DCarr10760's Weight loss diary

Been a good weekend, so far...

Like the title says, everything has gone according to plan. Got some nice walks in and did some vigorous work (stacking lumber) and felt okay.

Tonight we go to a farewell party for my Nephew who is deploying to Irak next week sometime. I hope I can focus my thoughts on him staying well while he serves our country rather than the food that will be there.

It is good to remember as much as I focus on myself these days that there are others who need my love and support.

Talk to you all soon.

David C
 
First Week Done!

Well my first week is officially behind me I started last Sunday at 266 and this AM upon rising my weight was 255! 11 pounds. I am sure 9 of it is water, but it is gratifying to see the drop.

David C
 
Hey David...congrats on getting the first week behind you....I've seen a couple of your posts on other threads and thought I'd just offer a (belated) welcome and glad to have ya here.
 
Thanks Cym!

People have been very welcoming and polite here. This is the first time I have ever been involved with a group of people in a weight loss/fitness endeavor, except for a short try of weight watchers back in the 1970's (I quit early because I knew I'd gained weight and I couldn't face the public embarrassment).

So for many years I lone-wolfed it, trying every diet that seemed sensible. I lost weight on every single one. But boil the nonsense out of them and they're pretty much all restricted calorie programs, which I respond well to whenever I adhere to them.

My big struggle is to make permanent changes to my lifestyle making daily exercise a priority. It does help to hear and see the results of others, like yourself, who have made profound changes.

Thanks for stopping by!

David C
 
Hi David, I love that you're taking care of yourself and that you're seeing the benefits of a healthier lifestyle already. I've yo-yo'ed as well, and it feels good knowing that this weight loss can be sustained once and for all if I really want to put in the work. And I do! I can tell you do as well, congratulations on dropping that first 11 pounds, that's fabulous! I also think 2500 sounds reasonable, and I'm happy you're getting your walks in nice and early each morning. Keep it up! I'm excited to see your progress!
 
Up half the night with a grumpy (sick) toddler, so I missed my walk.

In the past, this was enough to derail my progress, my thinking would go something like, "I missed my walk so today will be a bad day" this subconscious message would essentially give my fat id permission to hit the sugary pitfalls that surround me.

But not today! I woke up (late) and made a decision to stay focused and on track with healthful eating. Tonight I will try to take a walk when I get home or hit the exercise bike.

The first test of this resolve was when I got to the office and it is somebodies birthday and there were donuts (our traditional celebration fare). I saw them there and didn't want one (or four). They aren't for me anymore.

I think misusing food as a reward for good behavior or as a salve for hardships has been a big problem for me. Remembering to feed my body and not my emotions is the single most important thing to keep in focus.

Being as fat as I have been, eating the way I did, I lost the physical sense of hunger. I don't know if that makes sense. But the desire to eat, triggered by seeing good food, or thinking of food, or smelling it, and especially triggered by emotions that I habitually respond to by eating, is a different sensation than actual hunger due to not having food in your stomach or adequate levels of blood sugar.

It has in the past been difficult for me to sense when I am truly hungry, largely because due to my gluttony, I rarely ever was truly hungry. It is like I lost the connection to my body and was driven solely by my emotions. Listening to my body and learning its signals is important, I think, to developing good instincts and healthy eating habits. This type of instinct I have to believe must be developed so that once the "diet" is over, and the weight is lost, I can maintain a healthy balance between food, exercise and dealing effectively with my emotions.

David C
 
Yesterday I read a bunch of the stickys on nutrition and fitness training and made some adjustments to my regimen. This morning on my walk I varied the intensity, hardly HIIT mind you. But one must begin somewhere and take baby steps before striding.

Also I analized my diet and although I'm consitantly in my calorie range (2000 - 2500) I have found that my fat intake has been 35% - 40% of total calories consumed. Plus my percentage of saturated fat is too high. So less beef/pork more chicken/fish, less coffee with cream and switch to lowfat dairy products.

The way I prepare vegetables is to steam them until just barely tender then to stop the cooking by a cold water rinse. You can do this well ahead of dinner. Then when ready to serve saute the veggies back to hot with butter, salt, pepper and garlic. Last night I changed to extra-virgin olive oil and the results were outstanding! So there's a way to replace some saturated fat with healthy fats.

So there's a great deal of room to move in my diet. I am fortunate that I like everything and enjoy preparing food. I have already noticed how much all the fresh fruit and vegetables are costing however, but hey, I'm sure bypass surgery is spendy too.

David C
 
Hey David!

Good to see a man who not only does the late night thing with a grumpy toddler but also likes his veggies!:jump:

I'm really glad to see you thinking about the stuff that IMO is far more important in the long run than simple cals in/cals out. As you, (and me) and probably dozens of people on this forum can attest to...the mechanics of weight loss are fairly basic - it's failure to address all the issues that you mentioned in your last couple of posts that keep us coming back to do it "one more time".

On the veggie note - have you also tried Swanson's Organic Veggie Broth - adds a nice flavor (sans calories & fat) to dark green leafy's like turnip greens & spinach.:)
 
Cym, thanks for stopping by! I'll give the vegetable broth a try! I do all the cooking, my wife does not cook but she is an appreciative eater and loves to eat healthfully, so it supports me in my progress. Thanks!

So yesterday I was able to cut out some fat from the diet and wound up at 32% an improvement over the past. Some of that was due to food I had prepared earlier and wanted to use up. Today I should be right at 30% fat intake with the largest percentage being monounsaturated.

Today I was a bit stiff and sore from my more "vigorous" walk yesterday, but managed a steady pace and worked up a sweat.

I try not to dwell on things in the past but allow me one whine. It was only two years ago that I was able to run the entire 3 miles that I now have trouble walking. Just goes to show how fast things atrophy when I don't maintain.

Of course if I hadn't been in good shape, let myself go and now struggle to get back (and beyond) I wouldn't have this perspective and understanding of the importance of making small permanent changes to support lifelong heath and fitness. That's what's different this time. I know now that there is no magic pill, potion, machine, program, operation, or anything else that will propel me to health and fitness, you need to walk there on your own two feet, and it is not a destination (like Steve says) it's a journey. When you stop, it's over.

Onward!
 
Today was the first day since starting that I looked in my lunchpail after eating and hungrily eyed the food I'd packed for my afternoon snack...

I was good and waited, but it was a bit of a struggle. I was glad when 3:00 came so I could tear in.

I checked my food intake on FitDay and my meals sorta break down like this:

Breakfast 500 cals. 6:00 AM
AM Snack 300 cals. 9:30 AM
Lunch 500 cals. Noon
PM Snack 300 cals. 3:00
Dinner 600 cals. 6:30 - 7:00
Late night snack 300 cals. 8:00 - 9:00

Total: 2500 cals

So maybe I have to shift more calories to the AM meals to stave off the PM hunger? I eat most at dinner because I'm used to doing so. My late snack isn't really late- usually around 8:00 PM most often a bowl of fresh fruit topped with a dollop of plain yogurt. Kind of like dessert!

I could shave some there... I'll see if it's the same tomorrow before making changes.

All of my binge eating was done during the day, while at work or on the way there or back, hidden from my wife. :eek: So I'm okay at night, it's the daytime when I'm more conditioned to overeat.

David C
 
Total Calories: 2122

Fat: 28%
Sat: 6%
Poly: 7%
Mono: 13%

Carbs: 44%
Fiber: 0% (37 grams)

Protein: 27%

Alcohol: 0%

1 hour walk (3 miles)

So all in all a good day!

David C
 
Yay! I lost 2 more lbs! It's a mid-week weigh in (the official day is Monday).

So my total loss is now 13lbs. I wrote that my goal is 200 but I suspect my ideal weight is lower than that. When I went down to 184 I still had lots of fat on me. When I did my body fat percentage measurement (tape measure method) it said 29%. So that is 179.6 lbs of lean and 73.4 lbs of fat. Figuring 12% fat as a goal, that would place my ideal weight at 204 lbs!

So that's where I got the 200lbs that's on my ticker. But my sense was that my ideal weight would be in the high 170's somewhere.

Then last night I was reading Covert Bailey and he was describing a similar situation and implied that the person weighing as much as they did prior to starting to reduce had likely gained additional muscle to support the weight and would lose that added muscle during reduction. That makes sense.

So I will continue to measure my body fat content along with my weight and see if the total LBM remains constant or drifts down. A man who weighs 178 lbs. at 12% body fat has 156.6 lbs lean. So I need to make sure I don't dip lower than that.

Yay Friday!!!

David C
 
It was a good day, didn't get my full allotment of calories in, but didn't walk this AM either. (Day off) So I guess it's a wash...

Kinda bummed...my two older boys cancelled their weekend with me (my custody is every other weekend, but since they are 16 and 18 and both work and have friends and live an hour away, conflicts and schedules interfere).

Monday they leave for a two week vacation, so it will be well into August before I see them. The oldest is off to College soon and the younger one is Mr. Socialite, so I have a feeling they're pretty much not going to be around (me) very much.

I guess I am just missing them...

It's a funny thing when you're an every other weekend Dad, I only see them at best 50 - 60 days a year, so time seems to move slower for me than them. They grew and changed faster than I could keep up. College! I remember like it was yesterday bringing him home from the hospital and being so happy and so afraid I'd drop him. Like yesterday.

Well I better go to bed before I eat something I will regret.

David C
 
Morning brings light and new hope. I feel better today. I had my nice walk, punctuated with some periods of "race" walking and even the odd jog and I feel good now, tired but good.

I'll just have to make a better effort to see my older sons. That's all.

I got on the scale this AM and there was no change, still 253. I will be happy to break into the 240's when it happens.

My recent "trading range" (sorry about stock market parlance) had been between 240 and 275, so when I get in the 240's I have to be particularly diligent about looking for things that have, in the past, derailed me.

It is also the weight where people really start to notice...

David C
 
Last edited:
Yesterday was a pig out day, I did well up to dinner and then went to the in laws to cut their grass and swim in their pool. For dinner they had bought New York Strip steaks and made macaroni salad and green salad and brownies.

Upon hearing the menu I said to myself, how am I going to handle this? Everybody knows I love steak, and am a "big eater" I have not broadcast to anybody except my wife about my weight loss regimen. They've all watched me on the sine curve of my weight and wonder why I bother (why deny yourself! you'll just put it all back!). I just didn't want to get into it.

So I decided I'll have a steak and a reasonable helping of everything, and just will not have seconds or thirds!

So that's what I did! I was offered another steak after I finished the first but declined. I split a brownie with Deb (my wife). It was fine.

When we got home I calculated the calories in the meal and it brought my total up to 3100 for the day! :eek: But with the walking the swimming and the lawnwork, FitDay says I still overall have a small calorie deficit.

So not too bad. Today we're home so it will be much better, I just got back from a walk and I even did a bit of jogging (felt good!)

David C
 
Well today was my weigh-in and I'm still 253 :confused:

Sorta confused about that, one every other diet I've been on (and kept) I lost 10 or 12 lbs the first week and 4 or 5 lbs the second week then after that I'd drop down to 2 or sometimes 3 lbs./week.

So to lose no pounds was a bit disheartening, however, my pants fit better and I feel better so I will make no changes. It could be I'm retaining water, or maybe "recomping." :) In any case, I know what I am doing is healthy and I will benefit from it so I will keep on!

David C
 
Hey David, I haven't check on you in a while. Sorry to hear about not getting to see your older boys, hope that works out for you soon. As far as the weight loss goes, good job on your progress so far! Try to sweat the scale not moving for you today, the weight will come off. Keep working at it, you can do this.

Griff
 
DCarr10760 said:
Sorta confused about that, one every other diet I've been on (and kept) I lost 10 or 12 lbs the first week and 4 or 5 lbs the second week then after that I'd drop down to 2 or sometimes 3 lbs./week.

In any case, I know what I am doing is healthy and I will benefit from it so I will keep on!
Click to expand...
Hey David....sorry about the situation with your oldest sons...but glad you are feeling better about it.

I know it feels a little (okay, a lot) frustrating when the scale doesn't move, especially when you are used to your body following a certain pattern of weight loss...but like you said, this is going to be for the rest of your life, not just "another diet"...
 
Hi Griff and Cym,

Thanks for stopping by.

I was feeling pretty badly about the boys. It's weird, you want to raise children who are independent, self sufficient and competent and if you do a good job, they go. It's a good thing really, just takes some getting used to.

When I was first divorced I got an apartment nearby, I took them every weekend and one day during the week. I was single and had no social life, I existed to see them and be with them. Later when their mother made it clear there was no chance for reconcilliation (she remarried- that was the final straw ;-) I had to realize that I was not honoring myself in all of this and changed the visitation to every other weekend but all weekend.

We all moved in opposite directions so now they live over an hour away. Eventually, I managed to re-engage myself in living, met a wonderful woman, got married and had a child.

The decision to focus on me meant I had to let them go a little. I did my best to call and email and not to miss events, and my relationship through the years with the boys has been great. But when they started getting involved in sports and jobs and clubs and things it cut into the weekends a lot. That's where I am now, worried that them not making visits with me a priority is more than unfortunate scheduling conflicts.

I guess part of my unhappiness is guilt in having to decide to focus on my own needs and therefore to not be so available to them. Maybe I am reaping what I sowed...

Maybe they feel replaced with their new brother, I've asked this and they say no, but I'm not sure they would tell me if they felt that way.

Anyway, I'm whining and rambling, I think it will all work out fine. But my mood is low today and it's somebody's birthday at work and we always celebrate with donuts. I'm not having any! So there's a beacon of light in the fog!

Thanks for stopping by and listening!

David C
 
WooHoo!

So I weighed myself this morning and I had lost a pound! 252!

I promised myself at the beginning of this that I wouldn't be a slave to the scale, but not having lost weight last week after eating and exercising according to plan really confused me. Mostly because it doesn't fit the typical pattern of my weight loss. Although in the past I was probably on a lower calorie regimen.

Anyway, I got some movement and it feels better. Now I will put away the scales until the next Weigh-In and get back to it!

David C
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top