FatBloggers.net

Cross posted at Losing Inspiration

I will write this now since I will be at a friends for the New Year tonight, so I will post my intake tomorrow. I hope everyone has a fun and safe New Year’s celebration and let’s make 2009 the year we finish this Journey.

Please everyone, Don’t drink and drive.

And now a list of some changes I would like to make:

Be nicer
More courteous
Love more
Hate less
Give more
Take less
Eat smart
Eat Less
Move more
Be less judgmental of others
Give the benefit of doubt
Let people in front of me
Have more patients
Blog more
Listen more
Encourage more
Discourage more

I could probably go on forever, how about you?

What changes would you like to make?

Enjoy the Journey!

GPLongwood

Cross Posted on Pick on the Fat Kid

First of all, I apologize for the garbage I posted yesterday.  It was not a good day mentally at all.  I felt pretty good to start out, but then things just got progressively more stressful from there.  I let my work spoil what would normally be a good day.  So, no more workplace rants in this blog… I promise.  Thankfully, I stayed on track and even did an extra long walk to cool my jets a little bit

I also want to add that today I’m wearing a shirt that was too tight on me 2 months ago.  Today it is hanging on my quite nicely.  I’m also wearing a pair of pants I haven’t worn in a while.  They are pretty loose.  So, there’s some non-scale victories to brighten the day!

—-

So today is the last day of 2008.  Thank goodness.  2008 was pretty much a waste for me minus the last 2 – 2.5 months.  That’s when I finally got my head out of my ass and decided to take control of my life.  Since then I have lost 35.5 lbs.  Not a record pace by any means, but I’m doing it right and I feel good about it.  I’m eating what seems like a lot of food every day.  I’m exercising almost every day.  I’m burning fat and building muscle.  So I’m off to a good start.

2009 is where all the magic is going to happen.  I plan to do things I’ve never been able to do.  Or at least not since I was a kid.  Some of these things include:

• Go to concerts and ballgames without fear of fitting into a seat
• Hit the 100 lbs lost mark
• Perhaps play softball in the late summer if I’m in good enough shape
• Buy clothes from a normal store
• Become the new Anti-Jared
• Have fun…all year long

I’m sure there are a lot of new things I’ll be doing in 2009.  I’m really excited to see what comes next.  I’m also really excited to put 2008 in the rear-view.

—-

As for the early morning gym thing, I’m scrapping that idea for now.  I like the night time too much to make the 5:00 a.m. thing a reality.  I’ve played around with it in my head.  The main reason I wanted to do the morning times is to beat the crowds.  Right now there isn’t much of a crowd.  Monday, I’m sure that will change.  But it’s really no big deal.  The center is huge and can handle a large crowd.  Sure working out in front of all those people can be stressful at first, but I’ll get over it.

My gameplan now is to have my workout clothes with me and go to the gym directly after work.  This will allow me to still get started before some of the evening crowd gets stirred and will keep me on track.  The gym is fun.  I just need to keep reminding myself about that when I don’t feel like doing anything after a hard day at work.

—–

Yesterday’s meals:

Breakfast – 3 egg whites, oatmeal

Snack – Apple

Lunch – Turkey on Whole wheat, pickle, strawberries

Snack – handful of cashews

Dinner – Grilled chicken, whole wheat pasta, homemade tomato sauce

Snack – Strawberries, handful of almonds

I am doing a Q&A sessiong at my blog right now so that the visitors can ask any questions that they are curious about. How I lost the weight, running, stuggles, etc. It has been pretty fun. I wanted to post my answer to the second question I got so here it is.

Thanks mamawantsasixpack for taking some time out to have some fun on my blog? I appreciate the participation. Here are your questions:

1. “How long did it take you to work up to a marathon?”
2. “How fast was your first 5K?”
3. “Where’d you get your running confidence?”

I like those questions and it will be very enjoyable to answer them. So here it goes.

My marathon build up was not typical and usually (even Jeff Galloway) it is recommended that a person run for at least one year before attempting a marathon. I had none of that, I am just to obsessive for that. Anyway, it took me seven months to go from a 2 mile long run(245 lbs at this time) to my first marathon finish. Keep in mind though, I never ever missed a long run (this is the typical run you do on a weekend that is longer than others and it increase 1-2 miles every week to two weeks). What joy it was. It is possible to finish a marathon, even for a big chunky dude. By the time I ran the Portland Marathon I weighed 195 lbs.

I have yet to really run an organized 5K. I did do several practice 5k’s to try and predict my marathon finish time as Jeff Galloway recommended. I can’t remember exactly, but my time was around 38 minutes and I was sucking air bad at the end. Way worse than at the end of my marathon. I finished my first marathon in 5 hrs and 35 minutes. Pretty much all my running in the beginning was at a pace around 12:45-13:30 minutes per mile.

One concept that Jeff Galloway strongly suggests (there is controversy around this concept) is that you run the distance before you race the distance. So my last long run before Portland was 27 miles. I was confident because I knew I could make it to the finish. I was scared silly though. I had done all my running alone or with my wife. I didn’t know what it would be like with 1000’s of people rubbing up against me. I was so nervous that my heart rate was around 185 at the start and I was only walking Things got better and I realized that I was with 1000’s of regular people. That helped. Also, I read that I am the captain of my own running ship and that I did not need to run as fast or as far or smooth as anyone. I just needed to run for me. I still get shy around people who look like “real runners” though.

Cross posted at My Angle

I fight with my dog over food. I take stuff that I put into the garbage out if it looks clean. I try and hide food from myself but always seem to find it. Oh yes, I am in the battle for weight loss. The good news is that I am doing great right now. I weighed in last night. This was the first time that I have went 1 month between weigh-ins. It was tough, it was discouraging, and it was scary. I went anyway though. When I stepped on the scale the lady told me to get off because she wasn’t done with my sister who weighed before. At that moment I saw a special glimpse of the first 2 numbers in my weight. What a relief, what a victory. I ended up losing 3.8 lbs. which put me at a present weight loss of 122 lbs. My goal is to be 185 and under for my maintenance. I weighed 185. I really want to be in the 170’s, but it is more realistic to be at <185. What a relief. I was pretty freaked out!

Cross Published on Rejected Reality

I knew this weigh-in wasn’t going to be good. How could it be? I haven’t done much resembling a ‘diet’ over the last few weeks. After all the success I’ve had in the last two years, I have never crossed over a benchmark once I hit it… I’ve broke that record… TWICE!

I figured I’m going to work this thing for as long as I can. Plus, since the hours of 2008 are slipping into the ether… ’tis the season for weight loss promises.

Tonight was my first meeting since the big Weight Watchers ‘re-tool’ for Momentum! So I got a bunch of new materials to keep me reading for a few days until school starts again on Monday. For those who ‘do’ Weight Watchers, the new Pocket Guide is pretty nice.

With the new program, the Leader discovered that I was going on the wrong start date and weight. The program goes with the initial date you signed up and the weight you had that day; regardless of how long you played the program before getting serious. So my numbers changed a bit… unfortunately, not in my favor.

Anton, A drum roll please…

Starting Weight (March 7, 2006): 387.8 lbs.
Starting BMI: 51.2
Last Weigh-In (November 18, 2008): 292.6 lbs.
Weight Today (December 30, 2008): 300.8 lbs.
Current BMI: 39.7

Weight Change: +8.2 lbs! 
Total Weight Lost: -87 lbs.  (on 9/23 it was -107 lbs)

Happy New Year everyone… I’ll do better next time.

Cross Posted and Updated Pictures at The Anti-Jared

You know what is funny? I do not know what I am more amazed about. Losing over 200 pounds, or living my life over 400 pounds. Both are pretty dramatic.
I found one of my old shirts and decided to put it on. Look at that black shirt with grease stains on the belly (yes, work stains!) I never thought it would be as big as it was on me. Talk about shocking!!!
Oddly enough, I also have a picture with another big shirt. The baby blue shirt picture is a 2XL shirt that i was wearing in August!!! That is crazy!

Anyway, I want to write about resolutions, because that is all I see in the blogging world!

Just so you know, I am like all the wonderful people who leave me comments on my posts. I am inspired my so many bloggers out there. Some for humor, some for determination, some because I just love to see what they eat every single day. But I do spend a good amount of time reading, which is something my parents should be proud of.

Back to resolutions. Hmmm, let me see if I can explain my point, because this could get confusing.

I love goal setting!

t is the foundation of any good leader. I love to write down goals, follow a “S.M.A.R.T” formula (Specific, measurable, blah blah….sorry, I am not Tony Robbins) for my goals and check on them to see how far I have come to getting to my goals. I do it all the time for work. Sometimes we call it an action plan!
I also do it on a personal level.I try to write down my goals, because someone once told me if you do not write down a goal, it will never happen.
A few of my goals I have set over the last few months are:

Weigh in under 200 pounds
Be interviewed for a major newspaper/magazine
Be interviewed by 10 weight loss bloggers
Be interviewed on a national television show
Be a lifetime WW member
Be a WW leader
Have at least 28 blog posts a month

Still waiting on a few of them, but I am hoping in the next six months they will all be fulfilled.

I love telling people about my goals. Everything I have wanted to accomplish, I have written in my blog, or made it clear to my wife. It is important to share your goals with people. If you keep it inside, then no one else can hold you accountable.

Now, I am not fond of the term “New Years Resolutions”. Really not a big fan of it at all!

I do not make them, nor will I ever.

I cant wait to see this comment:

“Why Jared, that is quite harsh! I think it is a great time to start fresh!”

No, no, no! Also, my name is Tony, not Jared.

Here is why I do not like “N.Y. Resolutions”. Actually, it is only one reason:

Failure- I have never succeeded in a resolution in January. In fact, I have never known anyone to stick to a New Year’s resolution for a year! This is how it worked for me: I make a goal, I am pressured to start it January 1st, not able to do it just then, and then it is ruined. Who wants to truly start a “N.Y. Resolution” January 2nd???

I know that memberships at WW, gym’s, and “Quit Smoking Today” places all go up at the beginning of the year. But, to make a goal, you need to be ready, and have the confidence of succeeding.
I guess what I am trying to say is that you need to make goals/resolutions. It is so important to do so, but do them on your terms. Do them when you are ready, not because it is January 1st.

They should not be New Year resolutions, they should be your goals.

Share them with everyone!!! Please, if you have goals, post them on here. I would love to see them!

Remember, I lost over 200 pounds in 2008. I made the decision to do it On February 24th.

I did do better this week.

I did better at my tracking… until Friday evening when I picked up my nephew and his half-sister. Then there wasn’t two seconds to rub sticks together.

I did do better on my workouts. I got in 4 runs and a 30 minute walk with the wife in the last week. This next week may not have as many, but Thursday is my New Year’s Day 5 mile run and I’m stoked.

I did eat better this week. Part of my scale total was due to having a late lunch (a heavy one thanks to being talked into having Thai food) and having an earlier weigh-in (I had got off earlier today and managed to be at the new WW location a full hour earlier than usual). Those two plus a few other bad choices led to my having a gain of 0.6.

Lemme rephrase that: I only gained 0.6lb this week!

I’m happy about that because I know that this past week also included Christmas. Which meant that the day before I had half of a Firehouse Sub and the day of Xmas, we had breakfast/lunch at Waffle House (cheesesteak omelet, pecan waffle, hot chocolate), a snack at Starbuck’s (Vivano chocolate/banana smoothie and a mint brownie) after seeing “Yes Man” at the theater, and finishing off the day with chili w/ cornbread followed by a banana sundae (but it was light ice-cream).

All that and I still only gained 0.6lb!!!! I’m certain the four runs had something to do with that.

As a summary of 2008:

• I ran 261.9 miles according to my log.
• I lost 15 pounds.
• I shrank two pants sizes (now wearing 40-42 versus 44-46).
• I started doing *real* weight-training for the first time in my life.

Not a bad year. However, I would like to see next year’s total on the first two double (500 miles and 30 pounds lost). I guess I better get cracking… oh wait, I’ve already started… because it starts Today!

Starting weight: 319.0 lb
Previous weight: 270.6 lb
Current weight: 271.2 lb
Current loss/gain: +0.6 lb
Total loss/gain: -47.8 lb
Distance to 60: 12.2 lb
Distance to WW Goal: 21.2 lb

Cross-posted to WebCudgel.com

There has been a LOT of sh*t going on in my life, if you read my blog you  know some. If you know me,  you’ve got a bigger picture.

I started Grad School this fall, taking up any free time I may have had. And therefore time at the gym. So many times I thought (and was told), the time at the gym would help to alleviate the stress. I would go, but all I thought about was the reading I could be doing or the paper I should be writing.

Along with the stress of school and the aforementioned sh*t, I eat. It’s not as much or as frequent as it used to be, but it’s definitely not in correct portions, nor am I tracking the points. Of course “not as much or as frequent” could be a cop out.

Between the two… I’ve gained back around 20 lbs.

On top of that… my marriage is breaking up. She asked me to cancel WeightWatchers and the gym membership to cut back on expenses.

yep… a whole LOT of sh*t.

This is crossposted at Waste the Waist

So can I quit writing about Christmas please? Last one, promise.

I’d asked my mom to get me some pants and shirts for Christmas this year. Specifically, size 36″ jeans and some 2xl shirts. I wanted to shrink into them. Then I went and bought some 36s on my own and kind of blew up the whole deal for myself. Or did I?

When I unwrapped my stuff on Xmas, there were two pair of jeans, and a couple shirts. The jeans were a 36 and a 38 respectively (“so you have one for now and one for later!” she informed me), and the shirts were 2xl. Hmm. So I went into the bedroom and tried on the 36 jeans. I stepped into them and felt the constriction around my thigh. Uh-oh. I got them up over my butt and felt them cup my bum a bit too much. Crap. I grabbed the button and the hole and pulled them together – it buttoned. And then I let out my breath. Crap! Same brand, same size, different cut, bunk results. Looks like I’ve got me some work to do yet.

I took the pants off and went out into the living room again. “Mom, do you have the receipt?” I asked. “I’d like to return the 38s. Get a second pair of 36s.”

Later I then put on one of the shirts, just for shits and giggles. It was a 2xl, a plaid in red, black and khaki. She buttoned up! No kidding. I was beyond thrilled.

The next day we went to the store where she got the jeans and shirt. I exchanged the jeans for a second pair of 36s, then for fun I added another button-down 2x and two 2x t-shirts. This was the first time I’d gone into a clothing store and bought stuff off the rack. Even though I’m still at the far edge of acceptable with my 2xls, I’m finally starting to get some awesome non-scale victories. I don’t have to shop at Casual Male XL anymore! And even though I’m so glad that I don’t have to, I do just want to say, I was so so so happy that they were there for me when I needed them. It was my one bright spot when I started to get really depressed and began packing on the pounds. Losing the ability to shop in normal stores was really hard, and only contributed to my plight. But that’s all over now, and I couldn’t be happier!

So, I’m back. I’ve got the gym early in the morning. It’s Back Day, which means deadlifts. Yay! I’m so fired up to get these two pair of jeans fitting me well. I’m so excited for getting out of the 2xls and into the xls! I’m so ready to get back to being me. I think that 2009 will be a very good year for me. I hope you’re ready to make it a good year for you too.

I hate running! I can’t breathe when I run! Running hurts! Running is just too boring! Running is just too darn hard! I can’t run fast nor far enough to start running!

Do these thoughts sound familiar? They sure do to me. These thoughts and more filled my mind as a fat guy who was just starting to get more activity into his life. So many people believe these things. It took me some time, but I was able to conquer all of these pessimistic thoughts.

I just started out slow and put no pressure on myself to go fast or far. My first run was for about 20 minutes. During that 20 minutes, I walked every 4 minutes for 60 seconds. That seemed to make it more manageable. As time passed and my physical and mental fitness improved, I was able to go further although not much faster. Running became a wonderful outlet for me to relieve stress and figure out my thoughts. It was a creative time for me.

I learned that I did not have to run fast to lose fat. I did not have to huff and puff my way through my run. I learned that running was only as boring as I made it out to be. I could run with my wife, or go to a trail, or even go house shopping while running; all of which made running more fun and enjoyable. Adding goals like races or special runs with my wife created an optimistic momentum for my running. That momentum ended up carrying me 50 miles at the White River 50 Mile Trail Run. I finished. Not once during that race did any of those previously mentioned pessimistic thoughts prevail.

Running (any vigorous activity actually) can really help you lose weight, feel better, live longer, be more creative, and take control of negative thinking. When you run, you have to learn to persevere when you feel tired. When this happens, you start to believe that YOU CAN PERSEVERE.

If you want to start running, run/walking, jogging (whatever name you want to give it), take a look at these valuable resources. These resources will also help those who already run.

Get started running with Run4Change
Jeff Galloway Conditioning Program