This morning we started week two of our 10-week contest. My wife and I both lost exactly five pounds this week. I would love to be able to continue at that pace, but past experience tells me that, after week one, two to three pounds per week is about the most I can expect.
I weighed in this morning at 245 pounds and 41% bodyfat.
This morning I added more jogging intervals into my walk on the treadmill, per the c25k program. When I stepped off the treadmill after 40 minutes, I felt great! I said to my wife, just like I wrote here yesterday, "why can't it always be this easy?" When I feel so good after a workout, I just can't imagine not wanting to exercise.
I stopped off at the store yesterday and bought a few more Lean Cuisine meals. Then I got home and had the Sesame Chicken. It was probably the best microwave meal I've ever had. I was really surprised at how good it was. Today for lunch, I tried the Sesame Stir-fry with Chicken. It was nearly as good. Since the sale ends Tuesday, I think I'll have to go back this weekend and really stock up. I could easily live off these meals for a very long time. With the built in portion control and ease of preparation, they may be just the thing I need to establish some long-term healthy eating habits.
If Jared can lose 200 pounds eating the same Subway sandwich every day, I can surely lose 85 pounds eating a wide variety of Lean Cuisine meals. In fact, I've often told my wife that I'd have no trouble losing weight if I was rich enough to hire a personal chef to prepare healthy meals for me every day. I am discovering this week that some of these LC meals are a pretty darn good substitute for that chef I'll never have.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Why can't it always be this easy?
I've been feeling really motivated to eat well and exercise this week. If I could always feel this way, I would be in much better shape both physically and mentally.
When I feel like this it is very easy to do the right things. The morning I began this competition, last Friday, I was greeted at my office by two dozen glazed Krispy Kremes. We don't have donuts here very often, and when we do, most people only eat one or half of one. So I'm like the office dog, eating what everybody else leaves behind.
I was very surprised to find Krispy Kremes there and I knew I could easily eat half a dozen or more and nobody would care. Instead, I only had one -- knowing that I could easily work it into my calorie count for the day. No guilt. No setback. No raging desire to go back into the kitchen for more. It was just that easy.
Likewise, today I was greeted with a basketful of hostess cakes -- cupcakes, twinkies, zingers, ding-dongs, etc. Again, I could have had as many as I wanted. I decided not to have any. Sure, I could work one into my calorie count today, but I'd rather not. The crazy thing is, I don't really care. And I'm not depriving myself. I'd let myself have one if I were having mad cravings, but I'm not. This must be what it feels like to be one of those naturally skinny people who just don't crave fatty foods.
Like I said, if it were always this easy, I'd be very fit right now. If only I knew how to keep it this way.
When I feel like this it is very easy to do the right things. The morning I began this competition, last Friday, I was greeted at my office by two dozen glazed Krispy Kremes. We don't have donuts here very often, and when we do, most people only eat one or half of one. So I'm like the office dog, eating what everybody else leaves behind.
I was very surprised to find Krispy Kremes there and I knew I could easily eat half a dozen or more and nobody would care. Instead, I only had one -- knowing that I could easily work it into my calorie count for the day. No guilt. No setback. No raging desire to go back into the kitchen for more. It was just that easy.
Likewise, today I was greeted with a basketful of hostess cakes -- cupcakes, twinkies, zingers, ding-dongs, etc. Again, I could have had as many as I wanted. I decided not to have any. Sure, I could work one into my calorie count today, but I'd rather not. The crazy thing is, I don't really care. And I'm not depriving myself. I'd let myself have one if I were having mad cravings, but I'm not. This must be what it feels like to be one of those naturally skinny people who just don't crave fatty foods.
Like I said, if it were always this easy, I'd be very fit right now. If only I knew how to keep it this way.
Lean Cuisine
I've never cared much for most microwave meals, but they sure are convenient. Since convenient access to healthy food is vital for me to establish and maintain a healthy eating routine, I need to have some on hand.
So, I went to the grocery store and found Lean Cuisines on sale for $1.99 each. They are normally nearly $4.00. So I bought 20 of them. Surprisingly, I am finding that they are pretty good -- much better than I remember from when I worked at Stouffer's back in the day.
While I believe fresh foods are a healthier option, I am finding that having these Lean Cuisines on hand is getting me off to a good start. I've had one for lunch and one for dinner each of the past two days. They actually have enough in them to satisfy my hunger, though they certainly don't leave me feeling stuffed. Of course, that's a good thing. If I needed bigger portions, I can just add a salad or some vegetables to the microwave meal. For example, last night I ate half a can of peas along with my microwave lasagna - just to make sure I was getting some veggies and to make sure I got full enough to not need to snack between dinner and bedtime. It worked.
Healthy breakfast eating has never been too hard for me as long as I can avoid the sugar cereal. Ive been eating things like yogurt/fruit smoothies, oatmeal and a banana, and eggs with a multigrain toaster waffle. And I have plenty of whole-grain Total on hand if I feel like eating cold cereal.
I also started the Couch to 5k yesterday, adding 60 second jogging intervals into my walking on the treadmill. Today was a rest day, so I did not add jogging intervals, but I still walked for nearly an hour.
If my scale continues to cooperate, I should be down 5 pounds for my end of week one weigh-in tomorrow morning.
So, I went to the grocery store and found Lean Cuisines on sale for $1.99 each. They are normally nearly $4.00. So I bought 20 of them. Surprisingly, I am finding that they are pretty good -- much better than I remember from when I worked at Stouffer's back in the day.
While I believe fresh foods are a healthier option, I am finding that having these Lean Cuisines on hand is getting me off to a good start. I've had one for lunch and one for dinner each of the past two days. They actually have enough in them to satisfy my hunger, though they certainly don't leave me feeling stuffed. Of course, that's a good thing. If I needed bigger portions, I can just add a salad or some vegetables to the microwave meal. For example, last night I ate half a can of peas along with my microwave lasagna - just to make sure I was getting some veggies and to make sure I got full enough to not need to snack between dinner and bedtime. It worked.
Healthy breakfast eating has never been too hard for me as long as I can avoid the sugar cereal. Ive been eating things like yogurt/fruit smoothies, oatmeal and a banana, and eggs with a multigrain toaster waffle. And I have plenty of whole-grain Total on hand if I feel like eating cold cereal.
I also started the Couch to 5k yesterday, adding 60 second jogging intervals into my walking on the treadmill. Today was a rest day, so I did not add jogging intervals, but I still walked for nearly an hour.
If my scale continues to cooperate, I should be down 5 pounds for my end of week one weigh-in tomorrow morning.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
I'm still alive. For now.
Yeah, I'm still alive. But I've gone through a serious bout of depression and have become more fat that I've ever been. In addition, I am anxious and stressed out all the time.
I've always thought I would live a long life -- at least 80-90 years. However, with all the stress I feel all the time, and with my weight gain and high cholesterol, I have started to wonder if I will be one of those who have a heart-attack before they even hit 50. I'm 38 now and so out of shape I can barely stand up from a squatting position without holding on to something.
Of course the reason I am looking at my fitness blog right now is because I am trying to reverse this downward spiral. My mom has put together a Biggest Loser type contest with six two-person teams. We all have stupid team names like "skinny gunnabees" but one of my sisters and her husband named their team The Champions. And they honestly believe the contest is going to be a cakewalk for them to win. Apparently they underestimate the competitive spirits my wife and I have.
We started this past Friday (four days ago) and we are off to a pretty good start. I have been doing great with healthy eating and avoiding the junk food. But I've been a little slow getting the exercise going. I've been doing a few squats and push-ups here and there trying to get my muscles used to working again, but I really need to pick up the pace on the exercise. I walked for a mile and a half on the treadmill this morning and plan to start walking every day -- and eventually start running.
In fact, my wife and I are going to do the Couch to 5K program that I did a few years ago. On off-days, I plan to get back on the bicycle. If I can get into a routine of alternating running and cycling I will not only lose weight, but I will feel a lot better as well. I know the cycling I did last year was great for relieving stress.
So, I weighed in Friday morning at 250 with 42.6% bodyfat. That means I have at least 85 pounds of fat to lose. I guess I may have to change my 2009 pic to say 2010, since there's no way I'll see my abs in 2009. But I see no reason why I can't lose 60-70 pounds in 2009 and work on the rest for spring of 2010.
I've always thought I would live a long life -- at least 80-90 years. However, with all the stress I feel all the time, and with my weight gain and high cholesterol, I have started to wonder if I will be one of those who have a heart-attack before they even hit 50. I'm 38 now and so out of shape I can barely stand up from a squatting position without holding on to something.
Of course the reason I am looking at my fitness blog right now is because I am trying to reverse this downward spiral. My mom has put together a Biggest Loser type contest with six two-person teams. We all have stupid team names like "skinny gunnabees" but one of my sisters and her husband named their team The Champions. And they honestly believe the contest is going to be a cakewalk for them to win. Apparently they underestimate the competitive spirits my wife and I have.
We started this past Friday (four days ago) and we are off to a pretty good start. I have been doing great with healthy eating and avoiding the junk food. But I've been a little slow getting the exercise going. I've been doing a few squats and push-ups here and there trying to get my muscles used to working again, but I really need to pick up the pace on the exercise. I walked for a mile and a half on the treadmill this morning and plan to start walking every day -- and eventually start running.
In fact, my wife and I are going to do the Couch to 5K program that I did a few years ago. On off-days, I plan to get back on the bicycle. If I can get into a routine of alternating running and cycling I will not only lose weight, but I will feel a lot better as well. I know the cycling I did last year was great for relieving stress.
So, I weighed in Friday morning at 250 with 42.6% bodyfat. That means I have at least 85 pounds of fat to lose. I guess I may have to change my 2009 pic to say 2010, since there's no way I'll see my abs in 2009. But I see no reason why I can't lose 60-70 pounds in 2009 and work on the rest for spring of 2010.
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