My Journey

You don’t have to me a mathmetician to realize that a littler is more than nothing. You just have to be willing to accept a little when you can’t get the whole thing!  Case in point is today, only had 20 minutes to do cardio before picking up daughters but it was a good 20 minute run.  Would have loved to done 45 but only time for 20!  That’s better than nothing!

Up a bit this week but not upset (not at the results anyway)!  I’ve come to realize that your results are a direct product of your input no matter where you apply this to.  If you continue to eat more calories than what you should be eating, then you can’t expect to see results!  How hard is that? I don’t know why it took me all this time to figure it out but hopefully this will hit someone before they go too far.

So this week, I am strictly focusing on eating the right number of calories.  Still getting to the gym to do weights and cardio but main focus is my calories.  So far, I feel good about the week. 

11:57 AM…

Good start to the week. Got up, went to gym and did 5 min warmup, 36 min jog (3 miles) and then a 10 minute walk. Finished up with 10 minutes of ab work.

Monday is normally a lifting day but lifted on Sunday so I could run outside today. However, it looked like rain when I got up this morning so headed to gym instead. Funny thing is. It didn’t rain until after I finished running on the treadmill. Treadmill running is not bad. I just prefer to get outside when the weather is nice.

Ate a veggie omlette and strawberry banana smoothie for breakfast.

Managed to do pretty good rest of day.  Grilled some turkey sausages and some zucchini and squash.  Biggest area of opportunity was the piece of cake I ate.  My wife brought it back from her father’s house.  I found out this morning that it was for both of us.  I assumed she had some and it was for me.  It didn’t look that big!  Honest!  Regardless of who it was for, I didn’t exercise discipline.  I started eating and didn’t finish until it was gone.

Been on vacation for the last 6 weeks or so.  Not from work but just haven’t posted anything.  Had to take time to get my head right.  I’ve read so much that I suffer from "Paralysis by Analysis".  I sat down and really considered what I want to accomplish in the next three to six months.  Truth is, I just want to get out of the size 40’s and into the 38’s or even 36’s in the next couple of months.  The way I plan to attack this is to:

1) get 30 minutes of exercise a day.  If I can’t go to the gym, walking around the parking lot at lunch time will have to do.  If I have the opportunity at lunch time, I will walk anyway because with my life, things come up and I don’t get a chance to the gym.  If I do make it to the gym, the 30 minutes of walking will be bonus!  2) eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day 3) water, water, water!!! 4) continue my multivitamin. 5) eat the right amount of food daily.

It is that simple! 

In my previous blog, "What I am trying this week", I mentioned that our office started a "biggest loser" type contest.  It is amazing how much a few days have made.  I have seen people coming out of the bathroom in sweats and tennis shoes after work and I have even noticed the fridge is full of lettuce, celery, cottage cheese, and slim-fast.  Not that I had anything to do with it but it kind of made me teary eyed to see everyone making such a conscious effort.

As far as me, my diet has been great.  The other day, we had box lunches with ham/turkey on a white bun, chips, cookies, and a fruit cup.  I grabbed a one and an extra sandwich that my co-worker (who is a vegetarian) didn’t want and came back to my cube.  I had brought wheat bread with me but didn’t have time to make tuna so I gutted the two sandwiches and put all the ham (the turkey was all gone) on the wheat bread.  All I could think was "protein and carbs - gotta get enough protein to outweigh the carbs!"

I feel like I am making progress!

Day 7 of "Pimp My Diet" saw some flexibility.  In other words, I ate stuff that may make some you say, "What the heck are you doing?"  but I didn’t beat myself up.  I had 1/2 a cheeseburger for lunch with fries and the other half for dinner.  I also had a couple of cookies. I know some of you are cringing even as you read this. 

No gym over the weekend.  Ran out of time Saturday AM and spent Saturday evening with my daughters since I hadn’t been home a lot Friday night and Saturday morning/afternoon.  Thought I had the opportunity to go Sunday after church until my mother invited us to lunch. 

Made up for it all the last couple of days.  Yesterday’s and today’s diet has been very clean.  I have tried everything else to lose weight so I figured this week, I would try to minimize or even eliminate carbs after 5 pm.  I am both the scientist and the guinea pig!  Both days, I have actually consumed more protein than carbs.  I did have a baked sweet potato tonight at 7 pm but carbs have still been relatively low.

Went to a different gym yesterday and it was crowded.  I grabbed an adjustable bench and got my chest and tricep workout in and then did about 20 minutes on the treadmill.  Alternated 1 min at 3.5 mph with 2 minutes at 7 six times.  Didn’t think I would make it the full two minutes on those last two but I did.

On a funny note, our office started a "Biggest Loser" contest.  At first, I didn’t want to enter because the winner would be determined by the first person to lose 15 lbs.  Well heck!  Depending on how much you weigh, you could drop most of that in a week.  But then someone mentioned that it should be based on percent weight lost by April 15th.  I can do that.  I would have brought it up in the first place but originally, I had just planned to spectate.  So today, everyone is giving away their snacks.  People have found chips and cookies on their desk when they return from the restroom or breakroom.  One cat even mentioned he would win by only eating 800 calories and playing 3 hours of racquetball.  He weighs at least 260.  This ought to be interesting!!! 

It is Saturday.  This is the most difficult day from a diet standpoint.  There are so many snacks around our house.  The temptation is there but I am doing my best to fight it.

05:30 - reduced sugar oatmeal, skim milk, and 2 tsp of peanut butter

10:30 - 1 egg, 1/2 c egg whites scrambled with mushrooms, green peppers, and onion, 1 cup oatmeal

Knew I would be out for a couple of hours so I packed my cooler with turkey sandwiches, protein, apples, nuts, and a protein bar

14:00 - turkey on 2 slices of wheat with an apple

15:30 - 1 1/2 scoops of protein in water and almonds

17:30 - turkey on 2 slices of wheat

Well, it is day 5.  Mentally, I am happy with the progress I have made over the last couple of days.  It is almost psychological for me that I just feel better when I make better food choices.  I feel I am making progress.  Now let’s hope the scale shows it on Monday morning!

So the day so far has looked like this:

07:30 - 1 cup of oatmeal with 2 eggs and 4 egg whites (I actually had time for a hot breakfast this morning)

12:30 - reduced sugar oatmeal and protein (pre-workout) — I know I should have waited 5 hours to eat but my timing was way off here!

12:45 - 13:45 - Left for lunch and got in a Legs and shoulders workout.  I have the feeling things may pop up this evening to prevent it so it is out of the way now.  Legs and shoulders is always a long day so I supersetted all exercises today to keep my heart rate up and get out of there (Leg ext/ arnold press, leg press/ rear lat raise, BB hack squat/ side raise, seated leg curls/lying leg raises).  Finished up with 15 min on the elliptical.  Warmed up for 2 min and then alternated level 1 with level 17 each for a minute for 10 minutes and then a steady level 1 for 3 minutes.

14:30 - bagel, 2 scoops of protein in 16 oz of gatorade (post-workout).  Went a little longer than I should have on post-workout meal but left bagel at work and had to stop and buy gatorade.

The rest of the day should be pretty good.  I’ve got enough food to last me in the event I am trapped at work longer than expected.  Tomorrow will be the test!  Being at home with all of the goodies.  I do pretty good when I pack my bag and come to work.  Now that I think of it, I may pack my bag tonight but only eat out of it.  Tricky, but it may work! 

16:00 - South Beach Pizza

18:00 - South Beach Wrap kit.  When I stopped at the grocery after the gym, I bought two of these because I knew I wouldn’t be home for a while. 

20:30 - South Beach Wrap kit - the second one.  Still not home yet.

21:30 - Met a friend at Starbucks.  Ordered their version of a mango banana protein smoothie with an extra scoop of protein.

23:00 - PB&J and skim

I feel pretty good about keeping it clean for the last day and a half.  I woke up last night and like clockwork, went straight to the pantry.  But this time, I grabbed what was left of a can of unsalted nuts. It was about 180 calories worth.  That and a little crystal light and it was back to bed.

Today has been good.  But right now, I am starving!  I thought I packed my protein this morning (to drink with an apple or oatmeal) but realized this afternoon when I went for it that I didn’t.  I have my cup but nothing to put in it.  Only other thing in my bag is a pack of tuna, an apple, and oatmeal.  It took me about 45 minutes to down the last packet so I really don’t feel like trying to choke another one down.  I am leaving to do cardio in about 15 minutes but will definitely have to eat afterwards.

So far, I have had:

07:30 - 2 packets of reduced sugar oatmeal with 30 g of protein and 1 1/2 cup of skim

10:00 - 1 cup of cottage cheese and an apple

12:30 - tuna packet and  a mini bag of 94% Fat Free microwave popcorn (no hydrogenated oil)

I’ve had 120 oz. of water so far.  I’m drinking iced tea with splenda now.  Kind of like a reward for drinking almost all of my water before the workday is over.  Hopefully I can sleep through the night and not wake up to use the restroom!

16:30 - I said 45 minutes ago that I was leaving in 15 but someone came in the office to talk.  Won’t make cardio right now because I have got to pick my daughter up in 1 hour.  I had it planned down to the minute:  Drive 15 minutes to the gym, cardio for 30, leaving the gym in 5 and then a 15 minute drive to the daycare would get me there just in time to make sure I get her to gymnastics.

These are the challenges I face with going to the gym.  I hate that I didn’t get up this morning and go like I said I would!  Hopefully, this will motivate me to get up early and go when I have the opportunity from now on!  Then it will be out of the way.

The good thing is I will have time to stop and get something to eat.  Still not eating out so I’ll stop by the grocery and get a South Beach Wrap Kit (whole wheat shell, chicken, low fat cheese, salsa and sugar-free jello).

Here is how the day finished up:

17:00 South Beach Southwestern Chicken wrap kit and an apple

19:30 Baked pork chop and 2 pcs of wheat

22:30 PB&J (all natural, whole grain, and sugar free) and 2 cups of skim

Never made it to do cardio. Other than that, a pretty good day!

Had to be at work at 6 this AM.  Woke up at 5.  The temptation was there to just stop and grab something quick for breakfast but I made a verbal committment that I would not to eat out for the next 40 days.  I have to at least make it through the first day!  It has a spiritual, yet financial benefit!

So I grabbed some quick things to put in my lunch bag that would hopefully keep me out of drive thrus and away from vending machines.

05:30 -  poured 1 cup of cheerios in a bag and poured 16 oz of skim milk in my coffee cup.  ate it on the way to work. 

08:30 - ate a cup of cottage cheese and a packet of reduce sugar oatmeal (once I have eaten all the packets up, it’s on to regular oatmeal)

11:30 - packet of tuna (180 calories/40 grams of protein) and an apple

So far, I’ve had about 1/2 gallon of water and NO DIET SODA!

It is 13:45 and I am hungry.  Went to the vending machine looking for nuts but all there was was a big bag of salted cashews for $1.50.  I’ll pass.  Hoping the sugar-free hot chocolate mixed with coffee will keep me satisfied and awake until I can get home. 

Goal is to go home, grab a pre-workout snack (slow carbs and protein) head to the gym.  Will also have to pack a post-workout snack (fast carbs and protein) for after the gym and to hold me until I get home for dinner.

Before I go to bed tonight, I’ll have to pack a little more in the lunch bag than I did today.  If I don’t eat it, it will be there for the next day.

15:30 - Pre-workout snack of oatmeal and protein

Back (Reverse Grip Pulldowns, One Arm Rows, Bent Over Rows with Cable and hyperextensions), Biceps (barbell curls, alt db curls, and hammer curls), Calves and 20 minutes of cardio (of which I alternated walking at 3.5 mph and 8 mph for 1 minute each for 10 minutes)

17:45 - 32 oz of Gatorade and 2 scoops of protein with 1 piece of white and 1 tbsp jelly (85 g of fast carbs and 40 g of protein)

19:00 - Baked pork chop on 2 pieces of wheat

So far, I have managed to stay clean.  I am nearing my weakest time of the day when I awaken to go to the bathroom from all the water I drank and end up getting a midnight snack out of the pantry.

I will not get up and snack!I will not get up and snack!I will not get up and snack!I will not get up and snack!I will not get up and snack!I will not get up and snack!I will not get up and snack!I will not get up and snack!

And while I am psyching myself up:

I will get up in the morning and do 30 minutes of cardio.I will get up in the morning and do 30 minutes of cardio.I will get up in the morning and do 30 minutes of cardio.I will get up in the morning and do 30 minutes of cardio.

Let’s see if this works!

I’m going to sleep!