unhealthy living habits (i'm a week behind already)

this is why i had to quit tae kwon do...and the reason i haven't been to the gym in 4+ months: last week was my 4th consecutive 80-hour week. and for last week, i hit that mark by thursday afternoon. over the summer, it was 2-4 night-time board meetings a week that kept me from the gym.

yea, exactly. that's what could be termed as unhealthy living habits. i ate too much, i relaxed with a beer or two when getting home at 9, and i certainly participated in zero physical activity.

of course, it could be argued that - last week - my
body and mind stayed at elevated levels for all of those days (hopefully speeding up metabolism) and i missed several lunches. so that's good for the end result, right?

but not healthy. mom actually told me to go to a doctor to get a full health check-up, with emphasis on my heart. so i called in sick to work friday, but still fielded media calls all day long. technically working, but it was good to be out of the eye of the storm.

recognizing my need for balance, i went jogging friday evening and could tell it had been a while.

by sunday, after much soul-searching and phone calls to my PR mentors, friends, and family (but not belhelmel; he was too busy wearing a big red nose at the ronald mcdonald house), i decided seeking balance was going to be my only way to stay sane. i did it from january through may of last year, and it was great.

today, i forced my way out of office right at 5 and made it to my gym class right at 5.30. tomorrow will suck terribly, but i intend to make both classes. the first begins at 5.15 which is pushing it for me to make, but i should be able to make the 5.45.

if not, i go jogging.

so no update on weight, inches, or bmi this week because any change would from my non-healthy lifestyle of last week.

(for those curious as the events, just check my local media stations. you could probably even google my name at this point and get some hits. i was even quoted in the atlanta journal-constitution.)

fat slacker

sorry! i meant to sit down and give this some thought and write it out well when i had time but i'm a huge slacker so i didn't and now i'm doing it on my lunch break.
stats:
weight - 175 lbs
bmi - i didn't see where to calculate this, but last time the wii told me about 29 (borderline obese, which makes me sad)

here's the basic plan, to be improved upon later: eat and drink less and exercise more!
i will:
-do water aerobics for 30 minutes 5 times a week
-do 8 minute abs 5 times a week (mom, dad and i try to do them together)
-work out on the wii fit 10-20 minutes everyday
-get a better handle on my food portion size
-have no more late night snacks!
-drink no more than 21 alcoholic beverages per week! (i know that sounds like a lot but you know where i live now....)
-eat more fruits and vegetables
-eat breakfast everyday

these are pretty general goals, i'll refine them later and let you know how i'm doing with them. i did water aerobics last night! picture of the scale and my fatty fat fat mii to come....

The Story of a Fatty

I am a fatty. I have been struggling with my weight for as long as I can remember. My first diet started when I was in kindergarten (!!!) by recommendation of my pediatrician, and it seems that I have always been on a "diet" of sorts ever since. Clearly none of them have worked.

I was the fat kid, and believe me, it sucks to be the fatty fat kid. In elementary school and middle school I was teased relentlessly by classmates, family (never my sister), and even some kids I considered my friends. Not fun. The teasing continued throughout high school, but it mostly came from family at this point, at least to my face. All of the teasing took its toll on my self-esteem, and by no means aided me in losing weight. It actually made my situation worse, as the only thing that made me feel better was eating. Go figure.

During and after my sophomore year of college, I managed to lose a lot of weight in healthy and unhealthy ways. The healthy way was that I started to exercise, which I also found to be beneficial in managing stress and keeping my mood up (runner's high is the best). The unhealthy way was that I was basically starving myself. I was not learning how to eat the right foods to stabilize my metabolism. Starving myself worked, but of course it didn't last forever. My weight has stayed lower than it was when I was in high school, but still tends to fluctuate.

So, here is my current plan to lose weight, and hopefully keep it off...

1. South Beach Diet. I tried this diet awhile back, and it is awesome. Check it out: http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/

I started the diet this morning.

2. Half-Marathon Training. I ran a half-marathon in January of this year, and am quite proud of myself for finishing. I want to do another one this coming Spring, either the ING Miami Half-Marathon, the Ft. Lauderdale A1A Half-Marathon, or the 13.1 Marathon Miami Beach, depending on my school/gig/audition schedule. Here is the training schedule I used for the first race: http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm

3. Get more sleep. Muy importante.

My goal for this project is not to reach a specific weight, BMI, inches, etc. Numbers depress me, but I do plan on weighing myself once a week. I will disclose my weight when I feel more comfortable, until then it shall remain a mystery. I have this cute dress which I wore to a wedding a few years ago. I want that dress to fit me again; for now I can zip it up, but I look like a sausage. Fitting in that pink dress will be my first goal for this project, and I will probably post a picture of me wearing it.

Hopefully this plan will work. All it is basically going to take on my part is self-discipline, especially when it comes to balancing my work/school/dissertation schedule with the half-marathon training. The diet is going to be rough for the first 2 weeks because I can't have any sugar (no chocolate!!!), but I will survive.

I do not want to be a fatty anymore.

ahh, ok
my weight - 154 pounds
height - 5.9
BMI - 22.7
waist - 30 in
hips - 38 inches

Goals for one month:
waist - 28 inches
hips 36 inches

really? really? that's my weight?

so i assumed i would be looking at BMI points for this little endeavor because a 5% weight loss goal that kept resetting probably wouldn't be healthy for me. not that i could be considered 'thin' or 'skinny,' but i also wouldn't be considered fat, overweight, or chubby (except for the beer belly).

i've never had too much extra weight. in college, i put on weight due to all the food my student loans were paying for. then i started the crew team, which had me rowing 5-6 days week, in addition to guided work out sessions at the gym.

after college came the bartender lifestyle, which burns through calories quicker than is probably safe.

when i moved to macon, i put on 30-40 pounds in 6-8 months. i was eating 2-3 meals a day, sitting in an office all day, and not burning off the empty beer calories. a gym membership was worthless b/c it was a 24-hour muscle place, and i never went.

starting tae kwon do did great things for my physical well-being and helped focus my attention at work. it was then i realized regular physical activity had more benefits than i realized.

tae kwon do had to stop due to my work schedule. i couldn't make the early classes, and i was exhausted for the later classes. with the urging of Stoli, we joined the medical center of central georgia's health center & gym.

we kept up with regular gym sessions for several months before being invited to the weight & sports training classes. they're given by a guy who works with me at the board office, and he's built. that lends his class credibility. for a year, we kept up with those classes.

we haven't been back in 6-7 months, and in the past two weeks, i've noticed several pairs of my pants don't fit. this disturbed me...i assumed several pounds and an inch to the waist would've been added, but to have pants not fit? really?

when belhelmel posed this idea, i did my BMI based on my assumed weight, and it was okay. then i weighed myself tonight. i'm 20-25 pounds heavier than what i thought, which is unacceptable. our scale is not accurate, so we'll have digital scales monday for confirmation.

however, i'll say that i weighed in at 180-185 pounds, based on the margin of error for our scales. at 5'10", that puts my BMI at 26.5, which is 1.5 points on the overweight side. (if that changes significantly with the digital scales, i'll post an update.)

it's not the weight that's bothersome, it's where it's placed. it's primarily in the stomach and surrounding areas. so my goal will be a loss of BMI points, a waist line reduction, and reduction in my stomach.

Current Measurements
BMI - 26.5
weight - 180-185 pounds
waist (at my hip bones) - 38 inches
stomach (at the belly button - 41 inches

My Goals
i want my BMI to be down within the normal range of 18.5-24.9 points. i do not have a specific goal yet for my weight, since my only concern is the placement of the weight.

for the size measurements, i want to fit into my pants, which i was able to wear 7 months ago. they have a waist of 32 or 33 inches. (they still fit if i suck in my stomach and don't tuck in my shirt...so by fitting into my pants doesn't mean losing 6 inches off of my waist.)

i won't shoot for that elusive six-pack stomach...i like my wings and beer too much for that to happen. however, i would like to lost a considerable portion of the hangover.

My Plan
this is easy; it is my understanding and belief that most "diets" do not work. by setting a goal of weight loss and starving yourself of certain food groups is ridiculous. what the human body needs is a regular source of nutrition, as well as regular physical activity. you need a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

so, to promote a healthier lifestyle, i will:

1) eat more, smaller meals during the day
2) limit dinner to a lighter dinner
3) go back to the gym classes 3-4 times during the working week
4) utilize the gym and go for a jog each weekend i'm in macon
5) remove beer from my nightly ritual due to empty calories and limit liquor consumption
6) take the dog on a walk every night

so i'll check in next week and see if anything is reduced after a week of living healthier. some of the above i do sporadically (there hasn't been much beer in the house the past 3 weeks), but i haven't followed through with all of them consistently at the same time.

tonight? tonight i'm eating beef stew, having a few drinks, and considering some ice cream. it's sunday, and it's supposed to be funday.

but tomorrow, i face that unacceptable 185 pounds and BMI score that says i'm overweight.

Barry's "Plan"

This week, I quit my gym.

It seems counterintuitive and counterproductive, but stick with me, I got a plan.

I don't have time anymore for silliness or excessive travel; with two jobs and school, I cannot even guess when I would be able to make the 25-minute bus ride just to get to my current gym, let alone hoping that I don't miss the bus back, leaving me stranded in Hyde Park for 45 minutes-1 hour waiting on the next one to come through. It is just not conducive. I have requested, and received, permission from Ronald McDonald to use the gym there even when I am not working. Ronald is three blocks from my main employer and an easy uphill walk.

Thus, I eliminate the first of many items on what I will deem my "excuse list;" that is, the reasons I use to excuse myself from exercise:

1. My gym is too far -- DONE
2. I'm too tired -- I honestly do not know how I plan to overcome this, except the belief that I will become more energetic as this project continues.
3. I don't have the time -- Yes, yes, I do. I get off work at 600am on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings; class does not begin until 8:30am. Guess what, Barry? After arriving at school (630am), you have almost two hours to use the school gym. You are just being lazy.
4. I worked out (yesterday/last week). -- I have to just suck it up, I suppose.
5. But I'm always on my feet -- between work and school, why do I have to work out! -- Barry, you're kidding yourself. You are currently gaining weight. You're just pouting.

Most of my reasons against working out boil down to simply psych'ing myself off my ass. For example, it is 7:30am here in Cincinnati, I am awake but am just sitting at home doing nothing. It's all about drive, for me, I think. I believe I have the ability -- I've done it before -- it's just a matter of getting into it.

And that is why I wanted to start this little project, the Charleston Losers, as a way of keeping myself accountable.

But I am adding two new items to my roster of tools:

1. A food diary -- Beginning tomorrow, I will write down everything that I eat (I almost wrote "everything I put in my mouth," but I didn't want to leave myself open to the jokes).
2. An exercise journal -- So's I can hold myself accountable to the amount of work I am doing.

I find that writing shit down helps more than anything else.

My current plan is to work out Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings. Possibly Friday afternoon, if I don't take over shifts that particular evening. If not, I'll add Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. Three to four days a week is a strong start, IMHO.

In consideration for my health: my heart condition is one that the actual medical advice is to sit on your couch and do very little lest I pass out and die. I contacted my doctor as the best way to handle myself. His answer? "First, surgery." (Um, no. Open heart surgery at 26? No thanks.) The next best option is to work out longer, not harder. Rather than strive for running, I am to extend gradually the time I spend on a treadmill or on another aerobic machine and keep my heart rate in the 120-140 range. Because HCM can be classified as a "tachydysrhythmia" (my heart beat goes out of sync when it speeds up), I will be able to run, eventually. I and my doctor would prefer I keep my heart rate as steady as possible and increase the intensity only after a long time.

I will not, then, set myself up to believe that I may one day run the Cooper River Bridge. Claire knows that, in my current health, even walking up the bridge is a problem. My goal is simply to make it over in less than, say, 3 hours.

I don't have a plan like Adam's. I want to get into it, first. I want to start feeling the work before delineating what I want to do. I will probably be on some sort of aerobic machine; I will probably pick up some sort of weights. In the past, I did a 15-7-30+ routine (15 minutes of aerobics, 7 resistance exercises, 30+ minutes of aerobics). It worked out well when I had 50+ machines and a plethora of free weights at my disposal. My standard work out, now, maybe 10-3-30+ or something similar. I want to get my hands on free weights... see what I can do without feeling silly.

So, I quit my gym this week. And I will start spending more time at Ronald in that gym. If I can get through those two goals, I will count this as a win for me.

Adams Goals and workout plan

Goals

Short Term Goals

• Start getting enough sleep AT NIGHT. Limit naps to 45 min. When you get tired, feel sick or down it's time to rest.
• Make time Don’t Waste time.
• Practice Karate away from the dojo (Forms, Kempos, and Combinations)
  Go to a conditioning class at least once a week
• Go to the Gym three times a week
• Go to the dojo at least two times a week
• I was to be able to do 100 pushups on my fists by October.
• I want to lose 10 lbs by October as well.
  

Long Term Goals

• Lose fat, not weight
  -Eat healthy foods and establish a regular cardio routine
• Build muscle mass (especially arms) and then shape and tone
  -Follow a gym routine with dedication putting emphasis on resistance training and conditioning.
• Get in shape to reduce fatigue and promote general health that will carry on into later years
  Stretch every evening and after every workout to increase flexibility

Make Time
*Buy and USE a day planner
*Get organized with the four D's
-Dump, Delegate, Do or Delay
*Check what you do. The things you spend your time on are your priorities (including TV, video games, and naps.)
+Use Stairs rather than the elevator.
+Save time by timing showers to workout sessions
+Be a social activist (when hanging with friends play sports)

Nutrition
*SIX TO EIGHT 8 OUNCE GLASSES OF WATER PER DAY
*SIX SMALL MEALS A DAY TO KEEP METABOLISM MOVING FASTER
-60% Carbohydrate
* IF AN ACTIVE BODY DOESNT GET ENOUGH CARBOHYDRATE, IT STARTS TAPPING PROTEIN FOR ENERGY, BY BREAKING DOWN MUSCLE

CARBS
+whole-grain breads and cereals
+ pasta
+bagels
+ apples, bananas, oranges and pears
+potatoes, corn, peas, and beans, broccoli
-10-15% Protein
*MUSCLE BUILDER
+meat (lean beef/Chicken/Turkey)
+milk (1 gram per ounce)
+fish (7 grams per ounce) (tuna)
+ yogurt (8 grams per ounce)
+eggs (6 grams per egg)
+peas (4 grams per half-cup)
-20-25% Fat
* Fat comes in two general ways: from animal products and from oils. So drink skim milk; opt for baked and broiled over fried; cut back on meat portions; trim skin and visible fat off chicken turkey and beef' substitute fruit spreads for butter; eat low fat cheeses.

Weight Lifting
*for size lift moderately heavy weights a moderate number of times (ARMS)
*for toning lift light weights a high number of times
*Rest for a day between resistance training so that muscles have a chance to regenerate.
*And effective workout will exercise large muscle groups first.
*It especially important to be smooth and slow when you're lowering the weight.
*DONT LOCK UP THE JOINT. This takes the weight of the muscle and puts it one the bone and that gives the muscles a rest.
*MAKE CHANGES, by the time you get bored with your routine your muscles are way ahead of you.

Aerobic Exercise
*Used to reduce body fat.
*Works large muscle groups for sustained periods.
*Helps deliver oxygen and glucose to muscles.
*Work hard enough to make a difference but pace yourself
*Warm up and Warm down 10 min.
*As a rule an Aerobic exercise should be at least 20 to 30min.

Flexibility
*Soften up, when muscles are cold they're stiffer, Light exercise before stretching warms muscles and makes them more pliable
*Hold each stretch for 30 sec.
*Stretches should be slow and steady, not fast and jerky

*Stretching after a workout increases flexibility faster because the muscles are already warm.

Mental Conditioning
*The better you are at pushing yourself beyond your normal limits, the closer you'll come to peak conditioning
*It's not the thing you can do that makes the difference, but the thing you can't
*By concentrating on the specific muscle being exercised, you're more likely to put more energy into your effort and execute your movements with better form.
*By limiting yourself to what you think your best is, you can shortchange your true abilities.
*Don't dwell on what you can't do because it will get in the way of what you can.
*SHOW UP ALL THE TIME

Ridding Fat
*Eat Carbohydrates: beans pasta, cereal and potatoes
*You'll still gain weight on carbs if you eat more of them than your body uses.
*You really need to eat sufficient calories to sustain both exercise and your resting metabolic rate.
*60% carbs, 20-25% fat, and 10-15% protein.
*Eat early not late; the body seems to be more efficient at storing fat during the night.
*Eat often; eating many smaller meals throughout the day keeps insulin levels down and fat burning potential up.
*The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you burn even when you’re inactive.
*Aerobic exercise versus resistance training. It’s not really an either/or proposition. Do both regularly.

The Twenties
*The twenties are a critical time to establish fitness habits, abilities and passion that will stick with you later, when exercise ostensibly matters more.
*Because you’re young, your body is more resilient and stronger than it will be in late years, which means you can use it more heavily and achieve greater results in a shorter period of time. Your body is still pumping out ample amounts of growth hormone.
*Bulk up now because you begin to lose muscle mass in your thirties.
Workout Routines

Basic Fitness
*A ten minute warm up. Do a light aerobic activity to get blood lowing though you muscles.
*Five minutes of stretching

*Thirty Minutes of weight training

*Thirty minutes of aerobic activity
*Five minute cool down
*Five minutes of stretching

The Core Routine

*Follow order as listed above using the following exercises during weight training.
Thirty Minutes of weight training
-Squats
-Bench Press
-One-Arm Dumbbell Rows
-Alternating Press with Dumbbells
-Concentration Curls
-Overhead Triceps Extensions
-Crunches

*Three Month Program*
*To get fit in Three Months you're going to have to do a lot of something towards your goal everyday.
*Weight train every other day (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
*Aerobic Exercise almost everyday (on the seventh day he rested, so should you)

The First Month

*Goals- Build a strong cardiovascular base by getting you aerobic capacity up to 30 minutes a day. Get right into a weight-training routine.

Exercises

*Leg press 95

* Leg curls 100

*Standing heel raises 100

*Wide grip bench press 70

*Dumbbell flies 71

*Bent over row 88

*Back extensions 85

*Shrugs 64

*Military press 66

*Barbell curls 48

*Overhead triceps extensions 51

*Crunches 77

*Oblique Crunches 83

Week 1

10-15 minutes of Cardio every day

Karate Tues. Thursday

Weight Routine Wed. Fri Sun.. 15-10 reps

Week 2

15-20 min. of Cardio every day

Karate Tues. Thursday

Weight Routine Wed. Fri Sun.. 15-10 reps

Week 3

20-25 minutes of aerobic activity a day

12-15 reps in weight routine

Week 4

25-30 minutes of aerobic activity a day

15-15 reps of moderately heavy weights

The Second Month

Goals—add ten minutes to your aerobic workout. Build strength by lifting heavier weights. Start attending Conditioning classes on Tues. and Sat.

Exercises

Legs: Dumbbell step ups and step downs 97

Legs: Squats 96

Chest: Decline bench press 73

Chest: Alternating dumbbell press 71

Back: Rumanian dead lifts 86

Back Lat pull down 128

Shoulders: Upright rows 64

Shoulders: side lateral raises 65

Arms: Hammer curls 49

Arms: Seated triceps press 51

Abs Crossover crunches 78

Abs: oblique twists 82

Week 5-7

30-35 min. aerobic at 70%-75%

3 sets of 10-12 moderately heavy weights increasing weight gradually

Week 8

40 min. of aerobic exercise each day.

Three to five sets of eight to ten reps .of moderate weights

Third Month

Goals—Focus toward the activity you’ll be doing. Intensify weight routine with 3-5 sets of moderately heavy weights. Increase your weights every workout. Shift through your weight routines when you get bored with them.

.

Exercises

Legs: Barbell step ups and step downs 98

Legs: Dumbbell Lunges 96

Chest: Inclined bench press: 70

Chest: Declined push ups 74

Back: Good morning exercises 86

Back: bent over rows 88

Shoulders: Alternating front lateral raises 65

Shoulders: Alternating press with dumbbells 66

Arms: Concentration curls 50

Arms: One arm triceps pulldowns 52

Abs: Hanging single knee raises 79

Abs: Side bends with dumbbells 83

Week 9-12

40 min. at 75 percent intensity

3-5 sets of three to five reps of heavy weights increasing weight load when you can surpass your levels.

Advanced Body Shaping

*Do a number of different exercises for each muscle group. That way, you’ll call more muscles into play.

*Start with 12-15 reps of each exercise and when you can do more than 15 increase your weight and reduce your reps to 12 again

*Three to five sets: Testosterone kicks in around 6 or 7

*It’s important that muscles are continually being fatigued so rests should last between 30 and 60 seconds.

Sunday and Wednesday

Legs

Squats

Leg extensions

Leg curls

Dumbbell lunges

Standing heel raises

Back

One-arm dumbbell rows

Seated rows

Lat Pull Down

Dead Lifts

Biceps

Preacher curls

Inclined alternating dumbbell curls

Inclined alternating dumbbell curls, palm down

Concentration curls

Vertical Grip curls

Forearms

Wrist rolls

Abs/obloquies

Reverse curls

Oblique crunches

Raised leg crunches

Saturday and Monday

Chest

Bench press

Inclined bench press

Declined bench press

Dumbbell flies

Dips

Triceps

One arm triceps pulldowns

Overhead triceps extensions

Standing extensions

Skull Crusher extensions

Shoulders

Alternating press with dumbbells

Side lateral raises

Front lateral raises

Upright rows

Military press

Abs/obloquies

Oblique crunches

Raised leg crunches

Raised leg to arm crunch

Alternate Raised leg to arm crunch

Side Jackknife

Test

Just a test to see what the whole shebang will look like.