So, my second week's commitment was to avoid all sugared sodas, drinks, etc... and after a week of that, I weighed myself, and still 264. So I haven't lost any weight, but I'm already feeling better.
I didn't make any new commitments this week, just more of the same...but next week I'm going to give up cheese. I have been eating a lot of cheese quesadillas lately, so starting monday, I'm giving up cheese. I'll weigh myself in a week and a half, and tell you how it goes.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
No Soda--Day 6
So I gave up carbonation a few days ago. It was a pretty tough thing to give up. I had been BINGING on soda big time, and mostly caffeinated--so with that binging, came an added addiction to caffeine. I was an equal opportunity soda drinker too, sugared, diet, and a ton of energy drinks. I think the day before my no-soda rule I drank 7 cans of Mountain Dew. Yum....
But again, my good friend Tom inspired me to drop one thing at a time, so this week I dropped all forms of Soda. With the exception of forgetting my caffeine supplements (excedrine) on Wednesday and suffering the consequences on Thursday, I did well. In fact, I made an exception Thursday to drink soda, as I had a massive migraine, complete with vomiting... So, not sure if it was a severe reaction to no caffeine, but that's what happened, and so I will instill a rule that whenever I'm sick, I'll still eat saltines, and wash them down with sprite--or in this case, Mountain Dew on the rocks. Sprite or 7-up were always the feel-better beverages of choice my mother gave me when I was a kid, and couldn't keep it down, coupled with saltines. I've often wondered if Saltines have calculated exactly how much of their sales comes from sick people.
Anyway, overall, a great week. I'm excited to drop something next week. It'll likely be sugared drinks--since this week, as a replacement for soda, I drank a ton of sugared sobes.
I'll weigh myself on Monday morning--My starting weight pre-no-soda was about 263.
Craig
But again, my good friend Tom inspired me to drop one thing at a time, so this week I dropped all forms of Soda. With the exception of forgetting my caffeine supplements (excedrine) on Wednesday and suffering the consequences on Thursday, I did well. In fact, I made an exception Thursday to drink soda, as I had a massive migraine, complete with vomiting... So, not sure if it was a severe reaction to no caffeine, but that's what happened, and so I will instill a rule that whenever I'm sick, I'll still eat saltines, and wash them down with sprite--or in this case, Mountain Dew on the rocks. Sprite or 7-up were always the feel-better beverages of choice my mother gave me when I was a kid, and couldn't keep it down, coupled with saltines. I've often wondered if Saltines have calculated exactly how much of their sales comes from sick people.
Anyway, overall, a great week. I'm excited to drop something next week. It'll likely be sugared drinks--since this week, as a replacement for soda, I drank a ton of sugared sobes.
I'll weigh myself on Monday morning--My starting weight pre-no-soda was about 263.
Craig
Monday, May 16, 2011
I'm starting over: One change at a time
Hello, I'm back.
A lot has changed in the past 2 years. I went from a life with just my wife and I, to now recently, welcoming a newborn into our life. So my health has become something I'm concerned about--cause I'm envisioning that day when my son wants to play catch, or run around, etc...and I don't want to weigh what I currently do. Since my last post, I've lost 25 lbs, then gained it all back and then some. The yo-yo. And I'm sick of it.
I talked to a good friend of mine yesterday, who has an almost identical body style to mine. His top weight a few years back was 260, which is what mine is now. He has lost 80 lbs, which is what I'd be THRILLED to lose. The way he did it? No pregnant-lady hormone injections, no elimination of carbs, no mail-order food plan. All he did was focus on ONE THING that he could change. His first change, he eliminated his cheese and crackers snack--replaced it with cheereos. Once he had successfully mastered that, he'd replace another bad habit with a good one--like replacing fast food lunches for sack lunches.
My brother did something similar a few years ago. He called it "start with what you can do". He'd make one minor change each week... and each week he'd lose a pound or two. Nothing significant. None of that "pound a day BS" you read about the pregnant-lady injections (HCG), but he lost 50 lbs in a year, and kept it off.
Anyway, here I go. My motivation is that in one year, when my boy is a lot heavier to hold, and a lot more active to keep up with...I don't want to be completely winded with a heart pounding like crazy when I run up the stairs. So here I go... I'm committed. One minor change at a time.
First Change: I'm eliminating soda. That's it. I'm also packing a lunch every day, but that's more to save money. I'll still eat out occasionally, but my first major change in life, I'm replacing my roughly 32 oz a day of soda, with water or crystal light.
I imagine my head will hurt like hell at first, which is why I'm going to start off by taking excedrine a few times a day to curb the caffeine cravings.
So here it goes... Thanks for reading.
Craig
A lot has changed in the past 2 years. I went from a life with just my wife and I, to now recently, welcoming a newborn into our life. So my health has become something I'm concerned about--cause I'm envisioning that day when my son wants to play catch, or run around, etc...and I don't want to weigh what I currently do. Since my last post, I've lost 25 lbs, then gained it all back and then some. The yo-yo. And I'm sick of it.
I talked to a good friend of mine yesterday, who has an almost identical body style to mine. His top weight a few years back was 260, which is what mine is now. He has lost 80 lbs, which is what I'd be THRILLED to lose. The way he did it? No pregnant-lady hormone injections, no elimination of carbs, no mail-order food plan. All he did was focus on ONE THING that he could change. His first change, he eliminated his cheese and crackers snack--replaced it with cheereos. Once he had successfully mastered that, he'd replace another bad habit with a good one--like replacing fast food lunches for sack lunches.
My brother did something similar a few years ago. He called it "start with what you can do". He'd make one minor change each week... and each week he'd lose a pound or two. Nothing significant. None of that "pound a day BS" you read about the pregnant-lady injections (HCG), but he lost 50 lbs in a year, and kept it off.
Anyway, here I go. My motivation is that in one year, when my boy is a lot heavier to hold, and a lot more active to keep up with...I don't want to be completely winded with a heart pounding like crazy when I run up the stairs. So here I go... I'm committed. One minor change at a time.
First Change: I'm eliminating soda. That's it. I'm also packing a lunch every day, but that's more to save money. I'll still eat out occasionally, but my first major change in life, I'm replacing my roughly 32 oz a day of soda, with water or crystal light.
I imagine my head will hurt like hell at first, which is why I'm going to start off by taking excedrine a few times a day to curb the caffeine cravings.
So here it goes... Thanks for reading.
Craig
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Clean Slate...New Beginning
I read about a study yesterday by the National Weight Control Registry on 5,000 men and women that were able to lose a significant amount of weight and keep it off for at least 5 years (average weight loss was 66 pounds). What they found that in 91% of the time, participants in the study had tried multiple times to lose the weight before finally getting it right. In fact, the average weight loss (and re-gain) by individuals is 561 pounds!
This was pretty much exactly what I needed to read, since I am starting over today. Yesterday, I had a session with a Total Health and Fitness counselor, who put me on a diet and exercise problem. To quote my brother in law, it's not a diet as much as it is a total change of lifestyle. It's eating rather normal foods, but in the right proportions of carbs, proteins, and fats.
I'm not sure how many reminders I need that I need to drop my excess weight (currently back at a stocky 250), but yesterday my Dr called and informed me that I was in the "dangerously high" level of cholesterol, and I had 2 choices... Either 1, diet and exercise, or 2, meds. I choose the former. No sense becoming a walking pharmacy at age 33.
So I'm back at the beginning. I need to keep in mind that most people try this thing over and over before they get it right. This is a balanced plan that involves a moderate amount of exercise--which is already part of my lifestyle. I have the support of a great couple of friends that work out with me every morning. All I need to do is stick to the plan.
I meet with Susan a week from Friday. This is day one. I already woke up and worked out. I feel great... Now I just gotta stick to it. One day at a time.
This was pretty much exactly what I needed to read, since I am starting over today. Yesterday, I had a session with a Total Health and Fitness counselor, who put me on a diet and exercise problem. To quote my brother in law, it's not a diet as much as it is a total change of lifestyle. It's eating rather normal foods, but in the right proportions of carbs, proteins, and fats.
I'm not sure how many reminders I need that I need to drop my excess weight (currently back at a stocky 250), but yesterday my Dr called and informed me that I was in the "dangerously high" level of cholesterol, and I had 2 choices... Either 1, diet and exercise, or 2, meds. I choose the former. No sense becoming a walking pharmacy at age 33.
So I'm back at the beginning. I need to keep in mind that most people try this thing over and over before they get it right. This is a balanced plan that involves a moderate amount of exercise--which is already part of my lifestyle. I have the support of a great couple of friends that work out with me every morning. All I need to do is stick to the plan.
I meet with Susan a week from Friday. This is day one. I already woke up and worked out. I feel great... Now I just gotta stick to it. One day at a time.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Daily Stats
Today I ran 4 miles without slowing down past speed 6 on the treadmill. I did it in about 39:20 and my heart rate was just under 200 when I finished. I wonder if that is too high, any idea how high my heart rate should be during training?
I put some ice in freezer bags and laid them on my knees and ankles again. What is the best to use to ice your knees and such? Where can you get a good cold compress you can use over and over? Ice and Ziplock are getting old.
home security utah
I put some ice in freezer bags and laid them on my knees and ankles again. What is the best to use to ice your knees and such? Where can you get a good cold compress you can use over and over? Ice and Ziplock are getting old.
home security utah
Nutrition Tips from "Everyday Health Tips for Runners" By Runners World
In agreement with what Jake posted earlier, here is a great opening paragraph to the nutrition section in this awesome little book I got:
"Running can do great things for your health. But bad eating habits--consuming too much fat, salt, sugar, for example--will practically undo any good that your exercise program is doing. What's worse, a diet deficient in necessary nutrients will leave you weak, listless and in no shape to run."
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are the most important type of nutrient for runners, and they recommend that--depending on the intensity of your workouts, you should consume 60-70% of your daily intake through carbs, "particularly those of the complex variety, such as pasta, potatoes, rice, beans, fresh vegetables and fruits."
Power Through Protein:
Protein helps build and maintain muscle mass. The interesting statistic they said in this particular handbook is that the average Daily Value for protein is .36 grams per pound of body weight. But if you're training seriously, you may need more--as much as .55 grams.
That's actually less than I've heard, which is as high as 1 gram per body pound, if you are trying to lose weight--which I've tried doing, and it is extremely difficult without loading up on whey shakes, but .55 seems pretty doable.
Fats
"Limit your fat intake to 30% of your total daily calories, with 20% coming from monounsaturated fats (canola or olive oil) and 10 % coming from polyunsaturates (peanu, safflower, corn or sunflower oils)."
"Just say no to saturated fats... which include animal fats (butter, lard, cream and fatty meats), hydrogenated vegetable oils and tropical oils.
Tips for cutting FATS:
If you're a meat eater, trim visible fats from meats
Avoid all fried foods, which are loaded with saturated fats.
For flavor's sake, substitute canola oil or "light" olive oil in recipes calling for melted butter, margarine or vegetable oil.
If you like the flavor of butter, use a small amount along with some canola oil, but try a flavorful olive oil as an alternative to butter or margarine on bread
When buying margarine, choose a brand that lists vegetable oil as the first ingredient, and check for low-saturated content.
Read labels when selecting snack foods. Reject any that have fat as one fo the first three or four ingredients"
As I said before, these are straight from the book I got from Runners' world--and I'm glad to be posting these because it helps me re-commit to changing my nutritional habits for the better.
Tomorrow (if you guys like these tips) I'll try to sum up the section on vitamins, calcium, iron, and some other tips from the nutritional section.
Let me know if this helps!
"Running can do great things for your health. But bad eating habits--consuming too much fat, salt, sugar, for example--will practically undo any good that your exercise program is doing. What's worse, a diet deficient in necessary nutrients will leave you weak, listless and in no shape to run."
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are the most important type of nutrient for runners, and they recommend that--depending on the intensity of your workouts, you should consume 60-70% of your daily intake through carbs, "particularly those of the complex variety, such as pasta, potatoes, rice, beans, fresh vegetables and fruits."
Power Through Protein:
Protein helps build and maintain muscle mass. The interesting statistic they said in this particular handbook is that the average Daily Value for protein is .36 grams per pound of body weight. But if you're training seriously, you may need more--as much as .55 grams.
That's actually less than I've heard, which is as high as 1 gram per body pound, if you are trying to lose weight--which I've tried doing, and it is extremely difficult without loading up on whey shakes, but .55 seems pretty doable.
Fats
"Limit your fat intake to 30% of your total daily calories, with 20% coming from monounsaturated fats (canola or olive oil) and 10 % coming from polyunsaturates (peanu, safflower, corn or sunflower oils)."
"Just say no to saturated fats... which include animal fats (butter, lard, cream and fatty meats), hydrogenated vegetable oils and tropical oils.
Tips for cutting FATS:
If you're a meat eater, trim visible fats from meats
Avoid all fried foods, which are loaded with saturated fats.
For flavor's sake, substitute canola oil or "light" olive oil in recipes calling for melted butter, margarine or vegetable oil.
If you like the flavor of butter, use a small amount along with some canola oil, but try a flavorful olive oil as an alternative to butter or margarine on bread
When buying margarine, choose a brand that lists vegetable oil as the first ingredient, and check for low-saturated content.
Read labels when selecting snack foods. Reject any that have fat as one fo the first three or four ingredients"
As I said before, these are straight from the book I got from Runners' world--and I'm glad to be posting these because it helps me re-commit to changing my nutritional habits for the better.
Tomorrow (if you guys like these tips) I'll try to sum up the section on vitamins, calcium, iron, and some other tips from the nutritional section.
Let me know if this helps!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
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