FatBloggers.net A little push to lose the tush.

This morning, I made a few improvements to the comments section of FatBloggers.net.  First, I installed a “Notify me” plugin that allows the commenter to get an email whenever somebody responds to his comment.  It’s a simple check box, and it’s a great way to be reminded of posts that you want to keep track of. 

The second improvement is a plugin that AJAX-ifies the commenting process.  The comment is automatically loaded to that place on the page, instead of having the entire page reload after posting a comment. 

Try them both out and let me know if there are any problems. 

Oh, also, thanks to Pete for the php code that generates the “posted by” line at the top of each post.  Makes it a lot easier to see whose post you’re reading.

Technorati Tags: blogging, WordPress plugins, AJAX, subscribe, weight loss, dieting

I stepped on the scale this morning for my weigh-in… +3… back up to 207.

Wha’ HA-pen?

The earlier part of the week was pertty good… still no exercise, but moderating what I eat. Then the weekend came…

I probably ate just a bit more than I should have so late in the evening on Saturday. Then, Sunday night, I definitely over-ate my fill… and then topped it off with cheesecake! UGH! Sure, it was a free catered dinner from Boston Market in appreciation for the children’s ministry lead-teachers and spouses… but I should have known to moderate before it was too late!

Weak… I’m so weak…

I was feeling really down tonight, probably more so than I had in quite some time.  Out of habit, I started to reach for one of my favorite comfort foods, nachos.  I quickly thought better of it, logged on to Weight Watchers, and planned a meal around it instead.  Crisis averted. 

I’m thinking about the link between weight fluctuations (primarily weight gain) and mental health.  Newsweek did a story fairly recently about depression in men, and my experience tonight made me wonder about the link between the two.  I have spoken with other men both online and in person about their own experiences with depression, and I’m amazed at how many are candid but discrete about their clinical diagnoses. 

So which came first, the depression or the weight loss?  Maybe depression hits us in our 30’s, so we start looking for some good things to eat to help ease what we’re experiencing inside.  Or is it the other way around?  Maybe we start getting too comfortable with our jobs and our families, so we kind of let ourselves go and forget to exercise enough to keep up with our food intake.  We gain weight, and start feel crappy about ourselves.  Over a long period of time, it leads to clinical depression.  It’s a chicken-and-egg dilemma, but one that must be addressed if you think your weight gain may have something to do with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issue. 

One thing I’ve noticed is that my ego has gotten a boost in the arm since weighing in earlier this week.  And that’s despite the setback at Chili’s and my tempations tonight. 

Thoughts?

I had to make an emergency trip to Spokane, Washington yesterday.  And no, I won’t be able to attend the NCAA’s at all while I’m up here.  I did find that Chili’s is not a good place to eat if you’re trying to lose weight. 

Thanks John for keeping me straight.  With a little manipulation, I can still keep under my points for the week.

Lost 2.4 lbs. this week.

�Total Loss 16.8 lbs.

7.4 pounds.

I was a little nervous going in, and I’d resigned myself to thinking that ANY amount would be a success for me at this point. But, I’m pleasantly surprised at this number. It’s tempting to say, “Ok, 7.4 pounds, times 8 weeks…hey in about two months, I’ll be…”

But it doesn’t work that way, I know. I’ve done this enough times to know that, for me anyway, the first pounds come off the quickest. But I am definitely encouraged by this first week.

Food find: I picked up a medium-sized container of the brocolli salad at Wal-Mart today for lunch. Good stuff with raisins and sunflower seeds, and about 5 points for WW. Good dressing, but if you’re really watching your sugar intake, it might not be for you. The salad and a banana pretty much took care of me until dinner time.

Note for FatBloggers: I created a category called “Weigh-in”. Feel free to use that whenever you’re posting your weekly numbers. The other times, it defaults to the category of “Weight loss”.

I weighed-in a few times over the past three days… and a final check this morning for today’s weigh “official” weigh-in. I’ve been able to drop 3 pounds and now I’m hangin’ around 204!

I’ve done nothing in terms of exercise just yet… just making sure I don’t eat as much, curb the sweets a bit, and no eating towards the later part of the night.

I’m going to a crab feed tonight, but I’ve done some homework and I can fit it into my WW plan.  I did some checking, and figured that 1.5 lbs will just take me to my allotted 32 points a day.  And that’s after a bigger-than-normal brunch I had this morning.  I put some cole slaw into my “any time” points category, so I’ll be able to stay within program parameters.  Oh, and I’m staying out of the butter, too. 

So far, I’m liking this a lot better than any of the previous Gestapo-like weight loss programs I’ve been on.  I can actually eat some real food and have a good time.  Sure, I don’t anticipate having a 10-pound-loss week, but I hope to get some better long-term results instead.  I’m feeling better already, mostly because I haven’t hit up the fast food joints for lunch.  Those tend to bring on some late-afternoon energy lulls.  Which makes me think I need some caffeine, which keeps me up at night, which gives me cravings for carbs and caffeine the next morning…and the cycle continues.  But no more. 

I’m only on my 4th day of this thing, but so far so good. 

I feel at this point, now that I’ve experienced some success (14+ lbs since valentines day), I can begin to put my finger on some of the things that are helping me out, A LOT!!!

Exercise

I’ve been extremely sedentary for the past few years, primarily a downward spiral. The more weight I gain, the less active I become. Less activity leads to more weight gain, and less activity, and so it goes….. My wife and I sprung for a gym membership from our tax refund, and we both love it. I’m on the treadmill for 45 minutes, at least 4 days a week. I now miss it, when I don’t do it.

Portion size

I use the “Body For Life” system of portion selection. No portions bigger then the palm of your hand, and no larger than your clenched fist. No measuring, no weighing. It’s very easy for someone like me who is a creature of convenience.

I also use the Body For Life food plan. 6 meals per day, 1 lean protein and 1 carb per meal, and find a way to work in 2 servings of vegetable each day. At the beginning, I was grouping meals 2 & 3 together due to my schedule. However, I remember in the Body for Life book they talked about feeding your metabolism. You wake up early in the morning, work out, and get your metabolism going. You can help keep it going be feeding it smaller meals more often. It has worked for me this past week.

No late night eating!

I am doing my best to not let meal #6 come after 8:00 pm. If I get hungry after 8, I will go to bed, go blog, drink some water, but try and distract myself with some sort of activity. Once the weather warms up, I may go for a walk around the block.

This is what is working for me today. As I lose more weight, probably another 50 or 75 lbs., I’ll incorporate the entire Body For Life plan and start hitting the weights, but for now, cardio alone and diet are giving me a nice slow “burn”.

Get up and move!!!!

Ok, first WW meeting tonight.  I can do this. 

Somebody asked if I would go over the WW basics.  There’s really two plans, Core and Flex.  With Core, there’s a set list of foods you can eat from.  It’s basically unprocessed foods with no flour, sugars, etc… I can see where it would be very effect; unfortunately, it’s not the way we normally eat.  The other plan, Flex, gives you so many points per day and stresses food portion, and not food selection.  It’s definitely more lifestyle-friendly.  How many points a day you get depend on your gender, starting weight, activity level, etc…  I’m going with Flex, to start out with, anyway. 

I won’t discuss the weight issue.  Let’s just say it’s not where it should be.  I’ve got some work to do.  But I’m looking forward to posting how much I’ve lost next week. 

Thanks John for taking some time out of your evening to support me in this.  You’re right; this is a mostly-female thing.  We guys gotta stick together. 

Looks like this can of Chunky vegetable beef soup is 5 points. 

I can do this.