog, my goal is to be able to tell you that I maintained my discipline, that I ate healthy, that I exercised, and that I blew a giant hole in that 260lb trampoline, and tossed it in the trash, never to see it again.
Find your obstacle, the one you can't get past, and spend the next couple weeks with me breaking through it. Come back here Feb 6th with your own tale of conquest!
Follow me on twitter @fatfitman
I do, 260lbs.
I've been over that number for along time now, and every time I approach it I bounce off it like some sort of damned trampoline.
I can't tell you the number of times I've hit it, like some sort of perverse paddle ball I slam into 260, then BOING, 261, 262, 263, refocus, 262, 261, 260, 259.8 (feel the trampoline stretch...) BOING 261 262.
I'm sick of it.
So the question is why? And I hate the answer.
The answer is me.
I focus for a few weeks, I maintain my discipline, and about the time I get near that milestone, I start to slack off. It happened again over the last couple of weeks. My commitment, particularly to healthy eating, started to slack off a bit and the hard work I had done to get down to 260 goes out the window.
The number actually means nothing. Nada, zilch. It's only in my head because I let that correlation start to convince me that somehow 260lbs is different than 261.
It isn't. It's just a number, one of many I have to work through in order to achieve my goals.
How many of your life's challenges are like that? How often do you say, "oh, that's the one I can't get past"? Are you being honest with yourself? Is it a true milestone? A true obstacle? or just something you let get into your head?
Is it simply you?
My demonic trampoline isn't 260lbs, its my own inability to maintain the commitment required to punch through it.
I was 261.4 this morning, after being 260.2 earlier last week. When I next write this blog, my goal is to be able to tell you that I maintained my discipline, that I ate healthy, that I exercised, and that I blew a giant hole in that 260lb trampoline, and tossed it in the trash, never to see it again.
Find your obstacle, the one you can't get past, and spend the next couple weeks with me breaking through it. Come back here Feb 6th with your own tale of conquest!
Follow me on twitter @fatfitman
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Half measures have availed us nothing
One year ago today I noticed my weight had jumped up to a startling 272.4lbs
I set out two simple goals;
A) lose 53lbs, putting me below 220.
B) run a 5k race
Well, looking back, how did I do? Not great. Today I weigh 264.4 lbs, so in one year I lost only 8 lbs. I participated in a 5k race, but by no means did I run it.
What happened to my year? I could list some excuses easily, injury, kids, time constraints.
But they are excuses. What's the real truth?
Half measures avail us nothing
That's the cold hard truth. I'm not trying to lose 10lbs to fit into a smaller pair of jeans. I'm trying to reverse years of neglect on my body. And I spent a year doing it half-assed.
Honest appraisal, I have more than 60lbs to lose. That's not to look better, that's simply to be healthy. Say what you want about BMI, but I need to lose 40lbs to not be classified as obese!
These are big numbers, these aren't "I'm going to cut down on my pasta" numbers, these are my life needs an overhaul numbers.
I would eat right, then not
I would log my food, sometimes
I would workout, when I felt like it
Half measures avail us nothing
This cannot continue. I cannot simply do the few easy things and expect a true change. I cannot simply hope things will get better while eating a cheeseburger. I cannot become more fit by averaging one workout a week.
So lets turn it around. Let's fix it. Now.
Goals for 2012
Goal #1: Get below 205 lbs. Once I am at that weight I'll take an appraisal of what a reasonable goal weight should be for me
Goal #2: RUN a 5k. Not walk, not half and half. Run. The whole way. This one might be harder than the weight loss.
Half measures avail us nothing
I'm not going to get there without changing how I do things. I can't occasionally log my food. I can't occasionally workout, and I can't occasionally blog about it.
Logging food is how I hold myself accountable for my choices, it has to be a daily thing.
Working out is good for my waistline, my heart, and for easing stress, 6 times a week is not unreasonable.
Blogging is my accountability to friends and family, my way of sharing my struggle, and hoping others are motivated to join me. I need to aim for weekly, but at least every 2 weeks I need to be in here, good or bad.
When I achieved successes during 2011 I did the above. When I stumbled in 2011 I did them occasionally.
Half measures avail us nothing.
No half measures for 2012. This is my year, this is my 40th year, this is the year I meet the fitman again.
@fatfitman
I set out two simple goals;
A) lose 53lbs, putting me below 220.
B) run a 5k race
Well, looking back, how did I do? Not great. Today I weigh 264.4 lbs, so in one year I lost only 8 lbs. I participated in a 5k race, but by no means did I run it.
What happened to my year? I could list some excuses easily, injury, kids, time constraints.
But they are excuses. What's the real truth?
Half measures avail us nothing
That's the cold hard truth. I'm not trying to lose 10lbs to fit into a smaller pair of jeans. I'm trying to reverse years of neglect on my body. And I spent a year doing it half-assed.
Honest appraisal, I have more than 60lbs to lose. That's not to look better, that's simply to be healthy. Say what you want about BMI, but I need to lose 40lbs to not be classified as obese!
These are big numbers, these aren't "I'm going to cut down on my pasta" numbers, these are my life needs an overhaul numbers.
I would eat right, then not
I would log my food, sometimes
I would workout, when I felt like it
Half measures avail us nothing
This cannot continue. I cannot simply do the few easy things and expect a true change. I cannot simply hope things will get better while eating a cheeseburger. I cannot become more fit by averaging one workout a week.
So lets turn it around. Let's fix it. Now.
Goals for 2012
Goal #1: Get below 205 lbs. Once I am at that weight I'll take an appraisal of what a reasonable goal weight should be for me
Goal #2: RUN a 5k. Not walk, not half and half. Run. The whole way. This one might be harder than the weight loss.
Half measures avail us nothing
I'm not going to get there without changing how I do things. I can't occasionally log my food. I can't occasionally workout, and I can't occasionally blog about it.
Logging food is how I hold myself accountable for my choices, it has to be a daily thing.
Working out is good for my waistline, my heart, and for easing stress, 6 times a week is not unreasonable.
Blogging is my accountability to friends and family, my way of sharing my struggle, and hoping others are motivated to join me. I need to aim for weekly, but at least every 2 weeks I need to be in here, good or bad.
When I achieved successes during 2011 I did the above. When I stumbled in 2011 I did them occasionally.
Half measures avail us nothing.
No half measures for 2012. This is my year, this is my 40th year, this is the year I meet the fitman again.
@fatfitman
Monday, December 19, 2011
Ho Ho Ho its off to run we go!
Well Ho Ho Ho everyone, the fatfitman stuck by his promise and ran in the Burlington 5k Santa run last weekend
So how was the first 5k? Well, honestly, not as bad as I thought it might be. I finished in 43:03.9, which is not god by any means, but it's a start. More importantly I enjoyed it. I want to do more runs, and the competitive side of me wants to get better at it.
I think that's one of the things I have to key on going forward. I am a competitive person, I love my hockey, karate, and now the idea of running in a competition. I can only get better at each of these as I lose weight, and increase my fitness level. It takes hard work and dedication to to these things and to do them well.
The holidays have been predictably hard, my struggles with eating not helped by a week on the road in Atlanta, but those are just excuses. Self-improvement is hard, and I need to focus on what drives me to get better instead of focusing on what tastes good.
My family drives me, my competitive nature drives me, my desire is fueled by these things. I will improve, I will get healthy, I will lose more weight.
What fuels you, what drives you, what are you looking to change and improve as the year comes to a close?
Next entry will be the one year anniversary of the blog, an update on my status and my goals for the coming year.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Gotta walk before you can run
Ah tis the eating season, and for those of us who are addicted to food every day is a challenge.
The last two weeks have seen piles of my favourite foods, sweets and drinks placed in front of me, and so far so good, I remain around the 260lb mark.
I realized in the last few days that trying to lose weight at this time of year is setting myself up for disappointment, and with me disappointment leads to more eating. So, to stave off this dreaded cycle i am trying something different. I am focusing on not gaining weight, and maintaining my workout schedule despite the busy days ahead.
So far so good, this morning 260.8lbs, and a few days now until my next challenging evening event, so I shouldn't have any trouble eating healthy between now and the weekend.
Ah, and on the weekend, something new!
HO HO HO, that's what I'll be yelling as I participate this weekend in the Burlington 5K Santa run. For those of you not familiar with it, every year a few thousand people dress in full Santa suits and run 5K through the streets of Burlington ON. This year myself, my wife, and our good friend LC have decided to participate.
My frequent readers will know that i am not at a running weight yet, and the last time I tried to run at this size led to a back injury and several months away from training, so with that lesson learned I will be walking the course. This is hard for me, as I am by nature highly competitive, but I know if I keep this up I can start running more seriously come the spring time. If I overdo it now, I'll only disrupt my long term goals.
So get out this holiday season, enjoy yourselves, keep staying healthy when you can, don't overdo it when you can't. And if you are in Burlington this Saturday, I'll see you at the finish line!!
HO HO HO
@fatfitman
The last two weeks have seen piles of my favourite foods, sweets and drinks placed in front of me, and so far so good, I remain around the 260lb mark.
I realized in the last few days that trying to lose weight at this time of year is setting myself up for disappointment, and with me disappointment leads to more eating. So, to stave off this dreaded cycle i am trying something different. I am focusing on not gaining weight, and maintaining my workout schedule despite the busy days ahead.
So far so good, this morning 260.8lbs, and a few days now until my next challenging evening event, so I shouldn't have any trouble eating healthy between now and the weekend.
Ah, and on the weekend, something new!
HO HO HO, that's what I'll be yelling as I participate this weekend in the Burlington 5K Santa run. For those of you not familiar with it, every year a few thousand people dress in full Santa suits and run 5K through the streets of Burlington ON. This year myself, my wife, and our good friend LC have decided to participate.
My frequent readers will know that i am not at a running weight yet, and the last time I tried to run at this size led to a back injury and several months away from training, so with that lesson learned I will be walking the course. This is hard for me, as I am by nature highly competitive, but I know if I keep this up I can start running more seriously come the spring time. If I overdo it now, I'll only disrupt my long term goals.
So get out this holiday season, enjoy yourselves, keep staying healthy when you can, don't overdo it when you can't. And if you are in Burlington this Saturday, I'll see you at the finish line!!
HO HO HO
@fatfitman
Monday, November 21, 2011
And now the hard part
So, 2 weeks ago, 265lbs
This morning 260lbs.
Gotta say I am pretty happy about that. Worked out more days than not in the last 2 weeks, ate better (though not perfect) and ultimately am rewarded with 5lbs of weight loss.
Last time I saw the sub-260lb me was earlier this year, and not long before I found ways to short circuit myself. Hopefully this time I can say goodbye to the 260lb me forever.
What's to stop me? The holidays.
Every dieters nightmare, the holidays bring with it turkey, stuffing, chocolates, wine, candied yams, mashed potatoes made with cream, more wine, snack foods, appetizers.
And that's just the food.
Parties, drinks with neighbours, office lunches, festive specials.
And that's just the events,
Shopping, crazy malls, food courts, what to buy, interminable lines, out of stock, in-laws coming over, every weekend booked from now til January.
Basically, it is 6 weeks of high-stress, surrounded by the food that got me (and many of you) into trouble in the first place.
So how do we get past it? Well, first acknowledge it's going to be hard, be ready for it. I won't be expecting 2lbs a week out of myself over the next few weeks. I do however expect to continue losing. With that in mind this is the time to be especially vigilant on all those days you don't have an event.this is not the time of year for a quick trip to Wendy's, or for some extra little weekday treat. This is when 90% of your meals have to be very healthy options. Balanced, filling, healthy meals, because the other 10% are going to be trouble.
As for that other 10%, well, a few tips. Avoid loading up on breads, enjoy the main courses, avoid the appetizers. At parties, stay away from those easy snacks that seem to keep filling your mouth while you chat with friends. Watch how much you are drinking, switch to water when you can. Be very mindful of EVERYTHING you put in your mouth this month, don't mindlessly snack.
Lastly, but importantly, exercise. It's a busy time of year, but this is when you have to say "My health comes first" find the time to work out. Morning, after shopping, before bed, just get moving. Find ways to sneak in extra burn, don't fight for the close parking space at the mall, park in the far reaches and enjoy the walk. the exercise will help with all the extras we are bombarded with, and its a great way to bleed off some of the stress.
It's this time of year where we face the most challenges, re-focus, put in that effort, and make this a truly happy, and guilt-free holiday season.
I'll see you all at the malls. I'll be in parking lot Z, Row 30, right next to the abandoned shopping cart.
@fatfitman
This morning 260lbs.
Gotta say I am pretty happy about that. Worked out more days than not in the last 2 weeks, ate better (though not perfect) and ultimately am rewarded with 5lbs of weight loss.
Last time I saw the sub-260lb me was earlier this year, and not long before I found ways to short circuit myself. Hopefully this time I can say goodbye to the 260lb me forever.
What's to stop me? The holidays.
Every dieters nightmare, the holidays bring with it turkey, stuffing, chocolates, wine, candied yams, mashed potatoes made with cream, more wine, snack foods, appetizers.
And that's just the food.
Parties, drinks with neighbours, office lunches, festive specials.
And that's just the events,
Shopping, crazy malls, food courts, what to buy, interminable lines, out of stock, in-laws coming over, every weekend booked from now til January.
Basically, it is 6 weeks of high-stress, surrounded by the food that got me (and many of you) into trouble in the first place.
So how do we get past it? Well, first acknowledge it's going to be hard, be ready for it. I won't be expecting 2lbs a week out of myself over the next few weeks. I do however expect to continue losing. With that in mind this is the time to be especially vigilant on all those days you don't have an event.this is not the time of year for a quick trip to Wendy's, or for some extra little weekday treat. This is when 90% of your meals have to be very healthy options. Balanced, filling, healthy meals, because the other 10% are going to be trouble.
As for that other 10%, well, a few tips. Avoid loading up on breads, enjoy the main courses, avoid the appetizers. At parties, stay away from those easy snacks that seem to keep filling your mouth while you chat with friends. Watch how much you are drinking, switch to water when you can. Be very mindful of EVERYTHING you put in your mouth this month, don't mindlessly snack.
Lastly, but importantly, exercise. It's a busy time of year, but this is when you have to say "My health comes first" find the time to work out. Morning, after shopping, before bed, just get moving. Find ways to sneak in extra burn, don't fight for the close parking space at the mall, park in the far reaches and enjoy the walk. the exercise will help with all the extras we are bombarded with, and its a great way to bleed off some of the stress.
It's this time of year where we face the most challenges, re-focus, put in that effort, and make this a truly happy, and guilt-free holiday season.
I'll see you all at the malls. I'll be in parking lot Z, Row 30, right next to the abandoned shopping cart.
@fatfitman
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Challenges Challenges
What a frustrating week.
My exercise is up, my calorie intake is down, my diet is balanced. My wife is working out with me and as motivated as I am.
Sounds good right?
My weight is the same, my back is so sore I can't run, I'm basically not moving and it's driving me nuts!
I know, I know, stick with it, it's a bump, a bounce, a plateau. I get it. Just frustrating. I hate not seeing results on the scale, so I have to look for them elsewhere.
I found them...The other day doing my P90X routine I was able to do some of the ab workouts that had stymied me before. It's a small thing, but it points to changes in my body, in my core strength. My abdomen is measurably smaller than it was a few months ago. Both good indicators it's working.
But the best news was during a doctor's visit. My blood pressure has come down. Substantially actually. That was VERY encouraging.
We can get so focused on a goal, especially with weight loss, that when the goal is elusive we miss all the things that are also changing for the better. If I was strictly looking at the scale I would be pretty depressed and angry about this week. but I'm not. I'm not jumping for joy either, but I am revelling in the small things this week as I fight through this little weight burp.
It's a challenging journey, and that's ok. It's good to push ourselves, it's good to set lofty goals. And it's also good to appreciate achievements outside those goals, to keep motivation and fire burning inside as we go through some of the hard parts.
Speaking of challenges. On the weekend we had a family party. My cousin is leaving for Scotland, and her mother, my aunt, turned 50.
My Aunt has always enjoyed athletic pursuits, tennis, golf, softball. She was a natural athlete when she was younger, and continues to be even now. When I was a kid, I looked up to her for her athleticism. I went to her softball games at night, loved watching this little spark plug play. She was a very positive role model.
I know she reads this blog, and has enjoyed my writings. So, here is my shoutout to her, and my challenge. In this your 50th year, pick a goal for yourself, tell us what it is, stick to it for the year, enter year 51 better than you entered year 50. turn that competitive fire and energy you have into something hugely positive for you. Whatever it is, health, fitness level, improving your golf handicap, volunteering at something. But pick something, use the 25 year olds energy you have to accomplish something at 50 you can look back at and be proud of, continue being that great role model for your daughters, your nephews and nieces, and add to it being a role model for living young at an age when so many people say it's too late to change.
Good luck
@fatfitman
My exercise is up, my calorie intake is down, my diet is balanced. My wife is working out with me and as motivated as I am.
Sounds good right?
My weight is the same, my back is so sore I can't run, I'm basically not moving and it's driving me nuts!
I know, I know, stick with it, it's a bump, a bounce, a plateau. I get it. Just frustrating. I hate not seeing results on the scale, so I have to look for them elsewhere.
I found them...The other day doing my P90X routine I was able to do some of the ab workouts that had stymied me before. It's a small thing, but it points to changes in my body, in my core strength. My abdomen is measurably smaller than it was a few months ago. Both good indicators it's working.
But the best news was during a doctor's visit. My blood pressure has come down. Substantially actually. That was VERY encouraging.
We can get so focused on a goal, especially with weight loss, that when the goal is elusive we miss all the things that are also changing for the better. If I was strictly looking at the scale I would be pretty depressed and angry about this week. but I'm not. I'm not jumping for joy either, but I am revelling in the small things this week as I fight through this little weight burp.
It's a challenging journey, and that's ok. It's good to push ourselves, it's good to set lofty goals. And it's also good to appreciate achievements outside those goals, to keep motivation and fire burning inside as we go through some of the hard parts.
Speaking of challenges. On the weekend we had a family party. My cousin is leaving for Scotland, and her mother, my aunt, turned 50.
My Aunt has always enjoyed athletic pursuits, tennis, golf, softball. She was a natural athlete when she was younger, and continues to be even now. When I was a kid, I looked up to her for her athleticism. I went to her softball games at night, loved watching this little spark plug play. She was a very positive role model.
I know she reads this blog, and has enjoyed my writings. So, here is my shoutout to her, and my challenge. In this your 50th year, pick a goal for yourself, tell us what it is, stick to it for the year, enter year 51 better than you entered year 50. turn that competitive fire and energy you have into something hugely positive for you. Whatever it is, health, fitness level, improving your golf handicap, volunteering at something. But pick something, use the 25 year olds energy you have to accomplish something at 50 you can look back at and be proud of, continue being that great role model for your daughters, your nephews and nieces, and add to it being a role model for living young at an age when so many people say it's too late to change.
Good luck
@fatfitman
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Nothing happens in a straight line
I'm just back from 2 weeks on the road. The first week was for business in Cleveland. More on that later. The second trip was 10 days in Florida with my family. To save on airfare we drove down.
In a straight line it is 1184 miles from Toronto to Fort Myers, FL. By car it is 1520 miles. 340 miles, 20% of the trip is zig zagging your way down the highways, 340 extra miles because it's not a straight line drive. We have to go around obstacles like hills, lakes, valleys.
Weight loss is similar. I'm not just going to go and drop 50 straight pounds...I wish. I'm going to have good days and bad, good weeks and bad. I'll get to my goal, but I'll have travelled a lot further than 50lbs to get there.
On January 30th I announced I had lost that first 10lbs. well, a few weeks on the road has proved to be a detour. I now weigh 263.8.
I could get all depressed here, and quit the process. I could say, well, it's bad, so I'll start tomorrow and have a nice grilled cheese and bacon sandwich for lunch. but just like driving to Florida, i want to get there. I don't want any more detours than I have to make. So the bodymedia armband is back on, I have an exercise date with my wife tonight, and we start pushing deeper into the process.
Some people have been asking me how I managed on the road with food and exercise. Well, it is HARD!!! Driving along seeing nothing but McDonald's, Cracker barrel, KFC...All poor choices. Subway was my salvation. Turkey subs, light or no mayo, lots of veggies, water to drink. healthy snacks in the car, made before we set out by my wife. Planning a little, waiting until we saw a Subway saved untold calories.
During the business trip it was even worse. At least in Florida we were staying at my parents house allowing us to cook. While in Cleveland I had to really watch what happens in the restaurants. Salad appetizers, dressings on the side, choosing small beef dishes (careful with chicken, many restaurants saute, or sometimes even presoak the chicken in butter!), went out for fish one night.
I was less successful with the exercise, in Cleveland I should have done much more, in Florida lots of walking.
All in all 2lbs or so gained after 17days on the road is not terrible. It's a detour. I didn't go too far out of my way, and I am ready for the next leg of the journey. I have to push hard these next few miles to make up some lost time, but overall...I'm still on course. How about you? Still on that good track?
In a straight line it is 1184 miles from Toronto to Fort Myers, FL. By car it is 1520 miles. 340 miles, 20% of the trip is zig zagging your way down the highways, 340 extra miles because it's not a straight line drive. We have to go around obstacles like hills, lakes, valleys.
Weight loss is similar. I'm not just going to go and drop 50 straight pounds...I wish. I'm going to have good days and bad, good weeks and bad. I'll get to my goal, but I'll have travelled a lot further than 50lbs to get there.
On January 30th I announced I had lost that first 10lbs. well, a few weeks on the road has proved to be a detour. I now weigh 263.8.
I could get all depressed here, and quit the process. I could say, well, it's bad, so I'll start tomorrow and have a nice grilled cheese and bacon sandwich for lunch. but just like driving to Florida, i want to get there. I don't want any more detours than I have to make. So the bodymedia armband is back on, I have an exercise date with my wife tonight, and we start pushing deeper into the process.
Some people have been asking me how I managed on the road with food and exercise. Well, it is HARD!!! Driving along seeing nothing but McDonald's, Cracker barrel, KFC...All poor choices. Subway was my salvation. Turkey subs, light or no mayo, lots of veggies, water to drink. healthy snacks in the car, made before we set out by my wife. Planning a little, waiting until we saw a Subway saved untold calories.
During the business trip it was even worse. At least in Florida we were staying at my parents house allowing us to cook. While in Cleveland I had to really watch what happens in the restaurants. Salad appetizers, dressings on the side, choosing small beef dishes (careful with chicken, many restaurants saute, or sometimes even presoak the chicken in butter!), went out for fish one night.
I was less successful with the exercise, in Cleveland I should have done much more, in Florida lots of walking.
All in all 2lbs or so gained after 17days on the road is not terrible. It's a detour. I didn't go too far out of my way, and I am ready for the next leg of the journey. I have to push hard these next few miles to make up some lost time, but overall...I'm still on course. How about you? Still on that good track?
Thursday, February 3, 2011
How do you fit it in?
Family. Religion. Friendship. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business. - Montgomery Burns
He could just as easily have been talking about fitness it seems. Probably the number thing I am hearing from friends and family is where do you find the time to work out every day? I won't lie to you, it's tough. Two toddlers, a career, new house. It's a challenge when it's 9pm, all I want to do is sit down on the couch with my wife and watch TV.
But everyone does that, and the latest data shows we're all getting progressively bigger and more out of shape. And I've always done that, sat in front of the TV. And I've gotten progressively bigger and more out of shape. My favourite definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result. How can I expect to get healthier, how can I expect to achieve my goals if I just sit here.
So last night my DW (darling wife) and I went downstairs after the kids were in bed and worked out together. I have to give her special credit here, last night was a resistance workout, she is not a fan of these, but she stuck to it and worked hard. She's also promised to join me tonight for the Yoga DVD. I always look so awkward compared to her doing Yoga, but I'll be doing it nonetheless.
When you have a goal, a dream, a journey, never forget you can't get there by standing still. You can't rise above the masses by simply doing what everyone else is doing. You have to put in that extra effort. you have to do the things others are not. You have to find it within yourself to stand up, get away from the couch, away from the TV, away from your comfort zone and start putting in the work to get to your goal. Unlike what Monty Burns said at the start of this blog you do not have to sacrifice those around you, you can find ways to make them part of it. I challenge all of my readers to do something tonight that moves you a step closer to your goal. If you are serious about your own goals you'll find the time.
It's worth it.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Mind Willing Body Screaming
I'm drenched in sweat, my arms ache, It's 1030 Sunday night and I have just collapsed at the end of my second set of diamond pushups. My basement floor is very comfortable. Nice and cool, lost of space to writhe in agony.
I started P90x last night. There are 3 variations of the program, classic, cardio and doubles. Lets forget doubles. Its for the heavy duty fitness junkies with loads of time. The classic variation is a bit more resistance training oriented than Cardio, although both programs have elements of the other.
The first classic routine is Chest and Back. The best way to work those muscles are push ups and pull ups. Different variations of each, with some weight training mixed in. 12 exercises in all, 2 sets. Push ups and pull ups eh? ok, I did Basic once, how hard could this be?
Did I mention I did basic 17 years ago? And that I haven't done true exercise in a while? I completed the program, perhaps setting new lows in P90X history for reps. Pull ups are a special level of hell. Overhand, under hand, wide, narrow, all the different variations, but ultimately pull ups are about one thing, Strength to Weight ratio. Let's see, I weigh 262lbs, and have the upper body strength of a small child. Total Pull ups - 0.
But here is where I like this program, in every routine is a demonstration of a modified version to be used when you are starting out. Use a chair under your foot and push with one leg to assist you doing pull ups, or do your push ups on your knees. All designed to make this program inclusive.
I had to work hard, It was late when I finished, but I did finish. Heart rate nicely elevated the whole time, and according to my bodymedia device I burned about 590 calories that hour.
One of the catch phrases you hear a lot of on the videos is just press play. Don't worry about how many reps, don't worry if you can't keep up, just be here, show up, try. I think that's a lesson for all of us, no matter what we are doing. We can choose to be intimidated, to believe we can't do something, do shy away when we can't do something well. Or, we can press play, we can try, we can approach with the attitude , its not that I can't do it, it's that I currently struggle with it, but I am here, I am going to try, and I am not going to quit.
Don't quit
Press Play
Go do whats hard if it's going to lead to a better you
Tonight: Plyometrics
I started P90x last night. There are 3 variations of the program, classic, cardio and doubles. Lets forget doubles. Its for the heavy duty fitness junkies with loads of time. The classic variation is a bit more resistance training oriented than Cardio, although both programs have elements of the other.
The first classic routine is Chest and Back. The best way to work those muscles are push ups and pull ups. Different variations of each, with some weight training mixed in. 12 exercises in all, 2 sets. Push ups and pull ups eh? ok, I did Basic once, how hard could this be?
Did I mention I did basic 17 years ago? And that I haven't done true exercise in a while? I completed the program, perhaps setting new lows in P90X history for reps. Pull ups are a special level of hell. Overhand, under hand, wide, narrow, all the different variations, but ultimately pull ups are about one thing, Strength to Weight ratio. Let's see, I weigh 262lbs, and have the upper body strength of a small child. Total Pull ups - 0.
But here is where I like this program, in every routine is a demonstration of a modified version to be used when you are starting out. Use a chair under your foot and push with one leg to assist you doing pull ups, or do your push ups on your knees. All designed to make this program inclusive.
I had to work hard, It was late when I finished, but I did finish. Heart rate nicely elevated the whole time, and according to my bodymedia device I burned about 590 calories that hour.
One of the catch phrases you hear a lot of on the videos is just press play. Don't worry about how many reps, don't worry if you can't keep up, just be here, show up, try. I think that's a lesson for all of us, no matter what we are doing. We can choose to be intimidated, to believe we can't do something, do shy away when we can't do something well. Or, we can press play, we can try, we can approach with the attitude , its not that I can't do it, it's that I currently struggle with it, but I am here, I am going to try, and I am not going to quit.
Don't quit
Press Play
Go do whats hard if it's going to lead to a better you
Tonight: Plyometrics
Sunday, January 30, 2011
An Object at rest
Well, my first month is over and it's time to see how I've done so far. The good news is I am down 10.4 lbs! I was thrilled this morning to see that number. 262lbs is still way too big, but a 10lb loss is a great start in one month. With my goal being 50lbs (minimum) this year, it feels great to be early in the year and 20% of the way there.
I want for a moment to thank my wife for her support in the first part of this trip. It's been very challenging moving and trying to do this, and her help has been huge. Also a number of my friends for your encouraging words and support. Especially JL who took the time to break down some numbers for me on what I had done to that point, then used those to motivate me when I was a little low. It is awesome to have the support level I have had in this journey so far
But weight loss was only part of this journey. The other part was my fitness level. I can lose all the weight I want, if I am still not feeling athletic then I have only gone part of the distance. So, it's time for phase two. Start moving big guy, and moving hard!
I have exercised on and off for years, treadmills, elliptical, free weights, machines, even yoga (try it guys, it's a MUCH harder workout than you think!) The problem was, I would get lost in the sea of suggested workouts, what to do today, how much weight to lift, etc etc.
About 6 months ago one of my co-workers mentioned he was doing the P90X routines. Now this co-worker, JB, is in fantastic shape. When we go on the road he is up at o-dark-thirty for his first workout and then goes back to the hotel after work for an hour workout before dinner. He's a machine, and I am a bean bag, but the program was fascinating. The guess work over what exercise to do is handled by the videos. 90 days of workouts, each day planned for you, all the workouts a manageable 1hour in length. Targeting different muscles, even different goals. Some days are cardio based, others strength, some flexibility, its all laid out. I tried a week a while back and really enjoyed it, but lacked the dedication to see it through.
I don't lack the dedication any more, I've shed those first 10lbs. Now its time to really bring it. The first DVD will go in tonight. The idea is 90 straight days (1 day off every 7) but I'll have to modify it a bit, life happens. But my rules will be no consecutive days off. If I must miss a day, I MUST do the next day.
Some starting numbers (these are almost as sad as my weight, but this blog is about openness and accountability)
Day 1
Weight 262
Chest 43in
Waist 45in
Hips 43.5in
Maximum push ups: 18
Heart rate after 2 min of jumping jacks: 170bpm
1min later:146
I have other numbers you record at the start of P90x, but those are the key ones. We'll check in on those after the first 30 workouts and see how I am doing.
Thanks again to everyone for the help so far. Stay with me, share your journey, and good luck with your goals!
I want for a moment to thank my wife for her support in the first part of this trip. It's been very challenging moving and trying to do this, and her help has been huge. Also a number of my friends for your encouraging words and support. Especially JL who took the time to break down some numbers for me on what I had done to that point, then used those to motivate me when I was a little low. It is awesome to have the support level I have had in this journey so far
But weight loss was only part of this journey. The other part was my fitness level. I can lose all the weight I want, if I am still not feeling athletic then I have only gone part of the distance. So, it's time for phase two. Start moving big guy, and moving hard!
I have exercised on and off for years, treadmills, elliptical, free weights, machines, even yoga (try it guys, it's a MUCH harder workout than you think!) The problem was, I would get lost in the sea of suggested workouts, what to do today, how much weight to lift, etc etc.
About 6 months ago one of my co-workers mentioned he was doing the P90X routines. Now this co-worker, JB, is in fantastic shape. When we go on the road he is up at o-dark-thirty for his first workout and then goes back to the hotel after work for an hour workout before dinner. He's a machine, and I am a bean bag, but the program was fascinating. The guess work over what exercise to do is handled by the videos. 90 days of workouts, each day planned for you, all the workouts a manageable 1hour in length. Targeting different muscles, even different goals. Some days are cardio based, others strength, some flexibility, its all laid out. I tried a week a while back and really enjoyed it, but lacked the dedication to see it through.
I don't lack the dedication any more, I've shed those first 10lbs. Now its time to really bring it. The first DVD will go in tonight. The idea is 90 straight days (1 day off every 7) but I'll have to modify it a bit, life happens. But my rules will be no consecutive days off. If I must miss a day, I MUST do the next day.
Some starting numbers (these are almost as sad as my weight, but this blog is about openness and accountability)
Day 1
Weight 262
Chest 43in
Waist 45in
Hips 43.5in
Maximum push ups: 18
Heart rate after 2 min of jumping jacks: 170bpm
1min later:146
I have other numbers you record at the start of P90x, but those are the key ones. We'll check in on those after the first 30 workouts and see how I am doing.
Thanks again to everyone for the help so far. Stay with me, share your journey, and good luck with your goals!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Back to it
Distractions Distractions......Truthfully? Excuses excuses. And I am good at excuses. Really good..Especially to myself.
Since last blog I have moved houses, had some sick kids, travelled for business, and been sick myself. Now, some would say it is reasonable to take some time off from a quest during these times. That it is unreasonable to try to exercise, diet, make healthy food choices, and maintain a blog when life is so busy. I fell into these "reasons" in the last 2 weeks.
Here's the problem though. Like a person trying to quit smoking, or an alcoholic trying to quit drinking, I cannot simply "let up for a day". 1 day becomes 2, becomes 4 becomes a fortnight. And in no time, unchecked, the old habits come back, the weight comes back. The motivation for change subsides, the accountability evaporates.
I can't let that happen. I have to make this healthy life a priority. It has to be above excuse, beyond reproach.
While I was away on business I had 5 mealtimes. Of those 5 I made exactly 1 good choice. bad odds..I had several hours in the evening to myself and the only thing I exercised was my remote control hand.
Can't do that and succeed. No matter what your endeavour, letting up for a couple of weeks puts you in a hole. You have to find a way to maintain the momentum. For me it's blogging, its watching The Biggest Loser, it's stepping on the scale and taking stock of where I am.
I was very lucky the last two weeks. Moving is hard work, and the exercise was helping me to keep losing weight while my food choices slipped.
So no more excuses, no more 2 week vacations from the effort. I'm making good progress. I need to keep driving forward. This is a year long journey, and like a job, you only get so many weeks off if you want to be successful. Those were my two weeks.
Think about you and the challenges you face on your own journey. Have you taken a few days off from your goal? Days that were counter-productive to what you were trying to achieve? Did you feel better or worse for the time off? I know my answer.
Since last blog I have moved houses, had some sick kids, travelled for business, and been sick myself. Now, some would say it is reasonable to take some time off from a quest during these times. That it is unreasonable to try to exercise, diet, make healthy food choices, and maintain a blog when life is so busy. I fell into these "reasons" in the last 2 weeks.
Here's the problem though. Like a person trying to quit smoking, or an alcoholic trying to quit drinking, I cannot simply "let up for a day". 1 day becomes 2, becomes 4 becomes a fortnight. And in no time, unchecked, the old habits come back, the weight comes back. The motivation for change subsides, the accountability evaporates.
I can't let that happen. I have to make this healthy life a priority. It has to be above excuse, beyond reproach.
While I was away on business I had 5 mealtimes. Of those 5 I made exactly 1 good choice. bad odds..I had several hours in the evening to myself and the only thing I exercised was my remote control hand.
Can't do that and succeed. No matter what your endeavour, letting up for a couple of weeks puts you in a hole. You have to find a way to maintain the momentum. For me it's blogging, its watching The Biggest Loser, it's stepping on the scale and taking stock of where I am.
I was very lucky the last two weeks. Moving is hard work, and the exercise was helping me to keep losing weight while my food choices slipped.
So no more excuses, no more 2 week vacations from the effort. I'm making good progress. I need to keep driving forward. This is a year long journey, and like a job, you only get so many weeks off if you want to be successful. Those were my two weeks.
Think about you and the challenges you face on your own journey. Have you taken a few days off from your goal? Days that were counter-productive to what you were trying to achieve? Did you feel better or worse for the time off? I know my answer.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Goals, achievements and keeping up the battle
One of the tricks I learned in previous battles with weight is to be constantly setting goals for yourself. Try not to get too bogged down by the big picture of your overall weight loss. It can be so disheartening. Look at the people on The Biggest Loser, how daunting is it for them to think, I have to lose 100, 200, 300 lbs. You lose 5 lbs, and think, I still have to lose 95, 195, 295? No... You've lost 5lbs! That's an achievement!
5lbs, relate it to something tangible. 5lbs is a bag of oranges. Would you want to carry around a bag of oranges all day? I don't. That gets heavy after a while. Well, you've lost that 5lbs, one less bag of oranges you're carrying. 10lbs? now you aren't carrying around a sack of potatoes. Starts to feel pretty good doesn't it? Before you know it, these 5 and 10 lbs add up, and you're getting closer and closer to your goal.
Since Dec 29th I have lost 6lbs. Not a bad start. Sure I still have a long way to go, but I can't get to my 2011 goal of 50lb without losing that first 6. That 260lb guy in the future is getting closer, can't wait to see the last of him.
Six pounds is a good start, and it wasn't easy. I had some tough days in there. Yesterday was one of them. We're in the middle of moving, and our house is in turmoil as a result. It's hard to plan for healthy options when you are trying to empty the fridge. Days are packed with, well, packing, and suddenly you can find yourself making excuses for a easy snack or meal. Yesterday saw me eating a couple of lindt chocolates, some of my kids french fries, an one or two other indulgences. In the past I would have said forget it, I'll start again tomorrow. But rather than get down on myself over that little lapse, I picked myself up, ate healthy the rest of the day, and planned healthy choices for today.
When you fall down in your journey, whatever that is, don't sit there feeling sorry for yourself, don't kneel there mad that you fell, and ready to quit. Pick yourself up, look forward at your goal, not back at your stumble and keep moving towards that goal. We all fall down, we all take that little side trail off our journey. What separates successful people from those by the wayside is how fast you get back on track. How quickly you can recover from that challenge.
This move will be over in a few more days, then I can start on phase two, which involves dramatically increasing my exercise routine. I hope you'll keep following along.
Feel free to share with me your own journey, your own goals, and your own challenges. And if you can think of people that would benefit from reading this, feel free to share it with them. Let's all move forward toward who we want to be, let's do it together my friends!
5lbs, relate it to something tangible. 5lbs is a bag of oranges. Would you want to carry around a bag of oranges all day? I don't. That gets heavy after a while. Well, you've lost that 5lbs, one less bag of oranges you're carrying. 10lbs? now you aren't carrying around a sack of potatoes. Starts to feel pretty good doesn't it? Before you know it, these 5 and 10 lbs add up, and you're getting closer and closer to your goal.
Since Dec 29th I have lost 6lbs. Not a bad start. Sure I still have a long way to go, but I can't get to my 2011 goal of 50lb without losing that first 6. That 260lb guy in the future is getting closer, can't wait to see the last of him.
Six pounds is a good start, and it wasn't easy. I had some tough days in there. Yesterday was one of them. We're in the middle of moving, and our house is in turmoil as a result. It's hard to plan for healthy options when you are trying to empty the fridge. Days are packed with, well, packing, and suddenly you can find yourself making excuses for a easy snack or meal. Yesterday saw me eating a couple of lindt chocolates, some of my kids french fries, an one or two other indulgences. In the past I would have said forget it, I'll start again tomorrow. But rather than get down on myself over that little lapse, I picked myself up, ate healthy the rest of the day, and planned healthy choices for today.
When you fall down in your journey, whatever that is, don't sit there feeling sorry for yourself, don't kneel there mad that you fell, and ready to quit. Pick yourself up, look forward at your goal, not back at your stumble and keep moving towards that goal. We all fall down, we all take that little side trail off our journey. What separates successful people from those by the wayside is how fast you get back on track. How quickly you can recover from that challenge.
This move will be over in a few more days, then I can start on phase two, which involves dramatically increasing my exercise routine. I hope you'll keep following along.
Feel free to share with me your own journey, your own goals, and your own challenges. And if you can think of people that would benefit from reading this, feel free to share it with them. Let's all move forward toward who we want to be, let's do it together my friends!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Temptations, turning 39 and the Biggest Loser
Turned 39 today...A good chance to reflect on my 30's and think about all that changed for me. Interesting to note, I turned 30, weighed 268lbs, got separated, changed careers, moved back home, got divorced, lost weight (210!), met new girl, got engaged, got married, gained weight(240), shattered right leg, lost weight(220) changed careers, had first child, gained weight (250), had second child, turned 39 weighing..268lbs!
Seems a bit like a treadmill, but I'll tell you honestly, despite the fact my weight is the same, there is not one part of my life that is not better now than it was 10 years ago. I am thrilled with my life, maybe not with my weight and wellness, but with a great family, a supportive wife, a good job, now is the time I can concentrate on the changes I need to make.
Birthdays bring new temptations, I want my big steak dinner tonight, but I think I'll get some light thai food instead. My wife and daughter thoughtfully made a low-fat cake for me, and I'll be very mindful of the portions.
My big present? A night at a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey game. Tomorrow night in fact. Stadiums and I are not good from an eating perspective, so I'm going out to dinner before the game to better regulate my options, and hopefully come through the next couple of days with my weight unscathed.
The Biggest loser season 11 started last night. I love watching this show for the motivation and, honestly, the cautionary example. Two things stood out for me. One was a contestant who spoke of watching the show for years and always judging the people on it for their weight issues. He was very emotional when he took the scale and had to admit he was one of them. It is a lesson to us all that we should be mindful of how we perceive others, how we judge them, how we react to them. It is a slippery slope from us to them sometimes, and a real wakeup call when you hit the bottom of that slope.
The second thing that stood out was a contestant that commented how most people guess his weight wrong, he weighs over 400lbs, most people guess him around 300. This happens to a lot of us who are overweight. When I announced I was doing this, and said my starting weight was 272.4, people were stunned. Most had me 230-240. I tell people who don't know my weight I want to lose 50lbs, just to start, and they think I am nuts, that it is too much.
We can be deceived by these attitudes, we can allow those around us who tell us its ok, that we aren't "that" big, that we don't need to lose "that" much, we can allow them to shape our self-image and change it to a false one. We can say things about having a "real" body, that we like our curves, our love handles, our booty. I liked being the big guy. But it was false. All lies. Step on a scale, get a body fat analysis, try and run 1 mile. See if you are really where you think you are, where you want to be.
No, we don't all need to look like cover models, but we need to be honest with ourselves, we need friends to be honest with us, and us with them. If you can honestly look at yourself, and be perfectly happy, I congratulate you, don't lose that, do what you have to do to maintain it and be a model for others.
If, like me, you can't do that, then make this the day that the self-deception ends. Don't wait, start today, do it now, make the changes. Say goodbye to that person in the mirror and don't look back.
Seems a bit like a treadmill, but I'll tell you honestly, despite the fact my weight is the same, there is not one part of my life that is not better now than it was 10 years ago. I am thrilled with my life, maybe not with my weight and wellness, but with a great family, a supportive wife, a good job, now is the time I can concentrate on the changes I need to make.
Birthdays bring new temptations, I want my big steak dinner tonight, but I think I'll get some light thai food instead. My wife and daughter thoughtfully made a low-fat cake for me, and I'll be very mindful of the portions.
My big present? A night at a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey game. Tomorrow night in fact. Stadiums and I are not good from an eating perspective, so I'm going out to dinner before the game to better regulate my options, and hopefully come through the next couple of days with my weight unscathed.
The Biggest loser season 11 started last night. I love watching this show for the motivation and, honestly, the cautionary example. Two things stood out for me. One was a contestant who spoke of watching the show for years and always judging the people on it for their weight issues. He was very emotional when he took the scale and had to admit he was one of them. It is a lesson to us all that we should be mindful of how we perceive others, how we judge them, how we react to them. It is a slippery slope from us to them sometimes, and a real wakeup call when you hit the bottom of that slope.
The second thing that stood out was a contestant that commented how most people guess his weight wrong, he weighs over 400lbs, most people guess him around 300. This happens to a lot of us who are overweight. When I announced I was doing this, and said my starting weight was 272.4, people were stunned. Most had me 230-240. I tell people who don't know my weight I want to lose 50lbs, just to start, and they think I am nuts, that it is too much.
We can be deceived by these attitudes, we can allow those around us who tell us its ok, that we aren't "that" big, that we don't need to lose "that" much, we can allow them to shape our self-image and change it to a false one. We can say things about having a "real" body, that we like our curves, our love handles, our booty. I liked being the big guy. But it was false. All lies. Step on a scale, get a body fat analysis, try and run 1 mile. See if you are really where you think you are, where you want to be.
No, we don't all need to look like cover models, but we need to be honest with ourselves, we need friends to be honest with us, and us with them. If you can honestly look at yourself, and be perfectly happy, I congratulate you, don't lose that, do what you have to do to maintain it and be a model for others.
If, like me, you can't do that, then make this the day that the self-deception ends. Don't wait, start today, do it now, make the changes. Say goodbye to that person in the mirror and don't look back.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Bodymedia - Weight control through technology
I am not a Bodymedia rep, sales guy or marketer, these opinions are my own, and I gain nothing from any sales or clicks on the bodymedia website. I have not included a link as I do not want anyone thinking I am gaining from this. You can easily google bodymedia and it will take you right there.
We all need some help if we are trying to gain control of our eating, weight, exercise habits. I'll be using a tool from Bodyedia called the FIT armband. This device helps me monitor exactly who many calories I burn over the course of my day. It's worn on your non-dominant arm and measures things like temperature, perspiration, movement etc.
The idea is to take the guesswork out of your daily calorie burn...Not just how much you burn on the treadmill, but all day, everyday, while you work, while you sleep, while you play with your kids.
Why is this important? Well, weight loss is essentially a math equation. If your calories burned exceeds your calories eaten, you will over time lose weight. About 3500 calories per pound.
The key thing is the accuracy of the measurements, treadmills and other exercise machines will give you an approximation, but they can be off substantially. Plus, you don't know how much you are burning in all your other activities.
The FIT armband doesn't just track calories, it tracks sleep, how long your moderate exercise was, how long you exercised vigorously, how many steps you took.
All of this information is helpful, but of limited usefulness if you aren't tracking everything you eat...And I mean EVERYTHING. Snacks, portion sizes (accuracy is important!), drinks, sauces (a diet killer) etc etc etc. Included as part of the FIT program is access to some online software that makes tracking your food daily an easy task. The software is simple and intuitive, with an encyclopedic database of food, including many restaurant and brand name packaged food. if its not there, you can add your own.
How effective is it? You'll see it used on virtually all the contestants on the Biggest Loser (very motivational show btw if you are trying to lose weight). I personally used it to lose 15lbs early last year, I regained them when I stopped using the tool. I know at least one other person who used it to great effect as well, losing over 20lbs.
Its not the answer for everyone obviously, but it's the tool I'll be using for my journey. If you have your own successful tools, I'd love to hear about them.
We all need some help if we are trying to gain control of our eating, weight, exercise habits. I'll be using a tool from Bodyedia called the FIT armband. This device helps me monitor exactly who many calories I burn over the course of my day. It's worn on your non-dominant arm and measures things like temperature, perspiration, movement etc.
The idea is to take the guesswork out of your daily calorie burn...Not just how much you burn on the treadmill, but all day, everyday, while you work, while you sleep, while you play with your kids.
Why is this important? Well, weight loss is essentially a math equation. If your calories burned exceeds your calories eaten, you will over time lose weight. About 3500 calories per pound.
The key thing is the accuracy of the measurements, treadmills and other exercise machines will give you an approximation, but they can be off substantially. Plus, you don't know how much you are burning in all your other activities.
The FIT armband doesn't just track calories, it tracks sleep, how long your moderate exercise was, how long you exercised vigorously, how many steps you took.
All of this information is helpful, but of limited usefulness if you aren't tracking everything you eat...And I mean EVERYTHING. Snacks, portion sizes (accuracy is important!), drinks, sauces (a diet killer) etc etc etc. Included as part of the FIT program is access to some online software that makes tracking your food daily an easy task. The software is simple and intuitive, with an encyclopedic database of food, including many restaurant and brand name packaged food. if its not there, you can add your own.
How effective is it? You'll see it used on virtually all the contestants on the Biggest Loser (very motivational show btw if you are trying to lose weight). I personally used it to lose 15lbs early last year, I regained them when I stopped using the tool. I know at least one other person who used it to great effect as well, losing over 20lbs.
Its not the answer for everyone obviously, but it's the tool I'll be using for my journey. If you have your own successful tools, I'd love to hear about them.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Starting my Journey
How the hell did I end up here?
How did a guy who plays hockey, referees, plays tennis, golf, hikes, sees himself as athletic, how does he weigh over 270lbs!
It doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lot of food to get to this stage. It takes a lot of changes in how I act to get here.
I used to identify myself as a fit guy, I used to believe I was fairly athletic...No one would look at me now and see an athlete.
Now I identify myself as the big guy, "Big D"...I'm the guy everyone says, "Here D, take the last piece" and I take it. I relish the moniker, it is who I am.
No more.
This blog is the start of a change. A change I hope you will join me in and help me through. A change in not only how I look and how much I weigh, but a change in who I am, how I am perceived, and how I perceive myself.
I want to look in the mirror and be proud of what I see. I don't want to shop in speciality stores anymore. I don't want to ache when I bend over and pick up my kids. I don't want to be afraid of having a heart attack when I step on the ice to play.
So, how do I do it.
First step, set Goals.
Goal number 1: At the end of 2011 I will weigh less than 220lbs. That's about 1lb per week. Reasonable, achievable, healthy sustainable weight loss. I think I can do even better, but that's my start.
Goal number 2: To run a 5k event. Again, should be very achievable, but I haven't run 5k since I was in the Army Reserves. That's a lot of years between me and the pavement.
Okay, second step, the plan. I love technology, and I love social media. So it only makes sense that this is part of my journey. I will be using the technology from www.bodymedia.com to help me monitor my exercise and my caloric intake. I'll post more about the technology in a future blog.
Second part of the plan, exercise...going to be tough the first couple of weeks as we prepare to move to our new home, but once we're set up I have access to my treadmill, and will be working through the P90x videos.
Third, and I think very important, accountability and support. That's where you come in. I'll be posting here, Facebook and @fatfitman on Twitter. Follow along with me as I share my successes, my temptations, my hard times, and hopefully very few failures. One of the reasons I think WeightWatchers(tm) is so successful is the support system around the people. So I am hoping to use social media to achieve the same things. I look forward to your comments and tweets.
So, this morning I weighed in at 272.4 lbs...the heaviest I have ever been. Its time to say goodbye to the fat guy, and start my journey back to someone I recognize in the mirror.
How did a guy who plays hockey, referees, plays tennis, golf, hikes, sees himself as athletic, how does he weigh over 270lbs!
It doesn't happen overnight. It takes a lot of food to get to this stage. It takes a lot of changes in how I act to get here.
I used to identify myself as a fit guy, I used to believe I was fairly athletic...No one would look at me now and see an athlete.
Now I identify myself as the big guy, "Big D"...I'm the guy everyone says, "Here D, take the last piece" and I take it. I relish the moniker, it is who I am.
No more.
This blog is the start of a change. A change I hope you will join me in and help me through. A change in not only how I look and how much I weigh, but a change in who I am, how I am perceived, and how I perceive myself.
I want to look in the mirror and be proud of what I see. I don't want to shop in speciality stores anymore. I don't want to ache when I bend over and pick up my kids. I don't want to be afraid of having a heart attack when I step on the ice to play.
So, how do I do it.
First step, set Goals.
Goal number 1: At the end of 2011 I will weigh less than 220lbs. That's about 1lb per week. Reasonable, achievable, healthy sustainable weight loss. I think I can do even better, but that's my start.
Goal number 2: To run a 5k event. Again, should be very achievable, but I haven't run 5k since I was in the Army Reserves. That's a lot of years between me and the pavement.
Okay, second step, the plan. I love technology, and I love social media. So it only makes sense that this is part of my journey. I will be using the technology from www.bodymedia.com to help me monitor my exercise and my caloric intake. I'll post more about the technology in a future blog.
Second part of the plan, exercise...going to be tough the first couple of weeks as we prepare to move to our new home, but once we're set up I have access to my treadmill, and will be working through the P90x videos.
Third, and I think very important, accountability and support. That's where you come in. I'll be posting here, Facebook and @fatfitman on Twitter. Follow along with me as I share my successes, my temptations, my hard times, and hopefully very few failures. One of the reasons I think WeightWatchers(tm) is so successful is the support system around the people. So I am hoping to use social media to achieve the same things. I look forward to your comments and tweets.
So, this morning I weighed in at 272.4 lbs...the heaviest I have ever been. Its time to say goodbye to the fat guy, and start my journey back to someone I recognize in the mirror.
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