Friday 12 August 2011

in the zone

I finally think I hit it...being in the zone during a workout. I got everything I needed to get done in 90 minutes which felt like 15. Then I had a delicious Subway combo. I really want to read more about fitness, so if anyone has a good read for me let me know. I am going to check something out by Gary Taubes if I get the chance. On top of that I think I might have found a trainer that I can jive with, hopefully we'll meet tomorrow and we can get started. The increase from the last weigh-in is not going to get me down I am just going to keep going. Have to update my bloody iPod though...

Thursday 11 August 2011

unlucky number seven

I write this with (12 grain) bagel in hand...up seven pounds. now I have the (semi) daunting task of losing 49 pounds before the end of the year. Maybe I shouldn't weigh myself at 9pm, but we'll see what tomorrow brings. It's things like this that get people to either

a) give up

b) latch on to some crazy fad diet or

c) give up on their crazy fad diet and then give option B a whirl

dose of optimism: my clothes are fitting better (or is it all in my delusional mind)

rollercoaster

so a quick recap of things

monday: was great because I worked out and even ventured into the 'hardcore' side of the gym

tuesday: was stellar because the rain meant that I could easily justify curling up into bed

wednesday: worked out and went for a mini-run, realized that I am not much of a runner, I just enjoy it because its something I can do to music

thursday: worked out again (can't believe I did 6 curls with 35s!); cardio was only until 200 calories but it was because the weight training went so well - i was sweating

right now, I just can't feel full...its killing me...REALLY craving a bagel and a cookie...tomorrow is pay day and I think I am just going to buy a delicious white fish (not tilapia nor basa, maybe haddock) and maybe some coconut water to add to some chocolate protein powder.

get to go to the cottage soon, which means temptation all around me. geez. i'm not ready for this jelly.

another fat habit I have to get over is weighing myself outside of doing it once a week. If I'm an ounce lighter I'm getting the bagel. I'm too weak for this.

Monday 8 August 2011

fear and respecting in las vegas

I am always feeling guilty and starting to think that food is the enemy. Battled hunger pangs after work until I gave in and bought some fish. Sugar free candy could be the one thing standing in my way, too bad it is so delicious. Thinking about making a video, but we'll see - I actually got the nerve to charge the camera. Made a mistake at work, and took responsibility and got chewed out. People, if 'fear' and 'respect' are synonyms in your world, I feel sorry for you. Anyway, going to keep hitting the gym, but this 300 calorie thing might not work for me. I keep wanting to do more. The 'To Do' list keeps getting longer, e-mails getting cluttered. Personal trainer has yet to respond, so I guess I'll make that my excuse just for a little longer. About this time 2 years ago I was upset about going away for a week and coming back 5lbs under my current goal weight - ah the stench of retroactive stupidity.

Sunday 7 August 2011

reminder #2

compare yourself only to the person you have to answer to when you're looking in the mirror. (How's that for philosophical reasoning?)

weekend update (kinda)

Good weekend - did my 300 calorie burn on the elliptical both today and yesterday. Wanted to keep going but I got off and stopped. This weekend was terrible for sleep, but I did get to see a whole bunch of movies (will do a quick review of them later) and now I am planning out the filming of my H4H3 video. I am trying to figure out what my goal for October 31st should be. I have 42lbs to lose by the end of the year in 15 weeks. My buddies rent a cottage every summer and that's coming and I really can't afford to let that be a blip in my plan, so I will have to come up with a game plan. I actually got in the kitchen and made seared scallops and a jalapeno goat cheese and pecan raspberry salad. Not sure if that's what it would be called in a restaurant, but it was good. Tonight was halibut steak with pickled mushrooms. The mushrooms were gross and halibut doesn't taste the same broiled as it does when its deep fried in batter and served to you by a Scotsman, so I will have to stay in Tilapialand for the time being. Wanted to make protein shakes - no blender. Gotta get on that. I think October 31st is kinda half way to New Year's Eve from now so I will make my goal to lose 10kg (22ish pounds) by Halloween. Still haven't heard anything from the trainers I e-mailed. Here's hoping I wont stay up watching Biggest Loser reruns...I've done it before, and I'm getting tired of a) comparing my results to that of the contestants who live in Weight Loss utopia and b) acting surprised when I already know the result of the weigh-in.

Saturday 6 August 2011

til the break of dawn

grabbing about 38 and a half minutes of sleep wasn't the smartest thing, especially with work today. weighed in and i have lost 8lbs since starting this blog, so that means 42 more to go before the ball drops at the end of the year. heard back from the trainer and we'll see if he can "fit me in". I always wonder if that's a ploy to look more busy. Well, in case it is, I've talked to another (cheaper) one and we'll see if they'll get back to me. I have a ton of reading to do this weekend, but we'll see how far up the priority list it gets. Saw 'The Change-Up', a typical guys movie it was alright, had its funny spots. Jason Bateman was almost on my 'hit or miss' list. I'm so tired...still haven't started 'Solar' because I was up dancing and watching mindless TV. 'I Love You Phillip Morris' was funny, oh Jim Carrey. Goal by the end of 2011: watch a movie without paying too much attention to the physical shape of the stars in the film. Jim Carrey will be 50 by the time I've reached my goal and looks better than I do at 25. That's a calorie-free thought to chew on. Work time.

Friday 5 August 2011

reminder #1

look at how much time you spend on other people, thinking about other people, doing things for other people, worrying about other people - and reduce that number...even by the tiniest bit. you deserve it.

Thursday 4 August 2011

tale of two gyms

Two gyms...no not the number that I have a membership to, but the world of difference from one side to the other. One side you have the steroid-blasting maniacs and on the other those that are here just for the sake of being there. There is no place for guys just trying to look better in the mirror. With that said, I didn't make that an excuse not to enter - I went in anyway. I decided that I am going to keep my cardio to a certain number of calories. Now, I'm not a calorie counter, I think that takes the composition of food out of the way, but I do use it in terms of effort. Now, I know treadmills and the like are highly inaccurate, so I put my weight in for what I hope to be the end of phase 1 (30lbs down) and figure that since I'm heavier, I'm burning about what flashes on the screen. The magic number is 300 calories, no more, no less. So I went in and did that and was satisfied. Added 10 assisted pull ups because those are my favourite, I like the idea of being able to pull myself off the ground. Anyway, went to the market and bought some char so we'll see how that goes. Lastly, got an interesting pancake recipe; 1/3 cup oatmeal, 1/3 cup egg whites and a 1/3 cup of something I can't remember, so I will definitely try that once I get the whole thing. I just got an e-mail from a trainer, so we'll see if that amounts to something. To the one (hopefully) two people reading this, let me know if you have any workout music suggestions. I hope to one day do music reviews, nothing lengthy or pretentious; just a scale from 1 to 10 with 3-4 lines of my thoughts. Oh yeah, I also (used to) make vlogs on Youtube, and some of my good friends are coming back and its really motivating me to make them again. We'll see... Is it weird that looking at the scales in the pharmacy made me want to take one out of the box and stand on it?

Wednesday 3 August 2011

movin' on

So last night there was an epic thunderstorm - flashes of lightning and rolling thunder! It was great, so great that it took the power away from my entire apartment. Thunderstorms are perfect for weight loss, well for me anyway. Can't cook anything. Can't really eat much (I'm lucky because I don't keep very much easy/snacky food in the house). So I just sat around in the dark and just thought. I thought about why I am going to lose weight, and I realized it is because I am trying to feel better about myself, and that's about it. But I need to think if I am ready to embrace the lifestyle. I say this because I am excited that I have someone else to blame in case I fail. E-mailed personal trainers, no response. Had a gym buddy but our work schedules conflict and that leaves us to do something fun when we get together. So where does that leave me...not too sure. So I am going to try the 'keep your butt busy' approach to weight loss. I have been looking at apartments and finally found the right one. Super excited, but that leaves me with nothing to do again. Luckily, I do not really feel like eating because my friend Greg (www.youtube.com/thesiegster) called me about about not making a Youtube video in a while. Why I haven't will come in another post. So far I would think August has been good for weight loss, but today was bad because I didn't have breakfast. Wait...I have an excuse for that too. I have to order it online and I don't want to use my credit card because I am trying to minimize my debt. So now debt stands in my way. What can I do for weight loss? That's easy. Exercise. What kind of exercising do I enjoy? Dance. Can't find a dance class. Great, now I stand in my way. Weird fact about me: the first thing I do every morning is feel around to make sure my gut is still there. Tomorrow I will change that habit with a self-assuring notions. I mean if the little engine could, why can't I?

Monday 1 August 2011

i could be my lucky star...

So woke up today (at 8:30) scared that I was ridiculously late for work, only to get an e-mail saying that I didn't have to come in today. *whew* talk about your good karma. So, I have a carpe diem theme today and I am actually going to clean my apartment today. Also I am going to start a new book, 'Solar' by Ian McEwan; my roommate suggested it to me and he's into some good (and not so good) stuff so I'm going to give it a try. In kindergarten you learned about 'private parts' but during weight loss i've learned about 'private farts'; you know those farts that smell like an inconvenient mixture of the crap you've eaten in meals past. So that will be another goal of mine; clean up the farts because coupling those with an apartment without air conditioning - and you've got a BAD scene on your hands. Speaking of hands, I've been washing them like crazy because I keep sweating all over the place - do thinner people sweat? I doesn't matter, because I am going to hide away from the heat in the movie theater at some point  - Friends With Benefits perhaps? Maybe seeing people with really good bodies will motivate me to pick up a dumbbell....caffeine is calling.

Sunday 31 July 2011

t-minus less than ten minutes

Almost time - time to start a new go at this healthy living thing. What do I do with my last 7 minutes of 'freedom'? I start number crunching. 50lbs by year's end means 50lbs in 5 months, 10 lbs a month, but isn't it always easier in the beginning? Can I put my life into a formula that could take that into account? I feel gross - should have been in bed two hours ago and its a bazillion degrees outside. Setting my clock for 6 am to get up, but reality might set in and I'll rise at 7.30. So many questions...how often do I weigh myself? What is the meaning of life? How do you solve a problem like Maria?

PS - I am going to give myself kudos for making my veggie ground round (I don't eat meat) for the week ahead of time and I'm even doing the Ziploc container thing too. If anyone finds this blog by twisted fate and can give me some breakfast ideas that would be stellar because I am already thinking about breakfast (why? not too sure) and its looking like black coffee. cheers.

two calendar-related reasons to start

Here I stand. Sitting at the clock, looking at how many hours of freedom I have to eat this or eat that, really let loose. Why today? Well I'm going to do the cliche thing and start on Monday. Oh the joys of Monday. You have a great breakfast, and you're off to work, and by dinnertime, perhaps 50% of new dieters are still on plan. How many Mondays can we survive? Well it doesn't matter because this Monday is special - its both a Monday and the 1st of the month. and not just any month - but a month where its warm enough to exercise and the jealousy of seeing people show off their summer bodies is still coursing through my veins, or at least it would be if I wasn't so disappointed with all the work I have ahead of me. Its not like so many of those shows I've spent hours watching shows were people stop their lives to lose weight, but that luxury isn't with me - so I'm going to do it the old fashioned way. eat a little less and move a WHOLE lot more. 8:45 - 195 minutes of freedom, ice cream never looked so tempting. I am not going to use the word 'lifestyle change' because life is a long-term commitment; too long for me - it scares the crap out of me. Do I have a meal plan, nope. Well I kind of do, I am going to limit sugar - that's it. So instead of that coveted ice cream I'll have yogurt. So tomorrow, I will be a changed man. A changed man with 50 pounds to lose before the end of the year. Oh yeah, I'm going to be doing other things to so we'll see how that goes. I see a box called 'Labels" and I really don't know what to do with it, so let me know when the time's right. making a huge pile of clothes to donate; yes, because their too small. and no, keeping them as motivation isn't going to work. Maybe typing this has burned some calories....