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