Quick Random Thoughts
Well, annoyingly enough, I felt sick today during work. Nothing too horrible, just the usual headache and stuffy nose. It wasn't too bad..but I imagine that if I didn't rest up at least for the day it would have been probably gotten worse. Not to mention that I start school next week and I really don't want to be sick for that. So with all that in mind, I took a day off my work out routine. I may return to it again tomorrow, depending how I wake up.
It's funny though, since even when I take a day off exercise for a good reason, I still feel guilty about it. I feel like I'm slacking off, and that I should be working out. Guess that's a bit of my obsessive personality that I usually try to keep in check. Not to mention that my biggest fear is returning to my old weight, and that any day off will just lead to that.
I did kinda lie though. I did manage to do part of my exercise routine: The Push Up Challenge.
Like I mentioned in earlier posting, I'm redoing week 1 since I wasn't very happy with how I originally did. At first I was dissapointed with myself but now I see it was the right choice. This two days that I redid, not only did I do more push ups in the max section each time, but my form has improved. So overall, thumbs up for me. I'm continuing to track my progress in the spreadsheet, so I'll update that as soon as I finish writing this.
Read more!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Monday's Meal
Your New Weekly Column
(One of the most important aspects of losing weight is a healthy meal. I never been the best at that aspect, with me still preffering to eat out, even if I opt for healthier options. In an attempt to change this, each Monday I'll be preparing a healthy meal, and recording my progress. )
(One of the most important aspects of losing weight is a healthy meal. I never been the best at that aspect, with me still preffering to eat out, even if I opt for healthier options. In an attempt to change this, each Monday I'll be preparing a healthy meal, and recording my progress. )
Today's Meal:
Grilled Chicken Breasts (2)
Brown Rice (1 cup)
Assorted Veggies
Good old rice and chicken. Probably one of the easiest meals to make, and one of the few things I actually do know how to make. Brown rice is actually what I try to cook most often, since it's healthier..even though it does take longer. It usually takes about 45 minutes to cook, but at least that gives me time to mess around with the chicken.
I'll admit it, for the longest time I been eating frozen chickens that are pre-bought. Yeah, it's easier, but it's more expensive. That's why I decided today to actually grill some chicken breasts that I bought using the George Foreman Grill. I add some random spices I have in the cupboard to give it some taste.
To complete the meal, I then put about a bit of veggies and letucce that I had bought the other day. And in all a pretty good meal, and it took me about 45 minutes. It was surprisingly easy to make, and I hope that next week I'll try to make something a bit harder.
Read more!
Grilled Chicken Breasts (2)
Brown Rice (1 cup)
Assorted Veggies
Good old rice and chicken. Probably one of the easiest meals to make, and one of the few things I actually do know how to make. Brown rice is actually what I try to cook most often, since it's healthier..even though it does take longer. It usually takes about 45 minutes to cook, but at least that gives me time to mess around with the chicken.
I'll admit it, for the longest time I been eating frozen chickens that are pre-bought. Yeah, it's easier, but it's more expensive. That's why I decided today to actually grill some chicken breasts that I bought using the George Foreman Grill. I add some random spices I have in the cupboard to give it some taste.
To complete the meal, I then put about a bit of veggies and letucce that I had bought the other day. And in all a pretty good meal, and it took me about 45 minutes. It was surprisingly easy to make, and I hope that next week I'll try to make something a bit harder.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Results for first week
Alternate Title: Upside and Downsides
First, I want to say thanks to Scott Keith, for giving me a plug on his own blog. He's an entertaining read if you want to read opinions on tv/wrestling/pop culture, so check him out.
Well, I have done the first week of the 100 Push Up Challenge, and the results have been mixed. These where my results for the week:
Naturally, failing at anything is not a good feeling, and it actually reminds me how I used to feel when I was younger, and overweight. That's probably why I took me failing today harder than I really should have. None the less it's easy to remind myself that I still did more push ups this week that I probably would have done in a year a while back. And it really did feel good adding them to my workout, so it's not like it's a wasted effort.
So I'm probably going to be re-doing this week again in the upcoming week. I'm not sure how easily I'll be able to pull of week 2, so I rather re do week 1 and build up some more strength.
Speaking of which, I also made use of google documents to make a Spreadsheet to track my progress. Anyone is free to add themselves to it, so hopefully it'll be filling out in time. Read more!
First, I want to say thanks to Scott Keith, for giving me a plug on his own blog. He's an entertaining read if you want to read opinions on tv/wrestling/pop culture, so check him out.
Well, I have done the first week of the 100 Push Up Challenge, and the results have been mixed. These where my results for the week:
- Day 1: 10/10/8/6/12
- Day 2: 12/12/10/10/10
- Day 3: 15/13/10/10/13
Naturally, failing at anything is not a good feeling, and it actually reminds me how I used to feel when I was younger, and overweight. That's probably why I took me failing today harder than I really should have. None the less it's easy to remind myself that I still did more push ups this week that I probably would have done in a year a while back. And it really did feel good adding them to my workout, so it's not like it's a wasted effort.
So I'm probably going to be re-doing this week again in the upcoming week. I'm not sure how easily I'll be able to pull of week 2, so I rather re do week 1 and build up some more strength.
Speaking of which, I also made use of google documents to make a Spreadsheet to track my progress. Anyone is free to add themselves to it, so hopefully it'll be filling out in time. Read more!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Midweek Report
Alternate Title: Catching Up
Well it has been a pleasant enough week. Nothing too shattering to report, but I been trying to make the layout of the blog better, and the 100 push up challenge has certainly made my exercise routine interesting.
Blog Work
That's about it to report. Nothing else too big. Read more!
Well it has been a pleasant enough week. Nothing too shattering to report, but I been trying to make the layout of the blog better, and the 100 push up challenge has certainly made my exercise routine interesting.
Blog Work
- Added a new link colum. Hopefully better links will be added in the future.
- Edited previous posts, doing the whole "click here to read entire post thing"
- Also added a spreadsheet link to the 100 Push Up Challenge post
- Started working on getting some of my old posts moved here
- Day 1 was 10/10/8/6/10
- Day 2 was 12/12/10/10/10
- Made a Spreadsheet to track progress.
That's about it to report. Nothing else too big. Read more!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The 100 Push Up Challenge
Alternate Title: How many push ups can you do?
The 100 Push Up Challenge
Read more!
The 100 Push Up Challenge
First, credit to both the Penny-Arcade Forums and 360 Arcadians for cluing me into this particular program.
So push ups. We all have done them at one time or another, probably back when we actually had to take gym in school. I remember actually hating them, and being really, really, really bad at them. Even when I started my workout program, and weight loss attempts, they where something I hated doing, and was the worse at it.
Which brings me to today. While trying to come up with something new to add to my excercise routine, I remembered this particular challenge. And I figured, you know what..it's time. I'm going to attempt it, and going to see just how far I can get into it.
So first, read up on the Initial Test. Done? Okay, good. This is what the entire challenge centers on, so when doing the push ups, make sure to do them right, and go all out. In my first attempt to measure my rank, I pulled off 16 push ups. This is a pretty good accomplishment considering that
Now its time to move into the actual plan. This is a 6 week, 3 day a week program with each week progressively becoming harder, and harder. The goal is of course to move from your initial number of push ups, to well...100 push ups. Duh. So let's see what Week 1 has in store for me.
WEEK 1
My upcoming week...
Week 1 looks like this for me:
Day 1
Day 3
And if anyone comes across this and decides to do it, leave a comment, and let me know how you're doing.
So push ups. We all have done them at one time or another, probably back when we actually had to take gym in school. I remember actually hating them, and being really, really, really bad at them. Even when I started my workout program, and weight loss attempts, they where something I hated doing, and was the worse at it.
Which brings me to today. While trying to come up with something new to add to my excercise routine, I remembered this particular challenge. And I figured, you know what..it's time. I'm going to attempt it, and going to see just how far I can get into it.
So first, read up on the Initial Test. Done? Okay, good. This is what the entire challenge centers on, so when doing the push ups, make sure to do them right, and go all out. In my first attempt to measure my rank, I pulled off 16 push ups. This is a pretty good accomplishment considering that
- These where real push ups. Not the "girly" knee push ups I used to do. (No offense to any women who may read this..as I'm sure some can probably do more..)
- Some time ago I doubted I could have even been able to do 1.
Now its time to move into the actual plan. This is a 6 week, 3 day a week program with each week progressively becoming harder, and harder. The goal is of course to move from your initial number of push ups, to well...100 push ups. Duh. So let's see what Week 1 has in store for me.
WEEK 1
My upcoming week...
Week 1 looks like this for me:
Day 1
- 10
- 10
- 8
- 6
- Max Amount (least 7)
- 12
- 12
- 10
- 10
- Max (at least 10)
Day 3
- 15
- 13
- 10
- 10
- Max (at least 15)
And if anyone comes across this and decides to do it, leave a comment, and let me know how you're doing.
Read more!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
The Fat Princess Controversy
Alternate Title: Norbit got away with it, didn't it?
(This is the first, of many, posts where I will discuss issues relating to weight and don't directly deal with my own weight loss. Let's see how it goes.)
A couple of months ago controversy sprung up about Sony's newest PS3 game, Fat Princess. In this game, there are two opposing teams, each guarding a princess. In order to win, each team must rescue the other team's princess, and the only way to prevent this is to feed her so she gets bigger and bigger, which means it's harder for the other team to carry her back to their castle. Hence the name.
Shakesville was the where the controversy started, with Melissa McEwan writing:
Anyway, congrats on your awesome new game, Sony. I'm positively thrilled to see such unyielding dedication to creating a new generation of fat-hating, heteronormative assholes. It's not often I have the opportunity to congratulate a cutting-edge tech company on such splendiferous retrofuck jackholery. Way to go! The Fat Princess of Shakes Manor salutes you.
Read more!
(This is the first, of many, posts where I will discuss issues relating to weight and don't directly deal with my own weight loss. Let's see how it goes.)
A couple of months ago controversy sprung up about Sony's newest PS3 game, Fat Princess. In this game, there are two opposing teams, each guarding a princess. In order to win, each team must rescue the other team's princess, and the only way to prevent this is to feed her so she gets bigger and bigger, which means it's harder for the other team to carry her back to their castle. Hence the name.
Shakesville was the where the controversy started, with Melissa McEwan writing:
Anyway, congrats on your awesome new game, Sony. I'm positively thrilled to see such unyielding dedication to creating a new generation of fat-hating, heteronormative assholes. It's not often I have the opportunity to congratulate a cutting-edge tech company on such splendiferous retrofuck jackholery. Way to go! The Fat Princess of Shakes Manor salutes you.
This of course got the internet gaming community talking, as it was reported in Kotaku, Joystiq and other gaming sites. Response was mixed, with some taking McEwan's side, other's claiming she was overreacting and yet many others simply insulting the writer's physique, instead of dealing with the actual issue. McEwan also misses a point, which is that the game actually is doing the opposite of what she accuses of it. The teams are trying to rescue their princess without care for her current weight. They are looking past her physical appearance.
McEwan, in her condemation of Fat Princess does strike close to a much larger issue. Should society grant the political correct treatment it has granted other groups? After all, when Norbit came out, many reviewers where quick to point out how it villified and mocked the overweight. Furthermore, looking at entertainment options, many of the overweight portrayals tend to fall in a couple of categories. The fat funny guy, or the lazy, overweight loser. Is this right? Will there be a time in the future when we will look at these portrayals much in the same way as we look back at old Bug Bunny WWII cartoons?
There are those that are quick to point out (some less tactfully than we would wish) that being overweight, unlike being a race or gender, is a choice. Something can be done about it. Furthermore, this is an unhealthy choice as some would argue. Already there was controversy when Chloe Marshall, a 16 size beauty queen reached the finals in the Miss England contest. Was she encouraging a lifestyle that was not healthy by setting herself as a standard of beauty? Should such behavior be encouraged?
All these are tough questions. Ideally, we would live in a society that both respects its individuals while at the same time promoting a healthy lifestyle. And perhaps both sides do not have to contradict one another.
McEwan, in her condemation of Fat Princess does strike close to a much larger issue. Should society grant the political correct treatment it has granted other groups? After all, when Norbit came out, many reviewers where quick to point out how it villified and mocked the overweight. Furthermore, looking at entertainment options, many of the overweight portrayals tend to fall in a couple of categories. The fat funny guy, or the lazy, overweight loser. Is this right? Will there be a time in the future when we will look at these portrayals much in the same way as we look back at old Bug Bunny WWII cartoons?
There are those that are quick to point out (some less tactfully than we would wish) that being overweight, unlike being a race or gender, is a choice. Something can be done about it. Furthermore, this is an unhealthy choice as some would argue. Already there was controversy when Chloe Marshall, a 16 size beauty queen reached the finals in the Miss England contest. Was she encouraging a lifestyle that was not healthy by setting herself as a standard of beauty? Should such behavior be encouraged?
All these are tough questions. Ideally, we would live in a society that both respects its individuals while at the same time promoting a healthy lifestyle. And perhaps both sides do not have to contradict one another.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Motivation
Alternate Title: What drives you?
Original Posting Date: 05/25/08
I actually been meaning to write this blog for some time now. Ironically enough I never really made the effort to do so, even though I wanted to. Since I'm not doing much right now, I figure I'll give it the old college try.
So, losing weight is no easy task. Whenever it's 5 pounds, 20 pounds, 50 pounds, 100 pounds, etc, it is always hard stuff. Hell, I should know, with all the times I tried to lose weight before. I think it was partly because I never tried very hard those times, but also because I lacked that motivation that would keep me going. Now that has definately changed..and the other day I got to thinking about what motivates me, keeps me going. And I came up with this list:
1)Friends
I really couldn't have done this without my friends. And not just those that encouraged me, kept me in track, and rewarded my efforts..but also my more assholish friends who didn't believe I could do it (Can I blame them?), or made bets how many days it would take me to give up. Proving them wrong became A HUGE driving force. Though really, at the end of the day, it was those that congratulated me, commented how good I looked, and just gave me good feedback that I think had more effect. And that continues even now.
2)The Scale
Seeing that scale, and those numbers growing smaller and smaller was something that really pushed me on. After all, those first pounds, when they dropped, it wasn't very noticeable. But it was on the scale. And that's what kept me going, and helped me out.
3)The Future and the Present
Thinking about the future is certainly something that keeps me going. Knowing that eventually I'll reach that point when I'm actually at a healthy weight, and when I know I'm happy with myself. That said, the present keeps me plenty of motivated as it is. Each day when I work out, and feeling that high from working out. Knowing I made a good choice in picking my food for the day. Or just looking at the mirror, and realizing that I look pretty decent.
4)South Park
Yes. South Park. Particularly one episode, and one exchange at the end.
Stan: Dad, you like to drink, so have a drink once in a while. Have two! If you devote your whole life to completely avoiding something you like, then that thing still controls your life and... and you've never learned any discipline at all.
Randy: But, maybe I'm just the kind of person who needs to have it all or nothing.
Stan: No. All or nothing is easy. But learning to drink a little bit, responsibly? That's a-disiprin. Disirpin come from within.
Maybe it was because I was just starting off and needed encouragement, but this really spoke to me. I just took it to mean that I could mess up, I could have those days when maybe I ate a burger, or didn't work out. The important thing was discipline, and not to let those old habits control me.
Those were just a few things off the top of my head. I'm sure there's even more I could think about at if I had enough time. The point is (I think..I been known to ramble) is that we all need that motivation. Motivation which can be found in all sorts of places. Hell, hopefully if anyone comes across this, they'll be slightly motivated. I know I was writing this. :P Read more!
Original Posting Date: 05/25/08
I actually been meaning to write this blog for some time now. Ironically enough I never really made the effort to do so, even though I wanted to. Since I'm not doing much right now, I figure I'll give it the old college try.
So, losing weight is no easy task. Whenever it's 5 pounds, 20 pounds, 50 pounds, 100 pounds, etc, it is always hard stuff. Hell, I should know, with all the times I tried to lose weight before. I think it was partly because I never tried very hard those times, but also because I lacked that motivation that would keep me going. Now that has definately changed..and the other day I got to thinking about what motivates me, keeps me going. And I came up with this list:
1)Friends
I really couldn't have done this without my friends. And not just those that encouraged me, kept me in track, and rewarded my efforts..but also my more assholish friends who didn't believe I could do it (Can I blame them?), or made bets how many days it would take me to give up. Proving them wrong became A HUGE driving force. Though really, at the end of the day, it was those that congratulated me, commented how good I looked, and just gave me good feedback that I think had more effect. And that continues even now.
2)The Scale
Seeing that scale, and those numbers growing smaller and smaller was something that really pushed me on. After all, those first pounds, when they dropped, it wasn't very noticeable. But it was on the scale. And that's what kept me going, and helped me out.
3)The Future and the Present
Thinking about the future is certainly something that keeps me going. Knowing that eventually I'll reach that point when I'm actually at a healthy weight, and when I know I'm happy with myself. That said, the present keeps me plenty of motivated as it is. Each day when I work out, and feeling that high from working out. Knowing I made a good choice in picking my food for the day. Or just looking at the mirror, and realizing that I look pretty decent.
4)South Park
Yes. South Park. Particularly one episode, and one exchange at the end.
Stan: Dad, you like to drink, so have a drink once in a while. Have two! If you devote your whole life to completely avoiding something you like, then that thing still controls your life and... and you've never learned any discipline at all.
Randy: But, maybe I'm just the kind of person who needs to have it all or nothing.
Stan: No. All or nothing is easy. But learning to drink a little bit, responsibly? That's a-disiprin. Disirpin come from within.
Maybe it was because I was just starting off and needed encouragement, but this really spoke to me. I just took it to mean that I could mess up, I could have those days when maybe I ate a burger, or didn't work out. The important thing was discipline, and not to let those old habits control me.
Those were just a few things off the top of my head. I'm sure there's even more I could think about at if I had enough time. The point is (I think..I been known to ramble) is that we all need that motivation. Motivation which can be found in all sorts of places. Hell, hopefully if anyone comes across this, they'll be slightly motivated. I know I was writing this. :P Read more!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
A work in progress (in more ways than one)
Alternate Title: First posts...kinda.
Well, this is the first post, one of which I hope are many to come. I actually kept a blog before but I was getting tired of where I kept it, and wanted a change. Hence why the restart though think I'll get to importing some of my older posts in the future since I did have a couple of good ones.
So here's a quick recap. All my life I had been on the heavy side, which is a nice way of saying I was fat. Like many people that are overweight I would try to lose weight every so often, but even if it worked, it was just short term. Over time I grew to accept, and to think that no matter what I would never lose the weight. I used to think that about my only chances was some drastic operation or what not.
Then, about a year ago I decided to give losing weight another try. For one reason or another, something actually kicked in. I started counting calories, working out..doing things that I had done before but never had stuck to. This time though, they did, and a year and a half later, I have lost 73 pounds.
I still have a long way to go though, but I'm getting there. This journal will help keep track of that journey. Hopefully I'll improve in the topics, and change up the different layout, but this works for now. So if you stumbled upon it, stick around, comment, whatever. I don't expect all comments to tell me what great job I done..criticize my posts, posts your own storie, etc. Lets hope this goes good. Read more!
Well, this is the first post, one of which I hope are many to come. I actually kept a blog before but I was getting tired of where I kept it, and wanted a change. Hence why the restart though think I'll get to importing some of my older posts in the future since I did have a couple of good ones.
So here's a quick recap. All my life I had been on the heavy side, which is a nice way of saying I was fat. Like many people that are overweight I would try to lose weight every so often, but even if it worked, it was just short term. Over time I grew to accept, and to think that no matter what I would never lose the weight. I used to think that about my only chances was some drastic operation or what not.
Then, about a year ago I decided to give losing weight another try. For one reason or another, something actually kicked in. I started counting calories, working out..doing things that I had done before but never had stuck to. This time though, they did, and a year and a half later, I have lost 73 pounds.
I still have a long way to go though, but I'm getting there. This journal will help keep track of that journey. Hopefully I'll improve in the topics, and change up the different layout, but this works for now. So if you stumbled upon it, stick around, comment, whatever. I don't expect all comments to tell me what great job I done..criticize my posts, posts your own storie, etc. Lets hope this goes good. Read more!
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