Week 14 Update/Week 15 Goals - Gargantuar

No build up for this update, let's get right to the meat and potatoes of this past week.

Diet Goal - Track and post daily caloric intake

I decided to make this my diet goal on Tuesday last week, so I do not have Monday's stats, suffice to say it was probably close to Tuesday or Wednesday's.

4/12 - 1937

• Didn't make or bring lunch to work, so ended up eating out. Sometimes that is ok but usually ends up with more calories.

4/13 - 1866

• Pretty much the same song and dance as Tuesday. The Capitals first playoff game was this day though and I went to Dan and Kristie Spiker's house for dinner. Awesome enchiladas by Dan and pretty low on the calories.

4/14 - 1697

• I actually ate a lean cuisine meal at work so that cut down on the calories. What made it not as good as it could have been were the Reese's Pieces someone brought in. They are my kryptonite.

4/15 - 1954

• I have another weakness and that is a good chicken salad sub/sandwich. I had two for dinner which totaled about 900 calories. Not a horrible day but could have definitely been better.

4/16 - 1595

• A very light day on calories. Oatmeal for breakfast, I made toast and eggs for lunch, and vegetable stir fry for dinner. I had a sweet snack somewhere between lunch and dinner as well as a couple of after dinner beers, but nothing to tip the scales to crazily.

4/17 - 1440

• For some reason the tables have turned. I am eating better on the weekends than I am during the week. I had leftovers as a brunch, some small peanut butter sandwiches for lunch., and some pasta with spaghetti sauce and carrots for dinner. Again, some after dinner beers changed the total a little, but Winter was coming...what could I do?

Exercise Goal - Run 15 minutes straight on the treadmill

This goal is a TBD. I went to the gym Saturday, but I didn't run on the treadmill. Sunday I planned to go to the gym and try for my 15 minutes. I instead ended up watching the Caps game and then playing tennis with my roomie. Not a bad day but I didn't get to the gym. I am going today so I will attempt for my goal then.

So I was at the Gym Saturday but didn't run??? What, you may ask, did I do at the gym? My friend Ryan and I have been interested in trying some fitness classes at the gym and saw a Saturday morning Spin class. If you don't know what Spin class is, it is riding on a stationary bike at different speeds, resistances and positions (sitting/standing/leaning) for in my case a 55 minute class. There is a trainer who tells you what to do, when to do it and for how long. She is a good motivator as well. I distinctly remember her saying "Only 20 more seconds! You can do anything for 20 seconds!" Later on, 20 seconds turned into two minutes.

Overall I really enjoyed the class. It was a pretty intense workout and I couldn't keep up with everything, but the girl next to me told me she had to cheat for the first few weeks so I felt OK. I definitely sweat more than I think I ever have in my life, and that is saying something. The bike seats are pretty uncomfortable and since I have one arm, I have to lean more to get my left arm to reach the handle bars. Either that or rest my whole weight on the uncomfortable seat, which my butt is now paying the price for. I think I am going to go next Saturday and see how I feel after my second class.

Week 15 Diet Goal - No Reese's Pieces and no Chicken Salad Subs.

Since these are two things that I apparently have a weak spot for, I think it will go a long way to see if I can resist temptation for the week. Now what I can't do is go for a similar substitute taht is worse for you.

Week 15 Exercise Goal - Run for 20 min Straight on the treadmill

I have to keep moving the target if I want to reach my ultimate goal come June 11th. I will update you all after i go for 15 minutes just to let you know if I passed or not.

Week 14 Status - Gargantuar

Exercise Update

Sorry only one post last week, I actually found myself pretty busy last Thursday and Friday. So what have I been up to? Pretty much the same old song and dance. I only went to the gym twice last week, but I did play tennis once. So far this week I went to the gym on Sunday and played tennis yesterday. I hope to get back to the gym today to keep up the working out. I've noticed a big difference in my workouts too. When I used to run on the treadmill it was 5 minutes running 3 minutes walking. The last time it was 10 minutes running and then 3 minutes walking. I kept that up for about 40 minutes.

Diet Update

I desperately need to go grocery shopping, as not having groceries in the house leads to worse eating habits. Nothing too crazy, but definitely not as healthy as my meals would have been had I made them myself. I also have been slacking documenting my daily caloric intake. I still mentally keep track but I have not been keeping track past that day's results.

I also had a huge splurge weekend this past weekend. My work took the office out for dinner to celebrate some good results, which led to me eating alot more then I should have. Then Saturday we had hotdogs, hamburgers and sausages. I also partook in a few alcoholic beverages. What made it worse is that Psychotron was there and he kept himself in restraint. Eating the low-calorie hotdogs. What a jackass. So I figure my goals should revolve around pushing myself on the things I want to maintain, and doubling my efforts on the things I've been slacking on.

Week 14 Diet Goal - Document (and publish) Calories for Each day

Clearly this is something I have been letting slide. It really helps to visually see how many Calories you take in each day and for long periods at a time in a row. I hope to get back on track with my logging of each day's successes or failures.

Week 14 Exercise goal - Run 15 min Straight on the Treadmill by End of the Week

So I now have done 10min straight without stopping and think that 15min is a modest yet important goal. If i can keep increasing by five minute increments each week, I soon will be able to complete a 3.5 mile obstacle course in under 35 minutes. Say, that comment seemed awfully specific.....

Looking forward

This is a picture of some of the the "warriors" running in a Warrior Dash race. It's a grueling obstacle course race that varies in length but is around 5k. There are many around the country each year and there are other similar events out there. Last year my roommate Colin ran this event and I watched. Since that day, I knew I wanted to do it myself. Colin, myself, and two other friends have all signed up for the Poconos course on Saturday, June 11th. This particular course is 3.5 miles long and the course layout is listed here. It is my goal to run this race in under 35min. If anyone would like to come race, watch, cheer, or just get drunk, you should make the trek.

Month 3 Thoughts

Well month 3 is in the books and it was a good one. We both tried valiantly to obtain or own personal goals as well as win the month 3 prize. Where as I came up a bit short, Joe was able to surpass his goal and take home the baseball tickets as well as the $50 gift card for clothing. A huge congrats to you for also now being under 300lbs. I know this is only the beginning but being under 300 for the first time in a long time is a major accomplishment and I am proud of you. Now that I have that done, I can go back to hating your face and trying to crush you. Here are the overall competition stats.

Gargantuar

Total weight lost: 39.6lbs

Total percentage weight lost: 12.78%

Psychotron

Total weight lost: 47lbs

Total percentage weight lost: 13.56%

Psychotron is leading the overall competition by: 0.78%

Clearly the competition is up for grabs as of right now. 0.78% is right about 2.5lbs for me right now, meaning that if I was up to 42lbs lost it would be dead even. Looking back at the month it's easy to see where and how I could have done better. Just looking at the beginning of the month posts about Burger King and how slow of a start I had makes me wonder how much better I would have done if I was on top of my game all month. Nothing I can change now, I'm still pretty happy with my ending results, just upset that I was so close to my goal and to winning the month.

Month 4 Thoughts

My original goal before the competition was to lose 60lbs in 6 months. That would be an amazing start and I would have been under 250lbs total. Now that both Joey and myself have pushed ourselves hard and are both averaging well over 10lbs a month, 60lbs should be a pretty easy target. Month 4 is a five week month as the fourth week is April 30th and May 1st. Given that it's a bit longer I am setting an ambitious goal of 15.4lbs. If I were to meet my goal I would be at 55lbs for the competition in 4 months. I would be very pleased with those results and would consider 80lbs in 6 months, a reachable target. What the hell right, reach for the stars!

Side notes

It has almost been 90 days since the start of the competition. I have never consistently dieted and exercised for 90 straight days ever. A lot of the credit has to go to my friends and family that have been so supportive throughout the competition. All the people that have donated prizes and helped cook meals and just give words and prayers of encouragement, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know Psychotron feels the same way I do. I hope we make you proud and also able to see that anything is possible with the support of some awesome people on your side.

Month 3 Weigh-in Results!!!!

The results are in, and it was the closest month yet.

Gargantuar

March 5th - 282.8 lbs.
April 2nd - 270.2 lbs.
Difference - 12.6 lbs.
Percent Difference - 4.46%
Bonus Goal - 13 lbs lost (missed goal by .4 lbs)

Psychotron

March 5th - 314.4 lbs.
April 2nd - 299.6 lbs.
Difference - 14.8 lbs.
Percent Difference - 4.71%
Bonus goal - 14.4+ lbs. lost (made goal by.4lbs)

Winner - Psychotron by a margin of 0.25%

Congratulations to our Month 3 winner and good job to both competitors!!!!

Month 3 Weigh-in Is Tomorrow!!! - Over the Top!

(Click to view larger image)

That pretty much sums up the Month 3 Weigh-in pregame special. We're both getting pumped for the upcoming event. Can't wait to see whose girth now has a dearth!!! (yes I know that sentence barely makes sense but it rhymes and I'm happy because if it!!!)

Month 3 Weigh-In Week Goals - I'm So Excited!

I'm very excited for this coming Saturday's Month 3 Weigh-In. After a very disappointing showing last month, I'm eager to see how I did. I've been working a bit harder and I hope it has paid off. I'm not sure how much weight will be lost or if I meet my month 3 goal of 13lbs lost, but I've been noticing a huge difference in my workouts.

Week 11 Update

Last week was a very good competition week for me in my opinion. My diet goal of staying away from booze for the week was relatively easy to mantain. I didn't go out Friday night, staying home and chtting with a few griends over video games. Saturday night I hung out with some people who were drinking some wine and beer, but nothing too crazy so it was easy to stay dry. I think I'm gonna stay sober this week as well, just to keep my momentum going for the weigh-in.

My exercise goal of buring 500+ calories six days out of the week was a bit aggressive and I didn't reach my goal. However, I did end up playing tennis twice, walgging once and i hit up the gym twice for a total of five days over 500 calories burned. I think the aggressive goal helped in my motivation to at least get to five.

Also, both days at the gym my cardio workout was very satisfying and I definitely noticed a difference in my stamina. Sunday's cardio was 40 minute total, 10 min on ARC, 10 minutes on eliptical and 20 on treadmill. (I was at a new gym trying some equipment out) of the 20 minutes on the treadmill, I was able to run for 14 minutes 7min running 3min cooldown twice. I think soon I'll try 10 minutes straight with a cooldown and the 10 minutes again. I'll keep ya posted.

Month 3 Weigh-In Week Goals

I'm still obviously going to stick hard to the diet this week, but my main goal is about exercise. I will go to the gym four times this week. Normally I'd say something about playing tennis but the weather is going to be crappy. Also, it's only four days as Saturday is the weigh-in and after party and then Sunday is my mother's birthday and I will be spending the day with her.

I hope a bunch of you can make it out to Eddie's house in Rockville Saturday. It's going to be a lot of fun and we will crown a month 3 champion. Wish me luck!

Week 11 Update - Gargantuar

I feel pretty good after thie first few days of the week. Including Sunday, I played tennis with Colin three straight days after work, each for over an hour. Singles tennis is definitely a great way to get exercise and we both can see our old forms coming back to us. Monday we made a chicken and fresh veggie stir fry (a little oil, mostly water). I ate that for dinner both Monday and Tuesday nights. Yesterday I was feeling pretty sore and the weather was poopy, so I took a break from exercise. For dinner I made pasta with a ground turkey spaghetti sauce. I don't know what it is, but I think I actually prefer ground turkey to ground beef, at least in my pastas.

Weekly Goals Update - Burn 500+ Calories 6 days / No Alcohol!

So with taking Wednesday off, I have burned 500+ Calories 2 out of 3 days. I am feeling much better today so I think I'll be able to hit the 500 Calorie mark again. I haven't been drinking any alcohol at all, but we all know the weekends are the biggest problem there. I do have some tentative weekend plans that involve going out, but I can always not drink and have a good time. I'm naturally drunk anyways.

Going Forward

I think going forward I might try to stick to a three days on one day off program as far as cardio goes. Although it will likely depend on the weather and my work schedule. I'm really trying to buckle down these last two weeks before the weigh-in. It stinks to lose and even more so because there are some awesome prizes on the line. I hope everyone can come out to the April 2nd Weigh-in/Battle Marshal Eddie's Birthday Party. It's an afternoon grill out and beer fest. Should be good times.

Let's Get Physical - Weekly Goals - Gargantuar

That is my motto for week 10. Make out with Olivia Newton John. No that's not it, although who wouldn't do it...ya know...for the story. The hardest part for me trying to lose weight has been

the exercise portion. I've done a great job with my daytime walks at work, but have only been going to the gym like once a week the past three weeks. I really need to stay committed to the outside of work exercise program.

Some things holding me back have been weather conditions, schedule conflicts, basically me just not motivating myself. There really is no reason other than not pushing myself harder. Just taking this last week as an example. Yes it rained a couple of days, but it wasn't raining inside the gym. Yes I worked 9am-6pm but that doesn't mean I can't workout/jog before my shift starts. These are just easy excuses a lazy man uses to keep being lazy. Well it is time to change all that. Some things that will help facilitate these changes are

• Daylight Savings - It is now light outside way past 7pm, leaving plenty of time to play tennis, or go walking/jogging
• Warmer Weather - Of course the warmer weather also lends nicely to being outdoors more. Plus it will help others to want to join me, and that helps motivate me more. I am a very social person (read: desperate for attention).
• More frequent and public weighings - I think weighing myself more often and being public about the results can only help to motivate me to keep it going. It's easy to lose focus during the middle of the month, so far away from any public humiliation or jubilation.
• Punching Myself in the Face - OK, I'm not serious about punching myself in the face, but basically just staying on top of myself and taking responsibility for pushing myself more.

So that is my outline for "Getting Physical." If anyone lives in Baltimore, come play with me at Patterson Park.

Week 10 Diet Goal - Eat Six Times Daily

Last week I did well eating a lot of salads with or for my meals. I hadn't gone to the grocery store in a while so I did not have a lot of snack foods. That led to more hunger pangs and less spreading out of my meals. I think I have done the best on my diet when I spread my meals and snacking throughout the day, never having any singular huge meal. Ideally I would have 3 meals of about 400 Calories and 3 snacks of about 100-200.

Week 10 Exercise Goal - Burn 500 Calories Four Days by "Getting Physical"

As I discussed earlier, I have a bunch of means at my disposal to try to be more active. I have a couple different sources to try to keep track of how many Calories you burn doing certain activities based on gender, age, and weight. I am going to add them all up each day, and would like be over 500 Calories four days this week. Now, these are activities outside of my typical day, so normal being on my feet and walking around my office, do not count.

Month Three Weight Loss Goal

As Psychotron laid out earlier, he would like to lose 14.5lbs or more, as that would get him under 300lbs. I have set my goal at 13lbs for month three. That would put me at 40lbs overall for the competition, and 40lbs in three months is an amazing accomplishment. On a side note, if both The Tron and I hit our goals exactly, Psychotron would win month three by 0.01% (4.61/4.60). That is unless my math is bad (it's not) or my facts are wrong (they're not). Hey, I'm as competitive as the next guy, but a 0.01% margin, would be pretty amazing to see. Here's hoping.

Month Two Results - Gargantuar's Thoughts

So The results are in and even though Psychotron crushed me in this month's weigh-in, overall it is still very close. Let's look at some of the numbers.

Note: The winner each month is determined by percentage weight lost and then overall winner is percentage after 6 months.


Gargantuar:
Starting Weight(Jan 7th): 309.8
One Month Weight(Feb 6th): 289.6
Two Month Weight(March 5th):282.8
Month Two difference: 6.8lbs/2.35%
Overall Difference: 27lbs / 8.72%

Psychotron:
Starting Weight: 346.6
Month Weight: 332.2
Two Month Weight: 314.4
Month Two Difference: 17.8lbs/5.36%
Overall Difference: 32.2lbs / 9.30%

So yeah, I got crushed this month. Let's give credit where it is due. Joe had an AMAZING month. He worked his butt off (literally) and it showed. My congrats to your month two win. Overall it is still very close and anyone's game. I aim to make month three my best month yet and plan on taking back the overall competition lead. I think losing a month puts things in perspective. Maybe I got too confident after having a great first month. Maybe The Tron was extra motivated after losing the first month. Whatever the case, I want to bring it home month three.

Week 9 Diet Goal - Eat More Salads

I don't have a set "this many salads this week" or "one salad a day" but I'd like to have a huge salad as a side dish to as many of my lunches and dinners as I can this week. I started off right today buying a huge one pound salad at giant, eating half of it with some grilled salmon my dad made. In the salad I added spinach, brocoli, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, green peppers, cucumbers and a smidge of lite vinagarette dressing. When I say smidge, I mean a very small size (that's what she said). It was a very tasty and healthy lunch. Let's keep it up.

Week 9 Exercise Goal - Jog/Gym/Tennis Every Day Before or After Work

I really enjoy my lunch time walks at work during the week. But they are time bound and control how much I push myself as I don't want to get sweaty and smell the rest of the day. I want to try to do something each day where I can push myself. Whether it's jogging through the park, going to the gym, or playing tennis or something else. I would love to be able to do a 20 minute run without stopping to walk at all. I smell a future goal...

The Cinco de Marzo Fiesta

Regardless of the outcome we all had a great time at the after party. Some of you may think it might be weird to celebrate weigh-ins with parties. To those people I say "Have you heard the singer Cee Lo Green's new hit? Boom...roasted

Week 7 Update "Neck and Neck" - Gargantuar

Well, judging from his last post, it appears my competitor has really hit his stride. Take a look to the left and judge for yourself. Clearly I am the majestic white horse, slightly in the lead, with Psycho the stalking brown horse nearly caught up. I think this month's weigh-in should be very competitive.

And as Joey mentioned in his last post, the firm date of the month two weigh-in is Saturday March 5th. It will be in Rockville. Come out and enjoy the festivites with the rest of us. I'm sure there will be some sort of festivites...right Joe? Eddie? Yeah...they'll be ready.

Week 7 Universal Goal - Be Asleep by 1130pm Monday - Thursday

So this week I've been trying to go to bed earlier as I work my early shift (7am-4pm) and regularly don't go to bed until 12am or 1am. And if I go to bed around 12am I usually won't fall asleep until 12:30. So I've been tring to be in bed around 11 and asleep by 1130. When we last left our fledgling hero (Me) I was going out with an out of town friend Tuesday night. We met up with some other friends, had dinner and hungout for a few hours. I ended up being home by 11pm and was pretty tired so it was easy to fall asleep that night. Last night was another rousing success. The benefit of this is pretty clear. I feel much better today and have more energy. I'm going to try to use that energy to get to the gym or play tennis (if it is not too windy/cold). I have also been walking at lunch still and I've been able to speed up the pace and lengthen my stride a bit.

On a side note. I had a very delicious dinner last night (made by my friend Emily) with butternut squash, collard greens and cod. Everything was delicious and very healthy as well. I guess looking forward I would like to incorporate more salads in my meals. I mean the sheer volume of eating a large salad fills you up and keeps you from eating too much of other less healthy foods. I'm also really stoked to see my weight loss progression. I have not weighed myself since the last weigh-in so I have no idea other than just feeling better and being on notch 6 of my belt instead of notch 4. After notch 7, I'll need a new one.

Week 7 Goals - Gargantuar

Wow...David Bowie. I feel so honored. The only other (semi) famous person I ever talked to was...well...me. He may have had the song a little backwards though. No way will I lose month two. Are you ready Psychotron? Are you ready blog nation? The weigh-in is only 10 days away. We had to move it up to Friday, March 4th as prior commitments are scheduled for us both on Satururday and Sunday. And with this being a Febuary shortened month (Total of 26 days since the last weigh-in), it is all the tougher to win. I think we are pretty close so the next week and a half will be the difference maker.

Last Week Diet Goal - Cook Dinner 5 nights

So other than Monday, I also ate out on Thursday. And Saturday. I blame all of my loyal fans that didn't show up to make me any dinners at all last week. No...I guess it's my own fault :(

Last Week Exercise Goal - Gym 2 Times and Walk 4 times

Well I did better on my exercise goal, kind of. I walked four times during lunches and a fifth time just for the heck of it after work one day. As far as the gym goes, I only made it to the gym Wednesday night. Not once did I go before work like planned. There is a slightly not my fault reason, and that is because my gym membership card is not in yet and the temporary membership has expired. But I'm sure I could get it worked out in my favor.

Week 7 Universal Goal - Get to Sleep by 11:30pm, Mon-Thurs

This week is a bit different as far as my goals are concerned. I work early this week (7am-4pm) so I need to start getting to bed earlier. Everyone I've ever talked to, and anything I've ever read says tht sleeping more regularly helps you stay healthier. And it should give me the energy to make it to the gym and exercise more. Sunday I was visting my friend Tommy for his birthday, and definitely did not go to bed before 1130pm. Last night was interesting. I ended up falling asleep at 445pm then woke up at 9pm and went back to bed at 1am, so I say that counts.

It's going to be tough as I have a friend visiting from Boston and we are going to hang out tonight. Stay tuned to see how that turns out. See Psycho, I can build suspense too. Although I can't sing like David Bowie. And I have one arm. Ok, you win...

Week 6 Goals - Gargantuar

(Image coutesy of xkcd.com...great comics)


Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I hope those of you with a Valentine take the time to show your love and appreciation...And then I hope none of you get laid. I'm not bitter, honest!

So last week was spent feeling like crap and trying not to sneeze/cough all over myself and others. That mission was complete with varying levels of success. Now that I feel 89.2% normal, this week will be a good get back to basics week. That means getting back to the gym, walking at work again, and no more sick food. I ate a few things while recuperating that were not the best, but were pretty delicious. I really want to keep the momentum building in terms of my exercise, as I have some plans coming up that involve a lot of running on my part. I need to be prepared. With that in mind, here are this weeks goals:

Weekly Diet Goal: Cook Dinner (or have cooked for me) Five Nights this Week

I know I'm going out to a Valentine's Day man date with my friend tonight. Other than that, I have no other dinner plans. If anyone wants to come help me achieve this goal, just come on over or invite me over if you live near Baltimore. Cooking dinner myself helps monitor and control my caloric intake. Also, it's pretty fun cooking with others, especially if they actually know what they are doing and can teach me.

Weekly Exercise Goal: Hit the Gym Two times and Walk Four Times

I'm trying to be realistic about going to the gym. My work schedule varies between working 7-4, 8-5 and 9-6 weekly. This week is 9-6 and I hate going to the gym after work and then have to cook dinner afterwards on my late week. So therefore, I am trying to go to the gym before work during my 9-6 week. Other weeks I will go after work and will try to go at least three times. I'm hoping if I can get into a groove going before work, that I can keep it going and add a trip or two.

So thats the latest from me. I really want to put up another big number at the next weigh-in. I know eventually I'll hit a wall and it will be harder to lose, so the more I lose now the better. Also, it's starting to get a little warmer and I need to get the bod in shape to show off to all the ladies without Valentines. Come find me if you're looking. I'm kind of like 7-11, I'm not always doing business but I'm always open ;)

Week 5 Update Feeling Normal - Gargantuar

It is amazing how vastly unappreciated "feeling normal" is until you feel like absolute crap for a week. The only other time you fully apprciate feeling normal is after a raging hangover. I still don't feel comlpetely back to normal, but enough so that I might start trying to do some walking and other activities. Plus, it's supposed to be like 50 F outside this weekend, so that should be awesome. I honestly don't think I have any plans so it would be pretty good to get outside and do something. Even if it's walking in the city shopping or to get nice healthy lunch. Hit me up if you live in Baltimore and these things appeal to you.

Again, I didn't have any goals this week, other than feel better. Well I do feel much better and I'm also pretty excited about some changes I've noticed. On Wednesday I did a little grocery shopping and when I was out, I decided I wanted some ice cream. I bought a pint of Ben and Jerry's and later that night opened it up to enjoy. Now the old Nick would have housed the whole thing, no questions asked. But I ate the top layer, probably not even a 1/4 of the pint and was satisfied and didn't even want any more. It used to be whatever was in front of me, I ate it, no thinking or whatever. From my month plus of dieting, I now know how to eat till I'm full and stop. This is a pretty big deal to me as I feel like this is a life time of thinking reversed, and is a huge component of the reason I was over 300lbs in the first place.

It's changes like that one above that I hope to maintain as "lifestyle" changes. These are the things that, even when not dieting, are just good practices to maintaining a healthy life. I just spent 20 minutes trying to think of a funny line to end this blog. I should have spent 30 minutes.

Month One Review/Month Two Preview

Well I got some good news Sunday with the results. It really validates all the work and sacrifice that I've gone through the last month. At the same time, I'm keeping everything in perspective.

1. 309.8 was the heaviest I'd ever been. When I used to diet I was starting at 285 or 280. There is still a long way to go.



2. This is month one. The first month is usually the easiest as there is a lot of water weight to lose and your body is not used to the changes in your lifestyle.



3. Psychotron didn't even exercise this last month. Plus after losing the first month. He will probably be looking to redeem himself.

4. The competition is % lost since the last weigh-in. So what happened last month is nulled.

For these reasons, I can not become complacent. If I do I will lose month two and more importantly, stop losing weight. Let's take a look at my month one raw data

Total Calories: 49971
Number of Days: 29
Average Daily Calories: 1723
Starting Weight: 309.8
Ending Weight: 289.6
Change in Weight: 20.2lbs.
Change in Weight (%): 6.52

All in all a pretty great start. On top of those numbers I went to the gym 7 times and walked at work approximately 12 of 18 days I was at work. Of course I always have some opportunities to improve. I can go to the gym more consistently. Keep searching for different healthy food ideas to keep the diet from going stale. Also, once the weather is a bit warmer, I will make sure to play tennis once a week. I have been playing tennis ever since I was a little kid, and there are courts nearby which will make it easier to commit to.

I am still battling being sick. I've only once went to work since last Wednesday and because of being sick, I'm not having any weekly goals. My goal is to get healthy again so I can be more active.

Weigh-In Week Update - Gargantuar

I'm sooooo siiiick. Ugh. Everything hurts. Luckily it's not a stomach bug because those suuuuuck. But ever since Tuesday evening, I've been pretty miserable. I even had tickets to go see "The Jersey Boys" (which is supposed to be a really good play) tonight in Baltimore, but can't make it. I was also invited to see the Caps game last Tuesday, but couldn't go. Boo my life. I only hope that everything clears up before the weekend so I can have some fun and get ready for THE BIG WEIGH-IN!!!

Weigh-in Week Diet Goal - No More Than 2100 Calories on Superbowl Sunday

Well the up side to being so sick is I haven't really been eating that much. I've been sleeping all the time and have not felt good enough to house some food. But as far as Superbowl Sunday goes, I have some pretty good recipes to make that are healthy.

Cucumber Yogurt Dip with Baked Pita Chips

A good appetizer side dish that is pretty easy to make and much better for you than any ranch or cheesy dip

Seafood Nachos with low-fat cheese and Baked Tostito Chips

Cuts down on Calories and fat with the Baked tostitos and low-fat cheese and is pretty delicious still

I plan on tasting a few of the unhealthy options that are there but will make sure to keep track of what I eat

Weigh-In Week Exercise Goal - Walk 10,000 Steps 4 days this Week

The bad thing about being sick is I have basically had zero activity since Monday. Monday I did reach 10.000 steps, which included normal everyday walking, plus a walk at lunch and once I got home. Since then I left work early Wednesday and have barely moved since. I don't feel too bad about not making this goal, as there was nothing I could do, but it does suck being cooped up in my house. If I start feeling better at all this weekend I may try to take a few walks just to do something active.

So the big weigh-in is Sunday and I'm pretty stoked to see how I've done. I only weighed myself once and that was on a different scale so it could be inaccurate. I hope for the best for Psychotron. May he have lost exactly as much weight as I have, so that I win based on percentages. I'm kind of greedy :)

Weigh-In Week - Gargantuar

So right now everyone should be hearing Europe's "The Final Countdown" blasting in your head. Everyone should be on the edge of their seat in anticipation of "The Big Weigh in" this sunday. I know there is some silly football game on as well, but who really cares about that. I'm pretty stoked about what I think will be a huge day for both Psychotron and myself, but a little less huge than a month ago.

Week 3 Diet Goal - Get back on track

I had a really good week last week getting back on the wagon. I did have one meal out at a restaurant that was pretty unhealthy. A big bacon cheese burger and fries. BTW...it was delicious. I think its pretty ok to have a meal or two a week that is not part of the diet. It keeps you from going insane and it helps that little craving. All in all it was a great diet week. I even was able to drink a lot on Saturday night as I ate really well earlier that day.

Week 3 Exercise Goal - Do More

I have been in the groove of walking at work again which is definitely a good thing. I also went to the gym twice this week, which is better than in the past. Last Sunday, I went to the gym by my brother's house and used an Arc Trainer. It's kind of like an elliptical but a bit more intense. The motion it has you do is almost like doing stairs or running uphill. I could only use it for five minutes before I had to switch to the treadmill. My upper thighs were killing me as they don't get worked out really on a treadmill. It seems pretty cool and I definitely liked it, I'm just not there yet. I did do some lifting and added a bunch of leg presses to try to work my thighs. Who knows, maybe the Arc will be for me in a few weeks.

Weigh-In Week Diet Goal - No more than 2100 calories on Superbowl Sunday

So this week's goal is about a single day. And 2100 calories may seem pretty easy, but anyone who has dieted now knows about how loaded with calories the junk food we eat during the Superbowl is. Also, it's just so readily available and delicious, it's hard to stop eating. I was originally going to say 2000, but what the heck, I have 100 calorie safety net now.
So in order to stick to the 2100 calorie Sunday I have implemented an action plan:

1. Don't drink any calories - That mean no alcohol, but that's ok as it's Sunday and I have to work the next day.
2. Make my own food - I am making a trip to Battle Marshal Eddie's house early that day to watch the Caps vs Pens hockey game. While there I have a few recipes I will make that will cut down on my caloric intake. If the food in front of my face is healthier I can eat more of it.
3. Know what I'm putting in my body - If I don't know how to calculate the calories, clearly I will lose track and that leads to bingeing.

Weigh-In Week Exercise Goal - 10,000 steps 4 days this week

While visiting my brother he gave me a pedometer that he had but never opened. It's used for counting steps. They say that 10,000 steps a day is approximately 5 miles. I went to bed wearing the pedometer set at zero and will monitor every step I take. I tend to walk a good amount for work, and have been walking during work so I think I can get to 10,000 pretty easily. I'll keep you guys updated about how many steps I am doing.

So there is the game plan. I want this week to go well so I can dring home to gold in the first weigh-in. I will update later this week, and try to get some pics on Sunday for the Weigh-In special post.

Vegas Recap/Week 3 Goals - Gargantuar

This is how I feel after 4 and a half days in Las Vegas, Nevada. Let's just say me and "Mr. Jameson" are not on speaking terms for a while. I did have a lot of fun, won some money, drank quite a bit and ate lots of delicious food but lets see how the diet and exercise goals came along.



Diet Goal - No eating after 10pm

I am surprised to say that I never did eat after 10 pm the whole trip. Sometimes that meant eating dinner at 9pm or sometimes that just meant I was too busy drinking and gambling to think about eating. The Tron and spoke briefly about this last night. I never really noticed how much I ate out of boredom or just because it was there. Keeping yourself occupied/not having the food around keeps you from eating when you shouldn't. But when I did eat in Vegas, it was almost always not healthy. Big steak dinners, greasy breakfasts, and other such foods. This plus the almost constant alcohol drinking while awake caused my overall calorie count to skyrocket. Hey, it's Vegas baby.

Exercise Goal - Go to the Gym 3 times this week

So as you may recall, I went to the gym the Tuesday before I left. It was awesome and really felt great to be there and I felt great afterwards. I got to my hotel on Thursday and immediately scoped out where the gym was so I could make my way there Friday morning. As I unpacked I realized I had forgeotten my gym shoes in my car at home. I knew they were in there and was supposed to grab them on the way out the door. I did end up goig to the gym Saturday morning and just wore my brown shoes. I walked on the treadmill for about 20 minutes before I decided to call it quits.

One good thing about staying on the Strip in Vegas is everything is so close. My dad and I decided that if it was within a mile of our hotel on the strip, we would walk there. So when we went out to eat or check out a bar or hotel, we walked there and back. It wasn't the brisk walking I do for exercise, but it still was something that I felt good about.

Week 3 Diet Goal - Get back on track

Like Psychotron and his "Do More" goal, I myself can be vague about my goals. Really what I'm trying to this week is get back in my pre-Vegas routine. This is the time in a diet plan that can easily get derailed. I had a fun five days and it was great, but it's time to get back in the mindset of dieting and maintaining my smaller, spread out meals mentality. Before Vegas, my average per day calorie intake was around 1550 calories per day. I was eating well and not feeling hungry in between meals. It's time to get back to business.

Week 3 Exercise Goal - Do More.

Ok, so this one is a tribute (ripoff) from The Psycho one himself. But for me this means keep pushing myself in the gym. Making sure I'm trying to jog more than walk, or longer distances, or more weight when I lift. When I lift again next week if I can do a little more weight, or jog half the time I am on the treadmill I will feel like I am "Doing More."

So that is the latest from me. The first weigh in will be in two weeks on Superbowl Sunday. I know both of us have lost at least some weight, it will come down to who wants it more. Feel free to leave your predictions/thoughts/telephone number (if you are a single female) in the comments below.

Week 2 - Prepping for Las Vegas - Gargantuar

Hello...How bout that ride in? I guess that's why they call it Sin City hahaha...

So this time tomorrow I will be arriving in Las Vegas with my dad. I asked him if he ever saw "The Hangover"? He texted me:

"Seen it and no I'm not pulling my tooth out"

So I guess we won't get too crazy but we have been at some pretty epic blackjack tables in the past, so hopefully we can find something like that again. But even though I will make sure to have a good time and won't be strict on my diet, I still have a game plan and want to be mindful of a few things. Here's an update on week 2 and plan for Las Vegas.

Diet Goal - No eating after 10pm

So far so good, although I didn't forsee any problems until I'm actually in Vegas. I usually eat dinner around 5:30 - 6pm, so if I do eat a snack after dinner, it's by 8pm.

Las Vegas Game Plan - Eat dinner later

There is no doubt that I will be on a different time schedule while in Las Vegas. My plan is to eat dinner around 7:30-8pm and if I do need to eat anything afterward, eat it by 10pm. What I've been doing really well so far, has been eating 5 or 6 times during the day, even if it's a few carrots or a yogurt. I'm sure I won't be able to maintain that while in Vegas but hey, it's a vacation.

Exercise Goal - Go to the gym 3 times this week

Last week I walked during my lunch break for 25-30 minutes everyday, and sometimes more in the afternoon. I am definitely continuing to do that as a lifestyle change. Not necessarily everyday, but more often than not. As far as the gym goes, I went last night for the first time. A good friend of mine went with me as well so that was fun. I walked briskly on the treadmill for 40 minutes, and then lifted weights for some back/shoulder/ab workouts, for about 20 minutes. It felt good to get my sweat on, and it didn't hurt to look at the chicas in tight clothes. I plan on going today after work once more as well.

Las Vegas Game Plan - Use the hotel gym

I am there for five days and four nights. Even if I use the gym one or two times, I will feel so much better about myself and my trip there. I'm sure I will get a decent amount of walking in too going up and down the strip.

I will try to post once more while in Las Vegas and will definitely update everyone about my success after I get back. Until then, my two man wolfpack will be looking for strippers and cocaine in the desert playground.

Week 1 Over/Week 2 Goals - Gargantuar

So the first week came to a close and I have to say I feel pretty good about myself. I accomplished both my diet and exercise goal for week 1.

Walking at work has proven to help me have some energy throughout the day and I can already tell a difference in my walking speed and stamina. Check out the following picture for a good reference.

Quite a difference a week makes. Just think how I'll look in 6 months...

What...no picture? Oh, I thought we had a picture there. Just imagine it for yourselves. I look good.

The diet for the last week has been going awesomely as well. This past Saturday I went to watch football and hang out at a friend's house with some friends. I did try a few of the less healthy snacks there, but mostly stuck to pretzels. I drank Rum and Coke Zeros which limited the calories and I only had about 5 as opposed to...oh I dunno...17...ish that I usually have. That night we played "Dance Central" for Xbox Kinect. It's just learning different moves for songs and then performing them. It was a lot of fun and surprisingly a good workout. I could seriously see me playing "Dance Central" a day or two a week for my workout. Well on to the next week...

Week 2

Diet Goal - No eating food after 10pm

This goal may seem a bit strange but it makes sense because I will be in Las Vegas for over half the week and into next week. Time has almost no meaning once you are in Las Vegas. Hours go by like minutes and before you know it, the sun is peaking in the window. Or would be if there were windows in Casinos. My goal is to make sure I eat dinner/snacks all before 10pm. It's easy to get food late at night, but hard to find healthy options. Plus if I do go to bed by 1am (that may be a stretch) I won't want to have just eaten.

Exercise Goal - Go to the gym 3 times this week

So I'm all set up at a Bally's by my work, that also has another location is White Marsh with a racquetball court that a friend of mine goes to. I will definitely have to hit that up soon. But for this week, I will try to go to the gym at least once before I leave for Sin City and also go to the hotel gym while there in Vegas.

I think both of these goals are pretty manageable and will still allow me to have a good time while out of town with my dad. Hopefully I will post before I leave and maybe once again from the road. And when I come back, maybe I will be a tiny bit richer and will buy everyone a Segway.

Week 1 Update - Gargantuar

The first week of the competition is well underway. Both The Tron and myself have been sharing our plans and our status. While the Tron is livin' it up Disney World style, I'll be livin' it up "Rocky IV" style.

Bundled up trudging through snow, chopping copious amounts of wood, pulling large objects (and people) behind me for no reason...as per usual. All in the name of losing weight and winning the Cold War against the Soviet Commies.

Man, I sure do look good on my hands and knees. Best of luck to you, Psychotron, on your trip. You commie bastard.

Diet Goal - Bring Lunch Everyday to Work

So far so good. I'm also excited about a side goal of mine, spacing out my meals. I usually eat a piece of fruit driving to work, i have oatmeal an hour or so later for breakfast. For lunch I've been eating a Lean Cuisine or left overs and then a yogurt an hour or so later. I have carrot sticks for snacking in the mid afternoon. And besides the Coke Zero last Sunday, I have yet to have another soda, just water.

Exercise Goal - Walk at Lunch Everyday

A pretty easy starting goal and maybe I should have challenged myself more, but I have been walking everyday at work for 25-30 minutes. There is usually a lot of down time too in the midafternoon, so I've been doing an extra lap or two around the office. I have joined a gym but have yet to actually go. I think I will have to check it out today or tomorrow and set a goal soon about going more often.

Next week is my challenging week as I leave for Las Vegas on Thursday January 20th. I'm sure I will be doing a lot of walking, but also a lot of drinking. At least my hotel should have a gym for me to use.