Let's get less serious and learn to relax and have fun with life

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Hey Tri, glad to hear about your progress. A new low for the first time in a decade is a big thing. I know you aren't quite there, but isn't it great to be close? I think you made a good point too about how quickly is safe to lose weight. You see a lot of people come on here wanting to lose 3 or 4 lbs a week, consistently. Unfortunately, that's not sustainable, nor is it healthy, and a lot of those people wind up quitting pretty quickly.
 
Thanks Cory. It is a really big thing! I have been wanting to lose weight for most of that decade, and now I am finally doing it for real. About the weight loss rate: I would love to see it go much quicker than 1 kg per week, but I know that's just stupid, for many reasons. But we have all been infected by this idea that if we want something, we should be able to get it quickly, if not instantly. The result is, as you have observed, that we give up when things don't go our way.
For me, these changes I am making are not just about weight loss, I try to approach it holistically. They are about learning a healthy lifestyle (which requires a healthy way to lose weight), and it includes other things about health, such as my energy levels (while losing, and after losing), strength and muscle mass, life expectancy, and so forth. It's also about developing a stronger mindset; learning to work on something for a long time, without giving up or obsessing over it (both extremes are not beneficial). It's about finding out who I am and who I want to be. This is more of a parallel process, it does not directly connect to weight loss, but I like to work on my inner life (as many of you have read in my journal, I often describe this). I really believe that a healthy body follows from a healthy mind (instead of the other way around). I used to see weight loss as a prerequisite of being happy, and well, I completely changed my mind about that (though I do think that it's nice to have done this and it gives me opportunities and abilities that I did not have before, such as doing well at sports again).
 
Another good point, Tri. I think it's impossible to be successful long term if there isn't some serious introspection and self evaluation. We have to confront how we think about ourselves, our lives, and our relationships because these are all things that can contribute to unhealthy habits if not managed appropriately.
 
Thx John and Cory.

Had a bad day yesterday. Took a day off from work, could not face the world. Put my head in the sand, like an ostrich. Ugh. Managed to get back on track today. Decided that I should not let myself get demotivated by such days, but that I should learn from them. That makes me anti-fragile; growing stronger when facing adversity. So, I faced the issues that were bothering me, and solved some of them, and made progress in other areas. I reflected a bit and I have a good understanding why it happened. I think that the path that I am already (improving how I deal with my emotions, allowing myself to follow my dreams, learning meditation/mindfulness). is will also help me have less of such days.

Will exercise this evening, do some chores and a bit of relaxing.
 
Had a fine day.

Activities: Cycled 35 km, rowed 7.5 km (new pr on 2000 meter: 7 minutes and 4 seconds. Getting close to the world record... for lightweight women, which is 6:54.7 ;)) and walked 3 km.

Nutrition: 4 slices of bread with rucola and brie for lunch, 1 plate of couscous + chicken + raisins + bunch of vegetables.

Deficit: at least 2000 calories.

Final thoughts: overate yesterday, compensated for it today (but I ate well enough to feel full, and to get my nutrition), will continue my progress tomorrow.
 
Well done on recovering from your bad day Tri. They're horrible & I think we all have them. Good to see you picked yourself up :)
 
Hey Tri, really glad the sun came out for you again today. I definitely feel we should have 'sick days' from work where you can just ring in if you're not feeling mentally up to it. I rarely get physically sick, so most of my sick days since I started working were me doing the ostrich thing. And I think that's as valid as having the flu or something. Anyway, sounds like you won't need another one for a while!
 
Glad to see you didn't let your bad day stick around. That's half of the battle wit hthis stuff.
 
Thanks! I am lucky with my work: I don't have to call in ill, but I can just take a day off. My work is quite flexible. The only thing that I should keep in mind is that I shouldn't waste too many of my free days like this, I should use them for vacation(s)! :)

My weight this morning was 89.0 kg. Good to see the number go down again, expecting this to continue as the effects of my overeating day wear off. I may break my record low of 87.5 kg by the weekend. I don't regret having a 1.5 week break from weight loss, was good to let my body recover, but now it is time to continue. Want to lose 0.75 - 1 kg per week for the rest of this month (and weight less than 84.0 kg before April 1).

Some exercise related things that I want to achieve before the end of the month:
- 2000 meter indoor rowing in less than 7 minutes
- 30 minutes of indoor cycling with more than 250 watts on average
- set running records for the 800, 1500 and 3000 meter distances (and find a place where to do it)
- repair my bike (so that I can cycle outside again)

Today: will go to the gym (to cycle/row) after work, and I will run 7 km in the evening. Aiming for a deficit of 1500-2000 calories.
 
Little John said:
That's fantastic! Competitive, even!
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Thanks! It's nice to have the 7 minutes within reach, I just need to cut off 4 seconds! My next goal is to go faster than 06:54:07, which is the World Record for lightweight females. It's a funny idea to know that I can beat a world record (even though I am cheating by being a heavy male :p). I will set new goals beyond that, although I think having fun with it is what counts most. Shouldn't get too lost in the numbers. On the other hand, I have always been interested in exploring my own physical limits and it's nice to be able to do this now (and this is fun to me).

Almost done with working for today, will hit the gym now. Planning to make this day count, will create another 2000 calorie deficit. I feel that my body is energized, so I can do a good workout. Of course I will eat enough... 1800 calories or so. But one thing is certain: my weight loss break is over!
 
On the topic of world records, the first time I witnessed an indoor rowing competition (CRASH-B in Boston), there was an Olympic rower there from Germany whose launch was strong enough to lift the rowing machine up and make the rower separate in two, and he tumbled onto the ground. So they gave him another opportunity to row against his class, but during the Youth female category. He ended up breaking the world record (Felix Bach: http://www.crash-b.org/wp-content/uploads/results/2010/event-05.html), but it was funny watching him "race" against these 13-year-old girls, though I felt bad for the girl next to him, she was one of the slower rowers in her category.
 
Wow that is so cool!! Now I see why it's so nice to go to such events, it's really impressive! :)

Ha, I guess the girl next to him was a bit distracted! She was constantly looking over her shoulder. Poor girl!

Update:
Just went exercising. Did 5 km of rowing, 2 km of running and 20 km of cycling. Will now go for an 8 km run outside.

Achieved one of the goals that I had on my list: "30 minutes of indoor cycling with more than 250 watts on average". My average was 257 watts. Was listening to a live concert by the White Stripes, I guess that was giving me a boost! ;)

Next goal:
- 30 minutes of indoor cycling with more than 260 watts on average
 
You're doing so much exercise, Tri. Kiiilllllliiiiiing it. Also great choice with the White Stripes. Have you heard the Black Keys?
 
Hahaha thanks Sunflower! I just love it. Making sure that I do different activities, so that I don't have a large risk on injury. I think they call that cross training. But it's also nice to just do different things.

You like the White Stripes too? I discovered them when I was a teenager. So much nostalgia. I did not hear about the Black Keys before today, but I noticed them in my recommended videos today when I was listening to the White Stripes. Listening to them now... I like it! :D
 
Cross training is so important. Most people (myself included) should do more of it. I think it's great that you've managed to find a balance of several different exercises.
 
My weight this morning was 88.5 kg. Another step in the right direction. I really look forward to going beyond 87.5 kg again, and start making new records. Anyways, that's probably just a matter of a few days, so I should not worry about it.

I love it that this weight loss thing is really happening now. I have tried for more than a decade(!) to do this and now I am finally able to make this change, and I can be confident that I can keep it off. Not only that, I can be confident that I can move beyond that and improve my body further (as well as other areas of my life), because I have found out how I can make changes successfully. Looking forward to becoming fitter and stronger than ever.

Today's plan: After work I will go to the gym again. Later in the evening, I will go ice skating. On Thursday evening you can join a skating group with a trainer. Looking forward to my first lesson!
 
IAmGoingToTri said:
Ha, I guess the girl next to him was a bit distracted! She was constantly looking over her shoulder. Poor girl!
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Everyone is allowed a coach/cheerleader to help them keep pace. I'm guessing hers was chatty.

That's really awesome that you're hitting your goals!
 
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