Screw It

At this point, I've given up on my six pound loss goal this week. Now? I just want to figure this out, and get back to my low of 285.4.

So far this week, I've put ON .4 pounds. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but when you're trying to have an epic weight-loss week, and you get that instead? It kinda stings.

Yesterday's food intake was almost 100% in line with what I set out to do. I was a little short in calories, but everything else was right on. The result this morning, was an addition of .6 pounds of weight. I can sit here and analyze all day long what the issue is, but it'll just frustrate me.

The bottom line is that, I just have to make good choices, stay away from bad carbs, drink tons of water, and get active. If that doesn't work, I don't know what will.

Is my goal of 250 my 5-27 dead? I'm starting to think so.

Not a Great Start

I've been trying to figure out my diet for YEARS. I've zig-zagged (2500 today, 1300 tomorrow, 2200 the next day, 1600 after that), I've aimed for exactly 2,000 every day, I've gone way low and aimed for 1,500, and I've done 24-hour fasts each week.

No one thing has ever worked regularly. I've had the most success with eating around 1,700 each day, but the problem with that? I get way too hungry at night, and I'm prone to snacking that screws up my whole day.

Recently, though, I found that eating right at my suggested caloric intake of 2,200 seems to give me some pretty decent results. So, on day one of my quest to drop 6.2 in 6, I ate almost exactly 2,200 calories. My result? A .2-pound drop. So now I need to drop 6 in 5. Not gonna be easy to pull off.

So, as I look back at my best days, I can kind of put together a little formula. It's not exact, as there are always variables, but this still kind of tells me what works for me. It looks like this:

Calories: Roughly 1,800 per day
Carbs: 150g vs. 311g suggested - from fruits/veggies
Sodium: 3,500mg or less
Fat: 75g
Protein: 100-150g

I eat the bulk of the carbs early, and finish the day with lean meats and veggies, and a light snack, like an apple. Will it be enough to get me to where I need to be this week? Guess we'll see.

Target: 280

I'll be a happy guy if I can hit that number by Sunday morning. It's not going to be easy. I weighed 286.2 this morning, meaning I've gotta drop 6.2 pounds in six days.

Today, the eating has been great, but I felt overwhelmed (first day back in school), and though it was great weather, I didn't have a way to get out of the house to go do anything.

Anyway, I feel pretty "blah" about it. I'm not fired up. I'm not focused. I'm just monitoring my eating, walking my 3-4 miles around my store each day I work, and hoping to feel more motivated to get up and do something. Not sure what the deal is, but I'm just not feeling it.

The Mid-280's

Well, I've been under 290 since mid-January...which is good. I was as low as 285.6 last week. Which is also good. But then I step back and look at the big picture, and I see that I haven't lost any weight - really - in six weeks.

I've been hovering in that 5-pound window the entire time.

Now, I take full responsibility for that. I have not been as strict on my diet, and I've only worked out a couple times since then.

So, this week - starting tomorrow - I'm going to push myself to get some results. Whatever I weigh tomorrow morning, I'll be aiming to lose exactly five pounds from that number by next Sunday, March 11th. I was 287.4 today, and I assume I'll be roughly 285 tomorrow (lots of carbs yesterday, when I weighed 285). So, I'm guessing I'll need to be around 280 next week to say I did it.

That means at least 2 kettlebell workouts, 2 days of sprints, my normal 20 miles walking at work, and keeping much better track of my diet in MyFitnessPal.

I can do it. No problem. And seeing a 280, maybe better, on that scale? It'll motivate the crap outta me.

My Kettlebell Circuit

My goal is to do this 2x a day, three days a week. I'll do all moves as a circuit - no rest between them. I'll take 2-3 minutes of rest between sets, and then repeat two times. Buffness will follow, I'm sure.

Fighting

Been a while since I've checked in. Truth is, I've been struggling to maintain this forward movement towards my goal of 250. I've spent most of my time eating great for five days, not so great for a day, then screwing up on day seven, only to have to start over again.

At this point, it seems clear to me that I'll need to do something drastic if I'm going to get anywhere close to 250 by the end of May.

What that means, I'm not sure. Gym membership? Boxing lessons? Buying kettlebells, and making myself use them daily? I really don't know.

What I DO know is that I'm almost back under 290 again, which is a big landmark for me in this battle. Every 10 pounds is a win. I was 290.2 this morning, and I'm going to do everything in my power to get under tomorrow.

I did find that, using a pedometer on my phone, that I walk an average of 3.5 miles a day while stalking bad guys at work. So, while I'm not out running marathons, or building up my bench, I'm burning a good 500-700 calories a day just doing my job.

So, onward I go. Still fighting. 

My Own Fault

I ate poorly over the last couple of days. Some Chinese food, a big burger, some cookies, too many fries (even though they were made at home in the healthiest way possible), and no activity. 

As a punishment, I sit here this morning back up to freaking 293.8 - the same number I fought so hard to get away from two weeks ago. The good news is that, since it's more a carb thing than a calorie thing, most of this will come right back off pretty instantly. I just need to re-dedicate myself to this cause.

Tomorrow is a Super Bowl party filled with sweets, snacks, and otherwise unhealthy foods. It's going to be a challenge. But I need to do this.

Just disappointed with myself this morning.