Back on the diet/exercise train

[obryn]

Well, I didn't want to post anything until I've been going strong for at least a week, but it looks like this will stick.

So, I'm finally back on track to get healthy again. It's not easy to do with a wedding coming up in 3 weeks, but my fiancee and I are going for it. Having her on-board has been essential; it's really rough to share your life with someone while they're eating just whatever and you're not. :) It also helps that she's switched from fish-only vegetarianism to eating chicken... That pretty much quadruples our food possibilities. In the past week, I've been getting progressively less hungry and feeling overall better.

I'm doing more or less what I've done before - a simple combination of reducing my calories and exercising more. I'm also making sure I get more protein and vitamins, but right now my primary focus is on reducing my food intake. By and large, my exercise is walking - at least for now. I did this before, and lost about 90 lbs over the course of a year. I don't have quite as far to go this time (thank goodness), but my clothes are way tighter than I want them to be.


Now, I weigh myself every single day at the same time in the morning. I know a lot of diet advice says not to do this - to only weigh yourself once a week - but I call bullshit on that.

I know that my weight will vary from day to day. Some days I will be heavier, and some days I will be lighter. That's fine - I know this and expect it. I don't get a false sense of accomplishment from a really low weight, or horrible guilt from a high weight.

This variability is the main reason why I weigh in every day. I plot that weight on a graph, so that I can look at overall trends. I don't want that one day a week on which I weigh in to be an unrealistically high or low day.

The second reason I weigh in every day is that it focuses my mind. It reminds me, "Oh yeah - I'm working to make myself healthy now." I dunno; it's a bit of ritual that keeps me on track.

So anyway, folks, here's my graph so far. I'm going to try and keep this updated. :)

[Northcott]

Now, I weigh myself every single day at the same time in the morning. I know a lot of diet advice says not to do this - to only weigh yourself once a week - but I call bullshit on that.

I know that my weight will vary from day to day. Some days I will be heavier, and some days I will be lighter. That's fine - I know this and expect it. I don't get a false sense of accomplishment from a really low weight, or horrible guilt from a high weight.

That's precisely why they recommend once a week -- or less. I've seen women in fantastic shape freak out because the scale made them sound heavy. Even with tight, strong bodies that looked trim, because they'd dropped fat and gained muscle, they thought that they were heavy and became fixated on the numbers game.

Obviously you don't have that problem, and you're looking at this from a broader point of view. Just be careful not to fall into the trap, man. It blindsides people.


All that crap aside -- best of luck! Looks like you're tightening your focus as you move forward.

[Morbidity]

Have you thought of taking measurements and looking at those once a month or so as well as tracking weight ... ie waist size or something similar. If you start putting on muscle it will give you a much better indication of what's happening than scales.

[obryn]

Obviously you don't have that problem, and you're looking at this from a broader point of view. Just be careful not to fall into the trap, man. It blindsides people.
Nope, I won't... I didn't before, and I won't now. :)

All that crap aside -- best of luck! Looks like you're tightening your focus as you move forward.
Thanks! Yep, still moving forward...

Have you thought of taking measurements and looking at those once a month or so as well as tracking weight ... ie waist size or something similar. If you start putting on muscle it will give you a much better indication of what's happening than scales.
Well, I think the best indicator of that - for the moment - will be "How are my clothes fitting?" :)

When I did my massive weight-loss, I wore the same belt through the first 9 months or so, putting new holes in it as needed (and boy oh boy were they needed). I may do the same thing here.

-O

[strawberry]

When I did my massive weight-loss, I wore the same belt through the first 9 months or so, putting new holes in it as needed (and boy oh boy were they needed). I may do the same thing here.


That's kind of a cool idea... lets you see tangible progress the whole way through without getting bogged down in numbers.

[nerfherder]

Good on you, Obryn. I started going to the gym in July and, after a hiatus in August because of work and Gencon, I'm starting to notice the benefits now. I'm going for stamina and core strength, rather than weight loss, so I'm not weighing myself (actually, I do hop onto the scales at the gym, just so I can enter the correct number on the machines).
Have you thought of taking measurements and looking at those once a month or so as well as tracking weight ... ie waist size or something similar. If you start putting on muscle it will give you a much better indication of what's happening than scales.
Any recommendations for what measurements to take? Waist, chest, biceps, thighs?

[obryn]

That's kind of a cool idea... lets you see tangible progress the whole way through without getting bogged down in numbers.
It worked pretty darn well. It was neat because everyone at my job was rooting for me and watching the progress. I could show them how much I'd lost by just pointing at the belt.

By the time I was done with that one, I think I'd lost 12 inches or so around my waist, so it was kinda drastic.

As of this morning, I'm at 244.8, which is about 10 lbs. less than the first day weigh-in. Obviously, not all of that translates to actual fat reduction - but at least some of it has to be. :)

-O

[fett527]

I was weighing myself everyday. It was good. Things are slower noe but i'm staying trim.

[Dawnstar]

I am on a diet right now it is called, being pregnant. :) And so far I have lost a total of 14 pounds from where I was. I am the lightest I have been in over 4 years. Too bad it is only temporary.

[obryn]

I'm back on the wagon, effective today.

Naturally, I had to pause for the wedding weekend. I mean, when the entire weekend is centered around eating & drinking with friends & family, I couldn't not.

-O