So as you may have noticed (or not noticed, as it were), I haven't really been offering much in the way of updates on my progress as this "competition" has moved forward. I put "competition" in quotes, because I haven't really been doing my part to compete with the other participants in this contest. I have been lifting more than I have at any point in the past six months, but not so much that I'd say I'm really pushing myself to succeed.
The question of "Why?" is one I've been trying to work through in my head, and I've mostly come up empty. But I think perhaps one reason is that during this period, I haven't really been holding myself accountable by posting updates. So in an effort to stifle that weakness and see if I can't turn this ship around (despite the fact that it sounds like I'm ~20 lbs. behind already), I'm going to start posting more regularly. I haven't been counting calories since late September, and I think I'd like to find a way to be productive without having to do that. So I won't be posting my daily calories or anything like that.
What I will be posting is two things. First, I'll be posting my weight. While I do believe that I've gotten marginally more muscular over the past month, I'm still way too heavy for my lifestyle, and for my own preference/confidence. Losing weight is the end goal of all of this, and the one thing I want to hold myself accountable for more than anything else. So, I'll post my weight every time I post, including this post (at the bottom).
Second, I'm going to post decisions. My contention throughout all of this, including past attempts to lose weight, was that a person could improve their health, lose weight, and become more fit simply by altering a few decisions every day. I know when I was at my worst, I made a slew of poor decisions. I would buy bags of Doritos and Tostitos, knowing that they didn't stand a chance of lasting more than a couple days in my house. I would decline invitations to activities that required some movement on my part (walks, games of basketball, even trips downtown). And I'd order pizza every once in a while, and devour the whole pie (or pies) in a matter of hours.
These are the kinds of decisions I need to change. So what I'm going to do is start posting decisions, good or bad, that I make and remember. If I decide to pass on pizza and eat a Lean Cuisine, I'll post that. If I falter and do order Domino's, I'll post that as well. I won't post normal lifting sessions, but if I find myself debating whether or not I want to lift on a given night, I'll post my decision on that, positive or negative. The idea is that forcing myself to share my mistakes and my triumphs will help me to more frequently make good decisions. Maybe I can't win the monetary prize in this competition at this point, but the real prize is improved health, and that's still on the table.
So, as I mentioned, I've been pretty lackluster thus far, since my initial weigh-in. I've ordered pizza more than once, I've talked myself out of going for walks a number of times, and overall I've just disappointed myself with my decisions. However, when I weighed myself Thursday morning, I was surprised to see that I had actually stayed pretty much even (up 0.4 lbs). While up is worse than down, and I'm not proud of my process so far, I can't help but be a little pleased that I haven't lost much ground from where I was at the beginning of this competition.
I'm going to set a conservative goal of losing 5.4 pounds by November 1st (so 5 pounds off of my starting weight), and 10 pounds by December 1st. From the rumors I've heard, that will still leave me well behind our top competitors, but at this point, my competition is myself. Wish me luck.
Current weight: 274.4 (+ 0.4 lbs.)
Showing posts with label competition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label competition. Show all posts
Friday, October 7, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
More Competition
On Friday evening, we added four more competitors to the contest. Here's our current list of combatants (sorted alphabetically by last name, of course):
Lanae Bradley
Ruby Edmonds
Joe Mattingly
Mike Mattingly
Mark Sabina
Marcus Walker
I didn't get final confirmation from any of the new participants regarding posting their starting weights, so in the interest of discretion, I've elected to not disclose them. New folks, if you want me to post them, let me know and I will. For me, I found posting my weight to be a good way to force myself to be accountable. But that was a different style of competition; who knows if it'll work the same in this instance.
If you haven't joined, you've still got a week to decide. I'm available most of the time through next Sunday (September 11) to provide the official scale for weigh-ins. Just let me know if you want to swing by. Once again, the wager is $25 from each participant. Right now, with an estimated 8-9 competitors, we'll be paying out the top two spots, but if we get a few more, we'll expand the prizes.
Happy dieting!
-Disney Joey
Lanae Bradley
Ruby Edmonds
Joe Mattingly
Mike Mattingly
Mark Sabina
Marcus Walker
I didn't get final confirmation from any of the new participants regarding posting their starting weights, so in the interest of discretion, I've elected to not disclose them. New folks, if you want me to post them, let me know and I will. For me, I found posting my weight to be a good way to force myself to be accountable. But that was a different style of competition; who knows if it'll work the same in this instance.
If you haven't joined, you've still got a week to decide. I'm available most of the time through next Sunday (September 11) to provide the official scale for weigh-ins. Just let me know if you want to swing by. Once again, the wager is $25 from each participant. Right now, with an estimated 8-9 competitors, we'll be paying out the top two spots, but if we get a few more, we'll expand the prizes.
Happy dieting!
-Disney Joey
Friday, September 2, 2011
So It Begins
The first two competitors have weighed in:
Marcus: 186.8
Joe: 274.0
Note: your weight will only be posted if you give me clearance to post it. If you prefer, I'll record it privately.
After some thought, I've decided my goal is to get under 250.0 pounds during this three month competition. It's a reasonable but aggressive goal. During my previous competition, I averaged 11.43 (repeating of course) pounds lost per month. In order to reach my goal this time around, I'd need to lose just over 8 pounds per month.
So, if you're looking to set your own goals, you can use my 8.76% to frame your plan. And I do recommend setting your own goals. In month three of my previous competition, my goal was to get under 300 pounds. The morning of the weigh-in, I was at 300.8, and I spent the morning and early afternoon running in the rain and playing Rock Band to try to burn off the weight I needed to reach my goal. My registered weight? 299.6. Goals are good.
As a reminder, you have 9 days to register your starting weight (the last day you can weigh in is Sunday, September 11th).
Marcus: 186.8
Joe: 274.0
Note: your weight will only be posted if you give me clearance to post it. If you prefer, I'll record it privately.
After some thought, I've decided my goal is to get under 250.0 pounds during this three month competition. It's a reasonable but aggressive goal. During my previous competition, I averaged 11.43 (repeating of course) pounds lost per month. In order to reach my goal this time around, I'd need to lose just over 8 pounds per month.
So, if you're looking to set your own goals, you can use my 8.76% to frame your plan. And I do recommend setting your own goals. In month three of my previous competition, my goal was to get under 300 pounds. The morning of the weigh-in, I was at 300.8, and I spent the morning and early afternoon running in the rain and playing Rock Band to try to burn off the weight I needed to reach my goal. My registered weight? 299.6. Goals are good.
As a reminder, you have 9 days to register your starting weight (the last day you can weigh in is Sunday, September 11th).
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A New Deal - Updated
Alright, so I'm changing the rules for this new competition. Hopefully the changes will draw in some more competition.
First things first: we're going back to percentages. I want people to feel like they can get involved regardless of their starting weights, and the only way to invite people of "medium build" is to give them a chance to win. So rather than straight pounds-versus-pounds, everyone will have their own starting point, and their progress will be evaluated as a percentage of that original weight. So all you sassy 160-pound people, bring it.
The other thing I'm changing is the whole format of the wagers. As exciting as it would have been to compete with each of you individually, some recent financial changes demand that I be a little more cautious with my money. So, instead of head-to-head wagers, we're going to all be contributing $25 to a common pot. We'll compete for three months, with our final weigh-in sometime around December 1st. I'll put together a payout structure based on the number of people who participate.
Starting weights can be recorded starting today, and through September 11th. For consistency, I ask that we all use the same scale, which I'll keep at my house. Give me a heads up and you can come by to weigh in pretty much any time between now and the 11th. Obviously, the sooner you weigh in, the sooner you can start hammering away at your starting weight.
Chances are, I'll use the culmination of this competition as a reason for a party. So, even if you're not competing, you can look forward to a party. And, if for some ungodly reason you'd like to contribute a $25 share without competing, just to create a greater incentive for the competitors, you're obviously welcome to do that as well.
As before, email me at jargonfacer@gmail.com (or whatever other email address you have for me) for details, or to let me know you're interested, and to schedule your weigh-in.
First things first: we're going back to percentages. I want people to feel like they can get involved regardless of their starting weights, and the only way to invite people of "medium build" is to give them a chance to win. So rather than straight pounds-versus-pounds, everyone will have their own starting point, and their progress will be evaluated as a percentage of that original weight. So all you sassy 160-pound people, bring it.
The other thing I'm changing is the whole format of the wagers. As exciting as it would have been to compete with each of you individually, some recent financial changes demand that I be a little more cautious with my money. So, instead of head-to-head wagers, we're going to all be contributing $25 to a common pot. We'll compete for three months, with our final weigh-in sometime around December 1st. I'll put together a payout structure based on the number of people who participate.
Starting weights can be recorded starting today, and through September 11th. For consistency, I ask that we all use the same scale, which I'll keep at my house. Give me a heads up and you can come by to weigh in pretty much any time between now and the 11th. Obviously, the sooner you weigh in, the sooner you can start hammering away at your starting weight.
Chances are, I'll use the culmination of this competition as a reason for a party. So, even if you're not competing, you can look forward to a party. And, if for some ungodly reason you'd like to contribute a $25 share without competing, just to create a greater incentive for the competitors, you're obviously welcome to do that as well.
As before, email me at jargonfacer@gmail.com (or whatever other email address you have for me) for details, or to let me know you're interested, and to schedule your weigh-in.
Friday, August 26, 2011
A New Deal
It's you.
The new competition is open to any and all competitors. As many of you know, we previously used this blog to chronicle a weight loss competition between Nick (Gargantuar) and myself (Psychotron). The competition was a success for both of us, and for me in particular. I went from 346.6 lbs at the beginning of January down to 278.0 in early July.
Because the competition clearly helped me lose weight and improve my fitness, I'd like to continue to harness that motivation. The ultimate goal is to be able to generate that competitiveness internally, but I think a good intermediary step is this new scenario: challenging everyone.
In this phase of my weight loss, I'm extending a wager to anyone who wants to take me on. The wager will be a standardized amount: $25 from you, $50 from me. That's right. If you best me, I'll pay out double what you would've had to pay me if I won.
However, it's not all easy street for you challengers. Unlike the original battle between Nick and I, all of these competitions will be raw, pound-versus-pound matchups rather than percentage-based.
I'll grant you that this makes it more of a challenge for those of you who haven't spent your lives getting fat, but consider this: it's always easiest to lose weight right when you start a new diet plan. I've been dieting for over eight months now. I hit walls virtually every day. You'll have every chance to succeed. And if you happen to BE someone who's got a lot of weight to lose, you're in the driver's seat.
Regarding time frames, I'm requiring any competitor to participate for at least 8 weeks. Losing weight over the course of a month is nice; losing weight over the course of two months is evidence of a commitment. And really, while the competition is fun, and the wager is a draw, the true goal here is to help all of us get in better shape, create better fitness habits, and live healthier lives.
You don't have to declare how long you'll be competing; however, you have to give me at least 1 week's notice before you want to weigh in (both starting and ending), and we have to both agree on a date, time, and place. This is to prevent you from taking advantage when you hear I'm going to a Chinese buffet on some random Saturday. You sneaky cad.
I'll provide the scale, and we'll use the same scale for all weigh-ins, for consistency.
If you want to share your strategies or progress on the blog, you're more than welcome to. If you want posting rights, just let me know and I'll get them to you. I'll obviously know your weights, but if you're not comfortable sharing them with the world, that's up to you. I'll continue to share my status, since that's been constructive for me (269.8 right now, by the way).
One last thing. The Psychotron character has run its course, so I'll be taking on a new persona for this competition...DISNEY JOEY!
Interested in battling? Email me at jargonfacer@gmail.com, and we'll arrange what needs arrangin'.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Psychotron Challenges Everyone
That's right, I'm challenging the whole lot of you.
I had spoken to a friend of mine about another one-on-one challenge, and he's being extended this same challenge. But I decided that a one-on-one challenge is only so much fun for people to watch; I think after two to three months, people here on the blog may have gotten a little bored of Nick and I yammering back and forth.
So I figured, hey, I've got money. And I know I benefit from the competition. So how about I do what Nick and I asked everybody else to do when we started, and put my money where my mouth is? I'm going to be extending a weight loss showdown wager to anyone who's interested. There are going to be some ground rules, to dissuade people from not participating in the spirit of the competition. The goal is, first and foremost, to lose weight, not to take coin off of your friends.
The framework will follow shortly, probably posted early next week, at which point any of you will be welcome to take me on. But just remember: I made mincemeat of Gargantuar. If you're gonna step to me, you'd better bring your A game.
I had spoken to a friend of mine about another one-on-one challenge, and he's being extended this same challenge. But I decided that a one-on-one challenge is only so much fun for people to watch; I think after two to three months, people here on the blog may have gotten a little bored of Nick and I yammering back and forth.
So I figured, hey, I've got money. And I know I benefit from the competition. So how about I do what Nick and I asked everybody else to do when we started, and put my money where my mouth is? I'm going to be extending a weight loss showdown wager to anyone who's interested. There are going to be some ground rules, to dissuade people from not participating in the spirit of the competition. The goal is, first and foremost, to lose weight, not to take coin off of your friends.
The framework will follow shortly, probably posted early next week, at which point any of you will be welcome to take me on. But just remember: I made mincemeat of Gargantuar. If you're gonna step to me, you'd better bring your A game.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Psychotron - Looking Back
After putting a couple weeks between myself and the end of the competition, I decided it'd be fun and a good exercise to go back and look at the whole six month period and try to take some lessons away from it. This may end up being a mostly individualized exercise, but it will almost certainly help me going forward, and might help some other folks, if you find yourself affected by the same circumstances as myself. So here we go.
Lesson 1: Chips are bad.
This I really knew without looking back at any data, but the data supports my thinking. On most occasions where I had more than 150 calories worth of chips (which would indicate that I had more than a single-serving bag from the cafeteria), I flew up to 400, 500, or more calories just from chips that day. For some reason, I seem to have trouble leaving a half-full bag of chips around; I don't know why. Theoretically, though, not having any big bags of chips around would prevent those explosions.
I recently discovered Popchips at my cafeteria. I guess they're some kind of potato crisp that has fewer calories. A single-serving bag is 100 calories, but more importantly, the bags in the grocery store hold just 360 calories. They're smaller bags, but that serves me better anyways. I'm considering ordering a few cases from the website, but I worry that having a bunch of bags around might run me into the same trouble as the big bags. I bought two bags from Target yesterday; we'll see how it plays out.
Lesson 2: Girls keep me honest.
Let's be real here: the whole reason to get in shape was to make myself more attractive to women. Sure, getting healthier is a nice side effect, and it's cool that I can do more things comfortably on a day-to-day basis, and I do like that it's easier to play the sports I like for longer periods without getting quite so winded. But mostly, I want to be more attractive, and just as importantly, I want to perceive myself as more attractive.
The nice/tricky thing is, it's got kind of a snowball effect. When you make considerable progress, people notice and compliment you. That breeds confidence, which helps to motivate you to make more progress, pull more compliments, make more progress, etc etc. I told a friend today that I expect to be basically Channing Tatum by this time next year. Maybe not, but I want to keep myself in that cycle, on that "carousel of progress" if you will (lol).
Oh, of course, the relevant data. Well, I had a couple instances where I got some fresh, definitive, positive feedback from girls (I won't get into specifics; a gentleman doesn't kiss and tell). The average number of daily calories in the subsequent seven days: 1,472. The average daily calories during my general romantic high points: 1,810. The average daily calories during other periods: 2,209.
I can't argue with numbers like that. It's time to get my flirt on.
Lesson 3: Weekends are tougher.
This should probably be followed by something like, "Church is boring," or "Ice is cold." Of course weekends are tougher, but since the data backs that up, I figured I'd mention it. Saturday and Sunday: 2,238 calories/day, weekdays: 2,012 calories/day.
I think there are two main things I can do to try to settle down my weekend numbers.
I can foresee a day when I don't need competition to hold steady weight-wise, because I've built up a higher base metabolism, or because I'm more active, or because I turn some corner on monitoring my diet.
But it is not this day.
As Gargantuar fell behind in this competition, my performance waned. I was at my best when he was either thrashing me (in month 1) or still mostly even with me overall (through month 4). A number of factors played into that, but at least part of it was, I believe, the fading of the competitive motivation.
The eventual goal would be to figure out how to extract that competitive drive from myself without needing external motivation. But for now, I've been talking to another friend of mine about a new competition. We'll try to incorporate lessons learned from this competition, and I think we'll try to find another way to involve our groups of friends. The prizes were of course fantastic and very much appreciated, but they were a little passive for my taste. I think I'd like this competition's supporters to be a little more "hands on," so to speak.
One last time, I'd like to thank everyone for their support and contributions throughout the competition between me and Nick. Between the parties and the prizes and the weight loss, it's been one of the most rewarding six month periods of my life. It was an interesting experience, and one that I think has helped me turn a corner as far as my personal fitness.
Lesson 1: Chips are bad.
This I really knew without looking back at any data, but the data supports my thinking. On most occasions where I had more than 150 calories worth of chips (which would indicate that I had more than a single-serving bag from the cafeteria), I flew up to 400, 500, or more calories just from chips that day. For some reason, I seem to have trouble leaving a half-full bag of chips around; I don't know why. Theoretically, though, not having any big bags of chips around would prevent those explosions.
I recently discovered Popchips at my cafeteria. I guess they're some kind of potato crisp that has fewer calories. A single-serving bag is 100 calories, but more importantly, the bags in the grocery store hold just 360 calories. They're smaller bags, but that serves me better anyways. I'm considering ordering a few cases from the website, but I worry that having a bunch of bags around might run me into the same trouble as the big bags. I bought two bags from Target yesterday; we'll see how it plays out.
Lesson 2: Girls keep me honest.
Let's be real here: the whole reason to get in shape was to make myself more attractive to women. Sure, getting healthier is a nice side effect, and it's cool that I can do more things comfortably on a day-to-day basis, and I do like that it's easier to play the sports I like for longer periods without getting quite so winded. But mostly, I want to be more attractive, and just as importantly, I want to perceive myself as more attractive.
The nice/tricky thing is, it's got kind of a snowball effect. When you make considerable progress, people notice and compliment you. That breeds confidence, which helps to motivate you to make more progress, pull more compliments, make more progress, etc etc. I told a friend today that I expect to be basically Channing Tatum by this time next year. Maybe not, but I want to keep myself in that cycle, on that "carousel of progress" if you will (lol).
Oh, of course, the relevant data. Well, I had a couple instances where I got some fresh, definitive, positive feedback from girls (I won't get into specifics; a gentleman doesn't kiss and tell). The average number of daily calories in the subsequent seven days: 1,472. The average daily calories during my general romantic high points: 1,810. The average daily calories during other periods: 2,209.
I can't argue with numbers like that. It's time to get my flirt on.
Lesson 3: Weekends are tougher.
This should probably be followed by something like, "Church is boring," or "Ice is cold." Of course weekends are tougher, but since the data backs that up, I figured I'd mention it. Saturday and Sunday: 2,238 calories/day, weekdays: 2,012 calories/day.
I think there are two main things I can do to try to settle down my weekend numbers.
- One of my easiest times to shine is at work during the week. I normally have 300-500 calories at lunch during the week, but on the weekends, it seems to creep up more towards 800 calories. If I can make myself a lunch consisting of a sandwich and a single-serving bag of chips or some veggies for each day of the weekend, I might be able to nix this whole issue.
- The other thing I can do is simply make myself more busy on weekends. Go out of town more frequently, maybe join a team or volunteer somewhere, just something to fill up some time so I'm not wandering around the house, tempted by all of the food I've got sitting around.
I can foresee a day when I don't need competition to hold steady weight-wise, because I've built up a higher base metabolism, or because I'm more active, or because I turn some corner on monitoring my diet.
But it is not this day.
As Gargantuar fell behind in this competition, my performance waned. I was at my best when he was either thrashing me (in month 1) or still mostly even with me overall (through month 4). A number of factors played into that, but at least part of it was, I believe, the fading of the competitive motivation.
The eventual goal would be to figure out how to extract that competitive drive from myself without needing external motivation. But for now, I've been talking to another friend of mine about a new competition. We'll try to incorporate lessons learned from this competition, and I think we'll try to find another way to involve our groups of friends. The prizes were of course fantastic and very much appreciated, but they were a little passive for my taste. I think I'd like this competition's supporters to be a little more "hands on," so to speak.
One last time, I'd like to thank everyone for their support and contributions throughout the competition between me and Nick. Between the parties and the prizes and the weight loss, it's been one of the most rewarding six month periods of my life. It was an interesting experience, and one that I think has helped me turn a corner as far as my personal fitness.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Pyschotron - Final Data
It's been a long six months, and it's only the beginning, but I do feel proud of my accomplishments so far. What I've done is no small thing (get it? small?). I'm still trying to figure out how I want to harness the blog going forward. I'm playing with a couple of ideas, but for now, let's go over the data. A future post will do the post-game analysis and talk about the next step. I can let you know that I'm still keeping track of my calories.
Final Weigh-In Results
Previous weigh-in: 283.6
Final weight: 278.0
Weight lost in month 6: 5.6 pounds (2.0%)
Starting weight: 346.6
Total weight lost: 68.6 (19.8%)
Before and after pictures:
Lighting issues aside, I'd say the most distinct and believable difference is in the face. Still not "slender" or anything, but after looking at the pictures, I can't be humble or dismissive any longer. Well done, self.
Final Weigh-In Results
Previous weigh-in: 283.6
Final weight: 278.0
Weight lost in month 6: 5.6 pounds (2.0%)
Starting weight: 346.6
Total weight lost: 68.6 (19.8%)
Before and after pictures:
Lighting issues aside, I'd say the most distinct and believable difference is in the face. Still not "slender" or anything, but after looking at the pictures, I can't be humble or dismissive any longer. Well done, self.
Final Weigh-In Pre-Results
Our final weigh-in took place on Thursday of last week. The two competitors registered their final numbers with the Battle Marshal, and then set off to set right that which had gone wrong, Quantum Leap style.
No, not really, but the last numbers have been tallied, and we do have a winner...
PSYCHOTRON
Congratulations to both competitors on a hard fought six month battle, and good luck to both of them going forward.
(Each competitor will write up a final post that includes their final weigh-in, along with any analysis they'd like to provide.)
No, not really, but the last numbers have been tallied, and we do have a winner...
Congratulations to both competitors on a hard fought six month battle, and good luck to both of them going forward.
(Each competitor will write up a final post that includes their final weigh-in, along with any analysis they'd like to provide.)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 41
Son of a bitch this is getting tough.
7/1/2011
Calories: 957
No activities
My first day back in town was a rousing success. Well, speaking calorically. I didn't get any activity in, but I did go to a happy hour after work. I'd say keeping my daily calories under 1,000 including a night out is pretty goddamn impressive.
Oh, I mean, I played cornhole for like two hours, but I don't think I'd call that "activity."
7/2/2011
Calories: 2,210
Lifting: 20 minutes
Walking: 45 minutes
Saturday was like the epitome of what I'd like every day to be like. I had a solid amount of calories, nothing too extravagant, I ate food I liked, I got plenty of physical activity. A day to be proud of.
7/3/2011
Calories: 2,730
Walking: 40 minutes
I thankfully thought early in the day that I should get some walking in before things went south (or northeast, rather; the party was in Baltimore). I stuck with beer and a little wine for the party, but it turns out that doesn't help me at all when it comes to hangovers. I was a wreck the next day all the same. It's back to liquor for me.
Technically I did some walking in Baltimore on Sunday night, and some dancing at Mother's when we got there, but I can't assign any specific values to that activity, so I'm leaving them both off the list.
7/4/2011
Calories: 3,040
No activities
Okay, yes, Monday was a disaster. The only solaces I can take from it are A) it still wasn't as bad as my old school "bad days" used to be, and B) I only ordered the one pizza. We have to find the positives where we can, people. I spent most of the rest of the day sleeping or watching television, trying to recover from the madness of the night before.
Looking Forward
We'll have one more Daily Diary post, including the information from the remaining days before the final weigh-in. It's high time we start to talk about that, too. Six months have passed, and Nick and I have done some very good things, as well as run into some snafus. The trick here, maybe the toughest part, is what to do after our competition culminates. I know Nick and I still have weight loss goals that we haven't achieved, but I'm not sure if there's any more motivation to get out of this vehicle.
So how do we push forward? I know I've learned a ton of information about calories, as well as exercise suggestions, and I've gotten myself into some much better habits these days on both fronts. But can I really trust myself to continue on this path towards a healthier lifestyle without some kind of external accountability? I really don't know.
I know I don't want the time and effort spent on this competition to have been in vain. I want to become more fit, so I can play more sports for longer periods, and play them better. I want to keep losing weight so that, sometime in the year 2013, I feel comfortable enough to go up to a stranger and try to chat her up (I expect 2012 to be mostly apocalypse-related).
Whatever suggestions you can offer, I welcome.
7/1/2011
Calories: 957
No activities
My first day back in town was a rousing success. Well, speaking calorically. I didn't get any activity in, but I did go to a happy hour after work. I'd say keeping my daily calories under 1,000 including a night out is pretty goddamn impressive.
Oh, I mean, I played cornhole for like two hours, but I don't think I'd call that "activity."
7/2/2011
Calories: 2,210
Lifting: 20 minutes
Walking: 45 minutes
Saturday was like the epitome of what I'd like every day to be like. I had a solid amount of calories, nothing too extravagant, I ate food I liked, I got plenty of physical activity. A day to be proud of.
7/3/2011
Calories: 2,730
Walking: 40 minutes
I thankfully thought early in the day that I should get some walking in before things went south (or northeast, rather; the party was in Baltimore). I stuck with beer and a little wine for the party, but it turns out that doesn't help me at all when it comes to hangovers. I was a wreck the next day all the same. It's back to liquor for me.
Technically I did some walking in Baltimore on Sunday night, and some dancing at Mother's when we got there, but I can't assign any specific values to that activity, so I'm leaving them both off the list.
7/4/2011
Calories: 3,040
No activities
Okay, yes, Monday was a disaster. The only solaces I can take from it are A) it still wasn't as bad as my old school "bad days" used to be, and B) I only ordered the one pizza. We have to find the positives where we can, people. I spent most of the rest of the day sleeping or watching television, trying to recover from the madness of the night before.
Looking Forward
We'll have one more Daily Diary post, including the information from the remaining days before the final weigh-in. It's high time we start to talk about that, too. Six months have passed, and Nick and I have done some very good things, as well as run into some snafus. The trick here, maybe the toughest part, is what to do after our competition culminates. I know Nick and I still have weight loss goals that we haven't achieved, but I'm not sure if there's any more motivation to get out of this vehicle.
So how do we push forward? I know I've learned a ton of information about calories, as well as exercise suggestions, and I've gotten myself into some much better habits these days on both fronts. But can I really trust myself to continue on this path towards a healthier lifestyle without some kind of external accountability? I really don't know.
I know I don't want the time and effort spent on this competition to have been in vain. I want to become more fit, so I can play more sports for longer periods, and play them better. I want to keep losing weight so that, sometime in the year 2013, I feel comfortable enough to go up to a stranger and try to chat her up (I expect 2012 to be mostly apocalypse-related).
Whatever suggestions you can offer, I welcome.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Final Push - Gargantuar
OMG! It has been way to long since my last post. I apologize to the many fans that have been left bored at work and without my posts to keep them from doing busy work. A lot has happened since my last post, so I will try to break it down for ya.
Myrtle Beach Trip
Before the last weigh-in, I took a trip to Wilmington, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC. The trip was pretty awesome. Diet-wise, I definiteky could have done better, however, I definitely made some conscience choices about drinking water instead of soda, or not eating quite so much.
Month Five Weigh-In
Soon after my vacation, we had our five month weigh-in. I think both competitors were not as happy as we could have been with our results, though I wasn't too upset because of the aforementioned trip. The party itself was a lot of boozy fun, if I do say so myself. We know how to throw a party in Baltimore.
Warrior Dash, Pennsylvania
The weekend of June 10-11th, I went camping in the Poconos with some friends and my brother's family to compete in Warrior Dash. As I mentioned in a previous post, Warrior Dash is an obstacle course race about 5kilometers long, often reffered to a "muddy buddy" run. And Buddy do you get muddy. The camping trip got a little rained out, so we ended up leaving Saturday after the race, but the race itself was awesome! There were thousands of people, some dressed in hilarious costumes, some already drunk, running in waves of 500 through the woods and taking on obstacles along the way. Worse than any of the obstacles was the actual trail throught the woods. The ground was slippery due to the recent rain and there were rocks and roots wherever you stepped a long a narrow path. Many times the pace halted to a walk just because of the amount of people and the narrow path. I completed the race in about 1 hour and am very happy with that.
Final Month Goals
For the last remaining month I would really like to work hard to get to at least 60lbs total for the competition. That would leave me at 249.8 and well on my way to getting healthy again. Of course I would like to win the competition, and still believe I can with a very solid month, but ultimately it's about getting healthy and I just want to continue that goal going beyond the competition. I promise I will update frequently now, I again am sorry for the long delay between posts. I also promise to be wittier in the final posts as well.
Myrtle Beach Trip
Before the last weigh-in, I took a trip to Wilmington, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC. The trip was pretty awesome. Diet-wise, I definiteky could have done better, however, I definitely made some conscience choices about drinking water instead of soda, or not eating quite so much.
Month Five Weigh-In
Soon after my vacation, we had our five month weigh-in. I think both competitors were not as happy as we could have been with our results, though I wasn't too upset because of the aforementioned trip. The party itself was a lot of boozy fun, if I do say so myself. We know how to throw a party in Baltimore.
Warrior Dash, Pennsylvania
The weekend of June 10-11th, I went camping in the Poconos with some friends and my brother's family to compete in Warrior Dash. As I mentioned in a previous post, Warrior Dash is an obstacle course race about 5kilometers long, often reffered to a "muddy buddy" run. And Buddy do you get muddy. The camping trip got a little rained out, so we ended up leaving Saturday after the race, but the race itself was awesome! There were thousands of people, some dressed in hilarious costumes, some already drunk, running in waves of 500 through the woods and taking on obstacles along the way. Worse than any of the obstacles was the actual trail throught the woods. The ground was slippery due to the recent rain and there were rocks and roots wherever you stepped a long a narrow path. Many times the pace halted to a walk just because of the amount of people and the narrow path. I completed the race in about 1 hour and am very happy with that.
Final Month Goals
For the last remaining month I would really like to work hard to get to at least 60lbs total for the competition. That would leave me at 249.8 and well on my way to getting healthy again. Of course I would like to win the competition, and still believe I can with a very solid month, but ultimately it's about getting healthy and I just want to continue that goal going beyond the competition. I promise I will update frequently now, I again am sorry for the long delay between posts. I also promise to be wittier in the final posts as well.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 39
Still waiting for that first Garg post of the month...
6/15/2011
Calories: 2,005
Walking: 45 minutes
Made myself another pizza. This one was a southwest style dealy, with seasoned chicken, onions, and various Mexican cheeses. The chicken runs a little higher on calories than turkey pepperoni, but it was delicious, and I stayed within my daily target, so I was pleased.
6/16/2011
Calories: 2,467
No activities
I had about 700 calories in high fiber foods, from raisin bran to fiber bars to vegetables, all trying to kick this stomach thing. I also had plenty of non-high fiber foods, though, and that's where the problems came from. Add in a lack of activities, and you've got a bad Thursday.
6/17/2011
Calories: 2,404
Walking: 30 minutes
If it makes anyone feel better, 1,600+ of these calories were from lunch at Hard Times.
It doesn't, though, does it?
6/18/2011
Calories: 2,350
Walking: 25 minutes
Lifting: 20 minutes
Rock Band singing: 20 minutes
While the calories were a bit above my daily target of 2,200, I feel like I came away with a lot of good information. I went up to Jen and Chris's place for a little barbecuing, and I spent a good chunk of time talking calories with Jen and Rachel. Does that make me a little girly? Probably. But if this competition has taught me anything, it's that it helps to have people fighting alongside you when you take on a big project. Talking to other people who count calories helps me find out about all sorts of other food options, and I think it'll prove to be beneficial going forward.
6/19/2011
Calories: 2,655
No activities
Just a crazy, lazy, snack-heavy Sunday. I watched a couple movies, played some video games, and basically had a nice shitty Father's Day. Still, 2,600 calorie "bad days" are better than 2010's 4,100 calorie "bad days," right?
Looking Forward
So I think I'm finally on the other side of whatever stomach bug or condition I was dealing with. I think I have a tendency to try to solve problems with food (all problems, physical, mental, arithmatic...), so I'm expecting to have a much better week this week. Also, I've got to get in some good days while I can. I'm going on vacation with my family (and Gargantuar's) starting on Saturday, so it's fair to expect some straying.
The day isn't over yet, but Monday looks like a good start.
6/15/2011
Calories: 2,005
Walking: 45 minutes
Made myself another pizza. This one was a southwest style dealy, with seasoned chicken, onions, and various Mexican cheeses. The chicken runs a little higher on calories than turkey pepperoni, but it was delicious, and I stayed within my daily target, so I was pleased.
6/16/2011
Calories: 2,467
No activities
I had about 700 calories in high fiber foods, from raisin bran to fiber bars to vegetables, all trying to kick this stomach thing. I also had plenty of non-high fiber foods, though, and that's where the problems came from. Add in a lack of activities, and you've got a bad Thursday.
6/17/2011
Calories: 2,404
Walking: 30 minutes
If it makes anyone feel better, 1,600+ of these calories were from lunch at Hard Times.
It doesn't, though, does it?
6/18/2011
Calories: 2,350
Walking: 25 minutes
Lifting: 20 minutes
Rock Band singing: 20 minutes
While the calories were a bit above my daily target of 2,200, I feel like I came away with a lot of good information. I went up to Jen and Chris's place for a little barbecuing, and I spent a good chunk of time talking calories with Jen and Rachel. Does that make me a little girly? Probably. But if this competition has taught me anything, it's that it helps to have people fighting alongside you when you take on a big project. Talking to other people who count calories helps me find out about all sorts of other food options, and I think it'll prove to be beneficial going forward.
6/19/2011
Calories: 2,655
No activities
Just a crazy, lazy, snack-heavy Sunday. I watched a couple movies, played some video games, and basically had a nice shitty Father's Day. Still, 2,600 calorie "bad days" are better than 2010's 4,100 calorie "bad days," right?
Looking Forward
So I think I'm finally on the other side of whatever stomach bug or condition I was dealing with. I think I have a tendency to try to solve problems with food (all problems, physical, mental, arithmatic...), so I'm expecting to have a much better week this week. Also, I've got to get in some good days while I can. I'm going on vacation with my family (and Gargantuar's) starting on Saturday, so it's fair to expect some straying.
The day isn't over yet, but Monday looks like a good start.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Tropic Thunder
So our fifth weigh-in is this Saturday, up in Baltimore at Nick and Colin's place. Which, of course, means another party. I'm sure most of you have already gotten the invite over on the Facebook, but in case you didn't, you're getting this invite right here.It's going to be a tropical themed party. Ladies, you should use this picture as recommended attire. And remember, less is more.
I actually didn't own any kind of beachwear, so I hit the old Target and picked up a couple shirts and some flip-flops. Normally, you might not think this is noteworthy, but I used to not be able to buy clothes at Target because they were all too small. Granted, I haven't actually tried on the clothes I purchased, but they should fit. Hopefully. God, now you've got me worried. Thanks a lot, you twit.
Anyways, should be a fun party. Bring some beer/margaritas/daiquiris/pina coladas.
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?)
Monday, March 7, 2011
Month Two Weigh-In Results
Month two of this epic confrontation has come and gone, and it's time to review the results. After an impressive but insufficient 14.4 pound loss in month one, Psychotron was looking to take his game to the next level. Meanwhile, Gargantuar was hoping to repeat his incredible 20.2 pound opening performance, and get a stranglehold on the competition.
Tensions were high as the secret weights were measured by NASA's UltraScale 11.1. The Battle Marshal had to break up the contestants several times before a silent accord was reached to postpone hostilities until the weights could be gathered.
As is customary, the challenger stepped up first...
Psychotron's previous weight was 332.2. At the month two weigh-in, he registered at 314.4, for a loss of 17.8 pounds. Psychotron was heard saying, "Fuck the 320's!"
The bar set high, Gargantuar rolled up his sleeves and climbed upon the UltraScale...
The Battle Marshal peered down onto the scale, and read off the results: down from 289.6 pounds, Gargantuar measured 282.8, for a loss of 6.8 pounds.
Tensions were high as the secret weights were measured by NASA's UltraScale 11.1. The Battle Marshal had to break up the contestants several times before a silent accord was reached to postpone hostilities until the weights could be gathered.
As is customary, the challenger stepped up first...
Psychotron's previous weight was 332.2. At the month two weigh-in, he registered at 314.4, for a loss of 17.8 pounds. Psychotron was heard saying, "Fuck the 320's!"
The bar set high, Gargantuar rolled up his sleeves and climbed upon the UltraScale...
The Battle Marshal peered down onto the scale, and read off the results: down from 289.6 pounds, Gargantuar measured 282.8, for a loss of 6.8 pounds.
Your month two results:
1st place: Psychotron
2nd place: Gargantuar
Congratulations to all our competitors, and good luck going forward!
1st place: Psychotron
2nd place: Gargantuar
Congratulations to all our competitors, and good luck going forward!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Month 2 Weigh-in Week Update - Gargantuar
Saturday's weigh-in is getting closer and closer. I'm pretty excited yet nervous so I'm trying to work extra hard to make this week count. Even if I don't win, I still want to have a good showing to motivate myself to keep pushing for the other four months.
A co-worker of mine told me about this site Sparkpeople where you track your nutrition, weight, fitness and other goals you may have. I've seen sites like this one before but so far, this is the best one I've seen. There is a large community of people to talk with, message boards, articles and over 200,000 user submitted recipes to check out. Just something to look at if anyone wants to check it out. You can tell them Elsuav1 refered you. On to the update!!!!
Month Two Weigh-In Week Diet Goal - 1500 Calories per day or under Mon - Fri
So far so good. I made a mixed vegtables with rice dish for dinner Monday. Tuesday it was whole grain spaghetti with ground up boca burgers, and wednesday was a chicken salad sandwich. My breakfasts and lunches are never usually a problem and this week is no different. I've been eating raisins and oranges for snacks so not much of a problem there. Each day so far has been between 1100 - 1400 Calories. Today I'm having Subway for lunch but that will only be like 400 Calories.
Month Two Weigh-In Week Exercise Goal - Gym, Gym, Gym....Tennis???
As far as tennis goes, it has been too cold/windy/rainy to play yet this week, but as soon as it isn't I will be playing. I went to the gym on Tuesday and had a pretty good session. Dan and I lifted legs and then I was on a treadmill running/walking for 30 minutes, about 12 min of which was actual running. I completed a little over 2 miles, so about an average of 4mph. When I walk it's 3mph-3.5mph, and jogging is 5mph. I'm goiong back tonight with Dan so I expect at least the same quality workout if not better. I have also been walking every work day at lunch for 20-25 minutes, just to get a little extra activity in my day.
Looking ahead
Saturday I have my niece's 2nd birthday party which will be fun, and then the weigh-in and party. That night should be a blast. Win or lose, you will see me doing tequila shots and dancing like crazy. Also, there should definitely be Kanjam. The greatest game ever invented. I hope to see a nice turnout for the weigh-in!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 15
2/27/11
Calories: 2,054
Activities: big walk
Sundays are always tough days for me. I think I get bored and end up watching a lot of TV/movies, and that sometimes translates into snacking. This time, it wasn't so much snacking as it was a couple of beers and several microwaveable meals. Honestly, the fact that I stayed around two thousand calories is pretty surprising. And I did get a "big walk" in; up and down some hills, totaling about 35-40 minutes. So while it wasn't a very good day, I was able to focus myself enough to get back on track.
2/28/11
Calories: 1,518
Activities: gym
I had to slow my roll right away on Monday. I grabbed a couple of breakfast egg rolls from our cafeteria, and I knew I was headed for a bad day if I didn't nip it in the bud. So I went with just a small cup of Velveeta macaroni and cheese for lunch, a cool 180 calories. Then with a controlled dinner, I had a good day.
I went to the gym after work and did some chest and triceps exercises, but I didn't get nearly as sore as I did the first time around. I did ride the bike for 20 minutes, and came home and played some Rock Band. It wasn't drumming, though; just felt like jamming and belting out some Billy Idol. Hence not logging it as an "activity."
3/1/11
Calories: 1,530
Activities: big walk
I've redone the math on Tuesday's calories a couple times, and it's correct, but I promise you, I felt like I had a terrible day, eating-wise.
The daytime was fine, normal, came home with 480 calories used. Then when I got home, my stomach was feeling a little weird, so I decided to eat. I had cooked some egg whites the night before, so I took them and threw them on a slice of wheat bread with some salt and pepper. By the way, egg whites are pretty unexceptional. Don't know if I'd get them again. Anyways, the eggs didn't sit right, so I tried a potato hot dog bun instead of the bread, and it was okay, but still not great. So I finished it off with another potato hot dog bun with some peanut butter. And after that, my stomach was alright, but I was pretty displeased with how everything had panned out.
Historically, I'd have just let that go as a bad day, but at about 10:30, I said to myself, "Why not go for a walk?" I couldn't think of a good reason not to, so I threw on a jacket and shoes and went for another 40 minute walk. Again, I think it's important for me mentally to find successes in days where I feel like I came up short. Hopefully all this mental hooey ends up reflecting well on Saturday.
3/2/11
Calories: 1,000
Activities: gym, big walk
So I did make a mistake on Wednesday. Remember how I talked about black socks being my arch-nemesis? Well, I bought some new black shoes, and I gave the black socks another try. I went for a walk with Eddie during the workday, but it was a disaster. For whatever reason, the black socks just chafe the shit out of my feet.
Got home from work, caught up with my roommate who just got back into town (and will be leaving again in like 2 days), then headed back to Westat to go to the gym. I did some back and biceps exercises, and I can already feel my arms getting sore, so that's a little more encouraging than Monday's workout. I think my feet were still bothered from earlier, though, because I could only go for about 10 minutes on the bike before they felt like they were on fire.
AND THEN, after I left the gym and got back to my house, after I made myself two of those Velveeta mac n' cheese cups, I thought back to Monday and that walk I took, and how I felt so good afterward, so I decided to go for another walk. This one was even longer; I was out and about for almost an hour, and pushed myself a couple times to get my heart rate up, since I hear that's important. My only concern here is that my feet are definitely sore/chafed, but hopefully wearing white socks tomorrow at work should prevent me from being too uncomfortable to get back to the gym tomorrow night. And the plan tomorrow night is straight cardio work. Try to burn off as much of that water weight as possible before the big weigh-in.
Looking Forward
There are a couple other topics I want to talk about, but for this post, I just want to let everyone know the details on Saturday's gathering. We'll be having a Mexican-themed get-together at my house in Rockville. I don't know exactly what that entails, other than Mexican food and drink. I've got a whiffleball set, Rock Band, and a few decks of cards, so I'm sure we can figure out stuff to do. Plus, I mean, just hanging out is pretty fun.
Email/text me or Nick for the address and/or directions, if you need them (I'm not a fan of posting my address on the internet). Here are the relevant details:
When: Saturday, March 5th, 6:30 PM
Where: My digs, Rockville
What to Bring: Corona, Dos Equis, tequila, chips & salsa, fajitas, whatever else kind of Mexican delicacies you can think of.
Calories: 2,054
Activities: big walk
Sundays are always tough days for me. I think I get bored and end up watching a lot of TV/movies, and that sometimes translates into snacking. This time, it wasn't so much snacking as it was a couple of beers and several microwaveable meals. Honestly, the fact that I stayed around two thousand calories is pretty surprising. And I did get a "big walk" in; up and down some hills, totaling about 35-40 minutes. So while it wasn't a very good day, I was able to focus myself enough to get back on track.
2/28/11
Calories: 1,518
Activities: gym
I had to slow my roll right away on Monday. I grabbed a couple of breakfast egg rolls from our cafeteria, and I knew I was headed for a bad day if I didn't nip it in the bud. So I went with just a small cup of Velveeta macaroni and cheese for lunch, a cool 180 calories. Then with a controlled dinner, I had a good day.
I went to the gym after work and did some chest and triceps exercises, but I didn't get nearly as sore as I did the first time around. I did ride the bike for 20 minutes, and came home and played some Rock Band. It wasn't drumming, though; just felt like jamming and belting out some Billy Idol. Hence not logging it as an "activity."
3/1/11
Calories: 1,530
Activities: big walk
I've redone the math on Tuesday's calories a couple times, and it's correct, but I promise you, I felt like I had a terrible day, eating-wise.
The daytime was fine, normal, came home with 480 calories used. Then when I got home, my stomach was feeling a little weird, so I decided to eat. I had cooked some egg whites the night before, so I took them and threw them on a slice of wheat bread with some salt and pepper. By the way, egg whites are pretty unexceptional. Don't know if I'd get them again. Anyways, the eggs didn't sit right, so I tried a potato hot dog bun instead of the bread, and it was okay, but still not great. So I finished it off with another potato hot dog bun with some peanut butter. And after that, my stomach was alright, but I was pretty displeased with how everything had panned out.
Historically, I'd have just let that go as a bad day, but at about 10:30, I said to myself, "Why not go for a walk?" I couldn't think of a good reason not to, so I threw on a jacket and shoes and went for another 40 minute walk. Again, I think it's important for me mentally to find successes in days where I feel like I came up short. Hopefully all this mental hooey ends up reflecting well on Saturday.
3/2/11
Calories: 1,000
Activities: gym, big walk
So I did make a mistake on Wednesday. Remember how I talked about black socks being my arch-nemesis? Well, I bought some new black shoes, and I gave the black socks another try. I went for a walk with Eddie during the workday, but it was a disaster. For whatever reason, the black socks just chafe the shit out of my feet.
Got home from work, caught up with my roommate who just got back into town (and will be leaving again in like 2 days), then headed back to Westat to go to the gym. I did some back and biceps exercises, and I can already feel my arms getting sore, so that's a little more encouraging than Monday's workout. I think my feet were still bothered from earlier, though, because I could only go for about 10 minutes on the bike before they felt like they were on fire.
AND THEN, after I left the gym and got back to my house, after I made myself two of those Velveeta mac n' cheese cups, I thought back to Monday and that walk I took, and how I felt so good afterward, so I decided to go for another walk. This one was even longer; I was out and about for almost an hour, and pushed myself a couple times to get my heart rate up, since I hear that's important. My only concern here is that my feet are definitely sore/chafed, but hopefully wearing white socks tomorrow at work should prevent me from being too uncomfortable to get back to the gym tomorrow night. And the plan tomorrow night is straight cardio work. Try to burn off as much of that water weight as possible before the big weigh-in.
Looking Forward
There are a couple other topics I want to talk about, but for this post, I just want to let everyone know the details on Saturday's gathering. We'll be having a Mexican-themed get-together at my house in Rockville. I don't know exactly what that entails, other than Mexican food and drink. I've got a whiffleball set, Rock Band, and a few decks of cards, so I'm sure we can figure out stuff to do. Plus, I mean, just hanging out is pretty fun.
Email/text me or Nick for the address and/or directions, if you need them (I'm not a fan of posting my address on the internet). Here are the relevant details:
When: Saturday, March 5th, 6:30 PM
Where: My digs, Rockville
What to Bring: Corona, Dos Equis, tequila, chips & salsa, fajitas, whatever else kind of Mexican delicacies you can think of.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Month 2 Weigh-in Week Goals - Gargantuar
Ok. I'm not going to lie, I'm a little nervous about this weigh-in. And while I've done pretty well this month mostly, it sounds like Psychotron has really turned it on. He's been going to the gym, his diet totals have been much better, and he has been walking a lot more. I may have to cut off my other arm to win this month. And, trust me, I would still be awesome without both my arms. Have you ever seen the movie "The Crippled Masters"?
Last Week's Goal - Asleep by 1130pm Mon-Thurs
Well I was very proud of myself for accomplishing this goal. I felt better most of the week and went walking every day at work as well. I did have some let downs last week. I only went to the gym once, and I had some bingey eating days. I know it's going to happen sometimes but it feels like it was just me being lazy and that's not a good feeling.
Month 2 Weigh-in Week Diet Goal - Stay at 1500 calories or less Mon-Friday
Saturday is the big weigh-in. Along with that comes a party at my competitor's house with Margaritas, chips and salsa, and maye some tacos or fajitas. I imagine I will be over 1500 calories that day. But I really want to make up some ground I think I lost last week. I have a good plan to stick under my goal. Most days are actually pretty easy to stay under 1500, if you aren't out drinking or out to dinner. So that's my plan. No drinking or going out to dinner till Saturday. Pretty straight forward and hopefully, will get me all caught up.
Month 2 Weigh-in Week Exercise Goal - Gym, Gym, Gym...tennis?
They say plagarism is the best form of flattery, so thanks Joe. Yes "gym, gym, gym" means my goal is to get to the gym three times this week. Also, my roommate and I are just dying for a nice weather day to play some tennis. It's such a good way to get exercise and have some fun. If it's not raining and the temp is close to 50, I think I will pester Colin to play tennis with me as much as possible.
So that's it. That is the game plan to try to win month two. Honestly, I don't have to win month two to feel good about myself and where I'm at. I know I'm not going to see a 20lb weight loss month again. But as long as the numbers continue to go downward, and I keep feeling better, I'll be happy......Who am I kidding, I'm too competitive for that mindframe. Bring on the Capitals vs Blackhawks tickets!!! And if you help Joey fatten up, I'll bring you with me ;)
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 14
2/24/11
Calories: 1,115
Activities: housecleaning, walking
The house needed some cleanup, so between Wednesday and Thursday, I gave it a pretty good makeover. Vacuumed, tidied up, reorganized, and overall made my place nicer looking. To borrow a saying, it was sort of like putting lipstick on a pig, but we do what we can. And there's no question that the cleaning counts as an activity; I was sweating bullets when I was doing it.
2/25/11
Calories: 1,520
Activities: walking
Went for a walk during the workday, as usual. The thing is, though, while the walks are good, and it's definitely nice to get away from my desk, I really would prefer some more lifting and exercise bike riding. Went to the Caps game in the evening; the company was good, the game was a 6-0 nightmare loss. Had a couple beers, but as you can see, didn't really do too much damage.
2/26/11
Calories: 1,694
Activities: Rock Band
Only four items on my list today: sausage breakfast sandwich, Gushers, Jerry's large cheesesteak, rum. Not exactly the vitamin-packed day I'd normally be looking for, but the calories were tolerable at least. And I played some intense ass Rock Band songs.
Looking Forward
Gym, gym, gym. As in, my goal is to get to the gym 3 times this week. With the weigh-in coming up this Saturday, I want to do my damnedest to take down this month. The prize is nice of course, but I want to prove to everyone (including myself) that this is a two-man competition, and not just the Nick Show, with Joe as a supporting character. I can lose this month and still get that feeling, but I have to have a pretty outstanding month. And that means riding into the finish line on a tear.
Either way though, expect another famous musician to contribute sometime next month. I guess word is spreading quickly through the music industry about our competition. :)
Calories: 1,115
Activities: housecleaning, walking
The house needed some cleanup, so between Wednesday and Thursday, I gave it a pretty good makeover. Vacuumed, tidied up, reorganized, and overall made my place nicer looking. To borrow a saying, it was sort of like putting lipstick on a pig, but we do what we can. And there's no question that the cleaning counts as an activity; I was sweating bullets when I was doing it.
2/25/11
Calories: 1,520
Activities: walking
Went for a walk during the workday, as usual. The thing is, though, while the walks are good, and it's definitely nice to get away from my desk, I really would prefer some more lifting and exercise bike riding. Went to the Caps game in the evening; the company was good, the game was a 6-0 nightmare loss. Had a couple beers, but as you can see, didn't really do too much damage.
2/26/11
Calories: 1,694
Activities: Rock Band
Only four items on my list today: sausage breakfast sandwich, Gushers, Jerry's large cheesesteak, rum. Not exactly the vitamin-packed day I'd normally be looking for, but the calories were tolerable at least. And I played some intense ass Rock Band songs.
Looking Forward
Gym, gym, gym. As in, my goal is to get to the gym 3 times this week. With the weigh-in coming up this Saturday, I want to do my damnedest to take down this month. The prize is nice of course, but I want to prove to everyone (including myself) that this is a two-man competition, and not just the Nick Show, with Joe as a supporting character. I can lose this month and still get that feeling, but I have to have a pretty outstanding month. And that means riding into the finish line on a tear.
Either way though, expect another famous musician to contribute sometime next month. I guess word is spreading quickly through the music industry about our competition. :)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Psychotron - Daily Diary 13
So, lucky number 13, it would seem. I've been very good about snacking once a day or not at all, and that's kept my calorie count between pretty low and very low. I've also been active each day so far this work week. I'm gonna need more half-weeks like this if I'm to have any shot at making up ground on Nick. That bastard's been killing it from the looks of things.
2/20/11
Calories: 1,807
Activities: none
Technically I did a little walking on Sunday, but it was just over to my brother's house and back for the Capitals game. Not exactly a Richard Simmons workout. Diet-wise, I was actually in pretty excellent shape until about 6:00, when I found myself in need of some liquid courage. Massive bravery ensued, along with a pile of calories. The last five items on my list read, "Rum, brandy, rum, rum, rum."
2/21/11
Calories: 1,179
Activities: walking
I did some serious walking with Eddie at work. Don't tell our bosses, but we walked for at least 45 minutes, maybe closer to an hour. Then, after work, I went over to visit Eddie and Rachel and watch another hockey game. Rachel made maybe the best chili I've ever had, but thankfully there wasn't too much of it left. Crazy, though, right? Only 1,179 calories, and that includes 342 calories of Blue Moon.
2/22/11
Calories: 1,540
Activities: gym
I did back and bicep exercises at the gym after work, but today my triceps are more sore than my biceps. Eddie suggested it might be a result of me compensating during the workout. Could be, but I'm guessing that means I'll need to really target the biceps for a while. Luckily, bicep exercises are like the one exercise I can legitimately do with the two 20 pound dumbbells I own.
I also did the exercise bike for 18 minutes after lifting. My original target was 15 minutes, but here's what happened. I hit 15 minutes, but my mileage was like 2.93 miles. So I decided to push for 3 miles. Then, at 3 miles, I saw my calories burned was at 89. So I said, "Let's push through, get to 100." Then at 100 calories, I was at 3.33 miles. Fast forward to 3.5 miles, and I was at 17 minutes, so I said, "Alright, 18 is a better number, let's get there." Setting and reaching those tiny goals kept me on the bike for 3 extra minutes, which isn't a crazy addition, but it's something, and my legs are sore today as a result. Good sore, though.
Another very good day calorie-wise, and it actually could've been even lower, but when I looked at the list at about 8:00, I felt like I'd be hurting my recovery time if I didn't have a little more food, particularly protein. So I heated up a chicken alfredo Lean Cuisine (270 calories, and like 20 grams of protein) to finish off the day.
2/23/11
Calories: 865
Activities: walking
Normal walking day with Eddie, about a half hour of walking, though I've noticed we move at a better pace than we used to. Gets the heart pumping a little more, breathe a little harder, and feel a little better afterward.
I know I don't want to stay at 865 as a daily calorie amount, but after the first weigh-in, I wanted to find a day where I could have less than 1,000 calories. Now that I've found it, I feel pretty good about my chances going into March 5th's showdown.
Looking Forward
Yes, in case you had made plans based on the unofficial weigh-in date, it's time to change those plans...or just don't come, whatever. Our second official weigh-in showdown will be Saturday, March 5th. The weigh-in will once again be in the evening, but this time, instead of the Super Bowl, I'm working on a stand-alone party for the occasion. Details to follow...like, when I come up with them.
As far as my own weight-loss plans, as I said, this was a really good half-week for me. Good calorie count, good exercise, I feel good, and hopefully I'm doing good work. I'm hoping to use this as a jumping-off point going forward, from which I can build towards the new Joe.
Three things I want to focus on:
First, I'm pretty sure I need to be drinking more water. I bought a case of bottled water on Sunday; I feel like I drink more water when it's bottled, for whatever reason.
Second, I've been doing well on making sure I get some vegetables every day. I want to keep that as a focus, to make sure I don't slip back into eating popcorn all the time. Popcorn's alright, but vegetables are clearly healthier.
Third, I've still got to work more fruit into the diet. The best thought I had was to try to have fruits ready-to-eat for breakfast. I'm a little pineappled out, so I'll be on the prowl for some different fruits on my next grocery trip. Berries, maybe.
You stay classy, San Diego.
2/20/11
Calories: 1,807
Activities: none
Technically I did a little walking on Sunday, but it was just over to my brother's house and back for the Capitals game. Not exactly a Richard Simmons workout. Diet-wise, I was actually in pretty excellent shape until about 6:00, when I found myself in need of some liquid courage. Massive bravery ensued, along with a pile of calories. The last five items on my list read, "Rum, brandy, rum, rum, rum."
2/21/11
Calories: 1,179
Activities: walking
I did some serious walking with Eddie at work. Don't tell our bosses, but we walked for at least 45 minutes, maybe closer to an hour. Then, after work, I went over to visit Eddie and Rachel and watch another hockey game. Rachel made maybe the best chili I've ever had, but thankfully there wasn't too much of it left. Crazy, though, right? Only 1,179 calories, and that includes 342 calories of Blue Moon.
2/22/11
Calories: 1,540
Activities: gym
I did back and bicep exercises at the gym after work, but today my triceps are more sore than my biceps. Eddie suggested it might be a result of me compensating during the workout. Could be, but I'm guessing that means I'll need to really target the biceps for a while. Luckily, bicep exercises are like the one exercise I can legitimately do with the two 20 pound dumbbells I own.
I also did the exercise bike for 18 minutes after lifting. My original target was 15 minutes, but here's what happened. I hit 15 minutes, but my mileage was like 2.93 miles. So I decided to push for 3 miles. Then, at 3 miles, I saw my calories burned was at 89. So I said, "Let's push through, get to 100." Then at 100 calories, I was at 3.33 miles. Fast forward to 3.5 miles, and I was at 17 minutes, so I said, "Alright, 18 is a better number, let's get there." Setting and reaching those tiny goals kept me on the bike for 3 extra minutes, which isn't a crazy addition, but it's something, and my legs are sore today as a result. Good sore, though.
Another very good day calorie-wise, and it actually could've been even lower, but when I looked at the list at about 8:00, I felt like I'd be hurting my recovery time if I didn't have a little more food, particularly protein. So I heated up a chicken alfredo Lean Cuisine (270 calories, and like 20 grams of protein) to finish off the day.
2/23/11
Calories: 865
Activities: walking
Normal walking day with Eddie, about a half hour of walking, though I've noticed we move at a better pace than we used to. Gets the heart pumping a little more, breathe a little harder, and feel a little better afterward.
I know I don't want to stay at 865 as a daily calorie amount, but after the first weigh-in, I wanted to find a day where I could have less than 1,000 calories. Now that I've found it, I feel pretty good about my chances going into March 5th's showdown.
Looking Forward
Yes, in case you had made plans based on the unofficial weigh-in date, it's time to change those plans...or just don't come, whatever. Our second official weigh-in showdown will be Saturday, March 5th. The weigh-in will once again be in the evening, but this time, instead of the Super Bowl, I'm working on a stand-alone party for the occasion. Details to follow...like, when I come up with them.
As far as my own weight-loss plans, as I said, this was a really good half-week for me. Good calorie count, good exercise, I feel good, and hopefully I'm doing good work. I'm hoping to use this as a jumping-off point going forward, from which I can build towards the new Joe.
Three things I want to focus on:
First, I'm pretty sure I need to be drinking more water. I bought a case of bottled water on Sunday; I feel like I drink more water when it's bottled, for whatever reason.
Second, I've been doing well on making sure I get some vegetables every day. I want to keep that as a focus, to make sure I don't slip back into eating popcorn all the time. Popcorn's alright, but vegetables are clearly healthier.
Third, I've still got to work more fruit into the diet. The best thought I had was to try to have fruits ready-to-eat for breakfast. I'm a little pineappled out, so I'll be on the prowl for some different fruits on my next grocery trip. Berries, maybe.
You stay classy, San Diego.
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