Ugh!

Earlier today, I posted that I’ve been less than diligent about my healthy lifestyle over the last few weeks. I really struggled in February. Despite staying on track with my calorie goals and exercise during the beginning of the month, I actually hit a few days where I gained six pounds, then stayed there for a while.

When it finally started coming off again, it came off fast! I lost around 10 lbs in nine days, which was awesome… but it didn’t last long. I hit a week and a half of unfortunate events that really messed me up.

First, I had lunch with a friend at a chinese buffet (this is a killer for me). The next day, my step-dad had surgery and I had most of my meals at the hospital he was staying at. It’s amazing how bad for you hospital food can be! The weekend following the surgery was crazy, and I made poor food choices. By Monday, I had developed a severe Gout flare-up, which though it’s getting better, I’m still dealing with. I also fell on the ice in my driveway midweek, which messed up my back and hip. Needless to say, exercise didn’t happen like I would have wanted… and I’m just getting back up to speed physically.

So, with two ups, two downs, and a few less days this month than last, February was challenging. Here are my stats:

Measurements

• Weight: 334.4 lbs (335.8 last month, down 1.4)
• BMI: 47.98 (48.18 last month, down 0.31)
  
• Waist: 59.5 inches (59.5 last month, no change)
• Neck: 17.75 inches (17.75 last month, no change)
  
• Hips: 48.75 inches (48 last month, up 0.75)
• Chest: 53.5 inches (53 last month, up 0.5)

Photos

Front

Side

Back

Overlay

Thoughts

Well… I guess it could have been worse. I definitely wanted to lose more than 1.4 lbs, but losing ANYTHING is progress. On the other hand, I actually gained some in my chest and hips, which is annoying.

I included a fourth picture, this month. It’s my current side profile, with my original side profile from January 1st lined up and pasted over top of it in a see-through fashion. You can see the black outline of where I was, and where I am today. I may have had a hard month, but I’m motivated by this picture.

There were some other contributing factors that made February hard. Obviously, the Gout flare-up and the ongoing Arthritis that I take medication for has been a distraction. I also have Sleep Apnea, and my CPAP machine broke early in the month. It took quite a bit of fighting with our insurance company to get me a new one, and in the mean time, I slept miserably. I also made some new changes in how I’m scheduling work hours, so as to (hopefully) allow me to get more done, and hit the gym on a more consistent basis. I haven’t seen the benefits of these changes yet, but I trust things will level out soon.

Other than that, I just need to do the obvious. Get back to being incredibly anal about what I eat. Force myself to get on the exercise bike first thing in the morning. Make sure I go to the gym or use my home equipment for strength training. Take my medications, get enough sleep, etc. It’s not rocket science, I just got lazy… And I’ve repented of that, and am ready to go!

So, February was a hard month, but not a failure. I’m 16 lbs lighter than I was two months ago, and I’m motivated to keep moving. It’s March 1st, and as good a time as any to recommit to living healthy, not just for weight loss, but for a better longer life. If you’re doing this too, especially if you’ve been discouraged, KEEP MOVING!

I’d love to hear from you, so be sure to post a comment. And Congratulations to my friend Maria who has lost (over?) 20 lbs at this point. You rock!

After last week’s weigh-in ended up on Monday, it hit me that making that the usual posting day was probably a good idea. As a pastor, the weekends are hectic. Saturday is my day off with my family, and Sunday is usually busy with preaching, meetings, Bible studies, and other ministry things. So, Monday makes more sense, and I plan to do my weekly weigh-in post on Mondays for the forseeable future.

This week went very well. I’ve been more active with exercise than ever, though I wasn’t able to connect with my gym partner at all this week. I’m loving my recumbent bike and Total Gym though, because they keep me on track very well. We converted half of our dining room into a “home gym”, which [looks really ugly, but...] works well for our lifestyle.

This week’s statistics can be found after the jump:

Measurements

• Weight: 331.0 lbs (340.6 lbs last week)
• BMI: 47.49 (48.89 last week)

Thoughts

I’ve lost 9.6 lbs this week… And 19.4 lbs since January 1st. WOW! That probably has to do with upping my cardio to as much as an hour most days, and also being active doing “non exercise” things like digging cars out of snowbanks and whatnot. I’m VERY pleased.

I also discovered some unexpected benefits. When you’re out of shape, the simplest physical activities are hard. For example, walking out to the woods to go hunting in hilly terrain was hard for me last fall. This week I discovered that a number of things I used to get tired out from, aren’t making me nearly as tired. The most important one? Dancing with my daughter.

Moriah LOVES dancing. She’s 2 years old, and if the music has a beat, she likes to bounce. Diana and I have been listening to the soundtracks from Glee (No, I’m not ashamed!)… Saturday, Moriah says to me, “Daddy, I want to Bust a Move!” So we did! It was probably an abomination to see this fat white guy dancing around… but hey, my daughter was having fun, and I didn’t feel like dying from the activity. Praise God!

I’m hoping to keep increasing my cardio steadily until I hit at least an hour daily. Some folks have told me that seems like a lot, but it’s working to get me in shape, and to help me lose the weight rapidly, so I’m not complaining. I also want, badly, to get back into the gym… But that depends on other people’s schedules and whatnot. We’ll see.

For those of you who are doing your own health thing, keep working at it. Not every week is amazing, but it’s the overall trend you’re looking for, not just a week-to-week thing. Keep going!

Since I’ve been on this journey towards real health for a month now, it’s time to post my pictures and measurements as they stand today. I could have done it Saturday, but I wanted to make it a full calendar month by doing it on the first each month.

Anyway, I was quite surprised by the results. I had a hunch that I had lost a little bit of my size (I need to add another hole to a belt I have) but I realized this morning that this has been a VERY good month of progress! It’s been a similarly good month for Diana, which is extremely encouraging to me as well.

My stats, as I head into month two as a health nut, are after the jump:

Measurements

• Weight: 335.8 lbs (350.5 last month, down 14.6)
• BMI: 48.18 (50.27 last month, down 2.09)
  
• Waist: 59.5 inches (61.5 last month, down 2)
• Neck: 17.75 inches (19 last month, down 1.25)
  
• Hips: 48 inches (50.5 last month, down 2.5)
• Chest: 53 inches (56 last month, down 3)

Photos

Front

Side

Back

Thoughts

I’ve lost nearly 15 lbs (nearly a half pound a day, average) and multiple inches off of my body. In just one month. I’m ECSTATIC! My energy level is up. My stress level is down. Two of the last few weeks were incredibly hard, with work, friendships and finances all rattled, but my blood pressure didn’t skyrocket, and I didn’t binge eat. Something is different. My life is different!

People always talk about how you can’t “just diet” to lose weight and be healthy, but rather that it really needs to be a “lifestyle change.” I am beginning to understand that more and more. I’ve made significant changes to my lifestyle over the past 31 days. I’ve cut back on calories, fat and sugar, and I document what I eat on LIVESTRONG.com I’ve increased my activity level, and hit the gym three times a week in addition to cardio. I’ve spaced my meals out so that I don’t eat a ton all at once, but rather tend to eat smaller meals more times a day. I’ve increased my intake of water dramatically, almost never drink regular soda-pop. Even when I do drink diet soda, I usually drink caffeine free (and most days only get the equivalent of one cup of coffee in my energy multivitamin).

I’ve changed a LOT. And I won’t lie to you, there have been days where it’s been tempting to cheat or quit. My Aunt has been one of the regular commenters on here, and she has encouraged me with a blunt statement that is very true:

Losing weight is not easy; if it were everyone would be thin.

It’s not easy. However, this month has proven to me that it’s worth it. I’m healthier. I’m happier. My wife is healthier and happier, too. Our marriage has grown in ways I didn’t expect. We work better, both as a team, and independently. We communicate goals and plans better. We celebrate each other’s wins. We have more energy. Our parenting is stronger. We’re less stressed; more focused. And, frankly, our romance has rebooted. Yeah, this month has been worth it… And I’m not going back to the old way!

Due to the chaos of life, this post is going to be a quick one. However, the good news is that I did manage to lose weight again this week, and increase my physical activity. I also found a local spot to get some healthy Mexican food. Those of you who know me know that this is a wonderful thing, though it may not be good for my budget!

I said last week that I had been through the hardest week of 2010 thus far, and not just in the realm of healthy living. Well, this week blew last week away in that department, and got even more difficult at times. However, in the midst of it all I see God at work in the lives of myself and my family, and I can’t help but be thankful. And I haven’t been binge-eating because of stress, so that’s a great sign!

This week’s statistics can be found after the jump:

Measurements

• Weight: 336.6 lbs (342.2 lbs last week)
• BMI: 48.29 (49.10 last week)

Thoughts

With 5.6 lbs lost this week, and at 1.6 lbs less than my previous lowest point, I’m very pleased. In just about a month, I’ve lost 13.8 lbs! While I’m not at liberty to divulge details, I’m VERY pleased to say that my wife, Diana, has lost also lost 13 pounds since the first of the year! She’s got a great group of trusted confidants that she is accountable to, and it’s been great to see her making progress too.

The neat thing is that while we’re both doing things differently (I’m counting calories, hitting the gym, and blogging; she’s being mindful of what she eats, doing cardio at home, and connecting with a few close friends), we’ve found things that work for us. My approach fits my work schedule, my goals, and my personality. Diana’s does the same for her, which is why it’s a different plan. Yet we find ways to encourage one another, which is awesome. I’m certain that those who get spousal encouragement in weight loss end up with higher rates of success than those who get apathy or discouragement from their spouse. I’m sure someone has done a study on it, but it’s just common sense.

With January essentially over, I’m looking forward to seeing what February will bring. This is just about the longest that I’ve been consistent with a “diet” in the past, but since it’s no longer just a diet, but a true focus on a healthy lifestyle, it’s been a lot easier. I’ve had to make some adjustments (I’m aiming closer to 2000 calories than 1600, like I was originally… I felt like I was starving all the time), but it’s doable, especially with added exercise. If you’re working on your own weight loss plan, and trying to get fit, keep it up!

I’ve been aiming for 1,600-1,800 calories per day, and with the exception of yesterday, I hit that goal completely. Diana and I have both been eating much healthier, which has made it even easier to do. She isn’t counting calories the same way I am, but she is making a real effort to be more mindful of what she eats, and it shows; she’s looking great!

In addition to eating pretty well, I started something this week that was both intimidating and exciting to me: working out at a gym. I had figured I’d join the Carthage YMCA when I got down to around 300 lbs. However, when it came up at church that I had repented of gluttony and am now trying to get healthy, a friend and NCF covenant member, Josh Tash, asked me to join him at the gym on lunch breaks. Josh is a combat medic with the 10th Mountain Division, and he works out with a buddy from his unit regularly at Magrath and Pine Plains gyms on Fort Drum. It was awesome of him to invite me to tag along, and honestly, I’ve loved it. I hope to blog specifically about this experience later this week, as time allows.

Nevertheless, the week wasn’t perfect. I didn’t do nearly as much cardio as I planned. I used the fact that the week was busy as an excuse, but that doesn’t cut it. I know I need to make cardio a daily part of my life, and I plan to get my butt in gear – literally – this week. My other “naughty” moment was dinner last night. Diana and I had taken a trip into town to get a loaner CPAP machine (another blog post for the week, I hope), and it was past dinner time. The kids were starving, and we decided to have a “cheat meal” as suggested by Donny in the comments on the first post. We didn’t go crazy, but food from a Chinese buffet is hard to count. That said, and since I hadn’t planned lunch around a high-calorie dinner, I’m not sure how bad I went over my calories for the day. Anyway, the meal was tasty, satisfying, and fun for the family. We need that now and then!

The week’s statistics can be found after the jump:

Measurements

• Weight: 340.0 lbs (344.2 lbs last week)
• BMI: 48.78 (49.38 last week)

Thoughts

I’m down another 4.2 pounds! And I’ve got a total loss of 10.4 pounds. For a brief moment, I even saw the 330′s for the first time in ages! I’m pleased with my progress. It’s been interesting to pay more attention to my body’s cues for food and water, and to learn what and when I can eat certain things. I’ve also had a lot more energy since I’ve started weight lifting, and I’ve found that it can even cure the groggy sleep-apnea headaches that I often wake up with.

I’m excited to keep working towards a truly healthy lifestyle. Adding cardio in this week (which I simply *have* to do… probably first thing every morning) should make a pretty good impact on my already-decent progress. I didn’t have a chance to share my specific health goals with you since the last weigh-in, but I have a few things I want to blog about in the next few days if time allows. We’ll see!

One last thing: as I said last week, I’ve been truly overwhelmed with support from people both online and off. Each one of you who have commented here, on Facebook and Twitter, through email and in person have been a big blessing to me. Thanks, folks!

On the good side, I had cravings for a variety of foods, including Taco Bell Nachos, Stefano’s Garlic Knots, and Lays Sea Salt and Vinegar Kettle Chips (No wonder I’m fat!) but I was good, and I didn’t give in. I tracked all my food with LIVESTRONG, and my eating habits were all good calorie-wise. I did find that LIVESTRONG was advising me to eat around 2,300 calories a day, but when I did that I’d maintain my weight. When I aimed for 1,800 (500 less calories a day translates on paper to one pound a week) I had significantly better loss results. I’m always feeling “hungry” whether I’m eating 2,300 or 1,800, so I just consider that a psychological habitual-hunger and ignore it.

On the bad side, I did “give in” regarding the area of exercise, but I think it was warranted. I got sick on January 1st, and it took pretty much all of this week to get back up to speed with my normal energy level and appetite. I did not add in the cardio or weight-training that I had hoped for, since there were times that I could barely function let alone pedal a bike. Since cardio didn’t happen last week, it starts today.

Nevertheless, I did say it was a good week. Here’s why:

Measurements

• Weight: 344.2 lbs (350.4 lbs last week)
• BMI: 49.38 (50.27 last week)
  

Thoughts

I lost 6.2 lbs in eight days of counting calories! I’m amazed at that number, and while I am certain that it will slow down as I go, it’s a great encouragement to start off with such a good loss. Additionally, I lost nine-tenths of a BMI point, and moved myself out of the super-obese classification back to morbidly obese, if only just barely. I’ll take a “just barely” when it’s an improvement like that any day of the week.

If I’m honest, part of me wants to keep on eating like I did, and just ignore the issue. That’s why I keep having those cravings; if I didn’t like the food I used to eat, I wouldn’t have been eating it. However, I’ve been overwhelmed with support from people both online and off, and I’m excited about the progress I’m already seeing. I didn’t do the tape measurements this week, as I think I’m going to do them monthly, but Diana already says she sees a improvement in my waist. My wife thinking I’m hotter is something else I’ll take any day of the week!

I’m excited to continue this, and will be posting later on about some of my specific weight and fitness goals, as well as some neat ways I’ll be working towards them. Did I mention that I’m going to be working out at an Army gym? Now THAT will give me some intimidation motivation!