Not So Hot Thursday

Had half a banana in the a.m., and really, REALLY overdid it at lunch. Had cheesesticks & a double fish from Arby's! Yikes...I need some better nutrition! Will work on that pronto....

Wife had to go to work early, so my workout hasn't happened just yet. I really need to get in there and sweat a bunch!!! Here's the breakdown thusfar today:

Morning
1/2 banana - 50
Fish sandwich - 707 (holy tuna, Batman!)
Cheesesticks - 426 (that was a really, really bad idea)
(Total so far today is 1183, heading into the afternoon and hoping to be better tonight!)

Evening

Hump Day/Chump Day

I'm progressing, and feel as though I am accomplishing something. Small movements on the scale are encouraging, and I need to fight the temptation to "see" results in the mirror this early. I had hoped to lose 5 pounds this first week, but not sure that's going to happen. Maybe more like 3, since some movement on the scale is evident. I'm using the scale at the YMCA... the one at home has me a little lighter, but I don't know its accuracy. Wednesday's totals, knowing that a couple of these are "estimates" based on other books, etc...

Slimfast Optima - 190
Zita & Marinara - 400
B-stick - 200
Bananna - 110
Fish sandwich - 400
Balance bar - 210
Fudge pop - 35
TOTAL - 1545

Workout was good...tomorrow, I hope to hit the weights...

A Whole Week Without Sugar?

I haven't had anything sweet for several days now. Frankly, it's a good feeling. That doesn't mean its been easy! Heck no, this is hard. But I've managed to avoid cake, chocolate, etc. I do have some sugar free fudge pops, only 35 calories, and I'll probably indulge in one tonight. So far, the calories today shake out like this:

Morning...
Slimfast Optima - 190
Subway Chicken Sandwich, lettuce & pepper jack - 400
Bag of wafer-thin Baked Lays - 140

Not sure what tonight will bring, but I will endeavor to stick to the plan. Workout was ok today; knee is much better, so the elliptical machine was a hit...

(Man, this is boring. God bless you if you actually read this).

Afternoon/Evening:
Bites of chicken - 150
Pork chop - 300
Handfull popcorn - 100
Bag M & M's dark - 240
TOTAL: 1520

OK, so I'm not going to win any awards for nutrition with that kind of day. The M&M's were at a moment of weakness, with lots of unforseen stress coming out of nowhere. I can't say that I've had no sweets, but it has been limited, and will continue to be. Will start hitting the salad hard, and will continue with multivitamins & lots of water!

Monday's Food

Slimfast Optima for B-fast: 190
Wendy's grilled chicken: 330
Side Caesar 1/2 dressing: 140

Today's Total: 660 heading into the evening...

Banana: 100
Had Ziti & tomato sauce: 350
Handful of popcorn: 50

Rough total is 1100 for the day, though I'm uncertain of the actual Ziti calorie total. I'm pretty draggy, so I need to bump it up a little higher tomorrow. I'm not an Olsen twin...

Dangerous Weekends

In the past, weekends have not been good for any of my weightloss efforts. When I'm in a groove, the schedule of the Monday-Friday week sometimes makes it easier (notice I said "sometimes.") So to survive a weekend without overdoing it is rare for me. This weekend was pretty sweet. Actually, I managed to avoid any sweet foods that have contributed greatly to the condition I'm currently in. This week, I'm adding potatoes to that list. I'm not ready to go cold-turkey on bread, but I will, and have been, very careful with it. Next week, it goes too.

Only problem I seem to have is with some aches & pains. Today, my knee is very sore. I have no idea why, but it made my workout less than it should be. So that isn't taking off like gangbusters, though I did manage to exercise & break a sweat.

Today, I plan to stay at 1500 calories. I know this first week is important, so I'll be documenting my intake here. So far, so good. Actually feel pretty good about myself and my progress, though limited, to this point.

New Beginnings - No More Cadbury!

As I start this new journal, I'm finishing the last bite of a Cadbury egg. It will be the last such delicacy I have for some time, since the point of this new anonymous confession is to chronicle my upcoming weight loss. But first, a little about me...

In the 90's, I was quite heavy. The weight I documented, in approx. 1998, was 272 pounds. For the next 18 months or so, I managed to lose quite a bit of weight, bottoming out at 213. I looked good, felt good, had energy, all of the things that come with weight loss. Most importantly, I felt good about myself. My dream goal was to dip below the 200 mark, but that was as close as I got at the time.

I managed to maintain my weight in the low 220's for some time, and was quite comfortable with that. Until lately, that is.

Just shy of my 40th birthday, I'm in the high 240's. In fact, though I haven't been on a scale today, I suspect I'm just shy of 250, if not right on that number. Not good.

Seems that I have little or no self control. Today, as an example, I had intentions of working out at lunch, eating sensibly & light, and "starting over." Truth is, several days start just like that...but seldom end that way. So, I grabbed a quick B-fast thing at the convenience mart, ended up eating Mexican for lunch, and grabbed a couple of aforementioned Cadbury Eggs on my way back to the office.

From my past experience, I know what works for me. I have to control my calorie intake, and guard it religiously. After a bit, I crave less & less food, and it takes much less to make me feel like I'm full. Also, exercise needs to be consistent and intense (admittedly, the consistent part of that hasn't been a huge problem...but the intensity is suspect).

So here is my manifesto, beginning February 15th, 2007....

1. I will re-read "Body for Life" which was a catalyst for me a few years ago, and I will strive to implement that program back into my life.


2. I will count calories, and will stay between 1500-2000 for the undetermined future. I need to pursue that with "gazelle-like intensity"


3. Exercise will be non-negotiable, and I will find ways to do something both at the gym and at home. I understand that in the first 6 weeks, any off days from exercise of some sort must be few & far between.


4. I will begin to pound down the water. I know it played a big part in my earlier efforts, and I will seek to be constantly drinking (good for my kidneys, anyway).


5. I will regularly spill my guts here about my habits, and will welcome any accountability and encouragement from any who stumble across this blog.


6. I will find some others in my life who are also struggling in this area, and we'll journey together, and regularly provide some accountability to each other.

So, the bulk of this blog will deal with that. If you would like to join me, I would love to have you along for the ride. Maybe we can help each other!