New home, new friends, new body! XD

H

HealthyFeetKen

New member
Helllooooo!!


I am back!


So in the last many months since I disappeared...


I moved out - moved into a brand new apartment (rent). My first time moving out so I am REALLY enjoying it. I love the space to myself and furnishing it the way I want it to be furnished! I live in downtown so it is great to just have friends come over and chill. Just love it XD


I am actually enjoying being single for the first time in my life - I only started dating at 23 so I was a bit slow in this aspect of my life. I have had 2 serious relationships since then and now I just feel a sense of freedom and satisfaction being single. I have been much more comfortable with myself over the years and I have been meeting a lot of new friends which is fantastic. I have been dating a little bit and just having fun with it.


I have not been eating well - I find I snack a lot more in an apartment because my pantry is so close to everything! I have been gravitating away from the fruits and veggies - to crackers, cakes, pastries, instant noodles, pasta!!


I have not been doing cardio - after moving from home where I had a resistant bike ( I hate going to the gym ) where I would get most of my exercse...I have not been doing any cardio. bad!


I have been walking a LOT more - being in downtown does that to you. I have not walked this much in a long time and I feel great because my nagging foot injury has not bothered me too much. That is a major good sign!!


I have been doing a lot of pushups and LOVE it! - So I started doing pushups as I like exercising in the comfort of my home (read: lazy). I started doing these 'pyramid' pushups. Where you would do pushups in a pyramid kind of set with very short rest in between ie 1,2,3,4,5,6,5,4,3,2,1. I love it cuz there is a natural warmup built in and also it is very challenging on the way back down as each set even with less pushups feels as hard or harder than the one before with more pushups. I am up to 7 now and that's like 49 pushups! I started doing just sets of 15-25 pushups afterwards as well as I am aiming to do 100 pushups everyday. I have been doing this for about 3 weeks now and I have muscles! XD It's very motivating and I feel it helps with my 'moobs' that I am quite self conscious of. I hate my moobs!! :(


sooooo


I am back because I want to eat better and get more fit!


I am still around 185.0 so that is not too bad - i started at 195.0 in my first journal and got down to almost 180..but went back up and then I disappeared!. I have never seen the 17x.xx for as long as I can remember!


So I took a picture today to compare with my previous shots. Will start recording my weight tomorrow.


june 28, 2011 - 195.0

July 22, 2011 - 185.4


June 28, 2011 - 195.0

July 22, 2011 - 185.4

Nov 23, 2011 - 186.4

Nov 23, 2011 - 186.4


Feb 16, 2012 - 187.6 lbs (+3 weeks of early morning exercise! )
 
So I was thinking of what I could do to increase my calories burned since I have only been stretching and doing ~100 pushups a day. I don't have the luxury of my resistance bike at my old home!


I came up with:


(started today)

doing pyramid sit-ups

doing planks (for core)

squats 3 x 10


(starting tomorrow)

walking up and down 14 flights of stairs to and from my car. ~65 calories going up, ~30 calories going down.


(looking into)

pull up bar - i seem to really enjoy pushups and the progress of it. So I figure pull ups might be a nice exercise for me to add.


(lowering calorie intake)

Packing my lunch - I just packed my lunch for tomorrow. I haven't done this since I was still journaling my diet months ago. Celery, Carrots, Cucumbers, some pickled radishes, some hummus, an apple, a boiled egg and some nuts. I work at a restaurant/bakery so I can eat whatever i want - and that is BAD....


Looking forward to my start weight tomorrow and getting under 180 for the first time in 10+ years.


Food:

cereal and almond milk

some fruit

one pastry (bad..my friend came by for the first time so i ate with her..)

sushi - probably ate about ~12 rolls.

1 yogurt

8 cashews


Exercise:

105 pushups

3x10 squats

48 situps

misc.


TOMORROWS A NEW DAY!!!


Obstacles this week-

thurs - sister's birthday dinner tomorrow

sat - hosting a brunch with a bunch of foodies I met at a french restaurant

- potluck party at friends in the evening

sun - cooking club cooking lunch - its a club i joined where we go eat at a restaurant and then we try to recreate certain recipes - we're making grumpy pork bimbimbap.
 
AHeya Ken.

Glad to see you back :hurray: I don't think i got around to reading your old diary but i will definatly follow you on your journey with this diary.
You seem really motivated..... Good for you :)

Oooh, thanks for stopping by on my doary and thank you for your lovely comments :)
 
AOooooh, at least you only put on 5 pounds in all the time you were away, I was expecting it to be at least 15 what with you always being out and on the go! And I'm happy that your making packed lunches as well, not being prepared for the next day is almost like saying "Fuck it, I can't be bothered".

So glad that you are cooking again, even if it isn't for work at least your having fun with it! Did you find that group on meetup?

Your new place looks quite spacious and nice :) And your really happy which is good- you got NO EXCUSE for comfort eating :hurray:
 
Ruthie - My place is actually quite small (585 sq ft)! Only the pic where i am in the bathroom is new! It's a pretty good size for downtown though!


I found this cooking stuff from my university clubs - i have a little cousin who started his first year in uni and I was showing him the ropes, telling him to join clubs and what not. I was looking through the club lists and they had a new food club - and it was exactly what I wanted to join back in the day...people just cooking, eating out, taking pictures and just generally loving food! I am a bit old for it but I was like 'fuck it!' i am joining! So far so good..i am hosting a brunch with a bunch of people I had met through the club, so yeah! It's good times :) Just really love meeting people nowadays...i used to be such a shy little boy too! I've come a long ways!


Kate - Thanks kate..it is coming back and seeing all the positive changes from folks like you that made me really think of some changes I could make to improve my odds this time around!
 
First weigh-in 186.2lb.

First Goal weight: 179.9!!!


It is late - I was cooking up a large batch of Cabbage/tomato soup - I wanted something tasty, healthy and hot when I need it so I don't fall into other temptations. I love soup! There is just something so comfortable about it!!


Food:

bf: almond milk + cereal ~ 250 cals

lunch: carrots/cucumbers/celery + hummus, pickled radishes, boiled egg. ~ 250 cals

snack : apple, yogurt ~ 200 cals

dinner : a chinese feast..it was my sister's birthday - broth, jellyfish, roasted pork, steamed fish, veggies, rice, slice of cake. ~1200 cals I ate a bit of everything but didn't eat too much of anything.


Total for the day = 1900 cals - it is not great but it is under what these calorie counters say i need per day ~2100 for lightly active. The packing of the lunch really helped keep this from being a bad day.


My idea of walking up and down the stairs didn't work so well - I can't walk past the lobby going up or down. So I can only walk up 3 flights of stairs from P3 to lobby where I have to take the elevator. I can't access the stairwell. Walking down the stairs I can go down eleven flights but can't walk the 3 floors down to P3. Ah well.


Exercise : 80 pushups. I decided to give my pushups a break today...i think I have been overworking them the last little while doing it morning and night - always a little sore so I may let my newfound 'guns' chill out for 24 hours till tomorrow night.


Good night!
 
186.8 this morning (+0.6)


cereal + almond milk ~200


carrots/celergy/cucumber + hummus ~80

papaya ~100

15 cashews ~ 100


It feels nice to be having all this wholesome food again. Temptations are around but packed lunch is a good start and I feel very full from all this fiber!


Looking forward to the weekend!!
 
AHeya buddy :)

Your comment was lovely. I am so so pleased that my diary and my success can motivate you. That totally blew me away. Thank you :)

Oh, keep up the good work, you're doing awesome.... I Dare not go out for chinese, i would eat LOTS of everything. Actually we are going for one for our works christmas do, man, i am sooooo gonna struggle!! Any advise ??
 
Just had a boiled egg and some more veggies ~ 130 cals.


Kate - hey dude! =p chinese food is a tough one! especially when it is banquet style where a single large plate of food comes out one at a time and everyone picks at it. Only advice is to just eat a very small portion of each dish because you will be full by the 6-7th dish when you are only half way done!!! And everything always has a nice helping of oil even the vegetables so watch out!! My calendar is filling up with christmas gatherings...it's gonna be a rough winter!


So many temptations at work - watching people eat noodles, rice and congee ( my favorite ) and lots of freshly baked pastries... >< Must think of my cabbage soup...


Anyways..I had a blind date last week and it went well but I knew I had no romantic connection after 10 minutes. We kept in touch though and I hung out with her and her cousin on Sunday. Turns out her cousin is a transgender female (used to be a male). I have never really met someone on a personal level like that. He definitely looked different, very masculine features. The funny thing is he works at the cosmetic department where my distant cousin has been working forever and they are like best friends! Small world.


Hope everyone is enjoying thanksgiving / black friday while I am still at work up in Canada!! ><
 
AHeya Buddy

I will keep that in mind about the chinese, i also need to try and keep the wine consumption down too :eek:

I am really going to try and not gain much over christmas, i know it is gonna be hard but i sooooo don't wanna undo everything i have done. We were looking at some nibble bits at the supermarket today and i was mortified with how many calories there are in this stuff!! It is really going to be hard work.
We can do it though and then we will all be here for each other after all the damage has been done huh!!
 
AYour flat is really big by English standards- My first place was 35 square metres, including the storage cupboard lol.

Your not too old for a university club, I'm at uni and I'm about the same age as you I think, and its fine!

How have you done today?
 
Sat - 168.0 (-0.8)

Sun - ???


So weekends are always my weak point. Always have some social gatherings and they always involve food!


Friday went well and I didn't eat anything bad, but...


Saturday:


Egg benedict w/ smoked salmon w/ roasted potatoes, lamb sausage ~ 1000 cals

Cabbage soup ~ 120 cals

2 smaller slices of pizza ~ 500 cals

misc junk ~ couple nachos, piece of banana bread, bruschetta, sushi ~ 600

TOTAL - 2200


I organized a brunch at a french cafe with a bunch of foodies that I had met from the foodie club. Probably doesn't help with a diet having just created a new social circle with foodies!


I had a appetizer/dessert potluck with board games in the evening so I decided to have a light dinner at home and eat some at the party. I cooked myself some of the cabbage soup i had made for times like this... It ends up two people did not actually read the event details that it wasn't a -dinner- potluck so they brought pizza and sushi. I tried to resist but the thought of super hot pizza was too much...i ate 2 small slices. .

It was a fun party though - I haven't played board games in a while so that was fun and some of my friends were trying to set me up with this girl there. She was fun and all but it is just a friendship. I thought it was flattering that some of my friend's friends (that I had not met many times) thought i was a good guy to try to set me up with their friends. :D


Sunday:

(i didn't weigh myself..i did not want to know...)


Bimbimbap - korean stone bowl rice thing - veggies/meat/egg on rice. ~ 600 cals

Strawberry Julius drink - 200 cals

Thai chicken curry + rice + roti canai + veggies ~ 1000 cals


Had a cooking foodie thing this morning. We got together to cook bimbimbap. It turned out pretty well but it was very filling for lunch even though it was pretty healthy for the most part - too much veggies.


Walked around downtown for about 6-7 hours - had a drink in the middle of that. And then our feet were just dead tired by the end of it and we grabbed malaysian food. It was good but probably not good for my diet.


On the plus side, I DID walk a lot. I did about 85 pushups today after taking a break for day or two. Also I only ate 2 meals really which made the calorie part better... All in all, it wasn't too bad for the weekend..I hope!



Obstacles this week:

Mon : friend is cooking for us tomorrow.

Fri : dinner - friend is leaving...

Sat : driving down to the US - eating in the US is never good for me..

Sun : catching up with a friend over dinner.
 
Hi Ken! Thanks for stopping by my diary!


Dang it! I just wrote you a super long post, but this is not my usual computer so I accidentally hit the back button and deleted it! grr, I'll try and remember!


I'm sorry to hear about your feet, I can't imagine being into something as incredible as rock climbing and then not being able to do it anymore. Is it something you think you'll be able to get back into in time? Have you found anything to fill the void? Ooo maybe kayaking! Still thrilling, less standing! :)


Your pyramid pushups sound insane! I have a friend that makes me do a similar thing called burnouts when I train with him, you start out bench pressing the heaviest weight you can handle for as long as you can stand, then you take off 10lbs and do that until you can't lift anymore, and then you take off another 10lbs and so on until only the bar is left - you'd think that the reduction in weight would be a relief, but it's so intense!


I have a friend that is a trans female that I've know for 6 years, but for 4 of them she was a he, so it's been a little bit of an adjustment getting used to saying she etc. The thing that really throws my head for a loop is that when she was male, I was really attracted to him - so now she has the same mannerisms and same body, but wears makeup and has longer hair... totally messes with my brain! But, yeah, she is infinitely more happy now.


Love your attitude about the cooking club, what a great way to meet new people!


Eggs Benedict, salmon, potatoes, and sausage huh? Well, I have to give it to ya, when you cheat, you really do it up right! ;) hehe, but the weekend is only 29% of the week, so you have the other 71% to make up for it! Good luck on the rest of the week :)
 
Hi Guys!


So I haven't had much progress this first week back - I am still ~186 lbs. Packing my lunch has helped reduce my calories during the day but night time I end up going out to eat or eating something not as good... My friend baked me a banana bread loaf and I have been picking at it at home so that didn't help! I also had some friends come over and cook Oyako Don - the japanese rice bowl with egg/onions/chicken. I have not incorporated any cardio..and I know this is absolutely necessary for me to see progress.


Hmmm...I haven't lost or gained any weight this week. I am having problems focusing on the diet after work/weekend.


On the plus side, I have gotten up to pyramid pushup of 8 = 64 pushups and then I do 2-3 sets of 20-30 pushups so I am doing about ~100-130 pushups a day now. ~ 100-130 cals

For the first time, my scale which has a body fat % hit 23.5% - it was usually always around 25-27% many months ago. I don't really put much faith into it on a day to day basis, but since I started looking again recently, it was around low 24%. So that is good. I think it is a combination of a lot more walking now that I am downtown and also the pushups. I really need to squeeze some cardio in there but I am such a lazy bum when it comes to going to the gym.


Sparked - oooh...it is the thought that counts sparked!! I hate it when that happens...I sometimes write a ton of stuff for a facebook event description with pictures and all that and then I save and go home and it is not there!! ><! I have not found something to fil the void. Kayaking sounds like a really good one, but it is pretty cold now but come spring i will give that a try!


Burnouts eh, yeah that sounds pretty similar. It IS intense isn't it!! I like it though, it really feels like I am pushing my muscles to the max many times over instead of just doing as many pushups as I can and feeling that burn only once or twice.


Being attracted to a trans female!! That must be a strange one... was/is he a masculine male? What attracted you to him? because the ones I met were always quite feminine..and you look like a very feminine gal - I would think you would be interested in a more masculine figure! I am always curious about these kinds of social dynamics... It is something that helped me break my shell back in the day!


Thanks for stopping by SparkeD!
 
Haha, I guess kayaking would be a spring activity... sometimes I forget that it actually drops below 55 degrees in the winter for some people - here it's December and I'm still wearing t-shirts! :p


Yeaaaaah definitely very strange. But yes, he was, and really still is, very masculine. In fact, the reason I was only attracted to him and never really interested in him was that he was, well, a little bit of a erm... shall we say... manwhore. Actually, a little bit is a serious understatement! But, in retrospect, she says that is because she always felt the need to overcompensate for not feeling very masculine on the inside. The more I see her, the more I get used to it, but in my head I still see the male version and not the female because that is what I have known the longest. And like I said, she's still pretty masculine and also makes some of the crudest jokes you have ever heard! So, in some ways, it still feels very much the same!


Nice job with your pushups! And yeah, the bf% on the scale isn't something to really depend on daily because the number fluctuates like crazy based on your current hydration. But, it looks like it is safe to say that you are definitely out of the 25's - which is the marker for healthy body fat in males so that's awesome, congrats!!


What kind of cardio are you looking to do?
 
So I kinda failed when I made a comeback at the end of November. I ate a lot over christmas and chinese new years.

I moved into a new apartment couple months ago and never used the gym - never been a gym person, but I figured I needed some exercise badly. I was almost back up to 190 lbs!



So I started doing cardio monday to friday early in the morning. I wake up at 7 and workout for 40-60 minutes usually on the bike: 5 min warmup, 15 min HIIT (30sec rest, 30 second high resistance (~100W) full out pedalling - gets my heart rate up to almost 170 sometimes!), 20+ minutes of steady state cardio keeping ~140+HR. I sweat a lot! I started wearing a headband because I was tired of wiping my sweat off.









I actually feel great working out in the morning - feel a great sense of accomplishment to work out hard every morning. I started at 189.0 lbs and I didn't really notice any weight loss until these last couple days ~187.6 today. I actually don't care that much because I feel good. And I like doing it. I even worked out on sunday because I felt 'wrong' not working out for 2 days!!! I started feeling tired though so I put in a weight lifting day on wednesday to give my burning thighs a break. I have been watching my diet but not too closely - small healthy meals throughout the day. I eat some greek yogurt (yum..my new favorite thing to eat) and some fruit after my workout. I think I need to eat more because I am starting to feel like I am lacking energy somedays at work as I burn more calories - started burning 250 calories when I started, now i burn 400+ calories - I think it is more because it doesn't put my weight into the calculations.













Also I am more concerned with my body fat% now because my scale says 25%BF and for a male - that is considered Obese. So maybe my Moobs are from the body fat? I put in a goal this new years to drop it down to 20% (14-17%BF = fit/normal for male).







Anyways, I took a picture this morning to compare with before even though I wear more now.

Also don't know why I can't space out these paragraphs!!!













Nov 23, 2011 - 186.4




Feb 16, 2012 - 187.6 lbs (+3 weeks of early morning exercise! )








I don't notice too much difference, but it looks like my tummy looks thinner! I forgot to take a side view picture, I'll do that soon!
 
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