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Cross Published on Rejecting Your Reality…

Forgive me FatBloggers for I have binged…

I almost didn’t go to WeightWatchers tonight.

I had the week from hell.

#1 – I’m going into major anxiety overload concerning going back to college this fall. I posted about the reasons behind the anxiety over on my blog. Without getting into the gory details, I saw my doctor last week to ask about tweaking one of the medications I take. I told him that I didn’t want to ’self-sabotage’ the process before it even got started.

#2 – The tweak didn’t work. It actually went 180 degrees in the opposite direction… increasing my stress and anxiety. I’m not sure if I told you, but my job can be stressful, even more now that we have TWO new residents fresh from the state hospital. They are enjoying their freedom a BIT too much. Unlike at the State Hospital, I cannot lock them in their room when they are ‘over agitated’ . It got so bad on Saturday that I called in an on-call staff so I could go home. 

#3 – I’m a stress eater. While I didn’t eat an entire pizza and a 6-pack like I once did. I polished off a bunch of cookies and ice cream. I even had the bright idea to make MORE cookies… I had to replace them right?

Today, I went to the gym for the first time since Thursday. I had fresh Hermiston watermelon for breakfast (they will serve these melons in heaven.. they’re THAT good), and I talked to the doctor and got that issue straightened out.

Here’s to a better week ahead!

Anton, A drum roll please…

Starting Weight (Dec. 22, 2006): 392 lbs.
Starting BMI: 51.7
Weight Last Week (July 22, 2008): 287 lbs.
Weight Today (July 22, 2008): 287.8 lbs.
Current BMI: 38.0

Weight Change This Week: +0.8 lbs.
Total Weight Lost: -104.2 lbs.
NEXT GOAL: 275 lbs. by Labor Day (12.8 lbs. to go

* Thanks to Graph Jam… a new representation of my tagline

And so the rollercoaster continues. Of course, we had spent this past weekend visiting family in Austin and eating really good food. Plus we didn’t get in any exercise that would be worth even mentioning. It was a great time and now we can focus on getting back to what we need to be doing.

I’ve still kept up on my workouts, though they have slacked a few times in just how intense they were. I’m now alternating between jogging workouts and then my older workouts (elliptical, abs, weights). This will keep me from overdoing either one and still stick to doing them four days a week.

I treated myself this week to a massage from a sports therapist who handles several athletes and it was wonderful. There were muscles that really stood out in this massage compared to ones I’ve had years ago. I’m sure my workouts have changed what really needs kneading.

I’ve decided that I won’t get another one until I’ve lost 10 pounds for a total of 60 (I had hoped today would be my 50 pounds loss weigh-in). I’ll get a massage with each 10 pounds lost and that is quite an incentive. Ah well, now I really gotta get working.

Starting weight: 319.0 lb
Previous weight: 272.0 lb
Current weight: 274.4 lb
Current loss/gain: +2.4 lb
Total loss/gain: -44.6 lb
Distance to 55: 10.4 lb
Distance to WW Goal: 24.4 lb

Cross-posted to WebCudgel.com

(crossposted to fitnessdeathmarch.com)

Starting weight: 194
Current weight: 191
Goal weight: 180 (with strength increases)
7-day change: -3 pounds
Total change: -3 pounds
To goal: 11 pounds

Highlights of the week, fitness-wise:

• There was free pizza at the all-day gaming event I attended yesterday, but I had four really good all-natural nutrition bars (2 Larabars, a Bumble Bar, and a Clif Bar) and plenty of water, so ate only one slice of thin-crust cheese pizza
• I went out to Macaroni Grill and got the super-healthy broiled fish entree
• I bought lighter weights, so that I’m not putting my ego above proper form
• I ran 12 miles, started the “one hundred pushups” program, and followed my free weight routine religiously

Goals for next week:

• Run my 3 miles just a little faster [method: get more energetic music]
• Keep up the rest

Does anyone have any suggestions for good running music?

Note:  I write a semi-regular column called “Fitness for Fat Guys” for our local newspaper.  The first article was just published today, and I’m busy working on my next.  This is the first article: 

Hello, and welcome to the very first edition of “Fitness For Fat Guys.”  My goal here is to use this space to discuss ways for guys like us to get and stay in shape.  Last year, I did the Weight Watchers thing and dropped almost 60 pounds in a matter of about six months.  I counted up my points, faithfully attended my weekly weigh-in meetings, and collected my little progress stickers along the way to improving my overall health.  I also embarked on something that resembled a fitness regimen to help keep the weight off.  I did a little jogging, but I found that hitting the road on a bike was easier on my 40-year-old joints.  (In the interest of full disclosure, Doc Booher tried to convince me of that before I started, but of course I had to figure it out on my own.)  This year, I’ve noticed that I’ve added a few pounds, so it’s high time I get things in gear before I get totally out of hand again. 

And that’s where you come in.  I’d like to use this little column to not only motivate myself to get and stay healthy, but to help you do the same.  I’ve found that staying accountable to somebody else helps me stick with my own program and keep my own weight off more effectively.  Like a lot of you, I grew up right here in Eastern Oregon, played some high school ball, and stayed active and healthy for most of that time.  Daily Doubles on the football field and line sprints in the gym seem to have a way of burning a whole lot of calories.  It wasn’t until I was an adult, and had a family and career, that those fitness activities took a back seat to other things in my life.  It wasn’t that I didn’t like working out, I just never seemed to have time for it.  After a while, the sedentary lifestyle with too much fast food and ice cream just sorta took it’s toll.  Getting back in shape at 41 is a whole lot tougher than staying in shape at 18! 

Biking is my exercise of choice, but there are other activities that may or may not work for you.  I’d like to make this column as interactive as possible, so I’ll leave my e-mail when we’re done.  Feel free to contact me any time to let me know how you’re doing with yours.  My first stop is to head out to Umatilla and take a ride along the river’s edge.  At the end of the parking lot on Beach Access Road, and there’s a trailhead there leads all the way to Hat Rock.  I have an off-road trail bike, but it’s not really a mountain bike, so this relatively flat trail is perfect for what I need.  In my next column, I’ll let you know how it goes.  In the meantime, have a great workout, and by all means stay hydrated during these hot summer months. 

Rick Scheibner is the counselor at Sunset Elementary, where he currently holds the school record for most interceptions in a single recess.  He can be reached at rickscheibner@gmail.com. 

218.8. That’s what it said on the scale this morning. A gain of 2.4 pounds.

Instead of wallowing in self pity. I got up and road my bike to work, despite wet, dirty roads and a threat of torrential downpour.

I got drenched, I got muddy, I got lost and I was late for work and yet it was the best decision I could have made.

It is amazing to me how fast I can start to feel like I am out of shape.

Last week I achieved my greatest physical triumph ever, yesterday I felt like a 300 pound couch potato. I know it’s mostly mental. Which means I need to do some serious mental and physical training in the next 5 days since I have singed up for another sprint triathlon a week from this coming Sunday.

Have a great weekend everybody.

Tony
07/24 218.8 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
10.8 lbs. to go

Back in May, I wrote about a new class being offered at my gym, the Power Course. I’ve been taking this class twice a week for almost 2 months now and I’m loving it! It’s a challenge and I am definitely ‘feeling it’ afterwards, but the BEST thing I’m feeling is firm. That’s right, I’m admitting it here on FatBloggers, I am enjoying feeling the firmness growing under the ever-shrinking layer of soft gushiness.

The other night, The Boy and I were doing one of the things that I wanted to do when I started this whole project… we were screwing around. He thinks that he is the big 6th grade football stud, of course I have to take him down a couple notches. He is 5′4″ and 109 lbs of 100% BOY, so I crouch down a bit and hoist him over my shoulders. As he is squealing like a girl, he’s grabbing my arms. He  says, “Wow Dad! You are BUFF!”

Is that an ego boost or WHAT?!?!?!

Fellow blogger and all around awesome guy, Israel over at FatManUnleashed has one of the most awesome logos in all the blogosphere. Lucky for us (me), he slapped the logo on a sweet T-shirt.

This is the equipment used for the Power Course. The plates are 22lb, 11lb, 5lb and 2lb. That’s right baby! This FatMan is curling 80lbs!

btw… the lady behind me is mortified that she is getting her picture taken.

Cross-posted to Fat Guy in Little Coat

One of the things that seems to creep into every student’s finances is parking on campus. For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed about getting a good parking assignment. I did my undergrad and masters at Arizona State and was fortunate to have one of the best parking structure assignments on campus. I didn’t care how much it cost, I shelled the cash out to make sure I kept my permit. Since parking has more than doubled since I last needed to park anywhere near ASU, I doubt that would be the case anymore.

Then we moved to Athens, Georgia for me to go to school at UGA, which despite increasing its parking fees this year, is considerably less than most schools. I’ve never had a hard time parking anywhere, and like ASU, I received a good assignment. However, I had to take a closer look at what I was spending…

I paid over $300 for a permit last year and lived about a mile from campus. Pathetic, huh?  I mean, I did walk on occasion, but why waste a good permit? Now, we’ve moved across town and the drive would be a few miles more. Gas prices, as you all know, are quite ridiculous these days, and in addition to that increase, I would have to pay more for a parking permit.

Then I made a small discovery outside our new home: a bus stop.

So, I did some research on the bus routes and discovered that the bus that passes 20 feet in front of my house is the very same that would take me no more than 100 yards from my building on campus — and students can take the bus for free. But, I saw that there were no late hours, and since my classes are all in the afternoon or evening, It would work out.  But then a friend chimed in. “Actually, there’s another bus that services the area on nights and weekends.” I checked it out and he was right.

So, after mulling it over a little while longer, I decided it was time to forsake the permit and instead enroll in the alternative transportation program, which would still allow me to park in designated lots twice a month. The infrastructure is in place for me to get to A to B without a car…why not go with that option? I could take the bus all week if I wanted, but on Thursdays, after 5 p.m. I can park right behind my building for my late class. The options are all there. It just makes sense.

I would be saving $420 by not purchasing a permit, plus, if gas continues to stay the way it is, I figure I’d be saving almost $600 in gas costs this coming year.

So, I’m saving over $1000, walking more, and doing a little bit more to help reduce carbon emissions. Already, I’m seeing the money I would have spent on the permit going to a Garmin Forerunner and another pair of running shoes.

The more I think about it, it’s not a sacrifice, it’s a no brainer.

Well, I did start my diet/exercise log, but after about two days, it all went to heck. Not necessarily what I ate, but just work and life getting in the way of me staying focused on staying focused. I think the motivation to do the logging did have an impact on this week’s weigh-in.

After all, I had assumed I had one more gain. This past weekend was “Geek Sunday” with my buddies and we ending up going to Mexican food and having carb loaded snacks while playing D&D 4. I wasn’t happy with some of my choices this past week, but I thought about it after the weigh-in and realized that I couldn’t remember there being very many bad choices.

I kept up the workouts and decided to change this week by going back to the company weight-room, doing laps around the call center, followed by incline situps (75+) and leg lifts (75+), and, today, throwing in some weight-training again. The abs were burning today being on the second day back to doing them (I had dropped everything else to do my 3.8 mile jogs).

I have a feeling I need to start mixing up my routine and that may have shaken up my metabolism this week. I’ll take it and that gives me only 8 pounds to go to “achieve 55 by Labor Day”.

Starting weight: 319.0 lb
Previous weight: 275.0 lb
Current weight: 272.0 lb
Current loss/gain: -3.0 lb
Total loss/gain: -47.0 lb
Distance to 55: 8.0 lb
Distance to WW Goal: 22.0 lb

Cross-posted to WebCudgel.com

Cross Published on Rejecting Your Reality…

Jan had a really great discussion at WeightWatchers meeting tonight, Ways to make yourself feel good.

Out of the 40 or so people who stay for the meeting on Tuesday nights, there are three guys; an elementary school teacher, a mental health clinical case worker (a colleague) and myself. We really don’t try to be disruptive, the very nature of the meetings are aimed at women. When Jan asks the group, "what is your favorite part of your body", I laughed. She says, "Oh John, do you have something to add here?" No, I don’t, I told her that I laughed because I’ve been married for 15 years and I really wanted to hear ONE of these women tell us they had a ‘favorite body part’. Just as I suspected, the only answers we heard from the ladies were how much the liked their eyes or hair.

The upshot to the subject of the discussion tonight was that we should dress to our changing body size. Jan says that she has some women coming in wearing the same clothes they wore on their first night. Even though they are baggy, they know that the weight of those specific clothes are ‘normal’ to the scale. But they don’t want to risk changing to newer clothes because they will affect the number on the scale. Logic dictates that there would be LESS fabric, therefore FEWER pounds on the scale.

Guys, one of the biggest joys I have had over the last year is wearing SMALLER clothes. Whether those came as cast offs from a fellow FatBlogger, or from items I joyously purchased off the rack like normal people. The biggest accomplishment of the last year and a half is how I feel when I get dressed. Wearing nice looking normal sized clothes is the best incentive anyone could have devised.

Anton, A drum roll please…

Starting Weight (Dec. 22, 2006): 392 lbs.
Starting BMI: 51.7
Weight Last Week (July 15, 2008): 288.2 lbs.
Weight Today (July 22, 2008): 287 lbs.
Current BMI: 37.9

Weight Change This Week: -1.2 lbs.
Total Weight Lost: -105 lbs.
NEXT GOAL: 275 lbs. by Labor Day (12 lbs. to go)

Do… or Do Not… there is no TRY. –Master Yoda