Day 31 - Renewing the Vision

I read or heard somewhere that, on average, a person needs to have their vision and purpose refreshed or they will lose focus on the goal and start to drift.  I can say that for me this statement seems to be true.  In the past I have usually started to lose the drive I have for counting calories sometime during the 2nd month.  By the 3rd month I have completely abandon the counting and the selective eating and my weight loss changes direction and begins to be come weight gain.  

With this in my in mind I am sitting down to write this post with the idea that I need to refresh in my mind the vision that I have for myself.  I am blogging daily about my weight loss journey as a way to be accountable to others.   It is my way of telling the world when I am successful and when I am not so successful.  I am losing weight because: 1) I know that I can do it. 2)  I am not a healthy weight and there is no reason why I can not be.  3) It is good for me to exercise and helps me to be a whole well rounded person and steward the body I have been given.  4) It makes me feel better about myself.

I have come a a good distance so far but I still have a long way to go. I am happy with the pace I am changing because I know that it is sustaining.  I need to keep on eating better, exercising regularly and reporting my progress so that I can live a longer and healthier life.

Thanks for reading and encouraging me on my journey because every reader and every comment helps fan the flames a little bit.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2343

Weight: 253 lbs

Mood: Tired.  I have been really sleepy all day.

Total Weight Lost:  12 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 30 - Precision

Today is Fast Food Friday and for my free day I went to the Ram with some former co-workers of mine. One of the hardest parts of counting calories for me is figuring out how many calories are in the meals that I eat at restaurants and other peoples houses. As an accountant I have this strong desire for my daily records to be as accurate as possible. This is pretty easy when I am eating prepackaged food and even food made at home because the nutrition information is provided and portions can be measured while preparing the food.

However, at restaurants and away from home I do not have the ability to measure my food. Also at a restaurant I do not know how the food is prepared and therefore how much oil and butter were used, was it lean ground beef or 30% fat, etc. At times like these I have to make an educated guess. For some reason guessing really hangs me up. I can do it as an accountant when it comes to month end number and preparing budgets but when it comes to food I have a hard time being "close enough" I have been on previous calorie counting journeys and have been completely derailed because I did not "know for sure" how many calories I had eaten at a particular meal or restaurant.

Fortunately there are tools and websites out there to help. Fast food is by far the easiest category of restaurants since so many of the fast food restaurants publish their nutrition info online and one burrito or cheese burger is just like the next at any given fast food joint. Sit down restaurants though present a greater challenge. Some have nutrition info posted some do not. When that is the case I use a web site called NutritionData.com to build the recipe using the major ingredient. This has helped me overcome my tendency to freeze up when having to guess at calories. I am not able to eat out and know that I can rebuild my meal and get pretty close on my count, which for now is going to have to be good enough.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2591
Weight: 254 lbs
Mood: Feeling a bit under the weather
Total Weight Lost: 11 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 29 - Week 4 Results

Here are the results of my 4th week on the plan:

Current weight: 254.5lbs
Weight Lost This Week: .5 lbs
Total Weight Lost: 10.5 lbs
Body Fat %: 29.2% (down .7% this week and 1.2% since 1/1/09)
Avg Calories Eaten Per Day: 2,815
Total Calories Burned: 21,455
Total Calories Eaten: 19,705
Calculated Daily Caloric Need: 3,065
# of Days I Worked Out: 4

This week was a bit of a struggle.  On average I ate more than I planned to each day and I did not lose as much weight as I would have liked.  I am hoping that this is just a temporary stop on the path to a lighter me.  In the mean time I just keep soldering on.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2,363
Weight: 254.5 lbs
Mood: Slightly discouraged that I my weight loss was only .5 lbs this week.
Total Weight Lost: 10.5 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 28 - Biggest Loser Week 4

Last night's biggest loser was another good episode. One of the more inspiring moments was when Dan ran the full time on the treadmill. I am bummed he had to go home as I personally would have preferred him to stay over the brown team. I think the brown team would have done better at home that the orange team but I am glad that Dan kept doing well at home, even though his partner was not that into it. Dan really looked good for the amount of weight he started with and I believe he will keep going to down that path. So far I am glad that there is nobody that I am rooting to be kicked off the show, I like all the contestants and enjoy watching them on their journey.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories:
Weight: 254 lbs
Mood: A little tired
Total Weight Lost: 11 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 27 - Another day at the office.

Not much to talk about today. Just went to work out and to the office. The day was spent working on a major project so I did not even realize I needed to eat lunch until 1:3o. Overall I can't really say it was that the day was all that exciting.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 3039
Weight: 254.5 lbs
Mood: Ho Hum
Total Weight Lost: 10.5 lbs

Day 26 - When Grueling is Good

Today was a cardio day at the Gym and my cardio of choice is the Elliptical machine. On this machine I get the most bang for my buck. It, by far, burns the most calories and is easier on my knees than the treadmill. However, today's workout seem extra arduous.

I use the Cardio setting on the machine to make sure that I get a good workout. I use a heart rate monitor to make sure I am working out in the cardio zone (though the machine does have a monitor on the handles). By using the monitor I am able to set the machine so that it keeps my heart rate at 163 beats per minute. I set the clock for a 45 minute workout which is immediately followed by a 5 minute cool down. I am able to tell how hard I am working by the number of rows that are lit up on the display panel as well as how many calories I am burning. For the first time today I made it over 1000 calories in my 50 minutes of working out, it was also the first time the resistance meter got to 5 bars and I definitely felt.

Though the workout seemed extra hard I take it as encouragement that my endurance and strength is increasing. I have to work that much hard to get and keep my heart at a 163 beats per minute. The distance and amount of time I could go at that pace is greater today than it was a couple of weeks ago and also the recovery time after the work out has shortened. Though I am no where close to running a marathon I feel good that I am making progress towards building up my strength.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2450

Weight: 256.6 lbs

Mood: Wishing I had not eaten so much yesterday.

Total Weight Lost: 8.5 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 25 - Overeating

Today I ate a bit more than I should have.  Mostly because I just wanted good food and was too lazy to eat good portions.  Even when I ate my dinner of potato salad and meatballs I was not that hungry but since I went to all work to make it I wanted to eat a good share, which I did.  So, bottom line is that I ate more than I should have but I want to make sure that I do not loose the vision.  This morning I was the lowest weight I have been so far which is encouraging but I also need to stay focused and make sure I keep my eating in line.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 3535

Weight: 253.5 lbs

Mood:  In need of a bit of reinvigoration

Total Weight Lost:  11.5 lbs since 1/1/08

Day 24 - The Fever

Today I got the fever.  That it deep down burning inside that covets and drools and pines for something new.  Something shiny.  Something electronic.  Something expensive.  Yes....I went to Circuit City and I saw there the home entertainment systems for sale and I thought, "I should buy this now before the deals go away forever."  Fortunately I had my 2 year old son with me running all over the store to keep me from standing in one place too long to convince myself that I should buy the system now.  

So having gotten the fever I have reconsidered my milestone incentives and have updated them. Before I was thinking of purchasing a home entertainment system that cost about $1,200 to $1,500.  The primary feature i was looking for was the inclusion of an Internet jack so I could stream music directly to my entertainment system.  However, I have a new rule that I insist on following for electronics and that rule is that no component should more than one thing.  

The reason for this rule is simple.  I have a surround sound system that also has a DVD player in it.  The DVD player died several months ago and so the system is partially useless.  It works fine as a receiver but does not have all the external hook ups to hook up a good DVD player to get surround sound through the system.  Thus I have a really nice "stereo" instead of the fully functional system that I like.  As a result of this I have decided that the DVD player and TV and Surround Sound System all should be separate components.  

So since I have imposed this rule, the digital MP3 streaming device should also be separate from the receiver as well.  Thus I am able to get the quality of receiver that I want with a lot less money.  Without speakers I can get a really good receiver for 380 bucks at Circuit City and with the speakers I can get one for 570.  

Therefore, I have decided to ditch the portable DVD player/MP3 player goal and instead change it to a less costly home entertainment system.  I am also adding a new Blue Ray DVD player or multi disc DVD player to one of my mile stones and as the two ultimate goals I am changing them to a Flat Screen HD TV and Digital HD cable service for 1 year.  This way if I am going to spend money on high end electronics I am going to have to work hard for them but also I will be able to build the components over time.  

As far as cost is concerned well, I will have to see how that goes.  I have a budget plan worked out and it should be OK unless I just really go gang busters and knock the weight off in a couple of months (which would be great but highly unlikely)  Also I need to point out that the other side to this resolve is that I will NOT get these things until I reach my goals so if I do not make it then no HD TV.  No cable service (something we have not had since we have been married).  No super surround sound receiver.  I gotta lose it to get it.  This is how I will use the fever to get me where I want to be.  Hopefully it helps me get there faster.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2871

Weight: 256.5 lbs

Mood: Got the fever for something expensive.

Total Weight Lost: 8.5 lbs since 1/1/08

Day 23 - Fat Zapper

A few days ago a loyal reader asked me how I track my body fat percentage.   The tool that I use to do this an body fat analyzer.  Specifically, I use the OMRON HBF-306.  You can buy one on Amazon.com, which is where I bought mine several years ago.

This one can store several peoples stats and remembers your information from one measurement to the other. It uses a body fat measurement method called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). 

The Wikipedia entry for BIA is as follows: 

Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a commonly used method for estimating body composition...BIA actually determines the electrical impedance, or opposition to the flow of an electric current through body tissues which can then be used to calculate an estimate of total body water (TBW). TBW can be used to estimate fat-free body mass and, by difference with body weight, body fat.  (To read the full article click here.)

It is known that this is not the most accurate method to measure body fat (read an article here) but for me it is easy and was relatively in expensive.  The important thing to keep in mind when using this method is that you need to be consistent.  Since the amount of water in your body can change throughout a day you have to take the measurement at the same time everyday.  I measure in the morning first thing after waking up.  This works great for me because I have been inactive all night and have not had anything new to drink so my body is in it's least hydrated state.  I find that this gives me a pretty stable reading.  

I know that the body fat % given may or may not be accurate but what I am really looking for is the change from start to finish.  I want to see the body fat % drop over an extended period of time, even though it will fluctuate from day to day.  This helps me know that I am actually burning fat and not just shedding water weight and lean body mass.  The body fat analyzer is grteat a tool that I use to help me get where I want to be.  It is simply another way to tell how I am doing and as I like to say, "if you can't measure it you can't change it."

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 

Weight: 255 lbs

Mood: Doing OK

Total Weight Lost: 10 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 22 - Week 3 Results

Here are the results of my 3rd week on the plan:

• Current weight: 255 lbs
• Weight Lost This Week: 2.5 lbs
• Total Weight Lost: 10 lbs
• Body Fat %: 29.9% (up .4% this week and .5% since 1/1/09)
• Avg Calories Eaten Per Day: 2,573
• Total Calories Burned: 26,761
• Total Calories Eaten: 18,011
• Calculated Daily Caloric Need: 3,823
• # of Days I Worked Out: 4

Another great week. I once again achieved my 2 lb per week goal. Also I was able to get in all my planned work outs. Thought my Body Fat % went up I am not too concerned since there are alot of variables that make that number fluctuate (see tomorrows post for more details.) Also I was able to reach a mile stone this week which is wonderful. I have been sticking with program and have turned down lots of offers for fast food at work which has been hard but I am seeing results which continues to keep me motivated.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2439
Weight: 255 lbs
Mood: Feeling good.
Total Weight Lost: 10 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 21 - Biggest Loser Week 3

Well I do not have alot to say about last night's episode except that it is a shame that Joelle did not go home. When I said last week that game play would eventually show up I did not think it would be so soon but it was clearly evident that Jillian's team was opting to keep the weaker player around to hinder the blue team and increase their chances later. It is good the see that Damien is doing well at home.

I was disappointed that Jillian's team went back on their word. They should not have said they would vote for Joelle if that was not their intention. It is one thing to decline to comment but it is another thing entirely to say one thing and do another. Especially when, as in this case, their decision to vote off Damien would not have impacted the vote of Bob's team so there was no reason to lie. I guess the game play is back and it is hard to see one of the good players stick go home, especially knowing I am going to have to listen to more whining from Joelle next week.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2,485
Weight: 254
Mood: Still with the program
Total Weight Lost: 11 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 20 - 10 POUNDS!!!

Today I reached my first milestone.  

I have lost over 10 pounds since 1/1/09.  As a reward I will be buying the book Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card.  It feels good to have made it this far and I am looking forward to the next milestone.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2580

Weight: 254.5 lbs

Mood: Feeling Good about reaching a goal.

Total Weight Lost: 10.5 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 19 - Planning Ahead

The key to sticking to a limited number of calories is to plan ahead and stick to your plan.  By figuring out what I will eat ahead of time and spacing it out throughout the day I am able to stick to my calorie budget.  Also, I am able to make sure I eat the right kind of food at the right time of day. Carbs before a workout, protein after a workout.  Also I find that going into my morning workout with a plan of what I will do each day helps me to work out longer and achieve my goals faster.   On days when  I have no plan I find I over eat or quit a workout too early.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2529

Weight: 256 lbs

Mood: Stickin' with it.

Total Weight Lost: 9 lbs lost since 1/1/09

Day 18 - Carne Asada Burritos (Recipe)

A few weeks back I posted about having Carne Asada Burritos and said I would post the recipe so here it is:

CARNE ASADA BURRITOS

Makes 4 Servings

1 can of enchilada sauce

2 cans of whole Pinto Beans

1 lb Skirt Steak 

1/4 Cup of fresh cilantro

1/2 tbls of cumin

1/2 tbls of garlic powder

salt

pepper

2 tbls vegetable oil

2 tbls lime juice

2 cups of shredded cheese (Mexican blend if you have it.  I just used cheddar)

4 Large Flour or 8 Small Corn Tortillas

4 cups of shredded iceberg lettuce

Pico De Gallo

2 Avocados, sliced

1 Cup of Sour Cream

Start off by heating the beans and the enchilada sauce in sauce pans on low. While the beans are warming up slice the steak into small pieces.  Season the steak with the cilantro, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a large pan heat up the vegetable oil till it is sizzling hot then add the steak.   Cook the steak on high heat, stir it up till it is browned on all sides (about 3-4 minutes). Once the steak is browned on all sides turn the heat down to medium high and then add the lime juice and let the steak simmer for 2 minutes.

Heat up the tortillas.  Garnish the plate with lettuce.  Fill each tortilla with steak, beans, cheese and enchilada sauce. (for corn tortillas use 2 overlapping tortillas.)  Put more enchilada sauce on the folded burrito and garnish with cheese.  To melt cheese stick it under a broiler for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. 

Finish off the plate by adding sour cream, pico de gallo and avocado.

The photo above is made with the corn tortillas.  Also I make the pico de gallo my self but you could use store bought.    This recipe has been requested by my wife 2 times since I first made it in the past several weeks.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2371

Weight:  258.5 lbs

Mood: Not ready to go back to work.

Total Weight Lost: 6.5 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 17 - Long Road

Today I kept thinking about how much further I still have to go.  It makes it seem like I will never get to the fitness level that I want to when I think about how long it will actually take to loose the 46 lbs and 12% of body fat that I need to lose.  But I need to keep soldiering on.   It is days like these that made me choose to blog.  When I get this way I can remeber that I have all my readers out there keeping me accountable and it helps me to pick up and renew my vigor.  Thanks for keeping me going.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2319

Weight: 258.5 lbs

Mood:  Impatient

Total Weight Lost: 6.5 since 1/1/09

Day 16 - Fast Food Friday

Today was my second "cheat" day.  I decided I would give my "cheat" day a name so today has been christened "Fast Food Friday" ideally this is the day of the week that I can eat fast food if I am so inclined.  Today's fast food of choice was Taco Time.  It was of course delicious. 

Also, today I concluded my first full week of working out on my new plan.  I have been recording my workouts so I can keep track of my progress.  I will let you know in a few weeks how the plan is going.  So far this week it seemed to go well.

As a side note, I had to update my calories for yesterday.  I had forgotten to enter my breakfast into my food tracker and so I reported a bit low.  The blog has been corrected.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 3037

Weight: 258 lbs

Mood:  Glad it is Friday

Total Weight Lost: 7 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 15 - Week 2 Results

Here are the results of my 2nd week on the plan:

• Current weight: 257.5 lbs
• Weight Lost This Week: 2 lbs
• Total Weight Lost: 7.5lbs
• Body Fat %: 29.5% (down .4% this week and .9% since 1/1/09)
• Avg Calories Eaten Per Day: 2,695
• Total Calories Burned: 25,865
• Total Calories Eaten: 18,865
• Calculated Daily Caloric Need: 3,695
• # of Days I Worked Out: 3

Overall this was a very succesful week. I lost my target of 2lbs this week which is the amount of weight I would like to lose each week. Also my body fat % dropped a bit more as well which is always encouraging. It seems that my target of 2400 calories a day is working. Even though I was slightly over a couple of days I am able to stay on target in my eating. I am looking forward to seeing the results of a full week at the gym (4 workouts) and if that has any impact on the results. For the second week, which is always a hard one on the biggest loser, I am very satisfied with the results.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2373
Weight: 57.5 lbs
Mood: Encouraged and still with the program.
Total Weight Lost: 7.5 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 14 - Biggest Loser Week 2

Well last night was the biggest loser and though I am sad that some of the contestants had to go home for a time it does help us to get to know some of the other contestants better.  Overall this season's contestants seem a lot nicer than last seasons contestants and there is not all the game play that was going on before.  I enjoy watching the contestants root each other on this season and much prefer it over last season's feuds and bickering.  There are lots of people to root for this season which makes if fun to watch.   Here are some of the highlights for me:

• During the temptation Joelle, from the gray team, should have taken the money.  She clearly is not wanting to give her all and she came dangerously close to being sent home with nothing.  She could have at least had her $25K and achieved some of her goals.  Now she has a big target on her back.
• During the challenge Tara, from the green team, made her big break during the last stretch and won immunity and a phone call home.  Her pushing ahead to take the prize was a great moment by itself but she crowned it when she gave the phone call to Filipe, from the blue team, so he could call home instead.  This is the kind of encouragement I want to see each week.  Not the back stabbing and name calling from last season.
• During the weigh in I felt the agony when Jerry, from the white team, only lost 1lb and was crushed up there on the scale.  He obviously worked so hard but just did not have it in him. It was touching to see that even Allison had a tear in her eye for the oldest contestant on the show.
• And at the elimination I think the players made the right choice in sending home Jerry. Even though Daniel will likely be a bigger threat in the long run and this may have been the only chance to knock him out, all the players put aside game play and voted to keep the player that had the most to gain by staying on the show.  I think that is a great symbol of how different this seasons competitors are from last season. 

Over all I am glad to see that everyone is getting along.  It is refreshing to see how humble and aware of their needs (except maybe Joelle) these contestants are.  In time I am sure the game play will be on, and rightfully so, but for now it is refreshing to watch.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2692

Weight:  258 lbs

Mood: Thinking "Why did I eat so much potato salad yesterday?"

Total Weight Lost: 7 lbs since 1/1/09
  

Day 13 - Potato Salad

Well, if you have been paying attention to my daily stats then you will notice that today's calories are a tad bit higher than the 2400 calorie target I have been shooting for.  The main cause of this slight spike in caloric intake can be attributed to one thing....

POTATO SALAD!!!!

Now, this is not just some store bought run of the mill potato salad here.  THis the good stuff. There is only one potato salad that is worth the calories and that is made right here in my very own kitchen.   Since no one wants to fall into temptation alone I have included the recipe below:

DILL POTATO SALAD

1 cup Best Foods Light Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons dill pickle juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups cooked, peeled, and cubed potatoes
2 medium dill pickles, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
Chopped fresh dill

Mix the first fix ingrediants together.  Then add potatos, egg, and pickles.  Garnish with freshly chopped dill and enjoy!

I like to eat this fresh while it is still a little warm. It is very delicious.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories:  3365

Weight: 256.5

Mood: Glad to have lost a little more weight.

Total Weight Lost:   8.5 lbs lost since 1/1/09

Day 12 - Health Food Is Gross

In an effort to be more healthy I thought I would try to find a healty alternative to pita bread and tortillas.  In the deli section of my local grocery store there was a product called flat bread.  I have never been much of a wrap person.  I would not typically order a wrap at a restraunt or pick one up at the local grocery store.  However, I love Gyros and I have become quite attached to the Pita Pit that is several blocks up the street from where I work.  So in an attempt to shave some calories off of a pita and add some fiber to my diet I picked up a package of Flatout.

In the package Flatout looks good.  It is a soft flatbread that looks like it would make excellent wraps.    The package shows nice pictures of healty looking wraps and the products is supported by Oprah so it must be golden right?  WRONG!!!!  

These flatbreads have got to be some of the worst, if not the all time worst, bread I have ever eaten.  As I ate my flatbread at work today it was all I could to choke down the last bite.  The only reason I finished the sandwich was beause it was the only food I had taken with me that day and I did not want to let all the other sandwich fixen's go to waste. 

I have tried other health food such as Bally Nutrition Bars, Slim Fast Shakes and Wasa crakers and they have been ok.  Not the most flavorful and certianly not some thing I would crave, but the Flatout flatbread is outright disgusting.  So if you are in the deli section and want to try an alternative to plain old bread try the Pita bread or a tortilla.  Whatever you do just stay away from flat out.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2403

Weight: 257 lbs

Mood:  Glad to have some real food for dinner

Total Weight Lost:  8 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 11 - Just chillin'

I honestly don't have much to say today.   It was a pretty uneventful, though relaxing day.  For lunch made some mondo burritos, you can read about them on my wife's blog here. Some other day I will post the recipe though it is not really a "light" recipe.  This evening I am getting ready for my workout and work day tomorrow by prepping my gym bag and lunch/snacks and that really is the extent of it.

TODAY'S STATS:

Calories: 2395

Weight: 257

Mood: Relaxed and ready for the work week.

Total Weight Lost:  8 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 10 - Workout Plans

It i s a good idea to have plans but when it comes to workouts they can be a double edged sword.  I have kind of stumbled into a work out plan that I think will work well for me.  I work out in the mornings before work which involves setting my alarm for 5:00am and hopefully rolling out of bed by quarter after or so.  My plan is to work out 4 days a week.  On Monday's and Thursdays I will do 45-50 minutes of cardio and on Tuesdays and Friday's I will do weights.  I tend to push myself pretty hard and so this schedule should allow me time to recover between workouts.  

The downside to plans is that they can become boring and a boring workout is one that does not get done.  It is nice to have the plan to see how much you have improved over time and to help you have focus on achieving specific goals but, for me working out is in general boring.  It is spending an hour of my time at the gym which is not something I find mentally stimulating to say the least but I think that this plan will work because it is simple and when you are working out early in the morning simple is good.

So it is my goal to do my workout plan for 8 weeks and try to see if I can get some measurable results.  Hopefully over that time I will notice my endurance and strength increase and maybe even loose a few extra pounds of fat.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2405

Weight: 257 lbs

Mood: Still motivated.

Total Weight Lost: 8 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 9 - Cheat Day

Toady was my first cheat day.  On the biggest loser the contestants are allowed to have a cheat day after the weigh in to keep their metabolism up.  Of course for them it is because they are working out 6 hours a day 7 days a week and they are eating far fewer calories than I am.  But today i wanted to eat some Pizza, so I did.  And when i got home I had a healthy dinner of Macaroni and Cheese and Hot Dogs.  All in all I at enough calories today to maintain my current weight.  I did not gorge but I did not diet either.  The occassional cheat day makes the rest of the time bareable. 

On another note I have resumed my downward trend in weight as you will notice in my stats below.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 3450

Weight: 258

Mood: Glad to be heading in the right direction again.

Total Weight Lost: 7 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 8 - Week 1 Results

Here are the results of my 1st week on the plan:

• Current weight: 260.5 lbs
  
• Weight Lost:  4.5 lbs since 1/1/09
• Body Fat %:  29.9%  (down .5%)

Some interesting notes about this week of weight loss:

• I was able to eat out at red lobster one day and eat a normal dinner (I ordered the broccoli with my crab leg dinner)


• I ate out at taco bell one evening for dinner


• I counted calories every day using an access database I developed several weight loss endeavours ago. It is now quite handy and easy to use.


• I went to the gym 2 mornings.


• I planned my meals ahead of time and stuck to my plan.

These several things really helped me to stay on track. They work well for me and I have always found that when I actually make the effort to count my calories that i get far better results than just trying to work out.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2645

Weight: 260.5 lbs

Mood: A little frustrated that the past couple days have been backward.  Ready to move forward again.

Total Weight Lost: 4.5 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 7 - The Biggest Loser

Last night was the biggest loser. This is one of my favorite shows to watch and is a source of motivation for me. It is really one of the only shows I watch on tv (we don't get cable) and is the only realty show I can stand. I was glad the way that the previous ended thought I have to admit it got hard to watch once Vicky and Heba and Ed were all part of the final 4.

That being said this season looks like it will be a good one. Of course it is still way to early to really know alot about the contestants but I am rooting for the orange team, the white team, and the gray team and the purple team. They all had members that stuck out to me for one reason or another.

I did not really like the twist of sending one person from each team home for 30 days it really took away from the excitement of the players dropping tremendous amounts of weight. Their initial success was over shadowed by the difficult decisions the teams would have to make. It is one twist I hope the show does not opt to repeat.

I guess we will see how the show goes. I look forward to watching how these people change over the next couple of months.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2398
Weight: 260 lbs
Mood: Feeling good and staying on track.
Total Weight Lost: 6 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 6 - Pizza Day

Today the people in my office decided to order pizza for lunch. I LOVE pizza. However, due to my new lifestyle, and to prove to myself that I could, I decided not to participate. This was hard to but I did it.

Also, today is the first day since I started that I did not loose weight. The honeymoon is over now and it is going to be an uphill battle the rest of they way but I am looking forward to the journey.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2767
Weight: 259.5 lbs
Mood: Feeling good.
Total Weight Loss: 5.5 lbs since 1/1//09

Day 5 - Back to work

Today I started out the day with a good workout but I should have taken more food to the office. Overall not much else to say.

TODAY'S STATS

Calories: 2370
Weight: 258.5 lbs
Mood: Still enthusiastic
Total Weight Loss: 6.5 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 4 - Cauliflower

As part of my new lifestyle I am trying to eat more veggies. I actually like veggies, however, as a family we have gotten into a rut eating them. As a result I am trying to find new and exciting ways to eat them. One of my christmas presents was "The Biggest Loser Cookbook." There are several interesting looking recipies in here but the one I decided to try first was for Cauliflower. It can be found on page 130.

It was of delicious. The only change I made was I used regular Parmesian instead of low fat but that is a very minor change.


Parmesian Roasted Cauliflower
Makes 1 serving














1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) cauliflower florets
2 teaspoons grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt, to taste
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, combine the cauliflower, cheese, parsley, garlic powder, and pepper. Season with salt. Toss to mix. Drizzle on the oil and toss again. Transfer the mixture to a small nonstick baking dish.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, tossing once, or until lightly browned and crisp-tender. Serve immediately.

Nutrition at a Glance Per serving: 104 calories, 4 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat (less than 1 g saturated), 5 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 121 mg sodium


TODAY'S STATS:

Calories: 2753
Weight: 259 lbs
Mood: Feeling a bit hungry.
Total Weight Lost: 6 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 3 - The Weekend

It is my first weekend on my new eating plan and so far it has been good. Weekends are typically harder than workdays because there is more food available. Despite that fact, I was able to keep to my plan. This weekend my wife and I went to the grocery store to stock up on healtier foods so I am set for this next week of healty living.

TODAY'S STATS:

Calories: 2392
Weight: 260.5 lbs
Mood: Feeling good about staying on track.
Total Weight Lost: 4.5 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 2 - Milestones

A major part of setting successful long term goals is being able to break them up into smaller goals. So in that light I am setting some milestones that I would like to reach as well as establishing the rewards I will grant myself when I reach them. There will be a mix of short term and long term milestones as well as different types such as lbs lost, body fat %, and physical activity.


MILESTONES:

• Lose 10lbs - Reward: Buy new Orson Scott Card book Ender in Exile
• Reduce body fat % by 5% - Reward: Buy portable DVD player or a new Zune MP3 player
• Reduce weight by 10% (26.5 lbs) - Reward: UNDECIDED
• Reach Goal Weight of 220lbs - Reward: Buy a new high end home entertainment system
• Reach Goal Body Fat % of 18% - Reward: UNDECIDED

These are just my starter milestones. I will add more throughout the year as I think of them. Also I will add rewards as things that motivate me come up. I am trying to stay away from food oriented rewards for obvious reasons.


TODAY'S STATS:

Calories: 2382
Weight: 263
Mood: Glad to have had another successful day.
Total Weight Lost: 2 lbs since 1/1/09

Day 1 - Time to face the music

Well it is day one of my new lifestyle and I have to say that it is so far so good. It was pretty easy to stick to the plan of counting calories and limiting my food intake to 2400 calories. I even got to eat out at Red Lobster and did not go over. (One more biscuit would have done it though) Since it is my first day I am posting my beginning stats.


BEGINNING STATS:

Weight: 265lbs

Body Fat %: 30.4%

Measurements:
Chest 47 3/4 inches
Waist 45 3/4 inches
Hips 42 3/4 inches
Thigh 24 1/8 inches
Bicep 15 inches

This is the most I have ever weighed and it is a result of eating a lot of fast food for lunches and over stuffing myself each day. I have been feeling pretty bad with all the junk I have eaten so I am looking forward to having more energy and feeling better because I am making better choices.


TODAY'S STATS:

Calories: 2190
Weight: 265 lbs
Mood: Looking forward to change
Total Weight Lost: 0 lbs since 1/1/08