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.