The End of 2014 and New Year's Resolutions

So as I finished my workout this morning it felt good to be done working out for 2014.

I've taken some time over the day to reflect on my year.  I still can't believe all I have accomplished in the year.  Haven't missed a single day of my workout (not even a broken toe stopped me!) which in it's self is no small feat.  I still wake-up every morning hoping I really don't need to get up yet but do and push myself through the workout coming out on the other side feeling much better for having done it.  I have pushed myself with the workouts by adding time or more challenging exercises (plank anyone?), shuffling the order around and adding more resistance through the use of wrist and ankle weights.  The hard work is definitely paying off as I'm starting to see sculpted areas on my body and find myself saying "is that me?" to my reflection.

Some other things I have accomplished as part of this quest is no longer needing to buy plus size clothes and my BMI is now within the overweight range.  These are two major steps for me and I am very happy to have accomplished them.  I find I have more confidence and am standing up for myself more.  This has not only been a body transformation but also a bit of a mental health one.  Still a bit to go on both fronts but I know I can succeed.

I want to talk a bit about New Year's Resolutions.  I tend not to make them anymore.  I have in the past and they all normally centered around losing weight.  Ready to attack the issue head-on.  Although this is a very good goal to set it's usually gone about in the wrong manner.  You have to start slowly and make manageable changes.  Start slowly with the exercising.  Start with 15 or 20 minutes and slowly increase and add stuff to it.  Don't start with an hour workout and burn yourself out quickly, you won't want to continue if you're too sore to move (been there, done that!).  You have to think of it as a lifestyle change not a diet.  A diet most people will cheat on or end at some point.  These changes have to be permanent and something you can live with.  Find food alternatives you enjoy and substitutes for favourites you love just as much.  This takes time but you can do it if you take the time.  You have to think of this as your lifestyle with no end.  Trust me, if I can do this anyone can!

Weigh-in and Survival of Christmas!

So it's another week and Saturday is here again.

Here it is, I lost 2 pounds this week and have now lost a total of 132 pounds!

I feel very happy with that considering this week was a ton, and I mean a TON, of family dinners.  Between Christmas and Munkee's birthday, it was a busy week.  As I stated early this week I have been jumping between the obese and overweight line on the BMI scale but I'm ok with that.  I really tried to not stress a lot about what the scale was saying as there were many times we ate later than we normally would have.  We were sure to plan ahead and really watch what we ate.  We stuck to our plans and ensured we were eating the right foods.  Filled our plates with veggies and enjoyed visiting vs. focusing on the food.

I really feel that we survived the holiday season again this year and am ready to get back to routine.

This week I also hit another milestone, one year without missing a workout!  In the 16 months that I have been doing this I have only missed one day of workout due to a power outage last year on Munkee's birthday.  I still can't believe I get up every morning and workout.  Last weekend I added another 5 minutes of cardio to my workout and shuffled my routines around to push myself a bit further.  I am now up to just under an hour a day for my workout.  Crazy!

This week I will be focusing on getting back into the routine.  Eating at more normal times.  Most importantly, this week I will be relaxing and spending time with Munkee.  I'm not expecting many challenges this week, just a nice quiet week.

Weigh In Day - The Post Christmas Version

It was a long and wonderful week this week, just very busy.  Bee and I tried our very best to adhere 100% to our routine but there were some days where that was next to impossible.  Today's weigh in in spite of all that was respectable at 184 pounds. The additional weight and cardio is definitely making the workouts tougher as they should be. I am sweating more and I am starting to notice some changes in shape.

I feel a little more sculpted than I was just a week ago. The definition is coming along quite nicely. I do find after my workouts now there is a period of greater tiredness that follows. I can definitely feel each day's focus in that target area, today definitely in my shoulders and arms.

Christmas is a great time for family but its definitely a challenge to eat, sleep and hydrate properly compared to regular life. As much fun as it was I am definitely looking forward to a week of holiday from it all, and a much slower pace.

Bee spoiled me as she always does and I have a nice collection of wicked medium t-shirts to go with the new body, and they fit nicer all the time. Its a complete change to look in the mirror and not want to look away immediately. I was never the mirror looking sort before, that has changed slightly.

Tuesday - Raised the bar again

I added more resistance today, things are progressing nicely. I notice that adding the cardio has the unintended side effect of raising my heart rate before doing the muscle building exercises. Not sure if it is just due to me being more tired. I am noticing that after my workouts, my muscles feel more "hot" and I have felt a definite immediate change in my arms.

Perhaps cardio was a missing ingredient all the way along. I am glad I added it. So far so good with christmas/birthday stuff not interfering with our routine too badly. Bee had a great day yesterday and so did I . It was one of the nicer birthdays in recent memory for me.

This quest has been a challenge for both of us, and one that I feel we have rose to.  Its been a bit of an adjustment but I can definitely see this being the grounding principle in my life for years to come. I feel so much better inside and out that I can't see stopping now for any reason.

Did you hear it?

I can barely contain my excitement as I write this blog post!  I never though this day would come.  It's been 16 months of hearing "that's obese" every single morning.  Trying not to through the Wii Balance board out the window after hearing that for the millionth time.  This morning was different though!

I had my eyes closed (I don't like to look and let Munkee break it to me easily when I am up a little bit) and hear a different noise followed by "that's overweight"!  You would have thought I had won the lottery!  I could barely contain myself!  I don't think I've stopped smiling since.  BEST DAY EVER!!!!!

I know that my weight may fluctuate a bit and may hear "that's obese" again but I know that it won't last and soon I will be leaving the line between obese and overweight in the dust and heading closer to normal.

So I have survived the first two events of the holiday season and have come out feeling stronger.  On Saturday I had 7 kids between the ages of 2 1/2 and 15 over to decorate sugar cookies and Christmas ornaments.  I made sugar cookies, icing and rice krispy squares (some with red and green candy coated chocolates)!  I had Christmas M&M's and licorice for the kids.  I did put out a cracker, fruit and cheese tray as well.  I made it through and sent all leftover treats home with the kids.  We then had Swiss Chalet for dinner and then went to look at Christmas lights.  A wonderful start to my holidays!

Yesterday we went to Munkee's parents' house for lunch to celebrate Munkee's birthday.  My in-laws eat healthy normally so I know going there for a meal isn't overly stressful and they are good about sharing what they're making ahead so I can plan ahead.

Today, we celebrate Munkee's birthday.  For the first time in two years we will be able to go see The Hobbit on his actual birthday as last year we had the ice storm and power outage on his birthday and the year before I was very sick.  Today and tomorrow I will be in more control of our meals and be able to follow our routine a bit closer.

Weekly Weigh-in and some other stuff

So here we are again, it's Saturday and it's time for my weekly weigh-in (and I'm actually posting on Saturday!)

My weight loss total for the week is..... 130 pounds down!  That's another 5 pound sticker and 10 pound ribbon for my success board!  So happy!

This week I had great intentions to talk more about what I'm eating, give a bit more insight into the food I use to show how much I am eating.  I had great intentions but I am still adjusting to the new work situation and shaking off the stresses I was dealing with.

This past week I did have a Christmas lunch to deal with but I stuck to my resolve and ordered a garden salad with chicken, I did have some extra snacks back at my desk to balance the points of the meal out.  I have also been dealing with all of the treats popping up in the office.  Now some of that is my fault as I did bake for my new work area.  What better way to introduce myself to area?  I have successfully avoided the Christmas goodies from work and am now on holidays.

This next week will be challenging as there will be lots of family dinners and activities.  I plan on organizing the food the best I can, trying not to sweat the small stuff (as much as possible!) and to enjoy visiting and being with my family.  Between Christmas and Munkee's birthday we will be busy but I will try and blog a bit more to talk about how we're dealing with the family meals and hopefully help you succeed in coming out on top of Christmas!

Saturday Weigh In - Time to add the cardio

Stayed the same weight wise this week. I am fine with that, I can't always gain pound after pound of muscle especially since I am likely reducing my body fat percentage at the same time.  To that end I have added some cardio exercise to each of my routines starting tomorrow.

Nothing huge really, about 5 minutes per workout but it should help to elevate my heartrate and perhaps continue the sculpting effect of lowering my body fat percentage.

This is an interesting time to be doing this being that we are leading up to Christmas, there is going to be many family gatherings, eating abroad etc. It should be a fun time but a tricky balance. Last year we made it through it unscathed so I don't expect any problems this year either.

I am definitely starting to like how I look in clothes more. Right after I lost the weight I found myself to look a little too skinny, just dorky and thin. Now I am a bit more filled out. Its a bit different to have tightness in the chest of a shirt from pectorals rather than manboobs. I can definitely accept it better. I never thought Id be wearing a medium t-shirt. Most of my teen years and adult life up until now have been spent in an extra large minimum if not a double XL. I still find it strange when I see the M on the tag.

Weekly Weigh-in and Reflection

I will really try to get better at posting this on the actual weigh-in day....

So my weight loss as of yesterday is 129 pounds, that's 2 more pounds off and much closer to hearing "that's over weight"!  I can seen the next 10 pound ribbon and 5 pound sticker!

So this week was VERY challenging for me.  Had a super stressful job situation to deal with this week.  It was an emotional roller coaster and I was a mess.  The one thing that I am super proud of myself about is that at the height of the stress, Tuesday night, I had to stop at the grocery store to pick up a missing item to make chicken fajitas.  16 months ago in the state of mind I was in I would have loaded my shopping cart up with chips, chocolates, ice cream and probably a few other things I passed while walking through the store.  I would have also probably said forget making dinner and picked up McDonald's on my way home.  I did neither of those things.  I picked up what I needed and treated myself to raspberries for my fruit the next day.  I went home and after licking my wounds for a bit made dinner.  I have worked way too hard for the current work situation to stop me.

I found another thing that this quest has given me.  The strength and confidence to not to shrink away and hide when faced with the situation.  I dealt with it head-on, did not call in sick to work.  Major changes for sure.  I went in Wednesday morning with a fire lit under my butt to fight for myself.  I did not take the situation lying down in any way and kept my head held high.

This is probably the most stressful and emotional situation I have dealt with since starting the quest.  I am very proud of myself for how I dealt with it and didn't revert back to my terrible habits.  I have changed those habits so significantly and for so long now that even when I have an inkling to go back to those bad habits my new strength pushes through and I do not give in.

This week will hopefully be a wind down from last week with everything getting settled and have a plan to move forward with for work. 

There will be Christmas lunches and Christmas treats at work.  I know that I can resist and eat my planned food.  I feel making it through this week is making me stand a little taller, making me look at myself in the mirror and seeing that I am actually maybe pretty.  This quest has been so amazing and so transforming in so many ways.  This past week just proves it to me.

I will try to be better at posting.  One thing I want to focus on sharing is the food that we're eating.  It's a question I get a lot and some people are surprised by how much I eat.  It is important to get enough food and not to starve yourself because that's not good either.  Until next time!

Belated Saturday Weigh In Results - Train Is On Track!

I normally write a blog after my Saturday weigh in, however this week there was some errands to take care of and we had to get a different start to our day yesterday.

As of that weigh in I am 183 pounds. So far that is a gain of 8 pounds of muscle mass. I am rather pleased with how this is turning out just from ratcheting up the intensity every week. Soon I will get to a point where I am definitely adding a little more cardio to my workouts in order to sculpt the muscle I do have further, or at least allow it to show fully by shredding down that body fat percentage a little more.

Its been a long journey, and one this week that was a little more stressful than normal. My wife had some work issues that kept my mind a little preoccupied. Since that is her story to tell/not tell I will leave that to her. As we head into Christmas, I am looking forward to a little time off with Bee and time spent with my family. My nephew Brian appears to be talking more than ever, so it is nigh time for me to install some key words into his vocabulary (no not those words).

Soon I will post more pictures, although the change has been gradual with me I am sure if I took a new picture of myself beside the picture from a few months back I may even be shocked.

Tuesday - Ramp It Up Again!

Today I added more weight once again. I definitely feel it now after the workout. My arms are a bit rubbery and warm. If I want the extra muscle I have to keep pushing it like this. Progressive challenge is unfortunately the only road to success.

I am so far very pleased with the results. After maintaining my weight for 6 months Id describe myself as pretty skinny looking. So I started off fat, transformed to skinny. Held for a while and now I am adding on muscle definition. Its quite a change, I am not quite ready to post a before middle and after yet. But I think if I took a photo in the same clothes as my previous after picture Id be rather surprised at the change. I am definitely noticing a lot more definition in my upper back, chest and shoulders. I like what I see. I still am wearing a medium t-shirt, I just notice I fill it better. I never thought I would be the guy with muscles showing through his clothes, but then again when I was at my highest weight I never envisioned myself getting skinny again.

Its been an interesting road, I am glad I get to take it with my wife. This journey has brought us closer together than ever before and its wonderful to know that I have an outstanding support in her. I don't think I'd have made it this far without her.

Weekly Weigh-in and Check in

Sorry for taking so long to post this, I know you all have been sitting on the edge of your seats waiting to hear from me.  I have this great thought that more than just my husband reads this blog!

So this week I am down 127 pounds.  That's another pound off.

I just finished getting lectured by Munkee about being too hard on myself and to relax and enjoy the success I have achieved.  I know what I have done is amazing.  I know that.  I'm just ready to be done and I find I'm struggling more this time of year with all of the chocolates and candies out for the holiday season.  It's also not helping that I'm feeling stress at work and it's leading up to my "women's time" which brings lots of fun emotions with it.

I have also recently taken a point of food away and I am struggling with being hungry.  I have eaten all of my food for the day and I'm still feeling a bit hungry.  It's a struggle but I continue to remind myself that I have eaten enough and keep myself busy.  It's about redirecting my attention because I know I am not hungry due to lack of food, I'm just adjusting.

So needless to say my frame of mind hasn't been the best the last week and I was again really hoping the scale would show me something more than a pound but I will be happy with a pound off.

Something else I struggle with is the complements.  I am not good at accepting complements.  I have even been called skinny recently by a few different people.  I have never been referred to as skinny.  It's taking some getting use to but I'm getting there.  One step I took to accepting my new self was looking for new make-up to help make some features stand out a bit more and not hide behind brown on brown on brown.  I am happy with the subtle changes.

I continue to push forward even when struggling and not agreeing with what I'm seeing on the scale.  I know I'm doing well and I know I'm getting closer to the end.  The finish line is on the horizon, just a bit more to go.  I can do this! 

Saturday Weigh In - I can live with it.

So my steady progression of slight muscle gain this week didn't happen I stayed the same. Which if you think about it isn't a bad thing. What may have happened is I shed more of the remaining fat stores (not that there is much of that) than I had gained in muscle. I can live with that.

The thing about  a journey like this is that it will never ever be a straight line toward success. What you have to do to stay motivated, is learn to live with those sorts of changes. You have to observe your goal as a long term project and you can't measure every step linearly.

Sometimes your weight will go up or down without explanation. We have incredibly complex system's governing our bodies, and sometimes they behave in ways that aren't predictable. What you have to focus on is both the long term goal, and being consistent. Are you eating right and exercising to the best of your ability, and overall are things trending the right way for you.

Its easier said then done due to our nature to be goal and achievement motivated people. You really do just have to learn to live with it when things don't go exactly 100% perfect.

Staying motivated in the face of that reality is the key to success.

Back to Routine

Well sort of.

I stuck to my routine while I was off for the week but I am now back to work and that routine.  I find comfort in my routine.  I like that I get up at the same time each day, have my regular routine of working out, shower and getting ready for work.  If it's the weekend or I'm off I take a more relaxed approach to the day.

I am finding it challenging to get back to the work routine.  I really did not want to get up this morning.  I was tired, I had a headache and just did not feel like doing the workout today.  I pushed through it and actually felt better after my workout.  It's strange but I do find my workouts do help me feel better.  I'm glad that when I have days like today I can push myself and do the workout.  I feel better for having done it.

I brought a treat into my coworkers when I went back to work.  I baked cookies and decorated them all pretty like.  I was told they were good.  I love to bake and like sharing what I bake with others.  I also tried a new more difficult recipe, Raspberry French Macaroons.  It did not go well at all,  Many swear words later I had nothing to show for my 3 plus hours in the kitchen.  I think this quest we're on has given me the confidence to push myself further and not accept failure.  I will try them again and succeed.

A picture of my handy work.  If you look closely at the wreaths there are snowflakes, candy canes and gingerbread men.  I had fun making them.

I continue to push myself beyond the working out.  I am pushing myself to challenge myself in my baking, in the food I'm preparing and eating, the clothes I'm wearing and no longer accepting being in the background.  I feel like I'm rambling tonight but I'm allowed to!  I'm writing the blog!

Tuesday Intensity Increase - not a problem

This morning as I usually do every time this week I increased the resistance on my workout. It went well I felt the extra weight and sweated quite a bit more. I am pleased with the progress I am making. It is slow but steady and I can definitely see a change in my shape. It is starting to morph from skinny video game nerd towards more of a fire fighter calendar physique and that is the intended effect.

I never thought I would be that guy. Muscle definition was always something I thought that other people had but wasn't my destiny. The thing about that is you decide whether you will be "that guy". The only limitations that are real are those you impose upon yourself.

I had a great mini staycation with my wife this past week. It was so nice to have her home with me. So good in fact that I am having problems getting started and motivated today. The house seems too quiet. I suppose since she is currently at work it is a great time to do some gift wrapping so that when she comes home I can begin the days of her pointing and wanting early access through bribery or coercion. The annual game.

After this saturday's 182 pound weigh in I am looking ahead to the week hopefully maintaining the mass increase. Its been a long journey from where I began. I will never stop until I have reached every goal and smashed every expectation I had for myself.