Week 4 Weigh In

Ok... so I didn't post anything on Monday this week and got called out on it! I sincerely appreciate those of you that emailed me, please keep it up! It is so hard to go to the trouble to make a post just to let everyone know that I'm a failure. When I gain weight, my whole motivation self-destructs. This is where I go wrong... this is where I get back into bad habits. This is where the trouble begins. I have choices to make and the choices I make when I fail, are the most important choices that I have. I was in Phoenix visiting my Grandmother this week and didn't count my calories while I was gone. I'm sure that is at least part of the problem. I am weighing in and I count that as at least a small victory. That is a huge key to winning the war and not just focusing on the battles.

Starting Weight (Nov. 17, 2008): 280 lbs.
Starting BMI: 39
Weight Last Weigh in: (Dec. 1, 2008) 274 lbs.
Weight Today (Dec. 8, 2008): 275 lbs.
Current BMI: 38.4

Weight Change This Week: +1 lbs
Total Weight Lost: - 5 pounds
Goal Streak: 0 weeks in a row
NEXT GOAL: 255 lbs. (20 lbs. to go)

Week 3 Weigh In

I've been doing a great job counting calories and have had the flu this past week so I haven't gone to the gym. Counting the calories has worked very well and i will keep it up. When I don't work out, I have less calories, but enough to not go into starvation mode. When I start working out again, I will have more calories to make up for the difference in what I am burning. Most of the time i stay around 2000 calories. A little less when i don't work out and a little more when I do. I don't really know the minimum that I can get without my body saving the fat because I am not getting enough. I will stay with the number that I have been getting cuz it seems to be working until I hit a plateau. Working out will help prevent that as well I think. Anyway, here's my stats for the week:

Starting Weight (Nov. 17, 2008): 280 lbs.
Starting BMI: 39
Weight Last Weigh in: (Dec. 1, 2008) 276.5 lbs.
Weight Today (Dec. 8, 2008): 274 lbs.
Current BMI: 38.2

Weight Change This Week: -2.5 lbs
Total Weight Lost: - 6 pounds
Goal Streak: 3 weeks in a row
NEXT GOAL: 255 lbs. (19 lbs. to go)

Week 2 Weigh In

I'm on the right track. i lost 2.5 pounds this week which is amazing since it was Thanksgiving and I got sick and didn't work out. I have been counting calories and it has been working well. It's tough to keep up with, but totally worth it. I never realized how many calories some stuff has in it. It's really not too difficult to eat well and when I start exercising, the pounds should really come off! I'm going to have to research the minimum calories that I should be getting because I think my problem is that I get too many a lot of days and then hardly any at all and that makes the weight gain even worse.

Starting Weight (Nov. 17, 2008): 280 lbs.
Starting BMI: 39
Weight Last Weigh in: (Nov. 24, 2008) 279 lbs.
Weight Today (Dec. 1, 2008): 276.5 lbs.
Current BMI: 38.6

Weight Change This Week: -2.5 lbs
Total Weight Lost: - 3.5 pounds
Goal Streak: 2 weeks in a row
NEXT GOAL: 255 lbs. (21.5 lbs. to go)

Week 1 Weigh In

I had a good week this week. I have been making some better eating choices and getting to the gym more. This week is critical, I am going to Hobbs, NM for Thanksgiving and there isn't much to do there other than eat. I am going to try to not eat out of boredom and have another good week this week!

Starting Weight (Nov. 17, 2008): 280 lbs.
Starting BMI: 39
Weight Last Weigh in: (Nov. 17, 2008) 280 lbs.
Weight Today (Nov. 24, 2008): 279 lbs.
Current BMI: 38.9

Weight Change This Week: -1 lb
Total Weight Lost: - 1 pounds
Goal Met Streak: 1 week in a row
NEXT GOAL: 255 lbs. (24 lbs. to go)

Gearing up for Winter

For many reasons this is the most difficult time of year to be healthy.

1. it's getting cold, so there is less motivation to do stuff outside
2. holidays make eating healthy more difficult
3. the end of the year means less sleep and more stress

i am back to my starting weight of 280. I have been going the gym sporadically and watching what i eat somewhat, but still gaining weight. I just wonder what would happen if i wasn't trying at all... Since this is a challenging time anyway and I want to keep this health thing going as well as possible, I am going to set my goals for a year from today. I have done a lousy job at being accountable and checking in every week. This is where i need your help. Each time that I start this challenge over, I learn a new lesson and learn that I need to take a step back and focus on the lowest common denominator. So, even if I am not being healthy, the least i can do is check in each monday. If I am not checking in, please send me a message and feel free to bug me. It is not anyone's job except mine, but if anyone wants to help me out this way I would really appreciate it. So... here we go again 280.

Two weeks in 1 Week 3 and 4 Weigh in

Small changes are going well and I am losing a small amount every week. This seems to be working well for me and I am going to keep it up. I am jamming with a new band that plays some harder music so I am burning more calories drumming regularly with them. We are practicing again tonight for the second day in a row. I think we are going to be practicing a lot because we have set some aggressive goals!

LAST WEEK
Starting Weight (Aug. 27, 2008): 280 lbs.
Starting BMI: 39
Weight Last Weigh in: (Sept. 8, 2008) 275 lbs.
Weight Today (Sept. 15, 2008): 274 lbs.
Current BMI: 38.2
Weight Change This Week: -1 lb
Total Weight Lost: - 6 pounds
Streak: 3 weeks
NEXT GOAL: 255 lbs. (19 lbs. to go)


THIS WEEKStarting Weight (Aug. 27, 2008): 280 lbs.
Starting BMI: 39
Weight Last Weigh in: (Sept. 15, 2008) 274 lbs.
Weight Today (Sept. 22, 2008): 273 lbs.
Current BMI: 38.1
Weight Change This Week: -1 lb
Total Weight Lost: - 7 pounds
Streak: 4 weeks
NEXT GOAL: 255 lbs. (18 lbs. to go)

Week 2 Weigh in

Had another good week, had some more exercise this week as I practiced a lot and played a show on Saturday night as well as doing a lot of work around the house. I have added a new idea to my data to help my motivation. I am going to keep track of my "streak" or how many weeks in a row I have met my goal of losing at least 1 pound. Since this is about lifestyle change, I feel like consistency is more indicative of my progress than how many pounds I can lose in any given week. Anyway, two weeks in a row and i'm going for three!


Starting Weight (Aug. 27, 2008): 280 lbs.
Starting BMI: 39
Weight Last Weigh in: (Sept. 1, 2008) 278.5 lbs.
Weight Today (Sept. 8, 2008): 275 lbs.
Current BMI: 38.4
Weight Change This Week: -3.5 lbs
Total Weight Lost: - 5 pounds
Streak: 2 weeks
NEXT GOAL: 255 lbs. (20 lbs. to go)

Week 1 Weigh In

I weighed in on Monday, but just got around to posting it after a crazy week! So far so good, I lost a pound and a half and am feeling good about this week. I've been eating better and my workouts have mostly been about painting and scraping off wallpaper. Next weeks workouts may be the same and I will get in the gym as soon as some of the initial house stuff is done.

Starting Weight (Aug. 27, 2008): 280 lbs.
Starting BMI: 39
Weight Last Weigh in: (Aug. 27, 2008) 280 lbs.
Weight Today (Sept. 1, 2008): 278.5 lbs.
Current BMI: 38.8
Weight Change This Week: -1.5 lbs
Total Weight Lost: -1.5 pounds
NEXT GOAL: 255 lbs. (23.5 lbs. to go)

Here we go!

So this is my first weigh in again! My plan this time is to count calories, which kind of worked with WW, and exercise. Sounds simple, yet I know it's not. To start, I am going to use the Biggest Loser book and an Og Mandino book for motivation. I will do the "Couch to 5k" program because I think it will work if I do it. I am going to start riding my bike as well. This is the heaviest that I have ever been in my life and I am pissed off at myself for letting this happen, while consciously trying to lost weight! My weight is the biggest thing holding me back and I wonder sometimes if there isn't some sort of psychological issue going on. Maybe I should see a shrink. Maybe a support group, i don't know. For now, this is my plan and I'm sticking to it!

Starting Weight (Aug. 27, 2008): 280 lbs.
Starting BMI: 39
Weight Last Weigh in: (Aug. 27, 2008) 280 lbs.
Weight Today (Aug. 27, 2008): 280 lbs.
Current BMI: 39

Weight Change This Week: 0 lbs
Total Weight Lost: 0
NEXT GOAL: 255 lbs. (25 lbs. to go)

Starting Over

OK, so here I am a year later. I am supposed to be 100 pounds lighter, but I am in the same place I was a year ago. It's time to start over with new goals. I keep asking myself, "What is going to be different this year?" Life continues to get in the way of my health and I know it needs to stop. I lost over 25 pounds only to gain it back. Maybe 100 pounds in a year was overwhelming, maybe setting a more attainable goal of 50 pounds in a year is better. Seriously, if I lose 100 pounds in 2 years, that's still pretty amazing and I will be where I want to be. Maybe I am too inpatient, perhaps too willing to settle for quick fixes instead of really doing what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle. So the journey begins again. I am done feeling sorry for myself, I am done beating myself up. I am going to erase this past year and start over. Today is the first day of the rest of my life... again!

Excuses

John T posted this over at http://www.fatbloggers.net/ It's pretty thought provoking.

Losing weight in Albuquerque now!

Well, a lot has happened since the last time I really posted. I was in Oregon for school, NY City for a conference. I moved to Albuquerque, NM and started a new job at a new church and then I went to Los Angeles to record our new EP "Caballo de Lumbre" with my band "Next 2 the Tracks." The recording went great and the new album is going to be amazing! We are sending it off to get mastered next week. I am going to have to buy a scale because my new gym doesn't have one and that's what I usually use, but the scale I used at a friends house said I was at 268.5 lbs. That's a 2 pound loss while I have been moving and traveling so I'll take that!!! Sorry about being gone for a while, but I'm back. My girlfriend and I are trying to share our meals every time we go out to eat, so I think that will also help with the weight loss! I'll be checking in again soon!

Starting Weight (Aug. 1, 2007): 270 lbs.
Starting BMI: 37.7
Weight Last Weigh in: (May 26, 2008) 270.6 lbs.
Weight Today (July 7, 2008): 268.5 lbs.
Current BMI: 37.6
Weight Change This Week: -2.1 lbs.
Total Weight Lost: -1.5 lbs.
NEXT GOAL: 260 lbs. (8.5 lbs. to go)

Weekly non-weigh in

Well, I was in the mountains for school last week. We actually stayed in the hotel that the outside scenes of "The Shining" was filmed at. The whole week was catered with some of the best food that I ever had. I'm sure it was very unhealthy, but i don't know if I will ever have the opportunity to feast like we did all week. I am in New York and New Jersey this week and I have been walking everywhere in some intense heat and humidity. I'm eating much better and will be interested to see if i can undo this week what I did last week. I don't have access to any scale so I won't weigh in. I did just want to check in though... have a good week everyone!

Weekly Weigh-in

Well, I had a pretty good week. I gained .2 pounds, but I seemed to have stopped the bleeding. I think I ran into a problem when I stopped doing Herbalife. It was working well and then I got in the middle of moving and I ran out of the stuff so I haven't been even thinking about my diet. I've been eating better and working out this week and I think things are back on track. I will go back to Herbalife in July after I get done moving and get settled and that should help as well, but until then I will just be careful with what I'm eating. I am going out of town for 2 weeks so I hope I can at least maintain this disaster during that time.

Starting Weight (Aug. 1, 2007): 270 lbs.
Starting BMI: 37.7
Weight Last Weigh in: (May 21, 2008) 270.4 lbs.
Weight Today (May 26, 2008): 270.6 lbs.
Current BMI: 37.8
Weight Change This Week: +.2 lbs
Total Weight Lost: +.6 lbs.
NEXT GOAL: 260 lbs. (10.6 lbs. to go)

bad news

well I finally worked up the courage to weigh myself again and it was just as bad as I expected. 270.4! This is the most that i have ever weighed in my life and I have been trying to lose weight since last August. It kind of makes me feel like the last year of my life has been a total failure in this department. I worked out twice yesterday and plan on going to the gym again today. It should come off pretty quickly at first because the last 10 pounds or so have gone on pretty fast. All I know to do is to keep working... I have been thinking about going to see a counselor or something to help me figure out why this is such a hard thing to do. The first thing to do is to get back to posting my weight EVERY week regardless of how well I am doing!

Starting Weight (Aug. 1, 2007): 270 lbs.
Starting BMI: 37.7
Weight Last Weigh in: 262 lbs.
Weight Today (May 21, 2008): 270.4 lbs.
Current BMI: 37.8
Weight Change This Week: +8.4 lbs
Total Weight Lost: +.4 lbs.
NEXT GOAL: 245 lbs. (13 lbs. to go)

La vida loca

My life has been crazy lately. After my finger infection problems were followed by shoulder and hip problems, I have been traveling to do weddings, finishing a chapter of my dissertation, and moving out of my house into a storage facility. Needless to say, I have not been working out regularly or watching what I eat. After doing a wedding in San Antonio last weekend and partying with some good friends, I think I am probably back to where I was almost a year ago. I am disappointed, but mostly I am motivated. I am living with friends for a few months while I look to buy a house, and during this time i am going to really strive toward two one-hour workouts a day and eating healthy. I will face the music and weigh in tonight or tomorrow, and then I will know what I am working from, but I can tell from how my clothes are fitting that it will not be good news!

#1225 on Million Blog List

This blog is listed as #1225 on the Million Blog List

Herbalife

So I started doing Herbalife again. I've been taking it and selling it off and on since I was in college. I have lost between 10 and twenty pounds with it several times before giving it up. My hip is acting up so I'm holding off on the couch to 5k stuff until I can get it adjusted or until it stops hurting. I have been going to the gym this week and lifting weights. I went to the allergy doctor today and my weight was very bad news, but I was holding things and had other things in my pocket so I hope that's part of the problem. I will weigh in tomorrow or Saturday for the offical weight. I also took a "before picture" so hopefully that is additional motivation! I am wondering how the calories work with Herbalife. I am drinking 2 super healthy shakes a day and eating one meal. It seems like my body could go into starvation mode this way, but since it is getting tons of nutrients, it doesn't seem to happen. We shall see I guess!

Goodbye Weight Watchers!

So my finger is finally all better and I got back into the gym last night! I feel like Weight Watchers is a waste of time and money for me right now. Part of my weight problem is that I don't have time to eat well and work out. By putting meetings into my schedule, it gives me even less time, plus the stuff we talk about rarely applies to someone like me with a lifestyle like mine. I need to start a Punk rock Weight watchers or something. So I am going to just eat well and work out and I think I am gonna be fine. I rarely write down my points anyway and I just feel like a failure paying money to stand on a scale and being bored for an hour. I'm planning on hitting the gym in a little bit, and I've been eating pretty well today. I have thought about counting calories instead of points... so I might do that. Things are good, the finger thing set me back way more than it should have!

Emergency Room Fun!

I spent 8 hours in the emergency room on Friday night. I was really stupid and there was a spider bite or something on my finger so I poked at it... it got really infected. I was on my way to band practice on Friday and I decided just to run by urgent care and get a prescription for some antibiotics. To make a long story short the Dr. sent me to the emergency room immediately and I was there for 8 hours while they have me antibiotic shots, a tetanus shot, and 4 shots into my knuckle to numb my finger while they cut it open and dug out all of the poison and infection in my finger. Needless to say, the whole numbing thing didn't work so well and I definitely felt them cutting me open and digging around. All in all, it was a very long and painful night. It has been healing pretty well, but is still very sore. They gave me some Vicodin if that is any indication of the pain. I haven't been able to work out cuz I've been a bit drugged up, but I've been trying to eat well and hopefully it won't be too bad of a week!

Less rev. todd update 3/26/08

I am in a much better mood this week as I have lost 4 pounds. Drinking more water is definitely helping! I didn't change much except the water so this was a very good week! I'm gonna get all my running in this week and hit the gym harder and next week should be another good one! I'm now down to 258!

Starting Weight (Aug. 1, 2007): 270 lbs.
Starting BMI: 37.7
Weight Last Week (Mar. 20, 2008): 262 lbs.
Weight Today (Mar. 26, 2008): 258 lbs.
Current BMI: 36.0

Weight Change This Week: -4 lbs
Total Weight Lost: -12 lbs.
NEXT GOAL: 245 lbs. (13 lbs. to go)

Muscle building tips

Top 10 Ways to Build Muscle Mass Fast

“Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.”

- Arnold H. Glasow

Note: This guest post was written by Mark McManus. Check out his website here.

Want to look better and burn more calories even when resting?

You will if you add some muscle to your frame.

Whether you want to be the next Ronnie Coleman or just want a more defined / toned physique like Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston, you’ll need to build some muscle mass.

So here’s 10 tips to help you build pounds of lean muscle and get the body of your dreams.

1. Pursue Progressive Overload.

The law of progressive overload simply says that you must increase the amount of reps or the weight lifted every single workout (or as close to this as humanly possible) in order to ignite muscle growth.

The body adapts to stimuli, so how do we use this to our advantage? Well the key is to place ever increasing demand on the body, thereby forcing it to continually adapt. Training with weights is undoubtedly the best way to achieve this. You can know precisely how much weight you can handle and can also make incremental increases over time to spark muscle growth.

If you workout with the exact same weight every session and perform the same number of repetitions, how can you expect your body to grow? So, if you want bigger biceps, you must increase the weight you are lifting every session or the amount of repetitions. Remember:

Progressive Overload = Muscle Growth.

2. Perform 8-12 reps.

8-12 reps on any given exercise will stimulate most muscle growth. Lower rep ranges of say 3-6 work well for building strength but not necessarily muscle hypertrophy (growth). Higher reps e.g. 15 - 20 can indeed stimulate muscle growth but it is far from optimal. You should be lifting a weight so heavy that you can’t get more than 12 reps but light enough to allow you to get at least 8 reps.

3. Perform 6-9 sets.

Yes just 6-9 sets per body part. If you are working out with good form this is all you need to stimulate muscle growth. You want to keep your workouts under 45 minutes to avoid the release of hormones that actually break your muscle tissue down (catabolic hormones). Luckily, you can easily accomplish this by performing a maximum of 9 sets per body part.

4. Eat Eat Eat.

Working a muscle tears the tissue, it then repairs and grows. Muscles need fed in order to allow them to grow. Basically you need to eat big to get big. A good bodybuilding diet will allow you to grow without adding fat at the same time.

5. Increase the Amount of Protein in your Diet.

Muscle = protein. In order for muscle tissue to repair itself after your weight-training sessions it needs an abundance of protein. Some beginners don’t take enough protein and some more experienced guys take ridiculously extreme amounts of protein. So how much protein is enough to supply those hungry muscles? Use the following formula for the most accurate daily protein requirements.

Lean Mass Weight (Kg) x 2.75 = Daily Protein Requirement

Your lean weight is your total body weight minus the amount of fat you are carrying. You will need to know your body fat percentage for this. If you are unsure about this, you can get a good estimate by using the ‘Body Fat Calculator’ in the sidebar at MuscleHack.com site. Another good rule of thumb is to take 1 gram of protein for every pound of total body weight. So a 160 lb man would take around 160 grams of protein per day. My favorite sources of protein include

* Chicken
* Steak
* Pork
* Eggs
* Cheese
* Whey Protein Powder Shakes
* Seafood - tuna, prawns, salmon…
* Nuts
* Seeds

Here’s a good post showing great vegetarian sources of protein.

6. Eat Fat.

A Low-Fat diet is not desirable in bodybuilding. Eating fat increases the amount of anabolic (muscle building) hormones in your body. These are:

1. Testosterone
2. Growth Hormone
3. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)

Some people resort to taking anabolic steroids in order to accelerate muscle growth but you can get great results by implementing the ultimate bodybuilding diet.

7. Make Sure you Drink Enough Water.

Getting enough water is crucial for peak strength and energy levels. You should shoot for around 12 x 8 ounce glasses of water per day. Remember you can include your protein shakes towards your daily water intake.

8. Avoid Too Much Cardio.

Cardiovascular work will rob you of muscle gains. Yes if your goal is to lose fat you should do cardio but make sure it is:

(a) Performed immediately after your weight training

(b) ‘High Intensity Interval Training’ form of cardio for a maximum of 20 minutes.

The reason that too much cardio isn’t desirable when your goal is to build muscle is that too much cardio releases catabolic hormones in the body, breaking down your muscle tissue; obviously this is counter-productive.

9. Sleep.

Sleep is so important for building muscle. We know that muscle tissue repairs itself and grows during rest periods but sleep is more important than waking rest periods.

Here’s why:

1. The release of growth hormone reaches its peak during deep sleep
2. Your metabolic rate slows which is perfect for muscle tissue repair and growth
3. Increased blood flow to the muscles

10. Relax.

Being stressed out results in a catabolic (muscle breakdown) environment in the body. One such hormone is cortisol. Remember that a calm, relaxed person builds more muscle than the hot-head (assuming all other factors are equal).

Keep it positive and stay motivated!

Too much rev. todd update 3/20/08

I'm really pissed off! I have been writing down my food all week and staying within my points and working out almost every day and I gained 2.5 lbs. I was absolutely stunned... and as the scale sailed through the window of the Weight Watchers building, I wondered, "how did this happen?" The only thing that I think I can do better is to drink more water. I haven't been paying attention to that and I'm sure that I haven't been drinking enough. So for this week... I will drink 1/2 of my body weight in oz. of water while maintaining my workout schedule and counting my points each day, staying within my allotted range. I'm hoping this results in a great week next week! Here's my damn stats:

Starting Weight (Aug. 1, 2007): 270 lbs.
Starting BMI: 37.7
Weight Last Week (Mar. 20, 2008): 259.5 lbs.
Weight Today (Mar. 12 2008): 262 lbs.
Current BMI: 36.2

Weight Change This Week: +2.5 lbs
Total Weight Lost: -8 lbs.
NEXT GOAL: 245 lbs. (17 lbs. to go)

finished week 1

I finished my first week of couch to 5k on a treadmill today. It was easier in some ways but I couldn't slow down when i got tired, so it was harder in that way. I feel good about this week and we'll see how it all turns out next week. I kept track of my points too, so I feel like I had a good day! Tomorrow is gonna be a really hard day for me, but I don't feel any urges to eat because of it so that's good!

great week so far!

I did my second day of Couch to 5k today. After going to the gym Monday and yesterday I decided to take a day off and I'll hit the weights again tomorrow! I went to WW today and I am only .5 a pound down from last week. Not doing too well, but I am getting into better habits! I have worked out every day this week and I've been eating pretty well too. I didn't get to eat much all day yesterday and after band practice I was starving. Wendy's was open and those damn baconator commercials kept running through my head. So i had one and it was way too much meat! I felt my arteries clog up as I was eating it, but it was pretty good anyway :) That probably was not the best decision the day before WW but i'm looknig for a big loss next week now!

Good start to the week!

So I found these podcasts that go with the couch to 5k program. They really help because somehow without a watch to look at the time goes WAY faster! I started on week 1 again because I am only going to move on to the next week if I complete the workout at least 3 times in a week. I figure that gives me motivation and a sense of accomplishment! I went to the gym tonight so I got 2 cardio workouts and some weights! It was a very good day!

back off the couch

I'm in Austin for a couple of days to meet with some pastors around here. This is where my weight loss journey took a detour last October or November. I have been trying to recover from that detour ever since. It is hard to stay healthy here because there are so many new things to eat and do and I have friends here that I like to drink with and stuff. I have been pretty good so far... I ran today, which I never even thought of doing last time I was here. I really need to learn to just be healthy no matter where I am or what I am doing. That is my focus on this trip.

I started back on my couch to 10K running project on Sunday. I ran today around Dell and it started out really easy. I was proud of myself because of how easy it was... then I turned around and realized that I had been running downhill the whole time. The way back was pretty rough, but I made it! I'll be back home soon and into the gym and my regular routine again (or at least working on making the gym a regular routine :) ). I had a breakfast bar this morning and I'm gonna eat a salad for lunch so I can indulge a little bit tonight if I want. But... so far so good!

too much rev. todd

so I decided to go to the gym instead of weight watchers today. It turned out that it had to be one or the other so I hit the gym and will go to WW in Friday or Sat. I weighed myself on the scale at the gym which is usually higher than the WW scale and I did it after my workout which usually seems to be higher than before I work out. The scale said what I was afraid of... 260. I am going to work very hard and hopefully the WW number will be a pound or two less than that. I wanted to see as high a number as possible so that I will be as motivated as possible. It's always hard for me to get going again after taking time off. But I'm eating very well today and have already worked out so this is going to be a + day!

On another note… i have like 2 pairs of jeans that I wear most every day. One of them is a bit too small and the other is wearing out (my big toe got caught in a hole this morning and made a minor problem a bit bigger). So I have decided that I’m not going to buy any new jeans that are the same size as the ones I am wearing. I will wear these until I can fit into the next smaller size (which I think is a 36). So either i am going to drop a size pretty quick or I am going to wear increasingly deteriorating jeans along with my uncomfortable ones… or I will lose weight and my other jeans will fit better and I can buy some new ones that are smaller. Just another step in making health more comfortable than habit.

lesson learned and facing the music

well, I took it easy last week and it was probably a good thing. Halfway through the first church service on Sunday I was absolutely exhausted. I was still not feeling very well, but I never got sick enough to stop working or stop doing anything, I just didn't work out. So, on Sunday I felt awful and Monday was even worse. It's funny that worship services take so much energy out of me, but I always try to "leave it on the field" so to speak. Well I have been very intentional in my resting and I feel tons better today, so I'll be back at it tomorrow I think. I have come to a few realizations...

1. I eat very unhealthy when I'm sick. I don't know if it is the convenience factor or what but I have cravings when I am sick that I never have when i feel well. I seem to have less self control too, so I give into them. I never realized this before, but looking back on it this is why getting sick puts me so far back. Maybe it is memories of getting whatever I wanted when I was young and didn't feel well and so I treat myself the same way now... who knows!

2. I saw a video of myself today speaking at a conference last weekend. Ouch... nothing like that to give you a huge wake up call! I look terrible!!! I'm very motivated to go to the gym tomorrow, I just don't want to relapse or anything.

3. I'm gonna go weigh in tomorrow... I have eaten very badly and not done any excercise so I'm looking at a 3 - 5 pound gain I'm afraid, but I'm gonna face the music. I thought about using my week off coupon and not weighing in, but I really don't want to take it easy on myself. Being sick is no excuse... I made some very bad decisions and I need to break that pattern next time I'm sick.

this week

well this week my progress has been +++-- I had just a bit of a bad day yesterday because of Valentines shenanigans. I actually feel like I am going to do pretty well this week when i weigh in on Monday. I've been eating well so far today, but I've been feeling quite a bit worse, so i guess the whole lifting when i'm sick thing didn't work out for me. I did go to the allergy doctor and got some medicine that will hopefully help me deal with my allergies better so that I stay well more often. We will see how the weekend goes, I'm contemplating working out today, but since I felt worse after working out the other day, i'm not sure if i will or not. If I do, I can turn that last minus to a plus... but for now i am just going to assume that I will rest. Plus, my supervisor is coming to see me work on Sunday, so I'm a little nervous about that and i want to be on top of my game!

+ for yesterday and + for today I hope

I am going to give myself a + for yesterday even though I didn't workout. I did keep track of my points and I did stay within them so i think it was a positive day for losing weight. With some help from my friends I have decided to try to go lift or at least take a walk when I'm sick and at least see how that goes. Changing behavior is the only way to break a pattern, so it might now work, but at least I am failing at a different action! I am eating well today and I am about to go lift at the gym and will skip the cardio cuz of my cough. So far so good. Also, I am going to the allergy doctor tomorrow to see if there is something he can do. I think allergies are a big cause of my getting sick ever since I've been living here among the farmlands the last couple of years. So we will see what happens with that.

Breaking patterns

I’m running into a bad pattern right now. Many times when I begin to workout after not working out in a while, I get sick. I never know how much to do when I get sick and I usually don’t do anything except try to get better. I get behind in work and things in that time and then it is a while before I get back in the gym again. This kind of thing happens quite a bit. So my question to all of you is: Should you work out when you are getting sick or are sick? Does it make it harder to get better, or does it speed the recovery process by getting your body going? When I don’t feel well, it is easier than ever to make excuses why I shouldn’t work out. I really want to do what will work the best so if any of you have any advice, I’d love to hear it!

+ and -

So I'm going to try to post every day for a while till i get back on track. Every day i am going to give myself a + if I

1. Keep track of what I eat

2. Eat healthy

3. Work out

If I don't... I will give myself a - for the day

Today is a + I hope I get get a streak going! That seems to be the way i work the best!

I caved in

so... obviously I have done a terrible job at keeping up with the whole weight loss thing. I suck so bad at this! If I didn't... I wouldn't be in this situation I guess. I am going to keep trying and trying and since I am so bad... I caved in. I joined Weight Watchers with my girlfriend who only needs to lost like 10 pounds ( I think she's trying to support me more than anything, but she always talks about how she has to lose weight.) So at the first meeting... I hadn't gained as much back as I had thought... 10 pounds... but in the fist week I lost 3.5 so it's not too bad of a backslide. I am hoping that going to these meetings and paying every week and counting points like a little idiot, will help me in my miserable failure of weight loss. I'm just going to post last weeks weight and we will go from there... the last two meetings I have stayed at the same weight. I'm hoping for a loss this week. I went to the gym a couple of times and have been counting points a little better. I'm so bad at this! I hate keeping track of stuff but that's what I get for my unhealthy habits. More next week. I'll do better at the blogging I promise!