Hi

M

Maestro1

New member
Just posting a quick intro. I've been a bit on the heavy side for quite a while. Being 5' 5" and weighing around 185 or so pounds. However, I was always a big weight lifter. Recently I talked with a recruiter and have been working towards receiving a commission with the Air Force reserve (not easy). The maximum weight I can be is around 165, so I started my diet and running program. Instead of lifting 4 days a week, I run instead. I love lifting, but I can see that it's way more important to have good cardio conditioning. I still do 2 days a week of lifting.

So starting at around 185, I'm now around 170 and loosing 2-3 a week. I'm either running or weight lifting every day so that I'm always in a state of exercising. Before I started running, I couldn't complete a mile without walking. Just today I was able to run 6mph at 1% incline for 2 miles on the treadmill. After that I walked another 20 minutes at 7%+ incline. Calorie burn was over 400 according to the meter on the treadmill. Hard to say :) I've got to get consistant 2 minute laps (.25 miles) so that I can get a 1.5 mile run in under 12 minutes. I'm not "built to run" so I hope I can reach this goal. I want to be able to run it "easily" and not just "barely". I'll keep working. Of course, I've really reduced my calories. Mainly eating grilled chicken and fish as my main meats with conservative side dishes.

At any rate, the running is definately much improved. I prefer to run at the track near the house instead of the treadmill. It's much harder and more enjoyable. Usually I run the track on weight lifting days. Routine looks like this:
  • Monday lunch - Treadmill
  • Tuesday lunch - Weight lifting Evening - track walk/run
  • Wednesday lunch - treadmill
  • Thursday lunch - weight lifting Evening - track walk/run
  • Friday evening - track run
  • Saturday - track run/walk
  • Sunday - REST

Some runs are intervals where I do 1 minute of hard running followed by 30 seconds of walking, rinse, repeat. Others are just distance runs of 1.5-2 miles (+ if possible)

Anyway, here are some "former" pictures. I'll have to take some current ones when I get to my goal weight of around 155.

Great site by the way. Thanks to the admins who created it and thanks to all of you who post.

185:
(sorry no "gut" shot)
 
Wow, you are doing so well! Even though I exercise regularly, reading your post makes me feel like a couch potatoe. At this rate you will reach your target weight in no time. Have you always been this motivted or are you only like this now because you are working to receiving a commission? Basically I'm asking if all this exercise and healthy eating is something you find fairly easy or do you ever struggle with motivation?

Keep up the good work.

Let us know when you achieve your goal.
 
Thanks :)

I've always lifted weights and never really had trouble staying motivated in that respect. You can see from the pic below that I'm "muscular". The problem was that I was directing my exercisizing to the wrong goal. Cardio health is so much more important than muscularity. You never hear of people dying because their muscles weren't big and strong, but you sure hear about them dying of heart problems!

So one day as I was walking and talking with my friends, I noticed I was becoming winded. I couldn't believe it. I realized that my health was actually very poor and my cardio was absolutely dreadful. I started my running/diet program immediately. A month later I decided to talk about a reserve commission which really just helped to "light a fire" under me to help motivate me.

I'm definately fine with a "little by little" approach. I've already blown my diet a few times, but I bounce back. For example, Saturday the wife and I went to Olive Garden around 1:00pm. I ate a stuffed chicken marsala, many breadsticks, several glasses of sweet tea, mashed potatoes, and 2 bowls of soup LOL A terrible meal for a diet! So what I did is refused to eat anything else that day and I hit the track hard. Basically even if I have a terrible meal, I MAKE myself run it off. On days where I followed my diet well, it's just regular work-outs. I've found that this helps me a lot because I *can* get away with a big meal every now and again. you know how people may invite you to dinner and you don't want to be "that guy" who goes to dinner and keeps saying "Oh, I can't have that..." "Oh sorry, I can't find anything to eat here...."? Nah...eat! In fact, enjoy it! Just work it off immediately afterwards or ASAP :)

Later, I also started becoming "analytical" and weighing in daily. I created a spreadsheet and a graph. The graph also has a "trend line" so I can see a forecast of my weight on "x" day. I wish I would have done this from the beginning. I can almost predict now, based on what I ate and excersized, what my weight will be from day to day. Just from observing the data and knowing my body (as of right now). I've attached some images of that also. You can see where I had several days of "gaining", but that doesn't keep me down. I just say "well....it will come back down!"
 
You are truly an inspiration.

I find myself saying 'wow' frequently as I read your post. I admire your disipline and precision.

I would love to be that organised and dedicated. In fact I think you have motivated me to at least attempt to better structure my weight loss day.

I loved the graph and the spreadsheet, and as for the muscular chest...what can I say...how does "perfection" sound. I'm sure most of the other women on this forum will agree with me in that respect. :D

Thank you for sharing.

Today The Motivator has been motivated!
 
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lol, I'm not all that and a bag of chips but I am flattered. I just wanted to introduce myself, share my goals/story, and help others if I can. If I can help you in anyway, let me know!
 
your work ethic is incredible. but that could come from the weight training. i know i have my terrible days at the gym(today i could barley shoulder press weights i use for bicep curls). so you obviously don't let anything kill your attention or drive for your goals. Keep up the good work.
 
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