Back in the saddle again

Current Weight: 339 lbs

BMI: 46.0

Well I honestly get irritated with coming here time and time again to tell you all my excuses for not exercising. Let me be clear I'm not irritated with you all, the irritation is at me. But not for long.

So at the urging of a friend of mine, he recommended a site called MyFitnessPal (to save typing I will abbreviate it MFP). This is a calorie counting website and could quite possibly be the best one I've ever seen in my life! It also includes an app for on the road calorie counting. Needless to say I'm not getting rid of my android now! LOL ... I began using MFP on 11/22/11. At that time I weighed in at 347 lbs. Since then until today (12/11/11) I have, by counting calories, lost 8 lbs!

A REALIZATION:

How do you define that "AHA" moment. Well its when you put the numbers in front of your face. It was rather quite humbling when I have been telling my friends that my daily intake, that I mentioned on another post, was under 2500 a day. Well when you input it all into a website that has ever name brand known on it then its hard to argue the facts!

I discovered that my intake was well over 3500 calories a day! Which means if I hadn't made that discovery I could potentially have been gaining almost a pound a day (keep in mind a pound is 3500 calories). You can't argue with those numbers!

The Struggle:

Okay so I'm logging calories right ... well you would think that this would make me say that okay alright I know what I'm doing wrong and I'll now keep my calories under what the site tells me.

ASIDE: I didn't mention it up top. The site asks you your goals, current height/weight. Then calculates what you would have to take in everyday.

Anyway, well for the most part I've stayed close to, if not under, the daily limit. I've still had those few days where I went over. A few days by a couple hundred, the worst by 1,000.

The plan:

Well I don't know what it is about the human mind that makes us think we HAVE TO start on a Sunday or Monday...or better yet "tomorrow". But I decided I was going to integrate the exercise back into the daily routine so that I can get the calories in check. Well I am doing the Billy Blanks Tae Bo PT 24/7 which has a rotation calender that, you guessed it, starts on a Sunday.

WELL TODAY IS SUNDAY. I did my workout this morning and feel great! HOWEVER, there is an added bonus. #1 MyFitnessPal has TaeBo listed, HOWEVER, the site is a bit off on the calorie burn. So as a result #2 I bought a heart rate monitor (HRM) that includes a calories burned. So when I did my workout I discovered that I:

Burned 360 Calories in 38min38sec of the workout.

Maintained my "in the zone" heart rate for 23min49sec.

Max heart rate 183

Anyways I've gone on quite a bit. But wanted to share with you the strides I've taken. The new tools in my life. And assure you MY FRIENDS I'm back in the saddle with the weight loss.

Until next time

I'm a podcaster! lol

Listen to internet radio with brandonmccloskey on Blog Talk Radio

Making today my "Sunday"

Well beginning of the week anyway. I finally pulled my proverbial bootstraps up and decided to hell what people thought of my "Life Scheduling". I gotta do right by me. So after I got off work this morning I hit the gym and knocked out my 8 laps in the pool.

I came home with the intent of doing my Billy Blanks Tae-Bo PT 24/7 "Basics" video which is the first video for the rotation that comes with the 7 DVD set. Anyway I was barefoot and the straps that go around the feet dug in a little. I made it about 10 minutes in until my feet couldn't take the pain.

So as I was destrapping my feet it occurred to me that there's a right and a wrong time to workout and I think I found the "wrong time" for doing a cardio/resistance workout. This particular workout regimen is about getting the blood pumping and basically getting the day started. I'm finding that doing the workout before I go to bed was a bad idea. I HAVE ENERGY NOW!!

So I have decided that if I decide to keep doing it now then I'll rearrange my schedule and just stay up and do homework after my workout utilizing the "natural high" to get the work done and sleep after a "mental workout". This would allow me to cut back the amount of my coffee intake which currently sits at about 32oz-40oz a day. Which if you do the math is almost a pot of coffee!!

So we'll see where life takes me. I do plan on doing the last 20 minutes of the workout when I wake up from some sleep, LOL if I go to sleep.

Anyway until next time!

No excuse, none

Well I take that back I could make excuses but what's the point right? Excuses are like rear ends everyone has one. Its about self accountability and the ability to accept the mistakes and downfalls and turn around and make them a positive.

Anyways here's what's been going on since the last post here on my "A Journey To Myself" blog. The working out really subsided due to my own fault and allowing outside influences to affect my workouts. As I had mentioned in another post I had read the book "Unlimited" by Jillian Michaels. In that book she mentioned what I have come to call "Life Scheduling". Basically you preschedule your week in advance and try to stick to a regimen. Obviously as part of this you have to be flexible for when life happens.

Well some of my outside influences had me believing that this prescheduling and regimented life style was a not so good thing. Several people had pointed out that I became frustrated or flustered if I didn't adhere to the schedule. As a result I had many hiatuses this past month from the gym and working out. I'm at a point in my life where this regimented lifestyle is the only way I will reach my weightloss and life goals. So effective tomorrow regardless of what people say or think I go back to my regimen.

I did finally get my new Billy Blanks PT 24/7 DVDs, gloves, & bands. I did a few workouts on them and unfortunately due to technical issues with the TV had to stop. Another pitfall. As life would have it both my TVs died on me simultaneously. Subsequently I am now renting to own a very nice TV and plan on reintegrating those into my workout. I just have to type up the rotation that came with the DVDs to match the days of the week.

Anyway I can literally count on 1 hand how many times I've worked out since the last post. Sad, pitiful, and really discourages me. There are too many outside influences trying to drag me down and keep me negative. Its a struggle everyday. I've had perhaps a few breakdowns this past week or so where I literally wanted to come home and just cry for a while.

I'm not happy with me. Not happy at all. As a result I know that will affect how much or how little I put into my workouts. But I've gotta get back up and going again. My goal is by 01/01/13 (1 year, 1 month, 15 days from this post) is to have lost 100 lbs (average of 8-10 lbs per month). I think its a very realistic goal.

Until next time my friends! ... OH Just in case I'm learning about how podcasts/audioblogs/vlogs work so this might be transforming into another medium if so I'll let you know.

Pitiful ... but an AHA moment!

Before I go into my update and workouts I gotta get this off my chest. So I am not sure what the heck is wrong with me. I'm beginning to think maybe I need therapy I don't know. But anyway the last time I posted was on October 7, 2011. Well that's because I took like 4 days off after that. I fall too easily in the gap of taking hiatuses from the gym.

After the 7th I took until the 14th off so I guess that's a week. Unreal. But I went and worked out on the 14th and 15th then took 3 more days off and returned this morning (10/19 Wednesday). Unreal My workouts are too sporadic. But in the process I am reworking and re-evaluating my workouts. My plan was to jump into a 6-7 day a week workout then I burn out and take time off. I think 6-7 days a week at the gym is a little much to begin with. So my plan at the moment is:

M-W-F: Gym 4:30am-6:30am (Cardio, Weights, Pool)

T-Th-Sat: Tae Bo @ Home

I've ordered some new DVDs for Tae Bo which is called "Billy Blanks PT 24/7 Tae Bo" (https://www.billyblankspt247.com/) they are 30min each. So whenever I ever get them I'm gonna use them because I'll get a better burn with them because they incorporate resistance bands and high impact workout.

Okay excuses aside here's what I did and I'm rather impressed with myself. Today's workout:

Cardio: 30 min on the treadmill doing a Walk / Run. I would walk for 2minutes at 2.5mph then jog/run at 4.0mph. As someone who usually keeps from running or jogging this is awesome!!

Weights: still sticking at 1 set of 10 at 50lbs per machine. Until I can keep my routine going without taking a hiatuses I'm gonna keep the 1 set of 10 but maybe increase the weight.

Pool: 5 laps: Power breath strokes 1 way and jogging back.

Between the cardio and the pool my legs are burning but I feel good.

So tomorrow is Tae Bo. Instead of using the original Tae Bo video I'm gonna break out one of the Bootcamp series and do that because the impact is a little stronger. Wish I still had the bands that came with it originally but hey at least I'm doing it.

My diet could use some work and its something I struggle with. I've been skipping breakfast lately and I HAVE to stop that because its what makes the metabolism kick in.

Much love to all til next time. Please please leave feedback!!

Hmm not sure about 7 days a week...

Okay so I kept with my schedule and went to the gym this morning at 4am and did my laps in the pool (5). Some old codger convinced me to walk 3 more so 8 in all.

Then did 15min on the treadmill at 2.5mph, and 15min on the bike at 80-90rpm.

Then of course the weight regimen I mentioned in the previous email.

I am home now and thinking that 2 days in a row may have been diving head first into an empty pool so to speak. At the time of this post I still have my Tae Bo to do and my mind is willing but the body is a little mad at me right now. I'm gonna try the 8 minute workout on the original Tae Bo DVD but we'll see how it goes. If I end up doing it I'll add it as a comment below. For right now though I'm just wanting to go to bed. Which has the words "burn out" swirling in my mind.

I'm trying to avoid burn out because that leads to me taking time off from the gym. The weight I'm at now I accumulated when working as a security manager in 2006 and its time for it to go. Not to mention what I carried over since my youth.

I ask for prayers and support! I think I should have set up 3 days a week for a few weeks before jumping into a 7 day a week workout. Thoughts??

Well I did what I said I wouldn't ...

Well in my last post I said that I wouldn't let anything get in my way well I don't wanna call myself a liar because lets face it life happens. So instead I'll call it "room for improvement". I let the events I mentioned in my last post about my car being vandalized become my crutch and excuse not to work out. I went on that day 9/29 and then two days later on 10/1. Then with all the issues of trying to find the window and parts for my car I sunk into a frustration and took going to the gym and my bike ride right off the grid (my google calendar that is lol)

So as of yesterday, Wednesday, October 5, 2011, I am happy to say my car troubles are gone for now I got the window and got a few other minor issues dealt with. So now I'm able to stick to my "life schedule" which as The Biggest Loser has taught me working folks can squeeze in 1-2 hours a day to workout. And so I mentioned my timeframe is from 4:30am-6:30am.

Lets talk about today my 1st day back after letting life get in the way. Without getting into a lot of detail because of those who know my work schedule, where I work, and who I work for I'll simply mention the times and if those people have questions please email me!

Got to the gym at 4am and jumped in the pool and did 5 steady laps. The power laps will come in time.

Then onto the treadmill where I went at 3.0mph for 30min. I got 1.75 miles and burned about 300 calories.

Onto the weights. Which goes as follows (remember 1 set of 10 for week 1, add 1 set of 10 each week after, max out at 5). LOL I don't know the specific workout I'll have to bring pen and paper sometime and write down the name of the workout on each machine but here is the areas worked.

3 Ab machines
4 Tricep machines
2 Bicep machines
3 Shoulder Machines
4 Chest Machines

Weight on machines set at 50 lbs.

Then I came home and managed to get through 15min out of a 30min Tae Bo video.

Areas for improvement.

1. Quit letting life get in the way. If I can't get into the gym then I need to do a Tae Bo video and go for a walk around the block and a bike ride. That's a good substitute.

2. Quit pushing myself too much so I don't burn out.

3. My diet oh my God my diet I need help and feedback here y'all seriously. Here is what it looks like:

Breakfast:
1 egg
1 slice lean bacon
1 pancake w/sugar free syrup
1 piece of toast
1 piece of pepperjack cheese (I turn the egg, bacon, toast into like a breakfast sandwich).

1 glass of cran-grape juice

Lunch (at work, and at home but when I'm home I usually consume a lot less...also I pack for a 12 hour shift and usually don't eat more than a 1/3 of what's listed here, usually lol unless I skip dinner)

1 sandwich (lean ham, pepperjack cheese, wheat bread, mustard)
3 lowfat string cheese
3 quaker granola bar (mix between raisin, chocolate, or peanuts)
1 lowfat yogurt
1 sugar free pudding cup
1 piece of fruit
1 serving of low sodium crackers
1 bag of chips

3 cans diet soda
3 - 20oz bottles of water

Dinner (all pre-prepared ahead of time, 10 days at a time)

1 cup of pasta (noodles, sauce, cut up chicken breast)
1 serving of veggies (1/3 cup)

As you see I need HELP!!

Current weight: 343, Goal weight 265

Until next time.

I'm baaaaaaack!

Okay well after watching the episode of The Biggest Loser from Tuesday, September 27, 2011 one thing was made apparently clear, YOU HAVE TIME. In this episode the contestants were given 2 hours a day to work out that's it! The symbolism for both the contestants and those watching the show is that this 2 hour window represents the time people have to workout. So I replanned my weekly life and executed a new schedule today.

I now work from 8pm-4am Tue-Sat so now when I get off work I come home change clothes then hit the gym (24 hour fitness). Because the pool fills up fast with people after 5am this is my workout routine:

4:30am - 5 power laps in the pool (adding 1 lap a week)

5am - 1 set of 10 on weight machines for core and upper body (adding 1 set each week til max out at 5 sets)

5:30am - 15 minutes on the treadmill (currently at 2.5mph hope to up that soon) ... then 15 minutes on the stairmaster

6am - come home and do 30 minutes of TaeBo ... then shower, shave and go to sleep lol.

So today's successes and room for improvement:

The 5 power laps ended up being 5 laps as I could get them done. I was very winded after the first lap showing me how long I've been away from the gym.

The 1 set of 10 on the core and upper body always goes off great week 1 with only 1 set of 10 and only like 15 machines.

The 15 minutes on the treadmill, went good I was sweating good but I think that was the workout already done to that point. Looking forward to increasing the speed.

The 15 minutes on the stairmaster ... I lasted 5 minutes before my left knee tried to blow out on me. I was very disappointed but I'll keep pushing it so if 5min is all it will give me cool I'll build it up!

Tae Bo @ Home ... I pushed myself so hard at the gym I was able to muster the "8 Minute Workout" on the original DVDs

So now for my "excuse" to my continual hiatuses from the gym. I have a bad habit of burning out or if I feel sore or injured I'll stop all together. So I need to vary up my workout to keep it interesting. Fortunately I have ALOT of Tae Bo videos so that part won't be so bad its the gym part I'm worried about.

But also recently my car was vandalized and caused me to lose time again because the person who broke the window stole my gym bag and I had to replace everything. Which I've only 1/4 done. I have gym shorts and swim trunks that's it. My MP3 player, mask/snorkel, gym lock, etc was taken. But I'll get it back.

Because ... i'm back!

Current stats: 346 lbs ... Goal 265 lbs!