5/24/11
Calories: 2,140
Rock Band singing/guitaring: 80 minutes
Walking: 40 minutes
I must have waited too long to write this up, because I have no memory of Tuesday. Just none, at all.
5/25/11
Calories: 1,900
Walking: 50 minutes
A classic good day. I took some time to cook up a nice dinner for myself, and I definitely saved some calories with newly purchased Fudgsicles (only 40 calories apiece!).
5/26/11
Calories: 2,391
Rock Band singing/guitaring: 160 minutes
5/27/11
Calories: 2,427
Rock Band drumming: 140 minutes
A bit of a Rock Band marathon session between Thursday and Friday. I still don't know how much value I can assign to the Rock Band activities, outside of working up a sweat. But it's something. Better than nothing.
Going Dark
I've decided that for the final week of this month, I'm not going to tell you folks anything about my eating or exercise habits. Part of it is to keep Nick in the dark about how I'm doing, a little bit of gamesmanship if you will.
The other part is that I'd like to see how I react to a lack of public accountability. I'll still write down the numbers for myself, and I have the same 2,400 calorie goal as I've always had. I'm just not going to tell anybody whether I reached it or not. Should be interesting.
Good luck this week, Nikolai.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 35
5/19/11
Calories: 2,208
Rock Band drumming: 60 minutes
Walking: 50 minutes
A nice combo of exercise, the Rock Band drumming was a fun activity, and the walking was focused and deliberate. I like these days because it feels like I sort of make up for days in which I get little or no exercise...
5/20/11
Calories: 2,200
No activities
...like this day. Apparently I have trouble getting myself to be active on Fridays. Back to back weeks I didn't do any sort of activity on Friday (I mean, besides walking between my car and Buffalo Wild Wings). There is something to be said, though, for my decision to eat dinner at home for 650 calories, rather than scarfing down 1,000+ calories of wings...which I really, really wanted to do.
5/21/11
Calories: 2,445
Basketball: 120 minutes
The good part: I played two hours of basketball, worked up a nice sweat, got the muscles going.
The bad part: I jammed the holy hell out of my finger, which has stifled my non-walking activity since then.
5/22/11
Calories: 2,780
Walking: 15 minutes
As I said, my finger was pretty roughed up, so rather than doing any Rock Band drumming, I just went for a short walk around my neighborhood. I had thought it was longer than 15 minutes, but the clock doesn't lie.
I've also noticed that I eat/drink when I get bored, and it seems like Sundays tend to be my most boring days. So, it's about time for me to find an activity for Sundays...and other days.
5/23/11
Calories: 2,690
Walking: 40 minutes
The full caloric effect of getting drunk isn't felt until the next day, when I make foolish decisions to try to get my head back on straight. A breakfast sandwich, three servings of rice, and a variety of snacks put me into the red on my calorie goals. Blah.
Looking Forward
As I said, I think I need some activities, some distractions to keep my mind focused. Exercise is a good thought, and when he gets back from Myrtle, I think I'm going to take Spag up on his offers to play tennis. I guess I could play more Rock Band, but it's a lot more fun when used as a social event. I've also been trying to do some more writing, which is nice, but can be frustrating. And of course, frustration leads to boredom leads to snacking.
You guys got any other ideas on how to fill up time? I can only play through Dead Rising 2 so many times...well, probably. I haven't gotten to whatever that number is yet, but still, there's probably a limit.
Calories: 2,208
Rock Band drumming: 60 minutes
Walking: 50 minutes
A nice combo of exercise, the Rock Band drumming was a fun activity, and the walking was focused and deliberate. I like these days because it feels like I sort of make up for days in which I get little or no exercise...
5/20/11
Calories: 2,200
No activities
...like this day. Apparently I have trouble getting myself to be active on Fridays. Back to back weeks I didn't do any sort of activity on Friday (I mean, besides walking between my car and Buffalo Wild Wings). There is something to be said, though, for my decision to eat dinner at home for 650 calories, rather than scarfing down 1,000+ calories of wings...which I really, really wanted to do.
5/21/11
Calories: 2,445
Basketball: 120 minutes
The good part: I played two hours of basketball, worked up a nice sweat, got the muscles going.
The bad part: I jammed the holy hell out of my finger, which has stifled my non-walking activity since then.
5/22/11
Calories: 2,780
Walking: 15 minutes
As I said, my finger was pretty roughed up, so rather than doing any Rock Band drumming, I just went for a short walk around my neighborhood. I had thought it was longer than 15 minutes, but the clock doesn't lie.
I've also noticed that I eat/drink when I get bored, and it seems like Sundays tend to be my most boring days. So, it's about time for me to find an activity for Sundays...and other days.
5/23/11
Calories: 2,690
Walking: 40 minutes
The full caloric effect of getting drunk isn't felt until the next day, when I make foolish decisions to try to get my head back on straight. A breakfast sandwich, three servings of rice, and a variety of snacks put me into the red on my calorie goals. Blah.
Looking Forward
As I said, I think I need some activities, some distractions to keep my mind focused. Exercise is a good thought, and when he gets back from Myrtle, I think I'm going to take Spag up on his offers to play tennis. I guess I could play more Rock Band, but it's a lot more fun when used as a social event. I've also been trying to do some more writing, which is nice, but can be frustrating. And of course, frustration leads to boredom leads to snacking.
You guys got any other ideas on how to fill up time? I can only play through Dead Rising 2 so many times...well, probably. I haven't gotten to whatever that number is yet, but still, there's probably a limit.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 34
Initially I had tried to put together a formula for physical activity, but with all the various things you can do to get exercise, it's a little daunting. So I basically set a general goal of one hour of activity. It's a lot of time, but it's not like I really have anything to "do" after work anyways. Setting aside an hour of time every day to try to better myself is pretty reasonable.
The other thing is that, if it were easy, and something I would have no trouble doing every day, that's not much of a goal, is it? If I set a goal to walk 15 minutes every day, whoopie, who cares? Any day in which I accomplish my goal of one hour of physical activity, I can feel like was a productive day.
5/16/11
Calories: 2,020
Rock Band drumming: 90 minutes
Walking: 40 minutes
Monday was my first foray into the Boboli pizza realm, and I have to say, I was pretty happy with the results. I went for a "white" pizza, just threw some sliced red peppers and onions on the crust with some margarine and Parmesan cheese, and it was a tasty little deal. I had initially planned on just eating half of it and saving the other half, but space is limited in my fridge, and it was goooood. Even so, the whole pizza was 1,080 calories. And this was the full size pizza, not one of the personal pizza size ones (which are the ones I think I'll be using in the future.
Over on my other blog, Chip and I have been coming up with some ideas for pizzas to make. Chime in if you like, here or there.
5/17/11
Calories: 2,115
Weightlifting: 30 minutes
Tuesday is when I ran into my first question mark. Because I actually lifted weights over the course of about an hour, but it was while watching TV, sometimes breaking for 4-5 minutes at a time. The end result was a success, as I definitely got sore, and I worked up a sweat. But I couldn't really say that I "lifted weights" for an hour. What I should've done was gone for a half hour walk to make the point moot. Something to keep in mind for the future.
5/18/11
Calories: 2,250
Weightlifting: 15 minutes
Rock Band singing/guitaring: 60 minutes
My sister's boyfriend offered to grill up dinner for the family on Wednesday, so I went home for that. I had a few too many potato chips, but overall stayed mostly within my intended zone. When I got back to my house, I felt like singing, so I booted up the Rock Band. In between sets, I did some half push-ups. Half push-ups because they're sort of at a 45 degree angle; I do them on my stairs. I haven't got the upper body strength to push up my whole body just yet, but I get a good soreness out of this for now, so it'll do.
Looking Forward
Nothing really of note so far. I've done pretty well sticking with my physical activity plan. One thing I think I'd like to work on, though, is incorporating some more intense activities, or some more extended sessions. Like a 2 hour walk, or some serious basketball. Who's in?
The other thing is that, if it were easy, and something I would have no trouble doing every day, that's not much of a goal, is it? If I set a goal to walk 15 minutes every day, whoopie, who cares? Any day in which I accomplish my goal of one hour of physical activity, I can feel like was a productive day.
5/16/11
Calories: 2,020
Rock Band drumming: 90 minutes
Walking: 40 minutes
Monday was my first foray into the Boboli pizza realm, and I have to say, I was pretty happy with the results. I went for a "white" pizza, just threw some sliced red peppers and onions on the crust with some margarine and Parmesan cheese, and it was a tasty little deal. I had initially planned on just eating half of it and saving the other half, but space is limited in my fridge, and it was goooood. Even so, the whole pizza was 1,080 calories. And this was the full size pizza, not one of the personal pizza size ones (which are the ones I think I'll be using in the future.
Over on my other blog, Chip and I have been coming up with some ideas for pizzas to make. Chime in if you like, here or there.
5/17/11
Calories: 2,115
Weightlifting: 30 minutes
Tuesday is when I ran into my first question mark. Because I actually lifted weights over the course of about an hour, but it was while watching TV, sometimes breaking for 4-5 minutes at a time. The end result was a success, as I definitely got sore, and I worked up a sweat. But I couldn't really say that I "lifted weights" for an hour. What I should've done was gone for a half hour walk to make the point moot. Something to keep in mind for the future.
5/18/11
Calories: 2,250
Weightlifting: 15 minutes
Rock Band singing/guitaring: 60 minutes
My sister's boyfriend offered to grill up dinner for the family on Wednesday, so I went home for that. I had a few too many potato chips, but overall stayed mostly within my intended zone. When I got back to my house, I felt like singing, so I booted up the Rock Band. In between sets, I did some half push-ups. Half push-ups because they're sort of at a 45 degree angle; I do them on my stairs. I haven't got the upper body strength to push up my whole body just yet, but I get a good soreness out of this for now, so it'll do.
Looking Forward
Nothing really of note so far. I've done pretty well sticking with my physical activity plan. One thing I think I'd like to work on, though, is incorporating some more intense activities, or some more extended sessions. Like a 2 hour walk, or some serious basketball. Who's in?
Monday, May 16, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 33
So I pulled out a third straight victory that netted me a cool $100 cash. And it was all one dollar bills, delivered in a brown paper bag, so I got to feel like a mobster after I won. Pretty bitchin' move by the donor/Battle Marshal.
But hold the phone there. I'm still a big ass man...and a big-assed man. Being 288 pounds is great for where I was, but there's still a lot of work to do. And I've got a new plan on how to push forward and get closer to the body I want. Read on...
*By the way, sorry for the late post, I thought I had posted the first half of this already. I am error.
5/8/11
Calories: 2,555
Walking: 60 minutes
Sunday was Mother's Day, and while I got into the afternoon almost calorie-free (just 100 calories from some Froot Loops), I knew my victory would be short-lived. I headed up to my mom's house for dinner and board games, and dinner ended up being a couple plates of Chinese food. Add on a slice of chocolate cake, and you get the calorie count you see above.
I did manage to make it out for a good walk in the evening (after sitting around digesting for a while). And I was reminded that my mom's got a pool at her house. It'd be pretty smart to take advantage of that. And I've always fancied myself a pretty smart guy.
5/9/11
Calories: 2,263
Walking: 40 minutes
Rock Band singing/guitaring: 120 minutes
Both Rock Band activities are tough to assess as far as their actual impact. I mean, I know my legs and shoulders get sore when I play the drums, but whether it's actually building muscle, that's debatable. And I know when I sing and play guitar I get a little winded from time to time, and I definitely sweat up a storm, but whether I'm burning calories or exercising my lungs, difficult to say.
It feels like activity, though, so I'm keeping it on the board.
5/10/11
Calories: 2,450
Walking: 60 minutes
I have been eating more, though I don't know if it's as a result of me doing more exercise and needing more energy, or just the natural ebb and flow of my personal motivation and willpower. Ebb ebb ebb...
5/11/11
Calories: 2,188
Walking: 60 minutes
I make it a special point to take note of each reasonable Wednesday I have. I used to go to Hard Times around the corner every Wednesday and eat nachos and wings, sometimes have beer, and follow it up with some outrageous dessert at Carmen's; sometimes brownie sundaes, sometimes cheesecake, sometimes a couple scoops with a toppings bar, but always, always calorie-heavy. I remember doing the math once and coming out on the wrong side of 4,000 calories for the day.
So when I look and see under 2,200 calories and an hour of walking, I take a deep breath and appreciate the progress.
5/12/11
Calories: 2,129
Walking: 20 minutes
Weightlifting: 20 minutes
Thursday night started so promising; who knew it would turn into a bloodbath?
I got home from work and did some push ups, but not full push ups. I had to do them at an angle, on the stairs. Lifting up 280 pounds is still a little much to ask of my flabby arms. I finished my disc of Quantum Leap, season 3, so I popped it in the Netflix envelope and set out to drop it off in my neighborhood mailbox.
After I dropped it off, I heard footsteps thumping up behind me, and I was met by my brother and Tom, who had been wining and dining at Hard Times. I was (easily) convinced to hang out, and we ended up watching nerdy TV and taking shots of tequila. The calories may look reasonable, but the damage I did to my body that night was extensive.
5/13/11
Calories: 1,899
Walking: 45 minutes
One advantage of being hungover is that you don't eat quite so much the next day.
5/14/11
Calories: 2,720
Picnic activities: 60 minutes
Went out to a pair of parties. First, a family picnic with some of the best fried chicken I've had in a long time, as well as some tasty steak sandwiches. We tossed a football for a little bit, then had sort of a softball practice, in that we did some batting and some tossing, but nothing really extensive.
Anyways, after that I headed out to Westminster for Eddie P.'s birthday party. Stayed sober, but had some chips and a couple (delicious!) turkey meatballs. Westminster is ass far away, so I got home at like 3:30 AM.
5/15/11
Calories: 2,080
No activities
Yes, the calories were down, but no activities? Get it together Joe.
Looking Forward
So as you may have been able to tell from the information I posted, my focus this month is going to be on physical activity. With summer fast approaching, I've got precious little time to make myself look good without a shirt...or at least a little less like jelly.
Theoretically, the best way to do this is to get more exercise. More weightlifting, more walking, more turning walking into jogging, more tennis, more basketball, more everything. I'd like to get a weekly basketball game together, but I know people live far and have their own schedules (which include other weekly basketball games, etc). So I'll probably continue to focus on walking, and try to incorporate some more tennis, since you only need one other person for that.
I'm also pushing my calorie target back a little bit from 2,200 to 2,400 calories. The basis for that is to make sure that I've got the leeway to bring in enough calories to keep me properly fueled, but I'm also going to be honest with you guys; mostly I just want a little more leeway with my daily calorie intake.
We'll see if this shit works.
But hold the phone there. I'm still a big ass man...and a big-assed man. Being 288 pounds is great for where I was, but there's still a lot of work to do. And I've got a new plan on how to push forward and get closer to the body I want. Read on...
*By the way, sorry for the late post, I thought I had posted the first half of this already. I am error.
5/8/11
Calories: 2,555
Walking: 60 minutes
Sunday was Mother's Day, and while I got into the afternoon almost calorie-free (just 100 calories from some Froot Loops), I knew my victory would be short-lived. I headed up to my mom's house for dinner and board games, and dinner ended up being a couple plates of Chinese food. Add on a slice of chocolate cake, and you get the calorie count you see above.
I did manage to make it out for a good walk in the evening (after sitting around digesting for a while). And I was reminded that my mom's got a pool at her house. It'd be pretty smart to take advantage of that. And I've always fancied myself a pretty smart guy.
5/9/11
Calories: 2,263
Walking: 40 minutes
Rock Band singing/guitaring: 120 minutes
Both Rock Band activities are tough to assess as far as their actual impact. I mean, I know my legs and shoulders get sore when I play the drums, but whether it's actually building muscle, that's debatable. And I know when I sing and play guitar I get a little winded from time to time, and I definitely sweat up a storm, but whether I'm burning calories or exercising my lungs, difficult to say.
It feels like activity, though, so I'm keeping it on the board.
5/10/11
Calories: 2,450
Walking: 60 minutes
I have been eating more, though I don't know if it's as a result of me doing more exercise and needing more energy, or just the natural ebb and flow of my personal motivation and willpower. Ebb ebb ebb...
5/11/11
Calories: 2,188
Walking: 60 minutes
I make it a special point to take note of each reasonable Wednesday I have. I used to go to Hard Times around the corner every Wednesday and eat nachos and wings, sometimes have beer, and follow it up with some outrageous dessert at Carmen's; sometimes brownie sundaes, sometimes cheesecake, sometimes a couple scoops with a toppings bar, but always, always calorie-heavy. I remember doing the math once and coming out on the wrong side of 4,000 calories for the day.
So when I look and see under 2,200 calories and an hour of walking, I take a deep breath and appreciate the progress.
5/12/11
Calories: 2,129
Walking: 20 minutes
Weightlifting: 20 minutes
Thursday night started so promising; who knew it would turn into a bloodbath?
I got home from work and did some push ups, but not full push ups. I had to do them at an angle, on the stairs. Lifting up 280 pounds is still a little much to ask of my flabby arms. I finished my disc of Quantum Leap, season 3, so I popped it in the Netflix envelope and set out to drop it off in my neighborhood mailbox.
After I dropped it off, I heard footsteps thumping up behind me, and I was met by my brother and Tom, who had been wining and dining at Hard Times. I was (easily) convinced to hang out, and we ended up watching nerdy TV and taking shots of tequila. The calories may look reasonable, but the damage I did to my body that night was extensive.
5/13/11
Calories: 1,899
Walking: 45 minutes
One advantage of being hungover is that you don't eat quite so much the next day.
5/14/11
Calories: 2,720
Picnic activities: 60 minutes
Went out to a pair of parties. First, a family picnic with some of the best fried chicken I've had in a long time, as well as some tasty steak sandwiches. We tossed a football for a little bit, then had sort of a softball practice, in that we did some batting and some tossing, but nothing really extensive.
Anyways, after that I headed out to Westminster for Eddie P.'s birthday party. Stayed sober, but had some chips and a couple (delicious!) turkey meatballs. Westminster is ass far away, so I got home at like 3:30 AM.
5/15/11
Calories: 2,080
No activities
Yes, the calories were down, but no activities? Get it together Joe.
Looking Forward
So as you may have been able to tell from the information I posted, my focus this month is going to be on physical activity. With summer fast approaching, I've got precious little time to make myself look good without a shirt...or at least a little less like jelly.
Theoretically, the best way to do this is to get more exercise. More weightlifting, more walking, more turning walking into jogging, more tennis, more basketball, more everything. I'd like to get a weekly basketball game together, but I know people live far and have their own schedules (which include other weekly basketball games, etc). So I'll probably continue to focus on walking, and try to incorporate some more tennis, since you only need one other person for that.
I'm also pushing my calorie target back a little bit from 2,200 to 2,400 calories. The basis for that is to make sure that I've got the leeway to bring in enough calories to keep me properly fueled, but I'm also going to be honest with you guys; mostly I just want a little more leeway with my daily calorie intake.
We'll see if this shit works.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Month 4 Thoughts - Gargantuar
Another defeat at the hands of Psychotron. It's almost as if I'M the bad guy and HE is the superhero. I mean, come on! But I think it's just the obligatory hardship before the thrilling comeback by the good guys, AKA me. So don't get discouraged Gangantuar fans, my good friend Rachel will tell you, "if there is not a happy ending then the story isn't finished yet" or something like that.
Weigh-in Thoughts
I lost 5lbs this past month and am trying to keep that into perspective. 5lbs is not easy. I've been working my butt off in the gym, literally. I've been running, doing spin classes, playing tennis and doing some lifting. Is it possible I've built up some muscle, leading to less weight loss? Maybe, but I bet Joe has built up some muscle of his own. I saw him Saturday, he was looking good. Almost as good as me.
My goal after month one was to get down to 250, and I have a good shot to reach that goal. So what else can I do to help achieve the goal? Well, staying on top of my workouts will surely help, but it's not everything. I must stick to my diet much better than I have the past month. It is undoing a lot of my gym work. It's not like I have been all bad eating, but a lot of the days are just ruined by one super bad meal, or meals and snacking (like during and after Caps games).
In honesty, this is the longest I've been "dieting" straight. I mean 4 months of working out and watching what I eat is a long time. That is why a lot of what I've been doing has been lifestyle changes. Gradually building up my running stamina, going to the gym 2-4 times a week, playing tennis, these are all things I can maintain as just a normal part of life. It was easier in the beginning to diet, all it took was some discipline. Now, it is easier to go to the gym for an hour or so. There are so many "reasons" to break your diet:
- There is a party
- Free food at work
- Alcohol is tasty
- Sporting events
- Difficult life situations
- It's a day that ends in "Y"
These are not reasons though, they are excuses. Now, I am no saint and don't expect myself to never drink or eat less healthy food. The best advice I've been given since the competition started was "Do everything in moderation, including moderation." If i can do that, I'll be in good shape. It's about sticking to my priorities, remembering my motivation, and moderation.
Up Ahead!
So this Saturday I am running the National Police Week 5K. Again, my goal is to just run the whole thing. I don't know if I can do it, but I like reaching for my goals. Any other advice or tips on sticking to my diet would be greatly appreciated in the comments section.
Oh....here is the obligatory Wang picture, as promised...........
Sorry, Joe, I just couldn't help myself.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Month Four Weigh-In Results
The long-awaited results are finally here. Let's jump right in:
Psychotron
April 2nd: 299.6 lbs.
May 7th: 288.2 lbs.
Difference: -11.4 lbs.
Percent Difference: 3.8%
Total Weight Lost: 58.4 lbs.
Total Percent Weight Lost: 16.8%
Gargantuar
April 2nd: 270.2 lbs.
May 7th: 265.2 lbs.
Difference: -5.0 lbs.
Percent Difference: 1.8%
Total Weight Lost: 44.6 lbs.
Total Percent Weight Lost: 14.4%
A third straight victory for Psychotron!
Afterward, Gargantuar was seen whispering with shady characters like Ricky and Michael, no doubt scheming ways to force Psychotron into a bad month. Words like "Atlantic" and "City" were tossed about haphazardly. The rumors will swirl.
Look for the competitors' next posts, both of which promise to be interesting, aggressive, and perhaps downright vulgar.
(Nick, please do not post a picture of a wang.)
(Scooter, please do not post a picture of a wang.)
(Just nobody post penises, okay?)
Psychotron
April 2nd: 299.6 lbs.
May 7th: 288.2 lbs.
Difference: -11.4 lbs.
Percent Difference: 3.8%
Total Weight Lost: 58.4 lbs.
Total Percent Weight Lost: 16.8%
Gargantuar
April 2nd: 270.2 lbs.
May 7th: 265.2 lbs.
Difference: -5.0 lbs.
Percent Difference: 1.8%
Total Weight Lost: 44.6 lbs.
Total Percent Weight Lost: 14.4%
A third straight victory for Psychotron!
Afterward, Gargantuar was seen whispering with shady characters like Ricky and Michael, no doubt scheming ways to force Psychotron into a bad month. Words like "Atlantic" and "City" were tossed about haphazardly. The rumors will swirl.
Look for the competitors' next posts, both of which promise to be interesting, aggressive, and perhaps downright vulgar.
(Nick, please do not post a picture of a wang.)
(Scooter, please do not post a picture of a wang.)
(Just nobody post penises, okay?)
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 32
5/5/11
Calories: 2,157
Activities: walk
My last real walk of the month. It wasn't huge, but it was enough to get the blood pumping. I've actually had some stomach discomfort for about a week, on and off, so I've had a little more trouble getting myself outside and doing stuff. Hopefully that'll subside soon, so I can get some more activity going.
5/6/11
Calories: 2,193
Activities: short walk
Just a brief walk, tried to get it in before the rain hit Friday night. I was successful in beating the rain, which was nice, but it's too bad I couldn't get more walking in, on the eve of the weigh-in. Oh well, have to just trust the process.
Look for the results of yesterday's weigh-in tonight or tomorrow.
Calories: 2,157
Activities: walk
My last real walk of the month. It wasn't huge, but it was enough to get the blood pumping. I've actually had some stomach discomfort for about a week, on and off, so I've had a little more trouble getting myself outside and doing stuff. Hopefully that'll subside soon, so I can get some more activity going.
5/6/11
Calories: 2,193
Activities: short walk
Just a brief walk, tried to get it in before the rain hit Friday night. I was successful in beating the rain, which was nice, but it's too bad I couldn't get more walking in, on the eve of the weigh-in. Oh well, have to just trust the process.
Look for the results of yesterday's weigh-in tonight or tomorrow.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Month 4 Weigh-in Week Update - Gargantuar
So this past week has been up and down for me. We'll start with the down. I too have been lamenting the Capitals post season woes. Watching the games makes me very nervous and while I'm nervous I tend to snack eat. I remember game 3 when I went through at least half a bag of lays chips on top of my dinner. So in a way, I'm glad I don't have to watch any more Caps games, but only in a small way.
I also went to a pot luck dinner this week and overall have not been dieting like its a stetch run into the end of month. Normally I kick the diet into high gear. So as far as the dieting factor goes, I have been sub par. Another factor into my dieting is my inconsistent grocery shopping. Shopping for healthier food is expensive and I've been busier recently. When I run out of groceries I just kind of eat what's around or eat out. That is not a good idea.
So what has been good you may ask? My exercise plan. Even though I haven't posted as regularly, I have still been staying on top of my plan of lengthening out my runs on the treadmill. Just this past Wednesday I ran for 30 straight minutes, meeting my goal for the end of this week. I was definitely pretty sore by the end and still can't walk withought soreness, but I was very happy with myself. I plan on seeing if I can increase my pace a bit and maybe try to get to 35 minutes as well.
Up Ahead!
As Psychotron mentoned, this Saturday is the weigh-in. I think it will be close as I have not been great with the diet, and I think all the working out has redistributed some of my weight as muscle. Like Joey mentioned, regardless of this month's outcome, I am stoked for the future because the changes I've made are lifestyle changes and will be easy to stick to for the long haul. That is the main goal of the competition, for us to both lead healthier lives. That and have excuses for paties with our friends.
I also went to a pot luck dinner this week and overall have not been dieting like its a stetch run into the end of month. Normally I kick the diet into high gear. So as far as the dieting factor goes, I have been sub par. Another factor into my dieting is my inconsistent grocery shopping. Shopping for healthier food is expensive and I've been busier recently. When I run out of groceries I just kind of eat what's around or eat out. That is not a good idea.
So what has been good you may ask? My exercise plan. Even though I haven't posted as regularly, I have still been staying on top of my plan of lengthening out my runs on the treadmill. Just this past Wednesday I ran for 30 straight minutes, meeting my goal for the end of this week. I was definitely pretty sore by the end and still can't walk withought soreness, but I was very happy with myself. I plan on seeing if I can increase my pace a bit and maybe try to get to 35 minutes as well.
Up Ahead!
As Psychotron mentoned, this Saturday is the weigh-in. I think it will be close as I have not been great with the diet, and I think all the working out has redistributed some of my weight as muscle. Like Joey mentioned, regardless of this month's outcome, I am stoked for the future because the changes I've made are lifestyle changes and will be easy to stick to for the long haul. That is the main goal of the competition, for us to both lead healthier lives. That and have excuses for paties with our friends.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 31
In the spirit of more frequent posts, here's the information for the past couple of days:
5/3/11
Calories: 2,355
Activities: Rock Band drumming
Got pretty drunk, actually. Definitely too drunk for a school night, but it did contribute to me falling asleep at like 11:00, which is ass early for me, so who's to say whether it was good or bad?
No, it was definitely bad. But I worked up a good sweat drumming before I passed out. Drumming and lamenting the Washington Capitals. Sigh.
5/4/11
Calories: 2,200
Activities: walk
It was kind of a cool day. I cooked a decent dinner (spaghetti and meatballs), matched my daily calorie goal exactly, and had a classic 75 minute walk in the evening. It wasn't exceptional, but it was the kind of day that I can look back on and say, "I can live my life like that. I can eat responsibly and exercise every day." Which is a pretty nice feeling.
Looking Forward
...to the weigh in. In reading my competitor's posts about how much he's exercising, I'm not very optimistic about the results, but Saturday should be nice regardless. First, because it's another milestone, another day that goes into the record books for this competition, and another success, even if it's a little bit smaller than previous months. And second, I mean, it's a gathering of friends. If nothing else, it should be fun.
See you there.
5/3/11
Calories: 2,355
Activities: Rock Band drumming
Got pretty drunk, actually. Definitely too drunk for a school night, but it did contribute to me falling asleep at like 11:00, which is ass early for me, so who's to say whether it was good or bad?
No, it was definitely bad. But I worked up a good sweat drumming before I passed out. Drumming and lamenting the Washington Capitals. Sigh.
5/4/11
Calories: 2,200
Activities: walk
It was kind of a cool day. I cooked a decent dinner (spaghetti and meatballs), matched my daily calorie goal exactly, and had a classic 75 minute walk in the evening. It wasn't exceptional, but it was the kind of day that I can look back on and say, "I can live my life like that. I can eat responsibly and exercise every day." Which is a pretty nice feeling.
Looking Forward
...to the weigh in. In reading my competitor's posts about how much he's exercising, I'm not very optimistic about the results, but Saturday should be nice regardless. First, because it's another milestone, another day that goes into the record books for this competition, and another success, even if it's a little bit smaller than previous months. And second, I mean, it's a gathering of friends. If nothing else, it should be fun.
See you there.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 30
I saw Nick's posts and it occurred to me that I hadn't posted in a while, even though I said I'd try to post more frequently. Sorry about that. Back to it.
4/28/11
Calories: 1,590
Activities: walk
Points: 4
I had planned to try to have a kick ass day on Thursday, since I knew the weekend was always a wild card as far as calories. I did pretty well, could've maybe done better, but well enough to call it a very good day.
4/29/11
Calories: 2,020
Activities: walk
Points: 2
I was at a pretty good pace leaving work, and even with Chipotle on the menu for the evening, I had planned out a fairly reasonable burrito (670 calories). But after the Capitals played crummy and lost Game 1 against the Lightning, I tried to snack away the blues. Really, 2,020 calories is a perfectly good day, but breaking the 2,000 calorie barrier means I lost a point. I worry that this point system might not be a good motivator, based on my personal sentiments whenever I think about it.
4/30/11
Calories: 2,390
Activities: short walk
Points: 1
As expected, Saturday was a little dicey on the calorie front. I went down to DC for Mark's engagement party, and helped myself to a hamburger, a chicken kebab, half a slice of cake, and plenty of potato chips and Miller Lite. Not eating hardly anything outside of the event kept me pretty safe, so that was good.
I didn't get much walking in. I mean, we walked to and from the party from the Union Station Metro, and I walked for about 15 minutes when I got home, but it didn't feel like dedicated walking time. More like moseying.
In case you weren't keeping track, that total put me at 16 points for the week, two points short of my original goal of 18 points. Here's my analysis of it: aren't these goals supposed to offer some kind of positive reinforcement, not just the call to action from coming up short? Even my 4 point day felt like a semi-failure because I was just 190 calories from picking up another point.
I averaged 2,057 calories per day last week, compared to 2,007 the week before. So besides being mostly a disaster for my confidence/motivation, it also doesn't seem to have offered much in the way of progress. As a result, I'm scrapping it. We're going back to the everyday goal of 2,200 calories, since that seemed most effective.
5/1/11
Calories: 2,385
Activities: walk
A doubly rough day. We had a family barbecue at my mom's house, which is the kind of event I sometimes have control problems with, as you might remember from the previous day. After that, the Caps lost a heartbreaker in overtime. Honestly, only having 2,385 calories on Sunday was pretty impressive.
5/2/11
Calories: 1,720
Activities: none
Back on track, just a good day. The one thing that I'm a little displeased with, though, is that I seem to be getting too many of my calories from snacky foods. Like, it's nice that I'm able to portion out my potato chips and cookies, thanks to the help of some 100 calories packs, but I know it'd be better if I just had regular food, like meats and vegetables and grains. Something to improve upon.
Oh, the lack of activity last night was due to a shortage of white socks. I even started out on a walk, but I was slipping around inside my shoes with my black socks on. Don't worry, laundry day was yesterday, so we're good to go.
Looking Forward
It's pretty cool that Gargantuar signed up for that 5K. I was extended an invitation to do it as well, but there seemed to be pressure to "run" it, and I'm simply not there yet. Am I doing well? Sure, and I'm happy to say that I feel like I'm having an easier time walking, and working in little spurts of jogging. But there's no way I could run for a quarter-mile straight, let alone 3+ miles. I feel like, with so many people looking to "run" the distance, I'd feel disappointed in myself for ending up so far behind the rest of the participants. Maybe next year.
I also said that I'd try to offer more opportunities for people to comment/contribute to the blog, so here we go:
What are you bringing to the party on Saturday? :)
As an FYI, I'll be buying burgers, hot dogs, buns, condiments, paper plates, napkins, and a couple cases of beer. I've also got some bottles of liquor handy. Things we'll need: more beer, soda, snacks, desserts, and whatever else you think people will enjoy. Saturday's supposed to be 70 degrees and overcast, so it should be a nice evening for a cookout.
And yes, I've got a whiffle ball set.
4/28/11
Calories: 1,590
Activities: walk
Points: 4
I had planned to try to have a kick ass day on Thursday, since I knew the weekend was always a wild card as far as calories. I did pretty well, could've maybe done better, but well enough to call it a very good day.
4/29/11
Calories: 2,020
Activities: walk
Points: 2
I was at a pretty good pace leaving work, and even with Chipotle on the menu for the evening, I had planned out a fairly reasonable burrito (670 calories). But after the Capitals played crummy and lost Game 1 against the Lightning, I tried to snack away the blues. Really, 2,020 calories is a perfectly good day, but breaking the 2,000 calorie barrier means I lost a point. I worry that this point system might not be a good motivator, based on my personal sentiments whenever I think about it.
4/30/11
Calories: 2,390
Activities: short walk
Points: 1
As expected, Saturday was a little dicey on the calorie front. I went down to DC for Mark's engagement party, and helped myself to a hamburger, a chicken kebab, half a slice of cake, and plenty of potato chips and Miller Lite. Not eating hardly anything outside of the event kept me pretty safe, so that was good.
I didn't get much walking in. I mean, we walked to and from the party from the Union Station Metro, and I walked for about 15 minutes when I got home, but it didn't feel like dedicated walking time. More like moseying.
In case you weren't keeping track, that total put me at 16 points for the week, two points short of my original goal of 18 points. Here's my analysis of it: aren't these goals supposed to offer some kind of positive reinforcement, not just the call to action from coming up short? Even my 4 point day felt like a semi-failure because I was just 190 calories from picking up another point.
I averaged 2,057 calories per day last week, compared to 2,007 the week before. So besides being mostly a disaster for my confidence/motivation, it also doesn't seem to have offered much in the way of progress. As a result, I'm scrapping it. We're going back to the everyday goal of 2,200 calories, since that seemed most effective.
5/1/11
Calories: 2,385
Activities: walk
A doubly rough day. We had a family barbecue at my mom's house, which is the kind of event I sometimes have control problems with, as you might remember from the previous day. After that, the Caps lost a heartbreaker in overtime. Honestly, only having 2,385 calories on Sunday was pretty impressive.
5/2/11
Calories: 1,720
Activities: none
Back on track, just a good day. The one thing that I'm a little displeased with, though, is that I seem to be getting too many of my calories from snacky foods. Like, it's nice that I'm able to portion out my potato chips and cookies, thanks to the help of some 100 calories packs, but I know it'd be better if I just had regular food, like meats and vegetables and grains. Something to improve upon.
Oh, the lack of activity last night was due to a shortage of white socks. I even started out on a walk, but I was slipping around inside my shoes with my black socks on. Don't worry, laundry day was yesterday, so we're good to go.
Looking Forward
It's pretty cool that Gargantuar signed up for that 5K. I was extended an invitation to do it as well, but there seemed to be pressure to "run" it, and I'm simply not there yet. Am I doing well? Sure, and I'm happy to say that I feel like I'm having an easier time walking, and working in little spurts of jogging. But there's no way I could run for a quarter-mile straight, let alone 3+ miles. I feel like, with so many people looking to "run" the distance, I'd feel disappointed in myself for ending up so far behind the rest of the participants. Maybe next year.
I also said that I'd try to offer more opportunities for people to comment/contribute to the blog, so here we go:
What are you bringing to the party on Saturday? :)
As an FYI, I'll be buying burgers, hot dogs, buns, condiments, paper plates, napkins, and a couple cases of beer. I've also got some bottles of liquor handy. Things we'll need: more beer, soda, snacks, desserts, and whatever else you think people will enjoy. Saturday's supposed to be 70 degrees and overcast, so it should be a nice evening for a cookout.
And yes, I've got a whiffle ball set.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Month 4 Weigh-in Week - Gargantuar
What I've Been Up To
So it has been awhile since I have last made a serious blog post, you may find yourself wondering what I have been up to. In the past week or so I have been to spin class twice and joined a gym that is super close to my house and a few friends of mine go there. It is much easier to motivate yourself to go to the gym with others. I've been playing a lot of tennis and just being more active in general.
I've noticed a big difference in the way clothes are fitting on me now and my energy level has increased as well. It's amazing how much better I feel and how I didn't realize how bad I felt before. I'm a little disappointed though, as I have definitely lost weight this month, it hasn't been as much as I would like. I know some people are going to think it's from a lack of effort, but really I've been exercising a ton and dieting pretty well. I definitely could improve on my dieting habits as of late, but nothing too much else.
I think a big part of the lack of weight loss can be attributed to my body getting used to my lifestyle changes. Everything I've read talks about your body adapting to the reduced caloric intake and it starts storing more. I also think that my working out and lifting may have increaded my muscle mass and that can effect my weight loss. Regardless of how much weight I have lost, I feel great.
Side note: I don't have access to youtube so I can't link it, but go watch the"I feel great nutragrain Commercial. That is how feel.
Coming up Soon
Another thing I did last week was ign up for a 5k Race. Along with some of my family and friends, I will be running in the 2011 National Police Week 5k Saturday, May 14th at 9am. The proceeds go to COPS and ODMP, two charities that help the families of law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty. I'm pretty excited about running in the race, but also a bit nervous. My goal is just to complete the whole thing without walking, but I have a friend doing it with me, so if he stops to walk, I will too.
Also coming up soon is the Month 4 Weigh-in. This Saturday at Joe's house in Rockville we will have our month 4 winner and be well on our way to declaing on overall champion. If you can Recall the race is very close, with me trailing Psychotron by 0.78%. That equates to about 2.5lbs either way. I hope you all can make it to the weigh-in. if not, we wil lbe updatig the results the following Monday May 9th.
So it has been awhile since I have last made a serious blog post, you may find yourself wondering what I have been up to. In the past week or so I have been to spin class twice and joined a gym that is super close to my house and a few friends of mine go there. It is much easier to motivate yourself to go to the gym with others. I've been playing a lot of tennis and just being more active in general.
I've noticed a big difference in the way clothes are fitting on me now and my energy level has increased as well. It's amazing how much better I feel and how I didn't realize how bad I felt before. I'm a little disappointed though, as I have definitely lost weight this month, it hasn't been as much as I would like. I know some people are going to think it's from a lack of effort, but really I've been exercising a ton and dieting pretty well. I definitely could improve on my dieting habits as of late, but nothing too much else.
I think a big part of the lack of weight loss can be attributed to my body getting used to my lifestyle changes. Everything I've read talks about your body adapting to the reduced caloric intake and it starts storing more. I also think that my working out and lifting may have increaded my muscle mass and that can effect my weight loss. Regardless of how much weight I have lost, I feel great.
Side note: I don't have access to youtube so I can't link it, but go watch the"I feel great nutragrain Commercial. That is how feel.
Coming up Soon
Another thing I did last week was ign up for a 5k Race. Along with some of my family and friends, I will be running in the 2011 National Police Week 5k Saturday, May 14th at 9am. The proceeds go to COPS and ODMP, two charities that help the families of law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty. I'm pretty excited about running in the race, but also a bit nervous. My goal is just to complete the whole thing without walking, but I have a friend doing it with me, so if he stops to walk, I will too.
Also coming up soon is the Month 4 Weigh-in. This Saturday at Joe's house in Rockville we will have our month 4 winner and be well on our way to declaing on overall champion. If you can Recall the race is very close, with me trailing Psychotron by 0.78%. That equates to about 2.5lbs either way. I hope you all can make it to the weigh-in. if not, we wil lbe updatig the results the following Monday May 9th.
Back from my Hiatus - Gargntuar
Well it has been over a week hiatus from the blog, but I've been busy. For some reason my work compuer has trouble with the formatting of the blog so I can't make a long post now. Just know that I am writing one and will post it tonight so that you all will be able to see it tomorrow.
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