Week 22
June 12
When it comes to receiving weight loss support, my wife has certainly delivered the goods. She listens to my many countless rants, raves and struggles and continuously congratulates and praises me on my weight loss.
More importantly, she makes sure I don’t deviate from my new, healthy lifestyle.
There are a few ways you can receive (or give) weight loss support.
Limiting Food Temptations
It’s easy to eat healthy if you only have healthy food in your house — much like breaking a nicotine addiction by not having any cigarettes around, right?
If you’re single, you can dictate what food enters your house and make sure the M&Ms stay at the impulse aisle in the grocery store.
On the flip side, if you’re living with someone who doesn’t want to make the same sacrifices at the dinner table as you, you can find yourself navigating a diet while being surrounded by junk food 24/7.
This is the case with me. While it would be nice if I had less temptations around the house, I do understand my wife and sister-in-law (currently living with us) not wanting to drastically change their lives as well. Honestly, I don’t really blame them.
Workout Buddies
Similar to a weight loss accountability partner, workout buddies are simply friends, family members or even total strangers that you work out with on a daily or fairly routine basis.
Compliments
Compliments are the fuel to this five-month fire. I receive at least one compliment about my “new look” everyday and it makes me feel all giddy inside.
Do you know someone trying to lose weight? Give them a compliment today.
Even if you can’t provide weight loss support any other way, give them a little bit of praise — it’ll keep them from skipping the gym one day.
Counting Calories 6/8 – 6/12
Monday (1,385 calories)
6 a.m.: 2 cups of shredded wheat cereal, banana = 395
Noon: KFC’s two grilled chicken meal w/ mashed potatoes and corn = 510
5 p.m.: 1 cup of Cracker Jacks = 70
6 p.m.: 3 pancakes w/ syrup = 410
Tuesday (1,750 calories)
6 a.m.: 3 eggs (scrambled), toast w/ jelly and peanut butter = 360
10 a.m.: Banana = 80
Noon: turkey sandwich w/ lots of mustard and light mayo = 350
6 p.m.: Five Guys cheeseburger and cajun fries = 960
Wednesday (1,750 calories)
6 a.m.: Honey nut cheerios w/ banana = 340
Noon: BBQ, white rice with hash, 1/2 cup of coleslaw, 2 hashbrowns = 720
6 p.m.: Boiled pot with sausage, cabbage, and red potatoes = 490
Thursday (1,640 calories)
6 a.m.: 3 eggs (scrambled) and 2 slices of bacon = 310
Noon: Grilled chicken gyros w/ grilled onions, lettuce, tomato on a pita (no sauce) =540
6 p.m.: Grilled catfish w/ corn, mashed potatoes, and hashbrown casserole = 790
Friday (1,925 calories)
6 a.m.: 3 eggs (scrambled), toast w/ jam, two slices of bacon = 385
Noon: Grilled chicken gyros w/ grilled onions, lettuce, tomato on a pita (no sauce) = 540
6 p.m.: 1/2 serving of general tso’s chicken w/ fried rice = 990 est.
Dinner Friday night made me sick — I’m not used to that kind of garbage. Next time I do go out for junk food, it won’t be that bad.
My diet still needs improvement — I need to introduce more fruits and veggies as snacks between meals.
I also need smaller dinners and larger breakfasts, but other than that, any other suggestions? Joy?
June 15
My original weight loss goal was to lose 100 pounds and finish my journey weighing 244 pounds.
About a month ago, after realizing I’d still have an incredibly large stomach (and two chins) remaining once I hit 244, I revised my goal weight to 225 pounds.
I’m changing my goal weight once again: 200 pounds.
Typing “200 pounds” seems so surreal; I haven’t weighed that much since middle school. I also fully expect to reach my goal weight of 200 pounds later on this year.
While it might end up being a close race in December, I’m fairly sure I can lose 55 pounds within the next 6 months.
That’ll be just shy of 150 pounds lost in 2009.
Standing at 73 inches tall and weighing 200 pounds I should be lean and devoid of any gut but still feature some pretty big guns.
I know that’s what the ladies (wife) like(s).
June 17
Slow and Steady
Jun 17 weight: 253.8
Jun 10 weight: 255.8
Jun 03 weight: 256.2
May 27 weight: 262.2
May 20 weight: 264.2
I’ve lost 2 pounds in the last week and 90.4 pounds in 21 weeks. Want stats from past weeks? Check out my entire 21 week weight loss progress.
I have good news and bad news.
First, the good news. The good news is that I’m less than 10 pounds away from losing a total of 100 pounds! It’s amazing how far we’ve come.
Now, the bad news. The bad news is that my weight loss has slowed considerably over the last month — I’ve lost only about 11 pounds in the last 4 weeks.
While the gradual decline in my weekly weight loss was to be expected, it’s still hard to deal with.
I’m still going to the gym 5 days a week and eating healthy, even more so than I was a couple months ago, but I’m losing at a much slower pace than I was in March, April or even May.
It’s hard giving more and receiving less every week, but that’s what I’m prepared to do. I just know that when the ball starts dropping in Times Square this New Year’s Eve, that scale will read 200 pounds.
Week 23
June 19
I’ve been training on the treadmill for a solid two weeks. It’s boring, tiring and painful, and uh, I’m ready to stay on for however long you guys make me!
I’ll follow the four plus one system for the duration of the workout, meaning I’ll walk for four minutes and run for one. I’ll maintain a speed of at least 3.5 3.7 throughout the workout (minus warmup/cooldown) with a slight elevation (2.0+ incline).
But there’s a catch.
Your window of opportunity to add time to my workout is only from now until Saturday, 6 a.m. Eastern — 24 hours.
I’ll go through with the actual pledge on Saturday. With that being said, you have the opportunity to make me work out for much longer than ever before.
If you’re new to my workout pledges, here’s the lowdown. Basically, I allow my readers (that’s you, big boy!) to determine how long I work.out at the gym.
It isn’t as simple as you telling me to workout for X minutes (it’s not that easy), you have to complete at least one of the tasks that I set forth.
These tasks are the following:
- Post a comment = 30 seconds. If you add a comment to this post, you add 30 seconds to my treadmill workout. The comment can be as simple as “Go Tyler!” or it can be cliff notes for A Modest Proposal. Your call.
- Follow me on twitter = 45 seconds. I like birds.
- Subscribe to RSS feed = 1 minute. Sign up to my RSS feed to add a minute to my workout. I’m spreading across the globe, the web, RSS, twitter — next thing you know, you’ll be able to pull up 344Pounds.com on your phone!
- Link to 344Pounds.com = 3 minutes. Post a link to 344Pounds.com. You can link from your blog, Facebook, Twitter page, Digg, Slashdot (nerd!), your Match.com profile, whatever… I’m not here to judge you.
I want this first treadmill workout to pledge to surpass 60+ minutes. If it does, I’ll repeat the same workout again on Sunday. And as always, you’ll get photos of the workout(s).
UPDATE (6/10): Thanks for your support! I’ll be on the treadmill for 54 minutes and 25 seconds. I’ll post with pics later on today!
June 20
Counting Calories 6/15 – 6/19
Monday (1,475 calories)
6 a.m.: 3 eggs (scrambled), toast w/ jelly and peanut butter = 360
10 a.m.: green apple = 55
Noon: Grilled chicken gyros w/ onions, lettuce, tomato on a pita =540
6 p.m.: 4 ounces of BBQ w/ chips and salsa = 520
Tuesday (1,905 calories)
7 a.m.: Egg sandwich w/ chips and salsa (craving!) = 410
10 a.m.: green apple = 55
Noon: Grilled chicken gyros w/ onions, lettuce, tomato on a pita =540
6 p.m.: Zaxby’s boneless wing meal = 900
Wednesday (1,790 calories)
6 a.m.: Honey Nut Cheerios w/ 1% milk and toast w/ jelly = 350
10 a.m.: Cup of baby carrots = 60
Noon: Grilled chicken gyros w/ onions, lettuce, tomato on a pita =540
6 p.m.: Chick-Fil-A chicken fingers (4) and fries = 840
Thursday (2,000 calories)
7 a.m.: Nature’s Valley granola bar and scrambled eggs (3) w/ salsa = 390
Noon: BBQ, white rice w/ hash, 1/2 cup of coleslaw, 2 hashbrowns = 720
5 p.m.: Chicken sandwich w/ Cajun fries = 890
Friday (1,720 calories)
7 a.m.: Omelet w/ bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, salsa = 380
Noon: Cup of clam chowder, grilled shrimp, 1/4 grilled chicken breast = 630
5 p.m.: 3/4 (leftover) chicken breast w/ grilled onions/tomatoes, potatoes = 520
6 p.m.: 2 warm chocolate chip cookies = 190
This week is the perfect example of “eating in moderation.” I had some unhealthy meals, but the majority of my meals were fairly healthy.
Treadmill Workout
Proof, you skeptics.
Check out those sweet kicks, Nike Air Zooms! Great running shoes.
So, I went through with the pledge this morning. The total time was 54 minutes and 25 seconds, but I rounded up. I burned (according to the machine) 650 calories and traveled nearly 3.5 miles on the treadmill.
Great, right?
After finishing my workout, I picked up my iPhone to take a picture of the stats on the treadmill — but my battery literally died in my hands, meaning I wasn’t able to take a picture of the workout results.
With that being said, I’m a man of my word — I always show you proof of me going through with the workout pledges and this time is no exception. I don’t have time to spend another hour at the gym today, but I’ll go back tomorrow (with a fully charged iPhone) and do another 55 minutes on the treadmill.
It looks like you guys made me work out both days after all.
June 22
I’m one of the most competitive people you will ever meet.
You name the game and I’m eager and ready to play and win. If a score can be kept, I’m anxious to compete as many times as it takes to win: ABC games on road trips, board games, sports, trivia, video games, Jeopardy, etc.
Not only do I want to play, but I’m cocky in believing I can win.
With that being said, I’m confident about losing 150 pounds in 2009. Not cocky, but confident.
While cocky and confident have almost identical definitions (both meaning self-assured), you become cocky when you become “overly” self-assured and confident.
That’s the textbook definition, anyway — it’s fairly relative. I have my own definition.
Being cocky means thinking you’re better than others. While it’s perfectly acceptable to be confident and think you’re able to accomplish anything, being cocky means doubting the ability and resolve of someone else.
Take for example my basketball skills. I think they’re above average. I used to go to shooting contests when I was little and would walk away with the first or second place trophy. I was always the MVP on my teams.
I was larger than most of the kids (which was good when you were 12) and I didn’t miss often.
I was and still am good at basketball. I’m confident about my basketball skills.
I turn from confident to cocky when I doubt the ambition, determination, and skills of someone else.
While I can practice all day long and consider myself good at basketball, I become cocky when I think that my skills are better than yours before I step onto the court. I become cocky when I assume that I’ve practiced harder, longer and have a better jump shot than you.
While it’s fine to be confident about my skills, it’s cocky to be doubtful of yours. And normally when I’m cocky, I usually get my butt tore up on the court.
It’s funny how that works.
When it comes to weight loss and setting any sort of goals in life for yourself, there’s no such thing as cockiness. If you’re not 100% confident in your ability to accomplish anything, then you’re filled with at least 1% self-doubt.
That 1% self-doubt will appear on some random Tuesday on your drive home from work — it’ll tell you to skip the gym and go home and watch Golden Girls.
Self-doubt is a vicious, poisonous character trait that has to be avoided at all costs.
Personally, I have a lot of goals in my life. They include:
When it comes to weight loss goals, I want to lose 150 pounds in 2009. I don’t really consider that a separate goal though, that’s part of being a good husband/father and being able to provide for my family.
It’s hard to provide for your family when you’re dead at 50 40.
While some may call me cocky for moving weight loss goals I’ve yet to even reach, I call it confidence.
I’m not competing against anybody. Nobody can stop me from losing weight. Barring some horrible tragedy, I’m the only one who gets to decide whether I reach my goals or not.
I decide with the actions I take today. And tomorrow. And the next day. I’m confident about losing weight. One hundred fifty pounds in 12 months, to be exact.
I know I will — there’s nothing you can do to stop me.
June 23
The treadmill and running in general has a bigger learning curve than the elliptical. I didn’t think it’d be something I’d need to “get the hang of,” but it’s not as easy as just stepping on the treadmill and pushing the start button.
Here are a few treadmill running tips for beginners.
These tips shouldn’t be a revelation to anybody who has been running for any length of time, but if you’re new to the treadmill (and/or running) you should definitely take them into consideration.
- Just breathe. Maintain steady, deep breathing while you’re running. It may seem basic, but sometimes when I’ve been running for more than 30 seconds and I’m concentrating on uh, running, I’ll forget to breathe.
- Walk tall. Don’t slouch or curve your back. It’s especially tempting to slouch and lean forward (a lot) when you’re going against an incline.
- Keep your feet low. You don’t want to scrape the bottom of your feet against the treadmill every time you take a step, but you also don’t want to take your feet a foot (feet a foot, what?) off the machine. Just keep a low, steady, “piercing stab” so to speak with your feet and make fast, low, quick forward snaps with your feet underneath you.
- Swing your arms. Don’t use the handles on the treadmill machine. By not using handles and swinging your arms you’ll burn more calories, keep your posture upright, and feel more natural. While it’s hard enough transitioning from running on a treadmill to the ground as it is, a handle only creates a larger deficit to overcome later down the road.
- Use the restroom first. This blog is all about full transparency, so here’s me living up to that promise. Not only do you need to try to urinate before you step onto the elliptical for an hour, but you also need to try to rid your body of any flatulence. When you start running, it tends to want to make an appearance. Seriously.
- Look straight ahead. Sometimes I try to look around the gym while I walk and I start wobbling on the treadmill. I also notice that if I look to the side while I walk, my posture deteriorates.
- Bend your knees. Don’t walk/run like you have a pirate leg. Not only is it bad form, but it could cause serious injury depending on the speed you’re running at on the treadmill.
- Warm up and cool down. Don’t jump on the treadmill and immediately start running. I stretch for about five minutes before I get on the treadmill. And, once I do step onto the treadmill, I’ll start an extremely slow speed (like 2.0) and gradually warm up to my desired max speed.
The same applies to cooling down.
- Long socks. I know you kids these days like those low socks, but be careful – your heel could get eaten up by the back of your shoes in as little as five minutes.
- Have a good pair of running shoes. Gump had a good pair. I have a good pair of running shoes. So should you — your ankles, feet, and back will thank you after every workout. That’s all I got to say about that.
June 24
Not yet.
Jun 24 weight: 252.4
Jun 17 weight: 253.8
Jun 10 weight: 255.8
Jun 03 weight: 256.2
May 27 weight: 262.2
I’ve lost 1.4 pounds in the last week and 91.8 pounds in 22 weeks. Want stats from past weeks? Check out my entire 22 week weight loss progress.
I’m still aiming for at least 2+ pounds lost every week. Come on.
I attribute the slow weight loss this month to initial muscle gain. Much like someone who just starts trying to lose weight loses a lot at first, over the last month I’ve built a lot of muscle and increased my lifts by 30 pounds!
It’s hard to be disappointed about building muscles.
With that being said, I also attribute the slow weight loss this month to a lack of intense cardio. I’m getting into the fairly common practice of setting the bar high in the gym, reaching the bar, then coasting on that level for three weeks.
That’s bad if I want to be under 200 pounds in January.
To get a more accurate measure of my weight loss results, I’m shopping right now to buy a set of calipers to measure my body fat percentage.
Can we get under 250 pounds by July?
June 25
I’ve used all of the popular cardio machines found in most gyms including the treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, and stairmaster.
I wanted to share the experience I’ve had with each one over the past several months and hopefully help someone find the best cardio machine that works for them.
Stairmaster Machine
Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the stairmaster. Logistically speaking, using the machine makes my water bottle bounce out of the cup holder (no fat jokes, please). It doesn’t seem as if the machines (I’ve tried a couple at my gym) are designed “properly.”
Stationary Bike
Cycling is a low-intensity workout (good for beginners) that burns few calories in comparison to its counterparts like the treadmill and elliptical machine. It probably has to do with the whole sitting thing, but don’t quote me on that.
Treadmill Machine
It’s undeniable that you can lose more calories by walking/running on the treadmill than any other machine. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of “practice” before you’re able to clock in a hard, long workout session on the treadmill.
Elliptical Machine
I’m biased. I used the elliptical machine to help me almost exclusively lose 90 pounds. While I’m glad I eventually switched to the treadmill, the elliptical machine will hold a special place in my heart for a very long time.
Ultimately though, the elliptical machine will only provide resistance for so long. One day, months or maybe years from now, you’ll reach a point of diminished returns, much like I did.
Once that happens, it’s time to get on the treadmill.
