A second attempt at weight loss

[Subby]

Radii -

The decision to foregoe french fries is a smart one. The fat isn't really even the problem with them, since they are all cooked in vegetable oil. Rather, all of the starch in the fries breaks down quickly in your body - converting to glucose and spiking your insulin levels (which is just bad for your health in general). The salt content is probably ridiculous too, although that is not something to which I normally pay attention. I also remember reading something last year about damaging toxins that get released by potatoes when they are fried...

[Radii]

Monday - 3015 steps
Tuesday - 2083

Yeah, 2083 is bullshit. I took a lot more than 1000 steps at dance class. I think b/c the steps are so light and many are backwards that it doesn't register a lot of them. But that's what I'm going with anyway. Got a very good workout, was sweating like a pig by the end(and imagining how much more I'll be sweating in a tux... I naturally sweat a ton).

Went to a cheeseburger joint for dinner and I got a cheeseburger w/ coleslaw and water instead of the standard fries, hooray!

[Eaglesfan27]

Congrats on resisting the temptation of fries today

[Radii]

Thanks for the comment EaglesFan27

Monday - 3015 steps
Tuesday - 2083
Wednesday - 3206 steps

I went for a walk on my own after work. Ate pretty well minus the piece of birthday cake in the break room this afternoon. All of the goals (except the brand new fry one) have become very easy for me by this point, but then again, they're all goals I've done easily in the past, so I knew they would be good starting points.

We're going up to Chicago for next weekend(Aug 1st) and I don't plan on adding any new goals until after we return from that trip at minimum.

[Radii]

Monday - 3015 steps
Tuesday - 2083
Wednesday - 3206 steps
Thursday - 915 steps

veeerry lazy day. Today will not be as bad but will not be great either. I'm doing a marketing survey thing right after work(for $25, woo), and after that meeting OlieGirl at her parents' to go out to dinner, probably won't get home until 8:30 or later.

[Radii]

I went to lunch by myself today, went to Fuddruckers and got my usual burger and fries. It wasn't until I was totally finished with the fries and about 3/4 of the way through my burger that I thought to myself "oh shit, I'm not supposed to have fries anymore!" ... the thought didn't even cross my mind once before then, wasn't a dilemma or anything, the fries are just so routine at fuddruckers for me.

Whoops!

[Buzzbee]

Radii - I'm guessing you are in the Perimeter Mall area, since a buddy of mine does market research over by St. Joe's/Northside and since you mentioned Fuddruckers (aren't too many of those around the ATL). If so, perhaps we can meet for lunch someday. I work across the street from the mall.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Buzzbee

Radii - I'm guessing you are in the Perimeter Mall area, since a buddy of mine does market research over by St. Joe's/Northside and since you mentioned Fuddruckers (aren't too many of those around the ATL). If so, perhaps we can meet for lunch someday. I work across the street from the mall.

Gwinnet place mall area actually, sorry! there's a fuddruckers in one of the little shopping centers around the circle drive surrounding the mall But I used to live over near perimeter and have eaten at that fuddruckers many, many, many times as well

[Karim]

I'm impressed with your attitude and responsibility towards your stated weight loss goals. Keep it up!

Over the years I've spiralled from 150 - 200 - 165 - 220 which is where I am at now. I am in a similar position to Eaglesfan where health is starting to actually become a concern.

If anything, this thread has shown me that small steps can be meaningful; I'm the type that gets discouraged easily if I'm not seeing results.

Anyway, keep up the good work Radii.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Karim

If anything, this thread has shown me that small steps can be meaningful; I'm the type that gets discouraged easily if I'm not seeing results.

Thanks for the comments Karim I have tried many, many times to dive head first into an all out diet and lose everything right away. It has just never worked for me, so I am hoping the slow and steady approach can last long term for me.

[Radii]

Monday - 3015 steps
Tuesday - 2083
Wednesday - 3206 steps
Thursday - 915 steps
Friday - 2586 steps
Saturday - 2974 steps

Friday was just a long day, left the apartment at 8:45, got home around 9:30pm.

Saturday I had the kiddo with me all day, we had a picnic(consisting of PBJ and pretzels) at the park and then I walked around for awhile while he played. It was ungodly hot and kiddo got bored quickly so I only got 1000 steps or so in during that excursion.

The avg will definitely be lower today, but that's ok I think. Held to the goals yesterday no problem, PBJ/pretzels for lunch, and we went over to one of my best friend's houses for dinner, he has ferrets that I recently introduced kiddo to, and he's been *DYING* to get back over and play with them again, so we all went over and played with the ferrets for awhile, and the grilled bugers and brats, was a lot of fun.

[Radii]

Monday - 3015 steps
Tuesday - 2083
Wednesday - 3206 steps
Thursday - 915 steps
Friday - 2586 steps
Saturday - 2974 steps
Sunday - 1200 steps

Lazy day Sunday, and really a kinda lazy end to the week. With the chicago trip coming I doubt I'm going to be getting much exercise at the start of this week either.

This was a pretty shitty morning, and I ended up running by chik-fil-a for a couple of chicken biscuits. I did avoid the soda, so at least that's something.

[Radii]

Weight:
July 19th - 314/315
July 26th - 311 (woohoo)

Stepometer:
June 28th - avg ~1200-1500/steps per day (I was not recording this religiously).
July 5th - avg 2484 steps per day
July 12th - avg 2782 steps per day
July 19th - avg 3218 steps per day
July 26th - avg 2282 steps per day

I would imagine there will be lots of Chicago outings that involve walking, but I am not sure, the amount of exercise I get this week will kinda be dependant on that. If we aren't out much then I will just have to resolve to have an excellent week the week after we get back in town.

[Subby]

Radii - I know you are taking things slow, but I would recommend getting the South Beach Diet book and giving it a read. Even if you don't follow it or use the recipes, it at least gives you a good basis of dietary knowledge going forward. I see stuff like "PB&J and Pretzels and chicken biscuits" and I am worried you are torpedoing yourself before you really get started.

Anyway...keep up the walking!

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Subby

Radii - I know you are taking things slow, but I would recommend getting the South Beach Diet book and giving it a read. Even if you don't follow it or use the recipes, it at least gives you a good basis of dietary knowledge going forward. I see stuff like "PB&J and Pretzels and chicken biscuits" and I am worried you are torpedoing yourself before you really get started.

The chicken biscuit is a mistake made from a terribly shitty morning (no details here, and no excuses, I still shouldn't have fucked up on my goals b/c of external factors). Breaks the 'no breakfast out' rule

The others are improvements over what I would have normally done, both in terms of calories and carbs I am sure. Still, I will give the south beach book a quick once over next time I'm in barns & noble for a long lunch.

[Eaglesfan27]

Radii - I commend you for keeping up the slow and steady method. Yes, you aren't making all perfect choices, but very few people do. You are becoming more cognizant of what you eat and how you exercise, and if you can continue to do this, I'm confident that you will continue to lose weight. Keep up the good fight and continue to slowly add more goals

[Subby]

Definitely echoing what Eaglesfan27 said here...South Beach is just nice because the cardiologist who designed it gives a nice overview of nutrition and the different effects of food on blood chemistry - stuff we already know mostly - but tied together and presented real nicely...

Anyway, I am down from 218.5 to 169.0 because of it and regular exercise - and I have zero discipline...I am at the point now where I am just sticking to the principles and I am in pretty decent shape...

How great would it be if they made a treadmill that had a laptop stand and you could just play internet poker while you walked? You'd lose 50 pounds in 3 months. Let's get on that invention, alrighty?

[Ironhead]

Just wanted to drop a post saying keep it up man! About four years ago I decided that I too was going to make a change in my health for the better. I went from 240 to 170 and have kept it off without much fuss to this day. Through my personal experience, and also watching the experiences of others, exercise and building muscle mass is definately the way to go if you want to lose weight and keep it off.

Best of luck to you!

[Radii]

No walks Monday or Tuesday, and there won't be tonight either. Going to be very early to get up at the crack of dawn Thursday to make the drive to Chicago. I've eaten well since the slip up Monday morning.

Monday: ~1200 steps (approximate b/c I couldn't find my pedometer in the morning, guess based on what stuff I did do and how it normally adds up)
Tuesday: 1301 steps


There will likely(hopefully) be a lot of walking around this weekend in Chicago, so I expect to make up for the early week laziness. Next week after we get back from chicago, we're doubling up on the dance classes to make up for what we've missed, which will keep that exercise picked up as well.

[Radii]

Never go to Chicago with an Italian family who wants to show you all of the great things to eat and expect not to gain weight. We'll see how bad it is tomorrow, but holy shit I had some of the best food of my life in the last 5 days

Monday: ~1200 steps (approximate b/c I couldn't find my pedometer in the morning, guess based on what stuff I did do and how it normally adds up)
Tuesday: 1301 steps
Wed-Today(Monday) - I wasn't writing anything down so I didn't reset the pedometer, I just let it run: 20,961 steps.

8-day week total: 23,462 steps, for a 2932 steps/day average.


I have tomorrow off work to relax and rest up after the very busy vacation, and will be back to "normal" Wednesday.

School starts for kiddo next week though and that will change everyone's schedules, and we'll see how I do re-adjusting to getting up at 6:45am next week, it's a constant challenge, eh? I'll weigh myself in the morning.

[ice4277]

Radii,

Any updates on this?