It Has Been Too Long...

Just a quick update...I apologize for my laziness with the blog over the past couple of weeks.  Things have been pretty hectic with school and applying for jobs.  I pretty much quit the diet last week, but I have plans to start back next Monday!!!


I am currently in a cold and snowy Chicago, looking for jobs at YMCA of the USA and the YMCA of Metro Chicago.  Once I return this weekend I will get back to the blog and the diet, I promise you all!!!  I can't let you down, and I apologize for doing so the last week or two.


Until Next Time...


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-Tyler

We've Stayed the Same...

Yesterday's weigh in revealed a weight of 314 pounds...no changes from last week.  That is good I guess, I am maintaining instead of gaining.

Last week was really tough (and the beginning of this week hasn't been too great either).  I have completely ''fallen off the bandwagon'' and I am finding it difficult to jump back on.  It's been difficult, but I know I can do this, I just HAVE to do it!  I talked with my dad last week, which was very encouraging, he and I have both always struggled with our weight (he is a large fella himself).  We talked about how it is really unfair that our bodies are almost ''built differently'' in that it is so difficult for us to lose weight.  We also talked about how we really have to fight and struggle to lose weight, and that that is frustrating, but it is the life we have been given I suppose.

Well, as a final note for this morning's post, let me share something neat I saw this morning on a friend's Facebook.  It is a neat project that is going on for another cause, but it relates to health!  An organization called blood:water mission (whose mission is:  empowering communities to work together against the HIV/AIDS & water crises in Africa) is encouraging folks to take part in the season of Lent by only drinking water.  More information can be found here.  The goal is to show that for many people in the world, water is the only option when it comes to having a beverage, and that for many of these people it is difficult, time consuming, and sometimes, virtually impossible to get potable water.  Check it out!

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler

Sick Day...

So, I posted this morning that I wasn't feeling well, so, I haven't been feeling any better today.  Yuck, I hate being sick!


With the sickness I really don't have the energy to exercise (of course...always looking for an excuse ;-P).  I did want to share some tips with you that I found online today.


The are 6 Easy Slim-Down Strategies from Yahoo! Health:

1) Weigh yourself daily

Why It Works: Weekly weigh-ins are a staple of many popular weight loss programs, but some studies show that daily weighing can be key to lasting weight loss. When researchers at the University of Minnesota monitored the scale habits of 1,800 dieting adults, they found that those who stepped on every day lost an average of 12 pounds over 2 years (weekly scale watchers lost only 6) and were less likely to regain lost weight. Step on the scale first thing every morning, when you weigh the least. Expect small day-to-day fluctuations because of bloating or dehydration, but if your weight creeps up by 2% (that's just 3 pounds if you weigh 150), it's time to skip dessert.

2) Keep TV viewing under 2 hours a day

Why It Works: TV junkies miss out on calorie-burning activities like backyard tag with the kids; instead, they become sitting ducks for junk-food ads. One study found that adults who watch more than 2 hours of TV per day take in 7% more calories and consume more sugary snacks than those who watch less than an hour a day. Wean yourself off the tube by introducing other activities into your life. Eliminate the temptation to watch between-show filler by recording your must-see programs so you can fast-forward through the ads. Or subscribe to a mail-order DVD service like Netflix, and make a movie the only thing you watch all day.

3) Eat 4 g of fiber at every meal

Why It Works: A high-fiber diet can lower your caloric intake without making you feel deprived. In a Tufts University study, women who ate 13 g of fiber or less per day were five times as likely to be overweight as those who ate more fiber. Experts see a number of mechanisms through which fiber promotes weight loss: It may slow down eating because it requires more chewing, speed the passage of food through the digestive tract, and boost satiety hormones. To get 25 g of fiber a day, make sure you eat six meals or snacks, each of which contains about 4 g of fiber. For to-go snacks, buy a piece of fruit; it's handier than vegetables, so it's an easy way to up your fiber intake. One large apple has just as much fiber (5 g) as a cup of raw broccoli.

4) Sleep at least 7 hours a night

Why It Works: A University of Chicago study found that people deprived of Zzzs had lower levels of the hormones that control appetite. "The research suggested that short sleep durations could be a risk factor for obesity," says James Gangwisch, Ph.D., an epidemiologist from Columbia University Medical Center. Sure enough, his follow-up study of 9,588 Americans found that women who slept 4 hours or less per night were 234% more likely to be obese. The key number for most people is 7 hours or more a night, he says, so set an early bedtime and stick to it.

5) Drink 8 glasses of water per day

Why It Works: Water is not just a thirst quencher--it may also speed the body's metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cold water increased their subjects' metabolic rate by 30%, and the effect persisted for 90 minutes. One-third of the boost came from the body's efforts to warm the water, but the rest was due to the work the body did to absorb it. "When drinking water, no calories are ingested but calories are used, unlike when drinking sodas, where additional calories are ingested and possibly stored," explains the lead researcher, Michael Boschmann, M.D., of University Medicine Berlin. Increasing water consumption to 8 glasses per day may help you lose about 8 pounds in a year, he says, so try drinking a glass before meals and snacks and before consuming sweetened drinks or juices.

6) Stick to an 8-hour workday

Why It Works: A University of Helsinki study of 7,000 adults found that those who'd packed on pounds in the previous year were more likely to have logged overtime hours. Lack of time for diet and exercise is most likely the cause, but it's also possible that work stress has a direct effect on weight gain through changes in hormones like cortisol. Set firm limits on your workday so that when you're done, you still have the oomph to take a bike ride and cook a healthy dinner. To help you stay productive enough to finish on time, set an hourly alarm; when it goes off, deal with your most pressing duties.

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler

It's Monday!

Here we are, week 6, and it's Monday.


I'm not going to do a big update right now, I woke up this morning feeling pretty yucky (cold/flu-like symptoms) and have a test in a little bit, so I am going to go study and do that.


I will weigh in and update you all later on today or tomorrow.


Until Next Time...


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-Tyler

Week 5 = Not Going Well at All

So, my friends, week 5 has not been going the way I wish it would.


I have not been to the gym, yet this week, but plan on going tomorrow morning.  I have been doing well with food and such, better than past weeks, but it's not been GREAT.


*Sigh*  I think I have just lost my motivation...let's hope I can get it back!!!


Until Next Time...


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-Tyler

Eating on Purpose...And, I Hate the Gym (Part 7)

So, yesterday was frustrating...after I weighed in and realized I had gained 2 pounds I didn't want to do anything.  I didn't want to work out, I didn't want to eat right, I was annoyed with myself and with this whole ''diet'' thing.

I am still feeling that way a little bit, it's so frustrating to make progress and then screw up and lose it (the progress that is...not the weight).  I know that a lot of why that has happened is my own fault, because I don't make the best decisions sometimes, especially on the weekends.  I enjoy food sooooo much!  And I looooooooove eating!  I also get frustrated because I see other people who can eat whatever they want and they don't have to work out, or work out the same amount that I do, and they never gain weight.  That is obnoxious...I feel like if I eat a carrot and drink a glass of water I gain 7 pounds.  But, I guess it is the lovely metabolism and body that I have been blessed cursed with.  I will just have to live with that for my whole life, and making healthy food choices and exercising is what I have to do to make up for that.  But then I go back to the whole ''I hate the gym!'' rant.  I have yet to go this week, because I am so frustrated, but I plan on going tonight because I have to get back on this weight loss plan!  I need to do it and I have so many folks out there who are following me and I want you all to be there to celebrate with me when we get to the end (maybe we can have a party...of course we'll keep the food limited).

Well, today's post is a bit of a rant (I promised you a weekly rant several weeks ago...let this count for last week's and this one's).  But I also wanted to share some information I found on a website, it's from another weight loss blog called ''Fatty Weight Loss.''  They have listed the Top 10 Diet Tips and Tricks and one of them I found interesting...

Diet Tip #8 – Eat on Purpose
Don’t be afraid to get in touch with hunger. Discover what true hunger really feels like. Treat this as research and document all findings. Observe what happens to the body as hunger approaches and how long it takes the physical feeling of hunger to subside even when no food is consumed. Also, pay attention to any emotional reactions that may arise. Strive to develop a sense of actual hunger so that eating becomes a purposeful activity designed to sustain the body only rather than fill other needs. 

This MUST be a tip I missed when I started this whole weight loss thing over a month ago.  It is something I had never really thought about doing.  I know that I eat out of boredom and when I'm stressed or frustrated.  But, I have never really understood how to handle that.  So, yesterday, and today, I have been conducting this little ''Eat[ing] on Purpose'' experiment.  It may seem a bit unhealthy, but I have been letting myself experience hunger, for example, now it is almost 1 p.m. and I have not had breakfast or lunch.  I can feel that I am hungry and know that I will eat a healthy lunch after class.  Now, this is not my ''gateway drug'' to anorexia, so don't worry about me there.  I also know that some tips say ''Don't allow yourself to get hungry because you will eat more.''  Well, I'm not doing this every single day, but I am going to try it out for 3 days and get a real feel for hunger so I have a better appreciation for food and will learn more about ''Eat[ing] on Purpose'' as this article refers to.

So, as you go about your Tuesday, I encourage you to ''Eat on Purpose.''

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler 

Week 5...Here We Go

And we begin week 5, with much...frustration.  I weighed in today and the verdict is:

My weight, as of February 2 is:

314 pounds

A gain of 2 pounds from last week!

So, last week did not go so well.  BUT, it's so strange because even though I gained weight I feel great, my pants are too big, and I feel thinner.  So, maybe my fat is shifting around...it's really not a big deal.  I'm not going to let a pound or two ruin my day, or my week, or my month.  It doesn't matter...in the end.

I'm back on the plan starting tomorrow, I know I can do this, but it takes work and a few pounds here or there is not a big deal.

That's all I have for you this evening, off to do some homework!

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler

Dear Rain, You Suck...But Diet, You're Not So Bad

I can't believe that a week ago we were getting ready for a fun snow storm and now we are getting flooded.  I guess the tubes we used for snow tubing could be used for going down the river...in my front yard.


Well, my friends, week 4 is almost at a close.  Can you believe that we have been at this for almost a month???  I can't, it's been crazy.  On Monday I will post my weight, as usual, and we will also get some updated pictures (I know you are all excited about seeing that...).


So, this is how I'm feeling at the end of week 4:

• This has not been the easiest thing I've ever done (but it's not been the hardest either).  The last few weeks have been especially difficult.  I have also had some real issues with understanding what food is to me and how important it is to me.  I have had several breakdowns because I get so angry.  They go like this:  "I hate being fat."  "Why is it that whatever I eat makes me fat, but skinny people can eat anything they like and don't gain a pound."  "I want to eat what I want to eat."  "I hate being told that I can't have what I want."  "I hate not being able to have what I want."  It has been really hard at times, but I have had to come to the realization that food is not the only thing that makes me happy...I have also come to the realization that I have some ''addicted to food'' tendencies.  That has been difficult.
• I am probably feeling the best I have ever felt, physically that is.  Since the diet began I have had, maybe 4 or 5 headaches, with only 1 or 2 being really really bad.  I used to have a headache everyday!!!  And would average 1 to 2 severe migraines a week.  Not any more, that has been an amazing ''side effect'' of this new healthy lifestyle.  I also have more energy (I used to sleep 9 or 10 hours a night and be tired by 2 pm the next day...now I can stay up later, get up earlier, and I feel great all day).  My legs and ankles don't hurt as much.  I have had very little back pain (laying down in bed at night used to be extremely painful for the first 10 minutes or so).  It is amazing what exercising, losing some weight, and not filling your body with ''crap'' can do!!!
• I am learning more self control and doing a better job of eating and exercising...but not without some struggle.  If you have kept up with the blog you have seen the many times I have slipped up, eaten too much, eaten the wrong thing, etc.  I have, first of all, been able to get over those times and not worried about it, realizing that it really is okay in the grand scheme of things.  I have also gotten better, this week was great for me...I went out to eat for dinner earlier in the week, had McDonald's last night (which I did because I was short on time, BUT I asked for the nutrition facts first [to which the girl working said ''I can see them, but you ain't gon' like 'em''] and found the best option [a Ranch BLT with grilled chicken for 470 calories]...and I drank water), and then went to lunch today.  I have decided that I am going to limit myself to eating out twice per week (thanks for the suggestion Kayley) and one of those times will be Friday lunch at The Snack Shop.  I just love it and I have got to have that tradition in my life, hahahahaah.
• Finally, I enjoy working out!!!  I know, isn't it crazy?  I am finding that I enjoy going to the gym because I feel great and know it is having great results.

So there, a little bit of how we're doing as week 4 comes to a close.

I will be busy all weekend, so may not get a chance to update the blog until Sunday afternoon.  But I will try to drop in and let you all know how the weekend is going!

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler

PS:  I have realized ALL of my pants are looser...that's a great feeling!  :-)

It's Hump Day...

Wednesday has gone pretty well...breakfast and lunch were good, I did 2.5 miles on the elliptical, and then went to dinner with friends (a yummy new Mexican place in town called Pueblito Express).


I think I am back on track...I found it easy to work out today (the last time I was in the gym was last Friday).  I did the 2.5 miles in about 20 minutes, so that's exciting!  I am finding that I actually enjoy working out and want to go to the gym.


Alright, I don't have much to share with you all today so I won't waste your time.


Until Next Time...


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-Tyler

10 Ways to Right-Size Your Diet...

I found this article online today that has some tips on how to ''right-size'' your diet and think it's helpful.  You can click on the link to find the article online, but I have posted the tips below as well.

1. Contemplating seconds? Wait 10 minutes. Your stomach needs about that long to signal the brain that it's full, so stall before helping yourself to more mashed potatoes or lasagna. Keep the conversation going, tell a joke, or if you're dining alone, read the newspaper or walk around the house. If you're truly hungry after the delay, have seconds of the veggies or salad.

2. Quit the clean plate club. One in four Americans eat everything they're served no matter how big the portions, surveys reveal. A better strategy: Eat a healthy portion, then stop. It's better to waste a little food (and save it for tomorrow) than to overload your body.

3. Never eat directly out of the bag, box, or carton. Put the portion on the plate right away and put the package away, then sit down and enjoy.

4. Like big portions? Do this. Overload your plate with vegetables or salad with a smidgen of dressing or have a big, steaming bowl of broth-based soup. These water-rich, low-fat foods are so low in calories that a big portion isn't a problem.

5. Use a salad plate as your dinner plate. Less real estate means automatic portion control.

6. Make "small" your default setting. When ordering food or drinks or buying packaged food at the store, automatically go for the smallest size of any high-calorie items. (The exceptions: Salads and veggies without added fat.) Get the small latte, the 6-inch sub instead of the 12-inch, the small cookie instead of the 4-inch chocolate chip behemoth. Calories you haven't bought can't end up around your waist.

7. Go single-serve. Buy or make ice cream, sweets, or other high-cal foods, in individual serving sizes. Instead of a half-gallon of Rocky Road, buy ice cream sandwiches; make cupcakes instead of cake; and buy single-serving bags of chips.

8. But read the label first. Many packaged foods and drinks look as if they provide one serving are actually meant to serve two or more people. However, the calories and other nutrition info on the label are for just one serving, so read the number of servings per container first. Then be sure to eat or drink just one serving.

9. Pack your leftovers before eating. Sure, it's easy to put a healthy plate of food in front of you. The trouble comes when the plate empties and you have more of each food sitting in front of you in alluring serving bowls. The answer: Package and store leftovers before you sit down to eat. That way, getting seconds becomes a whole lot harder and feels more inappropriate.

10. Round out the meal with raw produce. As you transition to more modest portion sizes, you may find yourself craving more food with your meal. The answer: a piece of fruit or a crunchy, large serving of celery, carrots, or peppers. There is no easier, healthier way to "beef up" a meal than with an apple, an orange, a big helping of watermelon or cantaloupe, or a sliced tomato.

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler

Diet Fail...

I am horrible at this, aren't I?  I am so sorry to all of my dear readers for not updating in several days.  Since I last wrote we have had about 4 inches of snow here in North Carolina, and I have been preoccupied with sledding, hanging out with friends, and snow days.  The weekend was so much fun.  We went out to dinner on Friday night for my roommate Eric's birthday to this great restaurant called "Smoke on the Square."  Snow started falling that evening and we all made it back home safely.  The weekend was so much fun.


But, enough about that, to the stuff you all REALLY want to know about, the weigh in and dieting and exercise and such.  Well, let me tell you, it didn't go so well.  I weighed this morning...

My weight, as of February 2 is:

312 pounds

A gain of 1 pound from last week!

Well shoot...but, that's alright.  I will survive!!!

This week I am going to work out as hard as I can, eat right (as much as possible), and limit going out to eat.

I will lose weight for next week!

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler