I’m NOT a Loser 07.15.11

Weight Loss
Weight: 265.0
Weight: 265.5
Net Weight Change : +0.5
Total Weight Loss : 46.0

Notes:
Debauchery finally caught up to me this week, but a half pound is a small price to pay for the excellent weekend and week I've had. I'll lose it plus some more next week. I doubt I'll get down to 260 even, which means I'll miss the goal I had set earlier, but I'm not too worried about it anymore. As long as I maintain net losses for the month, I'm happy.

I’m a Loser 07.08.11

Weight Loss
Weight: 267.5
Weight: 265.0
Net Weight Change : -2.5
Total Weight Loss : 46.5

Notes:
This week I discovered two facts: A Bud Light is worth fewer points than a Killian's Irish Red, but regardless of which you drink, it's hard to keep count and even harder to do the math after you've emptied thirteen or fourteen of them into your belly. So... I lost track of my points and just gave up trying to count them sometime around 10PM Saturday night.

I'm not sure how I managed to lose 2.5 pounds considering the insane amount of food and beer I ingested over the last week, but maybe the equally insane amounts of exercise had something to do with it. I fully intend to be very bad this weekend as well, so I'm guessing my debauchery will catch up to me at the scales next week, but I'm thinking it doesn't matter much. I wanted to be down to 260 in time for a book signing on Jully 23rd, but it doesn't look like I'm going to get it lined out in time. I've lost 8.5 pounds in three weeks. It won't kill me to back off and enjoy life just a little bit. And who knows? If I keep swimming, lifting, and biking like I have been, maybe I won't gain a pound. We'll soon see.

I don't want to buy more clothes now, because I still have about 25 pounds I intend to lose, and any clothes I buy today are going to be too big in three months. But the clothes I bought three months ago are falling off of me now.

I've never been much of a clothes horse. I never enjoyed shopping for new things to wear. But when I get down to 240, I'm going to donate all of my current clothes (except for one set, which I'll be wearing) to the Salvation Army. Then I'm buying new stuff all around - shirts, jeans, underwear, socks, slacks, shoes, and a few tailored suits. It may be the the first time I will enjoy clothes shopping in my entire life.

Along similar lines, I have two tattoos I've been designing for years, one for my back and one for my belly and chest. I'm going to get them when I'm finally back in good shape.

Anticipation of these things keeps me motivated.

I’m a Loser 07.01.11

Weight Loss
Weight: 270.5
Weight: 267.5
Net Weight Change : -3.0
Total Weight Loss : 44.5

Notes:
I used all of my weight watchers points this week, and then some. But I also exercised my ass off (literally.)

I probably would have lost more, but I haven't slept well; I skipped a gym day, and I've been in class all week which forced me to shorten all of my workouts (and it's so easy to hit the vending machines right outside the classroom while we're on break!) I was hungry all week long no matter how much I ate. I think it was because I increased my exercise.

But even with all that, I still lost three pounds, which puts me firmly below 270 pounds for the first time in nearly a decade.  When I first started losing weight, I had to buy new shirts and pants because the old stuff was just too big.  Since then, I've been washing them in cold water and letting them air-dry because I was worried they'd shrink and I wouldn't fit in them anymore.  However, this past week I've been washing with hot water and drying on high heat, trying to get them to shrink a little bit so they'll fit me better. I don't want to buy new clothes again already!

One final note:  I shaved my 1-mile swim time down  to 37:06.  I'm hoping to finally get under 37:00 next week.  I tried to get there today, and I really thought I had it, but I came in at 37:18.

I’m a Loser 06.24.11

Weight Loss
Weight: 274.0
Weight: 270.5
Net Weight Change : -3.5
Total Weight Loss : 41.5

Notes:
It was a good week for me. I tracked my points all week, and despite the goody day on Tueday and the employee appreciation day on Wednesday, I lost all of the vacation poundage plus a half pound more. If I can maintain that rate for the next couple of weeks, I will reach my 260 pound goal by July 23. Hell, I might even beat it.

This next week is going to be very significant for me. If all goes as planned, it will the the week I FINALLY drop under 270 pounds. I've been working towards this for a long time, and I am excited to surpass this personal obstacle.

I’m NOT a Loser 06.07.11

I gained three pounds since my last weigh-in two weeks ago. Considering that I haven't tracked my diet, have barely exercised, and ate/drank like a man scheduled for execution, I guess a three pound gain isn't too bad.

It was this time last year – right after a week down south with my parents – that I got off track and regained all the weight I'd lost (plus some.)

I cannot let that happen this time. I was committed to getting right back into the swing of things when I returned, but I got swimmer's ear from the lake water and had to stay out of the pool all week, and I was up late working on the novel, which meant I woke early enough to get the gym only twice.

I have the swimmer's ear whipped, and I'm tracking my diet again. More importantly, I intend to keep my chunky ass at home for the next few weekends, which means I won't have as many opportunities to break my diet and I should be able to get back into the habit of eating correctly.

I'm behind schedule as far as where I wanted to be in terms of overall weight loss, but I won’t let that discourage me. I have roughly five weeks until my first book signing event, and if I can get down to 260 by then, I'll still have 20 pounds to go before I reach my goal, but I'll also be content with the progress I've made.

I’m a Loser 05.27.11

I had another stagnant week where I didn't track my diet or exercise. I lifted weights and swam a mile every day, but I ate pretty much whatever I wanted. The end result? I lost one pound. Memorial Day weekend is another eating/drinking holiday, and my mouth waters at the mere thought of grilled steaks, juicy brats and hotdogs, strawberry shortcake, and BEER. However, I am trying to kick out of my funk and have been tracking my diet and exercise again since yesterday. I hope to be relatively good this weekend. I'm going to try to lose 4.5 this week so I can hit 270 and have lost 10 pounds for the month of May. I think I can do it, but we'll just have to see. A few months ago, a 4.5 pound loss would have been easy, but it's getting harder now that I have less to lose and I'm getting tired of denying myself the foods I want.

I’m NOT a Loser 05.20.11

I didn't do enough exercise this week to bother tracking it. I totally blew out my left calf either Monday or Tuesday morning, and I've been limping around ever since.

I also didn't track my diet.

I broke even for the week, neither gaining nor losing.

I've had a rough week. My calf has hurt all week, and I've gotten soaked while limping to or from work every day this week. If this goddamned rain doesn't dry up soon I'm going to lose my mind.

The breakup with Tasha hit me harder this week too. I'm doing OK, I guess, but I haven't been sleeping well, and I've been drinking much more than usual, and I think I'm depressed because I can't seem to give a fuck about much of anything.

My tattoo is healed enough for me to return to the pool, and I can barely wait. Next week will be better in every respect.

I’m a Loser 05.13.11

Weight Loss

04.05.11 Weight: 278
05.12.11 Weight: 275.5

Net Weight Change : 2.5
Total Weight Loss : 36.5

Stats, 05.05.11 - 05.011.11

Allowed WW Food Points: 448
Earned WW Activity Pts: 26
WW Food Points Eaten: 349
WW Points Remaining: 125
Daily Calorie Target: 1780
Average Daily Calories*:2076

Notes:

If you've been tracking my progress, you'll see my activity points are low this week when compared to past weeks. This is due mostly to the fresh tattoo which limits the ranges of exercises available, but also because I've stopped counting points for walking at work and stretching after workouts. WW says these activities are worth the points, but I can't justify counting them when such activities are as easy as breathing.

I ran or walked almost every day this week, with some pushups, crunches, pull-ups, jump rope, and mountain climbers thrown in for good measure, but I injured my left calf Wednesday night, and that forced me to switch to mountain biking until the bad weather put an end to that too. I'm trying to maintain a healthy level of exercise, in spite of circumstances arrayed against me, but I am getting frustrated. I will be glad when I can get back into the pool and weight room becasue at this rate, by the time the tattoo heals, I'll be too lamed up do anything except finger flutterkicks and face crunches.

I have one more week before this tattoo is healed enough for me to return to my regulary scheduled exercise. My bitching notwithstanding, I'm glad for the break and also for the chance to devise a decent workout that I can use when I go on vacation this summer. I was doing pretty well last year until I took a week away from my regular life, after which I didn't get back into fitness and exercise for six months. I regained every damned pound, plus some. This year I will not let that happen.

Even without exercising as much, I lost 2.5 pounds. I did really, really well with my diet this week. My doctor has asked me to use MyFitnessPal on my phone because it tracks calorie and nutrient intake. It means that I have to put my diet into two trackers (MFP and Weight Watcher's,) but I don't mind, because the MFP has awesome search capabilities to find food nutrition values, which I can use to calculate Points for foods that are not in WW's database (which is not very comprehensive at all.) Also, WW counts zero points for most fruits and veggies, but MFP still counts those calories, so if I try to meet the calorie goals in MFP, I come in 14-20 points under my allowed daily WW points. I'm pleased with the results so far, but I know that I'll have to abandon the calorie counting when I get back into the gym heavily, because I can't lift weights and also subsist on the pittance of food I eat when I try to hit my calorie goals.

*Adjusted for deductions earned for aerobic exercise.

I’m a Loser 05.06.11

Weight Loss

04.28.11 Weight: 280
05.05.11 Weight: 278

Net Weight Change : -2
Total Weight Loss : -34

Weight Watcher Stats, 04.28.11 – 05.04.11

Allowed Food Points: 448
Earned Activity Pts: 80
Food Points Eaten: 386
Points Remaining: 142

Notes:

After a month of being in a rut, slightly depressed, not exercising, and eating pretty much whatever I wanted, I am finally back on track. I exercised every day, even if it wasn't the hard workouts in the morning. I did something every day. I even jogged twice. I haven't ran in so long that I can't remember the last time I did it. It's been at least four or five years ago. I hurt all over as a result, but it feels great!

I was also very good with my diet, and when it was all said and done, I lost two pounds. I was hoping for a bigger loss, but it is my first week back on track, so if I can keep it up, maybe it will catch up with me next week, and I'll drop four or five.

I have even more incentive to stick to my diet and exercise regiment, because this week I was diagnosed with insulin resistance, a precursor to Type 2 Diabetes. The doctor says we've caught it early enough that there's a very good chance that I can turn the tide and avoid diabetes. Better yet, I am already doing almost everything text-book perfect to help myself. He told me to extend my aerobic workouts from 30 to 40 minutes, eat more complex carbohydrates, and stay away from simple carbs as if they were cyanide.

I'm not worried. I just need to make minor adjustments to my workouts and diet, and I should be fine. One of the reasons I started running again was that after this weekend I will be out of the pool for a few weeks due to a tattoo that I'm getting altered. So I need to fall back onto something else for a little while, but I think I have all the bases covered.

I’m NOT a Loser 04.29.11

I'm posting this late, but back dating it  in the title just to keep my naming convention clean.

I didn't t rack my points last week, and I gained a pound.  In the bigger scheme of things, I broke even for the month of April.  I was 280 pounds when the month started, and I was 280 pounds when it ended.  It was a tough month, with visiting friends, a big eating holiday, a bout of pretty severe depression, and terrible weather.  I could get all pissed off because I should be at 270 now, but instead I will keep my head up, keep my mood light and positive, and focus on getting back on track this week.  There's no sense in being angry about not losing when I can be happy about not gaining.

I’m a Loser 04.22.11

Weight Loss Results.

04.14.11 WW Weight: 280.5
04.21.11 WW Weight: 279

Net Weight Change : -1.5
Total Weight Loss : 32

Weight Watcher Stats, 04.14.11 – 04.20.11

Allowed Food Points: 448
Earned Activity Pts: 19
Food Points Eaten: 401
Points Remaining: 66

Notes:

I gained two pounds last week and didn't even bother to post an update. I meant to, but I got busy, and never got around to it. This week was tough for exercise, due to allergies, and very poor sleep most of the week. I only made it one day. I plan to make this week better, but that's what I said last week after I gained two pounds. I think I'm in a little bit of a slump.

But I may have a way to get kicked out of it. I read a fitness article recently that reminded me of some fundamental weight lifting axioms that I had either forgotten or talked myself out of following, and I learned some new things too. So I'm going back to basics, and I'm excited to get started.

I'm also switching my schedule. These past few months I've been working out three days, taking a day off, and working out three more days. It meant that I had to lift one, sometimes two, days every weekend, but it wasn't an issue because the weather was shitty and I was staying off the roads most of the time. However, now that the weather is improving and my endurance is built up more, I'm swapping back to working out five days straight and taking the weekends off. This last week was supposed to be the first week of the new schedule, but I fooled around and let it go to hell. So next week is the new First Week. Hopefully it will go better than the last two.

I’m a Loser 04.08.11

Weight Loss Results.

3-21-11 Gym Weight : 284.8
4-04-11 Gym Weight : not measured (got my weeks mixed up)

Net Weight Change: N/A

3-31-11 WW Weight: 280.0
4-07-11 WW Weight: 278.5

Net Weight Change : -1.5
Total Weight Loss : 33.5

Weight Watcher Stats, 3.24.11 - 3.30.11

Allowed Food Points: 448
Earned Activity Pts: 32
Food Points Eaten: 490
Points Remaining: -10

Notes:

I think I got my weeks mixed up and forgot to weigh in at the gym this week, thinking it was next week. Oh well, I guess they could have and should have called, if they cared.

The boxing class finished last night, and I'm sad that it's over. I really enjoyed the class, and I hope to continue training with that coach at his gym. I've tried many styles of martial arts and fighting over the years, but there is something about boxing that really appeals to me. I can't explain it other than to say it feels... pure.

I have no idea how I lost 1.5 pounds this week. Training at work forced a change in my morning schedule and screwed up my workout plans. Candy abounded in the class, and I ate my fill of it. I experienced a tremendous amount of emotional stress and duress this week, and I had NO WILLPOWER to be healthy. On the plus side, I didn't drink myself into a stupor or get put in jail for fighting, but I could not make myself go to bed on time, get up on time, or refuse the siren call of junk food. If it was in front of me and I wanted a bite, I took it. I'm hoping, if I am very good this next week, last week's indiscretions won't catch up to me, because I am under 280 pounds for the first time in years, and I don't want to slide back into that bracket.

I really must be mellowing in my middle age. In times past, when I was really upset, I drank like a fish, fought like a pitbull, and fucked like a stallion. Now I just stay up late, skip the gym in favor of sleeping, and pig out on junk food. I'd be disgusted with myself if I didn't find it so funny.

I’m a Loser 04.01.11

Weight Loss Results.

3-21-11 Gym Weight : 284.8
3-28-11 Gym Weight : not measured

Net Weight Change: N/A

3-24-11 WW Weight: 287.0
3-31-11 WW Weight: 280.0

Net Weight Change : -7
Total Weight Loss : 32

Weight Watcher Stats, 3.24.11 - 3.30.11

Allowed Food Points: 462
Earned Activity Pts: 97
Food Points Eaten: 414
Points Remaining: 145

Notes:

It was a tough time, following a week of eating whatever I wanted, but I did all right. Not great - but all right. To my credit, it has been a very stressfull week, which usually leads to more eating, less sleep, and less exercise. I have also struggled with allergies and clogged sinuses, which has made exercise difficult. Despite all that, I lost the 2.5 pounds I regained last week, plus 4.5 more.

Despite my breathing problems, I beat my swim time again on Saturday, getting my 3/4 mile time down to 27:30! The rest of the week I did well to get it all done in under 33:00, and the last day I swam I could only do a half mile, but I stuck with is as best as I could. If I can get my lungs cleared up, maybe I can start swimming a mile again.

I'm to the ten percent weight loss mark, which is also roughly analogous to my half-way mark (I want to lose 72 pounds, half of which is 36. A ten percent loss equals 31 pounds.) I really want to do something to celebrate, but I don't know what I want to do.   If the weather was warmer I'd go camping.  If it wasn'tcounter productive to my goals, I'd have a party.  If I had a girlfriend, we'd celebrate in bed all weekend.  I guess I'll just work on various projects and maybe allow myself time to play some video games.  Wow, what a party animal I have become.  : (

I’m NOT a Loser 03.25.11

Weight Loss Results.

3-07-11 Gym Weight : 284.7
3-21-11 Gym Weight : 284.8

Net Weight Change: +0.1

3-17-11 WW Weight: 284.5
3-25-11 WW Weight: 287.0

Net Weight Change : +2.5
Total Weight Loss : 25
I didn't track points this week.

Notes:

It's been a tough week for physical fitness and weight loss. It started last Thursday when we had a "goody day" at work, and I did not restrain my appetite. I ate pretty much whatever I wanted. The pig-out trend continued through Friday and the weekend. I ate and drank as much as I wanted, and I stopped tracking my points.

I pulled a muscle in my neck during a concert Saturday night, which severely hampered my gym activities. (That will teach me to headbang like I'm 16 instead of 36.) The pool shut down due to malfunctioning pumps, which also reduced the exercise I intended to do. I had Monday and Tuesday off from work, and my sleeping and eating patterns suffered without the structure supplied by the work environment. The weather sucked, and something in the air has my eyes and sinuses on fire, so I stayed inside, plopped down on my butt for most of my mini vacation.

So, to summarize this past week: I ate WAY, WAY too much, and exercised WAY, WAY too little.

I'm not being too hard on myself; I've been doing really well these past few weeks, and it's not going to kill me if I take one week to eat what I want and not go to bed with a rumbling belly every night. The results from the weigh-in prove that I can't allow myself to do it very often or for very long. I think I've also proven that when I have time off from work, I need to try to stick to my regular schedule as closely as possible to keep from throwing everything out of whack. It was also bothering the bejeezus out of me to have that .5 pounds dangling on the weight every week. I had hoped to lose X.5 pounds to even it out, but gaining 2.5 works too, I guess. My OCD is satisfied.

I'm back to doing what I'm supposed to do, tracking my points and exercising as much as my injuries will allow. I'll make up for these gains next week, and be under 280 pounds before I know it! If I am very good and lose 5 pounds next week, I'll clear 30 pounds for three months, which averages to 10 pounds per month or 2.5 pounds per week. That's not too shabby.

Despite my poor performance last week, the new jeans I bought are already so lose that I need the smaller belt I purchased. When I bought the jeans, they were so snug that I worried they would shrink in the wash and I wouldn't be able to wear them. I also increased weight on a couple of lifts this week, and I may try to increase my shoulder lifts to 35 pounders next week. If I can do it, it will be the first time EVER that I've been able to lift that much with my shoulders. Also, even though it's technically not part of last week's performance, I'm going to steal some thunder from the current week to say that I beat my 3/4 mile swim time today with 27:01 as the new time to beat!

I’m a loser 03.18.11

Bodyfat & Weight Loss Results.

3-07-11 Gym Weight : 284.7
3-14-11 Gym Weight : Not Measured

Net Weight Change: N/A

3-10-11 WW Weight: 288.5
3-17-11 WW Weight: 284.5

Net Weight Change : -4
Total Weight Loss : -27.5

Weight Watcher Stats, 3.10.11 - 3.16.11

Allowed Food Points: 462
Earned Activity Pts: 107
Food Points Eaten: 398
Points Remaining: 171

Notes:

I think this was the best week I've had so far, in terms of diet compliance and exercise. I ate less than my allowed daily points on every day except Saturday and Wednesday. Saturday was the night I went to the concert, and dinner at IHOP consumed the rest of my daily points and 20-some of my extra weekly points. On Wednesday I had to get to work early and overslept too late to pack a lunch. I also had appointments in town after work and had to eat out for dinner as well, so I dipped back into the extra weekly points before the day was over.

As for exercise - well, the points speak for themselves. I totally busted my ass this week and did not slack off a single day. As a result, I'm sore, stiff, and cranky. My house is a mess and all my other projects are behind schedule too, but I don't care because I am stronger and leaner than I was a week ago. I increased weights on every lift that I do. It's taken me months, but I finally have my shoulders built up to where I can lift with 30 pounders again. Before the summer is over, I'll be using 50 pounders and my shoulders will be the size of soccer balls.

I already had a bad day in my new week. Thursday was "goodie day" at work, and I ate enough for three people. I ate all my daily points by lunch and had to tap into the extra weekly points in order to eat what I wanted for dinner. At that rate, I'll not do nearly so well in this mext week. But I'm not worried. I've been working really hard, and it's not going to kill me to take it a little easier and eat a little more once in awhile. If I don't indulge once in awhile, I'll get pissed off and quit. The trick is to not let one bad day set a precedent or be a justifaction for having a bad week.

I worry also that I'm losing the weight too fast. On the other hand, I know I'm eating enough and not exercising too excessively. Also, I suspect the big losses will not be as common once I get down to a certain body fat percentage. Right now the weight is just melting off because it takes so much energy to move all this mass from point A to pint B. In a month or two I'll probably have to work even harder to get half as much lost simply because I'll weigh less and I'll not be working as hard to haul my ass around on a daily basis. If it was easy to have six-pack abs and huge pectorial muscles, everyone would have them.

(Bonus points to anyone who caught the Ren and Stimpy reference.)

I’m a Loser 03.11.11

Bodyfat & Weight Loss Results.

2-21-11 Gym Body Fat: 29.5
3-07-11 Gym Body Fat: Not Measured (they stopped measuring this when they changed the scoring system)
Net Body Fat% Change: N/A

2-21-11 Gym Weight : 289.8
3-07-11 Gym Weight : 284.7

Net Weight Change: -5.1

3-03-11 WW Weight: 290.5
3-10-11 WW Weight: 288.5
Net Weight Change : -2
Total Weight Loss : -23.5

Weight Watcher Stats, 3.03.11 - 3.09.11

Allowed Food Points: 462
Earned Activity Pts: 39
Food Points Eaten: 479
Points Remaining: 22

Notes:

Looking at the points surplus, it seems I did worse on my diet and exercised less this week than last. I did eat a lot; I had an old friend come into town last weekend, and I was not inclined to damper our fun with stingy eating habits. I ensured that we ate very, very well, and I don't feel a bit guilty about it!

I also made the mistake of going to work on Wednesday with lots of change in my pockets, and I fell victim to the vending machine's siren song not once, no twice, but thrice... I also did not get into the gym as much as I planned, due mostly to bad sleep and extreme difficulty getting out of bed in the morning.

However, on the plus side, I started a boxing class to get a little more aerobic exercise and conditioning, and while I ate a lot this week, I had a much more stable diet. There were no binge days like last week.

I forgot to pack my breakfast this morning and ate a big breakfast in the cafeteria at work – nearly twice as many points as usual. Looking ahead to coming days, I foresee dinner out on the town Saturday night . If I can get watch my food choices closely today and get through Saturday night without breaking the diet, I believe next week will be the week I finally have the "perfect" diet week, barring unforeseen stressors, complications, or surprise attacks by rabid Reese's Cup monsters (in the event of Reese's Cup attacks, I MUST defend myself, right? It's too bad that human saliva is the only known weakness of these dangerous creatures…)

I’m a Loser 02.25.11

Bodyfat & Weight Loss Results.

1-07-11 Gym Body Fat: 28.0
2-21-11 Gym Body Fat: 29.5
Net Body Fat% Change: +1.5

1-07-11 Gym Weight : 290
2-21-11 Gym Weight : 289.8
Net Weight Change: -0.2

2-17-11 WW Weight: 296.5
2-24-11 WW Weight: 293.5
Net Weight Change : -3

Weight Watcher Stats, 2.17.11 - 2.23.11

Allowed Food Points: 469
Earned Activity Pts: 36
Food Points Eaten: 423
Points Remaining: 82

Notes:

I wasn't expecting excellent news when I weighed in at the gym on Monday, not after the gain I had at weight watcher's last week, but I sure as hell didn't expect only a 0.2 pound loss and a 1.5% body fat gain. The trainers at the gym say I shouldn't get discouraged, because this is going to happen from time to time, but ... well... damn it!

On the plus side, I lost three pounds since last Thursday. So that's something.

I hit the gym hard last week, and as result, my aching and sniveling body convinced me to take it easier this week, but I also cut my food intake back to the lowest levels since I started Weight Watchers. The folks at WW say I should eat the full allowance of points every day, but my body has this crazy notion that it can do what it wants instead of what I want, and it needs to get back with the fucking program. Now.

So, that means I will not be using any more of my "extra" points; I will not be using any of my Activity points, and I will use 50-55 of my 60 daily points until my body figures out that I am not screwing around. I am sick of this shit, sick of not being able to move. I should be able to control one thing, it should be my own boby, but even it thinks it can tell me to fuck off while it does its own thing. I will not stand for it.

I’m a Loser 02.18.11

Bodyfat & Weight Loss Results.

1-07-11 Gym Body Fat: 28.0
2-14-11 Gym Body Fat: not measured this week
Net Body Fat% Change: N/A

1-07-11 Gym Weight : 290
2-14-11 Gym Weight : not measured this week
Net Weight Change: N/A

2-10-11 WW Weight: 294.5
2-17-11 WW Weight:296.5
Net Weight Change : +2

Weight Watcher Stats, 2.10.11 - 2.16.11

Allowed Food Points: 469
Earned Activity Pts: 87
Food Points Eaten: 501
Points Remaining: 55

Notes:

I don't understand why I gained two pounds this week. I ate a little more than usual, but I worked out ALOT more.  I wasn't expecting an avalanche of fat to be gone, but I thought I'd lose at least a pound.  It makes me feel like the entire last week of aching muscles, ignored cravings, and growling belly were all for nothing, and even though I'm trying to be cool about it, I am really so pissed off that I can barely see straight.

Still no word on the rankings for the gym weight loss contest. I'll have the second weigh in next Monday.

In other news, I've changed up my workout routine a little bit. I was working out five days a week, without interruptions, and taking the weekend off, but it was wearing me out. So I started working out three days and taking a day off, and then working three more. That was an improvement, but swimming three days straight was not giving my upper body time to fully recover, so I've started doing the elliptical machine on the days I do lower body lifts. That means I only swim every other day, and so far it's working really well.

I've been thinking about the two pound gain, trying to make sense of it.  I compared last week's exercise and diet numbers to the ones I have for the entire year, and all the numbers line up.  There's nothing out of the ordinary.  According to the numbers, I should have lost weight, or at least broke even.  I definitely should not have gained.

I think some of it was due to muscle mass increase (I lifted often and very hard last week.)  I think some of it was water weight as well.  I didn’t work out or go to the steam room Thursday morning because it was a day off in my new workout rotation.  I also ate a heavy lunch (pizza subs) with friends.  I also used the elliptical last week, and I know it didn't burn like swimming does.  There's also a good possibility that my big loss to weeks ago was due in part to dehydration, so I didn't really lose a full five pounds, and some of the weight I gained this week was due to rehydration since the previous weigh-in.

So I suppose it makes some sense.  I'm not going to let it get me down.  As Natasha pointed out, I've gone down another hole in my belt, and my watch will soon need another link taken out of the band to keep it from banging against my wrist bones, so I must be doing something right, no matter what the scales say.

I’m a Loser 02.11.11

Bodyfat & Weight Loss Results.

1-24-11 Gym Body Fat: 29.1 (I thought he said "29.9" but I was wrong.)
2-07-11 Gym Body Fat: 28.0
Net Body Fat% Change: -1.1%

1-24-11 Gym Weight : 297
2-07-11 Gym Weight : 290
Net Weight Change: -7

2-03-11 WW Weight: 299.5
2-10-11 WW Weight: 294.5
Net Weight Change : -5

Weight Watcher Stats, 2.03.11 - 2.09.11

Allowed Food Points: 476
Earned Activity Pts: 60
Food Points Eaten: 503
Points Remaining: 24

Notes:

I'm doing well, staying on (or a little ahead) of my projected weight loss schedule, and I am happy with the results thus far. I feel an awesome difference in my energy levels, flexibility, and mobility. My arms and legs are hard as rocks. My chest and back are filling out and firming up again. My love handles are shrinking, and my Dunlap belly is receding. I'm no longer ashamed to tuck in my shirt tails, and the other day I used hand rails to swing and "vault" down a set of stairs - a move I used to do all the time but hadn’t done in so long that I'd forgotten that I used to do it.

I had two days where I succumbed to old habits and ate entirely too much due to emotional/stress overeating, and it will catch up to me, but I don't think it will hurt my momentum too much.

I have no idea where I've placed so far in the weight loss contest at the gym. I don't know the man who's running it, but as near as I can tell, he's just a few IQ points on the smart side of retarded. I guess I shouldn't expect much from the muscle head. I guess there's a reason he's working in a gym rather than an astrophysics lab, but I'd think even the most brain-dead jock would understand that it makes people more competitive to know where they rank in the contest, and it doesn't do any good if the rankings are released too late. I could also understand if the contest involved a hundred people, but there's only nine of us.

I’m a Loser 02.04.11

Bodyfat & Weight Loss Results.

1-24-11 Gym Body Fat: 29.9
1-31-11 Gym Body Fat: Not measured
Net Body Fat% Change: N/A

1-24-11 Gym Weight : none
1-31-11 Gym Weight : Not measured
Net Weight Change: N/A

1-27-11 WW Weight: 301.5
2-03-11 WW Weight:299.5
Net Weight Change : -2 pounds

Weight Watcher Stats, 1.27.11 - 2.02.11

Allowed Food Points: 476
Earned Activity Pts: 37
Food Points Eaten: 461
Points Remaining: 52

Notes:

Two weeks ago I got to the gym almost as much as I wanted, but I ate much more than I should have. This week I did really well with my diet (no gorging on Guys' Night helped a lot,) but I didn't make it to the gym as often as I planned. I'm happy with what I've accomplished, though. I increased all my lifts by 5-10 pounds, and I got my half-mile swim time down to 18:00 even! I don't remember ever being that fast before. This next week I am going to try to bring it all together. I'm going to do every thing I can to stick to the diet AND make it to the gyms five days of the week. Then we'll see what kind of results I get!

I've done some looking ahead. When I get down to 240 pounds, I will be allowed 50 weight watcher's points a day (I get 60 per day now.) A ten point difference may not sound like much, but when that equates to food that doesn't go into my rumbling belly, trust me, it is very significant! So I looked at how I'm eating now, and realized that I could make that goal now if I could make some minor changes.

If I could force myself to drink green tea without putting honey in it, I would shave off 4 points per day
If I switch to using regular milk instead of chocolate milk, I would shave 1-3 points per day.
If I ate one less fiber granola bar per day, I would shave 3 points per day.

It doesn't sound like much of a sacrifice, but my concern is that I really look forward to those cups of chocolate milk and those granola bars, and I worry that I'll have bigger issues sticking with the diet if I can't have those little bits of sweetness throughout the day. I'm not worried about the green tea; I'll just stop drinking that nasty stuff all together if I have to cut the honey out

I’m a Loser 01.28.11

Bodyfat & Weight Loss Results.

1-17-11 Gym Body Fat:  none
1-24-11 Gym Body Fat:  29.9%
Net Body Fat% Change:  N/A

1-17-11 Gym Weight :  none
1-24-11 Gym Weight :  297.4
Net Weight Change:  N/A

1-20-11 WW Weight: 305.5
1-27-11 WW Weight: 301.5
Net Weight Change :  -4 pounds

Weight Watcher Stats, 1.20.11 - 1.26.11

Allowed Food Points: 483
Earned Activity Pts: 43
Food Points Eaten: 515
Points Remaining: 11

Notes:

My weight has been on rollercoaster since I left  the Army in 2000.  I weighed 230 at that time.  Since then I have gained, lost, regained, re-lost, regained, re-lost - so many times that I've lost exact count, but I think I've lost a total of 450 pounds or so.

I thought I was finally on the right path back in February of 2009.  By May of that year I was down to 275 pounds and was going strong.  But then the rollercoaster took over again, such that in January of 2011 I was at 312 pounds - the heaviest I have ever been in my life.

I'm sick of it, and I'm going to make it work this time.  I'm in Weight Watchers, and I'm going to the gym again, where I've entered a three-month weight loss contest.  I am going to lose this weight, and this time I am changing my lifestyle so that I keep it off.

Part of my plan involves posting reports here, but I have a small problem.  I weigh-in at two different places, on two different days, and I'm fairly certain the scales don't match.  I say this because I weighed-in at Weight Watchers last Thursday and it said I weighed 305.5 pounds.  This morning I did the initial weigh-in for the gym contest, and it said I weighed 297 pounds.  I find it unlikely that I lost 8.5 pounds in three days.  I would go with only the gym measurements, but the contest last only three months, at which time I'll have only the Weight Watcher's scales.  I guess I'll track and report both.  I plan to post one of these updates every Thursday, the night I go to Weight Watchers, but I only weigh-in at the gym every two weeks.  It will get confusing when one set of scales says I lost two pounds, and the other says I lost three, but my weight can easily fluctuate four pounds over the course of a day.  Regardless of the numbers, I'll be glad as long as the general trend is to lose!

Weight Watchers Points

WW uses a proprietary formula that considers the fat, protien, total carbohydrates, fiber, and portion size of a given food to calculate a point value for the food.  They use another formula that factors a person's height, weight, and age to calculate how many points of food they should eat per day and still lose weight.  In addition to these points, everyone gets another 49 points worth of food that they can eat whenever they want throughout the week.  However, daily points don't roll over to the next day, and weekly point don't roll over to the next week.  If you don't use them, you lose them.  Last of all, another formula factors a person's weight, the intensity of an extercise, and its duration to calculate an "Activity Point" value for a given exercise.  These points can use used as if they were extra weekly points within the week they are earned, allowing a person to eat more food if they want.

I'm including my point totals per week because it's an easy and fast way for me to report and track both my diet and exercise.  I try to never use any of my Activity Points and use as few of my Weekly Points as possible, but a good week is any week when the "remaining points" value is greater than zero.

The PLAN – Fitness

I had high hopes for physical fitness last year, and it all fizzled out. I am going to do better this year, and I have a plan for doing it.

I currently weigh 305 pounds. My goal is to reach 240 pounds as fast as I safely can, but no later than October 1, 2011. That means I have roughly 8.5 months to lose 65 pounds, which equates to 7.6 pounds per month or 1.8 pounds per week.

I've never had trouble with exercise or physical activity, and I generally eat healthy foods. This is why my blood pressure, cholesterol, and cardiovascular health have always been good, despite my weight. However, I tend to eat enough for at least three people. I've tried diets and solo nutrition plans, but nothing ever worked for long.

Therefore, I recently joined Weight Watchers. The program is working so far; I've lost about seven pounds. I've also returned to the gym. I am slowly increasing the duration and intensity of my workouts, and I hope to supplement them with additional exercise a few days a week in the gym at work. I've joined a weight loss competition at my gym, and the winner gets a full year membership for free! Natasha is also providing some very compelling motivation, the details of which I will not be sharing here ; )

So the general plan goes like this:

• Use Weight Watchers to keep my diet within reasonable limits and track my weight.
• Use the gym weight loss contest to track my body-fat loss.
• Go to the private gym at least four days a week.
• Go to the work gym at least three days a week.
• When the weather improves, get outside as often as possible.
• Use my bi-pap machine as often as possible so I can get the most benefit from my sleep.
• Post all my weekly stats on here once a week, probably on Saturdays.
• Lose at least two pounds per week (more, if safely possible.)

I think I can do it because last week I didn't go to the gym as much as I intended, and I ate more than I should have, and I still lost 2.5 pounds. If I can get my gym schedule set in stone, I should be good to go, even if I stray a little on the diet here or there.

Problem: Weekends, holidays, and the weekly Shadowrun Session (aka "Guys' Night") throw wrenches into my dietary plans. Week days are easy because I pack my lunch and eat only what I take. It is very structured and simple to adhere to my diet. On weekends and holidays, I am home where I can eat whatever I want whenever I want, or I am on the road and relying on McWendy King or Kentaco Hut to feed me. Guys' Night often involves copious amounts of food and drink. I can resist the temptation most of the time, but if I am tired or depressed (or both) I tend to pig out.

Solution: If traveling, pack a lunch to take with me. If I get the munchies at the house, I need to get outside and do something. If I am going into town, I need to eat before I leave, or decide on a healthy meal to purchase before I set out. I should never go to the grocery store when I'm hungry.

Problem: Exercise will suffer if I get injured, and I often find it very difficult to get out of bed at 5:00 AM, just so I can go the gym and wear myself out before the day even starts. I also tend to cut my workouts short if I'm running late or need extra time to prepare for the work day.

Solutions: Take exercise slow and steady, and stretch, to prevent injury. I must resist the urge to increase weight prematurely. I need to get to bed no later than 10:00 PM and use my bi-pap machine every night. I can make a little more time in the mornings if I pack my lunch and clothes the night before. I can also make time three days a week by pushing my ab workout up to an afternoon gym session at work.

Problem: Cravings. Sometimes I get a hankering for unhealthy things like pickled hot sausages wrapped in cheese or double chocolate fudge icecream covered in double chocolate fudge sauce, or chicken wings dipped in cheese sauce. These things are diet killers.

Solution: indulge the cravings, in moderation. Either ignore the craving every other time it hits, or give in every time, but only half of it and throw the rest away.

Problem: Too tired or otherwise too unmotivated to go to the gym.

Solution: Take a day off, (as long as it isn't more than twice a month,) or spend the morning watching TV while doing calisthenics at home. Sleep in late, flex the work schedule so I can leave an hour early, and mow the grass/clean the garage/organize the basement.

I’m a Loser 01.18.10

I made it to  the gym one day last week. I did very well on my diet until the weekend.  I partied and pigged out Saturday and Sunday, which killed my daily average. Even so, I came in under last week's average, and I lost some weight.  I'm going to try very hard to really stick to my diet and get to the gym four times this week.

• Average daily calories 01.04-10.10: 3600
• Average daily calories 01.11-17.10: 2950

• Weight 01.04.10: 299.4
• Weight 01.11.10: 295.6
• Weight 01.18.10:293.4

I’m a Loser 01.11.10

Last week wasn't great for exercise.  The roads were terrible and I fought a sinus cold all week.  I shoveled snow off my car pad twice.  Other than that I did no exercise at all.

I was only slightly more successful with my diet.  I continued my two-month streak with no soda.  I drank one beer.  I ate a handful of Hershey's kisses, two fudge chocolate chip cookies, and a slice of chocolate cheese cake.  I didn't keep strict track of my calories, but I think I averaged about 3500 a day.

All in all, it isn't a spectacular start, but at least it's a start.  I joined a "Biggest Loser" competition at work to give me added incentive, so I'm hopeful I can get the weight off of me again.

Weight 01.04.10: 299.4
Weight 01.11.10: 295.6

Fitness baseline, 2010

In March 2009, I weighed 305 pounds.  My performance in the gym was as follows:

• Max Benchpress: 230 lbs
• Max Bicep curl: 60 lbs
• Lat pulldown: max unknown, I was doing sets of five reps at 190 lbs
• Leg press: max unknown, I was doing sets of five reps at 350 lbs
• Shrugs: max unknown, I was doing sets of ten reps at 205 lbs.
• Swimming: 22 laps in 28 minutes

In June 2009, I weighed 275 pounds.  I don't know what my max performance was, but I swam 44 laps in under 40 minutes.

Today, in January 2010, my weight has increased back to 299 pounds.  I am unhappy with this regain of weight I worked so hard to lose,  but I'm still in better shape than I was a year ago:

• Max Benchpress: 310 lbs
• Max Bicep curl: 75 lbs
• Lat pulldown: max unknown, I'm doing sets of five reps at 250 lbs
• Leg press: max unknown, I'm doing sets of five reps at 500 lbs
• Shrugs: max unknown, I'm doing sets of ten reps at 295 lbs.
• Swimming: 22 laps in 24 minutes

I've also made some progress on with my diet.  I haven't had a soda in two months, and I've nearly stopped my alcohol consumption.  This week I am going to cut out the junk food as much as I can. I'm going to  try cold turkey.  We'll see how it goes.  This week I am also going to step up my gym routine and try  to go 4-5 days a week instead of 2-3.  I'm going  to start posting my weekly "I'm a Loser" updates again, no matter how poorly I fare.  The goal is to lose ten pounds a month for five months.  At the end of May, I want to weigh 250 pounds.  I know I can do it, if I can just get my diet under control.

My biggest challenge is that I eat when I get stressed or depressed.  I eat to calm down.  I need to train myself to use a different coping mechanism.  I'm strongly considering amphetamines or cocaine. (I'm kidding!)

In all seriousness, I think I'll get some exercise equipment for the house.  I want to get a home gym built so I can stop paying the fitness center $45 a month.  It will also help me with stress if I can lift dumbbells instead of cupcakes when I'm stressed.  At work I'm not going to carry money or cards with me so I can't hit up the cafeteria, vending machines, or ATM.  I'll go  to the gym after work, burn out my stress, and go home.  If I don't pig out during dinner, the day will have been a success. 

I’m NOT a Loser 07.06.09

I had problems with my bank accounts tonight, and a distressing encounter with an ex.  The moon is full, and I have a very stressful day waiting to pounce on me tomorrow.  In short, I probably won’t sleep tonight.

I didn’t exercise today, and my lofty ambitions notwithstanding, I doubt I’ll get much exercise in this week or next, thanks to training at work.  I’m not going to complain.  After all, they’re paying me to learn things I would otherwise need to pay someone else to tech me, and I cannot criticize that! However, it does wreck havoc on my morning exercise schedule, and I do not enjoy the forced break in my routine.

I bought new scales last night.  I can’t get as accurate a reading from them as I could with my old digital scales, but these won’t require new batteries every month, and hopefully its mechanical nature will make it less prone to malfunction.

My weight is somewhere around 277.  It’s not great, but at lest I haven’t topped back over 280.  Since it seems my exercise routine is FUBARed for the next two weeks, I guess I’d better really watch the diet.

I have an even better reason for losing weight now.  My camping pack is heavy.  I took it for a test hike yesterday.  I was only out for an hour or so, and it smoked me.  I can’t lose much weight in the pack, so I’ll have to shed it off of my own fat ass if I want to make the going any easier.

Weekly Exercise Routine

I've been meaning to post my workout routine for ages, and I'm finally getting to it!  Before I get into the meat of it, let me establish a few things.

First, any exercise preceded by an asterisk (*) is done on STRIVE equpiment. These machines are similar to Nautilus, except they use an adjustable cam to change the tension of the exercise.  One setting puts all the strain at the beginning of the lift.  Another places the strain in the middle.  Another places the strain at the end.  If  I do three sets, that's one set in each position.  If I do six sets, that's two sets per position.  I use different grips when the machine allows it so I hit the muscles a little differently.  Before you call me a pussy for using machines for the bulk of my exercises, please consider that I'm always pressed for time; I always lift alone (no spotter,) and most of my joints are so blasted from Ranger injuries that I need the form built into the machine motion to keep from blowing out my shoulders, hips, elbows, back, ankles, and knees.  Besides, these STRIVE machines are brutal.  Do not bash them unless you've tried them!

Second, you'll notice I lift with lighter weight and do more reps.  This is because of my bad joints and old injuries.  I hate to admit it, but I just can't lift as heavy as I used to.  It works out well, because at this point in my life I value endurance more than bulk or power.  Even though I'm focused on endurance, I still increase weight about once a month, sometimes more often.

Third, I write my notations as follows:  weight/reps/sets.  So 110/10/3 means I lifted 110 pounds 10 times, rested, lifted it ten more times, rested, and lifted it ten more times.  If the weight is zero, that means I used only my body weight ("only," he says.  I weigh 270 pounds.)

Fourth, my rest periods vary.  I usually rest 30 seconds between sets in the same weight.  I rest 60-90 seconds between weight changes.  Then I work the opposing muscle group to give the current muscles a longer break.  I try to do exercises that work multiple groups at once, and then I finish with a few isolation exercises.

OK, enough of that book keeping bullshit. Here are the details:

Monday
Swimming, freestyle, 1 mile.  Times vary from 37 to 42 minutes
Incline situps 0/30/3
Leg lifts 0/30/3
Back raises 0/30/3
Oblique cable crunches  200/30/3
Full body stretch

Tuesday
*Lat pulldown:  180/10/3   260/5/3   180/10/3
*Chest press: 110/10/3   150/5/3   110/10/3
*Seated row:  180/10/3   260/5/3   180/10/3
*Incline chest press: 100/10/3   140/5/3   100/10/3
Cable pullovers: 150/15/1   180/10/2   150/20/1
*Chest flyes: 110/10/3   150/5/3   110/10/3
*Seated pushdowns: 140/10/3   180/5/3   140/10/3
Barbell preacher curls:   40/10/1    60/6/1    40/12/1
*Military press:  70/10/3   110/5/3   70/10/3
Barbell hammer curls:  30/20/1  25/25/1  20/30/1
Cable tricept extensions:  170/15/1  200/10/2  170/15/1
Barbell shoulder raises (side):  25/10/1   30/5/1  25/10/1  20/10/1  15/20/1
Barbell shoulder raises (front): 25/10/1   30/5/1  25/10/1  20/10/1  15/20/1
Shrugs (with a long bar):  185/40/1   225/25/1  315/10/1   225/25/1   185/40/1
Full body stretch

Wednesday
Swimming, freestyle, 1 mile.  Times vary from 37 to 42 minutes
Incline situps 0/30/3
Leg lifts 0/30/3
Back raises 0/30/3
Oblique cable crunches  200/30/3
Full body stretch

Thursday
*Seated leg press:   300/15/3   400/10/3  300/20/3
Calf raises:  300/25/3   400/15/3  300/30/3
*Hamstring curl: 150/10/3   190/5/3   150/10/3
*Quadriceps extension: 150/10/3   190/5/3   150/10/3
*Hip abductors: 110/10/3   150/5/3   110/10/3
*Hip adductors: 110/10/3   150/5/3   110/10/3
High steps: 0/40/2  (per leg)
Back kicks:  0/60/2 (per leg)
Front ab bridge:  0/3 minutes/1
Right side ab bridge: 0/1 minute/1
Left side ab bridge: 0/1 minute/1
Full body stretch

Friday
Swimming, freestyle, 1 mile.  Times vary from 37 to 42 minutes
Incline situps 0/30/3
Leg lifts 0/30/3
Back raises 0/30/3
Oblique cable crunches  200/30/3
Full body stretch

Saturday
A combination of Tuesday and Thursday, except I decrease all weights five or ten pounds, do two sets of the heavier weight, and then on the second set of lighter weights, I lift to complete muscle exhaustion.  Then I decrease weight by 25% and lift to muscle exhaustion again.

Sunday
Sauna, hot tub, floating in the pool while listening  to easy tunes, full body stretch

Additional exercises:
I walk to work as often as I can, usually at least three times a week.  It's about 1.5 miles roundtrip.  I refuse to take elevators while I'm at work.  I climb three flights of stairs at least five times a day, usually more.  If the stairwell is clear, I take them two steps at a time.

If I have time on my swim days, sometimes I'll work my neck and forearms a little bit, but I don't do it often enough to list it as a regular exercise.

When I feel exceptionally froggy, I may go hiking/trail running in the evenings at the state park.  I've also started running two miles here and there.  I also climb a brutal set of steps a few blocks from the house (175 of them.)  I don't have a schedule for these exercises.  I do them if I have extra energy to burn or if I'm pissed off in the evening about something.  I never do them on Thursday, Saturday (leg days,) or Sunday (resting.)

The Future

Now that it's warming up, and I'm trimming down, I hope to start running in the evenings on a regular basis.  That will free up every morning to lift and I'll be able to shake up my routine a little bit.  I want to throw in some push-ups, chin-ups, dips, lunges, and different ab exercises.  I'll be camping and backpacking more often, and if I can get the cash together, I'll be buying and riding a new mountain bike.  It should be an active summer!

I’m a Loser 05.18.09

I don't presume to understand the fluctuations in my diet. I ate and drank like a man on death row while I was in Cincinnati, and I lost weight. I wasn't a dietary angel the following week but I ate much less and exercised more than I had the previous week, and I gained weight. Last week I exercised the same as usual and did a little better with my diet, and I lost seven pounds. Seven pounds in seven days- seems a bit much, eh?

I’m a Loser 05.11.09

I've really let myself slide these last few weeks.  First my diet went to hell and I completely stopped tracking my eating habits, which resulted in yet another weight gain last week.  Then last week I finally broke my exercise streak.  I went eight or nine weeks where I made it to the gym six days a week.  Last week I skipped a day Friday and intended to make it up on Sunday, but I nearly broke my foot Saturday.  Still, that's no excuse.  I shouldn't have skipped Friday.  And now, to top it all off, I'm four days late with this update.

I’m a Loser 05.04.09

I spent all last week in Cincinnati.  I ate like a pig and drank like fish.  The consequences could have been worse, but I'm not going to complain.  I just have to get back to doing the right thing if I want to have any prayer of hitting 270 by Memorial Day.

• Weight 04-27-09: 282.4
• Weight 05-04-09: 281.8
• Average Daily Calories: Way  too many
• Exercise log:  I was in the hotel gym six or my regular gym six times, swimming or lifting.  I walked everywhere I went while I was in Cincinnati.

I’m a Loser 04.27.09

I'm a little rushed for time this morning, so this entry won't be as detailed as earlier ones.  I didn't stick to my diet very well (yet again,) but I can't tell how bad because I didn't track it for three day, and I'm not going to bother to guess  how much I ate.

I had the body composition done, and while it showed I had lost bodyfat, the results are not accurate because the last time I had one done, their scales were three pounds different from mine, and this time their scales agreed with mine, so I got shorted three pounds.  I'd lost nine, but but the results only considered six.  I think it's reflected in the lean muscle gain.  Last month's test showed 213.1 pounds of lean mass.  This test showed 213.3.  I know I've gained more muscle mass than that.  I can't find the printout right now, and I don't have time to look for it.  Here's the numbers I remember:

• Weight: 284
• Bodyfat: 24.9%   70.7 pounds (last month's was 26.5%)
• Lean Mass: 75.1%  213.3 pounds

OK, now for the regular weekly results:

• Weight 04-20-09: 288.2
• Weight 04-27-09: 282.4
• Average Daily Calories: Way  too many
• Exercise log:  I was in the gym six times, swimming and or lifting.  I walked to work twice and went hiking/jogging at Mountwood once.

All in all, I am not unhappy.  I set out  to lose 20 pounds in 8 weeks.  I did it in 7.  My new goal is to be to 270 by Memorial Day.  That will be my half-way mark, but it means I have to lose 12 pounds in a month.  I think I can do it, but we'll just have to see.

I’m a Loser 04.20.09

OK, OK, I get it.  I must get my diet back on track.  I got on the scales this morning and got so pissed I almost had a stroke.  Maybe I'm finally angry enough to find the will power required to do what I know I need to be doing.  I was doing so well for awhile,  and then I just let it go to hell.  I have another body composition on Friday, and I wanted to lose ten pounds before I got it, but it looks like I screwed it up.  I don't think I can healthily drop 5 pounds by Friday.  Dammit.

I haven't been slacking on the exercise though.  That's the only reason I lost any weight this week.  Monday was rough.  I think I had a 24-hour virus because I got to the gym and was drowning after 20 laps.  I just didn't have the energy to get my head above the water.  I went home, called in sick, and slept all day.  I felt better Tuesday, but I worked my upper body light and easy because my shoulder and back were still stiff and sore.  I lifted legs hard on Thursday, and I lifted full body hard and heavy on Saturday.  I hiked at Mountwood twice and walked to work twice. (It would have been more, but I don't walk to work in the rain.)

Even though I said I was going to wait until I dropped more weight, I couldn't resist the urge when I was at Moutwood on Friday.  I ran on as much of the trail as I could.  It nearly killed me; I'm still hacking chunky shit up out of my lungs.  I think it's the first time I've ran since 2006.  In all honesty,  it wasn't as hard on me as I expected, if you overlook the fact that on Sunday I was walking like a  90-year-old man with a cheese grater shoved up his ass.

Best of all - and I won't even try to be modest on this one, because I'm damned proud - on Wednesday, for the very first time, I swam a full mile!  I didn't switch strokes, and I did it in under a minute per lap!

Weight 04-13-09: 288.6
Weight 04-20-09: 288.2

Week 6 Average Daily Diet: 3300 Calories Per Day

Weekly Exercise Log:

• Monday: 22 laps in 21 minutes 50 seconds
• Tuesday: Upper body 1 hour 40 minutes; light weight, more reps
• Wednesday: 44 laps in 40 minutes 55 seconds; abs
• Thursday: lower body, upper arms 1 hour 35 minutes
• Friday: 22 laps in 21 minutes 52 seconds
• Saturday: full body; 18 laps in 19 minutes 39 seconds;   3 hours 45 minutes total workout time
• Walked to work and back 2 days (2.8 miles total.)
• One lap around Mountwood Lake: approximately 2 miles
• Mountwood Trip to the Moon in 35 minutes (approximately 3 miles)

I’m a Loser 04.13.09

This was yet another terrible week for my diet, and it shows.  I regained 0.6 pounds, and it really pisses me off, but I can only blame myself.  I have another body composition in about two weeks, followed by a full week of training in Cincinnati, where I doubt I'll diet or exercise very faithfully.  I need to make these next two weeks count.  I'm going to do my very best to get my diet back on track.

More bad news: I popped my right shoulder on Wednesday; I think it's the bursa sacks again, from an old injury back in the Army.  My back is out of whack now too, probably from babying the shoulder.  I'm going to take it easier on the weights this week and focus more on swimming, stretching, and diet.  We'll see how it goes.

Despite the injuries, it was a great week for exercise. I went to Mountwood twice.  I also increased weight on a number of exercises.  For instance, I'm now doing shrugs with 315 pounds, and I finally got my curls up to 50 pounds (I used to warm up with 50 and workout with 70, but I'm trying to concentrate of what I can do, not what I could do.)  Best of all, I broke my swim record.  I've been trying to get 33 laps in under a minute per lap.  I came close Monday, succeeded Wednesday, and surged forward on Friday.  I'd like to move to 44 laps (a full mile) but I don't know if I have time on the weekdays.

I think last week was the fourth consecutive week I made it to the gym Monday - Saturday.  I confess I am pleased with the work I've done so far, but there's still too much to do to be too happy with myself.

Weight 04-06-09: 288.0
Weight 04-13-09: 288.6

Week 5 Average Daily Diet: 3500 Calories Per Day

Weekly Exercise Log:

• Monday: 33 laps in 33 minutes 49 seconds; abs
• Tuesday: Upper body 1 hour 35 minutes
• Wednesday: 33 laps in 32 minutes 18seconds; abs
• Thursday: lower body, upper arms 1 hour 40 minutes
• Friday: 33 laps in 29 minutes 52 seconds
• Saturday: upper body; leg press; 15 laps in 15 minutes 27 seconds;   3 hours 45 minutes total workout time
• Walked to work and back three days (4.2 miles total.)
• One lap around Mountwood Lake: approximately 2 miles
• Mountwood Copperhead Loop: approximately 3 miles

I’m a Loser 04.06.09

Last week was a terrible week for my diet. I ate a ton of comfort foods throughout the week. Then I partied hard Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I didn't even try to track what I ate and drank those three days, so I have no accurate number for my average daily calories. I put down a number based on the data I have for Monday - Thursday and the assumption that I consumed 3700 calories a day for the remainder of the week.

I also had to cut my workouts short on Friday and Saturday.

Despite these deviations I still lost some weight from my lard ass, but I increased weight on almost every exercise I do, so I think I've gained some more lean mass.  I'm going to try very hard to get back on track this week.

I'm getting to a point where I can see and feel a difference. My pants and wristwatch were very tight, but now I have some room.  I can see veins in my arms, neck, and shoulders while I'm lifting. It's kinda cool to watch them rise up under my skin.

I'm also moving faster and smoother.  Just this morning I squatted down to get something from the bottom of the refrigerator. I was hunkered down there for about five minutes while a rearranged some things. Then I straightened up and went on with my business. It later occurred to me that I've been taking a knee when I get stuff out of there because I I've been too heavy and too inflexible to keep my balance any other way.

Weight 03-30-09: 291.2
Weight 04-06-09: 288.0

Week 4 Average Daily Diet: 3316 Calories Per Day

Weekly Exercise Log:
Monday: 22 laps in 26:08; abs
Tuesday: Upper body 1:35
Wednesday: 22 laps in 22:40; abs; lower arms
Thursday: lower body, some upper body 1:40
Friday: 22 laps in 22:33
Saturday: upper and lower body 2:40
Walked to work and back four days (5.6 miles total.)

I’m a Loser 03.30.09

I already wrote an entry where I talked about maxing the leg press machine and getting the body comp done, so that stole most of the thunder I had for this entry.

My average daily calorie intake is the lowest in three weeks, but it's still higher than I'd like.  The weekends are killing my average.  I do very well Monday - Thursday, and not too bad on Friday, but then Saturday and Sunday come along.  I spend time with friends, I eat out, I drink beer, I stay up late, sleep in late, miss meals, then pig out later... It is definitely a trouble spot I need to work on.

Weight 03-23-09: 299.8
Weight 03-30-09: 291.2

Week 1 Average Daily Diet: 2629 Calories Per Day
Week 2 Average Daily Diet: 2930 Calories Per Day
Week 3 Average Daily Diet: 2594 Calories Per Day

Weekly Exercise Log:
Monday: 22 laps  in 23:59  + full ab workout
Tuesday: Upper Body + leg press weight training - 1:30
Wednesday: 25 laps + full ab workout  (forgot to note the time)
Thursday: Upper Body + leg press weight training - 1:40
Friday : 33 laps in 35:45 + full ab workout
Saturday: 15 laps in 20:45.  Full body weight training minus abs - 3:10
Walked to work and back three days (4.2 miles total.)
Walked around Mount Wood lake 1 lap  (2 miles?)

Fatty Algebra

I had a body composition done on Wednesday.  I wasn't as fat as I expected, which I guess is a good thing, but I'm still not happy with the results.  I'm going to keep working on it and have another one done in a month.  I hope to drop it down a couple of points between now and then.

I also need to start doing squats.  I've been doing seated leg presses with a machine, but it only has 500 pounds worth of plates, and I maxed it out this week.  I'm happy about the accomplishment, but I don't like squats.  I usually end up hurting myself.

Anyway, here are the results from the body composition:

Age: 33
Sex: Male
Height: 71"
Weight: 290
Body Fat: 26.5% (76.9 pounds)
Lean mass: 73.5% (213.1 pounds)

I had previously thought I'd like to get down to 220 pounds, and I based that on how much I weighed when I was in the Rangers.  I didn't realize that I have more lean mass now than I did back then.  If I don't gain another ounce of muscle and drop my total weight to 220, I'll be at 3% body fat, which is too low to be healthy.  Basically, the numbers say I don't have to lose as much weight as I expected.  That makes me happy.

I'm not slowing down until I get to 10% body fat.  If my lean mass remains constant, I'll have to get down to 236.666 pounds to reach 10% (I used some algebra to figure that out.  Mr. Losch would be so proud that I finally got the pwan, peoples.)  I don't know what the final number of pounds will actually be because I expect the lean mass to increase.  My final weight will probably be closer to 245.  It looks easy on paper, and I know it won't be nearly so simple in real life, but I am committed.  I'm going to make this happen.

The computer said I needed to consume 2572 calories per day  to reach my goal.  The last two weeks have averaged higher than that.  This week I've stuck to my diet very closely and have averaged 1750 calories per day (so far,) but I'm feeling a little weak.  I think I'm going to bump it up to 2000 per day for a week or two and give my body a chance to adjust.

I should still lose weight fairly easily at 2000 calories per day.  Humans burn 50 calories per day to maintain a pound of muscle.  If I make the conservative assumption that 40 pounds of my lean mass is muscle, I'll burn 2200 calories in 24 hours just to maintain that mass.  Basically, I'll burn up all of my daily intake just by living and breathing.  It's going to be fun to see how the numbers actually play out.

I’m a Loser 3.23.09

I achieved a few fitness victories last week.  On Monday morning I swam all 22 laps freestyle, without switching to a side or breast stroke as a way of taking a break.  Last week was also the first time since I joined the gym in august 2007 that I made it in six days in a row.

On the downside, I let my diet slip a little bit.  This week's average is a guestimate, because I partied very hard Friday and Saturday night.  I haven't let loose like that in almost a year, but I'd had an extremely upsetting and difficult week, and I decided I deserved some fun.  So I'm guessing about the diet because I barely remember where I was, and I have no idea what I might have eaten.

I have two goals this week.  I want to continue the precedent I set last week and get to the gym six days.  I also want to stick to my diet without straying.  I have it down to a science, and I know the weight will melt off of me if I can just stick to it.  I do well as long as I eat at the house and eat alone.  I get into trouble when I go out with friends or have company.  We'll see how I do this week.

In the near future I'll need to find a way to track my bodyfat composition, because I'm gaining muscle weight now that I'm lifting again.  I can't judge my progress accurately with scales.

Weight 03-16-09: 296
Weight 03-23-09: 299.8
Week 1Average Daily Diet: 2629 Calories Per Day
Week 2 Average Daily Diet: 2930 Calories Per Day
Weekly Exercise Log:
Monday: 22 laps  in 22:09  + full ab workout
Tuesday: Full body weight training minus abs - 1:40
Wednesday: 22 laps in 23:48 + full ab workout
Thursday: Full body weight training minus abs - 1:40
Friday : 15 laps in 20:23
Saturday: 13 laps in 20:37.  Full body weight training plus abs - 2:40
Walked to work and back every day (7 miles total.)

I’m a Loser 03.16.09

Those of you who've followed my blog will know that I've been struggling with weight gain for awhile.  I keep saying that I'm going to do something about it, and sometimes I even manage to lose 20-30 pounds, only for it to come back on when I get busy or distracted with something else.

I'm trying again, but this time I'm doing some things differently.  I'm tracking my diet and exercise routines carefully, and thanks to my bi-pap machine, I'm actually benefiting from sleep.  To keep myself honest, I'm going to post the weekly results every Monday morning, starting today:

Weight 03-09-09: 303
Weight 03-16-09: 296

Average Daily Diet: 2629 Calories Per Day

Exercise Log: Walked to work and back x2 (2.8 miles total)