Against the Elements

I lost .6 pounds since Thursday’s post.

I skipped Friday’s gym workout to clear the driveway.  I got up early to get to the gym Saturday morning and found the driveway and street covered by a few inches of snow!  I figured once I got off the side streets, I’d have an easier time on the main roads.  Wrong!  The main streets were just as bad as the side streets.  I made it to the gym, got in some elliptical steps, resistance training, Zumba, and extra core work.

The roads were better on the way home, but it had continued to snow heavily while I was in the gym.  The wind had created some snow drifts, so it was time for yet another snow shovel workout.

I was about three quarters finished when this happened:

It continued to snow for the rest of the day and through the night, so Sunday brought the third snow shovel workout of the weekend.

One thing about shoveling snow; you work pretty much every muscle group!  I had no trouble sleeping this weekend.

Motivation

I got my wedding band on again for the first time in years.  I’d had it re-sized once, but didn't want to do it again.  That just seemed like an admission of defeat to me.  I had to use lotion to get it off again, but I’m much closer to wearing it full time again.

I had a few people in the gym comment on my weight loss.  The best one was a comment on how fit I was looking.  I appreciated all of the comments, but that one really motivated me.

Weight loss to date: 49.4 lbs. 

Day 365

Day 365.  A milestone.  One year ago today, I restarted my fitness journey.  It feels simultaneously like a long time ago and a short time ago.

I started out the morning with a breakfast of fresh fruit and nuts, followed by a tall glass of ice water and a multivitamin.  I didn't work out the day before and had gone to bed early.  I wanted to be fresh and rested for today’s session.  I took the day off from work because I wanted to work out early in the morning, when fewer people would be in gym, giving me better access to the equipment.

When I leave the house, it’s snowing and streets are covered.  The temperature is 10 degrees Celsius, not counting the wind chill factor.  I take this as a good sign.  The weather conditions should make the gym even emptier this morning.  I ask God for travelling mercy and head off to the gym.

As I hoped, the gym floor is pretty empty.  I move from station to station with no waiting.
After I get home and weigh in, I’m surprised to find that I've gained 3 pounds, while still on the fast.  I’m going to assume that the gain is muscle mass and move on.  I know that I've definitely lost some inches!

Unfortunately, I didn't formally track my weight loss from the start of the process. This chart shows my weekly progress for the last twenty weeks.  As you can see, there were plenty of ups and downs, but the peaks were always followed by a deeper valley, so don’t get discouraged!

I've heard it said that fitness is the poor man’s plastic surgery.  After assembling my before and current pictures, I’d strongly agree.  You can’t really tell how well you are doing without the comparison photos.  Many times during the process, I would have doubts as to whether or not I was making progress.  From these photos, I can tell that I have.

Before & Current: Same clothes

Before & Current:  With a bit less belly!

Before & Current: Holding my approximate weight loss

I know that I have more "squish" that needs attention, but for today, I'm celebrating the progress that I've made to date!

Accomplishments

In the last twelve months I've…

…lost 49 pounds, going from 271 lbs to 222 lbs.
…burned 107,800 calories.
…lost one shirt size, going from XXL to XL.
…lost three pant sizes, going from size 42+ to size 36.
…gained more strength, energy, endurance, and stamina.
…become more proactive in my healthcare.

Lessons Learned

I've learned that…

…it is essential to make a plan and to track your progress.
…setting short term and long term goals is vital to success.
…it actually takes much less food to get full than I thought.
...pounds lost are less important than muscle gained.
…consistent effort is key.

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, I thank God for giving me the tools to make my progress possible.  Next, I thank my wife for her love, support, and participation.  I thank all of my instructors and trainers for their help and insights.  Thanks to all of my family, friends, and acquaintances who gave me encouragement.  Thanks to the strangers who gave me positive feedback just with a look or a smile.  Thanks to the folks who shared their fitness stories on the internet.  They provided lots of information and inspiration.  Finally, thanks to those who wished me less than well.  Those vibes got turned into workout fuel!

Goals

My fitness goals for the next 365 days are to…

…incorporate the dietary lessons learned on the fast into my normal diet.
…get my waist size down to a size 32.
…have a visible “six pack.”
…further refine and develop my musculature

Thanks to all who have been following my journey.  I hope that it has provided some inspiration in your own fitness quest!

Weight loss to date: 48.8 lbs.

Still Making Progress

Another week of the fast down.  We did well on the fast up until the weekend, when we face-planted.  I plan on adding another day or two to the prescribed time to make up for it.

I lost 3.2 lbs this week.  It’s obvious now that I’m not going to finish this fast with the type of numbers that I had when I did it the first time.  I hope that’s because I'm not carrying as much fat now as I was then.

I've been feeling the effect of the diet in my workouts.  My energy has been down, so it’s been difficult to work at my usual levels.  I cut back on the cardio and so that I could concentrate more energy on the resistance training.

Milestones

I finally hit the 50 pound mark!  Even though I've been more concerned with losing inches than pounds, this felt good!

I started wearing the next smaller pant size this week.  That means that I've lost three pant sizes in a year’s time!

Motivation

I’m seeing some reduction in the belly area.  Others have noticed, too.  I’m getting more questions on how I’m doing what I’m doing.
 
Thursday, January 23, will mark one year since I restarted my fitness journey.  On that day, I plan on posting photos and numbers, along with a wrap-up of the year, lessons learned, and my goals going forward.

Weight loss to date: 51.8 lbs.

Versus The Polar Vortex

A polar vortex (also known as a polar cyclone, polar low, or a circumpolar whirl) is a persistent, large-scale cyclone located near either of a planet's geographical poles.  Wikipedia

This week started out with a visit from the Polar Vortex, which resulted in subzero temperatures.  Monday’s temperature dropped down as far as -11 degrees Celsius, not to mention the wind chill factor.  Needless to say, if you didn't need to be out, you stayed indoors.  Tuesday started out almost as frigid, -7 degrees, but we managed to get above zero later in the day.  So, I wound up working out at home, which doesn't come close to doing gym work.  I also missed Wednesday’s workout due to another Salsa class.  I finished off the rest of the week in the gym.

I've made a couple of “slips” with the fast, but overall, I've managed to stick to the restrictions.  It’s been mostly fruit for breakfast, with an occasional cup of organic oatmeal.  Then, it’s snacking on nuts, seeds and more fruit throughout the rest of the morning.  Lunch has been mostly beans and fruit, with more snacking in the afternoon.  Dinner is beans, potatoes, and veggies.  I’m also drinking lots of water.  This has all resulted in a 5 lb. weight loss for the week.

I have to admit to being a little disappointed with the number this week.  I expected to hit the 50 lb. mark on this weigh-in.  I’m going to blame the miss on this week’s arctic conditions [Shakes fist at the Polar Vortex!], since it kept me from getting to the gym for my full workouts.

Goals

My main goal for next week is to get in a full week of workouts at the gym to maximize the benefits of fasting.  The next thing I want to do is to smash through the 50 lb. barrier.  This is very doable, as I’m only 1.4 lbs away.  So if I make goal one, it will certainly take care of goal two.

Motivation

It’s about time to replace my suits.  Past time, actually.  I’ve been using suspenders to hold my suit pants up, to extend the life of the suits.  I can’t wear belts with them as there is too much extra fabric, which would just gather in the back.

This morning, I grabbed on old jacket on the way out of the house.  I had to toss it back into the closet, as it’s now too large for me.  More stuff for the “clothes to be donated” bag.

Salsa

For Salsa class, we worked on Copa variations.  This video will give you an idea of the type of patterns we were dancing.

I should mention that this is "on2" Salsa.  I dance "on1."

Weight loss to date: 48.6 lbs.

This Isn't Food - This Is What Food Eats!

Happy New Year!

Three days into the fast and I've dropped 3.4 pounds.

My hat’s off to anyone who can eat like this for the long term.  I couldn't do it, without a definite end in sight.  Even knowing that I'll only be doing this for three weeks, the carnivore in me still has trouble adjusting.  To her credit, my wife is being very creative with our meals.  I’m doing better with the restricted diet than I did last time, but it’s a less than an ideal menu for me.  My preference is for spicy foods and sauces.  Vegetables just seem to be bland to my palate, no matter how they're prepared.  I also miss the texture of “real” food.  To quote "Red" Forman, "This isn't food - this is what food eats!"

To feed my muscles, I’m eating lots of beans, for the protein.  Otherwise, I’m mostly “grazing,” rather than sitting down to formal meals.  I’m consuming lots of fruits and nuts during the course of the day, while drinking plenty of lemon-lime infused water.

Surprisingly, I haven’t felt nearly as hungry as I thought I would, even after a couple of fairly aggressive workouts.

Due to the weather, I didn't get as many workouts in, at the gym, as I would have liked.  Thanks to a couple of 6-8” snowfalls, plus drifts, I was treated to two “Snow Shovel Workouts.”

I’m expecting to lose around 20 pounds by the end of the fast, though I wouldn't be surprised if I lost more.  I think most of it will be fat.  I’m eating very lean, while continuing with rigorous exercise, so my hope is that my body will use its fat stores for fuel.

Next week’s results should give me a better idea of how things are progressing.

Weight loss to date: 43.6 lbs.