• Diet starting weight: 299
• Week starting weight: 299
• Today's weight: 298
• Week weight loss: 1 lbs
• Total weight lost: 1 lbs

Well if I'm really going to do this I've got to get back to my Sunday updates, no matter how ugly they may be. I started my diet a couple of years ago at 295 and now this week I've hit my high of 299, so I'm truly starting over and then some. Sucks. But just the act of writing this update is giving me good past vibes and maybe I can learn from that and get going with this weight loss thing once again.

Things I did well this week:

• Did 30 minutes of cardio on Monday and Tuesday until a blister caused me to stop for the week.
• Ate no fast food in my car.
• Wrote a Sunday update!

Things I did not so well this week:

• Need to get back on the water kick.
• Snuck too much halloween candy – good thing only one kid went out this year.
• Bought 3 pounds of grapes yesterday. Today they are gone.

I was pretty happy about not eating fast food in the car. I got my car detailed last Friday and here it is over a week later and the only thing I have eaten while driving is a couple of protein bars. Definitely makes it easier to stay away from McDonald's when you have a clean car.

As luck would have it I get a challenge to start the week because I'll be on the road for business Monday night in a hotel, then at the end of the week I'll be in Los Angeles for something health related that I'll be writing more about. But the travel won't make it easy to be good.

One day at a time.

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Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Weekly Update – 11/08/2009

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 281
• Today's weight: 281
• Week weight loss: 0 lbs
• Total weight lost: 14 lbs

I have been very bad in doing my weekly updates – in fact they have been nonexistent and I think that has been a big part of my problem. When I was doing well I was weighing myself daily (although only reporting it every week) and I was using that to push me each and every day. I've got to get back into that weekly habit. In fact there are a lot of habits I need to get back into and the good news is I will be on a schedule soon that will make that easier.

Like millions of others I have been out of work since the beginning of November and that has definitely made it harder for me to stick to my diet and exercise plans. You would think the opposite would be true but in fact being home all of the time has been tough. There is almost too much time to exercise so I am not forced to get it done early in the morning – and then it doesn't get done. To save money we started making lots of 13×9 pan dishes, lasagnas, casseroles, etc, and portion sizing is more difficult for me at home particularly when I am the one doing the cooking – a lot of food gets eaten before it hits the table.

The good news is that I start a great new job a week from Monday. My goal for this week before I start is to get back on the daily exercise schedule so that I'll be fully back in the groove next week when I start my new job.

Things I did well this week:

• Nothing

Things I did not so well this week:

• Too much snacking
• Too big portions
• Not enough water
• No exercise other than one visit to the dog park

I know some people don't believe in weighing yourself every day but I am convinced that not doing so has been a big part of my problem. I need that daily push. This week is going to be all about establishing those good habits that have helped me in the past.

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Weekly Update – 2/22/2009

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 276
• Today's weight: 276
• Week weight loss: 0 lbs
• Total weight lost: 19 lbs

Not a great start to a month where I have said I was going to kick ass and lose 8 pounds. But, it is what it is.

Things I did well this week:

• Strength training on three days, most since February
• First cardio since August
• No major food binges

Things I did not so well this week:

• Too much Halloween candy (we really have to get rid of that stuff!
• Not enough water
• Not enough cardio

This certainly wasn't the week I had set out to have, but all in all I am OK with staying even weight wise. I got a little taste of exercise and I am going to continue with that this week where my goal is to do some cardio every day. I'm going to take a week off from the strength training, let my muscles rest and just focus on the cardio. If I'm going to lose 8 pounds this month as I said I was going to I am going to need to kick up the fat burning that will come from the cardio.

I remember last year I felt like I was inspiring people when I reported losses. I like that feeling better than having to report I didn't lose any weight, but I am strengthened by the fact I am here writing and I am looking forward to this week, where I will be working hard to improve.

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Weekly Update – 11/9/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 277
• Today's weight: 276
• Week weight loss: 1 lbs
• Total weight lost: 19 lbs

I really didn't do much this week until yesterday, when I made a commitment to myself to work hard this month. Still, I am happy to have my weight loss chart look like it has turned a little corner. I'm really confident that I am going to be keeping that going this month. Yesterday I did track everything I ate (I tried Twittering — follow me if you aren't already — it all but stopped after lunch, I'm still going to try to do that though) but it was really hard to do for dinner, when I made what was essentially a meal of leftovers. What I have discovered is that breakfast, snacks and lunch are all easy to calculate because I am in control of exactly what I am making just for me, whereas with dinner I tend to make things more family style, with a lot more variety, so that makes it very hard to write everything down and to get the calorie count right. It probably means that the best way through it is to actually make something different for myself that I can control. More on that as the month progresses.

Also, I'm coaching winter soccer for my daughter's team and the first practice was yesterday. I was really hoping to get a break from coaching but she really wanted to play and they were desperate for coaches so I stepped up again. The downside of this is that I noticed that my right knee started aching during the fall soccer season because it isn't used to the pressure exerted from the side that comes from kicking soccer balls. So I am hoping that won't effect what I am hoping to start doing in terms of exercise.

Things I did well this week:

• Did a pretty good job with drinking water
• I'm watching what I eat well throughout the day up until dinner
• Starting on November 1st, no Halloween candy

Things I did not so well this week:

• Need to focus on doing better at dinner
• Did not utilize meal replacement shakes
• No cardio or strength training

I am looking forward to this month both because I'll be writing more than I have been (and therefor interacting with you, my readers more) and I really think I am going to be able to turn a corner heading into the New Year. It's disappointing to me that I weigh more than I did a year ago but all you can do is to use that as motivation and get back to it.

And that's what I'm doing.

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Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Weekly Update – 11/2/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 280
• Today's weight: 277
• Week weight loss: 3 lbs
• Total weight lost: 18 lbs

It's hard to get excited about losing 3 pounds when I have gained about 15 pounds from my low for the year. But what I am happy about is the fact I'm still here plugging away, trying to get back to posting my weekly results be they good or bad. I started the week off well with a little strength training on Monday, which included getting back on the Hundred Pushups Challenge. But that was it for the week as my busy schedule just caught up with me. I know, excuses, excuses. As an example, yesterday we had a Soccer Jamboree where we had 6 games across the two teams that I coach – we were outside playing or watching soccer from about 9:15 – 5:00. A long day under the sun which just wiped me out (not having sunscreen on didn't help). Sure, that's not even a full working day but of course there were other things as well. I know, I'm just making excuses.

Things I did well this week:

• I'm still trying, that's about all I can say this week

Things I did not so well this week:

• Too many binges
• Mentally, I am not on a diet. I have to get that fixed ASAP.
• Did not utilize meal replacement shakes
• No cardio, minimal strength training
• I'm not drinking enough water
• Mentally, I am not on a diet. I have to get that fixed ASAP.

Losing weight is hard. So much of it is mental. This is where I know I need a lot of help. I'm going to try to keep focused on writing here, focused on recording my stats. I've "met" a number of dedicated success stories through their blogs and I am hoping to get to know them better in the hopes that some of that success can rub off on me. Winter will be here before I know it and it is critical I get into a fitness state of mind before that, because it would be too easy to spend the winter moping about not being successful.

Instead, I want to spend the winter getting prepared to surprise people in the spring.

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Weekly Update – 9/21/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 277
• Today's weight: 275
• Week weight loss: 2 lbs
• Total weight lost: 20 lbs

Last Sunday I established three goals for myself this week and I am pleased to say that I accomplished all three. I am particularly happy to have lost the two pounds that I set out for myself as my weight loss chart is now looking like it could be turning in the right direction this week.

Things I did well this week:

• Completed week three of the one hundred pushups challenge.
• Ran a total of 8.2 miles, which is the third most for me since I started this journey almost a year ago.
• Had very good eating days almost every day – I don't recall binging once.
• Took the time to visit and comment on a lot of other weight loss blogs.

Things I did not so well this week:

• Only did strength training one day.
• While I did run 8.2 miles, that was only 2 sessions – need it to be more regular
• Not enough water.
• Did I really need all of those margaritas?

One of the strategies I employed this week that I really believe made a big difference is that I replaced a couple of dinners with a whey protein shake. This had two main benefits – first, that I did not have a high caloric dinner and second, that because the shake filled me up and reminded me that I was on a diet, I found myself able to get to bed without indulging in a late night snack. I've just started to experiment with these shakes but so far I like what I am seeing.

My schedule will be a little turned around this week with a travel day but I am going to work extra hard to schedule my workouts around that and to be diligent when it comes to eating away from home.

If I can put the same sort of effort in this coming week as I did the last week it should show on the scale again.

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Weekly Update – 7/20/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 277
• Today's weight: 277
• Week weight loss: 0 lbs
• Total weight lost: 18 lbs

I actually had a pretty good week this week despite what the scale said this morning. Yesterday I weighed in a pound lighter, unfortunately I think what put me back up to 277 for today was dinner last night at Olive Garden. While I certainly did not pig out (left food on my plate, etc), there is no doubt in my mind that the pasta kind of weighed me down. While I am better when I go out to restaurants now I am no where near the best, and where I need to be. I had the salad laden with dressing, I had the breadsticks, I had two beers and I had a pretty big portion of pasta, even if I did not eat it all. I need to start thinking about a better strategy when it comes to dining out, since I do it a lot.

Things I did well this week:

• Completed week two of the one hundred pushups challenge.
• Ran a total of 6.1 miles, which is the second most for me since December.
• Had very good eating days almost every day, until dinner.
• Took the time to visit and comment on a lot of other weight loss blogs.

Things I did not so well this week:

• Only did strength training one day.
• While I did run 6.1 miles, that was only 2 sessions – need it to be more regular
• Too much Olive Garden.
• Not enough water.
• Too much nighttime binging

I didn't have any excuses this week and while the results were not exactly as I wanted, I am happy with the effort I put in. In business, results get rewarded, not effort. But in weight loss it's the effort I'm looking for. The results will come as long as I put the effort in.

I'll be putting even more effort in this week.

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Weekly Update – 7/13/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 279
• Today's weight: 277
• Week weight loss: 2 lbs
• Total weight lost: 18 lbs

I should have known better than to think I'd be able to have a perfect week this week, especially with parties to attend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I probably better stick with one day at a time from here on in. My goal for this week is simple – another week with losing any amount of weight – I haven't had two consecutive weeks of weight loss since January. It's a real bummer to see that my total weight loss is only 18 pounds when I had been at 32 pounds lost. Still, I remain hopeful that writing about my journey is helping me to stick with it.

Things I did well this week:

• Completed week one of the one hundred pushups challenge.
• Lifted more weight than I have since February.
• Had a couple of pretty close to perfect days.

Things I did not so well this week:

• Not as much cardio and strength training as I would like.
• Overate at three parties.
• Too much binge eating.
• Not enough water.

This week should be a very easy week to do really well – no travel, no parties, no nothing. While I am shooting to lose anything I will be pretty disappointed if I don't lose at least a couple of pounds – unless I don't put the effort in, then I'll be disappointed with the effort, not the results.

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Weekly Update – 7/6/2008

Financing and loans advisor Motley Fool predicts that 10 years from now the fitness industry will be the new El Dorado. As the current society gets more and more obsessed with looking good and staying fit, expect the the number of fitness-related products to keep rising. Regardless of whatever diet and exercise scheme you choose though, the key is still on maintaining the discipline to follow it through. Now let's take a look at my own progress.

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 274
• Today's weight: 270
• Week weight loss: 4 lbs
• Total weight lost: 25 lbs

Feels good to see my weight chart move in the right direction again. Of course the cynic in me says losing 4 pounds in a week is easy when I had gained so much recently and I was sick for half the week, but I'm shutting him out and focusing on the positives.

Things I did well this week:

• Started some strength training.
• Not too many eating disasters (which going forward I will be documenting via my Bad Meals posts).
• Once when I was looking for a snack I selected some sliced cucumbers instead of something bad for me.

Things I did not so well this week:

• No cardio.
• Not enough water.
• Subway

I'll start my week off in Chicago so I will be challenged with all that comes with travel, but I am resolved to get through it and continue to move the weight back down.

Here's to a good week!

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Weekly Update – 5/11/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 274
• Today's weight: 274
• Week weight loss: 0 lbs
• Total weight lost: 21 lbs

This is only my second official weekly weigh-in since February, which is a significant problem, both because I have gained weight since then and because I fear I am losing a grip on my program. So I am forcing myself to get back into the weekly reporting habit. This is one of the best things about documenting the journey in public, there is always that constant reminder of where you are at – and right now where I am at is not where I want to be. One of the most disappointing charts for me is my waist line chart – what previously had been a nice step down chart from 53 inches to 49 inches has now crept back up to 51 inches.

Things I did well this week:

• I brought workout clothes to a business trip in Denver and despite being up late the night before "socializing" I got up early to workout, putting 40 minutes on the treadmill.
• Put in a 4.1 mile walk/run with the dog.

Things I did not so well this week:

• Ate and drank too much.
• No focus on drinking water.
• No strength training.

I am now a dozen pounds heavier than the lowest weight I have seen on my scale during this journey that started last August. August will be here again before I know it and I want to ensure I get back on track well before then.

I want to thank all of my loyal readers who have stuck around despite my obvious dedication problems. Your dedication to me is helpful; I am working towards turning that into dedication to my program.

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Weekly Update – 5/4/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 268
• Today's weight: 268
• Week weight loss: 0 lbs
• Total weight lost: 27 lbs

I started the week off well but could not sustain it. But I'm OK with it. I wish I had lost weight but I know I didn't deserve to with the effort I put in. I'm really focusing on effort this week, then I'll be gone over Spring Break skiing in Telluride, where I hope I will come back thinner with all that exercise.
Things I did well this week:

• Did a couple days of cardio, which is a couple of days less than I would like but a lot more than I had been doing.
• Got back into weight loss blogging.

Things I did not so well this week:

• Needed to do more cardio
• Needed to do more strength training
• I haven't been focusing on the water drinking lately, I need to get back into that.
• I grazed on far too many sweets – jelly beans, Girl Scout cookies, you name it.

All you can do is get off the mat and keep on fighting, and that is what I am going to do. We are driving out to Colorado and leave on Friday afternoon so I am probably going to post an update Friday morning so I know where I was at pre- and post-trip.

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Weekly Update – 3/23/2008

As you can see from the graph in the upper right corner of my website I've bounced back up again, but really it is not as bad as it could have been after taking effectively a month off.  First of all, we hosted a party yesterday where there was a lot of eating and drinking done.  Need I mentioned the bacon-wrapped chicken livers?  The bacon-wrapped dates?  The bacon-wrapped jalepenos?  Sense a trend?  So perhaps a pound or two of my current weight is somewhat temporary.

I rarely weighed myself during my time off, but when I did (and as recently as a couple of days ago) I was staying pretty steady at 267.  So this really is a plateau, seems like I've been at about that weight whether I bust my butt or lounge around.  I updated all the graphs that I track and I'll be working hard getting them all back in the right direction.

On a positive note my son graduated from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts yesterday.  At the ceremony one of the moms said I looked different and asked if I had lost weight.  You may remember that I have had a few people compliment me in a similar way but with each of them I had a twinge of doubt if it was truly an unbiased compliment, since they may have known I was trying to lose weight already or had other motives.  In this case the compliment was totally unbiased, and made me feel great.

A strong reminder as I restart my weight loss program that there are a lot more of those good feelings to come.

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Restarting the Weight Loss Program

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 267
• Today's weight: 264
• Week weight loss: 3 lbs
• Total weight lost: 31 lbs

This weight loss stuff is a fickle demon.  This week I started off well on my plan, doing my cardio in the morning instead of lifting weights.  The idea was that I have a better chance of getting my cardio in if I start the day with it rather than trying to do it later.  And for the first 3 days of the week, that worked.  Then a little travel, and a little bit of other distractions and the next thing you know is I don't do any more exercising for the week.  I ate too many girl scout cookies, I had some fast food, and in general I felt like I grazed too much.

And yet I lose 3 pounds.

Things I did well this week:

• Did 3 days of cardio.
• Continued with my morning sit-ups.
• No major food binges.

Things I did not so well this week:

• I didn't do as much cardio as I had planned.
• While I knew I was not going to be doing as much strength training as normal I had hoped to get a couple of days in and instead I did none.
• Too much grazing and still too many calories at night.

As you can probably tell by my limited posting it has become hard to get pumped up to write when things on the plan aren't going well.  It's amazing what a little victory like this can do for you – I feel suddenly energized this morning.  I really need to focus on remembering this feeling and if I have a great week this week I could actually get below my lowest posted weight of 263 (I saw a 262 inter-week once).

Focus, focus, focus.  I can do it.

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Weekly Update – 2/24/2008

When in the darkest days of the American Revolution Thomas Paine wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls," he was not complaining about the conditions nor the dangers the patriots faced; he was issuing a call to action.

After another 2 pound gain this week I am issuing a similar call to action, although nowhere near as historic or patriotic as Paine's.  It's simply time to change things up.

I read a great quote recently that I am going to try to live by:

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. – Adelle Davis

It's dinner and all the grazing throughout the night that is killing me right now.

Time to dress in rags.

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A Time For Action

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 263
• Today's weight: 265
• Week weight gain: 2 lbs
• Total weight lost: 30 lbs

Well enough procrastinating, it's time to post the ugly numbers.  Yep, a gain. Again.  Bleh.

Things I did well this week:

• Started the week off well lifting weights Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
• 5 hours of skiing yesterday.
• Starting doing situps upon rising in the morning.
• Starting blogging again.

Things I did not so well this week:

• No cardio.  I really need to pick this up.
• No major binges, but just a few too many seconds.

I'm forgetting what it feels like to see losses on the scale and I don't like that.  I am going to try my best this week to log everything I eat.  Maybe the problem will be revealed there.

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Weekly Update – 2/10/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 263
• Today's weight: 263
• Week weight loss: 0 lbs
• Total weight lost: 32 lbs

My slow and steady mantra is only interesting if I actually lose weight.  It's really a bummer to not see a loss on the scale this week.  Frankly, it's getting old.  Maybe I'm not past this plateau like I thought I was.  The good news is I have been bouyed by two more people (one indirectly) telling me it looks like I have lost "a lot" of weight.  So that's good.  Now I just have to show that I have what it takes to lose more.

Things I did well this week:

• Ran 2 miles straight again, and twice ran a mile straight.
• I did well for breakfast, lunch and daytime snacks all week.  Dinner continues to be a problem though.

Things I did not so well this week:

• I didn't lift weights, and although that was planned I'm still writing it down because I want to make sure I don't fall out of the habit.
• Although I did more cardio than I had been doing, it wasn't as much as I would like.
• No binges until last night, the night before a weigh-in.  Argh!

I had no excuses this week and should have been in position to have a great week.  All I can do is shrug it off and try again this week.

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Weekly Update – 1/27/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 264
• Today's weight: 263
• Week weight loss: 1 lbs
• Total weight lost: 32 lbs

OK so I was a wee too optimistic last Sunday when I wrote I thought I could get to 259 this week.  I didn't see less than 263 on the scale all week.  I lost a pound, the chart continues to move down, and I have to remember that slow and steady is my mantra.

Things I did well this week:

• Did strength training four days, not perfect (my plan calls for six) but still pretty good.
• Hit some running milestones.
• I did well for breakfast, lunch and daytime snacks all week.

Things I did not so well this week:

• Needed to put another day or two of cardio in
• Nighttime grazing
• Way too much sweets; I had a couple of binges.  It didn't help that I made a couple batches of these spawns of Satan.

Another week coming up where I have no excuses – no travel means I should be able to focus on my plan.

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Weekly Update – 1/20/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 268
• Today's weight: 264
• Week weight loss: 4 lbs
• Total weight lost: 31 lbs

I finally managed to break through this plateau I've been on and can now report a 30+ pound weight loss.  That feels great.  I actually weighed in at 262 yesterday but last night I ate and drink a little bit with my wife after we dropped the kids off at Grandma and Grandpa's.  I'm fine with that splurge and am just glad it didn't cost me too much.

Things I did well this week:

• Drank water consistently all week.
• Ate fairly well all week. 

Things I did not so well this week:

• Strength training only one day.
• No cardio.
• Did a little more grazing on leftover cookies that I would like.

To be honest I'm not exactly sure what I did to bust through the plateau.  Obviously it wasn't the cardio!  Maybe I did just have too much salt in my diet over the holidays and was retaining water?  Who knows. 

Given that yesterday I was at 262 I think there is an outside shot that I could see 259 next Sunday.  I don't want to push too fast since this plateau thing may not yet be over, but it really seems possible.  I'm going to give it a real shot this week to get there. 

And once I get there I'm going to work real hard to ensure I never see the 260s again.

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Weekly Update – 1/13/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 266
• Today's weight: 268
• Week weight gain: 2 lbs
• Total weight lost: 27 lbs

Stepping up and reporting a two pound weight gain sucks, particularly when on Friday I had actually weighed in with a two pound loss for the week.  But a weekend of too much eating and drinking conspired to make a wreck of it, and it did it.  Frankly I'm in no mood this morning to write this post but I'm doing it because that's what I do – and therein is the power of writing about this journey.  It would be so easy to skip writing today, then a week, and before you know it, to stop.  And my journey from fat to fit right along with it.  It's not going to happen, though.  Sucking it up for another week back at it.

Things I did well this week:

• I controlled my eating well until the weekend.
• I focused on drinking a lot of water and did that well until the weekend.

Things I did not so well this week:

• No strength training.
• Only one day of cardio.
• I snowshoed once this weekend but could have taken the time to do a lot more – it was great exercise.
• Unrelented eating on the weekend.  Actually the drinking wasn't too bad, it was mostly the eating.

That graph is just not looking good.  It's looking more like a fishhook now than a plateau.

Time to recommit.

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Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Weekly Update – 1/6/2008

• Diet starting weight: 295
• Week starting weight: 266
• Today's weight: 266
• Week weight loss: 0 lb
• Total weight lost: 29 lbs

It's hard to know whether this is an official plateau or not.  I've lost all of one pound in the entire month of December (I guess I still have a couple of days before I weigh-in officially for January, so the number could go lower).  So one way to look at this month would be disappointment, but another way to look at it is that November and December have to be the hardest months for a dieter given Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas and I managed to lose 7 pounds over the last 2 months, only a little bit below my target pace of a pound a week.  I am not frustrated at this point because I know I could have made a lot better decisions this week.  It's hard to be frustrated with the scale when you know you ate 5 pounds of Christmas goodies.

Things I did well this week:

• I knew going into this week that I would stray from my diet and overeat so I planned for that by scheduling extra cardio and I was very successful with that, running for 5 of the 6 days (I always rest on Sunday) for a total of 12.7 miles and 3.25 hours.
• I ate well during the week except for at the parties and except for the sweets grazing.  Which is a bit akin to saying the Miami Dolphins have played well this year except for every week other than the week they won, but you know what I mean.

Things I did not so well this week:

• Of course I ate too much at the 3 main Christmas parties we attended and/or hosted.  I learned that when I cook I graze.
• We had so many cookies, peppermint bark, toffee, peanut brittle and other assorted bars and treats left over and I went on a one man crusade to rid our pantry of it all.

After last week I had readjusted my goals for this week to simply maintain at 266 and despite a bad week on the diet I managed to do that.  So I feel good about that.  I'm not going to feel good about this next week if I stay on this plateau, however.  I'm looking to clock that 265 that finally gets me officially to a 30 pound loss.

It's coming up on a New Year, and I am excited for what it could mean for me.

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Post from: John Is Fit - Personal Weight Loss Blog

Weekly Update – 12/30/2007