NWLJ - Week 9: Back into the Swing of Things

Hey everyone. If you haven't noticed, it's been two weeks since I last posted anything on my weight loss attempt. That's because I've been lazy. Hey! I'm allowed once in a while. I haven't been eating as healthy as I should have been, and I haven't exercised or walked consistently in that time. And by consistently, I mean almost at all. True, I went for a hike with the family this past weekend, and I did finally workout at Danny and Rachel's this week, but overall, I've been very disappointed in myself. I'm getting back into the rhythm again, however. Here's hoping I can stick with it again. I'm sure I can. Just hope the weather gets better.

You'll also notice that I'm going with the weekly format. I've realized I don't have enough material or desire to fill a daily blog. At least not a weight loss blog. I'm sure you don't want to hear about my day-to-day eating habits, without something interesting or humorous to go with it. God knows I don't! I mean, if I wanted to read something that bland, I could read a political blog or a tabloid. Tabloids are like greasy fries: full of juicy stuff but no substance! No offense to anyone who enjoys them, they're just not my cup of tea. Weekly World News? Different story! Totally cheesy and ridiculous, but that's why I like it! That probably says volumes about me...

Well, two Wednesdays have passed since my last post, so a quick update. On May 3rd, I weighed in at 276.4 lbs. This past Wednesday, I weighed in at 276.8. Yeah I gained a small amount, but that could be a glass of water! Generally, considering I haven't been strict about my recent eating habits, that's not bad! To put that in perspective, I've lost about 15 lbs in about 8 weeks! I call that progress! I have to keep that in mind. I've been getting so wound up in the smaller increments that I've lost sight on the accomplishments I've made! People are saying I look thinner, and that's good. It's encouraging. Let's keep that going.

Well, that's all for now. I think I'll try to get these posts in on Wednesdays from now on. See you then!

NWLJ – Days 48-50: Being Human

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a few days. For the past week, I've been sore, tired, and generally unmotivated. I don't know why. I haven't walked, I've barely worked out, I've struggled to maintain my diet. Tonight, however, I hope I broke through the funk. I worked out for about 20 minutes, and I'm feeling a little better, both about myself and my pursuit. I told myself I was going to do this, and I'm keeping to it, for better or for worse!

I've been eating grilled chicken and pasta, or chicken with a couple slices of wheat bread. I had a couple slices of pizza for a coworker's birthday, but one was a taco pizza with lettuce and tomato, so I guess that wasn't so horrible. Just not the best. I'm still having problems with timing my meals, and thus getting all my meals in. I guess practice makes perfect.

I did workout with Rachel and Jacinta this past Wednesday. I hope Matt comes by tomorrow evening so we can continue our walks. The 2 hour walk we had last week was great! I guess I just get lonely during my endeavors.

Anyway, I weighed myself on Wednesday. 278.8. Which means that I didn't losing any weight, but then again, I didn't gain, either. I also haven't been consistently exercising either. Better luck next weigh-in.

Well, that's about all for this time. Hopefully I'll have a post on Saturday or Sunday. I hope to go for a hike with the family tomorrow. *crosses fingers* Weather permitting.

See ya next time!

NWLJ – Days 45-47: No Two Ways About It... Ugh!

If weekends are Kryptonite to me, then holiday weekends are doubly so. I really didn't eat well the past few days. Burgers, fried chicken, soda. And no exercise. I'm actually really kinda depressed. Today wasn't that bad. I had a ham grinder. I know, I'm not eating as much as I ought to be. I'm also a bit sore. From what, I have no idea. My muscles ached all day, and I spent the majority of the day trying to idiot-proof a spreadsheet. Took me almost the entire day! As a result, no walk today either. Ugh!

I think I'm gonna go downstairs and cook up some chicken and pasta for tomorrow. I have some tuna and wheat bread at work. I just have to figure out some veggies.

I also hate doing alot of these things alone. I feel so much more into working out and walking when I have someone to do so with. I love the encouragement I get here, but that often doesn't help in the moment. I'm actually surprised I've made it this long. Maybe getting back into a routine will help.

Tomorrow is Weigh-In Wednesday. Last week, I was 278.8 lbs. I don't put much faith that I lost any this week, but I always say that, don't I?

See ya!

NWLJ – Days 43 & 44: Walkin' Fool

Eating hasn't been that bad the last couple days. However, I tried having a protein shake as a meal replacement, and it didn't work well at all! Yech! Mental note, only have one of those after a workout. Yesterday I had an egg and cheese on a multigrain bagel, a salad with tuna, the aforementioned shake, and finished with a plate full of pasta. Today, being my free day, I had a bowl of rice chex, a couple donuts, and a chicken breast sub. Not bad, even for my day off!

Last night, I went for a long walk with Metheaus. We prolly walked at least 3 miles. Granted, this was in the middle of the night, cuz neither of us wanted to sleep, and had plenty to say. It was great to go walking with someone and while away the time rather than just listening to an audio book or podcast, but normally I get by. I really wish I could convince Chrissy to go for a walk periodically with me, but we're almost always otherwise occupied. School nights and all. Maybe when school lets out... Nothing today, however, unless you count going for a stroll through the park exercise. Ah well.

Not much to say this time around. Everyone says that I look thinner, but I don't see it. Don't get me wrong, it's encouraging, but I'm trying not to let it get to my head. =D

Until next time, see ya!

NWLJ – Days 41 & 42: Concessions

I know, I should have written this yesterday. Sue me. Actually, don't. I don't have anything to lose, except weight. Isn't that what this journal is all about? ;)

I'm not gonna say much. I ate well yesterday, chicken and rice, etc, until dinner. Pizza again, because that's what was ordered. I've come to the conclusion that I can't promise that I will abide by these rules when I am having dinner elsewhere. It's all a matter of circumstance. If the group is ordering pizza or chinese or whatever, so be it. I can't force everyone else to adhere to my dietary needs. I am not using this as an excuse to jump ship. I'm still eating right, albeit not as often as I should be. Gotta work on that.

We worked out last night. Oh so good. First time in a week. I walked both yesterday and today. However, today's walk was a disaster! I did a high-intensity lap first (unintentionally) and my legs burned and ached. I slowed down, and tried to work my way through the burn, but at the end of lap three, I was practically limping. I had to stop, and I'm a little disappointed, but I shouldn't overdo it. I think I'll reserve that high-intensity lap for last, when it's ok to collapse.

Well, I hate to say it, but I've forgotten the guesses that people told me in person. Well, one way or another, I'm down to 278.8. I lost half a pound. Not alot, but still, I'm going in the right direction! I blame the lack of exercise. Shame on me! Ah well.

Well, tomorrow is another day. Hopefully, I'll get in a walk, but no promises. This weekend will be better.

See ya!

NWLJ – Days 40: Shake Shake Shake!

Today just proved that I don't have a ton of willpower. I had a milkshake. A medium one. It wasn't exactly my intent. I wasn't planning on having ice cream at all. Chrissy and I took Elizabeth to the park after I got out of work. On the way home, I decided I was going to treat them to some ice cream. I wasn't going to order anything, but the words slipped out of my mouth. "Small vanilla shake." Well, at least I ordered a small. That's not what I got. I got a medium instead. The waitress apologized. Damn right, she should apologize! I didn't want to go that far off the path, but she pushed it on me! DQ is the dietary equivalent to crack! I also realized that as I'm drinking this dairy narcotic that milkshakes have two detrimental qualities. One, they come in opaque containers. This makes it difficult to gauge visually how much you've drunk. And second, their weight to mass ratio is all out of whack! You make it through 3/4 of the cup and it doesn't feel really any lighter, but make it to 25/32 of the cup, and suddenly you feel just how empty it is! And that's about how much I had before succumbing to the realization that I spoiled my diet. Again.

Now, I'm not beating myself up. No, if I've learned anything about myself, I've learned that if I don't get back on that horse, the damn creature is going to drag me to my destination. Tomorrow, I'll resolve to do better, because if you can't forgive yourself, how the hell is anyone else going to?

I digress. Today was a pretty good day otherwise. Except that my salad this afternoon just didn't taste right. It looked alright, but past the lips it was not what I had hoped it would be. Could have been the tuna, or the dressing, or likely the lettuce. I don't know, but I wound up tossing half of it. Damn shame, too. I was so looking forward to it. Lettuce not dwell, for we are not in a pickle.

Chicken with rice, an egg and cheese bagel, and a subway chicken breast grinder pretty much was the standard fare. I need to pick something else to break up the monotony. I'm out of tuna for the moment. I'm out of peanuts, too. I have the protein shake powder now, and it's yummy! Crap, sarcasm doesn't translate as well in text. Ah well. It's not that it's horrible. It just has a weird aftertaste.

Took a walk today. 5 laps around the track. Tried running for the last lap, and wound up tossing my mp3 player in the process. I lost the battery cover, but it works fine without. Tomorrow is my weekly workout with Danny and Rachel, and I can't wait! I hope to take another walk again tomorrow during lunch. Gotta stay in the habit, right?

Tomorrow is Weight-In Wednesday, and that means I need your guesses! Ok, need is a strong word. I'd like your guesses. Last week, I lost a pound to bring me down to 279.2. I didn't stick completely with my diet, and wasn't as active as I wanted to be, so I'm not sure how much I've lost, if any. I don't think it's much, but I guess we'll find out in the morning. You'll find out tomorrow night. Well, I'd better get to bed. 'night all!

See ya on the flipside!

NWLJ – Days 37-39: Does Pac-Man Eat Like This?

Weekends seems to be my Kryptonite. On the weekends, I wind up in situations where I have a ton of food in front of me, and I am compelled to eat it all. Granted, Saturdays are my free day, but it often spills over into Sunday.

This past Saturday, I went to a small festival called Forest Folk. It was actually a lot of fun! They have workshops, vendors, and on Saturday night, they have a drumming circle. The writing workshop I wanted to attend was cancelled, so instead, I learned poi. Poi are these sacks at the end of strings that you twirl. The closest parallel I can make is juggling. Other people were doing yoga, meditating, learning belly dancing, or sitting by the fire. There was so much to do, even if you did nothing at all! The location was absolutely beautiful and tranquil. I wish I could have stayed all weekend, but alas, I could only afford to bring the family for one day. I had to get them home, and decided to just go home afterward, so I missed out on the drumming circle. I did finish the website for Mama Miron, which meant I sat at the computer the rest of the weekend, but it’s done, and I am very pleased with the results. I’ll post a link to the results when we get the site online.

I’m not sure I’ll get in much exercise this week, either. Normally, I’ll steal the TV before it’s occupied, which it remains until well past midnight. There’s not enough room in my bedroom to do an aerobic workout. However, we have company, so there’s a sleeping 7-year-old on the couch, and I don’t have the heart to wake her. I mean, I hate being woken up when I can otherwise sleep in, especially considering if I’m up for 5 minutes, I ain’t getting back to sleep. Not a refreshing one, at least. If I can help it, I won’t subject someone else to that. Anyways, I suppose I could do some weight training…

Saturday is my free day, and I really didn’t eat that badly. Well, that’s not entirely true. I had a sausage, egg, and cheese bagel, and then didn’t eat again until the feast. I had pasta, salad, some bread, and shared an orange. Then I went home and munched on some Bugles while I did some computer stuff. I love them, but they’re so bad for me! Sunday, I had a bowl of Cheerios with a packet of Truvia to sweeten. Then I had some ravioli and a big ol’ meatball with some salad. Dinner? Pizza. It was what everyone decided was for dinner, since no one wanted to cook. And how do I repay myself? A Klondike bar.

Today wasn't so bad, though. Protein shake for breakfast, chicken with brown rice for Second Breakfast, and Elevenses. Roast beef and potatoes for Luncheon, and a bowl of Rice Chex for Dinner. I think I'm gonna have to eat every 2 hours, rather than every 3, if I'm gonna get my full count of meals in.

Well, another week of resolving to do better. I hope I have the strength to actually go through with it this time.

See ya!

NWLJ - Day 36: “Diet” is a 4-Letter Word

Well, I came to class unprepared. No homework, no pencils, no textbook, which means I need to wing it hardcore, and that’s going to cost me. This morning, I just couldn’t get myself up and going. I wound up leaving the house with little more than an apple for Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevenses, (which actually works out to be “Onses”) and Luncheon. Fortunately, I got paid yesterday, but I need to conserve my money a bit more. I wound up getting an egg sandwich at D&D for Breakfast, and wound up skipping Second Breakfast since I couldn’t go out for lunch until later. I had a tuna grinder at Blimpies cut into thirds and ate one segment for a late Onses. The other two I had for Luncheon and Dinner, and a bowl of Cheerios for Supper.

I've invested some money into a stability ball. Y’know, those yoga balls that won’t pop. My biggest concern is where to keep it. I suppose I could deflate it every time, but that is such a pain. Right now, it's sitting on the floor, next to me, watching me. I don't know what it wants, but it's creaping me out... Anyways, from what I’ve seen on My Fitness Coach, I can use the ball in lieu of a weight bench, although the bench would be a little easier to use. The ball is a much smaller investment, (a workout bench is $50 while a stability ball is $10) so that's what I got. I had a weight set in my hands. Variable weights, 40lbs altogether, $20. I decided not to get it for the time being. I've got what I need for now.

Took a walk around BJs and Ocean State Job Lot, then through the cemetery and got a couple more pictures. Check out the pics here! I’d like to find some more scenic roads on which to walk. The walk lasted about 20 minutes so about a mile or so. Walked around Walmart this evening. I'm a walkin' foo'!

Peace out, yo! Um, I mean, See ya!

NWLJ - Days 34 & 35: Blah

Not really in the mood to write much right now. Walked and worked out yesterday. The workout was longer, and with the weights, it was alot more intense! Nothing today, due to weather and time. Been trying to stick to a regular eating pattern. Been good about it, 5-6 meals a day, grilled the chicken, and it was good. Though, tonight I had pizza, since I was over my parents' house and that's what they already ordered.

Yesterday's weigh-in was 279.2! I broke through the 280 mark! Congrats, Angela, for your guess of 278.

Well, I'm planning on walking through the cemetery in Willimantic tomorrow. I'll take some more pictures and post them on here. I'll try to post an update or something soon.

See ya.

NWLJ - Days 32 & 33: Back on the Horse, Again

(Sorry this one is late, I went straight to bed last night.)

Things haven't been that bad the last couple days. I've started to get used to eating more frequently, although I'm still starving when I get out of work. I'm eating healthier meals. The last two days, I've had Cheerios with fresh strawberries. Sooo good! But I can't live strictly on cereal in the morning. I'm generally missing my protein. I'm going to need to make some eggs the night before if I'm going to do the whole egg whites thing. It's just too hard to do it all first thing in the morning. I'll be late for work and then the yolks on me! Har dee har har! A protein bar after my walk was lunch yesterday, a chicken breast sub from Subway, and another chicken breast for dinner. I've started using my George Foreman grill. Its name is George. The chicken breasts I bought are frozen, so to make cooking them easier, I think I'm going to have to thaw them out. I think I might fire up the gas grill, grill a whole bunch all at once. Some of my salad with tuna for Second Breakfast and the rest for lunch, with a handful of peanuts. And another handful of peanuts to tide me over. And a burger and a baked potato, then a couple chicken patties. Not bad, but I know I could be doing better.

Working out is a bit difficult. Monday was my day off from exercise, but I went for my usual half hour walk. The last lap I tried to speed things up a little. Boy, could I feel it in my legs! Felt like jelly right after, but it wasn't debilitating. This morning, I went to do my usual cardio, but realized that some houseguests were sleeping in the other room, and I was going to make too much noise. I went for a walk during lunch as usual, but I really need a workout. I really want a workout, which I never thought I'd say. I guess that's progress! My walk today was rough. I tried to pick up the pace a little, and my legs ached after only one lap, so I slowed down, and then stopped a couple time to let the burning get to manageable levels. Wound up only doing 4 laps. I believe I was a bit ahead of my typical time, so I might have finished the last lap within the 27 minutes it normally takes me to complete the 5-lap circuit. Oddly enough, my pedometer said I only walked about .86 miles, when a full 5 laps brings me to 1.3 miles. I can only deduce that my strides were longer than normal. Did I think to check the number of steps? Nope. I'm an idiot.

I really think that nutrition should be in a school curriculum. We never learned to eat right as kids or teens, unless our parents were health savvy, which most Americans are not. Yes, there are tons of public service announcements that talk about good nutrition, but have been a kid once, they usually get ignored. I don't think kids have the capacity to fully appreciate the importance of good nutrition until middle or high school. Of course, nutrition isn't the only skills missing from young adults. I think we need a Life 101 class, in which kids learn practical things like eating healthy, basic car maintenance, and personal finance. I know way too many people who can't change a tire or balance their checkbook. I don't balance my checkbook, mostly because I constantly forget to update it, but that doesn't mean I can't. And I don't change my own tires because I have AAA. Not that I need them, except when I break down. Which is all too often. Stupid gremlins.

Tomorrow is Weigh-In Wednesday, and I'm actually a bit nervous, because I didn't eat all that well this weekend. I'm scared that I've taken a step backwards. Well, no sense in despairing over the present setbacks when one has hope for the future. Well, nonetheless, make your estimates and you'll find out tomorrow evening what the results were.

NWLJ - Days 30 and 31: You Put Your Right Foot In, You Put Your Right Foot Out...

This weekend both sucked and rocked. More sucked than rocked, but you take the good with the bad.

Well, it was a weekend of excess. I ate alot of stuff I shouldn't have. Friday, I had soda and Chinese. Saturday, I had pizza. Sunday, I had ice cream and Chinese. Anyone notice a pattern? Now, that doesn't mean that's all I ate. I had fruit, I had water, I kept my portions controlled. Well, maybe not on the pizza. I think I have a little Ninja Turtle in my DNA.

It's also been a very stressful weekend, for reasons I won't state. It's no wonder my appetite is out of control.

However, I did get my shopping done. I now have a bag of uncooked, frozen chicken breasts sitting in the freezer, just waiting for me to thaw and cook. I have a bag of brown rice, quick oats, apples, some salad stuff, and most of all, I got my hands on a box of Truvia. I know this may be cheating, but I've been mixing Truvia into my water, to give it a little flavor, and believe me, it's helped ALOT! I'm hoping that this will be a step towards getting off flavored drinks. I don't think I will get off flavored water altogether, but I need to be drinking more water.

I didn't get a chance to really workout this weekend. However, I helped clear out a storage area on Saturday, and did my biweekly eval for My Fitness Coach on Sunday. Granted, the latter wasn't as long or intense a workout as the normal workout, but it was something.

I can't start the Body for Life workout regiment without a bench and weights. Even though help has been offered, I'm not sure if I can or should take those parties up on the offer.

Anyways, I'm going to cut this for now. See you all on the next post!

NWLJ - Days 28 & 29: ...and, Boy, Are My Arms Tired!

My workout has officially kicked me in the bum! Last night, I got home, and it was just me and Adam, so I worked out, and my arms officially felt like jelly! And not even the good stuff! They felt like cheap dollar store jelly. Raspberry, I think. Only one man dares give me the raspberry!

Anyway, I had trouble reaching up to type on the keyboard. Am I happy I got the workout? Hell yes! Did I want to die? See previous response. But in the long run, it was worth it! Even though today was my off day for a workout, I walked a mile and a quarter, partly uphill.

I didn't do so bad nutritionally the past few days. Yes, I had a Wendy's burger last night, with a backed potato, and this evening I decided I would start my "free day" a little early with some sweet and sour chicken. I've learned my lesson, I'm not doing that again even if I'm allowed. I did have a nice salad with tuna and light ranch dressing this afternoon, and it was sooooo good! Filled me right up! I need to find more meals like that: portioned correctly and filling. It's probably true that the fat content of the tuna (no mayo, btw) is what filled me up, but it really hit the spot!

Again, another weekend filled with parties. It's going to be tough keeping to the new regiment, but I am not starting the Body for Life program until I can get a weight bench. My fiance's brother has offered to work out with me, and he's got all the weights, just no bench. Chrissy wants to join in the workout routine, too! The more people I can get to join in the pattern, the better off I think I'll be able to stick with it. Tomorrow is grocery day, and I'm going to have to get the chicken breasts and rice.

Oatmeal is eh, in my opinion. Not the best, but it's something. I had to add some sugar and some cinnamon to make it appeal more to my pallet. I also want to find a sugar substitute, but want to steer clear of anything with aspartame or sucralose. I want something natural, unrefined. I've been told to use Sugar in the Raw. I don't use sugar often anymore, but can anyone make any suggestions?

Anyways, time for bed. See you all tomorrow.

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Days 27: Conversations with Snap, Crackle, and Pop

I've missed cereal. After nothing but yogurt and instant breakfast, having a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast was wonderful! I know, getting excited about breakfast is kinda weird. But look who you're talking to. I mean, reading about. I also tried Myoplex yesterday. Yech! I drank half and my body said, "Oh, hell no!" and had to pour the rest out. I'm hoping to find either a way to make the drink more palatable, or a tastier equivalent. Had a small salad for lunch, but since the protein drink didn't hit the spot, I was starving on my way to Danny's, so I had a chicken grinder for dinner, then some chicken after the workout.

I need to decide if I want to walk or eat during my lunch, because recently, I haven't been able to do both. I've had a slew of walk-in clients, and my walk yesterday was interrupted by an unexpected client. Ah well... I went to Danny's house last night, and didn't work out until late, which means I didn't get home until really late, and I went straight to bed. Thus the reason for this brief and late post. We did a 15 minute workout, and we used weights. It was an intense! Our arms felt like jelly half way through, but we powered through it and were satisfied with the results.

Yesterday's Weigh-In went well. I'm down to 280.5! Angela was the closest with her guess of 278.5, beating Shannon's guess of 278. Sorry, Shannon, better luck next time! Anyways, I am losing weight, and that makes me happy. I'm just hoping that this trend will continue. Parties this weekend will test my resolve. I'm hoping that the force is strong with me!

Until tonight, see ya!

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Days 25 & 26: The Best Laid Plans are Dang Lucky!

I've spent the past week pouring over the Body for Life book, getting ready for the major switch to a regimented diet. I have no idea where I'm going to get the weights for the exercises. I'm kinda poor, so i don't even have the money for the start-up fee at a gym. I know that Shannon has offered to help, but I really feel like I'm intruding, and no matter how gracious the host. Some of my friends have memberships to gyms, so I'll see if I can tag along. *crosses fingers*

I have picked up food and a 4-pack of Myoplex. I'd like to see how it tastes before buying a tub. It would be just my luck, I buy a 30 serving jar and hate the stuff. I bought oatmeal. I really don't know if I'll like it, since the most oatmeal I've had was in cookie form. I made some salad, too. I need to throw some protein in there somewhere. I priced frozen chicken breasts, but didn't have enough tonight to get it.

My dietary habits have been a little wonky the last couple days. Yesterday was an instant breakfast, a tuna grinder, and a chicken sandwich. Today was yogurt and a bagel, a meal replacement bar, and pasta. I haven't been drinking alot of Vitamin Water. Still diluting it to bring down the calories.

No exercise the past two days. Crappy weather kept me from walking, and this morning, I just couldn't get out of bed. I'm hoping that if I can find someone to go to the gym with, I'll have less of an excuse not to go. I should be sent to bed without dessert. Wait, I already am. Dammit...

But, hey, it's Tuesday, which means tomorrow is Weigh-In Wednesday. I've already gotten one estimate. My weight on last Wednesday was 281.4 lbs. What will it be tomorrow? We'll find out!

See ya!

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Days 23 & 24: Par-tay!

Well, this weekend was not the best nutritionally, but it was my daughter's birthday. I don't know any party's ever being healthy. On Saturday, I had a breakfast sandwich at Panera Bread on a whole wheat bagel. Not the best I've ever had, to be honest. Lunch was a ham and cheese sandwich, followed by cake and ice cream. I also nibbled on potato chips and had some soda. In all honestly, I much would have rathered have water, but tap water tastes nasty! Dinner was a couple chicken sandwiches. No workout, no walk. Shame on me.

This morning, Mom made blueberry pancakes. Woohoo! Upper body workout in My Fitness Coach, with weights this time. I feel much better, but the b#$%& made me do push ups. God I hate push ups, and crunches. I guess I should get used to doing them if I'm gonna get rid of the gut! Dinner was oven roasted turkey and potatoes. Cleaned my room, mostly, and folded my laundry. (Gasp!) Like I said in my mission statement, I want to establish better mental and physical habits, and what better way than to get organazized? Still got a long way to go, but I'm headed in the right direction.

I talked to Chrissy about doing Body for Life with me. We still need to work out the particulars, but it might turn out that it's not the diet for her. I think I'm still gonna do it, though.

No workout tomorrow, but weather permitting, I'm walking. I enjoy it. See you tomorrow.

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 22: Going on the Hobbit Diet

Ok, so I’ve listened to Body for Life by Bill Phillips, at the request of Shannon, one of my co-workers. At first, I was skeptical about how much I’d agree with the program, but now that I’m done, I think I might try it out. Basically, it starts with reasons, decisions, goal planning, and positive thinking. I’ve recently formally set up my goal, (see today’s interlude) and I’ve done a lot of what he asks for in the first half. Then he goes into nutrition and exercise. Six meals a day with balanced portions of carbohydrates and protein, and veggies and fruit. And one day a week that I can eat whatever I want! Not a bad idea, I can get behind that. 30-40 minutes of exercise a day, with one day off. I’m already part way there! Just have to commit to it. He says I can get solid results in as little as 12 weeks, but I’m not looking for instant success. I’m still planning on keeping with the one year model. Ironically, I went to a book fair this evening with my mother and it was there! So I got a $27 book for $2! I love my mom! It’s worth a try, right? Any one out there use this program?

I was in Willimantic today, and the rain held off long enough for me to take a 15 minute walk around in the cemetery. I took a bunch of pictures of statues and headstones, but then the rain couldn’t hold back any more and I took refuge in Stop and Shop. Didn’t want to risk ruining my digital camera. Might as well get lunch while I’m hiding from the rain, right?

Breakfast, sadly, was only an instant breakfast. I wanted something more, but I didn’t have enough time to stop and grab anything. I need to prepare my meals at home from not on. I think I’ll finish off the stuff I’ve got and then not buy any more. I love the stuff, it’s better than having regular chocolate milk, but I can’t have it while doing the Body for Life thing. I had a third of a turkey grinder and an orange for Second Breakfast, and another third of my sandwich with an Apple for Elevenses, the last third for Luncheon, and a bowl of pasta with meatballs for Dinner. Now, what to eat for Supper. I skipped Afternoon Tea, though. Huh. That’s weird; I suddenly have the urge to throw a ring into a volcano...

No workout today, but I did walk for a little while. Tomorrow is my daughter’s birthday party, so likely cake will be present. That’ll be my free day. *sighs* I need a vacation. Mordor sounds nice this time of year...

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Interlude: GOAL!!!

I’ve realized something lately. I’m doing this blog, working out, and eating healthier. But why? Yes, I’ve said I want to lose weight, specifically that I want to be 230 lbs, but I never said by when I wanted to be that weight. After years of being in student council and listening to my father’s self-help tapes, you’d think I’d remember the fundamentals of goals, but I forgot them. It was by listening to Body for Life that I was reminded that I wasn’t approaching this right. I’m going to start sounding like a textbook now, because I want to get this out, if for nothing else, for my own benefit.

Any positive change in anyone’s life starts with an aspiration. Aspirations are the imagining of the place or state of being in which you want to be. They fall into two categories: Hopes and Goals. Hopes are aspirations without structure. They energize us, but we otherwise we have no plans for voluntary action to manifest them. Unless something outside of our influence changes to our benefit, (yeah, good luck with that) they’ll continue to go unrealized. Goals are hopes that we plan to achieve. A goal needs three things: an objective, a deadline, and an action plan. In other words, what do you want to do, when do you want to have it done, and how are you going to do it?

A Mission Statement is a sentence or two that describes the overall aim of an individual or group, and the methods by which they will do so. This statement should not have specifics in it, but should talk about the themes about the author. For example, “to provide quality customer service” is a better mission statement phrase than “to answer claims within 2 days.” The latter is more of a goal, because it has a specific objective, a timeline, and defined actions would be attached to it.

So, how does this work into my weight loss ambitions? Well, first, I never stated my mission statement, nor have I defined my timelines for my goals. So, without any ado whatsoever, here he is, born a stone’s throw from this very arena, the son of Thomas Thatcher, Sir… William… Thatcher? er, crap, I was quoting A Knight’s Tale again, wasn’t I?

My Personal Mission Statement

It is my mission to improve mine and others’ quality of life through reduced stress, healthier physical and mental habits, and stronger and more meaningful connections to my friends and family.

I can never fully achieve my mission, since all of these points can always be improved upon. Rather it states the aim for my goals. It is separate from my professional mission statement. While I won’t bore you with some of the goals that don’t pertain to my weight loss journey, I will establish the relevant ones here.

Goal: Steadily and safely reduce weight to 230 lbs by April 1, 2010.

• Cardio workout five times a week
  - 15-30 minutes of aerobics and/or walking for 30 minutes.
  - Workout in a group at least once a week
  
• Weight training three times a week, 15-30 minutes.
  
• Remain active
  
• Eat balanced meals and snacks at regular intervals.
  - Read labels.
  - Prepare meals ahead of time.
  - Equal portions of carbohydrates and proteins per meal.
  - Multiple servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
  - Avoid excess sugars and fats, greasy food, and artificial sweeteners.
  - Take vitamin supplements
  
• Maintain daily journal and record activities and food intake.
  
• Continue education regarding nutrition and fitness.
  - Video, audio books, and podcasts
  - Discussion
  

(Right now, I’m only doing 15 minutes of aerobics (with weights for resistance) and weight training to ensure that I don’t burn out. (Last time I tried to do 30 minutes of aerobics, I wasn’t able to finish it. Then again, I wasn’t prepared to increase the difficulty.))

This goal is fairly conservative. I need to lose an average of 1 pound per week. I also can adjust a lot of the points as needed. I need to establish a new goal once I complete this one, and I might finish it early. Should I not complete it by the deadline, I’ll need to revise it and figure out new parameters to reach it.

Well, I think that’s it for me for this interlude. As always, your feedback is much appreciated.

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 21: . . .

Hey all! It's the end of another day and my third week in my endeavors. I'm pooped after my workout. Add in that I walked about 1.4 miles this afternoon, and you'll realize that I was alot more active than usual today! Which means my bed is calling me. I am so ready to answer...

I ate modestly today. Half a wheat bagel and an instant breakfast this morning, a salad with chicken for lunch, a nutrition bar and some string cheese for a snack, and a Lean Cuisine pizza for dinner. And a half a glass of instant breakfast, because I really needed something sweet. Oh, and some diluted Vitamin Water throughout the day.

Now, I've been told that my weight would drop sharply during the first couple weeks of my diet, due to losing water weight, and then the loss would start to decelerate as time went on. Now, if you've read this blog from the beginning, you'll know that I had measured my weight regularly when I first started, then dropped it to once a week. During that first week, my weight was all over the place, (I felt like the Nutty Professor. Eddie Murphy, not Jerry Lewis. No plans for a telethon yet.) but overall, I'm losing rather steadily. Can I consider that normal? Don't get me wrong, I like losing gradually, but it goes against what I've been told is typical. No big deal.

Tomorrow it looks to rain, but I hope it stops long enuff to get out there and take some pictures of the cemetery.

Ok, I'm tired now... Time for sleep. 'Night all!

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 20: Cold Reception

Hola, and welcome to Wednesday, and it’s quite a bit colder today than the past few. It’s currently 57° F, as compared to 92° F it was yesterday. No walk today, mostly because I went and got my lunch. If it’s not too cold tomorrow, I’ll walk some more. In fact, it looks like it’ll be cold-ish and rainy for the next two weeks. Phooey! Anyone know of an indoor track I can walk? Oh yeah, it’s called the mall. Gotta get blinders like carriage horses wear, so I don’t accidentally wander into GameStop and accidentally purchase any games.

This morning’s breakfast was a couple yogurts. Strawberry and blueberry, respectively. Kinda wished I had a bagel or bread for toast, but I didn’t think to bring any. Lunch consisted of my typical tuna sub with apple slices. I’m not happy that Subway no longer has carrot strips to put on my sub! Ah well. I made a point of going out for lunch so I wouldn’t have the temptation of eating Al’s birthday cake. (Take that, Thom!) He brought it to the downstairs lunch room, where I was eating. It was in the shape of a woman, and all that was left was her bust and neck. I didn’t have any, for a few reasons. First, I’m engaged, and putting my mouth on another woman’s chest is cheating in my book. Second, the woman was just too sweet. Lastly, I already had my share of dairy for the day. Ba-dum bum. Had the other half of my sandwich right after work, then had a nice dinner at Danny's. Steak, chicken, garlic bread and veggies. Yum!

In the last few days, I’ve been reading about nutrition and watching a few YouTube videos. I feel smarter! =) It’s been years since I took a course on nutrition, and I’m beginning to remember it! Of course, now I’m in the mood to look for podcasts on the subject. Help, I’m becoming an addict!

It’s Weigh-In Wednesday! Last week’s weight was 285.0. I have a few estimates this week, both online and in person. The estimates were:

Robert: 283.4
Thom: 287 (because I had cake last week)
Angela: 283.4
Mary: 275
Robert the Marshal: 282.5
Mike the Marshal: 280

And the results are:

Weight: 281.4
BMI: 40.37

Yay! I’ve lost 3.6 lbs! Yes, a lot of that is water weight, but I’m still happy I’m on the decline. That means that the winner is Mike the Marshal. Of course, Mike doesn’t go onto my journal, so “no swag for you!”

I worked out with Danny, Rachel, Missy, and Scooter. We played a party game after dinner and then got to the workout. I got some weights and finally used them tonight. I really feel that they amplified it! Missy and Scooter had a great time with us, and I think we're all going to make it a regular thing. I feel really good about that!

Well, that's all for now. Gotta sleep some time! ttfn, ta ta for now! Hoo hoo hoo hoo!

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 19: Braaaaiiiinnnssss

Hey all! I found out that my walking speed exceeds that of the average zombie, and that when the zombie apocalypse starts, I should be able to outpace them. Provided that I don't get overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. If that's the case, then as they say, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I'm just not looking forward to having an appetite for human flesh. So high in fat...

Speaking of appetite, I have to admit I didn't do well at all. My lunch went bad, so I had to throw it out, and I didn't have enough money to buy anything for dinner. I had an instant breakfast this morning, some peanuts as a snack, a string cheese to tide me over until after work, and a Portuguese roll that my fiance didn't want to finish. Surprisingly, I'm not all that hungry. So, I'm way down as far as my caloric intake today. I'll try not to make a habit of it.

On a brighter note, I went walking today. There's a school up the street from where I work in Hartford, and I walked 5 laps around their track. 2775 steps, which means, if I calculate it correctly, I walked 1.3 miles in 27 minutes. Not an Olympic record or anything, but I'm pleased with it. It was pretty hot, but cold water, a nice breeze, and listening about a zombie apocalypse made it bearable. I need to figure something else to listen to now...

No workout today, because I just got home and I need sleep, but I will be working out with Danny and Rachel tomorrow.

Tomorrow is my weekly weigh-in. I was 285 last Wednesday. What will I be this time? Place your bets and win some flair!

By the way, I have a bunch of friends who are not on Facebook, so I've decided to mirror this blog on Blogspot. This way, I can reach more people! If you're reading this on Blogspot, sorry, you won't get the flair if you guess my weight, but please post your comments nonetheless. The more you do, the more I learn!

That's it for tonight. See you all tomorrow.

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 17 & 18: Taking Advantage

The game is trying to kill me! Sunday I had to do a update to my progress, and it made me do some workouts to test my heart rate, upper body strength, etc. After doing the jumping jacks, (the first task) I said screw it. I did a regular 15-minute workout, followed by me nearly collapsing. It increased the difficulty again. Since the weather was beautiful, I spent a good portion of the day at the park with Chrissy, her brother, and his girlfriend. We didn't walk around that much, we sat and played Clue. I won both times. Yay me. That night I went home in time to watch the WWE pay-per view. Breakfast was a bowl of Cheerios, lunch was a tuna 6" grinder, and dinner was a few slices of pizza. Yeah, not the best, but on the bright side, I had plenty of calories to spare.

Monday was a boring day at work, errands prevented me from going on a walk, and it's Monday, so no workout. I resolved to go for that walk after work, so I brought Chrissy and Elizabeth to the track and did a few laps. I walked over a mile. I'm happy now. I'd like to make that a habit, but we'll see. Breakfast was a bowl of Rice Crispies, and two string cheese. Lunch was Wendy's chicken nuggets and a salad. (I know, still not the best for you.) Dinner was a chicken breast sub. I also had peanuts for a snack and a Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials. Yummy! BTW, I don't usually put in the full amount of mix per serving of milk, I usually find it too strong. (And here I complained about missing chocolate. Go figure.)

I'm really enjoying going for my walks. It's time that I can throw on some headphones, listen to a book or podcast, and be in my zone. Like I need any more time to myself. ;) Now if only I could master my sleep patterns.

Sorry these posts have become a little less frequent. I'm trying to get them out as often as I can, but lately I've been getting home late and have not had the oomph to even turn on my computer. I'll try harder, but I won't make any promises. ;) See you later!

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Days 15 and 16: I Need a Vacation

Hey all. Not much of a post tonight. It's very late, and I just don't have the oomph to write much at the moment. The past two days have been physically demanding.

Yesterday, I was on the go so much that I barely got a chance to eat. I saw 19 clients, when I've averaged about 6 per day. When I had the chance, I downed some string cheese, and a couple yogurts for lunch, peanuts and carrots for a snack, and salad with chicken patties for a late dinner. No chance for a walk or workout.

Today, I had a nice breakfast. Scrambled eggs with cheese on an english muffin and a bowl of Rice Crispies. I actually felt full! Yay for me! Lunch... Well, it was a bit of nibbling at the food we were making for tonight's dinner. And what a dinner it was. Pasta, meatballs, homemade mac and cheese, and Chrissy's beef and potato balls. (we've discovered that they're kick ass with some melted cheese!) I had a soda, which has been a rarity as of late, but one in about two weeks isn't bad. I was running around and dancing with my family and friends, so I was active. And even though the night was expectedly cut short, I just didn't have it in me to work out. I hope I was active enough, tho.

Tomorrow, I'm supposed to work out. Gotta stick to it. Wish me luck.

Well, 'night all. I'll see you... in... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 14: Fasting Leads to Hunger, Hunger Lead to Binge, Binge Leads to Suffering

1.12 miles in 30 minutes. That works out to be about one mile in 26 minutes. I think that my previous count of 1.7 in 25 minutes has Mapquest to blame. But I walked, and that’s what counts. I’ve been listening to the Zombie Survival Guide during my commute and walks, so I think I’ll be ready to make it though the zombie apocalypse soon. I generally listen to podcasts or audio books during things that don’t require higher brain function, like walking or driving. Yes, driving. I mean, it’s not like I’m reading comics or texting while driving. (Ok, I’ve done both, the latter especially, but I play it safe. I usually only do so at stoplights.) During my workout, the game will use its own soundtrack to maintain rhythm. Lots of lackluster generic music in the style of your choice. Eighties, Latin, yada yada. It’s great using a gaming system to exercise, but it’s not as fun as actual games. What they need to do is come up with a series of fitness video games that are as exciting as all the other video games. Super Calorie Bros. The Legend of Fiber: A Link to the Pasta. Guitar Gyro: Metallica Edition. Although I’m not sure that Grand Theft Salad 4 or Prince of Parmesan would be big hits.

I got into work this morning, complaining that I didn’t have enough time to get something to eat, only to realize I was 10 minutes early. Not enough time to go anywhere. Ah well, I luckily had a wheat bagel left over and the strawberry preserves. I also tried the Orange-Orange 10 Calorie Vitamin Water. Not bad. Not fantastic, but not bad. I think I’ll stick with grape or fruit punch though. There’s only so much Tang-flavored water I can take. A serving of peanuts to hold off the pangs of hunger. After my walk, I came back to work for a client who didn’t show up. I didn’t have enough time after the walk to get lunch, so I gave the client half an hour and then started to head out. Of course, I found myself in one of the conference rooms, celebrating a probation officer’s birthday. Which meant cake. Ice cream cake. With peanut butter and those cookie crumbs. Ugh, I hate myself. I had a bigger piece than I wanted, and I hate wasting food, so I finished it. At least it was low fat ice cream, like that makes it all better. “Cake or Death?” “I’ll have the cake, please…” And no, Rob, I only had the one piece! Anyways, I need to remember how I feel after eating ice cream cake. It’s never good. I had a half of a chicken breast sub, usual veggies, on honey oat bread. Not bad, lots of fiber and protein. No cookie, no apple slices. I had to make a sacrifice somewhere. Still hungry. The other half of my sub looked really good. No, save it for later, manage your calories. Use the Force, Nick.

“Give in to your hunger!”

No, I will not come to the Dark Side!

“Search your stomach. You know it to be true.”

No! That’s not true! That’s impossible!

“We can rule the buffet as father and son!”

Shuddup, Mr. Peanut! I don’t want to look like Jabba the Hutt no more!

Yeah, I’m a geek. Proud of it.

Tonight, I had a little chocolate. Not alot, just a few nibbles. And a corn muffin, because my daughter offered it. And a piece of pizza, because my stomach demanded it. It stopped complaining after that. So, yeah, I prolly overshot my calorie goal. I'll get back on track. Tomorrow is a salad day. Tomorrow night, we're making those potato balls for Saturday's dinner. I only hope I have the willpower not to partake in them.

No workout tonight. The TV is occupied. It's getting late and I have work in New London tomorrow. 'Night all!

Nick’s Weight Loss Journal – Day 13: I Miss Chocolate!

I went shopping today for lunch. I had to go down the candy isle and I passed by a smorgasbord of confectionary temptation. My mouth began to water, my eyes widened, I felt a tingling feeling in my… stomach. (Get yer minds outta the gutter!) Before you start lecturing me, I didn’t pick any up. I wanted to, though. God, I used to have some chocolate everyday!

Wait, I had chocolate chip cookies yesterday, so why would I miss chocolate so soon? I think I was a chocoholic. Yes, to quote Betty White, I was addicted to chocohol! No, I craved it, and thought nothing of indulging that craving. I still do. Crave it, I mean, but I don’t impulsively buy it anymore. Instead, I’m eating peanuts. I thought it might be a good idea to up my protein a little, and nuts seemed to fit the bill. There are only two kinds of nuts I really like: peanuts (which apparently are not really nuts, but work with me here) and cashews. I love me some cashews, but they’re expensive, and looked to have more fat and calories. I could be mistaken. Yeah, that’s the ticket… So I got a bottle of lightly salted, dry roasted peanuts. And now Mr. Peanut is staring at me through his monocle, with that snide smirk that says, “Yes, Nick, you want more, you want to pile them in your face and eat them in one sitting. Go ahead, they’re on sale. And you get 25% more free, so it’s not exactly cheating.” Or, at least that’s what he’s saying to me. He’s in my filing cabinet now. I’ll let him out tomorrow.

Breakfast at Adult Probation! Woohoo! Nothing like stealing a few minutes before your clients start showing up to wolf down a bowl of Cheerios. I left the remaining bananas on the lunch room table yesterday and like magic, they disappear! It’s a miracle! I mean, it’s magic! I could use some blueberries or strawberries with my cereal. Thank goodness for summer! An apple quelled my hunger long enough to make it back to work from the grocery store. A salad with a little chicken and some ham was lunch, with a diluted Vitamin Water. I figure if I do a 50/50 VW/water mix will bring down the calorie value while still making it pleasing to the taste buds. That was followed up by me eating my nuts. Um, lemme rephrase. Eating whatever peanuts actually are. Dinner at Danny and Rachel's was rotisserie chicken sandwiches and chocolate pudding. Mmmm, chocolate. I mean, oh crap! =P

No walk today due to inclement weather, but I did a group workout with Danny and Rachel. Y'know, it was alot more fun, with each of us making fun of the workout. We've pretty much decided that Wednesdays will consist of the three of us working out together.

I’m using SparkPeople to track my food intake and my cardio. It’s pretty cool. I can use my cell phone to input the foods and their servings, and the site will calculate the rest. On average, I’m taking in anywhere between 1700-2500 calories. They recommend about 2500 calories, and they're complaining that I'm not taking in enough calories. What?! Isn't that what I'm supposed to be doing, eating fewer calories than I'm burning? And at the end of the day I'm still hungry. Crap, I think it's time I go to the doctor and spend $25 on the copay, then a dietitian and spend another $35. That I don't have. Anywho... Browsing the food database on the site gave me a rude awakening. The only thing on a chinese menu I like, Sweet and Sour Chicken, has an ungodly number of calories. Goodbye, S&S Chix. I'll miss you. Most of the other things I crave like Arby's and Pizza Hut are also pretty hefty. Eating well is a pain!

Well, I weighed myself today. And the results are:

Wednesday Weigh-In
Weight: 285.0
BMI: 40.89

I lost 1.8 lbs since Friday, which isn't really out of the ordinary, but it's in the right direction. Robert was the closest to my weight with an estimate of 285.6. Actually, he was the only one. Ah well. Congrats, Rob! Next Weigh-In is in one week.

Well, that does it for this Day 13. Tomorrow looks to be awesome weather, so I think I'll take a walk. Check ya later!

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Days XI & XII: Back on the Bandwagon

Well, once you fall off your horse, there are two things you can do: you can either get back on, or give up. After a few days of screwing up my routine, I've been tempted to take a break from it and try it again later. But noooooo, I won't let myself. It's the Irish in me. Stubborn.

So, yesterday, I ate a wheat bagel with strawberry preserves and a banana. Yuck. I've discovered that more than a dozen years has not improved my ability to ingest bananas. It's the fact that they turn into mush in your mouth. Easy to digest? Great! Loaded with potassium? Awesome! Make you wanna puke when you chew it? Holy Father, deliver us from evil and bananas!

Lunch was a salad with grilled chicken. Still going with the fat free thousand island until I can find another salad dressing that's good for me, that appeals to my taste buds, and doesn't turn my insides into a scene from Alien. Dinner wasn't so healthy. My fiance and I spent the evening making beef and potato balls, trying out a few new things for the benefit dinner this weekend. We were trying a new recipe, which means taste-testing. Now, these are beef and mashed potatoes, rolled into a ball, sauteed, and then garnished with cheese. No, not the best for you, but ooooooohh so good! I won't be eating those very often, but they're a great comfort food!

No workout yesterday. I just could not get going until I only had enough time to take a shower and run. I did walk for half an hour. Some of it was on a steady incline, so it was challenging. I wound up walking about a mile, maybe a mile and a quarter. I'll have to remember to reset my pedometer before I go for my walk!

Today, I did better. I had a bowl of Rice Crispies with banana slices. Much better. The cereal contrasted the texture of the banana, and masked the fact that it was turning into mush. I think that's the only way I'll be able to eat raw banana. Lunch was half a tuna grinder with the veggies and a cookie. I asked for apple slices, but they were all out. I swear, I tried. Dinner was the same.

I have only a few things to say about this morning's workout, and none of them I can say in a family-friendly blog! Let's just say it kicked my butt! I had a little extra time, so I set the workout to 30 minutes. 20 minutes later, I had to stop. Firstly, the workout was more intense than in previous sessions. I do think it was trying to kill me! I've discovered you can increase or decrease the difficulty of the workout. Second, I realized that I didn't want to go to work all sweaty, and I couldn't fit a shower in if I did the whole workout. No walk today. Rain. Hopefully tomorrow. If it's still raining, I'll just go to the mall after work and walk.

I'm also changing my workout days to everyday except Mondays and Fridays. Monday, well, it's Monday! Have we learned nothing from the Bangles? Friday is my day to drive longer and farther to get to work, and I'm almost never home until really late. No time for love, Doctor Jones! We'll see what happens.

It's Tuesday! And that means tomorrow is Nick's Weigh-In Wednesday! In today's comments, post what you think my weight will be. Whoever comes closest will get a nifty Piece of Flair! Remember that my weight on Friday was 286.8 lbs. Have I lost? Have I gained? We'll find out tomorrow! So get those guesses going! The contest ends at 11 tomorrow night!

Nick’s Weight Loss Journal – Days 9 & 10: Off the Reservation

So, it hasn't been a very good weekend.

Yesterday, I went to Mohegan Sun with Chrissy, and we had a great time there. It kind of reminds me of Deep Space 9 or Babylon 5. (What is with space stations and numbers?) Everything is stuck in there and it feels kind of alien! Anywho... Earlier in the day, I had a half of a chicken breast sub with the usual veggies and apple slices with some Vitamin Water. We went to the buffet last night and I filled my face. Mind you, I was expecting to do this, it being a last huzzah of sorts. We wound up unexpectedly coming home that night. No details, but I was not happy.

Which leads me to today, where I spent the majority of the day moping in bed. I don't recommend it. I really wish someone kicked me out of bed at 12 and told me to snap out of it. Now they know better. Finally crawled out of bed around 5 and had some roast beef and potatoes. I also had some air popped popcorn and some apple juice.

Chrissy and I walked a good 2.5 miles at Mohegan on Saturday, but I pretty much blew the day today. There's always tomorrow, I guess.

Robert made a suggestion for my interlude. I will do a weekly weigh-in on Wednesdays, but continue to do daily posts. On Tuesday, you, my faithful readers, will have a chance to guess what my weight will be, to the nearest 10th of a pound. The closest will get a little virtual something from me. Question is, what do you recommend? Robert suggested a virtual drink, but I like a Piece of Flair, because I can customize it. (Really cool app nonetheless!) What would you like to get as a prize?

Looking forward to your suggestions!

Nick’s Weight Loss Journal – Days 7 & 8: Walk Hard and Carry a Big Stick

Sorry this post is late. I didn’t get a chance to type one up at work yesterday.

So, let’s start with yesterday, Thursday. I woke up on time and did my workout. I decided to follow the trainer’s recommendation and do the upper body workout. It took me through several of the standard exercises, and then threw in some stuff I hadn’t seen before, like pushups, curls, etc. I’m pathetic at pushups, even ones on my knees. However, those were the only ones that presented a challenge. I barely broke a sweat. I think I’ll need to pick up a few free weights in the near future, but they’re just not in my budget at the moment. All in all, I was pretty disappointed in my workout.

I picked up a cheap pedometer the other day, and took my first walk yesterday. It took me about 25 minutes to walk about a mile and a half. I was tired, but it felt good to be active. I definitely want to continue that trend.

In the morning, I ate an apple, a strawberry yogurt, and a toasted wheat bagel. I think I should have had jam or something on the bagel, something to moisten it. Lunch was Weight Watchers lasagna. Yuck! I only got it because the salad bar wasn’t setup when I bought everything else. For dinner, I tried a Tendergrill sandwich from BK, no fries or soda. I followed that up with home made hamburgers later that evening. I thought I was playing it safe, until I inputted it into SparkPeople. Yes, I realize I made a mistake. No, I’m not doing that again. The sandwich was greatly overpriced anyway.

Thursday Wii Fit Stats

Weight: 289 lbs
BMI: 41.38

Somehow, my weight rebounded. I kinda expected it. No big deal, though, right? You’ll see what I mean in a moment. I suspect that a lot of this up and down is due to water weight, or at least that’s what people tell me. I blame Wii Fit as well. From now on, I’m using an actual scale to measure my weight. All I know is that I don’t think I ingested 7 pounds of food and liquid and retained it all.

So, that brings us to today. I worked in Willimantic, which means an earlier wake up time. Of course, can I get up earlier? No, of course I can’t. You’re a very astute reader. I wake up at 6:30, have to be on the road by 7:00. No time for a workout. And no chance this evening, since I’m not going to be home until late. I did go for a walk, however. I figured I should at least do something active. I forgot my sneakers at home, so I walked in my boots. Not comfortable! There’s a cemetery that neighbors the parking lot, so I spent my lunch walking through it. It was nice and eerily quiet, especially considering there was plenty of traffic just beyond the fence. And when I left, the moment I stepped out, the noise returned. I wish I brought my camera to take some pictures. There were tombstones that were almost 200 years old, and some very verbose epitaphs. I’ll be back here in two weeks, and hopefully the weather will be just as nice. So, I walked a little more than a mile in a little less than half an hour. Some of it was slightly uphill, so my calves are pretty sore. [Mental note: load more podcasts on my mp3 player for my walks.]

Wheat bagel, blueberry light yogurt, and a small handful of grapes for breakfast. Salad with oven roasted turkey and fat free thousand island dressing, and some more grapes for lunch. I had fat free Italian dressing with my salad the other day. It was too strong, and I wound up with terrible heartburn that evening. Any ideas as to what I can use instead? Dinner was a tuna grinder with some tortilla chips. (in lieu of the pizza that everyone else got.)

Friday’s Wii Fit Stats

Weight: 286.8 lbs
BMI: 41.09

Not bad. I reconciled Wii Fit to a scale. The scale said 286.4, so the balance board is pretty accurate. Don’t know if it’s necessary, though. I mean, it’s a cool tracking tool, but I can just as easily keep that in a calendar. In fact, I am. I’m heavily considering not weighing myself every day. (Geddit? Heavily? Weigh? *rim shot* I know, I know, that was bad!) It’s just gotten me frustrated, and anyways, it’s not about the day-to-day weight, it’s about the gradual loss. What do you guys think?

I won't be home the next couple days, but I will try to post while I'm away. Worst case scenario, another post like this one that covers two days. See you all later!

Nick’s Weight Loss Journal – Interlude for Feedback

Hey all!

I’ve been keeping this blog for just over a week now, and I’ve gotten a lot of helpful advice and encouragement. I want to thank everyone who has posted a comment or gave me feedback in person. I didn’t start it looking for attention, I started it to keep myself in line, but the exposure I have been getting has meant the world to me! Since I do have your attention, I do want to make this blog a worthwhile read, so I’d like to ask what you would like to see in future posts. More numbers? Fewer numbers? Numbers at the top of the post for easy browsing? More or less color commentary? I also want to get your opinions on the format of this blog. Do you prefer the plain text version, or would you like an audio or video podcast? It’s been suggested that I move this to a blogging specific site like LiveJournal. I prefer Facebook, because it’s where most of my friends are. What do you think?

Nick

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 6: I Know How John Pinette Feels...

I really need to learn to read a clock! I woke up panicked that my alarm didn’t go off, only to realize that the clock read 6:20, not 6:30. And what do I do? Lay back down and even snooze an extra 10 minutes. Needless to say, I had to scramble to get out of the house on time. And I didn’t even work out today! Thank God this is my last day house sitting, because I picked the wrong week to get into a routine. Next week I think will be a more accurate test of my ability to adhere to my schedule.

Rice Crispies for breakfast. I’ve come to realize that those prepackaged bowls of cereal are in the long run a waste of money. I would have saved money by buying the big box and portioning out the cereal myself. I need to find something else to eat other than cereal. Anything Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, etc (in other words, fast and easy) is out. I should be brown-bagging it anyways, save my money. Nonetheless, I went on the Subway website and got their nutritional info for their sandwiches. I feel smarter already! ;) Get this: the bread for their wraps has generally more calories, more sodium, and more fat than their regular breads! And wraps are supposed to be the healthy choice?! I’ll stick with wheat, thank you. Had a salad for lunch. I don't think I made it big enough, cuz I was still pretty hungry afterward.

Wii Fit Stats

Weight: 281.8 lbs
BMI: 40.34

I lost about 5 lbs. Overnight. Literally. Last night I weighed myself out of sheer curiosity and I was at about 288.6. This morning, I’m at 281.8, after shower, etc, but before breakfast. I think tonight I’ll reconcile Wii Fit against an actual scale. I like using the Wii. This is as much an experiment in using video games as a fitness tool as it is about the weight loss itself. If needs be, I’ll be willing to give up Wii Fit from the equation, (I’m only using it to easily track my weight at this point, and I don’t really care for My Weight Loss Coach anymore. There is such thing as too much tech. I know, “blasphemy!”) but I think My Fitness Coach is doing its job. I’m sweating when I do the workouts and my heart rate is up during it. The more I think of it, the more I think I’ll go with an online resource. Maria mentioned one on Day 0. I’ll have to check it out in more detail when I get home.

And as tired as I’ve been after my workout, I don’t feel satisfied. I really think I need another 15 minutes a day. Like I said earlier, tho, I don’t know if I can do it in the morning. As Brenda said in her comment to Day 0, maybe the morning workout isn’t for me. Maybe I need an evening workout. I’m just afraid if I put it off until the evening, I won’t do it. I found I do that a lot in lots of things, not just exercise. I usually just want to unwind. I have fewer distractions in the morning, like talking to my fiancé. (That’s a pleasant distraction, sweetheart, just to clarify!) She’s at home sleeping or getting Elizabeth ready for school in the morning. Maybe when we have our own place, we’ll be able to work out together, but in the meantime, gotta find a routine that works for my immediate needs and capabilities.

Ok, I’ve rambled enough for one day. See you tomorrow!

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 5: On the Up and Up

As I predicted, the trend continues, but not as bad this morning. I only gained .3 lbs, but as mentioned last time, yesterday's rise could have been attributed to clothing weight. Dunno, but the fact that I didn't gain that much is somewhat encouraging.

Wii Fit Stats

Weight: 287.1
BMI: 41.12

I had Apple Jacks this morning, which I realize wasn't the best move. I did buy a couple bowls of it, so I either eat it or give it to someone else. Don't want them to go to waste. I'll eat the Rice Crispies tomorrow. Half of a turkey sub loaded with the usual veggies for lunch and the other half for dinner, a brownie for a snack and some steak fries. My problem is that I eat dinner at about 5, and am hungry at about 8. Am I eating too little in my meals? I dunno, I think I might want to visit the doctor about that one.

I woke up at 6:30 and only lounged for about 3 or so minutes. I've gotta get up earlier, tho, if I'm going to do this and commute with my sister. I was weighing myself when I should be dressing for work. Right now, I don't need to leave until 7:30, but when my sister comes back from vacation, I'll need to be ready to go by 7:15. Means I'll need to go to sleep earlier, and that means I sacrifice time talking to my fiance. (anyone want to sell me a couple extra hours in a day?)

No workout tomorrow. Going to use that time to clean up after myself for when my brother-in-law gets home. I don't think I'm doing that bad, tho, all things considered. Will my routine pay off? Time will tell. In the meantime, however, I'm still friggin' hungry... =P

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 3: Easter Bunny ate the Wii

No, not really. My brother-in-law took the Wii with them to Cape Cod, which means I need to use my Wii. Which is at home. I'll be hitting home tonight for Easter dinner, so I'll grab the Wii then. In the meantime, this means no workout today. I did play a little with my daughter, however, but it was just too cold to spend much time outside.

In other news, I pulled out My Weight Loss Coach for the Nintendo DS, which has a pedometer. I'm hoping to track my non-workout activities as well as my eating habits with it. So, that starts tomorrow.

Wii Fit Stats

Weight: 285.5 lbs
BMI: 40.87

It's a holiday, which means lots of eating. I did ok for dinner #1, but over did it a little for dinner #2. Ham and potatoes at both places, plus bread, a slice of apple pie, and half a slice of cheesecake. Plus a Reece's egg and a couple "fun sized" snickers.

Tomorrow is the test of how reluctant I will be to stick to this regiment. I know I have to get into the habit, but I need to find the strength to wake up and hit it.

Cheers!

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 4: Rise and Shine, and Back to the Grind

Well, it's Monday. That means it's back to work, and the start of my exercise routine before work. I normally wake up at 6:30, and snooze until as late as 7:00, but I can't do that any more. I'm a trouble sleeper, because I wake up periodically thinking I've slept through the alarm when it's 3:00 and I have hours left to go. This morning was no different. I woke at 5:30, wondering why my alarm didn't go off. I tried going back to sleep, but by 6:00, I decided to get up and about, do a few things before I start my routine. Threw some laundry in the dryer, ate my breakfast before my workout, and typed up this draft of my journal post.

My workout wasn't as hard as the last one. One thing I've noticed is that I don't breathe properly when exerting physical effort. Today, I concentrated on my breathing. Still had some fatigue in my arms, but I survived. I need more activity. I know I eventually want to up my workout to 30 minutes. Right now, I am trying to establish a routine of waking up. Once I get that down, I'll up it to 30. In the meantime, I think I'm going to go for a walk during my lunch. I bought sneakers today specifically for that reason.

Guess what I ate this morning? Yep, Cheerios. This isn't going to be an every day thing, though. I bought a bunch of the single serving cereal bowls in a few different varieties. Cheerios happens to be the one I grabbed. I wish I had a piece of fruit. My sister left a almost bare refrigerator, just milk and OJ, and vegetables for my niece's Guinea pig. I didn't get a chance to pick up any fruit on my way to work, and I was an idiot and didn't pick any up on my way home. That's ok, tho. For lunch, I had a ham grinder with my usual assortment of veggies. Had some cookies, as well. Bad me. And had a couple chicken patties at home, cuz they were fast and easy.

Wii Fit Stats

Weight: 286.8 lbs
BMI: 41.06

Ok, my weight is rising, not falling. I'm up another 1.3 lbs, although I was almost fully dressed for work, so a contributing factor might be that I miscalculated the weight of my clothes. My bets, however, are that I will have gained again tomorrow. Hopefully the walking will help.

Tomorrow's another day. 'Night, all.

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 2: Reprieve

Ok, welcome to day 2. So, I woke up about 10 this morning, and wasn't all that hungry this morning, so I didn't eat until about 1:30. Bowl of Cheerios. Big surprise. Had a foot long tuna grinder with lots of veggies. Split it between lunch and dinner, as usual.

No workout today. Next workout is Sunday.

Today's Wii Fit Stats

Weight: 284.2
BMI: 40.68

A slight rise. Nothing dramatic, but that's ok. I just ate, and really haven't done anything strenuous yet. I'm bound to waver a little. As long as I'm gradually losing weight, a minor gain isn't anything to worry about.

I'll be house sitting at my sister's until Wednesday, but luckily, they have a Wii and Wii Fit. I should be able to take my stats with me and keep to my schedule. The big challenge comes Monday morning, when I have to do my workout and then go to work. Means I have to get up a little earlier than normal.

Thanks for the encouragement, by the way. It just makes me want to make you guys proud! =)

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 1: Ouchie, ouchie, ouchie!

Ok, my body hurts after my first workout, which concentrated on keeping moving. I broke a sweat, which means I definitely burned some calories. 95, according to the game. I tried some of the Gold's Gym, which focuses mostly on boxing, but decided to get right into the workout on the other game. I then logged into Wii Fit to record my weight. It's been two days since I last checked everything, and I really haven't been feeling well all week. And the results are:

Weight: 282.6 lbs
BMI: 40.46

This mean I've lost 8.8 lbs in two days. While this may sound like a great thing, it's not. You're supposed to lose that much over the course of about 6 weeks, not 2 days. However, there are a couple things that I think attribute to that:

1.) The last time I checked my weight, I did so in the evening. Today, I did it in the morning. I've read that you burn about 1000 calories while you sleep.

2.) I got rid of some waste before starting my workout, and didn't eat anything until after my workout.

3.) I didn't eat as much as I normally do. I wasn't feeling well, so I hit the hay at about 8:00 PM and didn't wake up until 9:00 AM.

Still, almost 9 pounds in two days? I guess I should count this as a blessing.

This morning, I had a bowl of Cheerios with some 1% milk, and a slice of apple. (Thanks Matteus) In the afternoon I had a bit of tuna casserole, which I discovered I liked, and some tuna loaf, which I didn't. In the evening, I broke down and ate two chicken patties, since I'd eaten relatively little all day. I was good tho; I has the opportunity to eat chocolate and such and resisted.

Day 1, done. Next foot forward.

Nick's Weight Loss Journal - Day 0: A little background

Hey all! To try to keep myself in the habit, I've decided to keep an online journal of my weight loss journey.

Just a little background on me before I begin... I've been a big guy for about 15 years, thanks to desk jobs and video games. to make matters worse, I work taking DNA samples for the state of Connecticut, and business is not exactly booming. What does that mean? I sit around for about 7 hours a day doing nothing. When I get home from work, (after an hour commute each way, mind you) I usually sit with my fiance and daughter at her house, or I come home and play on the computer. In other words, I live a very sedintary life. I've owned Wii Fit since the day it came out, almost a year, but really haven't used it extensively.

So, this past Tuesday, after a conversation at work about weight, I decided to get back into it, thinking I was about 265 lbs. To my surprise, I was 291 lbs! At my height, my BMI is 41.66! The next day, I tried eating differently, and gained half a pound! (BMI 41.72) That's when I decided I was going to have to do something differently to get results.

I bought two games at Best Buy, since they were on sale when you bought them both: My Fitness Coach and Gold's Gym Cardio Workout. After an evaluation, the premier recommended 15 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week. So, that's what I'm going to try to stick to. It's recommended that one exercises in the morning, which is going to be a challenge, since I don't sleep well, generally, and getting up in the morning is always an ordeal. However, they say that you sleep better if you exercise in the morning, so that might be the way to go. I think I should keep track of my eating habits as well, so I can see what I'm putting in me.

Well, here goes nothing!

Wish me luck!

Nick