Allan's Weight Loss Journey

GreenSurf

GreenSurf

New member
So I'm back up to almost the heaviest I've ever been. I was at my brother's house last week with the wife and kids and his wife. We took the requisite family photos, and when I got home and looked at the photos, I almost didn't recognize the fatty standing next to my bro! Wow!
I'm 41 years old, 5'6", and last year I hit my peak -- 183lbs, but then I was able to lose 14 pounds of it. Now, however, I'm back to 178. What has me most concerned is the effect on my knees--seems like the extra weight is taking its toll, as I'm frequently getting knee injuries lately. And when I go surfing, just getting up to my feet is a struggle, when it used to be a piece of cake. So, my goal is to get to 160, and if I can get down to 155, even better.

I started my diet portion of my plan on Monday, and it's been good--I think I have managed to cut my calories from an average 2500 - 2200; My goal is to maintain an average 1800 or less per day, as well as get some cardio in 5-7 days and some weight workouts and at least one surf session of 60 minutes or more per week. I'm cutting out sweets, added sugar, and sodas.

Today:
B
black coffee

L
tuna salad sub (500)
water

D
two burgers with lettuce tomato and onion (1000) [no fries:hurray:]
water

snacks
pistachios (360)

1860
 
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It looks like the big breakfast wrecked my diet today, as did the big PB sandwich snack.
My biggest weakness is fast food. While I was running errands today, it took all my will power to stop myself from picking up a couple burgers and a sweat tea from a drive-thru. So hard, but I did resist. We did not make it out for a walk nor do the video.

B
1 pancake 300
1 egg 100
coffee w/ cream no sugar 50
450

snack pb sandwhich 270
milk 80
350

L
half sand (turkey, cucumber, tomato on whole wheat): 260
salad (mixed greens only and 1tbs vinaigrette): 65
water
330

snack
pistachios 180

dinner
1 serving homemade Thai chicken curry (no brown sugar) about 3 oz and 1/2 cup brown rice: guessing 500
8oz tart cherry juice 100

1910

Activity: 1 hr mowing lawn (motorized walking mower). Plan to do a cardio routine on video with my wife or 30 min bike ride later today.
 
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Sunday was a bit of a cheat day--
I ended up at around 2100 calories, including a coffee with cream and sugar and a burger and fries. I did do a little over an hour of walking however.

Yesterday I was back on track at about 1640 and a 30 minute bike ride.

It has been about a week since I started my diet. This morning I weighed myself, and I appear to be down to 175.5.
 
I seem to be holding steady at 175.5. I had a couple bad days of bad eating and no workouts, but this weekend, I got back on track. I got a bike ride (40min) and lawn mowing (1hr) yesterday. Today, I got 45 minutes of surfing in choppy, heavy paddling conditions. Hopefully, I can get the scale to keep dropping this week.

I have been making lunches the biggest meal and trying to get the bulk of my calories in by 2PM. Then for dinner, I am limiting myself to one tea saucer of a serving of whatever my family is having for dinner.

Allan
 
Uh-oh. It was a bad week I guess. I'm sure the stress at work (mostly good stress, but none the less stress) didn't help. I'm back up to 176.5. I have been surfing and cycling more, so maybe some of that can be attributed to regaining strength/muscle mass, but it definitely feels like a setback.
 
I have been struggling against one of my weaknesses unsuccessfully--eating late at night -- it's quiet and no kids up, so it's my alone time. I usually stay up until about 1 or 2 AM, and I'm fine resisting the urges until about midnight, and I give in and start munching. In order to change things, I'm going to modify my "awake" time by going to bed around 11-ish and getting up around 5 instead. I'll go to bed before the hunger urges strike, then I can just eat more at the beginning of the day instead just before going to sleep.
 
Back down to 176 this week. Diet is holding steady. Going to bed early has been a good strategy for avoiding the late night snacking. I haven't been getting up early, so I've been getting lots of sleep. Went for a 30 min walk today, and on Sunday I walked pretty much all day from 9 AM to 3 PM with a lunch break. All while at a state radio controlled glider contest. Great way to burn calories. :)
 
175.5. Been up and down with diet, but did well to stay on target towards the end of the week. Was getting a little carried away with sugar and fru-fru coffee in the beginning of the week, over the last few days was back to no sugar. I amped up the fitness over the last couple of days with 1 1/2 hr walk and 2 hrs of surfing today (about 600 calories supposedly). I haven't surfed for 2 whole hours in months. Thank you to my darling wife who gave me a long break from watching the kids while at the beach today let me stay in the water the whole time--such a rare treat.
 
I think I'm finally starting to see some results from the combination of things: going to sleep earlier, so no late night eating; and I've been doing the 30 minutes of cardio about 4-5 day per week. I hit my lowest weight so far today at 174.5.
 
That is great! I need to start sleeping earlier. Not so much for the late night eating, just so I get proper/enough sleep.

Great job on the exercising and weight loss!
 
I made a few changes last week: I started doing yoga with my wife to vary the workout routine. I'm getting addicted to the relaxation portion of it -- it is such a payoff at the end of the yoga practice! I've been keeping up with the cycling, and with walking with my 6-yr old and 8-yr old daughters on the weekend I got in a record (for me) 5 hrs of cardio for the week. I also substituted veggie-based protein meat-substitutes for a couple of lunches. They left me feeling full longer and didn't lead to a calorie binge like real meat makes me do. I also got back to leaving fries off my lunch and snack choices. All of this was spurred on by some bad news I received on Wednesday, which was that my cholesterol was back up (after last year's decrease), triglycerides were also back up, and HDL was lower--:ack2: It put me on alert to really change some things. As a result of the changes I think, I managed to see my greatest weight loss per week since I first started. The scale hit 172.5 today! I was feeling very encouraged.

A weirdly upsetting perspective to the weight loss is that just before I started my program, I ordered a new surfboard for my 178 weight and sold the boards I got too heavy for to pay for it. Well, the board is done, and I think it's gonna be too big and floaty for me when I get to my goal weight...lol. I went shopping for some new slacks today, and almost bought a pair, but stopped myself, remembering my board dilemma. I think I'll wait another 10 - 15 lbs of loss before I go back to the clothing store.
 
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A few updates: I got sick and wasn't able to do any fitness. I also ate too many calories--good calories, but too many. So I regressed a smidge to 173. Will try harder this week!!
 
Everyone has bad says, and the gain is obviously due to being sick. You will lose it in no time! Now that you are feeling better you will eat better again and go back to your fitness routine, you'll be under 170 soon!
 
Thanks, Icy. Your encouragement has stayed with me all week.

I am trying to get back on track, but was finding it difficult. Was at 174 the other day. I think I am getting back into it though today--ate lots of fruit and did 30 min cardio on the stationary bike. I plan to do some surfing at dawn tomorrow and some walking later while I fly RC gliders with some buddies.
 
I didn't get to go surfing this morning because I stayed up too late and needed the sleep. But I did get out and fly gliders with the buds. Since I didn't surf, I got on the stationary bike for 20 minutes while my darling wife did her yoga routine. It has been nice that she like to workout together, even if we are not doing the same thing--it helps get me on the bike.

I also did about 15 minutes of play-karate with my 6 and 8-yo daughters (their idea). Much fun, and burned some extra calories too!

I am on a mission now to lose between 1 -2 pounds per week if I can. I'm dropping my calorie per day goal to 1400, I'm thinking that way, if I overeat, I hope to still be under 1800 for the off days and hopefully around 1400 or less for strong days. I am committedly shooting to be down to 154 by then end of January. Anybody see any problems with someone my size (5'6" x 174lbs) dropping to 1400 cals per day?
 
Yesterday was good, but tough. I managed to keep the calories to about 1450. And I got 30 minutes of cardio in on the bike. I also ate 3 servings of fruit, which is another focus point for me. By about 8:30 PM, I had a slight bout of lightheadedness and grumpiness. I munched on a few walnuts, and it passed. And I made it through the evening without eating anymore. The change seems to have paid off; I was back down to 173.5 this morning. one thing I learned yesterday is that to really lose the weight, it is going to be tough, but I will not be completely suffering. If I can get through the few side-effects of grumpiness and low energy as my body adjusts...
 
Sounds like you are doing great :) Being able to mix working out with playtime is a great way to do it! Keeps it light and fun but you still get moving and burn calories and that's what you need.

1-2 lbs per week is a good sustainable plan I think. I'm not sure about the calories as I've never been one to count them but I think as long as you aren't feeling hungry ALL day long, and you have the energy you need to get through the day and your workouts that you should be good with 1400. But I'm not sure so hopefully someone else here will be able to confirm for you.
 
Seems like the new calorie level is working. I'm back down, and beyond my previous low weight--at 172.0 now.
 
Hey, icy, if you don't count calories, what's your method for tracking how much you eat, if you track at all?
 
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