been awhile, but I haven't gone away

I haven't been as strict tracking my calories with Sparkspeople, but I have been eating pretty clean and exercising regularly.

Got a little sloppy for a while, but I seem to be losing some weight again.. *knocks on wood*

228lb

sloppy week...

for a variety of reasons, I wasn't able to complete the full weekly exercise component of my program, that being said, I still rode my bike everyday and took the dogs for their nightly jaunt...

The last few days due to birthday celebratory reasons I also intentionally didn't track my daily calorie consumption.

I am back on track today and for the next few months...

but...

I am at 230lbs!  


weird...

behind on my progress....so what else is new? the story of my life...

Well, considering that I didn't lift weights this week and I missed the usual extra long Thursday bike ride, and I ate really shitty for a few days, I still lost a pound...

I don't want to push my luck though...next week I am back on the weights and hopefully more disciplined eating...

230

Freakin' Plateaus!!!!

*sigh*

My weight loss has seemed to have plateaued I seem trapped at the 231lb range and have been here for a few weeks...

Either my metabolism has failed or my body is reconfiguring it's muscle/fat ratio and hopefully moving forward I will start losing more of the lb's...Or 231lbs is a body set point I just have to bust through with consistent exercise and sensible eating...

I am going to be stricter with my calorie counting...

I am also going to change up my weight training program a little bit, the 5x5 heavy lifting is taking it's toll and I am now going to add a "deloading" aspect to my work-out, this is a method to still increase strength and allow for growth, but also allow for recovery...

hopefully better news next week

231

6 months down...

Well, It has been six months of sensible eating and a committed exercise regimen.

While my weight has been fluctuating by a few pounds here and there, as of today I have lost 54 pounds, an average of 9 lbs a months, which is pretty close to my weekly goal of 2.5 lbs a week.

My knees and ankles feel a lot better and I seem to have more energy too, I also enjoy my time in the gym or on the rowing machine, it really helps clear my head.

Granted I have had a few plateaus and while those are frustrating I am gonna stick with the plan.

I must confess over the last few weeks I have got sloppy with my eating and I am going to have to reign that back in a bit and make the smart choices that I did way back in January.

I am also taking a week off of the weights due to a sore right hip flexor, I am going to be sensible and not "train through the pain"...Currently I asm researching stretches and when the weight training aspect of my program resumes, I am doing a "reload" or slight reduction in weight while I stress proper form and over time this will make me strong as my body recovers and the weights are gradually increased.

I have a goal for end of Sept and I want to hit it!

231

still at it!

looks like I missed posting last week, not much to report really, on track...working out and monitoring my calories

231

weird...good, min you...but weird...

I decided to take Monday off and not lift weights that day, tuesday I set a new PR for my 30 minute row...so basically I kept to my plan fitness wise, it's ok to miss a day now then then, it gives the apparatus a little more time to recover... food wise I was pretty good too...I could be better, and I will be...but I won't beat myself up...the good news is I lost some weight!

and to quote Eddie Kendricks, I will "Keep On Truckin' BABYYYYyyyy"


233

Plateau's suck

well it has been a week of me keeping up with my work-outs and with the addition of riding of my bike to work, I am actually burning more calories...but I haven't lost any weight in two weeks, I guess that I'm stuck on a plateau...

I will take a closer look at my nutrition and adjust that portion of my program

237lbs

Odd week...

Well, I am very happy with the fact that I was able to maintain my exercise program due to changes in my schedule due to the new job.

An added benefit it the 40 minutes of cycling I also get in 5 days a week, the odd bit is that my actual weight loss wasn't that great, I only lost about half a pound.

I did have a very bad day in the nutrition dept where I ate way too much pizza, 6 days I was solidly on target but Friday we ordered pizza...so good... I am not going to beat myself up about it though...Just get back on track...

236

First Sunday in May

Well, I missed a weight training day on Friday and I went over my daily caloric intake Saturday (due to an awesome birthday dinner)...

But I also went on quite a few hour+ walks with the dog and rode my bike, so I suspect my metabolism was firing pretty strong.

I am nervous about next week, I am starting a two month contract where I will be working 9 - 8, 6 days a week, I know I can stick to the eating portion of my regimen, I am worried about the exercise part.

236lbs!

Good...

Well, I did not do any weight training this week.
but...

but! I maintained my rowing regimen with thress very solid 30 minute rowing sessions.

I also adjusted my caloric intake to compensate for less calories burned..

The week was a little stressful because I was afraid that I would end up either..in the worse case, gaining weight..

or, in a less worse case, stay at my plateau weight...

Instead...I have lost weight...

My current weight is 237.5 lbs, but I am going to list it 238...

This is the first time that I have been under 240lbs in a long, long time...

I am still obese, but I am making progress...cautious progress...


*knocks on wood, no jinxing*

238

Bit of a hitch this week...

 I had a couple of days where I strayed off of my nutrition plan, not by a dramatic amount...but by enough to get frustrated with my lack of control...

Training wise, I had two decent rows, but I had to take Saturday off due to an issue with my back...

I felt a twinge while doing my DL's and it is lingering, it has been two days and it is beginning to feel much better. So the plan next week is to row only (if the back feels ok...) and the following week, start up with the weights again...but tale it super easy with the deadlift until I can improve my form.

241

Birthday Dinner

Well, it was a friends birthday dinner, I went over my daily calorie allotment. Not a huge amount..but enough to be aware of it...

I won't beat myself over this...but I will get back on track tomorrow...

two steps forward, one step back

I suspect my body is happy set at this current weight.

I must remain focused on my exercise regimen  and consistently monitor my caloric intake...looking forward very much to cracking the 240's!

On the plus side, I am down two lbs and I also broke my PR's for my 30 min and 10km row, my weights have also been raised...so I consider this week a big win!

Weight Less? Check!

Row faster and further?  Check!

Lift heavier weights? Check!

All in all, I am happy with my progress...but I won't get cocky and I will stick with the plan..

240!!!

Slip sliding away...

Sigh...

Well I missed a work-out and I had a day where I went over my daily caloric limit...

I tried to adjust by doing more cardio on my rowing days, but obviously it wasn't enough for the day I missed with my weights and the extra eating...

I know that plateaus are common, but I still gotta own this!!!

Next week will be better...

242lbs

*sigh*

Bad food day today,  340 calories over...OVER!!!

I gotta tighten my shit up for the week...

*sigh*

I am going to eat closer to the lower range of my limits for the next few days...

Keeping steady with both exercise and sensible eating.

The weights are getting heavy, but I am enjoying the challenge..one of my fitness goals is to be light enough to add pull-ups and chin-ups to my work-outs.

soon...

soon...

241.

Slipped a bit yesterday...

Yesterday we went to a friend's place for a wonderful dinner, I had two lovely pints of beer, three peices of high quality & very healthy gluten free pizza and 250 grams of gelato...needless to say  I went over my daily caloric quota, not by much, but the fact I did so has troubled me...and I will endeavor to remain on track...

On the fitness side, I am still on track, I broke my 30 minute rowing PR and it feels like I can crack 7500m at will...Soon it will be 7600m!!

Weights are going well too and I like getting stronger,I am very happy with my new weights workout and wish I discovered it years ago..

The reset on the squats and dead-lifts was a good idea and soon I will be back lifting at those weights I did previously with much better form..

244.5

A pretty good week!

 247!!!

 Gotta keep going, still on course with eating and exercise...

I was a little worried because of a change of my routine with the later in the day work-outs and a couple of meals that were tricky to track...

All in all, I am very happy...but I am not going to rest on my laurels I will remain steadfast in my approach...

A good week

251 lbs!

kept up with the exercise and smart eating...


It's funny, I am eating a lot, lot...LOT...less than I used to, but I am never all that hungry...

I also had to lower some of my weights because my technique was beginning to suffer. It's not about my ego in regards to my lifts, it's about proper technique and consistency...

I am a little nervous but I am going to keep on, keepin' on...

Looks like I hit a plateau...again... :-(

I haven't gained any weight but I haven't lost anything this week either...

I understand that this is part of the process to get healthy and I am not all that disapointed..but I won't lie, I am a little bummed out..

I am consistent with my training and diet and I will keep moving forward...

255.5 lbs

part of the problem is we have a new puppy, who we are crate training and she is a bit of a cry baby....and we have a very bouncy nephew visiting too..so that has turned our usually calm household into a bit of a zoo...a fun one...but loud... :-)

I have been consistent with my exercise and monitoring my nutrition.

I have yet to be really hungry and I am not craving all the stuff that I  consumed to eat myself into obesity. I have to remain vigilant with food though, and always remember why I got so darn fat...

The weights are becoming more challenging too... Which is good, because another of my goals is to try and become as strong as I can in as safe a manner as I can too..

I think my metabolism is back in sync after that weight yo-yo incident a few weeks back, but I understand that can happen with ones weight and I will not get freaked about this and start crying and stuff...

I also bought a weight-belt and chalk...

255.5

sunday update

 While my weight isn't the main tracking number I adhere by, it's a pretty darn good one to acknowledge.

 It's funny, I have been doing the same stuff for the last bunch of weeks...and last week I gained weight and this week I lost weight!

I won't question this, I will just stick to my program of exercise and smart eating.

I am feeling pretty good, all in all...There is some course correction I still have to do with some of my lifts, but's that's ok!

260 lb

two month update!

258.8lbs

granted I just finished a brutal 10k row, but afterwards I also drank three glasses of water, ate a grapefruit and two turkey pepperoni sticks...

So I will take today as my two month update! :-)

I will also post my Sunday update tomorrow and that will be the "official one"

 My body is telling me something and I am not sure what that is...

I have been diligent with moderating my daily caloric intake as well as my exercise... In fact, I broke my PR's in my rowing for the 2000m, the 30 minute and the 10km!

Yet, I seemed to have gained 2.75 pounds...

I won't let this set back discourage me and I will stay on track...

 264...fuck

Starting something new... 49.5

while I am within my daily calories, I am going to tweak what I have been eating...my current diet is a little too heavy on the fats..

 I have maintained my discipline with both food consumption (daily caloric intake) and my work-outs...

This is my work-out schedule

Mon-Wed-Fri I do strength training, I am using the "StrongLifts" routine.
A progressive strength building regimen relying on compound lifts with the barbell.

Basically, I do a lot of squats, dead-lifts, bench press, overhead press and bent over rows...

the workout ends up being three exercises, 5 sets of 5 reps.
The weight has to remain the same for all five sets, you also have the correct form on the first rep of your first set and the last rep of your last set, other wise the weight is too heavy.

 The kicker is, each week you have to raise the weight up by a moderate amount, anywhere from 2.5 to 5 lbs...

http://stronglifts.com/

On Tues-Thurs-Sat

I row like a sweaty, old, fat bastard!!!

 I try and mix it up with the rowing workouts during the week. One session I will row for 30 minutes, one session I will try a suggested work-out from the Concept2 rowing website and on Saturday I will row 10K or time.

Rowing will challenge both your cardio and the anaerobic fitness levels. I won't say that I love doing it...

but...

I love doing it!

I want to learn more about rowing technique and strategies...my current methodology is to row as fast as I can....but I suspect that there is more to it than that... :-)

Medical Scale 261.75


Digital Scale 261.2

As always, I couldn't be this far along if it wasn't for the support and partnership of my wife!!!

I maintained my physical activity this week, but I had a bit of a struggle with the suggested reduction in my daily caloric intake...

I also "survived" a 4 hour Bartitsu Workshop, the falls were hard on me...but I suspect if I pursued study in this program my body would adapt...

all in all, I am feeling pretty good and I am on track

264

Well, I have upped my exercise, but it is with in manageable levels...

Working out has never been a problem for me, overdoing it and not spending enough time recovering/resting has though...

Hopefully I have enough common sense to maintain some balance so I can achieve the goals I have set out myself!

Food wise I am on track, I have been very strict with what I eat and how many calories consumed...  Food is my biggest fight, it's like whiskey to an alcoholic...

I am extremely lucky that my wife encouraged me to join her with her plan to eat well and become healthy, Her plan became our plan and having her as my partner gives me the strength to move forward with this (and so much more!)

266

Monthly update...

17 pounds, not bad for a middle aged dude...

So far, I am feeling pretty good about this, I am not hungry and am thinking clearer and sleeping a little better...

Being super strict about counting the calories helps...

268

This week I kept methodical track of my calories consumed and calories burned...

I think there might be a connection between reducing how much you eat and how much you burn...But I am not quite sure...

271

the fact of the matter is, in order for me to lose weight, I have to eat more nutritional food and also reduce my portion size...

I always thought if I exercised more that would be the key...nope, it's food...*AND* exercise...

275.6

Went to the Polar Bear Swim, now I can't talk!!!

276.2