Lately, I have been really successful with avoiding night eating! Also, I have been doing well at getting to bed early at around 9PM. Well, last night my wife came home from her late night at about 9 and made her dinner of turkey sausage (high fat kind). I had already had my tuna for the evening, so I was fasting already... :(
However, after sleeping at about 9:30 PM, I suddenly woke up at about 11PM. In my sleepy daze, I remember walking out (I remember picking up my chair -- see previous posts) and asking her "what's that?" pointing to her food (image:cave man, OOO ME WANT!). She answered and I reached out zombie-like to take a piece of sausage. She said "HEY! What are you doing? You don't want that!" I put it down, turned around, again like a ZOMBIE, and went back to bed no problem.
Cracks me up... I need to mention this to my doctor next time I have a checkup! Freaky...
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Perfect Pushup!
Hi all,
I am very excited as I just order a "perfect pushup" pushup stands. Lately, I have been having some pain at the inside of my left wrist. Not really sure if it's from the pushups I do for Power 90 or the pushups I do teaching Kung Fu to little kids 3 days a week. Hmm. Personally I blame the P90 pushups, so I am glad to be switching to a more ergonomic method! Keep ya posted! WOOT!
I am very excited as I just order a "perfect pushup" pushup stands. Lately, I have been having some pain at the inside of my left wrist. Not really sure if it's from the pushups I do for Power 90 or the pushups I do teaching Kung Fu to little kids 3 days a week. Hmm. Personally I blame the P90 pushups, so I am glad to be switching to a more ergonomic method! Keep ya posted! WOOT!
TUNA TUNA TUNA!
Hi there,
Lately since starting regular strength training with Power 90, I have been upping my protein intake. Protein is said to be good for keeping you feeling full, and I agree. Peronally, I work hard to avoid carbs as they tend to be trigger foods for me. My main grain is oatmeal that I have in the morning. My second grain, gasp!, is white rice. Unfortunately, my dear wife doesn't care for the brown and as I don't really cook (another topic altogether!), I eat a cup of that maximum with some dinners.
Anyway, back to our lovely topic of the day, TUNA! Tuna is the cheapest way to eat protein and supposedly get some of those healthy fish oils that are supposedly so good for you. Here are some ways I make tuna palletable (keep in mind I am a slobbish manthing):
mustard (preferably spicy brown)
salsa (low sodium)
Fat free italian dressing
Using one or more of the above condiments, I combine the tuna with frozen vegetables like cut green beans, green peas (good carbs to keep a long workout going), or chopped brocolli (my favorite taste-wise). This way this concoction will keep well on my way to work, and when I eat it as one of my two lunches, I heat it up nice and hot.
In fact, mustard and salsa tends to make a nice faux curry! Enjoy!
Lately since starting regular strength training with Power 90, I have been upping my protein intake. Protein is said to be good for keeping you feeling full, and I agree. Peronally, I work hard to avoid carbs as they tend to be trigger foods for me. My main grain is oatmeal that I have in the morning. My second grain, gasp!, is white rice. Unfortunately, my dear wife doesn't care for the brown and as I don't really cook (another topic altogether!), I eat a cup of that maximum with some dinners.
Anyway, back to our lovely topic of the day, TUNA! Tuna is the cheapest way to eat protein and supposedly get some of those healthy fish oils that are supposedly so good for you. Here are some ways I make tuna palletable (keep in mind I am a slobbish manthing):
mustard (preferably spicy brown)
salsa (low sodium)
Fat free italian dressing
Using one or more of the above condiments, I combine the tuna with frozen vegetables like cut green beans, green peas (good carbs to keep a long workout going), or chopped brocolli (my favorite taste-wise). This way this concoction will keep well on my way to work, and when I eat it as one of my two lunches, I heat it up nice and hot.
In fact, mustard and salsa tends to make a nice faux curry! Enjoy!
Day 15!
Day 15! Starting to feel downright BEEFY! Well, at least with the blubber over it, BUT I can FEEL it! WOOT!
One thing that I find incredibly interesting about Power 90 is it doesn't hurt my joints as much as Kung Fu or even Taichi! Any sore seems to be purely muscular, which is AWESOME!!!
Today on my strength workout I upped my weights a bit and lessened the reps down to 8. Next time I will try to up the reps to 10 or 12. Maybe by day 30 or 40 I will switch to the next stage, stage 3, which is a new DVD...
I am thinking of adding in Power Half Hour soon, and after I do 60 days I may be ready for Power 90 masters series. Then after maybe 120 days (?) I will take 2 weeks off and then do P90X. This is a very rough plan, but hey. Best to take it slow for sure. Weight loss is a slow and gradual process and the most important thing is to just show up and do your workout as best as you can that day.
In fact... I might just want to keep it slow and methodical to get the maximum benefit. Maybe do stage 3-4 of P90 until I can do more and more weight, then later switch over to P90 master series after a 2 week break. Do Power 90 Master series with Power Half Hour [mind boggling variety!] for 90 days and then another break and THEN P90X!
One thing that I find incredibly interesting about Power 90 is it doesn't hurt my joints as much as Kung Fu or even Taichi! Any sore seems to be purely muscular, which is AWESOME!!!
Today on my strength workout I upped my weights a bit and lessened the reps down to 8. Next time I will try to up the reps to 10 or 12. Maybe by day 30 or 40 I will switch to the next stage, stage 3, which is a new DVD...
I am thinking of adding in Power Half Hour soon, and after I do 60 days I may be ready for Power 90 masters series. Then after maybe 120 days (?) I will take 2 weeks off and then do P90X. This is a very rough plan, but hey. Best to take it slow for sure. Weight loss is a slow and gradual process and the most important thing is to just show up and do your workout as best as you can that day.
In fact... I might just want to keep it slow and methodical to get the maximum benefit. Maybe do stage 3-4 of P90 until I can do more and more weight, then later switch over to P90 master series after a 2 week break. Do Power 90 Master series with Power Half Hour [mind boggling variety!] for 90 days and then another break and THEN P90X!
Monday, March 30, 2009
299! WOOT!
Well, I wasm't going to blog about my weigh-in but I can't resist. I weighed-in on Sunday morning at 297.4, but to be conservative and not compete with a false loss, I am calling it at 299 lbs. I checked my records and I haven't been at this weight in 4 months, so this is nice.
What this means: As I have exited the "decade" of 301-310 lbs, I lose a WW point and have to slightly decrease my caloric intake.
So it's a nice milestone no matter what!
What this means: As I have exited the "decade" of 301-310 lbs, I lose a WW point and have to slightly decrease my caloric intake.
So it's a nice milestone no matter what!
Food Memory
My office had a big office party last friday and there is food leftover sitting there in the kitchen on offer. Cake, chicken, blah blah... The yellow cake was calling to me just now as I love that sweet icing. I know deep down the stuff is TOTAL CRAP! So I summoned up a thought that has helped me recently:
"Remember the taste"
I have had yellow cake with sweet icing millions of times. And as a net-friend of mine has been quoted as saying "If you do what you have always done, you get what you always got." (Bootcamp Buddies' Mr. CW -- to the best of my knowledge). So I stood there enjoying what yellow cake used to taste like and remembered that after that first bite it always tastes worse and WORSE until it tastes like sugary crap in your mouth and you want to PUKE!
I think you get the drift. Your mind is a powerful weapon. Use it.
"Remember the taste"
I have had yellow cake with sweet icing millions of times. And as a net-friend of mine has been quoted as saying "If you do what you have always done, you get what you always got." (Bootcamp Buddies' Mr. CW -- to the best of my knowledge). So I stood there enjoying what yellow cake used to taste like and remembered that after that first bite it always tastes worse and WORSE until it tastes like sugary crap in your mouth and you want to PUKE!
I think you get the drift. Your mind is a powerful weapon. Use it.
Power 90 Day 14 Update
Hi there,
I completed my day 14 workout today. My wife helped me do some measurements last night and unfortunately, not much has changed numbers-wise. Never fear! I am not daunted by this. Day 14 is soooo early and I am prepared to simply bear witness to my enthusiasm without getting kookoo about it.
Meanwhile, the workouts are working out nicely (sorry for the pun)! I am still challenged by Sweat 1-2/Abs 100 and Sculpt 1-2, but I feel like I might be fit enough to attempt 3-4 after Day 30.
Yesterday I got my new heart monitor in the mail from Amazon.com. It was cheap at 35 dollars, but I am very pleased with the quality. It really helped me step it up a bit in yesterday's sculpt workout.
Lastly, I want to report that I tried the Fat Burner Express workout and it was really great. Lots of fun moves in there! Some of which seem like they might help me with my martial arts practice long term too!
I completed my day 14 workout today. My wife helped me do some measurements last night and unfortunately, not much has changed numbers-wise. Never fear! I am not daunted by this. Day 14 is soooo early and I am prepared to simply bear witness to my enthusiasm without getting kookoo about it.
Meanwhile, the workouts are working out nicely (sorry for the pun)! I am still challenged by Sweat 1-2/Abs 100 and Sculpt 1-2, but I feel like I might be fit enough to attempt 3-4 after Day 30.
Yesterday I got my new heart monitor in the mail from Amazon.com. It was cheap at 35 dollars, but I am very pleased with the quality. It really helped me step it up a bit in yesterday's sculpt workout.
Lastly, I want to report that I tried the Fat Burner Express workout and it was really great. Lots of fun moves in there! Some of which seem like they might help me with my martial arts practice long term too!
Memorial Day Challenge!
Hi there,
I signed up for a Memorial Day Challenge on Bootcamp Buddies today. That is to say, I will shoot to lose 16 lbs over the next two months. Without any mistakes or bumps in the road, this should be a cakewalk (forgive the food porn).
With my combination of the Power 90 DVD program (on Day 14), Weightwatchers (on my own), and Bootcamp Buddies support (I love you guys!), I am very sure I can make it.
Why 16 lbs? Because healthy weight loss is supposedly 1-2 lbs a week... I think attempting any more is to tempt fate (burnout!), plateaus (overtraining!) and other bad things. Also in Chinese, 16 is a lucky number!
I signed up for a Memorial Day Challenge on Bootcamp Buddies today. That is to say, I will shoot to lose 16 lbs over the next two months. Without any mistakes or bumps in the road, this should be a cakewalk (forgive the food porn).
With my combination of the Power 90 DVD program (on Day 14), Weightwatchers (on my own), and Bootcamp Buddies support (I love you guys!), I am very sure I can make it.
Why 16 lbs? Because healthy weight loss is supposedly 1-2 lbs a week... I think attempting any more is to tempt fate (burnout!), plateaus (overtraining!) and other bad things. Also in Chinese, 16 is a lucky number!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Nordic Walking ROCKS
Ever heard of Nordic Walking?
No? Well, it's a great way to exercise, especially if you are heavy. First get some adjustable or non-adjustable hiking poles, then buy some rubber tips (or "paws", Amazon has em), put em together, learn how to do it, then walk away the lbs!
Well, I am not the best preacher for this type of exercise. I used to live in a great neighborhood for walking, but since moving to a new apartment complex, I have gravitated towards indoor workouts like Beachbody DVDs (Power 90, which I recently started) or Yoga DVDs.
Once the weather gets nice and I get used to my new area, I'd like to do more Nordic walking!
No? Well, it's a great way to exercise, especially if you are heavy. First get some adjustable or non-adjustable hiking poles, then buy some rubber tips (or "paws", Amazon has em), put em together, learn how to do it, then walk away the lbs!
Well, I am not the best preacher for this type of exercise. I used to live in a great neighborhood for walking, but since moving to a new apartment complex, I have gravitated towards indoor workouts like Beachbody DVDs (Power 90, which I recently started) or Yoga DVDs.
Once the weather gets nice and I get used to my new area, I'd like to do more Nordic walking!
Sleep-eating (AKA Zombie Snacking)
Hello there,
A couple of weeks ago as I was trying to recommit to Weightwatchers I kept having episodes at nighttime, bedtime, in the middle of the night, or when I'd wake up where I'd go to the kitchen and eat peanut butter in binge quantities. I'd try to stop myself and something in my mind (me of course, I am not crazy) said "NO!" That scared me bigtime, so I started talking with my friends about it. When I likened my problem to sleep-walking, one of my co-workers said that when she sleepwalked as a child, her parents would block dangerous areas with a chair or other obstacles to keep her safe.
So I tried it and for 3 weeks now it has really helped my resolve to stay out of the kitchen and away from food at night time. Being "empty" at night is really a great feeling. Hunger seems to fade with time, so so far so good!
A couple of weeks ago as I was trying to recommit to Weightwatchers I kept having episodes at nighttime, bedtime, in the middle of the night, or when I'd wake up where I'd go to the kitchen and eat peanut butter in binge quantities. I'd try to stop myself and something in my mind (me of course, I am not crazy) said "NO!" That scared me bigtime, so I started talking with my friends about it. When I likened my problem to sleep-walking, one of my co-workers said that when she sleepwalked as a child, her parents would block dangerous areas with a chair or other obstacles to keep her safe.
So I tried it and for 3 weeks now it has really helped my resolve to stay out of the kitchen and away from food at night time. Being "empty" at night is really a great feeling. Hunger seems to fade with time, so so far so good!
Power 90 / Bootcamp Buddies / Weightwatchers
Greetings,
Welcome to my blog, Moving Mountains. My name is Michael. I am 33 years old, and I currently weigh 300 lbs. Facing depression and wanting to get back to my childhood passion of learning Kung Fu, I joined Weightwatchers a year ago in January 2009.
Unemployed at the time, I made losing weight my job. I walked and walked. I stuck to the WW plan.
I joined a weightwatchers-oriented BBS forum called Bootcamp Buddies, which has helped a lot. I highly recommend Bootcamp Buddies (AKA BCB), especially if you need to lose a lot of weight and need a long-term community of acceptance and support.
Most importantly, I lost more than 70 lbs, dropping from an all-time high of 332 lbs to 257 or so in 7-8 months!! It was very cool!
Then life happened. I needed to get a job. A lack of income was killing my relationships with my wife and my family (parents).
The good thing is that I found one, but in the process, I relapsed back into smoking cigarettes. Along with the office bagels and donuts, I regained at least 50 lbs. I became deeply depressed. I thought about dying so, so many times. When I finally woke up (after quitting cigarettes), I was more than 310 lbs again!
In February of 2009, I re-commited to Weightwatchers (but quit meetings!) and started searching for new exercise choices. My passion of learning and practicing Chinese traditional kung fu was slipping awy from me AGAIN!
I found P90X on TV, but in doing research I realized it would be too hard for me as pushups and pullups and cardio are ALL weak areas for me. So I purchased Power 90 In-home Boot Camp and now it's Day 9.
It's HARD for me, but it has already worked with my WW plan to help me slim down some.
Well, that's all for now. I hope to share more with you in the near future. Some topics I plan to discuss are: my current method for avoiding midnight snacking, my understanding of the nature of thoughts, feelings and self, Buddhism, and my Team Beachbody journey in general.
Lastly, I'd like to introduce a Chinese proverb to you: You can move mountains stone by stone.
(Loosely translated from YuGongYiShan, if you know Chinese).
Peace and compassion,
Michael
Welcome to my blog, Moving Mountains. My name is Michael. I am 33 years old, and I currently weigh 300 lbs. Facing depression and wanting to get back to my childhood passion of learning Kung Fu, I joined Weightwatchers a year ago in January 2009.
Unemployed at the time, I made losing weight my job. I walked and walked. I stuck to the WW plan.
I joined a weightwatchers-oriented BBS forum called Bootcamp Buddies, which has helped a lot. I highly recommend Bootcamp Buddies (AKA BCB), especially if you need to lose a lot of weight and need a long-term community of acceptance and support.
Most importantly, I lost more than 70 lbs, dropping from an all-time high of 332 lbs to 257 or so in 7-8 months!! It was very cool!
Then life happened. I needed to get a job. A lack of income was killing my relationships with my wife and my family (parents).
The good thing is that I found one, but in the process, I relapsed back into smoking cigarettes. Along with the office bagels and donuts, I regained at least 50 lbs. I became deeply depressed. I thought about dying so, so many times. When I finally woke up (after quitting cigarettes), I was more than 310 lbs again!
In February of 2009, I re-commited to Weightwatchers (but quit meetings!) and started searching for new exercise choices. My passion of learning and practicing Chinese traditional kung fu was slipping awy from me AGAIN!
I found P90X on TV, but in doing research I realized it would be too hard for me as pushups and pullups and cardio are ALL weak areas for me. So I purchased Power 90 In-home Boot Camp and now it's Day 9.
It's HARD for me, but it has already worked with my WW plan to help me slim down some.
Well, that's all for now. I hope to share more with you in the near future. Some topics I plan to discuss are: my current method for avoiding midnight snacking, my understanding of the nature of thoughts, feelings and self, Buddhism, and my Team Beachbody journey in general.
Lastly, I'd like to introduce a Chinese proverb to you: You can move mountains stone by stone.
(Loosely translated from YuGongYiShan, if you know Chinese).
Peace and compassion,
Michael
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