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!  :-)

Nothing Too Exciting to Report...

Good evening my friends!


Well, Wednesday of week 3 has gone pretty well.  Nothing too exciting has happened with the exception of the new Apple iPad being announced ( I am in LOVE with all things Apple ) and the fact that there is a good chance for a lotta snow this weekend ( I am also OBSESSED with weather...just ask my family and friends ).


I did go out to dinner at Mi Pueblitos ( a Mexican restaurant ) tonight...but I have learned that I can do things like that and it's okay.  I am exercising, only drinking water, and eating right pretty much all the time.  And I'm not going to go out to eat ALL  the time (like I did last week).


I worked out this afternoon, 3.5 miles on the elliptical AND I added in weights today!  I did some back extension thingies, seated leg press, and leg curls.  I felt great!


I also had the honor of seeing one of my fans, Dr. June Hobbs, at the coffee shop in town this morning.  She and I talked for a little bit and it was great to have someone encourage me in person!  (Thanks Dr. Hobbs!!!).


So, life is going well...pretty busy with classes and hanging out with friends and my YMCA and SGA responsibilities, but other than that I am doing great!  I have really never felt better, I have more energy and I rarely, if ever, get headaches anymore ( I used to get one a day, usually in the afternoons, with at least one a week being pretty debilitating and limiting; since I began eating better and exercising I have only had about 3 headaches ).  I am not getting as winded from walking around campus and just feel better about myself.  It's pretty dang great.


Well...with the forecast calling for snow this weekend I am tempted to go shopping for snacks and junk and sit in the house all weekend eating and hanging out with friends.  I'll try my best to not fall into temptation, but we'll see ;-)


Alright, off to bed now!


Until Next Time...


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-Tyler

Tuesdays Are Crazy...

So, Tuesdays and Thursdays are, by far, my craziest days during the week.  I have classes from 10 am to 4 pm and that makes for a long day.  This morning I could NOT get out of bed to go to the gym, but, I decided that my walking class, that meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, would take the place of my workout for the day.  Well, my class got out early, so I went to the gym anyway and did a mile and a half on the elliptical before coming home, jumping through the shower, and going on to my next class.  


I was doing pretty good today...and then this evening came.  There is a great local restaurant called Pleasant City Wood Fire Grille that has amazing deals during the week; their Tuesday night special is 1/2 price pizzas and $2 draft beers.  The place is crawling with locals and college students...and my friends and I LOVE to go.  So, we went, I did good by splitting a pizza with someone, although I did get a beer which doesn't really help my calorie intake issues.  We were doing okay, until someone suggested going to the local ice cream shop after dinner...of course me, still in my fat kid mindset, wanted ice cream like a fat kid wants cake (not sure if that analogy is too redundant here).  We went, I could have gotten a low fat or healthy option, or just one scoop, but I didn't.  I got my favorite, a Minty Grasshopper sundae.  IT IS SO GOOD!!!  And...I ate it all.  So, I did feel bad about that, but then I realized that it is okay!  It is not a huge deal!  So, I got some ice cream, big whoop.  I also went to the gym today and walked half a mile.  I also lost six pounds last week.  And I also ate better all day then I used to eat at all.  So, screw you ice cream...you're good, and I enjoy you, but you're not as much to me as you once were.  I actually felt pretty yucky after eating it (not for breaking my ''diet'' but because it was way to rich and I just wasn't impressed with the nasty way I felt afterward).


With this information in mind, I plan on working out a little extra hard tomorrow.  I am also going to play racquetball with a friend tomorrow!  That should be fun and offer a new form of exercise to my routine.  I am also thinking about incorporating a couple of exercise classes at Gardner-Webb into my schedule, just to switch things up a little bit.


Alright, I have a lot of work to get done this evening, so I am going to go do that.


I will update more tomorrow, my schedule isn't nearly as crazy.


Until Next Time...


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-Tyler

Sorry for forgetting about you...

I kinda forgot about the blog yesterday...my apologies.  They day was good, I went to the gym and did 2.5 miles on the elliptical, 1.5 miles on the bike, and got to 1 mile on the treadmill!  I worked pretty hard and think it will definitely pay off.  The weekends are hard because I never really feel like doing anything...I just enjoy sitting around, hanging out with friends, and EATING, and eating, and eating, and eating.  Again, the mindless eating thing is a big problem.

Last night I went out to dinner at Applebee's.  Did you know they have WeightWatcher friendly meals and meals under 550 calories?  Did you also know that none of those options were appealing to me?  Yeah...so I got the three cheese chicken penne, not really knowing how many calories it contains until I looked it up when I got home.  It has almost 900 calories for one serving, not tooooooo bad, and I only ate half of what I was given.  So...I think I did okay.

Thus far the weekend has been okay, I have done well with my eating, worked out yesterday, and haven't done too much mindless eating.

Tomorrow is my next big weigh in day!  I hope it goes well!

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler

Day 4...

Day 4 is here and is going good so far.  I worked out this morning and did 2 miles on the elliptical and 1/2 mile on the treadmill.  I think I've discovered what I do enjoy doing on the treadmill and that is walking at a fast pace with the incline turned up, it's good for burning calories and is pretty low impact.  That's one of my biggest problems with the treadmill is the high impact nature of running, so I just try to avoid it all together.  I think next week I will start to incorporate weight machines into my workout routine and start building a little muscle.  So, that's exciting.

I'm not really sure what to share today...I guess that's all I have for now.

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler

Day 2 and Exercise...

To start this post, I want to remind you all of something I told you earlier when I started my blog and that is that I would provide you with honesty and sarcasm and humor.

So, with that in mind:

I HATE EXERCISE!!!

And now that I have that out of the way...let me share some of my opinions on exercise and the gym:

• I have decided that it MUST have been a skinny person that designs workout facilities.  My reasons?  Because why in the world would I want to work out in the room surrounded by mirrors and windows?  If a fat person would have designed a gym it would have been a low-to-no-light room with no mirrors and no windows to ensure ultimate secrecy and anonymity.
• I understand listening to Christian music, and I understand why it would be playing at Gardner-Webb, a Christian school.  What I don't understand is playing Christian music in the gym.  Who wants to sing along to "How Great is Our God" while they're gasping for air and trying to not have a heart attack?
• In conclusion, I finally realized where a piece of workout equipment that had always puzzled me comes from.  The StairMaster rose straight out of the pits of hell.  I tried it...for like 3 minutes and decided that it is evil and I will never go near it again.

With that said, day 2 has gone pretty well so far.

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler

Today's The Day...

So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls...TODAY IS THE DAY!!!  I began my new weight loss plan this morning and have had, in my opinion, a very successful day!  This morning I had to work at new student orientation on campus, so I was up early.  The gym didn't open until 8 this morning, so I couldn't go before the orientation.  I had my oatmeal for breakfast, a turkey sandwich with fruit and cheese cubes for lunch, and then worked out this afternoon with my friends Eric and Leanna!  It's pretty awesome because since I decided to do this I have found other folks that want to do it as well, it's great to have a team of support and people that I can talk to and share recipes and success with.  For dinner I fixed chicken alfredo with whole grain pasta and broccoli and a mixed greens salad.  


So, let's talk about the gym.  I HATE WORKING OUT!  Haha.  I hate being all sweaty, I hate being sore after working out, and it's just not fun to me.  BUT, I MUST do it!  Working out was okay, I couldn't do as much as I wish I could.  The elliptical was fine, but the treadmill was too much.  I can walk fast on it, but running hurts my ankles and knees really bad.  I think I'll just have to stick to walking and using the elliptical until I lose some weight and build up my strength.  One thing about the gym that drives me crazy are the skinny folks.  Now, to all of my skinny friends out there, I love you.  But, to all the skinny people that come into the gym and look at us fat, sweaty, trying to not have a heart attack, and gasping for air folks with disgust, I do not want to have anything to do with you.  One of the big reasons I was always nervous about going to the gym (except for feeling like I was dying and losing 10% of my body weight in sweat from one work out) was the fear that people judged me for being all nasty and fat and trying to work out.  This year I decided that I don't really care what others think of me, especially when I'm in the gym trying to better myself.  But, all of that to say, if you are skinny, and you come into the gym, and you look at me with any kind of hate or disgust in your eyes, I will cause you bodily hard.  :-)  Just kidding!  But seriously...


Alright, so the moment you've all been waiting for:  my "Biggest Loser" pictures and my actual weight!

My Weight, as of January 11 is:

319 pounds

And now...the pictures.  I am really embarrassed by these and am even a little disgusted, I'll be honest.  BUT, I promised it and it is something I must do!

Well, that was embarrassing.  BUT, I cannot wait to see the pounds melt away!!!

So, with all of that said, my first weight loss goal will be 10% of what I weigh now:  31 pounds. That is almost the same as my goal to lose 35 pounds by graduation, so I hope to lose that 10%, plus some, by the time I graduate!

I will post my weight every week and post pictures every month!

Well, that's all for now, I'm tired.

Until Next Time...

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-Tyler

Some of My Goals...

So, I thought I would go ahead and share some of my goals with you all as I begin to prepare for Monday!  I almost feel like a prisoner on death row...getting ready for my execution, and eating everything in sight until then.  And...I'm okay with that.  I have really been preparing myself mentally for this whole ''weight loss thing.''  I think that is something I have lacked in the past is a real intentional preparation for what is ahead.  I also think I will be able to keep these goals and see success because my semester is not going to be nearly as difficult as what I have done in the past -- it is my last one after all!


So, as I said, here are some of my goals...these are more long term or overall, I will have weekly goals too, starting next week.


GOALS

• Exercise, 1 hour each day, Monday - Friday -- Okay, this seems a little bit overwhelming, especially for a chubby kid that can barely walk up a flight of stairs.  BUT, I know that exercise is very important and plan on exercising at least an hour each day.  This will be mainly cardio, and I hope to add some light weight work after a few weeks.
• Walk at least half an hour every day, on top of the 1 hour per day exercise goal -- I also want to spend time walking, outside of the 1 hour of exercise per day.  I think it will be a good way for me to continue to keep myself active outside of my aerobic walking course that I am taking this semester, and the exercise that I plan on doing daily in the gym.  I can definitely spend more time being physically fit instead of sitting in front of the TV.
• Lose at least 2 pounds per week -- So, this is another goal that I feel is a little dangerous to give myself, but again, I feel it's important.  As I have learned over the past few weeks a pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories, SO, for me to lose 2 pounds a week, I have to consume 7,000 calories less than what I usually do.  With a combination of healthy eating (which will be a lower calorie diet) and exercising, I will be consuming less and burning more.
• Lose 35 pounds by graduation (May 17, 2010) -- Graduation is on Monday, May 17 2010.  That is 19 weeks away from when I start on Monday.  If I lose 2 pounds per week, for 19 weeks, I will have lost 38 pounds by graduation day!  Wow, what an amazing accomplishment!
• Reduce my BMI to somewhere within the "Normal weight" range -- One's BMI (Body Mass Index) is the measure of their body fat, based on weight and height.  The "Normal weight" range for BMI is 18.5-24.9.  For a person that is 5 foot 11 inches tall, like me, that translate to a weight of 136 pounds to 179 pounds.  Now, let's be honest folks, could you imagine what I would look like at 136 pounds?  I KNOW!  A crackhead, meth addict, and malnourished child.  SO, 136 is not what I'm going for.  I want my BMI to be within the healthy range, but I have no desire to be some skinny, tiny little person (no offense to my skinny, tiny little friends).
• There are also several other measure of ''ideal weight'' for a 21 year old, male, who is 5' 11" and weighs -------- (I'm not telling you yet!  You'll have to wait for Monday):  The "People's Choice Ideal Weight" for me is 244 pounds.  The "Metropolitan Life Table" range for a person with a large frame, such as me, is 164 to 188.  And, finally, the "Dr. BJ Devine Formula for Ideal Weight" says I should weight 166.
• Eat 3 meals a day plus 2 healthy snacks (one mid-morning, one mid-afternoon) -- This is one thing I have been thinking a lot about, how much I will eat and when.  I know that folks say the smaller 5 meals a day works.  BUT, I know me and I know that I really, really, really LOVE to eat. Haha.  Eating 3 healthy meals per day with 2 healthy snacks (for example:  Breakfast -- Oatmeal with bananas, Morning Snack -- Berries and Yogurt, Lunch -- Low Fat Chicken Salad on Whole Wheat Bread, Afternoon Snack -- Babybel cheese and whole wheat crackers, Dinner -- Grilled chicken with steamed broccoli and whole grain rice) will work much better for me.  Of course, this plan may need to be altered once I actually get to it.
• Watch less TV...mainly Food Network -- As I mentioned in my first post, I LOVE cooking and, therefore, really enjoy watching Food Network.  BUT, Food Network leads me to get hungry, crave ridiculously unhealthy recipes, and fall deeper and deeper in love with Paula Deen (and butter).  I MUST cut down on my Food Network obsession and replace it with a FIT-TV obsessions...okay, not really.  But it will be helpful to put down the remote and start walking or, oh I don't know, do homework or read or quite procrastinating on my work.
• Understand the emotional and psychological reasons behind why I eat -- Another issue that I am very well aware of is that I take part in emotional eating.  I always have...when I am tired, stressed, upset, have low self esteem, or depressed -- I EAT!  I think it will be vital for me to understand the emotional and psychological reasons for this type of eating and help to stop it.  It may be difficult for me to have to work through those feelings and NOT have food to fill in that gap.  BUT, I do think that a lot of my issues with self esteem and being depressed can be traced back to my weight and not be completely comfortable in my own body...losing weight should help with this!

Okay, I think those are enough of my goals for now.  I will be posting weekly goals on Mondays of each week, along with that weeks weigh in and my work out plan for that week!

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Until Next Time...

-Tyler