Stage 1: The long road to the New Year

140Days

140Days

New member
My Diary "Stage One: 140 days"

Hi, I am relatively new to this site but have been following the achievement of several other members with great interest and admiration. I have been dieting and exercising half-assed since I started this whole thing back in August this year, but I have been yo-yo-ing due to lack of firm commitment.

It's time to buckle down and do this seriously.

I dont really have a serious eating problem or issues with food; I eat when I am hungry, and enjoy healthy food. The problem is that I am an alcoholic. I drink excessively (bad for diet as well as liver) then get hungry and pig out. The same thing happens the next morning as I eat a gresy meal to soak up the alcohol. This happens every weekend and the odd weeknight also. It has to stop.

I attend an AA meeting each week to attempt to deal with the drinking issue and that seems to be helping (although it is not fully dealt with yet) but the weight has packed on over the years.

Three years ago I was in the best shape of my life: riding a bicycle to work, gym every night, weight training, rugby twice a week.... Now I am lethargic and drive everywhere. I have been spending my weekend time indoors drinking and watching TV. I am ashamed to wear tight clothes due to my huge belly and shamefull man-boobs. I prefer to stay at home and rarely make social visits to friends or family.

I have made a complete mess of my body and it has taken me three years to finally work this out. I can be a complete idiot sometimes :(


Well now I have been honest with myself, it's time to make this whole thing happen. One day at a time.

I weighed in at 258lbs back in August. I gave myself 140 days (up to the new year) in order to reach my optimal weight 190lbs, but realise now that that is unrealistic. I changed my goal to 198lbs which will allow me to plan for a second 140 days to loose the rest and concentrate on weights training and toning.

I took some before photos that I am too ashamed to even post, but as soon as I loose half the weight, I will put them up alongside the new ones so there is contrast.

So, as I stand now:
Start Weight: 258.0lbs
Current Weight: 248.0lbs
Target Weight: 198.4lbs
 
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It seems that this questionaire is compulsary ;)

What is your current height and weight?
I am 6 foot 3 inches, 248lbs
If you were at an ideal weight now, what would that weight be?
186lbs
At what weight would you like to be at four months from now?
198lbs
Why do you want to lose weight?
I have one of those male bodys that tend to accumulate fat on the chest region as well as the belly thus cursing me with man-boobs :(
Do you want to lose weight for a specific life event such as wedding or reunion? If so, when is that event?
No, just to feel better about myself
What obstacles could get between you and your weight loss goals?
Drinking or lack of motivation
Why do you think that you now have a weight problem?
I believe a great deal of the problem is drinking, but my wife and I have also moved to a rural property where there is little access to organised sports, gyms etc
What lifestyle changes do you think would help you lose weight?
I am attending AA meetings to address the alcohol situation, also I have got rid of all distractions around the house. I have put a treadmill in the lounge and set up my old weight bench in the spare room.
Why do you believe that you did not lose weight or you gained the weight back?
I gained the weight back because I stopped being active. Also I used to ride a bicycle everywhere.
What, if anything, has not worked for you in the past in helping you to lose weight? Why do you think it did not work?
I lost my way. I lost all my weight 6 years ago and had a body that I was truely proud of. I was into weight lifting and was on my way to starting amature body-building. It was all due to the book "Body for Life". I've pulled the book back out again ;)
Would you try writing down all food and drink consumed for a given period of time?
I have taken a leaf out of the diary of another member here on the forum and will write down a brief summary of each day!
Do you cook at home often? If so, what do you cook?
My wife does most of the cooking. Mostly using raw foods so that should not to to much of a problem.
How often do you go out to eat? Where do you go?
I rarely go out to eat. Last time was our wedding anniversary. My wife loves going out, but my weigh has shattered my confidence to venture out when not essential :(
What are your three favorite foods?
Cheese, Bread and Butter
What are your three favorite restaurants?
Don't really have any...
What are three things you can do differently when it comes to food?
Record what I eat, avoid bread, eat smaller portions and 'graze'
If you woke up tomorrow and your body was exactly the way you want it, what would be different?
I would be happy! Also I would go out more often
Do you eat when you are not hungry?
Not often. I tend to eat only when hungry or hungover
Do you binge eat (large amounts at a time)?
Absolutely! Mostly when I have been drinking
Do you hide your food or eat in secret?
No!
Do you eat when you are sad, nervous, or depressed?
No, as you have probably realised by now, I use alcohol to deal with thos issues.
Do you eat as a reward?
No, as previous question
Do you eat while watching TV or using the computer?
I normally do my eating in front of TV or in the car between jobs.
What do you normally eat for a meal?
I love tuna! I usually have it with brown bread, a potato or crackers.
What type of snacks do you eat?
Toast with Mayo.
In terms of exercise, what, if anything, are you currently doing?
Not to much but I am intending to use a electric treadmill and my old weight bench until I loose enough weight to be comfortable venturing out to a gym.
Where do you go for exercise? A local public gym? School/work gym? Home?
As above; A home gym and a treadmill
What, if anything, are your three favorite types of exercise?
Weights (bench press), power walking, dumbell curls
What is your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly motivation to move towards your goals?
I have made a ticker which shows how close I am and how far I have come. I also have all my skinny clothes boxed up weighting to be worn. I have two, one of which contains all the clothes that I collected when I started putting on weight, the other from 3 years ago when I was in my best shape. My current clothes will be burned as soon as possible!
Do you have rewards for certain goals?
As above, plus I will only be watching my favourite recorded programs when I am on the treadmill. Silly as it sounds, I have removed all the seating in the TV room so it's just the TV and the Treadmill ;)


Well, doing that certainly made me think a bit. :ack2:
 
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First REAL day on the website

Wow!

I joined this website in August. And to this point I had made just 7 posts....

Tonight I really sat down and read the stories that people have shared about their own trials and tribulations. I watched videos and looked at photos showing how success is not only possible, but incredibly achievable! I should have done this back in August and maybe my progress and motivation would have been a little better!!!

I went on the chatroom for the first time and met 'airmanwifey' and 'reluctantcabbie' which put a personal touch on my experience here today. The best thing was that I had just recently read both their weightloss diaries so it was great to chat away to them.

I'll start tommorrow at normal work time (unusual because I am on 2 weeks holiday at the moment) and will open the day with 50 minutes on our treadmill. Now the weightbench is up and running, i will also throw in an 'introductory' session on the weights to wean me back into things... it's been a while.

This place is great! :hurray:
 
now that I've got more than a minute to reply...
First of all, good for you for cutting out the alchohol. it sounds like the right choice for you. Second, I think it's great that you've put your treadmil in the lounge so you can use it while watching your shows. a buddy of mine did the same thing. now the only place to sit in that room for him is on his weight bench. :D
It was great chatting with you earlier and I'm glad karl and I could provide a more personal touch to your experience on here. We really are a big group of friendly people. So if at any point you have a question, feel free to post it. A lot of the people on here are working through their own weight loss journey and are more than willing to help out and share experiences.
I hope you have a great night, and talk to you again soon.
take care
 
Way to put it all out there! That takes real guts man. Good luck to you on your Journey and lifestyle change!!! As you read more and more, you will find that this forum is about way more than just weight loss, I've come to see it as a LIFE IMPROVING FORUM. If you truly discover and get to the real "you" that you want to be, all the other things like the drinking and losing weight will follow in line. Welcome.
 
jzthedetermined said:
Way to put it all out there! That takes real guts man. Good luck to you on your Journey and lifestyle change!!! As you read more and more, you will find that this forum is about way more than just weight loss, I've come to see it as a LIFE IMPROVING FORUM. If you truly discover and get to the real "you" that you want to be, all the other things like the drinking and losing weight will follow in line. Welcome.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the push start JZ ;) It took reading about people like yourself to get me back on track. Can't thank you all enough!
 
83 Days remaining: Finally a day that started like I meant!

Got up early today and got straight onto the treadmill for an hour. Really pushed myself today and put the basic program setting on max. I normally use the basic program due to my non-commital to going 100% but given my full-on efforts today I shall start using the more challeging programs and maybe look at using the incline features on the treadmill.... Well, lets not to far ahead of myself.

I was giddy as hell when I got off. I forgot how good a feeling that can be. I used to get a natural high back in my gym-junkie days long ago. I think I could replace my friday night drinks with this kind of buzz!!!

Diet-wise?
Breakfast: 1 egg omlette with a single slice of multigrain bread (no topping)
Snack: 2 litecrackers with tuna
Lunch: Small baked potato with tuna (i love tuna and don't like other meat)


Although I am holiday at the moment (last couple of days anyway....) I have a great deal of paperwork to catch up on, so I will get on with that and then take a break from it this evening for my weight session.

I have a lot of weight to loose and not long until new year, so I want to include cardio everyday, but I know enough to keep the weights to every second day and alternate between upper and lower.
 
Sounds like a kick ass way to start it up. Consistency is the key for me. Even if I screw upa little here and ther, if I hit the gym and/or do my cardio like I'm supposed to be doing, all is right with the world and the weight doesn't hang around.

Also, I use to track my daily intake of calories, and exercise. It's nice because you can generate graphs, nutrition breakdowns etc. there are a couple of other services too out there.
 
reluctantcabbie said:
Sounds like a kick ass way to start it up. Consistency is the key for me. Even if I screw upa little here and ther, if I hit the gym and/or do my cardio like I'm supposed to be doing, all is right with the world and the weight doesn't hang around.

Also, I use to track my daily intake of calories, and exercise. It's nice because you can generate graphs, nutrition breakdowns etc. there are a couple of other services too out there.
Click to expand...

I am playing around with that tracker now. Looks great! Is there any way you can avoid having to search for every food item? ie. standard meals? It would save me time ;)
 
Well, end of the day here and it's been the best one yet. Managed to get some extra cardio in by doing the well overdue lawns (1/4 acre with heavy incline) which took an hour hard slog! Was soaking wet when I finished!

I have decided to get up early and do my weights tommorrow morning as it's a bit late right now. I still can't believe this is a friday night and I am not drinking beers!!! :hurray:

Diet finished:
afternoon: 2 crispbread/crackers with tuna
Main Meal: Vegetable mix boiled with a small handful of prawns
Evening: Prot shake with water
 
looks like you're doing great Paul. I'm glad you're getting a rush out of working out. much healthier than the other ways to feel it. and though both Karl and JZ are right about being consistant with your workouts, don't throw in the towel if life makes it impossible for a workout every once in a while. If you push yourself too hard too fast you run the risk of burning out. So, keep at it, but remember that the world wont' come to an end if you slip up. just pick yourself back up and keep going.
Oh, and sparkpeople.com is another website like fitday(I like sp better :D) if you're having a hard time with fitday. just a suggestion.
Hope you have a great day tomorrow.
Take care!!
 
140Days said:
The problem is that I am an alcoholic. I drink excessively (bad for diet as well as liver) then get hungry and pig out. The same thing happens the next morning as I eat a gresy meal to soak up the alcohol. This happens every weekend and the odd weeknight also. It has to stop.
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:waving: I like you already!

I need to read more to comment intelligibly, but just wanted to say--been there! Done that! I have my bouts with dipsomania, and recently stopped binge-drinking--although yesterday was a slip up. Haha! Fun times :cheers2: I DO hope you get back into shape--I'll read on then....
 
Curvie Girlie said:
:waving: I like you already!

I need to read more to comment intelligibly, but just wanted to say--been there! Done that! I have my bouts with dipsomania, and recently stopped binge-drinking--although yesterday was a slip up. Haha! Fun times :cheers2: I DO hope you get back into shape--I'll read on then....
Click to expand...

Ha ha a fellow binge-drinker! Cheers! Nice to meet you ;)

It's always been my problem. I used to be able to balance my weekend drinking with weekday activity, but as I have got older and stopped doing so much sport/exercise the drinking has been half the cause of my current weight. I have now forsworn drinking, especially since delving into the calorie details of my favourite drink, beer :(
 
airmanwifey819 said:
looks like you're doing great Paul. I'm glad you're getting a rush out of working out. much healthier than the other ways to feel it. and though both Karl and JZ are right about being consistant with your workouts, don't throw in the towel if life makes it impossible for a workout every once in a while. If you push yourself too hard too fast you run the risk of burning out. So, keep at it, but remember that the world wont' come to an end if you slip up. just pick yourself back up and keep going.
Oh, and sparkpeople.com is another website like fitday(I like sp better :D) if you're having a hard time with fitday. just a suggestion.
Hope you have a great day tomorrow.
Take care!!
Click to expand...

Thanks JZ, Karl and Shandy!!! Some great advice and support! I know I have to do this everyday consistantly, and this log/diary is a great way to be honest with myself as well as create a sense of routene (something i thrive on)

Thanks for the links Shandy, but Karl sold me first ;) I will check out the one you use when I next get a free moment.

Karl, the website is great. All the graphs and charts were fascinating. I spent ages exploring! Now I have programmed in all my custom foods (i tend not to vary much and eat the same meals all weekdays) as well as inputted exercises. What was interesting is that I have discovered I have deficencies in Vit E (86%), Magnesium (68%), Potasium (60%) and Thiamin (74%).

My multivitamins cover ALL except the Potasium and Thiamin. Hmmm where do these things come from???? Any suggestions???

Other than that, my weekly planned diet covers all areas and will allow me to lose the weight i need for stage one by new year!!! (assuming rightly that I am consistant lol).
 
Ah, in answer to half of my question... Bananas = Potassium ;) Right, fruit market on the way out tonight :)

A good start to the day. I got up and did 30mins on the treadmill as a warm up for my first weights session. I had made a plan last night from the BFL book for a 50 min upperbody.

Benchpress - went well, need to lower weights as I am too cocky. Start small and increase over time...
Inclined Benchpress - better with more realistic weight
Standing benchpress - Really burned. Need to be consistant with this exercise
Side Raises - (dissapointing, shoulders couldn't keep up from last exercise. Shoulders could be an area I need to lower the weights?)
One arm dumbell rows - Nice easy one. Had to increase weights. Underestimated myself.
Bench dips - This one was great. Nice burn. Bicep/tricep always my favourites
Dumbell curls - One of my favourites and a good way to end. As I type this my arms are still tingling. Great stuff!!!

Overall, it was an OK first session. Never really got above a 6 in intensity but it was an 'introductory' session to my bench after so very long. Most importantly, now I now have enough info to adequately plan for each session ahead of time.


Breakfast: 2 egg omlette (no oil), One piece of wholegrain bread (no topping)
Morning snack: 3 crispbread crackers + tuna and onion
Lunch: Baked potato (nothing added) + 100g boiled prawns + teaspoon lite mayo
Afternoon snack: 3 crispbread crackers + tuna and onion (creature of habit)

Damn, need to drink more water.... 2pm and only had 2 bottles :(
 
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Just got back from the airport after picking up my wife. She was off for a week in Oz visiting friends. As it was her birthday on the 7th, we stopped in at my parents... My mother always cooks big meals.


Dinner: Starter- Boiled prawns and lettuce, Main- Nachos with beef mince and cheese (oh god!!!)
Evening Snack: Decided not to have one after the main meal. Still full....

I checked up the whole day on my 'Fitday.com' food recorder and (despite the whopping 2144 calories for the dinner) I was still within daily allowance. That didn't even include the exercise I did this morning ;)

Good to know that life can blindside me with an unexpected splurge and I can still recover.

Well, one day at a time. I'm off to bed, but will get up early to get some cardio in before getting stuck in to my day. :gnorsi:
 
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