Weekly Weigh-in and Reflection

So it's that time of week again, time for the weekly weigh-in and reflection.

So here goes....

I'm down 135 pounds, still.  Yep stayed the same.

I know there are changes that aren't being reflected they way I would like them to be on the scale.  My clothes are looser, I am seeing noticeable changes when looking in the mirror and I am getting comments from my new coworkers asking if I've lost weight.  I know that my body has changed even if the scale doesn't show what I want it to.  I have to be patient, trust the process and know that I am doing the right thing and continue down the path I started 17 months ago.  I will succeed and I will get to the finish line.  I will not give up.

I'm sure as Munkee reads this he'll smile as this was not my attitude this morning.  I would love to be losing 2 pounds a week steady but it's not going to be that way. I do get moody when the scale isn't showing what I'm seeing in the mirror.  Munkee does his best to try and calm me but I'm not always open in the moment to his words.  It takes me time to process and move on.

I have been struggling lately with urges to have a cheat day, have an "f-it" day and just not care for a day.  In my weaker moments I would love to sleep in, not work out, not weigh and measure my food and not care about what I'm eating.  In my head I think I could do that for one day and then the next day be right back at it.  In reality I know this wouldn't be the case.  In my past attempts I have allowed myself cheat days and I started to find more and more excuses to have them more and more often.  As I have said it's a slippery slope with me and the path I have chosen isn't always the easiest but it has been so worth it.

I went shopping with my sister today and bought a size smaller in clothes figuring they would fit soon and have them as something to work towards.  I tried them on when I got home and to my surprise, they fit.  Yep, it's working.  Just have to stay the course, adjust the workout when necessary, add the weights the vest when it's time and keep tracking and monitoring my food.

The jube-jues lasted almost the entire week at work and then someone added a box of Pot of Gold to the cabinet.  This did not help my struggles.  The little voice said "you can just have one" but I know the next time I walked by I would think the same thing regardless of whether or not I ate one before.  I think that's something that bothers me the most is that I resist temptation regularly and feel the scale should reward me and when it doesn't I get cheesed off.  Resisting should be reward enough, as I've said many times, I'm a work in progress not with just my weight but my mental thinking as well.

This coming week should be pretty uneventful.  Stay the course and I will make it to the end and move on to maintenance.  I will do it.

Weekly weigh in - All According to plan

This week I weighed in down 1 pound to 186. I did some reading on the internet and decided to change things up slightly this week and give a small cut to my daily protein intake. I am at the moment working on a bit of a metabolic cycle test. Trying to take the mass I have aquired and not add more, but sculpt what is there.

After some reading that is the strategy I took and I can already see a bit of a change in the definition. After a few weeks of this routine I will go and add more protein in again. From what I have read I have to keep my body guessing a little bit, so that it continues to view itself in a state of "challenge". So the plan is to toggle between metabolic maintenance and adding muscle mass, so that I get the best definition of what is there.

I am aiming to be sculpted and defined and its definitely starting to be the case. I am still increasing my intensity every week. I also shifted the day which I do that. One of the more interesting facets of the human body is its tendency to adapt to activity. So I am throwing a few monkey wrenches into the mix and trying to inject a little chaos.

One thing is for sure there is no stopping this now. The train is rolling and I like the results.

Saturday Weigh In - Steady Progress, personal weirdness

My weigh in yesterday was 187 pounds.  I know this is 5 pounds below the top of the mark for a normal BMI for my height. I also know that BMI doesn't factor in muscle mass. What I am finding interesting is I almost have an anxiety about going above 192 pounds. I have maintained my normal BMI status for over a year and although I am aiming for more muscle, and logically I know that could mean I am over the normal BMI range. It still makes me feel slightly odd.

Muscular people are more often then not over that range, I know this to be true logically. I think its just a comfortable head space I have developed being there. I know I am still wearing medium t-shirts and still have a 34" waistline so really all of this is in my head. Its just a strange feeling.

It doesn't mean I am going to stop, or go on some goofy crash diet to cut weight. I fully intend to reach my goal of a better body. I think I just have to adjust my thinking when it comes to BMI. I really have to re-enforce the fact that muscular people are very often slightly into what it would consider to be overweight.

Perhaps the solution is to find a better scale, or just start to spend a bit more time looking in the mirror and realizing how much better I look. I am sure I will get there. its just a slight period of personal weirdness.

Weekly Weigh-in and Reflection

Well it's that time of the week again, time for the weekly weigh-in.  So with no further ado here we go.....

This week I am down 2 pounds making my total weight loss 135 pounds!  That's another 5 pound sticker for my success board.

I am happy to see the scale finally showing what I've been seeing in the mirror and in my clothes.  The new weighted vest is definitely working!  My shirt is soaked by the time I'm done my 57 minutes!  I have a game plan to get me to the end with the vest, 2 weights every 3 pounds lost.  I may still need to change up my workout routines to keep pushing myself to the end.  I can see the end coming and am starting to get a bit excited.  It will happen when it's supposed to.

This week was challenging because it was a very busy week.  Had errands or appointments every day after work this week.  That meant for later dinners and less time relax and recover from the day at work.  I typically like to eat dinner between 5:00 pm and 5:30 pm but when I have stuff after work it get to be 6:00 pm or 6:30 pm before we sit down to eat and eating too close to going to bed isn't the best thing.  I'm hoping this week coming will be quieter after work and I am able to have dinner at a better time.

The other challenge this week was the tub of jube-jues someone brought into the office.  They use to be one of my weaknesses.  It was difficult to walk by them and ignore them calling to me.  They were unfortunately on my route to the bathroom and passed them many times thanks to all the water I drink in a day!  I am happy to say that I was able to resist  the call of the jube-jues and feel better for not having given in.

This week coming should be much better for my routine.  I have not appointments after work and other than regular grocery shopping stuff.  No lunches or dinner outs this week.  A nice quiet and boring week in store.  I think I'm going to like it! 

Saturday Weigh-in - A Day Late

I am a day late in writing this, please forgive me.

As of my weigh-in yesterday I was 133 pounds down.  Yep, that's right, no change yet again.  A tad frustrating to say the least.....

I am in the home stretch and am being tested slightly I feel.  The last bit of weight has been with me the longest and is proving to be the most stubborn to leave.  I will continue to push forward.  Yesterday Munkee and I went out on the hunt for an adjustable weighted vest.  We were able to find one and I have come up with a game plan to add to weights to the vest every three pounds lost.  I wore the vest for the first time this morning and when I was done my workout I found my tank top was soaked.  Guess it's going to work.  We had thought we found some heavier adjustable weights for our ankles and wrists but when we got home we found that they just won't work.  I was unable to get either the ankle or wrist weights tight enough to stay on.  We will keep looking but we may have the best options for our ankles and wrists.

This week at work I was on course for a couple of days and challenged myself to walk from the 2nd floor to the 7th floor (I'm currently walking 3 to 7).  I was able to it but was out of breath and my legs were screaming a bit when I finally got up to the 7th floor.  It was encouraging to see that it will be possible but will give it a bit more time before I do that regularly.

Yesterday was my sister's birthday and I helped plan a party for her.  It was a challenging evening as there was lots of yummy food out for everyone to enjoy.  Munkee and I opted to eat our regular dinner and after snack instead of tempting fates and trying to limit and have a few things at the party.  I kept myself busy organizing the food and ensuring there was enough out.  My sister has been an amazing support to me in my quest and is always quick to brag about me.  I find one of two things happens when people find out how much weight I've lost 1) they congratulate me and move on or 2) the offer their opinions on what you should be doing.  There are so many different options and opinions and suggestions on the best way to lose weight.  I smile and nod as I'm given their suggestions.  My best advice in this area is if you've found something that is working for you and you are happy, then leave it alone.  You can drive yourself crazy trying to stay up with the latest fads and trends.

This week should be pretty uneventful.  Regular work week and no big plans for the week now that my sister's party is done.

Saturday Weigh In - Steady Progress

Today I weighed in at 186 pounds. I am really enjoying the difference in my arms. It sounds like a small thing but having some more muscle definition in that area really makes me feel less "dorky".

I suppose that doesn't change the man that bears the arms though. I still am the same videogame obsessed superhero movie loving star wars geek. I think though I have gone a long way to ensuring my longevity.

Yesterday I suprised Bee by cleaning the house top to bottom. Now that the christmas stuff has been put away for the year we were suffering from a condition that appears to be annual. I call it fake needleitis. I think the stuff from garlands and christmas trees is second only to glitter in its tenacity.

The big difference I noticed is after finishing I wasn't sweaty and super tired. The old 280 pound version of myself would have been done for the day, and likely required a nap. These are the real reasons behind getting in shape and eating better. It is definitely nice to fit better into clothes and look nicer in them, but the real benefit is feeling better. Everything has changed from getting out of bed in the morning, travels up and down the stairs, and my general energy levels. My joints in my knees and hips no longer ache constantly, and I no longer require pain medication except in extreme circumstances.

Looking good is one thing, feeling great is truly the best reward.

Weekly Weigh-in and Reflection

So it's Saturday again, time for my weekly weigh-in.

As of this week I am down 133 pounds.  Yep, I stayed the same this week.

I'm ok with this.  This week I added more stairs to my daily climb to my office so I'm thinking I added some more muscle.  I know I ate properly and was much better at weighing and measuring my food.  It happens, I'm not always going to lose weight, the body adjusts and reacts as you change things.  As long as you know you're doing what you're supposed to be doing it will happen when it's supposed to.  At least that's what Munkee tells me when I'm about to throw the Wii balance board out the window.

This week was pretty good.  Adjusting to the extra climb up the stairs.  Having not done that for a few weeks with holidays and adding a bit more stairs was interesting.  My goal is to eventually do all the way up to the 7th floor.  I will get there.

Food was easier this week as routine was back to normal.  When I'm working Munkee does all the breakfast and lunch prep for the next day so that takes the temptation away from me to "add a bit more".  There were a few later dinners this week due to running around which wasn't an issue when I was off.  I have to realize not everything is always going to happen at the same time every day and let it go.  I am doing what I'm supposed to and it will happen when it's meant to.

Next week should be just as uneventful as this week.  Nothing much planned for next week at all.  Just returning back to normal routine.  Yep, it's revealed, I lead a very boring life!  And I love it!

Saturday Weigh In - Not too much to report

I stayed the same at 185 this week, which works fine for me. This week I added in another set of dips and pushups with a wider hand position. My hope is that I can work slightly different areas of the muscle and continue to sculpt them further.

This journey is a continuous one. I have layed the groundwork over the last year and a half that I intend to follow for the rest of my life. I am not doing some sort of diet to get in shape then slowly slinking back into old patterns. This was a distinct change in how my life functions.

It is a permanent change. Eating better and keeping active really is a good way to promote longevity. As much as I dislike the actual act of working out I know I feel worlds better for doing so. It is something I never intend to stop doing.

Back to Routine

So today was back to routine.  I back to work today after two weeks off.  I had an amazing two weeks off but it's nice to get back to the routine.

I mentioned in my Saturday post that I am now working on the 7th floor of my building and that posed a bit of a challenge as I was only use to walking up to the 4th floor and am worried about passing out in the stairwell if I tried to walk all the way up to the 7th floor.  So this morning I took the elevator up to the 3rd floor and then walked the stairs up to the 7th floor.  In a month or so I will move down to the 2nd floor and then finally do all the way up to the 7th without an elevator.  I thought about trying the entire thing but was not ready to try today.

My food routine didn't really change much over the holidays.  Ate at slightly different times and had to be a bit more flexible when eating at other people's  houses.  I did find I was picking a bit more and adding "just a couple of more" in when measuring things out.  I know I was still able to continue to drop my weight and I wasn't going crazy with things that are outside what I normally ate, it was just a little extra.  I am saying this out loud as I need to stop this or I am afraid because I was able to have "just a couple of more" and continue to lose weight that I will try a bit more and not enjoy the results.  So it's back to weighing and measuring and being more honest with my portion sizes again.  If I push that limit too much it could end badly and I refuse to go backwards.  Phew, I feel better now.

Saturday Weigh-in and Weekly Reflection

So it's Saturday again, that means time to see what the scale says...

I am down another pound for a total of 133 pounds off!

I am happy with still moving forward in my quest.  I am trying to be patient with the rate at which I'm loosing as this stuff has been with me the longest and will be the most stubborn to leave.  I have issued them their eviction notice and they will leave, I just have to be patient and continue forward.

I picked up my favorite issue of People magazine this week, the issue that features people who have lost half their weight.  I always find it an inspiring issue.  It's nice to see other people going through the same struggles and coming out on the other side.  It's an issue I tend to keep around.

This week was the last week of my holidays.  We stayed pretty quiet because I caught the cold that was going around the family at the various gatherings.  I must say it's the first time I've been sick in almost two years.  Not the way I wanted to spend my time off but force me to take it easy and maybe that's what I needed.

Back to work on Monday.  I changed jobs just before holidays and am now working on the seventh floor of the building.  This is challenging my resolve to only use the elevator at work.  Down I am fine.  Up I am afraid I will pass out on the fifth floor and never be found!  I'm thinking I could take the elevator to the third floor and then walk up to the seventh and then as I get use to that I can then move down to the second floor and then finally walk up to the seventh floor.  That's the plan.

Routine will fully return on Monday and the week should be fairly smooth.  Fingers crossed!

Saturday Weigh In - Milestone achieved

This morning the scale read back 185.5 which is pretty cool. It means that since I have started shooting for muscle gains, I have added 10 pounds of lean muscle to my frame. It really is starting to show in how clothing sits and with what I see in the mirror.

I set my new goal for the year to get even stronger and more muscular aiming for a body much like Chris Hemsworth. I should mention I am not aiming for his "Thor" body as that is well.. around 25 pounds more muscle than I have now, and probably required him to eat an ocean of fish and chicken.

I am sure if I really wanted to I could do that but I am aiming more for his offtime physique. Which is the picture I posted last blog. Its more within reason and likely wouldn't require me to cause mass extinction to fuel my protein needs.

I have been thinking lately about adding some sort of weight training in the more traditional sense to my workouts. I am still torn about it because it goes against one of my old nerdy predjudices. I think I used to word it "Only dumbasses own dumbbells" or something to that effect.

I think I have hit the realization that I would need something to that effect or heavy duty resistance bands to reach the goal I have set for myself. I will put more thought to it and see how things shape up without it. I kind of like the idea that most of this physique is generated from my own bodyweight and exercises driven mostly from a videogame console. To me there is something poetically right about that.

A New year has begun

I don't make new years resolutions anymore as I have found that its almost assured that I will fail to keep it. I accomplished quite a lot this past year. I finally am at a point in my life where I am happy with my body. That doesn't mean I am finished and can relax, in fact the opposite is true.

I am going to keep moving forward this year sculpting my body and intend to aim for something similar to this.

I know what you are thinking, why Chris Hemsworth. Well its really quite simple he is around my height. and although he is rather muscled I don't think he uses/abuses steroids to my knowledge. I think its attainable. 

I have been building muscle steadily since I began that process a while ago. My aim is to be in somewhat similar condition by the time my 40th birthday rolls around next december 22nd. 

One thing this journey has taught me is to have a goal. Originally I just wanted to lose some weight, part way through I decided to hit a 22bmi, and I met that goal. Once I had hit that goal I aimed to maintain that weight for 6 months, and succeeded. Now I am on the path to adding muscle, and I need a finish line to visualize. I see no reason not to aim high and shoot for the stars (no pun intended) I have come this far, so why not.

As Jedi Master Yoda once said "Do or Do Not there is no Try"