Embracing the Process

I'm finding that I really enjoy swimming (or at least, learning to swim.).  I seem to have a knack for it.  Makes me wish that I'd started sooner.  My shoulder, upper back, chest and leg muscles ache afterwards in a different way from working out with weights.  I know a lot of the strain comes from incorrect technique, which results in unnecessary exertion.  I'm also surprised at the amount of energy that I use.  But, it's all good.  Just part of the learning process.

Shortly after my last post, I got back onto the scale.  I found that I'd picked up eight pounds.  It's amazing how quickly the weight can creep back up.  I refocused on my eating and lost three of those pounds by the next weigh in.

It's funny listening to people "weigh-in" on my plate.  I get all kinds of comments, like:

"Are sure that's enough?"
"That's a lot of carbs."
"I could never get full just eating that."
"Do you really like that?"

I'd drive myself nuts if I tried to follow all of the advice that I'm given.  The one common thread is that most folks seem to be impressed with my level of physical activity.  Sometimes, I even surprise myself.  Take last week, for example.  It consisted of two Kickboxing Cardio classes, three Zumba classes, three sessions of resistance training, swim class, a night of Latin dancing, a fashion show (and reception) and dinner and a movie with friends.  Now that the weather is finally breaking, yard work, home maintenance  and metropark activities will start getting added into the mix.  Also, the free concerts will be starting up soon, giving us more opportunities to dance.

The biggest kick that I've had with the warm weather, so far, has been pulling the shorts out of storage.  I work legs equally as I work upper body.  The result, this season I can see the muscularity in them.  It's a good feeling.

Additional motivating factors included speaking with a colleague who had dropped over fifty pounds.  It was great hearing his story and seeing how proud he was of his success.

Well, I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing, making adjustments here and there.  Summer is almost officially here and I'm looking forward to all of the activities that it brings, like grilling.  I'll leave you with a picture of my first grilled dinner of the season.

Reps and steps!

Day 730

Friday, January 23, 2015, marked 730 days into my restarted fitness journey.  2013 was mostly about losing weight.  2014 continued along that path, but then became more about getting fit.  I ditched the scale and concentrated on developing my physique, with mixed results.  My ending weight for the year was practically the same as the first year’s, staying at around 50 lbs. of total weight loss.  So, while I didn't gain much weight, I didn't lose any either.

On the other hand, the body shaping / muscle development went really well.  There was noticeable development in all of the muscle groups.  I decreased my body fat and reclaimed clothes that I hadn't worn in years.  I said “Goodbye” to the “Big and Tall” clothing section in 2014 and “Hello” to spandex workout gear.

My diet improved over the first year.  Finding and using the MyFitnessPal app and site was a very important part of that.  Before I started using it, I’d been regaining some of the weight that I’d lost.  The app made me take a hard look at what I was eating.  I made the adjustments and took off 14 lbs.

I've been pretty consistent with my exercise program, usually getting in a minimum of three workouts a week.  Diet, while better, is still not what it should be.  I’m indulging myself a bit too much, taking in too many fat calories, even though I mostly stay within my caloric goals.

My imperative for 2015 is to research healthier alternatives and incorporate them into my diet.  I need to create better meal plans that include healthier between meal snacks.  I see this as my final hurdle to maximizing my fitness and reaching my health goals.

Speaking of which, the goals that I set for 2014 were to:
…incorporate the dietary lessons learned on the fast into my normal diet.  I had enough success here to do no harm.  More focus and effort will be required to actually meet this goal.

…get my waist size down to a size 32.  I didn't make this one, though the last belt I bought was a size 34.  Even though I didn't make goal, I consider that a win.

…have a visible “six pack.”  I give myself “honorable mention” on this one.  I've done a lot of core work and, sometimes, I can see hints of them.  More incentive to trim the fat that’s covering them.

…further refine and develop my musculature.  This has been a win.  I’m very happy with my progress in this area.

Some Non Scale Victories from 2014

I feel stronger and healthier.  I seem to be more resistant to colds and the like, with faster recovery times.

Picking up a 35 lb. dumbbell and having to check the weight markings because it felt like I’d grabbed a 20.

Discovering Cardio Kickboxing.  Aside from the intense workout, I've learned some pretty cool punching and kicking combinations.

Upping my overhead barbell press to 110 lbs., dumbbell curls to 55 lbs and pec deck to 170 lbs.

Goals for 2015

My goals for 2015 are pretty much the same as I set for 2014.  The main lesson that I've learned (relearned?) is that to be truly successful, I must fully incorporate all three fitness pillars:  Proper diet, exercise and rest.  Doing two and a half will only get me so far.

Through the grace of God, I've come a long way in these past two years.  Even with not fully meeting my goals, I've been successful.  I’m stronger, fitter, and healthier, with more energy and stamina.  I've met new people and made new friends, both online and off.  Best of all, my dedication to the process motivated my wife to create a schedule and start hitting the gym herself!

I’m looking forward 2015’s successes and hoping that you’re finding yours, too.  Beast mode on!

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!

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!

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 Chipmunk Workout

The week began strong.  Monday through Wednesday, I got in some good workouts.  My back was much better, so I started adding more weight.  Zumba class was high energy and I even jogged a few laps on the track.  Then I got hit with some kind of bug, which put me down for the rest of the week.

As if that wasn't bad enough, we found that a chipmunk had gotten into the house.  We spent the weekend trying to get rid of it.  It zipped around, hiding under the furniture in the family and living rooms.  We finally came up with a plan of attack.  We opened the front and side doors, figuring if we gave it an escape route, it would take it.  We didn't know what piece of furniture it was hiding under, so I had to lift up each piece until we found it (This provided the resistance training part of the workout.).  My wife was positioned to force it toward the doors.  Then, I chased it out the door (That was the aerobic part.).

On Monday, I was still feeling like crap.  I was tired because I couldn't sleep.  My coughing kept waking me up.  I finally broke down and started taking cold medicine, which helped me sleep, but left me feeling groggy in the morning.

I started feeling better by Wednesday.  Thursday was my first good night’s sleep.  Friday, I felt well enough to give the gym a try.  Friday is a Zumba class night.  My normal routine is to first do 30 minutes of elliptical, to get warmed up, then it’s off to the hour long class.  I didn't think I could do both this Friday, so I went straight to Zumba.

By the end of class, I was a little winded, but I was able to keep up with all of the routines.  After class, I spent twenty minutes on the weights and machines, just to see how the muscles felt.  I just did upper body exercises, with bench press being the most strenuous.  I find exercising the lower body requires more energy than upper body work, so I decided to wait before trying those again.

The twenty minute workout went okay.  I thought about ending the session in my usual way, with core work and some yoga stretches, but I ran out of steam, so I just went home instead.

I felt pretty good on Saturday.  I did my complete workout and the Zumba class with no problems, except for the occasional cough.  I wanted to get up and go to the gym this morning, but I couldn't push myself out of bed, so I took today as a rest day.

I didn't have much of an appetite over the week, except for breakfast.  I had a full breakfast almost every day.  I’m talking potatoes, bagels, jam, sausage, bacon…the works!  I skipped lunch three or four times and didn't do my usual snacking.  I kind of picked at dinner, but ate quite a bit of comfort food to make myself feel better.

A Couple of Observations from the Week

Even though I was not feeling well, I really wanted to work-out each day and was very disappointed that I couldn't.  That reminded me just how large a role that fitness has come to play in my lifestyle.

After Saturday’s Zumba class, I was standing in the middle of the room, talking with another member of the class.  The front and side walls of the room are mirrored.  As we were talking, I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror.  Now, we look in the mirrors all of the time, both in the classroom and on the gym floor, but we're usually focusing on a specific movement or body part.  This time, I caught the whole package.  It was like seeing myself for the first time.  My muscles were pumped from the resistance training and my core was tight from the floor exercises and Zumba class.  I really saw the progress that I've made.  I know that doubt will creep in again at some point, but I’ll keep that picture in my mind to counter it.

Sorry for being so long winded, but I wanted to catch everything up with this post since I didn't feel well enough to write last week’s post.

One last thing. The song, "300 Violin Orchestra," by Jorge Quintero, pumped me up Saturday, when I really needed it.  Have a listen:

I’ll get back to weighing myself again next week.

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.

Accomplishing A Hidden Goal

I woke up about fifteen minutes before my alarm was set to go off this past Saturday morning.  I’d set the alarm to get to the gym early so that I'd get a full workout in before the start of the Zumba class.  I was so stoked to get to my workout, I'd awakened early.  As I was getting ready to step out into the twenty three degree morning, it occurred to me that I’d accomplished a goal that I hadn't consciously set:  I’d made a lifestyle change.

I’m not sure when it happened.  I know that it must have been a gradual process.  After thinking about it, I decided to list the changes that have become part of my daily routine:

• I use to stay up into the wee hours of the morning.  Now I get 6-8 hours of sleep per night.
• I've changed my eating habits, consuming much healthier food and portions.
• I would keep at least two two-liter bottles of pop in the house, going through one a day.  I drastically reduced my consumption and I don’t keep any bottles in the house.
• My snacks are healthier.  We almost never have chips, pies, cakes, etc., in the house.
• I truly enjoy working out for the workout’s sake.  I actually feel guilty if I don’t get my workout in.

It was pretty cool to realize that this is who I am now.  Its encouraging to know that if I apply the same principles to other areas of my life I have a good chance of being successful there, too!