Day 10: Falling behind

Weight: 240.8
Total change: -6.0
Change since yesterday: +2.4


If it wasn't clear this was too ambitious a goal before, it is now. That's okay though, we'll see how close we can get to it.

As I mentioned last week, Wednesdays are usually a bad day for me. We had a big holiday lunch at the office, so I ate a very light dinner to compensate. However, I ate it at 11:15pm, so I probably should have just skipped it and gone on to bed. I think that accounts for the positive gain moreso than the big lunch. It's not that big of a swing, though, considering that on the days I do lose, I'm around that much.

I figure if I can behave over the weekend, I'll be down to the mid-low 230's by Monday.

See you tomorrow
Link of the day: My first true cooking failure- I'm thinking of trying again

Day 9: Even shorter

Weight: 240.8
Total change: -8.4
Change since yesterday: -0.8

Swamped at work today. No time for idle chit chat.

See you tomorrow!
Link of the day: Watch as a thread spirals out of control

Day 8: Very brief edition

Weight: 241.6
Total change: -7.6
Change since yesterday: -2.0

I've got a lot to read that my friend Ryon sent me, but I don't have much to say about yesterday. Kung-Fu in the evening. Cheerios for breakfast, lean pocket for lunch, salad with garbanzos and boiled egg for dinner. Looks like I'm back on track, though we're having our office holiday party tomorrow, so Thursday's entry might contain some regression.

See you tomorrow!
Link of the day: I couldn't think of anything interesting, so here's a classic YTMND instead.

Day 7: One week in

Weight: 243.6
Total change: -5.6
Change since yesterday: -1.4

Okay, so... 5.6 pounds over 7 days is... 0.8 lbs per day. It's a good first step. I'm starting to think this was maybe too steep a goal for 25 days, as some of you warned me. I wanted to end 2009 the same weight I started it, but I don't think I can do that in a healthy fashion.

Lessons learned- watch it on the salty snacks. I had the soup again yesterday, but not the popcorn. I don't think an occasional indulgence will sink me, but eating the whole bowl was clearly a bad idea.

Also, reacquaint self with treadmill. I did it last night, and I maintained a bpm of 138 for a good hour or so- not bad.

See you tomorrow!
Link of the day: WSJ on Frequent Flyers. Wish I had known about this!

Day 6: Anomoly Detected

Weight: 245.0
Total change: -4.2
Change since yesterday: +5.0(!?)

Okay, I'm not going to freak out.

...

Okay.

So, yesterday I did house chores, kung-fu, some shopping, and cooked dinner. I had planned on being a little bit bad, because I know that starving yourself is not the way to make it in the long haul.

I didn't think I was out of line, and I didn't feel guilty at all when I went to bed. Maybe I should have weighed myself last night to prepare for the shock of this morning. I considered lying to save myself some humiliation.

Yesterday I consumed two boiled eggs, a glass of milk, a lot of popcorn, a salad, two bowls of (admittedly high-cal) tortellini soup, and a pudding cup. I have a number of theories based on this morning's result, listed in order of best case to worst.

1. Hulk's theory- I gained five lbs of muscle, for no reason. Okay, I worked out on Friday night, humor me.
2. Windows ME theory- the machine is broken- I either don't weigh that today (though I triple checked) or I didn't weigh 240 yesterday.
3. Ron White theory- Maybe my bowels contain enough matter to lessen my pants size.
4. Sponge theory- Water weight retention, from the salty popcorn (most likely).
   
5. Please Don't Be This Theory theory- it's all fat, even though I didn't eat five lbs worth of calories yesterday.

Anyways, I'm going to guess #4 is the right answer and plan for a longer, lower impact workout to sweat out the excess. If I'm lucky, I'll be back on track tomorrow. Otherwise I might need to consider eating more and exercising much more in tandem to offset the shock from having a full meal once in awhile.

See you tomorrow!
Link of the Day: Shaolin vs Vampire

Day 5:

Weight: 240.0
Total change: -9.2
Change since yesterday: -1.4

I had forgotten it was Sparring Friday. I made it out with my most significant injury being a stubbed toe that happened in the final round. Dinner was the small amount of leftovers from yesterday and a bowl of lentils with chili powder.

So far everything seems to be working a little too well. Maybe this trend will continue a few more days so that I can ease the pace in weeks 2 and 3.

After deliberation yesterday, definitely making soup tonight. I was going to go couscous/chicken, but since the weather is so cold, I will instead opt for tortellini soup, which is a family tradition for the first freeze of the year.

See you tomorrow!
Link of the day: (Warning, strong language) This is the hardest I've laughed in a couple of months.

Day 4: Back to pre-Thanksgiving weight

Weight: 241.4
Total change: -7.8
Change since yesterday: -2.2

 Okay, so losing an average of nearly two lbs a day is a little extreme, but this is close to what I was before Thanksgiving weekend. I'm anticipating this was the last easy day.

Eating was very light yesterday, and probably will be again today. Had a frozen dinner in my freezer rather than grocery shopping. I've got enough leftovers for tonight, and I'll shop tomorrow- soup in honor of the cold weather, maybe?

I'm going to be bad on Saturday (big bowl of lightly buttered popcorn), but hopefully exercise extra to make up for it.

See you tomorrow!
Link of the day: What I wish work was like today

Day 3: Oops

Weight: 243.6
Total change: -5.6
Change since yesterday: +0.2

Well, in light of my warnings about yesterday I heeded my advice and went to the easiest meal there is: scrambled eggs. No buttered toast, no pancakes, etc. The sides were some raw broccoli that I gnawed on while stirring the eggs, and a small bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios.

But then! Disaster, as what I recognize in hindsight as a craving that probably could have been squelched with a big glass of water turned into fridge searching, and a piece of cheesecake from last week that had to be eaten before going bad. I say "had to" but it would have been better in the long run if I had tossed it.

I didn't exercise yesterday, either. I'm going to establish Wednesday as my day of physical rest, though. Thursday through Tuesday provides more time to actually work out. This may change if I have another overeating on Wednesday or I'm drastically behind on my progress, but hopefully neither one will happen.

Anyways, I'm not down about the fractional weight gain. It's to be expected that measuring every day will have some mercurial swings- I think that's why groups like Weight Watchers only weigh once a week. The overall trend is what matters.

See you tomorrow!
Link of the day: In honor of the impending ICE STORM 2009- SkiFree

Day 2: Recoil continues

Weight: 243.4
Total change: -5.8
Change since yesterday: -1.6

As further proof of how much the body wants to return to normal, I expect the recoil is to thank for yesterday's continued weight loss. I worked harder (subjectively) in Kung-Fu, but had a larger dinner, too.

Wednesdays are sort of a weird day for me. I usually stay at the office rather than head home and fight traffic, only to turn around and come right back for choir. So there's a two hour break that I normally fill with a nap, or Hulu, or something. I had a trial gym membership to the campus fitness center, but I can't really afford it since I'd only use it once a week.

In addition, I get back from choir at close to 9p, much later than I normally eat dinner, and usually not in the mood to cook. This is the weekday I'm most likely to fix something terrible for me... so I guess I'd better plan ahead. Anyone have a good quick meal suggestion?

See you tomorrow!
Link of the day: If this won't get Rachel and Dan to get an Xbox, I don't know what will

Day 1: The first step is not the hardest

Weight: 245.0
Total change: -4.2
Change since yesterday:-4.2

The common phrase "the first step is the hardest" doesn't really apply to weight loss. The body sheds weight relatively easy at first, then you have to grind out the rest.

Case in point, the scale said I lost 4.2 lbs yesterday. I didn't do that by starving myself or working out until my body cramped itself into a singularity. I think it's just natural recoil from the rapid weight gain over Thanksgiving.

Today will be more or less the same, though I'm not expecting as dramatic a return.

I took my friend Tyler's advice and did not skip lunch, though I had meant to. The dreaded free food reared its ugly head again in the form of leftover Pei Wei Orange Chicken. I'll try to actually eat lunch today so as not to be tempted.

Hard to complain about the results, but I know the hard part is still to come.

See you tomorrow!
Link of the day: Best Broccoli

Day 0: Introduction, and Detox

Weight: 249.2
Total change: N/A
Change since yesterday:N/A

Brief blog introduction- I'm Matt, a 20-something who through a series of injuries coupled with unchanging eating habits went through a bit of a weight explosion since September 2009. This blog is dedicated to my pursuit of achieving a weight goal of 224 lbs or less by December 25th, 2009. I plan on doing it without necessarily drastically changing what kinds of foods I eat, so no South Beach or Grapefruit diets here. I am, however, going to be more vigilant about what I eat, and I think having you read this to keep me accountable will help.

As a frank assessment of my eating habits, I have some serious flaws. The most serious being my lack of self-control when it comes to free food. They say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but it seems that every time I turn around my parents are visiting and taking me out, or there's pie in the break room at work, or some other opportunity. That's to say nothing of the Thanksgiving weekend I just had, which I gained about 8 lbs. I'm seriously out of control!

Speaking of pie, I confess that desserts are the second most serious obstacle. I usually can't finish a day without something sweet. This is most often sated by sugar-free pudding, but sometimes I'll break down and make a sweet concoction of dubious edibility just for the sake of something sweet. Elimination of those binges will be key, I think. Those are my biggest flaws as I see them on Day 0. We'll see if any others pop up.

Exercise wise, I keep more active than the average, though I'm definitely below the average fitness level for my age and height. I consistently do kung-fu, and the conditioning classes associated with it. I used to jog/walk more often, so I'll probably be reincorporating some of that. It just sort of happened as a string of bad luck that I've hematoma'd my shins, pulled a hamstring, and injured my back all in succession. This contributed to the recent weight gain. Responsible exercise will be a strong factor in making the goal, but I must push myself if it's to be effective.


So. Now back from Thanksgiving, and bloated, I've decided today's menu will be extremely light. I've had a glass of milk so far this morning, and I'm probably going to skip lunch. Dinner is as of yet unplanned, but leaning towards a low-carb meal. Not because I'm going paleo, but because after all of the breads and sweets have me thinking I need a detox from that. Hopefully that will refresh my system.

Sorry for the extreme length of this post, the rest will be shorter.

See you tomorrow!

Link of the day: holiday weight gain may last a lifetime