Weight Loss: A Statement of Intent

by David Fowler on January 29, 2009
in The Plan, Uncategorized

I went hard-line last week.

I deliberately set out to lose a significant amount of weight and I deprived myself in order to do it.

Picture: sylvar

I moved away for the ‘slowly building a lifestyle’ concept, just to see what it would be like to push the envelope. I’m glad I did, it paid big dividends.

The time was right for me to see how far I could go with some sustained effort and self-discipline – something that’s been sadly lacking from my performance for a few weeks now.

I love the concept of building a lifestyle. I recognise that it’s important to build some better habits in terms of exercise and diet, but recently I’ve felt there’s something in that idea that gives me a let out if I fail to make some progress each week.

I accept that losing weight is not a race, but nor is it something I want to prolong forever. I don’t want it to be some indefinite task hanging over my head – something that never quite gets achieved.

I want to reach my goal sooner rather than later and in 3 months time I don’t want to be writing I’ve only lost five pounds, but hey, at least I haven’t gained weight. It’ll be tedious to write about it and it’ll be tedious to be living that life.

I would much rather write about how good it feels to have dropped weight and enjoyed some exercise. I’d much rather read about it too!

Seeing Dave Wright do so well over the last two weeks has driven me to strive for the same results. I’ve been inspired by his achievements and it’s helped me believe that I can dig deep and do the same.

Like I said, it’s not a race, but the quicker I can get to where I want to be, the quicker I can start to work on the second part of my goal which is to learn to maintain my goal weight and thereafter work on increasing my muscle mass and strength. That’s where I want to spend most of my time and that’s what I want to build my lifestyle around. Dragging it out as I have, is like building a lifestyle based around weight loss. That’s not the lifestyle I want to be living.

Of course there will be times when I post that I’ve maintained my weight. It’s true that there are other factors at play with maintaining weight, including water retention, glycogen reserves and increased muscle mass, so I shouldn’t always see maintaining as a failure. But to be honest, most of the time, maintaining will be a result of my failure to do what’s necessary and endure the discomfort of making tough decisions.

It’s nice that I’m comforted when I’ve only maintained but it’s not really doing me any favours. At some levels it allows me to believe it’s OK, and it’s not OK. Living a weight loss lifestyle is purgatory and I want it to end.

In the coming weeks I’m aiming for a more modest 2lb loss, but I will err on the side of caution and steer closer to a 3lb loss than a 1lb loss.

If I consistently post 3lb losses then I can address that by eating a little more or exercising a little less. How good would that be?

A further statement of intent:
In four weeks time I will weigh 187 lbs
In eight weeks time I will weigh 179 lbs
In twelve weeks time I will weigh 173 lbs

Maintenance isn’t an option for me anymore!

Are you living a weight loss life style? Would you care to post a quick statement of intent in the comments?

Tags: goals, habits, lifestyle, maintaining, purgatory, self-discipline, weight loss

Wednesday Weigh In Jan. 28, 2009

by David Wright on January 28, 2009
in Wednesday Weigh-In

29 Comments

When does a routine become a rut?

We find comfort in routines. Comfort in doing things the same way, eating the same things, going to the same places and being with the same people. Routines can be a good. However, when you get sick of doing the same things and getting the same results, you’re not in a routine – you’re in a rut. How do you intend to get out?

Recently, I read a story which got me thinking about my own routines. It’s not the first time I’ve thought about such things, of course, but sometimes we need a gentle nudge – a reminder of what we ought to be doing.

For me, getting healthy is about more than eating better and exercising. It involves a change of nearly everything.

So, I’m making an effort towards changing the routines which have led to my unhealthy lifestyle. I’ll detail some of the changes in my Monday update next week. Meanwhile, a question – are you in a rut?

Well, it’s that time again, for the weekly Wednesday Weigh-in. Let’s see how our BlogToFitters did.

Tara Cain

Gah. No loss for me this week.
I have found myself in a bit of a rut. I’m in the middle of trying to start up a business from home (so I can keep taking my babies to school every morning) and it’s a long, hard slog.
I don’t mind the long, had slog it’s just I get so immersed into whatever I am doing I end up rushing to eat lunch and it’s usually something I can put together in minutes. And that isn’t always a healthy option.

On top of that my exercise has reduced. I have been walking every day (some days with a pushchair. Up hills). But this week I have made every excuse possible not to go.

Still, no gain, so I suppose that’s a good thing considering I’ve been sat on my ass all the live long day!

The stats: Tara Cain

Starting weight Wed. Nov.19: 168 lbs.
Goal weight: 140 lbs.
Weight last week: 163 lbs.
Weight today: 163lbs
Amount lost this week: 0 lb

David Fowler

What a great week! I’ve lost 3lbs.

I’ve also climbed back on the exercise wagon. My cold is still lingering but I got tired of waiting for a full recovery. I’ve still got a sore throat but I put on my running shoes and hit the road Jack.

I’ve managed to get in two 1.5 mile runs. The first was tough, but the second was much easier.

Yesterday I started the 100 Push Up Challenge and I think I’m going to enjoy it!!

It’s odd that my measurements haven’t changed though. Ah, who cares! I’m back on the wagon!

The stats: David Fowler

Starting weight Wed. Nov.19: 200 lbs.
Goal weight 173 lbs.

Format: Start / Last Week / This Week

Weight: 200 / 198 / 195
Amount lost this week: 3 lbs
Hips: 40 / 39.75 / 39.75
Waist: 38.5 / 38.25 / 38.25
Belly: 40.25 / 40 / 40
Chest: 41.5 / 41 / 41

(Weight is in lbs and measurements in inches)

David Wright

Woohoo! I’m on a roll, baby! Second week in a row with a significant weight loss. Last week was six pounds, this week, five. Some of it is thanks to the cold I had (and the medicine I was on) but some of it was from eating better.

None of it, I’m afraid was from exercise this week.

The stats: David Wright

Starting weight Wed. Nov.19: 350 lbs.
Goal weight: 250 lbs.
Weight last week: 339 lbs.
Weight today: 334 lbs.
Amount lost this week: 5 lbs.
Total lost since Nov. 19: 16 pounds

Now it’s your turn. Share your success (or setback) story with us.

If you’d like to post a Wednesday Weigh-In post on your blog and help spread the word of our goals, please do so. Get all the info on how you can participate right here.

See you downstairs in the comments – and let’s all show our support and visit anyone taking part.

Update

As always, thank you to everyone who takes part in the Wednesday Weigh-In.

The following participants have written about their fitness and diet activities and linked back to BlogToFit. If you have a moment, please drop in and leave a message of support.

Mike Goad
Avlor
Urban Panther
Jen

Thank you!

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Tags: Wednesday Weigh-In, weight loss

Should we eat like our children?

by Tara Cain on January 27, 2009
in lifestyle

7 Comments

Today I am not writing about boobs or celebrities or celebrities with big boobs or celebrities who are big boobs.

I was going to write about something different altogether, something inspirational, something radical, something to make your jaw drop (something I’m going to have be pull out of the bag now I’ve made those statements!)

Anyway, that will have to hold because last week I was really intrigued by Dave Fowler’s last post Do You Eat Like A Dog?

Intriged because I sat here reading it thinking ‘yes, yes, yes. That perfectly describes how I used to eat’. And I think we are all guilty of this to some degree.
Whether you’re bolting your dinner down because you have something pressing to do, or because the children are making demands of you, or you know that you’ve got to get the ironing done/watch ER etc and you’ve only got 15 minutes to spare.

How many times have you eaten a meal and not actually tasted it?
Shocking I know when you actually think about it, but I have done this same thing many many times.
I’ve even stood and eaten my dinner from the dish I cooked it in because I didn’t have time to serve it up!

And then I thought, but these things have all been learned. They are in our subconscious and it has almost becomes second nature to do it. As Dave said, you have to actually tell to yourself to slow down.

Watching my two children eat has been a bit of a revelation.
They eat at their own pace. They put their knife and fork down between mouthfuls. They chew and chew and chew. They finish the minute they have had enough.

I think we could all learn something from children.
They are clearly eating the way we used to before we became so busy we started shovelling it in.
They haven’t been tainted by experience. They have no real demands on their time.
And if they’re not hungry they simply won’t eat.

There is a strict rule in this house that ‘treats’ are never allowed between meals and only after you’ve eaten your dinner.
And yes, they always ALWAYS want something, but I can honestly say that many times they don’t actually eat it because they are full up.

That’s how I want to be.

So today I spent the whole day with my 3-year-old daughter and watched her. Really watched her.
We ate breakfast together and I finished way ahead of her.
We ate lunch and I tried to slow right down to match her pace.
And we ate tea when we were hungry and it lasted aaaages. But we chatted and joked ad it was actually kinda fun.

From now on my aim is to eat food for a. fuel and b. to enjoy it.
And tomorrow night the food fest begins with Hungarian goulash. Yum!

Tags: children, eating, meal

Do You Eat Like A Dog?

by David Fowler on January 22, 2009
in lifestyle

30 Comments

I was watching my dogs eat their food and noticed how they just bolted it down. It looked as though the food barely touched the sides. They were finished almost as soon as they’d started.

Picture: timtimes

It reminded me of my youth when I was able to drink a pint in three seconds flat. It was my claim to fame and really impressed the girls…. almost as much as my ability to burp very loudly! I was quite the babe magnet! Oh yes!

Anyway, having seen the dogs eat their dinner in this fashion I got to thinking about the way I eat my own food.

I wondered why I have to take in such big mouthfuls of food, barely chew it before swallowing it and then stuffing the next mouthful in.

This type of eating is something I associate most with going to one of the many outlets of Burger Shack. I get my burger, sit down unwrap it from the wax paper and set it down long enough to watch the melting cheese and relish slide down onto the wrapper along with a slice of juicy tomato. As the aroma drifts up to hit my nose I reach for the thing and take a massive bite, and then another and another until it’s all gone. I can’t help it though. Food like that can’t be eaten daintily, it has to be devoured.

That being the case, I’ve stopped eating burgers. It’s over too quickly and maybe only five percent of the taste ever hits my taste buds. What a waste.

So can I train myself to eat more slowly?

Well, I’m trying to do exactly that at the moment.

Meal times with the children are not always enjoyable events during which I can sit down, relax and enjoy the food. Meal times are often hard work with the children all needing some level of attention. The smaller children need to be convinced to eat and the older children want to argue and throw strops.

I find myself bolting my food down just to make sure I get to eat.

Yesterday evening I decided to eat smaller mouthfuls of food and to chew them slowly and deliberately. I found myself conscious of the tastes and combinations of flavours. I started experimenting with different combinations of taste and I savoured each mouthful.

It took me longer to eat my meal but I enjoyed it so much more. The extra time also gave my belly time to tell my brain it was full. I didn’t manage to finish what was on my plate but I was satisfied.

I’m definitely going to try this again. But not at Burger Shack. I simply haven’t got the will power.

So here’s what I’d love to know:

Why do we bolt our food?

Do you have any tips to slow me down?

Are you impressed that I can drink a pint in three seconds?

Tags: burgers, dogs, eating quickly

Wednesday Weigh In Jan. 21, 2009

by admin on January 21, 2009
in Wednesday Weigh-In

49 Comments

It’s okay ladies, science says it’s not your fault.

According to this article in the Washington Post, women have a harder time than men in saying no to their favorite foods.

An excerpt from the article:

Then, after they fasted for 20 hours, the researchers presented them with their favorite foods; the dishes were even warmed up, if appropriate, to make them more tempting. The men and women were allowed to smell and taste the food but not eat it. Then, in an experiment, they were told to try to inhibit their desire to eat the food.

And that was the last time anyone saw the researchers alive.

Seriously though, according to the research, women have a more difficult time controlling their hunger.

The researchers found that certain areas of the brain became more active in both the men and women when they were tempted with food. The brain areas that lit up control emotions such as motivation.

Also, both men and women succeeded in making themselves feel less hungry by inhibiting their desire to eat the food. But the brain scans suggested that the women’s brains were still acting as if they were hungry.

In other words, the women may have thought they were less hungry, but their brains didn’t seem to be entirely on board.

What’s going on? Hormones could play a factor in women, Wang said, because they need to eat more when they’re pregnant.

The research could help scientists understand why some people can’t resist certain kinds of high-calorie food, Wang said. “Some people cannot inhibit themselves, and we need to help those people.”