Frank's Journal 5infam(Comments/Suggestions Very Welcome)!!

[5infam]

First Day!!!

Hi everyone. My name is Frank and I am 34. I have been struggling with my weight my whole life, but now that I am getting older, I realize I really need to get going and make it happen!! About a year ago, I went to have a physical and my Dr. told me I had high cholesterol (about 225). My sugars were ok, but on the border of high. My tryglycerides were off the chart, over 250. This got me started on the journey to get in shape. At the time I weighed about 310, I am 5'7". I went to the nutritionist classes and started exercising. I have done pretty good over the last year, but have gone months without doing the things I need to (either not eating right, not exercising or both). Every spring and fall I seem to get these bad sinus infections due to allergies, that always seem to mess up my exercise routine (hard to work out when you can't breathe). This is all my basic history.

Presently, I weigh 243.2 and have a body fat percentage of 36.1%. I am Very Frustrated these days because I have been doing very well on the exercise front, but can't seem to lose any weight lately. I am eating a balanced low fat diet, that is easy for me to eat with day to day, but I often eat a little too much of the wrong things. Reading a lot of these posts, it looks like many are on Adkins. It amazes me to see the results you get by eating cheese, bacon, butter, etc...and not working out that much!!! Its something I don't quite understand...and I really want to learn more about!! After reading here that some are eating 20 carbs a day or less, I went to the fridge and cupboard to see the carbs in the food I eat. Although it is low fat, I am probably eating over 100 carbs in a day. Maybe this has something to do with my slow weight loss, though I'm not really sure. I also can not quite figure out what Adkins people are eating all day, because everything I eat seems to have carbs in it!! Any suggestions here on how to cut carbs would be appreciated.

Here is my current plan:

I eat 1600 calories per day (used to eat 1800, but lowered it once I hit 250 lbs.) balanced meals, low fat. I have the most trouble with my eating, on the weekends, and when I get home from work (habits, habits). So I am hopeing that this board will help me through some of that.

Exercise:

I am on my 5th straight week of working out EVERY DAY!!!! Here is my routine:

Monday - Treadmill - Run/Walk - going 3.34 miles in 50 minutes. The run is 35 minutes, the rest is a walking warm up/cool down.

Tuesday - Gilad Fat Burning Workout - Aerobics tape - 45 minutes

Wednesday - Powe 90 - Weight circuit training and AB workout (about 40 minutes)

Thursday - Treadmill again

Friday - Tae Bo Advanced - 1 hour

Saturday - Eliptical at the gym (50 minutes - burns 785 calories)

Sunday - Power 90 again.

All of this, and over the last 3 weeks I have only lost 1 pound total!!!

I just finished my Monday run, and need to get to work, so if you are reading this, please feel free to comment or add suggestions. I could really use the support because I am starting to feel that I am spinning me wheels...which usually leads to me getting way off track and I definately do not want to do that!!!

Thanks in advance!!!!

Frank

 

[TigH]

Hello and welcome to WISH, Frank!

May I suggest you post this thread on the regular WISH board as well? This is the WISH journal board and I'm not sure if your intro will get as much traffic as it would if you posted it on the WISH board! I am very impressed with your story and I would love for other WISHers to read it and get to know you better!

You are doing a wonderful job with your exercise routine. Don't be at all discouraged that you are not losing weight very quickly right now. You might want to consider upping your calories a little bit per day in order to make sure your body has enough fuel to make it through your workout. Exercising will help you build lean muscle, so you are probably still losing fat, but also building up some muscle mass, so don't live or die by the scale right now. Take measurements and pay attention to how your clothes fit.

Maybe in a few months you can start adding some weight lifting to your exercise program. I've found that weight training as well as aerobic exercise (and a low fat diet) has really helped me reshape my body. Check out Muscle and Fitness magazine for some great weight training ideas (just IGNORE all those ads for fat burners, etc. in the magazine, you don't need those!)

Thanks for posting. It is so nice to read stories like yours, very inspiring! You should give yourself a hearty pat on the back! You are doing an excellent job and your hard work and dedication has really paid off!

 

[5infam]

Thanks TigH!!

I wasn't sure where exactly to post. I did post on the main challenge thread today also, before I posted here. I figured the regular WISH board was just for questions and not so much as an introduction, but I will post a smaller version over there and direct those interested over here.

Its funny you mentioned the "adding calories" thing. My mom told me to do the same thing today!! I was not doing any weight training until a few weeks ago, just cardio. However, I did add the Power 90 which is weight training, but I use bands instead of dumbells/freeweights, which I do twice per week. Its just easier for me to make sure I get my work out in if I can do it at home versus having to drive to the gym very early in the a.m.. Also, I never knew how much Burn you get from those bands!! When I finish my workout, I am really burning, so I know its working!

I hear what you are saying on the measurement versus scale weight issue too. I didn't mention that although I lost only 1 pound in 3 weeks, I dropped 1 belt notch. I know what I am doing is working in the long run...but there is nothing like seeing that scale go DOWN!!!

As an update for today, I ate really well and have decided to do my best to lay of carbs (bread, pasta and sweets) after lunch. Dinner was Salmon, brocolli and cottage cheese with of course, plenty of water. Just thinking of having to post updates on this board is helping me get past those cravings!!

Tuesday update: Did my aerobics work out - and ate great all day!!

Wednesday Update: Did my weight lifting and abs work out. Ate great at breakfast and lunch. Today is our anniversary so we had a special dinner at a spanish retaurant. I had a few bites of the appetizer, 1/2 of 1 piece of bread, dinner salad, stuffed chiken breast (with shrimp), vegies and potatoe cakes (not fried ones), but I only ate half of the potatoes. My wife and I split a small dessert of flourless choclate cake, although the whole piece was cupcake sized (you know the small portions you get at a fancy restaurant). Anyway, I normally would have splurged to the max, but I kept it well within reason and am really proud of myself!!! Got to get to bed, tomorrow, early, is my day to run.

Thursday: Did my morning run and even extended it by 5 minutes!! Now I am up to 3.71 miles!!!!! Ate pretty good today, especially at lunch when I faced the evil buffet. My first plate was half filled with salad, no dressing, and a regular serving of curry potatoes and 1 piece of chicken. Second plate had a small serving of curry chicken and and one more small piece of regular chicken, no skin (by small I mean just a little smaller than a small drumstick. And of course, just water all day. Dinner was just a small bowl of pork meatball and spinach soup (but I left out the rice). I'm really feeling great this week and looking forward to my regular Friday weigh in!! Will check back tomorrow.

 

[5infam]

Although I started the journal last Monday, my weeks start every Friday, which right now, is also my weigh in date.

Great news to report: I lost 5 pounds this week and finally broke through the plateau that kept me in the 240's. I am now in the 230's (238.2 to be exact) and never want to see the 240's again!!! My total weight loss is now 72 pounds!!!!!!

My goal weight overall is 175, but I would like to be under 200 by my next WDW trip on March 27, 04. Here's my update for today and the rest of the week.

Friday: Did my Tae Bo Advanced workout this morning (I am almost able to complete every move). My eating was good today and I stuck with my eating cut off time.

I am really going to work hard this weekend, as weekends are always my absolute worst eating days. However, I have decided that this will no longer be the case starting right now!! I am committed to eating according to plan ALL WEEKEND!!! Will check in tomorrow.

Saturday: Ate well today, but got a late start on breakfast. My only mess up for the day was a serving of baked Ruffles. I still stayed within my calorie range, but I ate them around 5:00 (trying not to eat carbs after lunch). No biggie, will try harder tomorrow. Did my Eliptical workout and increased by 5 minutes for a total of 55 minutes and 851 calories burned!!!

Sunday 8/17/03 - Ate within my plan today and did my Power 90 weight workout. I am 2 push-ups away from being able to do all of the 7-7-7 section. Went to the Home Show today. In past years I ate all the wrong things, especially the ice cream!! This year, we packed our own lunch. I had a banana and a chicken sandwich. Not only did I save the calories and fat, I also saved money!!!

Monday 8/18/03 - Did my run today and ate well in the morning and for lunch. However, this afternoon I wasn't feeling good (really tired) and I forgot my afternoon snack so I was really hungry when I got home. I ate too much this afternoon and ate well after my cut off time

Anyway, I at least didn't go too crazy, but tomorrow is a new day and I will be right back on tract. I WILL check in tomorrow with a great report ( I am committing to that right now!!!)

Tuesday 8/19/03 - Checking in with my GREAT report (as promised)!!! I ate exactly according to plan today, as well as an increase in my workout. Instead of doing my Gilad 45 minute workout, I went to the gym and ran on the treadmill.

Wednesday - Did my weights workout - finally was able to do all of the push ups!!! Ate good today, with a real light dinner.

Thursday - Had to get up super extra early, so instead of running, I did my Gilad tape. This is not much of a work out any more, so I am leaving this tape alone from now on. Ate a big breakfast and lunch, but really good foods. Had a salad with tuna for dinner. Tomorrow is my weigh in. Will check in then.

 

[5infam]

Friday 8/22/03 - Today is my weigh in date. When I started WISH 2 weeks ago, I was being held up by a nasty plateau that I couldn't seem to get rid of. That has all changed!!! Last week I dropped 5 pounds, and this week...almost 3 more!!!! I really would have been happy to just hold onto the 5 pounds, but I am happy beyond words to see the scale move downwards again. All the changes I implemented 2 weeks ago are getting easier for me to follow as each day passes...and are now becoming habits!

2 weeks ago I weighed in at 243.2 with a body fat percentage of 36.5%. Today I am 235.6 with body fat of 35.4%...on my way to 175 and a hopeful percentage of 20%(although I don't know that this nuber is correct, but it is supposed to be a healthy percentage). My new total weight loss is now 75 pounds!!!!!! With 60 more to go!!

I am feeling really good about going into this weekend, as these are the times in the past that have caused me the most eating trouble. But since my bad habits are going away and the good ones are cementing themselves, I need to get rid of the "fear of weekend binging" thing that I have. So I am deciding right now, that I am not going to look at the weekends with fear anymore!!! This weekend will be my best eating weekend yet!!! I will continue to check in daily - with a weight loss goal this week of staying the same or maybe going after the .6 pounds, to get to an even 235!!

 

[believe]

Great job getting over the plateau. Keep it up!

 

[5infam]

Believe - Thanks for the encouragement!!!

I've been really busy the past few days and haven't kept up on my journal so here is a few make up days at once:

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Did my workout all 3 days, Tae Bo, 1 hour of eliptical, and power 90 weights. My eating on the other hand, could have been much better. Although I planned on not eating junk at the 2 parties I went to, as soon as I got there, my goals just happened to slip my mind and the chips and cheese dip was calling my name. Unfortunately, I went a little overboard on Sunday...ok, a lot overboard but Monday, I got right back to where I am supposed to be on my eating, and I increased my running by 5 minutes for a total workout of 60 minutes and 4.08 miles. As I read back on my post from Friday morning, I realize I really need to set and stick to a firm goal. I know its ok to eat off plan every once in a while, but this was too much. I hope I can compensate for the bad eating weekend by having a better week, with my next official weigh in on Friday, I am expecting to gain a little, but hopefully not. Well, off to my morning run. Will check back tonight.

 

[5infam]

OK - I really am not sure how it happened, but I lost weight this week. I am now 234.4 with a BF% of 35.4%, and 75.6 pounds lost in total. I was coming off of a bad eating weekend, and a strange eating week, with a REALLY BAD eating day yesterday. The only thing I can assume is that my exercise really helped, since I increased my workout activity this week. I am still on 7 day per week workouts, but I took away an aerobics tape that was getting a little easy for me and added in its place, 4 miles on the treadmill.

Well I promised myself that lose or not lose this week, I would forget about last week and focus on this weekend. In the plan I built for myself, I have a rule, that when it comes to the last few days of the month, I decrease my calories until the 1st of the next month, and that becomes my new weigh in date for the next 4 weeks. So for August, it is now the 29th, so I have today, Saturday, and Sunday of trying to eat a little less (maybe 1400 vs. 1600 calories per day), and then I will set my weigh in mark for Sept. 1 on Monday. My goal each month is to lose 5 pounds!! I know it doesn't sound like a lot for a whole month, but since I have lost a lot so far, the weight does not fall off as easily now.

I am really going to count my servings and calories this weekend, with the hope of loosing a tiny bit more (or at least staying the same) by Monday. I need to do this anyway as my tendencies have been to go ahead and reach for the junk food, since I have had a great month. This is terrible thinking, and I need to correct it!!! OK - off to start my Tae Bo Advanced workout (1 hour). I will check in each night for this weekend - FOR SURE (this is my goal)!!

 

[5infam]

Well, I made it past the weekend and I am almost at the end of my mini vacation. I went to weigh myself on Monday to get my start of month weight check and boom - gained 3 pounds!!! (I really hate the scale!!). I try not to get to high when I lose and too low when I gain, but this was rediculous, as I just weighed in on Friday, and I exercised all 3 days and ate pretty well also. Anyway, as a result, I ate horribly on Monday and did not exercise (first time I missed a day of exercise in 2 months). Although, I figure I will use this as my new strategy and see if it helps me. Since I try and always eat perfect (I know its not possible), I figured, what the heck, at least 1 day per month, I should be able to eat whatever I want, and this will also be the day that I don't work out. My theory is, if I want to eat something that I really know I shouldn't, then I will wait (look forward to) until the first day of the new month. This way, I can tell myself to wait until then, because I will eventually get to eat it. In the past, my thinking has been that I will never get to eat certain foods again, which may be setting myself up to fail and those nasty deprived feelings. This way, I can look forward to the day when I can have X (whatever X is). I don't think one bad eating day per month will kill me, but I need to limit it to 1 day!! And, being that it is the first day of the month, I have the rest of the month to meet my weight loss goal of 5 pounds per month. Even with my gain of 3 pounds, I still lost 6 for August, so hopefully it was a water thing (who knows).

Anyway, I need to go workout as I missed it this morning, I will check back tomorrow.

Wednesday - Did my weights workout and ate according to plan. Looks like I am back on track!!

Thursday - Ran in the A.M., 4.23 miles. Ate according to plan, but probably ate a little too much Dim Sum at lunch. Not feeling good today overall (really tired) so I am going to bed early and hope I don't get sick!!