Older and Wiser

This past weekend I celebrated my 41st birthday. I made it a point to relax my diet and workouts a bit; we went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner Saturday, and I enjoyed the leftovers for breakfast on Sunday. I also ate KFC for lunch on Sunday - mostly chicken breast, for what it's worth.

I did cardio both mornings, but skipped my evening workouts. I also consumed quite a few beers over the course of that stretch (6 of them were light beers at least), so I definitely made the most of of the occasion. Given the high calorie intake during this period, though, I put a halt to all of that at around 2:30 pm Sunday afternoon, and fasted until after my run and workout Monday morning.

The weekend signaled the end of the 4-week training phase that I'd been on, so I allowed my body a complete reset in order to begin a challenging new weightlifting regimen. So, getting fully back on the wagon, I had a really good morning run through the countryside yesterday, followed by ab work... Lots of walking activities throughout the day... And I closed things out with a great run on the treadmill, more ab work, and a new back and shoulder workout . I'm pretty sore this morning, so it was effective to say the least. But I'm feeling recharged and ready to continue the excellent progress that I experienced in July all throughout the month of August.

My last time weighing was the 27th, the day before my birthday, and I weighed 217. I don't think I put on too much water weight and bloat during my indulgences - still in the last belt loop of my pants, and I look the same in the mirror. I also purchased a new scale this weekend - one that can purportedly measure your body fat percentage and a host of other BMI-centric metrics. I haven't used it yet, and don't plan to until likely sometime around mid-August.

I still have every intention of getting down to 200 lbs by this Halloween. I feel that's a completely realistic goal, barring anything unforeseen. I'm not sure when I was last that lean - it's easily been at least 12-15 years. I stopped keeping track in my late 20's, after a car wreck derailed a stretch where I had good muscle mass and very low body fat; sure, I'd been stronger and more buff than that previously, but I don't know that I'd ever been that ripped before.

My plan of attack remains the same: 1) Meal plan, 2) listen to my body, and 3) crush each and every workout and activity like I've something to prove.  That approach has gotten me this far - I see absolutely no reason to switch it up now.

41 years young in 3 days!?!?!

Physically I'm feeling really good right now. As I continue to intuitively cycle my daily calories and macros, there are definitely some days where my energy level is higher than others, but it never drops low enough to prevent me from attacking my workouts and staying very active throughout the day... And it's really helped my metabolism stay primed to burn fat, which continues to be my primary focus.

I haven't been ramping up the weights on most of my lifts like I did earlier in the month, as this four week phase is near it's end and my routine's about be shaken up again. I'm focusing alot on the quality of each rep instead of how much poundage I'm tossing around, which will hopefully benefit me when I ask my body to do something completely different starting next week.

The temptation to get on the scale every morning is huge, but it just isn't a productive habit at this point in my journey as far as I'm concerned.

I do plan on doing a weight check the morning of my birthday (this Saturday), right upon waking. I anticipate that I'll allow myself one indulgent meal (within reason!) at some point that day too - I feel that I've earned as much, and don't plan on being too hard on myself over it 😁

The Blueprint Part 1

Lots of questions lately about the methods that I've employed to achieve the fat loss success that I've had over the past 5 months. Putting it all here to clarify my own thinking on it as much anything else.

In the coming days/weeks, I plan on assigning priorities to each, depending on the stage that a person is at in their journey (i.e. out of shape and just getting started on a major weight loss program vs. pretty fit and just trying to lose a few lbs.)

• Consistency
• Low carbs, but nothing crazy like some
• Little/no refined carbs (white bread, white sugar, white rice, etc.)
• A lot less meat
• Little/no processed foods
• Smallish portions
• Intermittent fasting (I usually eat all my meals in an 8 hour period each day, with my caloric cutoff usually at around 3 pm)
• Fasted cardio first thing each day on an empty stomach.
• Weight training each night.
• Drink only water
• Little/no caffeine

This is just my own personal set of rules - they may not necessarily be for everyone. But I can unequivocally say that I swear by the effect that following them have had on me.

More to come soon.

100 lbs in 147 days

This morning, the very moment that I rose to consciousness, I knew that today would be the day.

I stepped on the scales at 230 lbs; the low side of 230 actually, as a couple of the dozen times I weighed myself it read 229.

I'm still processing how I feel right now.

This has been a mile marker that I've been anxious about. At least part of my mind was willing to believe the lie that it would never happen, regardless of the discipline and effort that I'd put forth. Another part had the unrealistic expectation that it would arrive even sooner than it did, or that it would be accompanied by an even more profound physique transformation than what has actually occurred.

I've got the Deftones self-titled album playing in the background - this is my soul music - and I'm just trying to have clarity about everything; not just my journey, but literally everything in my life... Lots of very strong emotions flowing through me that I don't quite know what to do with.

I DO know that I'm going to go on a nice, long run soon, before it gets too hot out. When that's done I'll work abs, then hit a few yoga flows before I decide exactly how I'll break my fast and refuel.

I've wanted this for so long, but the road ahead on this weight loss journey is potentially much longer than what's behind; I feel like I need to take stock and sight see, but I know that I better not pause and revel in it too long lest I break my stride.

God bless it... I just don't even know, dude. I really don't.

Back, but never really gone.

I admit it - Instagram has become my go-to for posting about my progress.

I never meant it to be that way, but it's been great for communicating with like-minded folks who've either been through or are currently going through the same things that I am.

Weight is down to 233 (weighed Sunday because I just felt like it) - just 3 lbs away from 100 lbs lost since Feb 11th!

Workouts and eating have been going really good. I've had some vacation time to unwind and relax, but I've maintained steady weight loss during the duration of my efforts.

I bought a pull-up bar. I haven't really pushed it, but I was able to do one clean pull-up last night. Will be shooting for 8 dirty ones - when I work out my back and shoulders tonight.

Speaking of workouts - Phase 6 begins tonight. Would have stated last night but I spent over an hour putting together the pull-up bar.

I'm going to start posting here more frequently, and get back to developing this blog more. It's something I started when I began this, and I don't want to neglect it.