143 Pounds

Making Progress

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Progress is a tricky thing. I'm certain that I'm making progress because I can feel the definition in my muscles, my measurements are smaller, and my body fat is lower. But I'm facing the same problem that so many people do, my weight is going up. Now given that I've been doing heavy weight lifting that means that I've definitely been putting building muscle. So it's likely that my muscle gain is just outpacing my fat loss and that's not a bad thing.

So now the question is what to do about it. Right not my calorie intake is at around 2200 - 2400 daily. I do strength training 3 days a week and 30 minutes of interval cardio 6 days a week. So my net calorie intake is about 1500 - 1700 calories daily.

The only reliable way to boost fat loss is to cut net calories. I can drop by 300 calories safely the question is how. Bumping up my strength workout is out of the question because I'm starting to hit walls there. I don't want to take 300 calories just out of my diet because that's asking a lot of my willpower right now. I could probably handle taking 100 off. The rest has to come from my cardio. Based on Daily Burn's estimator I think an additional 15 minutes will cover it.

While I'm not going to make much of a reduction in my calories I am going to make some changes to my diet. Right now I pretty much eat what I want as long as it falls within my calorie limit and my fat/carb/protein goals. I'm going to try and standardize a couple of aspects of my diet.

First up is breakfast. Instead of the usual maybe a Slim Fast I'm going with a bowl of oatmeal. I expect the oatmeal to give me a bigger boost in the morning and a better energy level throughout the day, especially before my morning workouts.

My second, fourth, and fifth meals are pre/post workout. The fourth meal is my Slim Fast before my second workout. My second and fifth meals are post workout Cliff Builder Bars. Since I only do morning workouts three days a week I will switch out the Cliff Bar for a lighter snack, cheese, yogurt or something.

My third and sixth meals are lunch and dinner. I like keeping my lunch flexible so that if my friends want to do something it's not a problem. Dinner is determined by how big lunch is. I don't intend to skip it but if lunch is a little heavy dinner is a little light or vice versa.

I'm going to stick to this plan for at least a week and see where it goes. I also have a physical scheduled for next month so if I don't see results I'll get some guidance from my doctor.

Lessons Learned

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:35:00 +0000

When I came back to the program I applied the lessons I learned the first time. Here are some of them.

1. Consider the source of your information. How many times have you picked up an article that describes what you need to do to get fit and it involves doing things you could only do in your dreams? How many times have you been told to make a drastic change to your diet and discovered that your willpower isn't yet strong enough to manage it? These situations happen because of one simple thing: the person who wrote the article wrote it based on what they do. That means that you as the reader have to consider the source. If you're extremely overweight and have limited mobility the standard an article on running daily isn't going to help you much. And likewise if you're an athlete, a fitness article written for absolute beginners isn't going to help you either. Always consider the source for the best results.

2. Do what you can. Some people are afraid to give this advice. I guess they're afraid that if they tell you to do what you can that you'll do the bare minimum which might not be enough to see any results. But I think you should embrace it. Do what you can. Push yourself to do all of it but don't push yourself to do things you're just not ready for. Don't run a 5K the week after you start walking again. Don't beat yourself up for slipping on your diet when you're used to eating what you want. Accept that there is a limit of what you can do right now. Push for that limit every single time and every single time it will move higher just a little bit. Eventually you'll look back and see how far you've come since you started. But the key is always to the absolute most you can.

3. You're stronger than you think you are. Yea I just had a big speil about doing what you can. But I want to be very clear that I'm talking about doing what you actually can do, not what you think you can do. When I talk to people about what I do people, especially women, are suprised. And when I say, you can do it to they think I'm full of it. Well look, if you can lift your kid and 6 bags of groceries and carry them from the car to the house then you should be able to toss the barbell around like it's nothing. You might not be able to do pushups and pullups but no able-bodied woman, especially a mother, should ever fear squats, lunges, crunches, or walking.

4. Small changes are usually lasting changes. Diets don't work because they ask you to make massive changes to your lifestyle and they usually come with the understanding that it will be temporary. What you're really doing is teaching yourself to make better choices and as with so many things the rule one step at a time applies. Instead of cutting sugar from your diet completely cut it down to one special sugar snack a day. Switch from white bread to whole grain. Leave the skin off your chicken. Get a double portion of vegetables instead of a baked potato. All very small changes that you can make one choice at a time that can drastically improve what you're eating and promote healthy weight loss. The same applies to exercise. Don't jump directly into a 7 day a week workout routine if you don't have the motivation to stick to it. Start with a 20 minute walk three days a week. Actually walk the dog instead of just letting him into the back yard. Take the kids on a bike ride. Walk to the neighborhood park and walk around when you get there. As you make these small changes, and as you start feeling better, then start making bigger and bigger changes. Before you know it you'll be out doing me.

4. Your journal is your friend. I don't care if you use a pen and paper or a fancy $40 a month website. Journal everything. Your exercise. Your food. Your feelings. Journal. Journal. Journal. You don't have to write a dissertation just make notes on what you ate and what you did. Journaling let's you know what your progress has been. When I looked back at my journal (on Daily Burn) I was surprised to realize that I had added over 100 pounds to my squat in about 3 weeks. When I looked at my food journal I saw what foods were putting me over my limits and that helped me choose what to cut back on.

Be mindful that there is no one size fits all solution. I'm convinced that these tips will work for anyone but remember to apply them to fit your situation.

I'm Back - Seriously This Time

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Wow it's been a long time but I'm finally back on track with a new program.

Just to fill you in, I stopped my program when my father passed. I tried getting back up and running in February but I ran into a couple problems. For starters it was just too soon. I was still dealing with some heavy duty depression symptoms. Anyone who's suffered will tell you that it's the physical side effects that get to you. I was also moving into Lent and spending a month and a half fasting for 12 hours a day isn't conducive to exercising. In short I just didn't have the physical or emotional motivation to work out or manage a diet.

But now I'm in a position where my depression symptoms are manageable and my motivation is back on track. So far I've been in the gym two weeks and I've been working on my diet for about the same time. So far I feel great. Sore as all hell but great.

During my time off I gained about 6 pounds. Here are my current stats:

Weight: 304 lbs

Body Fat: 34%

Neck: 16 in

Arm: 16.5 in
Chest: 47 in

Bust: 53 in

Waist: 51.5 in

Hips: 54.5 in
Thigh: 33 in

Calf: 20 in

The new clothes I bought last fall are fitting a little tight now but I'm not encouraged to buy anymore now that I'm back on track to my goal of 181 pounds. And as you know my original starting weight was 324 last July so that gives me the total planned weight loss of 143 lbs.

The program I'm on is full body weight lifting with a high protein/high fiber diet.

People who know me know I hate cardio. Specifically running. Can't stand it. I tried it but it's just about the most boring thing imaginable. But what I do enjoy is strength training and because of that I've fallen in love with weight lifting. I'm mostly interested in Olympic lifts and a little bit into power lifting. So because of that I'm working the Practical Programming Novice Program from Practical Programming for Strength Training by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore. They also wrote Starting Strength. If you can't get the books, the Starting Strength Wiki details the big things you need to know including the workouts.

I picked the Practical Programming workout because it doesn't include power cleans. It's not that I'm not interested in the power clean, it's just that the facility I'm working is a commercial gym that doesn't allow heavy lifting or chalk and doesn't have enough open space for an explosive lift like the power clean. The trade off is that I have to do chin-ups and pull-ups which is fine except that I can't do them. Don't give me that crap about trying harder. I'd like to see you move 300+ pounds with your triceps and pecs unless you look like the native species of Muscle Beach. My only other option is to replace the chin-ups and pull-ups with wide grip and underhand lat pull-downs.

My current lifting weights are:

Bench Press: 80lbs

Overhead Press: 75lbs

Squat: 185lbs

Deadlift: 115lbs

To suppliment this program I'm also managing my diet. I'm working for a high protein, high fiber diet. It's 35% protein, 40% carbs (as much fiber as plausible), and 25% fat. I wanted to shoot for a higher protein but I backed off for two reasons. First, it's hard enough getting 35% protein. Second, it's not something I can maintain long term without health risks. Let's face it, our bodies function best on a balance of fat, carbs, and protein. Based on an estimated BMR of 1800 and about 1500 calories burned in a week I'm shooting for about 2000 calories a day with a little extra on days I work out.

So here's to my new program and my renewed commitment to a new me. It's been almost a year since I started. Honestly I thought I'd be further along than this but it's been a rough year. And I can't say that I have any regrets about my progress. I lost 30 pounds once and I can do it again, and again, and again until I get to my goal.

Wish me luck.

My Workout

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:00:00 +0000

It's been hard getting back in the saddle. Part of the problem is that I'm having to develop a new routine because my old routine was dependent on my workout buddy. Well, my workout buddy is training for the a tri sprint so I'm having to start over, completely.

Right now the easiest thing is to start with is exercise. My current workout routine is 5 days of circuit training with weights. If I miss a day for any reason during the week, I replace it with a workout on Saturday.

I start with 5 - 10 minutes of cardio, usually on the rowing machine.
Then I do a 30-45 minute strength workout.

Monday: Back & Biceps - Lat Pull, Seated Row, Romanian Deadlift, Hammer Curl, Bar Curls

Tuesday: Legs & Abs - Squats, Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Crunches, Calf Raises

Wednesday: Shoulders & Traps - Shoulder Press, Upright Row, Arnold Press, Shrugs, Front Raises

Thursday: Legs & Abs again

Friday: Chest & Triceps - Chest Press, Dips, Pec Fly, Skull Crushers, Tricep Extensions

I work with lighter weight and higher reps with very short rests between sets in a circuit workout to get more of an aerobic benefit. I could just do more aerobic exercise but the fact is that I like strength training. It's fun. And because I enjoy it, I'm more likely to stick to it.

I'm also a member of a local gym. I could work out at home. I have the space. But I find that going to they gym puts me in the right focus to workout. It's a place that has a purpose and when I'm there I'm in the right focus to workout. When I get home my purpose is usually video games and television.

So far I've been doing this workout routine for about 2 weeks. My future goals for it involve adding exercises to make sure I fully exhaust my muscles. I also want to start learning the olympic lifts. And while I can train form with a broomstick or with some pvc. I have to build up some strength to be able to do lifts with the 45lb bar.

I'm not yet focusing in on a diet plan mostly because I'm fasting for Lent so sticking to a diet plan will be next to impossible.

But here's to getting back on track. I'll let you know how I do.

Photo Credit: ericmcgregor

I'm Back

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:45:00 +0000

It's been a while since my last post. My dad died very suddenly the week before Thanksgiving. And dealing with that and everything tied to it has been taxing to put it mildly. I'm still dealing with the fallout, both emotional and financial, but I'm finally to a point where I've been able to start putting the pieces back together, including getting back on my program and back to writing.

In the next few days I'm going to be changing some things around on this site. I'll be putting in more of my stats and more details about my workout and diet. Expect new posts to happen on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'm going to add a couple of regular columns that will happen on a biweekly or a monthly basis. I haven't defined what they will be yet but I'm looking at a number of things including book reviews, recipes, and a couple of other ideas.

Some of the articles I have planned for the next few weeks involve things I've learned over the past few months on how your health and fitness is affected by stress and about getting back in the saddle after any kind of bump in the road.

Ash Wednesday is February 24. I haven't done it in a couple of years but I intend to observe Lent with a fast. So I'll probably have a series of posts on how the fast affects my program.

Other than that I just want to say it feels good to be back.

The Playing Card Workout

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:55:00 +0000

Since my trips to the gym have been complicated because of my friend's changes in schedule as he preps for the Red Hills Triathlon Sprint. So I've been forced to come up with ways to work out at home without relying on the gym at my apartment since they insist upon opening up when most people are either at or on their way to work.

What I came up with is a playing card workout. There are a ton of variations on this workout and I'm pretty sure this is where the creator of Fit Deck got the idea.

Photo Credit: aprilzosia

All the variations start with a standard deck of cards. For my workout, I pull out the jokers. Face cards — Jack, Queen, King — get a value of 10. Aces get a value of 1. All other cards get their face value.

Each type of card gets an exercise. I assign one exercise to each suit,

Diamonds = Push-Ups

Hearts = Crunches

Spades = Superman

Clubs = Squats

From there the steps are as follows:

Shuffle the deck - Unless you want to do the same workout over and over

Draw a card

Do the exercise you've assigned to that type of card for the number of repititions indicated by it's value.

Rest. This is meant to be a circuit workout so keep the rest short, no more than 10 seconds.

Repeat till you've finished the deck

This method gets you 85 repitions in 13 sets of each exercise.

Some variations assign higher numbers to face cards. Others use the jokers and aces as wild cards. You can also switch up the exercises any way you like. The possibilities are endless.

The Story of My Jeans

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:42:00 +0000

About a year ago, I bought a pair of Lane Bryant's Right Fit Jeans. I recommend them for anyone (they have them at Fashion Bug too). What makes these jeans cool is that they're not based on a single shape model. They have three different ones. So you're more likely to find a pair of pants that truly fit. And I found a pair of that fit me like a glove.

Photo Credit: ZacharyTirrell

Normally pants fit me at the waist and are baggy everywhere else or they fit everywhere else and I have a muffin top if and when I get them fastened. So having pants that fit was wonderful. But as I put on weight over the first half of this year they got tighter and tighter. Not so much that I noticed right away but by the time I went to the doctor in July and realized I was 324lbs they were difficult to fasten.

Today, these jeans that went from perfect to too tight are now officially baggy. Yep that's right. Baggy. Like 90's rapper baggy. When I bought them they fit perfectly without a belt. Now I can't leave the house without one unless I want to embarrass myself.

According to Lane Bryant's online sizing guide I'm not quite down to a smaller size yet but I'm pretty close. Another inch or two (literally) and I'm going to be a smaller dress size. Honestly I've probably already lost a dress size already considering that most of my clothes were too tight in July when I started losing weight.

I feel better than I have in a long time. Honestly I felt so good I was considering dressing up as Uhura for the Star Trek movie premiere in May. Then I realized I was out of my mind and even if I did have that figure I would not rock that skirt in public. What can I say, I retain my Christian taboos on exposure. But maybe the TWOK costume might make an apperance.

There's nothing like seeing progress. And even more important than the progress I'm seeing physically is the progress that I feel. I used to hate exercise. Now I feel slightly depressed if I don't do something even if it's just going for a walk to Publix. I used to feel like I would starve if I didn't eat more and now I'm having trouble getting up to my calorie goal. And the bain of my existence, the candy asile, is something I think about only occasionally.

I'm just impressed with myself. I'm impressed by my comitment the past 4 months. That's right, I'm only 4 months into this. I think that this is what discourages people some times. They see the the time first and they don't feel that they've made enough progress and they give up. With all the products out there touting 20, 30, and 40 pound weight loss in only a few weeks it's no wonder people are discouraged by how long it takes. But when I sat down and looked at how much weight I expected to lose each week (realistically) I discovered that I won't hit my final goal for a couple of years. That's right, that goal to lose 143 pounds is a 3 year goal. And that's why my baggy jeans are so wonderful to me. Because even though I'm only 10% of the way on time. I'm 20% of the way on pounds. And that's progress.

Lt. Uhura still — © CBS — Used in context under the fair use clause of US Copyright Law.

Ok this is just plain cool...

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:59:00 +0000

gym machines + video games = drool

Seriously, I can't wait for a gym near me to get these. Maybe I should just open my own fitness arcade.

In case you were wondering, this is the same reaction I had to the WiiFit.

The problem with diet activisim

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Photo Credit: skye820

I'm a big fan of vegetarianism. I've even tried it, briefly. And I do occasionally have vegetarian or vegan meals. Vegetarians have the best vegetable recipes out there. I've grown up around vegetarians and vegans my whole life. I don't find anything unusual or weird about them. They just are who they are.

But I have a big problem with activist organizations like PETA. While some of their antics are humorous, some are down right ridiculous. An example is their recent suggestion to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Vermont that they grant a discount to vegetarians and penalize meat eaters because vegetables are healthy and meat is unhealthy.

Here's what's wrong with this:

Facts. People have a tendency to only present the facts that support their opinions. And despite the facts that you can toss out to support the benefits of a vegetarian diet, meat — in of itself — is not harmful. Yes if you eat nothing but cheeseburgers for a month you won't be very healthy. But at the same time try living on french fries alone for that same month. They're vegetables aren't they. That would mean you were on a vegetarian diet. Vegan if you use vegetable oil to fry them. That makes them healthy right? Right?

Fascism. The great thing about this country is that you have plenty of choices. You can choose to be healthy or you can choose to be unhealthy. And you can choose to create a healthy diet that involves meat or you can choose to create a healthy diet that doesn't. But the point is you have the choice. You penalizing me because I choose to eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes meat is nothing more than cult driven fascism.

Now here's where I agree with them in principle:

Rewards for Healthy Living. If you work out 3 or more times a week and you eat a healthy balanced diet that allows you to work toward or maintain a healthy weight then you should get a reward for reducing the cost of insuring you. Hearing Mac talk about his upcoming insurance exam just about broke my heart. A guy that works out and takes care of himself should be a prime customer for any insurance company. And that's regardless of whether he lacks the "ideal" BMI, as was Mac's case, or whether they eat meat.

So what's the take away here. I suppose first off, the primary objective is to be healthier. Second, no one path works for everyone, so it's better to share what you've learned instead of trying to force what works for you on someone else. And yes I know that vegetarians aren't the only group that suffers from extremists in their midst. It's just that they happen to be in the news right now.

Tales from the Kitchen: Seafood Stir Fry

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:49:00 +0000

I got together with the gang last night for dinner. One of our things is to go to the grocery store and buy groceries for a big dinner. Last night we went with a seafood stir fry.

Our ingredients (remember that this was enough for 5 adults and 2 kids with plenty of leftovers)

2 pounds of pre-cooked shrimp

1 pound of scallops

4 packages of stir fry vegetables - they have broccoli, snow peas, and broccoli slaw

3 bell peppers of assorted colors

2 finger hot peppers diced

1 medium onion

Garlic and Ginger to taste - I only use the fresh stuff

Soy Sauce - I only use low sodium soy sauce, it tastes the same but with less salt

Oyster Sauce

Sesame Oil - The choice of oil here is important. Sesame Oil has a high smoke point that's important for the high heat of stir fry. It also provides a great smoke point.

Heat a wok (or a big skillet) on high heat. add a couple tablespoons of sesame oil to the pan and then add the vegetables. Cook them until they just start to soften and then pull them from the pan. If you need to add a little water to help move the veggies around.

Add a little more sesame oil to the pan and add the seafood. Scallops will cook quick, which is why we used the pre-cooked shrimp. Add some of the oyster sauce and soy sauce on top to taste.

Once the seafood is done, it will be fairly quick - no more than a couple minutes, start tossing vegetables back into the pan and get everything a good mix.

Serve over hot soba noodles or rice or on it's own for a lower carb dish.

According to gyminee, this dish (with noodles) has about 285 calories per serving. That's if you assume that this recipe will provide about 15 servings, with a serving being what will fit on your standard size dinner plate. And trust me, one plate is enough for all but the most ravenous of eaters.

Bloggers Unite: Refugees United

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:30:00 +0000

I'm going to take a slight departure from my usual discussions about diet and exercise to talk about today's Bloggers Unite issue.

Refugees United is an online non-profit, non-governmental organization that helps refugees locate missing family members. They accept anyone regardless of location, conflict, or time. They don't require any official documentation or even a name and their service is provided free of charge. The only thing they don't do is physically reunite family members. But what they do provide is an opportunity for family members that have been separated because of conflicts to know where everyone is and that they are safe.

I can tell you from my very brief personal experience after Hurricane Katrina that not knowing where people are is very frustrating. That frustration is compounded by knowing that they are probably not safe. For me the worry only lasted a day or two as family members were able to drive out of the city and contact us. But I can only imagine that same fear lasting months or years.

That I know of there are three kinds of people who are end up classed as refugees (at least by me):

A refugee as defined by the Convention on Refugees is a person who has "...a well-founded fear of being persecuted..., is outside the country of their nationality, and is unable to or unwilling to...avail him or herself of the protection of that country."

A stateless person, who may or may not be a refugee, is a person who is not recognized as a legal citizen of any nation.

An internally displaced person is similar to a refugee except that they have not yet left their home nation.

Quite frankly they are all pretty much in the same boat and so when I say refugee I mean all three groups. Today there are over 30 million people worldwide who are in one form or another refugees. In addition to Refugees United there are a number of global organizations that help refugees by providing them with food, clean water, clothing, shelter, and resettlement opportunities.

As I cut back on how much food I consume I always look for ways to help by donating the money I would have spent on food to a worthy cause. And I can think of none more worthy than ensuring that people have a safe place to call home.

If you'd like to help contact the Red Cross in your country or the Office of the United Nations High Commission on Refugees.

About Me

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 22:42:00 +0000

Hi,

Thanks for visiting 143 Pounds. This blog is about my efforts to lose, you guessed it, 143 pounds. These are my honest opinions about what works and what doesn't because it's what I've tried. I'm not a trained professional, I just do a lot of research and a lot of trial and error. Hopefully you'll get the chance to learn from my successes and failures and maybe you'll have something you can share with me.

You won't find me pushing any fast and easy solutions because there just aren't any. I don't do fad diets and I don't do wacky supplements and juices. I'm just a big believer in hard work and right living. And if that's what you're looking for then that's what you'll find.

Thanks again for visiting,

CJ

Why I Hate Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:51:00 +0000

Last week I went to a good running store to get a real pair of running shoes instead of the Champion tennis shoes I got from PayLess a few months back. Now the store was a great store. The salesman took the time to examine how I walked to get me into a shoe with good pronation support. But when he asked me what size I wore (11 wide maybe a 12) he winced and said something along the lines of I'm sorry but the largest women's size we carry is a 10. %#!*.

I've gone to a couple of stores looking for workout clothes but I just can't seem to find my size. I usually work out in basketball shorts from the men's department because even if I can find shorts that fit me in the women's department, the cut is way too short for my comfort. Sports bras are particularly challenging. I can usually find a back size that fits but the cup sizes are usually limited to an A/B cup.

Now I'm going to pause for a moment and say that I get that part of my problem is that I'm grossly overweight. But even if I was at my absolute right size, I'd still have size 11 wide feet. And considering how fast I developed during puberty, it's unlikely that I'd ever be smaller than a C cup. (Not that I'd want to be.)

Yes I know that there are online stores that carry larger sizes. Thank God. But that examination of my feet and the opportunity to try on the sales person's recommendations wouldn't have been able to happen online. I'm not sure that I would have known I needed pronation support until I talked to a shoe salesman. I wouldn't have been able to get good shoes without trying them on first.

I ended up buying a pair of shoes from the men's sizes. Because they're only for running I don't really mind. But I think in the future, instead of shelling out $12 to $15 over and over again at Pay Less for shoes that will fall apart in a few months, I'll start holding off on my shoe purchases until I can go to Atlanta and buy from Friedman's. It's the only large feet specialty store that I know of where I can actually walk in and try on a pair of shoes. And it's one of only a few places where you can find certain brands and styles in large sizes. Even if I can only afford to have one or two pairs every few years, it's worth it for good shoes. Now if I could just find the Friedman's of bra stores I'd be set.

A note about ads

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:51:00 +0000

I don't pick the ads that show up on this site. Google does. A lot of the people who purchase google ads are just trying to sell a product. In the case of this blog, there are a lot of ads that look like blogs that are all trying to pitch some juice or tea based weight loss.

Juice fasts as a weight loss program are stupid.

Yes that's right stupid. I can't stress how serious I am about this. You might lose a few pounds over the course of about a week but after that the returns diminish drastically. Starting with, your weight loss will stall. And if you do this for too long you can starve to death.

That's why I'm making efforts to remove these juice fast ads from my site.

Now I want to clarify that fasting of any kind isn't a bad thing. There are a great many resources on how to fast safely. I've done several fasts including the full 40 days of lent. But long fasts like Lent and Ramadan are more of restrictions on when you eat and what you eat rather than being about not eating at all.

Please don't get sucked in by a juice fast just because you see an ad on my site or on any other weight loss site.

Gyminee

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:14:00 +0000

I've pulled my button from traineo and replaced it with just some text on my progress. I'll go into massive detail later but for now you can find me on Gyminee

What is an appropriate workout

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:11:00 +0000

Right now my workout consists of the following:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday

AM - 45 minute walk/run (right now run is like short jog)

PM
- 20 - 30 minute walk with incline
- weight training

Tuesday, Thursday

100 Pushups Challenge
Either lower or upper abs

Saturday

100 Pushups Challenge

Sunday (maybe)

20 - 30 minute walk with incline
weight training

Photo Credit: whyld

On the days I do weight training I do one of four workouts: shoulders & traps, chest & triceps, back & biceps, or legs. Each workout has about 4-5 exercises and I do about 3 sets of each exercise.

Now I've heard a lot of opinions on what an appropriate workout should be, especially for women. On the weight training side, we have "use as little weight as possible to prevent bulking up" vs "train as much as you want, women don't bulk up without steroids". Now I'd be willing to believe that there are some women who have bulked up while weight training without using steroids. But considering the fact that women have less testosterone than men, it's generally unlikely that women will achieve the muscle gain that men do. As far as I'm concerned, I enjoy weight training. I've even entertained the idea of lifting as a sport.

When I train I workout all my major muscle groups. But just like every other trainer I lift what I can. When my male workout partner goes for the 40lb dumbbells I contently grab 15lb or 20lb. Not because I'm trying to grab the lightest weight possible, but because I'm trying to grab the weight that I can work with best. Seriously I intend to be 90 years old with arthritis before I train with a 3lb weight.

Now on the running side. I've said that I'd like to be able to run a 5K. But I've heard two things recently. The first is that unless you have an elite body you shouldn't be running every day and if you're trying to loose weight you shouldn't be running at all. I take my facts from the military here in that regardless of their fitness levels, new recruits don't walk, they run. And every fitness related activity from band to football requires that you run laps. So I take some objection to the idea that certain people shouldn't be running at all.

What I do agree with is that any exercise requires the proper preparation and requires that you consider your capabilities. Do what you can and make sure you have the right equipment. But don't quit running just because you're not good at it yet.

I suppose my rather long winded point in all this is that a lot of people have opinions which is why it's important to find the facts. I've found that running and weight training work for me. I intend to do both to the best of my ability. And when people tell me what I shouldn't do because I'm a woman I think about a very wise woman who once bared her breasts in public because her naysayers felt she must have been a man in disguise because she was physically and mentally strong.

Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? - Sojurner Truth

Tackle Fitness & Finance with the 5K/5K Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:16:00 +0000

In addition to my fitness goals, I'm also working on improving my personal finance. Well over at Get Rich Slowly I read about a guy named Chet who has come up with an interesting challenge that combines the two. The 5K5K challenge is to run a 5K and save $5000 (or pay of $5000 in debt). Now thanks to my student loans I have plenty more than $5000 to pay down in debt. So I'm guessing that I can hit that number within 10 months. But I'm going to give myself some wiggle room and make it one year.

I'll be doing a 5K this month but I don't expect to be able to run the whole thing. Maybe like a third of it at best. In stages. So I'll give myself the year to give myself the same time to be able to run a 5K well. I expect to be a regular 5K runner by then easily. But I don't want to put a shorter goal on it especially consdiering the difficulties I'm having with running lately.

So 5K/5K by November 1, 2009 sounds like a plan.

What to do When You Don't Feel Like You're Doing Your Best

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 23:28:00 +0000

So this morning I went to do my interval run. 30 minutes including about a 3 minute warm up and a 3 minute cool down with alternating minutes running and walking. I got through about half of it before my calves just said no more. Now typically I have to fight but if I cut back on one or two of the running sets then I can finish. Today I just couldn't continue. It's not that I've been over doing it lately. I'm only running 3 days a week. And I'm doing some light body weight exercises on Tuesday and Thursday but nothing that would tire out my legs. So I don't know what was up this morning.

Now I'm completely willing to admit that it may have just been a brain thing. As in I psyched myself out of finishing. But I'm considering that it might not have been. For starters I've gotten pretty good at fighting back the "I don't want to do this" voice. So I asked around and did some research and I got back a couple of options.

Option #1: Don't let the treadmill set my intervals. Set them my self manually based on how my body feels. Listening to your body is always important. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to people saying "It doesn't hurt. Work through it." and cringed. But my fear with this is that I won't push myself hard enough. The treadmill program just runs and I go with it. If I'm running things then I'm likely to take much shorter running sets and longer walking sets. (Like longer than I need.)

Option #2: Just scale back. Don't worry about how well you're doing on a particular day just as long as you keep moving. This one is basically an variation on Option #1 but instead of changing my normal run just do it as long as I can and when I have to stop just stop and walk. Actually this is what I did this morning. I stopped running and did a moderate walk.

Photo Credit: ian_ransley

Option #3: You may not be getting enough potassium. Now this one I actually know is true. And while I'm certain that I'm getting more than I have been. I know I'm not getting nearly enough as I need. According to WebMd (and a number of other sources) the average adult needs 4700 mg of potassium daily. Based on my latest estimation I'm getting less than 2000 mg daily. So the suggestion is to boost my potassium. Well almost everyone I talk to says eat a couple of bananas. Sadly, much like Zira, I loathe bananas.

Now there are other high potassium foods out there but I'm toying with the idea of taking a potassium gluconate supplement. I've heard everything from yes to no. But considering the size of my deficiency I doubt that 99 mg of potassium daily is going to cause serious side effects. Quite frankly I'm going to use tonight to think and pray about that decision because taking any supplement is risky. I've already bought a bottle but I haven't opened it yet so I can still return it to the store.

Option #4: This one is mine. I might need to adjust my training plan. If I change my goal from distance to time I might be able to condition myself more. This would mean switching from trying to get as far as I can in 30 minutes to trying to do 3 miles as fast as I can. The plus here is that I'd be working at a slower overall pace so I'd give my legs more time to catch up to my heart & lungs. The minus is it's going to take a lot longer to complete three miles and I'm not sure that I've got that much time for my morning work out.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do. I don't run again until Friday so I've got some time to decide. I'll let you know when I do.

The Consequences of Emotional Eating and How to Stop

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:10:00 +0000

When I was a kid I went through some stuff. But the problems I've had with food don't really have anything to do with those. They've got everything to do with how I dealt with or didn't deal with my issues. For starters I had a bad habit of assuming that I couldn't talk to anyone about the problems I was having. I went to counseling for a while and while it helped some the one thing I really took away from it was that people didn't understand how I felt. So instead of trying to talk to people I hid away. Oh I was there as far as they were concerned but I was really off somewhere else. And usually when I found comfort in something it was in a book, or a movie, or food, or some combination. Even when I finally started dealing with my problems and moving forward, I held on to my bad habits about food along with my tendency to eat emotionally.

I ran across an article about the consequences of emotional eating. Truthfully I've got to say that those consequences aren't nearly as suprising as the author thinks. Not at least from my perspective because I've experienced all of them.

It's one of the reasons why programs like Overeaters Anonymous can be so helpful to people who have developed debilitating addictions to food.

When I went to New Orleans last year there was a point where I was standing on the bank of the Mississippi River with the French Quarter behind me and I talked about my issues with self control and food with a friend who happens to be in AA. Most of what I was doing was whining and making excuses for why I was having such a hard time with getting my weight under control. But there were two things he said that I took away from that day. One was I'm responsible for my overeating. I have to own that and take charge of it. And I am the person who's responsible for making a change. The second was that I don't have to go it alone. OA is out there. There are other resources out there.

Now I didn't do anything about my issues for almost a year. But when I finally did it turned out that once I took responsibility for my overeating that I was able to take control of my diet. It turned out that I wasn't so consumed by eating that I needed OA to get out of it. But there are some people who aren't as able to make the change as I was. That pit you dig from emotional overeating is a hard one to climb out of because let's face it, it's not like you can just swear off food. But help is out there.

Farwell 300

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:40:00 +0000

I stepped on the scale this morning and I have broken the 300 pound barrier! My official weight is 299.

It's something that's encouraging given my current circumstances. I've had to drastically alter my workout since my landlord refuses to change the hours of the fitness center for an undefined safety reason. My solution thus far has been to start working out with a friend at his gym.

Turns out there are more than a few fitness junkies at our job including a former body builder. Go figure. Anyhow they've helped us figure out a good 4 day/week weight training plan.

I'm also still working the 100 Push ups challenge, although I neglected to do push ups yesterday. I intend to do them today but I also intend to repeat the first week since I don't feel that my form was as good as it could have been (translation: I feel like I cheated).

Even though my exercise has dropped off in the past week, I'm still doing more than the minimum according to the government's new exercise guidelines. With an hour and a half of weight training 4 days a week plus 15-20 minutes of cardio I'm well over the recommended 2.5 hours a week.

That said, I still feel the need to boost my cardio training. The weight training will help burn fat but considering my risk level for the big heart problems, cardio is very important. Besides, all that weight training isn't going to do a lick of good with a layer of fat over it.

So for the time being it looks like I'm going to have to start running outside. I'm not particularly happy about it but I'm just going to have to grin and bear it. Hopefully as some logistical things start getting sorted out starting the first of next year I'll be able to go to a new gym before work.

Usually weigh ins are a source of disappointment for people. Today, my weigh in made my day. It's just a matter of sticking to your exercise and diet plan. If you do then the scale can become your best friend.

Halloween is Stupid

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:30:00 +0000

Halloween is probably one of the most useless holidays we have on the books. It's not the costumes or the parties that are the problem. It's not even the overwhelming focus and glorification of things we'd normally class as not good. But the biggest reason Halloween is stupid is that we encourage our kids to demand candy from their neighbors under the threat of being pranked.

I mean it's like we throw out all of the rules of common decency and manners once a year and replace it with greed for candy. Which, considering the amount it's being handed out in, most kids absolutely don't need.

I've got a better idea. Keep the kids in on Halloween night. Maybe let them invite a few friends over. Or if you've got a local community center or if you're active in a church then help organize a fall festival night. Let the kids dress up (my personal preference is not as bad things). Get them engaged in games especially active ones.

And when it comes to sweets make it about quality not quantity. Let them help make candy apples or cupcakes. It's a special occasion but not a free for all. And the best part is you won't be dealing with hyperactive kids all night or for the next couple days as they work their way through all that candy.

The Surgery Option

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:35:00 +0000

A close relative of mine had gastric bypass surgery on Monday. She and I are very similar. We were both about average-slightly larger build as children. We're both tall with fairly large hands and feet. But neither of us was really overweight until we became teenagers. We've both been plagued by depression and other emotional issues stemming from another things including having to deal with the death of someone close to us. Honestly the biggest difference between the two of us is that she's about 10 years older than me.

I've always had mixed feelings about her choice to have surgery. I'm not a big fan of bariatric surgery. I don't think it's a cop out or cheating. I understand that it's a big decision. But, I think the real solution in the surgery is the diet and exercise program that follows it. The only benefit the surgery itself provides is that it will hurt if you eat too much or if you eat the wrong things. And it doesn't help that the strict rules make you a prisoner of food.

Honestly the other problem I have with her having the surgery is the fear that I will have to do something equally drastic if my current program fails. It's part of what makes me so committed to getting it right this time.

But despite my opinions about the procedure I had to accept that it was her decision. And what's more I need to be happy about the fact that she, like me, is doing something to help correct the mistakes we've both made in our lives with food and exercise. And I truly wish her the very best as a brand new healthier person.

I also admit that the surgery option can be a good choice for someone who's weight has become completely unmanageable. The University of Iowa says that candidates for surgery have a BMI of at least 35 along with at least one of the following:

High blood pressure

Diabetes

Arthritis

Sleep apnea

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome

High cholesterol

Psudotumor cerebri

Family history of early coronary heart disease

Candidates will also typically suffer from physical problems, social stigmas and have failed at other weight loss attempts. The surgery includes a lifelong commitment to the diet and exercise program.

My decision has been to skip the surgery, despite encouragement from my last doctor. I don't feel that I've made enough of an effort at loosing weight the hard way to say that I need a drastic measure like surgery.

But if you've tried again and again and failed and your health is continuing to decline because of severe obesity then you should talk to your doctor about your options.

Changing how poverty affects nutrition

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:01:00 +0000

This year Blog Action Day is on the subject of poverty. There's so much to write about on the subject of poverty but I'm going to stick to the nature of what this blog is about. Health.

The sad fact of the matter is that people who are impoverished don't have access to the healthy foods that we know we need. There are neighborhoods in some cities where vegetables just can't be found. And even if they can be found, they simply are too expensive for people to afford. Even families living on food stamps have to make decisions about what's going to allow them to stretch their food budget the longest. And typically, the healthier a food item is, the more expensive it is.

What usually lasts the longest is rice, beans, certain canned goods, and cereal products. Not a healthy diet by any stretch of the imagination. And what's worse is that so many of those products are loaded down with salt and sugar so that what little health benefit there is ends up lost in the crowd.

There are so many programs out there that help provide food for the poor. But so few are able to do much to counteract the problems that come from poor nutritional choices. Let's face it, the cans of green beans and corn you hand off to the local food drive aren't going to get someone a fresh tomato.

Gleaning is an ancient practice intended to allow the poor to gather food to feed themselves. Our modern society makes gleaning as it was handled in ancient times nearly impossible, but there are ways to get the same result.

One of the easiest and most common is to start a community garden. This is especially important for larger cities. A community garden can provide fresh fruit and vegetables for people who live in neighborhoods without produce vendors or who can't afford it if it's there.

If you happen to live in a more rural area then maybe you could join a modern day gleaning project like Small Potatoes.

Some communities have community table projects. Some are weekly, like Trinity UMC Atlanta's Trinity Table. Others fall on special holidays like Hosea Williams Feed the Hungry.

I'm still looking for a volunteer opportunity. Failing all else I'll recruit my brother and his friends to go to Hosea Williams with me at Thanksgiving. But in the meantime, I'll be working the advocacy angle of the fight.

You know the thing about all these ideas. They all involve some degree of manual labor a.k.a. exercise.

If none of these ideas work for you then the Blog Action Day website has a great list of ways one person can help.

Photo Credit: SqueakyMarmot

Making Choices

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:35:00 +0000

Newsweek has a great article about unhealthy Chinese food choices. It lists out the calorie counts in some popular dishes like General Tso's Chicken which made number six on the list.

6. General Tso's chicken: Though some restaurantgoers think chicken is a healthier option than pork and beef, it isn't necessarily. General Tso's chicken features breaded, deep-fried chicken chunks that are then soaked in sauce; Hurley and Liebman found that one plate has about 1,300 calories and half a day's worth of saturated fat—"so about the same as pork," Hurley says.

That's impressive when you consider the low calorie diet I'm on (1500 calories) or that the average person needs about 2000 - 2500 calories in a day. It's even more impressive when you consider that it's something I used to have at least 2-3 times a week.

Part of this journey I'm on is about learning to make better choices. And the first part of that is knowing what the choices are. I would have never guessed that General Tso's chicken had 1300 calories per plate. But because I understand what goes into my food better I'm able to make better choices. My first step was to reduce how much take out I ate. Cutting 2-3 times a week down to once every other week. The second thing was changing what I ate. Like I said my usual choice was General Tso's Chicken. Now I usually choose Chicken & Broccoli. It's a dish that's almost 1/3 vegetables and it's served with a much lighter sauce. But even then it's something I have once or twice a month instead of 2-3 times a week.

Taking Risks

noreply@blogger.com (CJ) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:27:00 +0000

We all think about risks every day. But we tend to think of them in terms of big risks. "Walking on Water" type risks. But there are smaller risks. Everyday kind of risks. Getting out of bed in the morning. Trying something new or different. Even loosing weight can be a risk.

I don't think I've ever heard of or thought about loosing weight as taking a risk before. But I think it is. After so many years of working to be happy with myself as I am, changing that is a big risk. Will I like the new me? Will other people like the new me? It's a frightening prospect.

But I when I think about risk I also think about reward. And with loosing weight the reward of being healthier is so much greater than the selfish risks of staying who I am now.

I've committed myself to "get out of the boat" in a lot of different parts of my life. Here's to finding that reward.

Thanks to Pastor McLaughlin for the inspiration.