06/30 @215

I gained a pound this week. I'm not too happy about that. I haven't been eating as well as I want to. We went to the Renaissance Fair this week and I had a turkey leg and some ice cream. And last night I ate too much for desert (fruit and fudgesycles), but that was just my normal eating during the week. I also had pork ribs last week. So, not good.

I'm happy with my exercise, I'm able to run almost 6 miles in a hour and I feel really good about that. I burned 1000 calories on Sunday by just running for an hour.

I've adjusted my goals. I think 175 is probably too low of a goal, so I've adjusted it to 185. If I hit 185, I would be 4 lbs less than overweight. Based on my projections I would hit that goal weight in mid-November. I think my HDL's would be good as well.

Current Weight: 215lbs

06/23 @ 214

I lost 2.5 lbs last week. I was pretty good. I'm running a lot more now about 5.2 miles in an hour 4 times a week. My eating has been pretty good as well. I'm going to need to buy more clothes. When I run, I set little goals in my head: Can I reach 20:00 at 5.5 MPH 2.0 incline? etc.

So my next immediate weight lost goal is to get to 210 lbs so that I can buy some new pants and some shirts. I think I could do that over the Fourth of July weekend.

Current Weight: 214

06/16 @ 216.5, LDL good, HDL needs work.

I managed to lose 1 lb last week. An amazing feat considering that my Mom came to visit, we ate out a lot (Root down restaurant, breakfast, ice cream, etc). It's not too bad. I'm still under my target weight.

Current Weight: 216.5


I went to my cardiologist last week and I got a lipid panel done. The above busy chart represents my Total lipids, LDL (Lousy), HDL (good), and triglyserides, plus my targets for each. I have two goals, To lower my LDL levels to less than 70 and to raise my HDL to over 60. I've managed to lower my LDL's, but I have to raise my HDL to 60. I did increase it from 43 to 50 in 6 months, but it has to be higher.

According to this article on the Mayo Clinic website. I should be able to raise my HDL 1 mg/Dl for every 6 lbs of weight lost. So if I have 40 lbs to lose (216.5-175 = 41.5), I should increase my HDL to about 56 ( 41/6 = ~6 mg/Dl , 50 + 6=56). It's not 60, but it'll be close. My next lipid panel will be in December.

Lipid Panel: Tot: 123, LDL: 63, HDL: 50, Tri: 55

On Edit: When I did my last lipid panels in December, I weight 240 lbs and my HDL was 43. I weighted 217 when I got my lipids done and my HDL was 50..

So for 23 lbs of weight lost translated to 7 points in HDL lost.. So if I continue on that track and assuming the same weight/HDL percentage, 40 lbs weight lost would translate to about 12 poins. So my HDL could get up to 62 if I reach my ideal weight of 175 lbs.

06/02/2009 @ 220

It's been one year since I've started tracking my weight and I've lost 60 lbs in one year.

I have 31 lbs to go to get to not being overweight (189) and 45 to go to my ideal/target weight of 185 lbs.

My 38 inch pants are loose, and I wonder if I get every get to a 32 inch waist with 32 inch inseam. Is this goal doable?

Current Weight: 220 lbs

05.19.2009 @ 223

I had another solid week and I lost 2 lbs which is about 1% of my total weight. I want to average about 1.5 lbs a week, but I like having really good weeks.

I was thinking about my workout routines. I've been working out a lot lately. My normal routine is to walk 2 miles to work and 2 miles from work. I also like to take a short walk during lunch as well. I've been working out at the gym maybe 4-5 times a week and my wife and I have dance lessons on Tuesdays. My workout at the gym consists of running for 50 minutes with 5 minutes warm up and 5 minutes cool down. I've been able to run for 4.1 miles at an average speed of about 5 MPH (12 minute/mile). I have the incline set at 1%. I'm really happy with this results.
When I have time, I try to do some weights and sit ups.

To me, it seems like I should be able to run a 10k (6.1 miles) race with no problems. I would like to increase my mileage on the weekends to 60 minutes/5 miles. I don't think that'll be a problem.

I would like to do something else for exercise, because I don't want to get bored. So I'm looking into the following:

1. Running - For running if I run at 5 MPH, 1% incline for 50 minutes. I burn about 750 calories.
2. Swimming- The 24 hour fitness has a lap pool, but I've been nervous about doing it. When there is a pool, I usually just steam after a workout. On the weekends, I should just run for half hour and swim for another half hour. According to this calculator I would burn about 816 calories if I swam laps for an hour.
3. Martial Arts. I'm interested in taking some Martial arts classes. I'm going to take some Krav Maga classes because I've always been interested in that after seeing it in the Bourne Identity movies. I think that would be about 900 calories according to this calculator.
   
4. CrossFit or some sort of core exercise routine. I interesting in working the whole body and something I could do myself. I heard about this program on the Fat2Fit Podcast, so I'm going to try looking into it.
5. Dancing. My wife and I like to go dancing, so I will continue to do that at least once a week.
   

Current Weight: 223 lbs

225

I've made it to 225 lbs. I safely out of the obese range. My scale this morning read between 224.5 and 225 lbs, which made me feel like I have a head start on next week.

I've adjusted my goals.

• less than 220 by June 9th
• less than 210 by August 4th
• Less than 200 by Sept 15
• less than 189lbs by November 3
• ~ 175 lbs by my 44th birthday (Early January)
• ~175 lbs by March 9th 2010

Current Weight: 225 lbs

Weight Loss: Much better

This week, I felt much better, I lost 3 lbs over the week and I felt like I did much better.

It's nice when you get on the scale on the first time you read it it says 228.5, but then you check it again and it says 229. It's like you're cheating for next week. I'm almost out of the obese range (>227). The BMI measure what your ideal weight should be it's simple your weight divided by your height. The BMI categories are:

• obesity > 30
• overweight = 25 - 29.9
• normal = 18.5 - 24.9.

So for me:

• obesity > 227 lbs
  
• overweight = 189 - 227 lbs
  
• normal = 175 lbs (23.1)

I've adjusted my goal weight, It's still 1.5 lbs a week, but I've matched it to this week's weight. I'm still on track for my goals. So maybe next week, i won't be obese anymore. :)

Weight: 229 lbs

Weight Loss: When success feel like failing

I lost two pounds this pass week. I'm currently at 232 lbs. For some reason, I thought I should have lost more. I worked pretty hard this week and I've been writing down everything I ate.

I've changed by goal weight line to minus 1.5 lbs a week. I can still make my end of May goal of 225 and my August first goal of 210. and my goal of 175 by my next birthday. I'm a little below my goal line, I should be 232.5 lb this week, but it doesn't make me feel any better. If I lose another two pounds this week, I'll adjust the goal.

I don't know, I just feel like I didn't make it this week. But I will continue to work hard.

Current Weight: 232 lbs

Weight check in.

I gained some weight this week. I was really bad in snacking too much. I think my meals were pretty good, but I ate too many healthy cookies, fruit, and extra plate of food at dinner.

One good thing is I haven't increased my belt size.

Current Weight: 245lbs

Weight Check in

I weighted myself this morning, the first time in about a month. I gained 2 lbs since December mostly over the holiday. I need to recommit myself to my goal.

My immediate goal is to get down to 227. This is possible by the middle of March if I'm really good.

I think I'm eating more at home at night. Last night, I had two servers of chili on spinach and some chocolate black beans brownies. I should have cut that in half. I'm doing good during the day, but that extra bit of fruit or that brownie or piece of chocolate is just too much.

Current Weight: 242.5

Weight Check-in: Post Heart Attack

I lost 5 lbs this week. I spent two nights in the hospital, but I managed to get down a few pounds.

I'll have more to tell from my hospital visit, but I don't have quite the energy to discuss.

Weight: 255 lbs (home scale)

Tuesday Weight Check-in: really surprised

I'm really surprised by my results this week. I'm down 2 pounds. I have stopped writing things down and I haven't taken oil in a while. I've been very depressed at work, but I've kept on walking to and from work and I've been eating salads for lunch.

I also have been planning on trying the Paleo Diet for two weeks to see what the effect is.

I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday to talk about my test results. I went last week for a lipid screen, so I'll know what my score is.

Weight: 260 lbs (home scale)

Weight Check July 22

I'm down a pound and a half from last week. It's good considering, I wasn't writing what I ate this weekend and I didn't exercise as much. I went to the Gym once, but I don't know if that was enough. I continue to walk to work and back everyday so at least I get some work out.

Next week, my family and I are returning to Buffalo New York for a family reunion vacation. We are driving about 24 hours to get there. Buffalo's best known for chicken wings, beef on 'weck and pizza. My favorite thing is rye bread.

The first thing we're going to do when we get there is go shopping for some good food that we can eat (lettuce, fruits, vegetables, etc). I'm going to try hard to keep on my diet there.

I think one wing is about 150 calories so at most I could have 4 which is 600 calories.

My plan there is to:
- stick to my low-carb diet with the oil
- write down what I eat.
- plan the day out
- exercise by running or going to a health club.

Weight: 260.5 lbs (home scale)

Tuesday Morning Check in

I lost about 3 lbs last week, even with the birthday party on Saturday for my twins (one year old) and my niece (3 years old). I had some cupcakes, but I don't think I was overboard.

One things I notice by taking the oil daily is that I have less of a craving for breads. I don't feel the need to include it in every meal.

When I run on the treadmill, I set little mini goals to reach: 'Can i reach the 0.50 mark without stopping', 'Can I make it to 8:00 without stopping?'. My ultimate goal is 170lbs, but my mini goals are:

• Lose 12 lbs before our Family reunion in August (6 weeks from now). Goal is 260lbs
• Lower my waist size to less than 40 inches. (This indicates a factor for heart problems).
• Get down to 220 by December 31, 2008/ BMI < 30, so that I would be considered to be overweight instead of obese. (52 lbs in 28 weeks)
  

Tim Russert died last week. I felt akin to him for several reasons, he died of a heart attack and he was from Buffalo. He had a calcium blockage in the left anterior descending coronary artery which I have as well. It adds energy to my wanting to lost weight and get healthy.

My brother who is two years younger than I called last night and we talked a little about our tests. I'm glad I could talk to him.

Tomorrow I have my Stress test at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. I'm anxious to talk to my doctor about all of the results.

I had the best Father's day moment on Sunday. My son Jon, is a brute and very physical but after a full day playing and late in the afternoon, he crawled up on me and fell asleep in my arms. That was really nice.

Weight: 272 lbs (home scale)

first day of new diet

I'm starting my first day on my new diet. I'm trying the Shangri-La Diet. My current weight is 280 and I have to do something.

This morning I had a bagel and cream cheese and some coffee. I walked to work. I'm suppose to drink a table spoon of oil after an hour of non-eating. It's gross, but not as bad and I thought it would be.

I went to the doctor's last week, so these measurements are based on that.

Current weight: 280 lb
BMI: TBD
BP: 140/80