Since the original diet, I have fallen quite a bit.   I gained a lot of weight back when I was directing a play because I would go from work, to McDonalds, to rehearsal.

So I started last week at 239, and this week and at 234.  So I am officially restarting “the diet” again.  My weigh ins will be on  Fridays.

Please don’t delete me, Colin!

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But like all good things, I got lazy.  Especially during the winter, and then last year I wasn’t working out swordfighting, so I’ve grown and grown.  And now, I seem to be a proud owner of a blue Rubbermaid storage tub that I have dubbed “The Fat Tub.”  It contains all of the clothes I was “so proud” to wear a year and a half ago, but now cannot fit into.

I want to empty that tub.

I have some other health related things going on right now (I Think) that I want to take care of before I start a new program, but by Hook or by Crook, that tub shall be sank by this summer.  Or better yet, replaced by “clothes that are too big.”

Do you have a ‘Fat Tub” or “Fat Pile” or maybe its called your “Thin Pile” or “stuff I can’t wear anymore” pile?

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Last night on Dateline (ABC) I saw mention of The Abs Diet, a bestseller that not only says why foods work, but includes 12 major foods that are “good” that can be mixed any way you want.   And the best part – the menus / recipes are “male friendly.”

So here is the start of day #1 on The Abs Diet.   Dinner consisted of a serving of “Macho Meatballs.”   I am about ready for my snack of handful of Almonds as we speak.   Now, I have never made my own meatballs before, but these were SO GOOD.  Plus, I have enough to nuke and eat about 3 more dinners throughout the week.

I also bought some new “take and go” storage containers so I can take things to work instead of eating out every day.   Those frozen dinners can’t hold a candle to the menus that The Abs Diet has, I can’t wait to try more.   I am so impressed with the book, and my meatball creation, I had to take a photo.

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What?  Did I say that?

Yes, in only the three days that I have gone I have noticed a change in physical, mental, and financial fitness.   I am more relaxed at night and in the morning, (ie: sleep and stress), I feel better about myself so I started my Roth IRA and another Savings account that offers 5.5% interest, and I just plain feel better.

The results don’t seem to be showing on the scale yet, but working out and actually sweating is something I haven’t done since gosh… since I coached basketball at Iowa State Basketball Camp.  Now I DO sweat, but usually that is because Im wearing 10-20 lbs of black Renaissance Faire garb on 100 degree days.  Sweating due to exercise is somehow… cleansing.  I know, it sounds counter-intuitive… but it is.

A side effect is also the nightly shower after working out.  Which means my water bill will be going up since I will be showering (at least) twice a day.  But I think I can live with an increased water bill if I lose weight and live longer.  Sounds like a fair trade.

Speaking of water, I’m thirsty, so until tomorrow – gnite!

[TAGS]the-diet[/TAGS]

Oh sure, you can switch it off, or make it count something else, but as you watch TV, listen to your iPod, or daydream while walking or biking, you have to occasionally glance down at that calories burned counter.  And there lies the key.

As you wipe the sweat from your forehead with your sleeve, you look down and see the little counter has only advanced 2.4 calories since the last time you looked.  Ok, so I’ll keep going.  A few minutes later, 4.7.   It is that damn calorie counter that all of a sudden provides the key to weight loss – knowing what something “costs” you.

One can of Mt. Dew (regular) = 140 calories.  1.5 miles of walking at a 4 MPH pace.

Bam.

Big Mac … ok, I don’t even want to think about it.  Someplace on the Internets said you would have to walk 10 miles to work off a Big Mac alone, let alone fries and drink.

Suddenly, everything you eat is a number.  And some people think that is bad, but me… it really puts things into perspective.  Where once it was “can I monetarily afford it?” – now it is “How much will I have to walk to burn this off?”

Granted, you have a base metabolism that burns 2000-3000 calories by itself depending on your level of activity during the day.  So if you ONLY have a big Mac, that is probably going to satisfy your “calorie count” for the day… but if you eat 3 meals (and have snacks like everybody suggests) then you really do need to be careful.  Eating out for lunch at KFC is not on anybody’s weight loss plan.

So yes, in only my 2nd trip to the gym, I am beginning to fully appreciate what it takes to burn calories.  That little number on the treadmill is way too slow.  Time to slow down what goes in as well.

[TAGS]the-diet[/TAGS]

Today I did something that will make people gasp and faint in shock.

Colin, are you listening?

I joined the gym.

There is a gym about 2 blocks away from me called Anytime Fitness, which is basically a 24 hour members-only gym.  It’s small, but since it is 24 hours, its easy for me to find a time to go in and not be intimidated by everybody else running faster or biking faster.   I am an early riser, so I will probably be one of the 5am workout people rather than the after-dinner crowd.

I went tonight for the first time after getting my membership this morning.  I did 2 miles of walking (even increased to jogging at the end) in half an hour.   Then I did 2 miles of biking in 10 minutes on the bicycle thingie.  I didn’t even try and touch the ellipticals.

I know 40 minutes doesn’t seem like much, but its a start.   Oh yeah, per Colin’s advice I won’t restart the diet with week 1 like I thought I would, I’ll keep on the normal schedule.. with an update Tuesday or Wednesday.

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But, I’m going to press the reset button one more time… and restart at Week One.
So next Monday I will post the results of “Week 1″  – Ive got some serious catching up to do.

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Yesterday was the beginning of my “get back in the habit” of eating well and >gasp< exercising.  I had fallen off the wagon (so to speak, not the usual way) of eating well and exercising since probably November, due to high stress and the holidays.  Now that most of the stress is gone due to my little trip last weekend, I set a date of February 1 to start again.

And it is basically starting over, as I am right back at the weight that I started with when I started the diet with Colin Devroe oh so many months ago.   The problem I am finding is I really want to go shoot baskets or something at the gym, but we really do not have a basketball gym (pay or otherwise) that you can just stop in.  Sure if I was still an ISU student, I would have access to the facilities there, but if you aren’t, all you have is an “open gym” time at the city hall type place, and that is always full of pick-up games.  I like just going and shooting around.

sigh

I guess I can take a class at ISU and get my ISU card updated.  LOL.   I could possibly just go to the State Gym, Beyer or Forkner buildings and take a chance nobody will question me, but I have ALWAYS been the one scared to even sneak from one movie theater to another for fear of getting caught.

Anyway, so yesterday was day one, and I had a salad for lunch and a lean cuisine for dinner, with a cup of yogurt in the morning and a snack bar dealio in the afternoon.   I have never liked salad, but back when I did this originally, I remember getting used to it so at least my mind looked forward to >something< at lunch.

We’ll see how this goes.  According to averages, I only have 20 days left to build the habit.

I could tell in November I was slipping, actually before that.   I took “time off” during August and September due to the renaissance faire, when I “had” to stop at Long John Silvers for dinner almost every night on the way home.   Then with Christmas came gift certificates to fast food places, and times at work when “ooooh, Pancheros sounds good.  I deserve something good.”

So, I start 2007 again at 220.  I look terrible, I feel terrible.  To help me get back on track I added a little graphic on the side of the blog with the current weight on it.  I’m going to try hard NOT to update it once a day, but rather once a week.   When I update it once a day, I fall into the “I can be bad for a day, I lost 2 lbs” trap.

I also need to set more realistic goals that just “175″ as my final weight.  So…  here are my goals, which should be attainable.

February 1, 2007 – 210 lbs
March 1, 2007 – 190 lbs
April 1, 2007 – 180 lbs
May 1, 2007 – 175 lbs

Now the biggest jump is from Feb to March at 20 lbs in 28 days.  The reason I calculated that much, was because it is close to the start of the plan, so loss due to water weight and generally eating better will be greater.   This is counteracted after that with only 10 lbs and then 5 lbs in April.

One of the things I really need to work on is getting up and walking in the morning.  But it’s coooooold in the morning during winter.  Well, colder.  I think if I walk in the morning, rather than night, it will help tremendously.  I have read many sources that say exercising in the morning is the best for you.  Only I can’t help but think that it will make me sleepy at work during the day… which is bad.   Guess we will have to see.

Since this is January 8, that means I have one less week for the initial 10 lbs.  Better get started!

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