Andy's rise to the challenge

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Hey thanks for stopping by Cord,
I've been lurking around these forums daily, and I read a post you made that reminded me that I need to be accountable to my diary through the good AND bad times. Last weekend, I totally binged on nonhealthy food, because I figured I had had a stellar week. However, the scale slammed me back down to reality when it showed I had gone up 3 pounds! I know using a scale isn't the best way to judge fitness, but it was def trending upwards, which was counter to what I am trying to do here.

Anyways, back on track now with my early workouts. I'm trying a new workout routine, where instead of pushing my heart rate to 170-175 for 10 minutes, I'm going at a steady 150 for 20 minutes. I will see how effective it is at the end of this week. Also, with my strength training, im still alternating days with different muscle groups, but doing more reps with the same weight, instead of raising up each time. The last thing I want to do is burn out from going at it too hard haha.

On the food front, I finally got myself over to Target and purchased a George Foreman griller. I've had some excellent grilled chicken for dinner the past 2 nights :) Supplemented with a side of steamed veggies, and I'm beginning to eat sensible dinners! scary thought. Also added some Total bran cereal (with skim milk) with granola sprinkled on top for breakfast, along with my routine whey shake. Its the weekends im dreading. I rarely drink my gallon of water when I am at home on the weekends, and its the time when I am most likely to slip up. But I am gonna focus on good eating this weekend, so we will see how it goes!

Anyways, quick weigh in this morning. Down to 341.6 Close to 340!
 
I used to have one of those Foreman grills. It worked fine, but I found it hard to clean. Then the teflon started coming off, so I tossed it. Now I mainly just cook leaner meats - especially buffalo/bison.

Maybe I just didn't clean it carefully enough or something. I found the crusted on charred stuff to be very hard to clean off.
On the other hand, my sister-in-law has no problems keeping hers perfect, but then she is a clean freak. :)
 
So true, since ive used the grill, it takes about 10 minutes to fully cook something, and at LEAST 10 minutes to fully clean it. However, the food it makes is pretty outstanding so far, so I'll keep using it.
 
Good morning so far. Did my weigh in before I hit the gym, and I finally saw 339.6. So its progress! Food was largely the same. I'm finding that if I can find a good balance to bring to lunch everyday, I don't eat a very big dinner. Not sure if thats a good thing, since dinner has historically been the large end-day meal, but the results are showing that as long as I am not hungry, it really doesn't matter.

I am a little worried about tomorrow. I know I'm going to cave in, and drink a few beers and eat a few burgers, but I am still holding out that it won't get out of hand ;)

ENJOY THE FIREWORKS!
 
Had a great weekend. Didn't exercise much, but I did catch some great sun in our pool all weekend :) I must say that my eating was in control all weekend, and I am pretty happy about that, since I messed it up so bad 2 weekends ago.

This morning got up extra early to get a fresh start for the week. walked a mile on the treadmill to warm up for the morning, then I did my arms/shoulder circuit. Finished up with a mile on the eliptical (which really worked me hard). I've been noticing that even after I finish working out, cooldown, get home, and take a shower, I still sweat from my brow. I think its just because my heart rate is still excellerated, but its a minor nuisance.

Anyways, got my whey shake and my bowl of total cereal in, and im feeling good! Will update after dinner.

EDIT: I forgot I weighed in at 339, which is a nice low after the weekend. Im looking to work on that number this week. Who knows!
 
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Way to enjoy the weekend, I know I did! Also, I have to commend you on working out in the mornings. It's a great way to get your day started with lots of energy. I need to do that! Keep it up!
 
Thanks for stopping by Banshee! Support is always welcomed lol.

Nothing much to update lately. Keeping on with the strict food guidelines, but its much more routine now that I am getting used to it. I have been really slacking on the gym lately. Just been feeling more tired when I get up at 6 every morning. Its strange. When I get 6 hours of sleep, I wake up feeling good to go. But if I try and get more (7-8) I wake up really groggy. Seems backwards, I know.

I've tried committing to going after work, but in the PM I get easily distracted with what my housemates are doing, and I usually end up skipping the gym to watch a movie, or swim or just hang out.

Anyways, to make it easier on myself, I have packed up my gym clothes in duffel bag, and I'm gonna try and strike up the nerve to go to the gym near my work (same company), during peak times :S

I figure it will be easier to ensure I get my time in, and also I'll be able to miss traffic on the way home ;)
 
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Ugh, thin walls and loud roomates make it tough to try and get some serious shuteye!

I totally spaced last night that I was supposed to meet up with a friend for her birthday at a bar, I went skipped afternoon gym. Had a good time, relaxed with two light beers. Felt pretty good about that.

I was determined to get back in my routine this morning, and I managed to get back to the gym. I think since I took a few days off, the workout was that much more intense. Even as I was warming up the heart rate, I could tell it was going to be a tough workout. Ended up doing 2.15 miles on the eliptical, doing around 25 mins total. I prefer to use that machine over the treadmill, because it gives me best workout.

Halfway though my cardio, I did my arms/shoulders str training. Everything was going well, I was doing my normal reps when I came to the conclusion that I wasnt getting the resistance I was looking for. I jacked it up 10 pounds, and it was much better. Unfortunetly, doing one of my shoulder exercises, I tweaked a muscle in my back, right iinside of my left shoulder blade. :(:( I stopped doing my str training, but its sticking with me. I'm hoping its just a 24 hour strain, but either way I'm pretty annoyed. Bah, thats why I need to stretch better first!
 
Hey Andy,
Sounds like you're on the right track. One thing I did to make sure I get enough water is that I stopped drinking everything else but water. Normally when I work out I guzzle a ton of water, and if I take a day off of working out then I don't drink enough. This is my way of making myself work out daily.
I goofed though on Tue and didn't work out, therefore I didn't drink enough at all and ended up sick. I ended up guzzling a ton of water knowing that's what the problem was and felt fine (other than having to run to the restroom every hour lol). After I started drinking only water I tried some soda once (cause I was choking and had to drink something fast) and I couldn't even stand it anymore.
The same thing happened after I changed my diet around and cut out all sugar. I tried a piece of Lynn's candy once and it was WAY too sweet. Same with salt. Funny how our bodies adjust like that.
As far as your workouts go, it sounds like you may be a goal type person.. I know I am. What I did was start out just doing whatever, but recently I have made mini work out goals for myself. Like time on the treadmill for me can get boring, so now I make a little game out of it and have been setting goals for how fast I can get a mile. It makes me push myself and therefore workout harder than just being on the treadmill for 20 min. My final goal is 5-6min per mile (I'm nowhere close to this yet, although today I cut 1 min off of my mile).
Once I get to 8 min for a mile I'm going to do two miles.
I also do core training daily, and switch arms/legs every other day. Swimming is good too.
From what I've heard, cardio is best though, so I want to incorporate more cardio in my daily workouts... oh, and if you like to hit stuff, go get some boxing gloves.. it's a good cardio workout too!
Ok, I've rambled enough.. I'm glad you're here!! :)
~Annette
 
Which exercise were you doing when you tweaked your shoulder ? I also hope that is only a minor strain as there are a few smaller muscles in the shouder that form the rotator cuff that are commonly injured. Infraspinatus
 
Annette -

Thanks for stopping by! It always reminds me that people are rooting me on, even though its just a journel. I thought a lot about what you said. I work at a desk job, so I am pretty much sitting around for 8 hours a day. Its also been really slow as of lately, so it gives me time to reflect on what I am doing, and plan ahead for goals. One especially nice habit I have gotton into is drinking a consistent 132 ounces of water a day (which I believe is a little over a gallon). 2 33oz bottles before lunch, (1 treat diet soda with lunch) 2 33 oz bottles before I go home. This doesnt include the water I go through when I work out in the morning either! I bought a value pack of sugar/caffine free powder mix, and it makes drinking much more enjoyable. I highly recommend it. I do admit though, that on weekends, I don't even get close to my daily needs. This weekend, that will be a focus of mine.

Also, regarding what you said about goals, I have really been pushing myself to hit new highs. I hit a full 25 mins on the eliptical machine, which IMO gives me by far the most bang for buck outta the machines there. I maintained 4.5/5 mph, (HR at 150-160) and went around 3 miles. I was soaking in sweat :s, but it felt really good. I'm trying to tack on another five minutes every so often, while keeping up the pace. Then, Ill just try and maintain a higher pace with shorter time, and start building that way.

(Sorry about the looong response :D)

Tru- I searched for a picture of the machine, but I couldn't find any. It was a shoulder exercise primarily, where arms start out at a 90 degree angle parallel to the floor, and you push weights out mimicking the motion of flapping arms. haha, I know its a bit abstract, but I have faith you can figure it out :p Also, I woke up this morning, and its not bothering me nearly as much, so I imagine it was only a minor strain.



Anyways, to the actual journal....!

Got up and did some good healthy cardio. 25 mins on elip, 12 mins on treadmill (had to get home). The elip got me a hard workout, and the treadmill was really just a long cooldown. Im going to go a full 30 next week, I know I could have done it today if the machine hadn't turned off :(

I AM OUT OF FOOD. I need to go grocery shopping asap. So today, I improvised breakfast. Aside from my usual whey shake/skim milk, I poached 2 eggs, and put each one on a slice of whole wheat toast. It was pretty awesome! For lunch, tuna sandwich with a yogurt. Feeling pretty good.

Apologies for the marathon post. Hope everyone has an awesome weekend.
 
Andy,
Honestly when I started this I couldn't stand the taste of water at all. I made myself drink it plain though and after about a week I liked it.. now it's all I drink :)
I avoid the elip machine myself, because for some reason it hurts my legs a lot.. not like muscle, but like my bone ~shrug~ but I would think if you can use it go for it, it seems like it would be a good full body cardio workout. Of course the treadmill used to hurt my legs too but now that I'm in better shape it doesn't anymore, so maybe in time, who knows.
Don't let yourself get out of food if you can help it. For us, it's too much of a temptation to go out and eat if there's nothing here. Oh, and be careful with eggs too. Sometimes when I want eggs, I'll use one full egg and one egg white.
I work here at home sitting at my desk too.. what I do though is stand a lot instead of sitting, just trying to move around more instead of sitting ya know.
Even though you just started, you're an inspiration to us too :)
~Annette
 
welcome. it looks like you are very motivated and know what you want. i know how you feel about gaining weight in college...i'm with you. One day you look in the mirror and realize what you've done to yourself...now we're fixing it. Good luck to you and i'll lend you an ear if you need one :)
 
Annette -

Yea, I agree with the water bit. When I started, it felt as though it was really unnatural to drink THAT much water, but now its habit. When I dont have a full to semi full waterbottle nearby, it bugs me till I fill it up :) Also today, I did my strength training (the back pain is all but gone) and was able to move up 10 pounds every exercise. It isn't much, but at least its hard evidence that my body is responding. Also, I really had to push myself, but I did a full 30 mins of elip going 5+mph. 2.5 miles! Needless to say, I was drenched, and altogether pretty gross, but it felt pretty great!. Its funny too, because when I started working out, I was quitting at around 15 minutes going ~3.5 mph. So, reflecting on that, I can absolutly see my stamina and endurance being raised.
It really makes you feel like the skys the limit. Thanks for stopping by!

Tru - right on with the machine. It flared up a bit fri/sat, but sunday and this morning, I can't even feel it. In fact, I did my arms/shoulders circuit again this morning, and no problems! /flex Also did the 3x10 and raised the weights up. I was able to complete my sets, so I may experiment with a little more weight, but I think I'm close to where I am supposed to be. Thanks for the support!

Miriamm - Hey there! Thanks for coming by. College was a TON of fun, but its a bit evil that fast food outlets set up shop right by dorms. :mad: I look back on the rampant, unregulated diet I had, and it gives me chills haha. As far as I look at it, the most important thing is to try and remember what you learned, but really focus on what you CAN do now. Hope all is well with your journey!



WEEKEND UPDATE

Had a pretty low key weekend. I didn't get to work out at all, just busy busy busy, but I largely stuck on track with what I ate, so I am pretty happy about that. The only real splurge that comes to mind is a trip to chipotle. I got a bowl instead of a burrito, and just filled it with the essentials (rice/beans/salsa/chicken). My only qualm was that I ate the ENTIRE thing ;(. It made me full for the rest of the night....but it was really tasty!

Weighed in this morning, 337.8. I'm pretty happy about this, because I usually go up a bit on the weekends, but instead a have a tinsy net loss, which is AOK in my book. Though the loss is feeling particularly slow, its a lifestyle that I know I can live with, and I am only getting stronger through my workouts.

On the downside, its supposed to be 117 degrees out today. DRINK UP!
 
Hello everyone,

I am just checking out the threads, i just had sergury and is home in pain but will be fine. I like this thread it has alot of good information, thank you all for sharing.
 
HI Andy, I just wanted to stop by and commend you for taking the first steps toward a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes it can be so overwhelming when you have a lot to lose, but if you stick to the exercise, which is especially important, i think you'll find the lifestyle change to go that much smoother.

Best of luck, and I'll definitely check back in on your progress.

Oh, if you're interested, one of my favorite ways to cook boneless skinless chicken breast is to slightly pound them down (using a mallet) and marinate them with fresh lemon, lime, and orange juice. I then add a little bit of garlic and pepper and toss them on the grill. YUM. if you pound them down, you can cut them into strips and toss them in salads or make a low-fat wrap, or just about anything. theyre so versatile!

P.S. by marinate I mean get a ziplock and toss everything in there together and let it sit ;)
 
hey ymcachick-

Thank you for stopping by! I took your advice, and experimented with my chicken before I grilled it. Ended up looking for all the citrius I could, and all i could come up with was a lemon and a grapefruit :E

Anyways, I lightly pounded it, and rubbed in the lemon juice, then topped with a some pepper and grilled it. It was pretty amazing for how easy it was to make. So thanks for the input! I'll let you know if I find anything good.

SW 352.4
CW 336.4
GW 220.0
Been doing my exercise routine this whole week, except for this morning. Woke up in a daze, and I just decided that I would do it tonight instead. Made some tuna, and put it on whole wheat. Its been my lunch for the past 2 days, and I love it. Weigh in this morning shows 336.4, which is a new low. I'm thrilled I am losing weight, but it is such a slow, gradual process. Maybe 2-3 pounds a week. Still, I'm holding out that as soon as I hit some milestones (20 pounds, 30 pounds ect ect), my motivation will be backed, and I can start focusing on where I have come from, instead of where I still need to go.
 
Andy said:
Made some tuna, and put it on whole wheat. Its been my lunch for the past 2 days, and I love it.
Click to expand...

MMM, I love TUNA!

Weigh in this morning shows 336.4, which is a new low. I'm thrilled I am losing weight, but it is such a slow, gradual process. Maybe 2-3 pounds a week.
Click to expand...

2-3 pounds a week is awesome brother! :hurray:

[/QUOTE]Still, I'm holding out that as soon as I hit some milestones (20 pounds, 30 pounds ect ect), my motivation will be backed, and I can start focusing on where I have come from, instead of where I still need to go.[/QUOTE]

:iagree:You are doing awesome! Have you been taking pictures and measurements? I know that they can be more a support for your efforts rather than relying on the scale alone.
 
Hey Banshee -

Thanks for stopping by! Yea, I've been eating tuna like its going out of style. Last night for dinner, ate some grilled chicken with hot sauce. It was SO good.

Anyways, quick update, weighed in this morning. Pretty happy with the results.

SW 352.4
CW 333.6
GW 220.0

getting pretty dang close to 20 under.
 
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