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.