On February 28th in a post entitled "The Initial Weigh In" I resolved to weigh in at 250 lbs by Kentucky Derby Day (this past Saturday). This would require a total weight loss of 28 lbs, which would mean an average weight loss of 3 lbs per week. On April 7th, weighing in at approximately 260 lbs, I got bored with my exercise routine and decided to stop logging endless miles on the elliptical and concentrate on weight training. That day I began a "mass building" routine, but remained steadfast in my goal to drop the remaining 10 lbs in less than 1 month.
Well... Did you make it?
The answer to that question is...
 |
| Yes, but barely, and it wasn't easy. |
It wasn't easy at all, my friends, and there were more than a few obstacles to overcome, the first of which was illness. For one whole week our entire family contracted some sort of virus. Nothing too serious, but the kind of bug that comes with a nasty cough, congestion, fever, and a general lack of energy. After doing a little research I decided that while ill it was best to avoid the gym, even though it would hinder my weight loss. I did, however, manage to keep my calorie intake fairly low which allowed me to avoid any weight gain.
The second challenge that I faced was one I knew was necessary due to the new work out routine... an increase in daily caloric needs. I had decided to increase my daily calories by 300-500 (to approximately 2000 per day) to aid in building muscle. The increase in calories was more of a challenge than I had anticipated for a few reasons. The obvious reason is that it could potentially stunt weight loss. To compensate, I have cut cheat days down to one per month.
The less obvious issue was finding a way to intake 2000 "clean" calories each day. If you have never tried it, you may not realize how much healthy food you would have to eat in order to reach 2000 calories. Here is a sample day to help you visualize:
Breakfast: 380 calories
2 slices turkey bacon
1 cup of coffee with skim milk
2 eggs
1 egg white
1/2 cup whole grain oats
Post Work Out: 210 calories
1 Zone protein bar
Lunch: 310 calories
1 can chicken breast
1/2 can black beans
4 tbsp salsa
Dinner: 452 calories
1 cup spaghetti squash
4 meatballs
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
2 cups baby spinach
1 serving lite balsamic vinaigrette dressing
Snacks: 600 calories
2 servings unsalted peanuts
2 tbsp hummus
1 Carbmaster yogurt
2 cups celery
1 serving deli turkey breast
2 slices natural cheese
Before Bed: 160 calories
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
Grand Total: 2123 calories (174 g protein)
Yes, that is a lot of food. I feel like I am constantly eating, and I know the people around me have to wonder how I am losing weight, but most of this food is about as healthy as you can get. It all contains lots of lean protein, fiber, healthy fats, and the good kind of carbs.
What's Next?
I also stated on February 28th that on May 4th I would choose a date to reach my final goal. Well... I lied. While I would still like to weigh 195 lbs eventually, I am still not comfortable putting a date to it. This is mostly because of the change in my work outs. With my focus on weight training I hope to start packing on some muscle, which will obviously alter the way the number on the scale changes.
I am currently in week number four of a 10 week mass gaining program. During the remaining 6 weeks I have resolved to only weigh myself once each week, simply to ensure that I am not gaining too much weight from the increased calories. Although it is already proving difficult to keep from weighing myself daily, I know that the best way to judge my progress at this time is with the mirror, not the scale.
I took selfies
As embarrassing and terrifying as it was... I had to do it. Before and After pictures are going to be the most accurate way to track my progress during my weight training program, but I can assure you... they aren't pretty. They are so horrifying, in fact, that I am no where near ready to post them on here.
Until the ten week program is over, I will continue to update everyone periodically with the number on the scale. If I survive the program, and there are any sort of results, I will post before and after pictures at that time (June 21st will mark the end of 10 weeks.)
Posting pictures for the whole internet to see shouldn't be too embarrassing ... right? Right guys? Wait... why are you laughing? This isn't funny guys. Ugh... I'm going for a run.
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