My Week of Gym-cation

I needed to burn some “use it or lose it” vacation days, so I took the week off.  I didn't have any real plans for the time, so I decided to make it a “gym-cation.”  I was able to get to the gym in the morning hours and try some of the daytime classes.  Over the course of the week, I think I worked out with every Cardio Kickboxing and Zumba instructor in the gym.  On some days, I pulled some double sessions, even attending my usual classes.  Hitting the weights in the mornings was awesome.  The gym was fairly empty, so I didn't have to wait to use the machines, racks, benches or weights.  I had some great workouts.  My most challenging day consisted of an hour of Zumba, ninety minutes of weight training, and an hour of Cardio Kickboxing.  By Friday evening, I couldn't pick up another weight.  Luckily, that was an upper body weight day, since we were heading out to a Salsa costume dance that evening.

Saturday and Sunday, I stuck to the cardio classes, no weights.  By the end of my gym-cation, I was tired, but satisfied.  I’d pushed my body hard, tried new exercise routines, increased some weight poundage, and had come out okay.  I wouldn't want to do this every week, but I wouldn't mind doing it again at some point.

I wanted to weigh myself, but my scale wasn't working.  I bought another digital scale, set it up, and hopped on.  I was dismayed to find that I’d gained more than five pounds!  I rechecked the setup instructions and found that I’d skipped the initialization steps.  After I initialized the scale, I weighed myself again and found that I’d lost 2.5 lbs. (Much better!).  That brings my total weight loss to 50.1 lbs.

Like I promised in my last post, these are the photos of my Halloween costume.  I went as Robin Hood.  We had a fantastic time at the dance.  There were some great costumes being worn at the club.  I also enjoyed my impromptu Sherwood Forest (otherwise known as "the backyard.") photo shoot.

I felt that my body looked pretty good in the costume.  I credit the body shaping done with the weights.  Diet, sleep, and aerobics are also very important, but, in my opinion, nothing shapes you like resistance training.  Fifty pounds is not an insignificant amount of weight to lose, but I think my current state makes it appear that I've lost more than that.

Motivation

I was told that my body slimming was very noticeable.

I was asked if I was an athlete and if I was in training for an event or sport.

I was complimented on my hard work and dedication.

As I was packing my summer clothing away, I came across my fatigue pants from my service in the Air Force.  I decided to see if I could get into them.  While holding my breath and sucking in my gut, I was able to zip and fasten them.  Though I was hard pressed to breathe normally, I was wearing size thirty four pants that I’d last worn nearly thirty years ago!  I was stunned!  When I started this process at size forty two plus, getting into a size thirty four seemed like a fantasy.

Reps and steps!

The Mirror Is Becoming Kinder

The last few weeks have been pretty eventful.  My exercise schedule is back to normal.  I've picked up the intensity again on the strength training and have added a number of cardio classes to the mix.  It’s been good to work out with so many different instructors, all with different styles and approaches. That variety helps to keep the work fresh and interesting.  The diet has been good, though on a few heavy work out days, I ate into my exercise calories.

We found a couple of Halloween parties to attend, so I did wind up buying a costume.  It wasn't one of the costume ideas that I'd been considering, but it did have one crucial element that the others lacked:  It matches my wife's costume! LOL!  The first party is a week before Halloween, the second is on Halloween.  I’ll post pics from the second event.  I bought my costume online.  It was nice to be confident enough to buy it, knowing that it would fit.  I couldn't have done that less than two years ago.

About the “mirror’s” change in attitude…

I've noticed some very positive changes in my physique lately.  Actually, that’s not quite right.  Said more correctly, I’m very happy with the changes in my physique lately.  The image that I see reflected back to me is so much closer to the goal image that I see in my mind.  I like the way I look in my clothes.  I like the muscular development.  I find that I’m seeing more of the positives and less of the negatives.

Now, when I make an assessment of my physical condition, it’s less of a criticism and more of a critique.  I’m not sure when I turned this corner, but I’m glad to have done it.  I don’t think that I was ever hyper-critical of myself, but there were times when I doubted my progress.

Now, when I look in the mirror, the change is pretty obvious.  There’s no longer a question of if I’m succeeding.  My reflection says, “Yes.”

Getting used to my “New Normal”

As I was doing an orientation of with some new employees, the thought hit me, “This version of me is how these people will think of me.”  They never knew the heavier me or any of the stages in between.  This got me to thinking about my grandsons.  They’re all pretty young, the oldest being six.  Chances are, as they grow older, they won’t remember my former look.  It’s all pretty strange and exciting.

Motivation

• While shopping for underwear, I came across a sale brand which sized their product different than I’m accustomed to.  I'm used to a waist size large as being designated as 36-38".  Their large was 38-40".  Their medium ran 34-36".  I went with the medium, which were a perfect fit!
• I was mistaken for being younger than my age (This one is always a morale booster!).
• Someone assumed that I’d reached my goal state and asked what was next for me.
• A couple of people complimented my exercise ethic.
• A few people complimented my physique and weight loss.
• We had a pre-Halloween party at work and someone took a snap of me.  I paired it with an earlier picture.  Here’s the result:

Reps and steps, baby!

Staying the Course

Not a whole lot to report these week.  It was very much like last week, as far as exercise and diet go.  The early part of the week was busy, with no time to get to the gym.  I did well on with my allotted calorie count, though I did exceed it once.  I got in three Zumba classes, two weight workouts and spent a little time on the walking track.

I've upped the resistance in a few more exercises.  I've been able to do 100 lb military (overhead)

barbell presses.  I moved up to 40 lb single arm dumbbell flies and got in some 60 lb dumbbell curls, but my form wasn't good.  I also added some straight arm press downs to the mix.

The gym mirror has been pretty motivating lately.  I'm starting to see the muscles working as I exercise.  That pushes me to work them even harder.

I'm still getting lots of encouragement and acknowledgement on my weight loss and body shaping, which I truly appreciate.

I learned a couple more weight loss terms:

The Whoosh Effect:  Presumably the body pulls water into the muscles and out of other tissues (fat cells).  In lean individuals, appearance is often drastically improved.

ONEderland:  You've fallen below 200 lbs and are in the "100's."

I think that I have a shot at making ONEderland by Jan 23, 2015, which will be the two year anniversary of the start of my current fitness journey.  I'm not overly concerned about the weight total, but it would be a nice milestone to achieve.

A Matter of Perspective

About 5 years ago

My son stopped by the other day and mentioned that he and his wife were planning a birthday party for my oldest grandson.  They'd been looking through pictures of my grandson's first birthday party when they came across a photo of me, from almost five years ago.  My son commented on how he could hardly believe the difference between then and now.

Seeing the photo was a surprise.  In those days, I usually made sure that I was the one taking the shots because I really didn't care to see myself in pictures, other than head-shots.  I probably weighed around 280 lbs in that photo.  Looking at the picture made me realize just how far I've come.  Even at this incomplete stage, I could pretty much declare victory right now when compared to where my health was in this photo.  Though, there are still times when I look in the mirror and see my former self.  There are times when I feel just as heavy as I looked in the photo.  On those occasions, I turn my focus to the positive aspects of my journey.  I force my perspective back to reality and see myself as I am now.  I reflect on the progress that I've made and the goals that I'm pursuing.

A recent photo

The last time I posted a weigh-in was in June.  I'd lost 38.8 lbs.   Since then, I've lost another 8.8 lbs, bringing my total weight loss to 47.6 lbs.  I'm closing in on matching my largest weight loss total, 51.8 lbs, which I was, unfortunately, unable to maintain.  I feel confident that I will surpass that total, now that I have a better plan in place.

This week was a challenging one, as far my diet went.  I attended a retirement party, two going away parties and a birthday party.  While I did eat too many pastries and baked goods, I still managed to stay within my calorie count on the day of each event.  This was with minimal dipping into my exercise calories.

I didn't get into the gym until Thursday.  Even then, I didn't get to the weights until Saturday, so I got in four days of cardio and two strength training sessions.  It actually felt good to have had so much time off.  I was very rested when I got back to the weights.

Inspiration

I was out shopping with my wife when a Fall jacket caught my eye.  I thought that it would be a good interim replacement for my now too large leather jacket, which I mentioned in a previous post.  The jacket was on sale, but the sign stated two prices.  One price for "regular" sizes and ten dollars more for big and tall sizes.  Eighteen months ago, I would have had to pay that additional ten dollars.

My job has a health program where you submit your biometrics to get a discount on medical coverage.  I got my results from my doctor's office and plugged in the numbers.  My current numbers were better than last year's numbers in every category!  The software's assessment was basically, "Keep doing what you're doing."

Well, here's looking forward to another successful week!

Working Out in White

I usually wear dark colors when I workout.  Darker colors being more slimming than lighter colors.  Recently, I started adding white shirts into my workout clothes rotation.  My body has gotten slimmer and "tighter," so I thought that I'd give it a try.  Though I still have some fat around the middle, I didn't feel self-conscious about it, even after I sweated through the shirt.  This was a breakthrough that I wasn't expecting or even thought of as an issue.  It's funny that such a simple change could feel so empowering.

While I'm on the subject of clothes, I'm happy to report that I'm firmly in the pant size 36.  I'm able to wear almost all of the size 36s in my closet.  This means that the next stop will be a size 34!  This is a huge motivator for me.

Great walking scenery

Exercise this week went well.  I got in four resistance workouts, three Zumba classes, and one Cardio Kickboxing class.  On my off-days, I walked about four miles in total.  On one particular walk, I got into a good rhythm, passed a couple of people as I walked on a decline.  I tried to maintain the same pace on the incline portion of the trail and began to break into a light sweat.  As I was on the incline, I heard tapping behind me.  It was an older gentleman, using a walking stick.  He greeted me as he effortlessly passed me, looking as cool as a cucumber!

The diet also continues to go well.  I've even started introducing vegetables into my meals (I'll wait for you to recover from the shock before I continue. LOL).  I'm still coming in under my daily maximum calorie goals, so the portion control seems to be working.  I can see some of the results of keeping the food diary when I'm working out.  It's encouraging to see my the workings of my muscles reflected in the gym mirror as I'm doing reps.  I take this to mean that there is less fat covering them.

Next Week's Goals

I'll be attending a few farewell parties next week.  My goal will be to keep the over indulging to a minimum.  I plan on banking some calories, by having light breakfasts and lunches on those days, to help me to meet this goal.

Burn, Calories, Burn!

Monday was a great day for a walk.

I got in a couple of walks on Monday and Tuesday, my workout rest days.  I did five days of weight training, four Zumba classes, and a Cardio Kickboxing class.  If I haven't mentioned it before, the Cardio Kickboxing class can be pretty challenging.  We punch, kick, bob, weave and jump non-stop for an hour.  It's definitely a stamina builder.

Keeping the food diary (Myfitnesspal) continues to go well.  Now that I have about forty days worth of data entered, the reports become useful.  In addition to tracking calories, I can review other intakes, such as sodium, carbs, fats, and protein, enabling me to make adjustments to my diet, as necessary.  The amount of data that the site gives you access to is amazing.  Data becomes knowledge and "Knowledge is Power."  That power translates into better management of my fitness/weight loss plan.

Calories Burned

An example of the reports is the Calories Burned chart.  The chart illustrates the calories that I burned last week while exercising.

Exercise Calories Burned Last Week

9/8 - 9/9:  Walking

9/10: Weight Training/Zumba

9/11:  Weight Training/Cardio Kickboxing

9/12 - 9/14:  Weight Training/Zumba

Motivation/Non-Scale Victories (NSV)

Thursday evening was unseasonably cool, so I grabbed my jacket on my way to the gym. It was noticeably big on me. That was an unexpected win. The bad news is that it's my favorite leather jacket. The good news is I get to go shopping for a new, smaller one!

On another cool day, I grabbed a long sleeve fleece jersey to wear.  I hadn't worn this particular shirt much because the stitched lettering irritated my chest.  Turns out that the stitching wasn't the real problem.  The real problem was how tightly the shirt fit.  Tightness isn't an issue this season.  Plenty of room now.

A Gym Public Service Announcement (PSA)

When removing the pin to change the weight on a stack of plates, make sure that the bar that is connected to the cable is not heavier than the lightest plate. I took a thump to the head by forgetting this rule. Luckily, my head is hard, the bar was light, and it didn't have far to fall.

I also managed to get distracted and catch my fingers beneath a dumbbell.  Again, it was only a slight injury.  No real damage done.

That's all for this week.  Hopefully, the coming week will go smoothly.

So, It Really Is All About The Math

Like the title says, I’m finding that the math plays an important role in weight loss.  I've never been one to consistently count points or calories.  My approach was more, shall we say, instinctual.  It worked for me, up to a point.  Keeping a food diary (Myfitnesspal) has changed the game for me.  The process has been much smoother and the results are becoming more apparent.

These are my calorie counts for September 1 – 7:

Day	Total Cal.	Exercise Cal.	Activities
Monday	2,129	233	Walking
Tuesday	2,012	362	Weights
Wednesday	2,021	1171	Zumba/Weights
Thursday	2,093	1280	Cardio Kickboxing/Weights
Friday	2,166	1248	Zumba/Weights
Saturday	2,002	1378	Zumba/Weights
Sunday	2,162	1378	Zumba/Weights

To lose 1 pound per week, I need to consume no more than 2200 calories per day or 15,400 calories per week.  I averaged 2,084 calories per day, for a total of 14,585 calories for the week.

I burned 7,050 calories through exercise.  Subtracting my exercise calories from my total consumed calories left me with 7,535 calories consumed for the week.

Since I came in under my calorie goal, I should have lost 1 pound, according to the plan.  Factoring in the underage and the exercise calories, I should have also lost an additional 2.2 pounds, bringing the total loss for the week to 3.2 lbs. 

Since weight loss isn't an exact science, let’s say that my numbers are off by twenty percent.  That would still mean a loss of 2.6 lbs. for the week.  Still nothing to sneeze at!

I won’t know any of this for certain until I weigh in at the end of the month.  But, I do know that I’m wearing clothes that I couldn't wear last month, I’m constantly pulling my workout pants up (these were the ones I bought to replace the last set.), and I continue to receive positive feedback.

One of the best things to come of this new plan of action is that while I’m controlling my intake, I’m never hungry or feeling weak.  As a matter of fact, I've increased the poundage and/or the number of sets in almost all of my resistance training exercises.

Deer near the walking trail

Though I’d like to be in the gym every day, I know that I have to give my muscles time to rest and repair.  I plan on working out five days and taking two consecutive days off from the weight training.  I’ll take a walk through the parks on those off days, as I see no reason to suspend the cardio. 

I did find a short term goal to work toward.  Halloween falls on a Friday this year, so I’m sure that there will be costume parties to attend.  Over the years, I've had a few costume ideas in mind that I’d wanted to wear, but my physique wasn't “right” for them.  This year may be different.  I’d like to make my costume choice by the weekend of October 18^th.  That’s the carrot that I’ll be shooting for.

Settling Into a Good Groove

Not a whole lot to report this week.  I made it to the gym five days this week, which included four Zumba classes.  My diet continues to go well.  Seeing my food choices in writing, with the myfitnesspal app, has really helped me stay on track.  I burned some additional calories with an evening of Swing dancing to a live band.  I hadn't danced Swing in quite a while.  It was a nice treat.

I learned a new weight loss term this week:  NSV.  According to the Urban Dictionary, NSV stands for Non-Scale Victory.  “NSV is a dieting and weight loss term for noticing your weight loss success off the scale.”  Examples of NSVs are getting rid of clothes because they are too big or shopping in the "regular" stores.  So, it seems that I've had a number of NSVs over the course of my fitness journey, but didn't know to call them that.

Motivation

• I noticed stretch marks in the bicep area, so the muscles are definitely growing.  Now that the marks are apparent, it also means that it’s time to up the vitamin e.
• I got into another pair of shorts and a pair of jeans, neither of which I could wear at the beginning of the month.
• I've managed to finish under my calorie goal for most of the last twenty five days.  This is outside of the exercise calories that I've burned.

I need to find another short term goal to work towards.  I don’t have anything on the calendar, so far, to use as a carrot.  I’m sure that something will pop up soon.

That’s it for now.  I’ll be firing up the grill for the Labor Day holiday, which may become a splurge day.

Standing on the Verge

After last week, I feel like I'm on the verge of making real progress.  The MyFitnessPal app and website seem to have been the missing piece of my fitness puzzle.  Keeping a more accurate count of my caloric intake is turning into real progress.

I've been using the app for about three weeks now and the results have been noticeable.  I've moved down a belt notch and the few 38" waist pants that I'm still wearing are becoming too large.

I got in six days of exercise last week that included 6 weight training sessions and 4 Zumba classes.  After Friday's workout, I accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from a friend.  Let me tell you, having a bucket full of ice cold water dumped on my head was quite the experience.

I've been getting more positive comments on the body shaping, lately.  One person asked if I was losing weight.  Another told me that I was losing weight.  Still another mentioned that I looked cute in my workout gear.  Cute wasn't the look that I was going for, but I'll take it (lol).

I was successful in reaching the goal that I set for myself.  I was able to comfortably wear the smaller cut shorts to the reunion picnic!  As an added benefit, I got into some of the other 36" waist pants that I've had waiting in the wings.  As was the case with the shorts, they aren't comfortable...yet.  But, coming from wearing size 42s, just getting into size 36s doesn't seem quite real.

I'm feeling very positive and encouraged.  I even considered getting on the scale, but decided to wait until the end of September or the beginning of October to weigh in.  I'll have been following my updated diet plan for about 10 weeks by then and should have lost at least 10 pounds.

I drank too much Coca Cola this week.  Still not up to my old levels, but more than I should have.  I had couple of Cokes on the nights that we ate out with friends and I shared a large Coke and a tub of popcorn at the movies.  The saving grace was that the workout calories that I'd banked covered my excesses.  I was still remained under calorie count.  The value of regular exercise paid immediate dividends in this case.

Speaking of exercise, I've gotten so used to doing it, that I feel a little guilty on my rest days.  On those days, I make sure that I at least get in a walk.  Now, I've found a place to walk that is really convenient.  The city added a fitness trail to some nearby green space.  Twenty exercise stations make up the fitness trail. You walk briskly or jog between stations.  I tried it out and was able to work through about two thirds of the stations.  Eventually I'l make it through all of them.

Jumping back a paragraph, the movie that I saw was "Get On Up (The James Brown Story)."  It was an excellent movie. I predict a Best Actor nomination for Chadwick Boseman and Best Supporting Actor nod to Dan Aykroyd.  I highly recommend it.

Like I wrote earlier, I think that I'm on the verge of finally breaking through on this fitness journey.  Suddenly, the journey doesn't feel like I have that much longer to go before I reach my goal.  Not that it has gotten any easier, but I feel like I have a good plan and that its paying off.  I'm feeling more confident that I'll get it done within the time frame that I'm shooting for.  The last thing I want to do is to be facing the same challenges as I'm dealing with now, at the two year point.  Hope and fear are great motivators!

I'll leave you with couple of pics taken near the fitness trail.  I was goofing around, having "Fun with Boulders!"

No boulders were harmed in the making of these photos.

Strange Sources of Inspiration

This was a very balanced week.  I did well on both fronts; exercise and diet.  I’m finding the MyFitnessPal app and website to be a very useful tool to help keep my eating on track.  I’m consistently falling below the goal calorie count.  Not far below, but a noticeable amount.  I’m not starving myself, just choosing which calories to consume more wisely.  I actually snack a lot during the day, especially during the workday.  The photo below shows a variant of my usual snacks.  I eat half in the morning, after breakfast.  The other half gets eaten in the afternoon, following lunch.  They keep me from hitting the vending machines, which is a good thing!

I had one glass of Coke and one cinnamon raisin bagel this week.  That’s a big win for me.  My wife and I split a decadent dessert this weekend, but I had the calorie count to cover it, so I wasn't overly concerned with eating it.  As an example of how my numbers stack up, here's my MyFitnessPal results for Sunday.

Since I exercise on most days, I usually have a lot of "bonus" calories to burn.  For Sunday, I had 90 minutes of resistance training, followed by 60 minutes of Zumba.  We also got in more dancing this weekend, which was added to my exercise calories.

Inspiration?

I was having an issue with irritation in my armpits.  I tried switching soaps and deodorants, but neither seemed to help much.  To make it even more difficult to pin down the cause of the problem was the fact that it wasn't happening daily.  It took me a while, but I finally figured it out.  With all of the weight lifting I've been doing, my shoulders, back, arms, and chest have gotten larger.  Some of the smaller cut shirts were actually rubbing against my armpits, chafing them!  It’s probably a little strange that I was more pleased about the muscle growth than I was relieved for finding the cause of the irritation!

Nov 2013 ---------------- Aug 2014

Goals

In my last post, I mentioned that I wanted to be able to wear certain pair shorts to a picnic at the end of the month.  So, my goal was to be able to wear the shorts comfortably.  Well, I got my dates wrong.  The picnic is this coming weekend, instead of the end of the month.  I lost a week that I thought I would have.  I don't plan on making any drastic changes to my diet, so the only thing left is to add exercises and see what happens. 

Well, that's another week in the books.  I'll let you know if I meet my goal, or not, in next week's post.

Celebrating The Calories That Weren't Consumed

This was a very successful week, both workout-wise and diet.  On the workout side, the week was very consistent, then I got to really pound it over the weekend.  The diet was good, too.  I removed or limited my consumption of two foods that I felt were holding up my progress:  Coke and cinnamon raisin bagels.

Before I get to the food portion of this post, I wanted to finish up with the workouts, particularly the weekend's workouts.  I took Friday off from work, as it was the day of the wedding that I mentioned in a previous post.  I got to the gym early and hit the weights really hard.  I'm happy to report that my new suit fit fine and was comfortable through the wedding and reception.  The reception was a cardio-fest for me.  Lots of dancing, plus I learned a few new line dances from the teens and twenty-somethings.  I made it to the gym Saturday morning, blasted my legs in a series of exercises, and then went to a spirited Zumba class.  I got to the gym later than usual on Sunday and found that I was in time for the start of yet another Zumba class, just as I finished my upper body workout.  Finally, I tackled the lawn and yard work to finish out the day.  I've also started using the True Stretch Cage, to work out some of the after exercise kinks and to improve my flexibility.

I mentioned my love of the fizzy beverage, Coca Cola, a few posts ago.  That hasn't changed, but I decided to push back against it.  A 20 oz. bottle of Coke contains 240 calories.  I could easily drink two a day during the work week and order a glass or two if we're eating out over the weekend.  One pound equals 3,500 calories.  I've been doing nearly 3,000 calories a week in Coke alone!   I'd been having cinnamon raisin bagels as part of my work week breakfast.  They're 280 calories a pop.  That's another 1,400 calories per week.  Obviously, that had to stop.  This Business Week cover and article, "Coke Confronts Its Big Fat Problem," helped to seal the deal for me.

A friend mentioned that she was using a free calorie counting app called, "myfitnesspal" to help stay on track with her diet.  I decided to check it out.  I'd kept food diaries in the past, once back in the pen and paper days and again, on my Palm Pilot, using a Palm database based on Weight Watchers' point system.  This app is leaps and bounds over the old methods. myfitnesspal determines how many calories per day you need to consume to lose a pound by the end of the week.  It has a large, searchable database of foods items.  You can also use it's bar code reader to input food information.  It takes calories burned during exercise into account and adjusts your calorie count accordingly.  It really makes you think about what you're eating when you do the math.

This past week, I had two Cokes and no bagels, eliminating approximately 3,900 calories from my diet.  If I can do similarly for the rest of the month, I won't have to worry about needing to work off an additional 15,600 calories or 4.5 lbs!

Below are the goals the myfitnesspal recommended for me.  To lose 1 pound per week, I should consume 2200 calories daily.  My exercise calories burned are subtracted from my food calories consumed.  You can clearly see how valuable regular exercise is.  The exercise calories are the total of 1 hour of strength training + 1 hour of Zumba + 30 minutes of lawn mowing.  Because of the exercise, I was able to eat a little more and still close the day with 1007 calories to spare.

Motivation

Having my new suit fit comfortably during actual wear was a motivating factor for the week.  Wearing a ribbed tank top this week that I hadn't thought I'd be able to wear this summer was also a plus.  Seeing the numbers on how my fitness regimen affects my overall calorie count was also gratifying.

Short Term Goals

In another post, I mentioned that I'd be attending an reunion picnic at the end of the month.  I bought a pair of size 36 shorts from the Young Men's department to wear to the event.  Young Men's clothing is cut smaller than Men's Regular (I think that its the equivalent of "Juniors" for Women's clothing.).  I tried them on, once I got them home.  I could fasten them, but they were tight.  My goal is to be able to wear them comfortably to the picnic.

That's all that I have for now.  I just plan to build on this week's successes.

Burning Calories on the Dance Floor

As far as exercising in the gym goes, this wasn't a very productive week.  My first day in the gym was Sunday.  For what it’s worth, Sunday’s workout was pretty good.  Instead of doing upper or lower body, I worked everything.  I kept the weight moderate and only did one exercise (three sets of ten reps) per body part / muscle group.  I also threw in some time on the elliptical.

The diet continues to go well.  I think that I'm making better choices.  For snacks, I've increased the amount of fruit and nuts and reduced much of the junk food.

I’d planned on being at the gym more this week, but I wound up spending time with the family and enjoying the weather.

I did get in quite a bit of cardio.  As I mentioned in my last post, this was the week for a big Latin dance event.  I spent some time in the evenings practicing.  I'd forgotten that another Latin band was performing a set in the park on Wednesday evening.  We attended that event and spent the evening dancing.  My legs ached the next day.  We'd danced on grass and uneven ground, not the best surfaces to dance on.  Luckily, I was fine by Friday, the day of the larger function.

Friday night's event was packed!  We got there early, when there was still a fair amount of room to actually dance.  By the end of the evening, we were pretty much shoulder to shoulder.

I know that I talk about dance as a form of cardio exercise, but I was curious to know if any serious studies had been done that might support my hypothesis.  I did some research and came across a recent study on Latin dancing and exercise which had been published in the journal, Human Movement Science.  The researchers concluded that adults seeking to become more physically active could select this particular genre of dance to take part in as engagement over two sessions weekly would mean meeting the physical activity guidelines for physical and psychosocial health maintenance (Garber et al., 2011; WHO, 2005, 2010).

Physiological and perceptual responses to Latin partnered social dance

Pablo A. Domene, Hannah J. Moir, Elizabeth Pummell, Chris Easton

Human Movement Science 37 (2014) 32–41

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2014.06.009

Perceived benefits of dance were assessed via the Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale, and measurement of state intrinsic motivation during dance was undertaken using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory.

I know that I've always felt better after a good evening of dancing!

Finally, on a completely unrelated note...SEE THIS MOVIE!  We enjoyed it immensely!

Continuing to Build Upon Success

Another week goes into the books.  I mostly stayed on point with my exercising for the rest of the week, since my "anniversary" post.

I ended the week with a good leg session.  The squat racks were in heavy use, so I hit the incline leg presses instead, working my way up to 360 lb. leg and calf presses.  The racks finally opened up by the time I finished doing the rest of my leg exercises, but my leg muscles were aching at that point, so I skipped the squats.

Zumba class has been better than normal, lately.  We’ve been working through more core and strength routines.  The room has been seriously motivated.

My appetite has been decreasing over the last couple of weeks, so my food intake has slowed.

I picked up the suit that I mentioned in my last post.  The alterations had been completed and I was anxious to see the final results.  The fit was excellent.  It almost felt strange to be wearing a suit that fit so well, after wearing my old, now too large, suits for so long.

I’ll be getting in some extra cardio, next week, in the form of dance practice.  My wife and I will be attending a large Latin dance event on the coming weekend and I want to polish my moves a bit.  We got in some East Coast Swing dancing this past weekend, which is a good start, as EC Swing uses pretty much the same timing as the Cha Cha.

I also have a class reunion picnic to attend next month.  It will be a tank top and shorts kind of gathering.  I’ll use that event as extra motivation as I work out in August.

I found another article that I wanted to share.  It discusses the levels and frequency of exercise needed to positively impact your health.

How Much Physical Activity Do You Really Need?
http://gizmodo.com/how-much-physical-activity-do-you-really-need-1589801744
"Physical activity has recently come to be seen as one of the best forms of medicine available. Studies have shown that simply getting on your feet can ward off all manner of ill health, from cancers to cardiovascular diseases. But how much do you need to do to reap the benefits?"

Adios for now!

18 Months Into My Personal Fitness Challenge

Sometime ya just need to flex!

Today marks eighteen months since I restarted my person fitness challenge.  I took the day off from work to “celebrate.”  I went in to the gym early, did a Zumba class and a workout.  After finishing up, I headed to a clothing store to do some shopping.

Since I have a wedding to attend and all of my suits are now too big, I finally broke down and bought a new one.  Now for the good part:  The regular fit suits didn't work for me.  The jackets fit, but the accompanying pants were too large.  I had to buy an athletic fit suit!  I haven’t worn an athletic fit suit since I was in my twenties!

Finished with the shopping, I went home to change and headed back to the gym for more weight training and a second Zumba class.

Looking back over this time, my initial feeling was that I’m not as far along as I thought I’d be at this point.  But, upon further reflection, I think that I've done pretty well.

• Staying committed to the process for eighteen months is a cause celebration in and of itself.  It hasn't always been easy, but I've managed to stay pretty consistent.
• I think that I’m more comfortable with how my physique is developing.  I’m trying not to put so much pressure on myself in the quest for my goal state.
• While I may occasionally stumble, overall, I continue to make progress.

One of the best things that I've done was to kick the scale to the curb.  Not worrying about “making weight” has been pretty liberating.  There are plenty of other, more motivating ways to track progress.

The “Little Things”

Sometimes, it’s the little things that provide the strongest motivation.  Here are a few.

• Sitting comfortably in an airplane seat.
• Buying a smaller belt.
• Catching my reflection and thinking, “Not bad.”
• Not shopping in the Big and Tall section.
• Handling heavier weights.
• Noticing females checking me out.
• Putting on old clothes and finding them to be too big.
• Being asked about how to lose weight.

…and the best one of all…

• Catching my wife checking me out when she doesn't think that I've seen her doing it!

Well, Day 730 will be the next major milestone for me.  I’m looking forward to getting there!

Closing In On Eighteen Months

This was another typical summer week, as far as exercise goes.  It started out spotty, but I was able to finish strong, hitting the gym Friday through Sunday.  Saturday’s workout went particularly well.  I think that I did pretty well with my diet this week.

I got back on the elliptical machine again.  I was surprised to find that I couldn't maintain my old pace.  Other than that, I was able to get through the session with no problem. 

I added some new tunes to my workout playlist.  It's amazing how much of a difference the right music makes when I'm working out.

Here's another fitness article that caught my eye.  It discusses a recent study about the negative health effects caused by the rise in inactivity in the U.S. population.  It also includes a video titled, “The Truth About Fat.”

Exercise Yer Body!

It’s Lack of Exercise—Not Calories—That Make Us Fat, Study Says

http://time.com/2964554/its-lack-of-exercise-not-calories-that-make-us-fat-study-says/

The Stanford University researchers looked at NHANES data over the last 20 years, and found that the number of U.S. women who reported doing no physical activity went from 19.1% in 1994 to 51.7% in 2010. For men, the number increased from 11.4% in 1994 to 43.5% in 2010. During the same time frame, the average BMI of men and women also went up.

Progress!

Wednesday, July 23^rd, will mark my eighteen month on this journey.  I plan on posting a critique on my progress so far. 

Hope to see you then!

Fresh Air and Free Weights

I didn't get in nearly enough strength training last week.  Some unforeseen circumstances cropped up that kept me out of the gym.  I only got in two exercise sessions last week.  Looking at my calendar, time in the gym will be sporadic in the early part of this week, but I should be able to make up for it towards the end of the week.

Knowing that my exercising would be inconsistent, I've been watching my food intake.  I've been planning more of my meals, particularly breakfast and lunch.

As I mentioned before, I’m getting most of my cardio outside of the gym during the summer months.  For instance, this weekend, I took time away from a picnic that I was attending and spent some time walking a newly mown path, through one of the local parks.  I also spent an enjoyable evening Latin dancing and then danced some more at an event the next afternoon.

Last week, I had my annual check-up.  My biometrics were all good.  I got kudos from my doctor for sticking with my program over the year since my last visit.  He also supported my decision to cut back on using the scale, stating that gaining lean muscle and reducing fat was a much better measure of fitness.

I came across another fitness article that I wanted to share.  In the article, “Fitness Crazed,” the author writes about trying various types of exercise, with little success, until he started consistently using free weights.  In my own experience I've found that I make my best gains with free weights.  Free weights engage the stabilizing muscles, as well as the main muscle group that I’m focusing on.  They provide a greater range of motion and force me to concentrate in a way that machines don’t.  I use both machines and free weights in my routines, but the best pump almost always comes from the free weights.

Fitness Crazed
New York Times
Daniel Duane
May 24, 2014

“I went to the gym and, per Mr. Rippetoe’s instructions, did three sets of five reps in the squat, dead lift and standing press. Then I went home and drank milk. Two days later, I did three sets of five in the squat and the bench press. I repeated this basic pattern, alternating the dead lift with the power clean, for a year, adding a little more weight to the bar in every lift, during every session.

Now for the astonishing part: It worked. I was able to lift a tiny bit more every single time.”

That’s it for now.  See you next week!

A Little More Progress

Not much to report for this post.  A got in a few sessions at the gym and a Zumba session.  I ate lighter during the week to bank some calories for the Fourth of July barbecue.  I did pretty well.  I didn't overeat and I limited myself to one dessert.

I did hit a minor milestone this weekend:  I replaced my belt.  The buckle was starting to come loose on my old belt from pulling it tight.  The best part is that my new belt is a size 36 (See “The Significance of Size 36”)!  I didn't try the belt on until I got it home.  I have to admit to having some trepidation as I was sliding it through the belt loops.  As it turned out, it wasn't necessary.

On a related note, you may remember my post “Fitmodo - The Science of Fat.”  Well, I came across another Gizmodo article on fat called, “The Science of Losing Belly Fat.”  It is a good article, with some useful information.  It also confirmed the training method that I've been following:

"The question of what specific type of exercise will give you a better chance of reducing the jelly in your belly was answered, among other studies, in April, 2014 in the Journal of Sports Sciences. Researchers found that aerobic training combined with resistance training was much more effective at improving the levels of visceral and subcutaneous fat, compared to those who did just aerobic training alone."

Well worth a read.

Four Weeks Later

It’s been almost a month since my last post. A lot has been going on since then.  Over the course of the month, I've had some realizations and made some decisions.

The month started out a bit slow.  I had some outside pressures that I was handling which became distractions, reducing my fitness focus and motivation.  Also, too many late nights of reading or watching TV resulted in less sleep.  After I settled those issues, my focus returned.

Realizations

I love to drink pop, Coca Cola in particular.  If there is a perfect beverage, in my mind, Coke is it!  Coke is probably the hardest single food item for me to resist.  When attending this summer’s parties and get togethers, I've managed, for the most part, not to overeat and to have small servings of deserts and snack foods.  Coke is a different story.  I know that if I took Coke off the menu, I’d be looking at much faster results.  For now, we have a standoff.  I rarely buy a bottle for home, but socially, it’s hard for me to decline.  The battle continues.

I haven’t weighed myself since my last post and I feel good about not doing it.  Weighing myself weekly was more of a de-motivator than anything else.  I decided to focus more of  my attention on the positives.  Last summer’s shorts were too big.  The shorts that I've bought for this summer have all been a size 36 or a men’s large.  I’ll explain why size 36 is important to me later in this post.  I’m also starting to more appreciate the progress that I've made.  Sometimes, when I’m out and about, I’ll glimpse my reflection in a window and think, “That’s a lot different from last year.”

I’m sure that I'll get back on the scale eventually, but I’m in no hurry to do so.

I've noticed that my resistance training workouts have gotten shorter.  Not that I’m doing less, it’s just that I've become more efficient with the routines.  During the summer I’m pretty active, so, I've decided to reduce my cardio exercises and focus more on building muscle.
 
 “Natural” Cardio

Olympic Cauldron, Vancouver, BC

I spent a few days in Vancouver this month for a conference.  I got a lot of cardio in, going back and forth from the hotel to the convention center, walking the exhibitor’s hall, and around the convention center itself.  In the evenings, I walked through the park and along the harbor.  As a tradition, the organizers host a dance / mixer.  As usual, there were more women who wanted to dance than available men at the event.  I kid you not, once I got on the dance floor, I danced with groups of partners and didn't leave the floor ‘til the lights came on.  I had one break, when the deejay had some technical difficulty, then it was back on the floor.  I also count walking from gate to gate in some pretty large airports as cardio.

My wife and I usually get out on the weekends and spend time in the parks, walking around the shopping villages, attending picnics, art walks, festivals and summer stuff like that.  Toss in the yard work and I think I get in decent cardio workouts.

I still get in some walks at work

The Significance of Size 36

Years ago, I used to sell men’s clothing.  This was the scale we used for men’s pant sizes:

• 28” – 30” = Small
• 32” – 34” = Medium
• 36” – 38” = Large
• 40” – 42” = Extra Large
• Above 42” = Big and Tall

Me, back in my 32" waist days

When I think of “in shape” and “out of shape,” I primarily think of waist sizes.  I think of 32” – 34” as the “fit” waist sizes.  In most cases, men wearing these waist sizes generally weren't carrying a lot of visible fat.  I see size 36 as the bright line.  If you’re approaching a size 36 from a smaller size, its a line that warns, “Turn back!  You’re adding weight.  Check your diet and exercise levels.”  If you’re coming to size 36 from a larger size, the line encourages you, “Keep going!  You’re on the low end of a size large!   Medium is just around the corner!”

I see size 36 as the mystery size.  If a strangers sees you for the first time at a size 36, it wouldn't be easy for them to judge if you’re a person who’s getting back into shape or one who's slipping out of shape.

So, for me, consistently wearing a size 36, when I restarted my fitness challenge at size 42+, is a big deal.

Wrap up

I've been ending the month strong.  I've been pushing myself with heavy poundage to promote muscle growth.  I've taken some exercises to failure, where I couldn't finish a complete rep.

I’m still receiving a lot of support and acknowledgement of effort and results, for which I am very grateful.

July 23rd will mark 18 months into the journey.  I plan on kicking things up another notch as I approach this next mini milestone.

Well, that's it for now.  I'll have to think of a new closing line for posts like this one, that don't have the weigh-in stats.

The Return of Hawaiian Shirt Fridays

Well, I reduced my calories a little more this week, by eating less bread, and wound up gaining another pound.

As far as my workouts go, this was what I've come to think of as an “average” week.  I got in four sessions.  As I've mentioned before, I’m working heavier, trying increase the poundage a little each week.  I don’t hit all body parts equally on the same day.  I usually pick one or two body parts for the heaviest work and use moderate weight for the others.

The gym has been getting crowded again, with the combination of people belatedly chasing their summer bodies and the promotions that the gym has been running.  As a result, I've reduced the time that I spend in the gym on most days, with the exception being on the weekend.  I try to work through my sets, with minimal rest between exercises.  Being flexible with the order of the exercises helps, too.

I was reminded that working out is not a competitive sport.  I’d gone over to the weight rack to grab a couple of dumbbells to do some shoulder shrugs.  I was feeling pretty good from just having finished some other shoulder work and decided skip my usual warm-up sets.  I grabbed a pair of 100 lb. dumbbells and got to work.  I have to admit to feeling a bit cocky, standing in front of the mirror watching myself banging out sets holding 200 lbs.  The feeling was fleeting though, as a guy stepped past me, easily carrying two 120 lb. dumbbells over to a bench where he proceeded to knock out some rather impressive chest presses.

I haven’t been getting my lunch time walks at work in lately, but I think that will change now that the weather has been consistently better.  Instead of walking inside, I’ll move it outside.  I think that will help to motivate me.

“Hawaiian Shirt Fridays” is an unofficial tradition at work that grew out of casual dress Fridays.  During the summer weeks, some of the folks started wearing tropical shirts on Fridays.  More people started participating and eventually, it became a “thing.”  I was looking through my collection of tropical shirts to decide which one I’d wear to kick-off the start of summer.  I came across one that I’d stopped wearing because the spaces between buttons had begun to gap.  I tried it on and there was no gapping.  I wore it to work and even got a few compliments!

At the gym, I've gotten comments on how I look fitter and more muscular.  I've also noticed (or at least think that I've noticed) increased attention from the fairer sex (…and yes, I know that I’m happily married, but it’s still an ego boost!).

Completely off topic; I saw the movie, “X-Men: Days of Future Past” this weekend.  I have to say that it was the best movie of the franchise.  Great acting, great story, and phenomenal special effects.  If sci-fi or action movies are your thing, this is the movie for you.  I highly recommend it.

Weight loss to date:  38.8 lbs.

A Catch-Up Post

It’s been two weeks since my last post.  I’ll cover both weeks in this post.

The week ending May 18, 2014:
The crazy weather we were having made it harder to maintain my motivation to get to the gym.  The week started off with temperatures in the seventies and ended in the mid to high thirties.  I got in a good workout on Monday but didn't get back to the gym until Friday.  Friday and Saturday’s workouts were fairly light.  I got in an “extra” workout on Sunday morning.  That turned out to be the best workout of the week.

The week ending May 25, 2014:
I was much more motivated this week.  I think Sunday’s workout carried over into the new week.  I worked heavy most of the week.  I need to get my cardio exercise levels back up, but overall, I was satisfied with my output.  I did suffer a slight setback on Saturday.  I tweaked my lower back again, after adding weight to my deadlifts.  With the help of some ibuprofen and extra yoga stretches, I managed to work out on Sunday and my back felt better as the day went on.

I picked up 1 pound over these last two weeks.  Again, while I want the weight loss, the body shaping is much more important to me.

Motivation

I attended a wellness lunch & learn, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Good Fats, Bad Fats,” and learned that my diet isn't too terrible.

Being mistaken for being younger than my age is a pretty good motivator.  Having it happen twice is even better.

Starting to feel comfortable working out with my shirts tucked in (Yeah, I know, but sometimes it’s the little things.).

Weight loss to date:  39.8 lbs.

Moving Down The Scale Again

I got back onto the losing track, dropping a pound.

I maintained my regular workout regimen, though I didn't get in as much cardio as I would have liked.  I did make up for some of it by going Salsa dancing Friday and Saturday nights.

I did get some help with my diet from an unlikely source.  I was channel surfing and happened upon the Dr. Oz show.  By coincidence, he was talking about foods that fill you up, but help with fat loss.  One of the foods that he mentioned was soups, which I decided to have for a few of my meals.  I'd also gotten away from packing a lunch.  I started doing that again, too.

Like last week, I discovered my little victory of the week because of the weather.  It's warmed up quite a bit, hitting the high seventies/low eighties, so instead of exercise pants, I decided to wear shorts to the gym.  Apparently, my body has changed since last summer.  My shorts were loose.  I drew the drawstring tight and wore them anyway, but I'll need replace some of them.

I noticed another thing, this time, because of it's absence.  People would sometimes refer to me as "big man" or "big guy."  I haven't heard that in a while.  I'm not even sure when they stopped, but it's kinda nice that they have.

Weight loss to date:  40.8 lbs