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

Putting on the Brakes

I slowed my weight gain this week, but didn't stop it.  I wound up with a two pound gain.  I’m still feeling good and I continue to get compliments on my body shaping.  As I mentioned in my last post, I feeling very strong.  I’m handling significant weight at the gym.  For instance, I was able to pyramid up to 60 lb. dumbbell curls.  I’m thinking that the strength gain is partly because of the extra calories that I’m consuming.  Right now, I’m having trouble striking a balance between losing the fat and increasing muscle size.  I’m confident that I’ll eventually work it out.

My little victory of the week came from yard work, of all places.  I went to mow the lawn, wearing a t-shirt.  The day was colder than I thought it would be, so I went to dig out a sweatshirt.  This photo shows the result.

It's things like this that help me to stay positive, even when the scale is giving me contrary information.

Weight loss to date:  39.8 lbs

Falling Back Into Bad Habits

I had kind of a stressful week and fell back into some old habits this week.  Specifically, I drank way too much pop and ate way too many baked goods.   Snack foods and fast food also found their way onto my table.   I drank less water and ate fewer healthy snacks.  I wound up with my largest weight gain since I restarted my fitness journey:  3.2 lbs.

This gain occurred despite a very active week.  I got in six workouts, most of them using heavy poundage.  I walked four times, did three Zumba classes, one cardio-kickboxing class and five sessions on the elliptical.

I don’t feel especially heavy and my clothing is still fitting okay.  I’m definitely stronger and feel fitter than I’ve felt in a while.

I decided to take a picture right after Saturday’s work out to use as part of a comparison grouping.  The picture on the far left represented where I was at my starting point in January 2013.  The middle photo is from January 2014.  The picture on the right was taken April 26, 2014.

I think that I’m still making progress, in spite of the readings on the scale.  The way many of my shirts are fitting indicate to me that I’m making muscle gains.  Still, I decided to cut the safety net.  I bagged up all my pants that were size 40 or 42 and will be donating them to charity.  This leaves me with sizes 36 and 38.  I’m still wearing both sizes right now, depending on the cut.  Now, that potential crutch has been eliminated.  I won’t have the option of wearing those big clothes again.

Inspiration

I had some folks comment on my determination and ability to sustain my momentum over these past 15 months.

As I was cleaning out my closet, I came across a robe that I’d forgotten that I had.  Even though it was a “one size fits all,” it would never stay closed on me.  That issue is gone now.

Well, I can’t redo the week, so I just need to move on.  I’ll try to make the adjustments with my diet and continue working toward my goals.

Weight loss to date:  41.8 lbs