And We're Off!

Weigh In: 282.5
Five Day Average: 281.1

Well, it kind of sucked, but I had to rename the blog to a higher number. I made the mistake last week of getting too excited about losing the "100", so I jumped the gun and renamed the blog after one day's weigh-in instead of waiting to claim it with my five day average. I think the weight loss Gods weren't pleased, and punished me for that this weekend.

If anything, I'm going the wrong way. My last five weigh-ins were 283, 279, 279.5, 281.5, 282.5.

So, as frustrating as it is, I've probably talked about this 50 times in the past 7 months. Just suck it up, drink water, eat right, workout, and live strong. So, that's what I'll do.

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Ok, so the "Tuck's Big Challenge" is set up, and you can see it on the right side of my blog. For those of you who don't read this from my blogspot blog, you can find it here. I tried to set up the teams in the most even of ways, and tried to keep them fair. I took requests, so Kevin/Beck are put together, as well as Billy and Brian, and Gary and myself. Hopefully everyone's happy with their partner, because you've got a month with them.

This month's challenge is fairly simple. It's weight loss, and it's your body percentage. Basically, if you weigh 100 pounds and you lose 10, you will have lost 10% of your body weight. Your body weight % + your partner's body weight % = your total score. Highest score wins.

And remember, this is all for fun, and the goal is to cheer everyone on. I'm hoping that this just helps push everyone a little bit - when you're in the gym and you want to give up, give that little push. How much is that hot dog in the window? If this challenge gives you the willpower to keep on walking, then we've done our job.

So, what are you waiting for? Post your weight in a comment on this blog, and we're off and running. Wednesday will be weigh-in day - and we'll weigh in each Wednesday, and then again on August 31st. Good luck to everyone!

August Challenge Sign Up

Ok, we're going to use my blog this month to host the August Challenge. Hopefully that doesn't cause a stir, but Billy and I were talking, and I thought that we didn't utilize the Challenge Central site as much as we could - so I thought I'd offer to host.

So, this is what we're thinking.

2 person teams - trying to see who can lose the most weight in a full month, August 1 to August 31. Using the 5 day average method (if you prefer an actual weigh-in, that's ok too), we'll report in on August 1, which is a Wednesday - and then every Wednesday in August - and then a final push on August 31st.

The winning team will have the highest % of body weight lost combined.

So, if Billy weighs 100 pounds and I weigh 600 pounds - but we both lose 10 pounds, Billy would win because his would have a higher overall total % lost. Then again, if Billy weighed 100 pounds and lost 10, I'd have to set him up with Nicole Richie - but I digress.

So sign up in a comment - just let me know you're interested. On August 1st, I'll have a post set up in here, and I'll keep stats on my right hand side bar keeping track. Teams will be assigned before the August 1 start, but I want to make sure everyone who wants, gets in.

Follow The Bouncing Ball

Saturday Weigh In: 283
Sunday Weigh In: 279.5

So, check this numbers out. My last few weigh ins, recent last:

283.5, 280.5, 279, 283, 279.

My mental health has had quite the workout lately.

This is why I need to stop focusing on the individual day weigh in, and focus on my 5-day average. Of course that's not going to work because I'm already overly obsessed, but at least I know what I SHOULD do, right?

Anyway - some good numbers for the end of the July challenge. My goal was to lose 10 pounds for the month of July, but I did come up short. I lost 7.5 pounds which isn't too shabby. That counts a week where I was on vacation and ended up dead even. So, if you look at the other 3 weeks, that's 2.5 pounds a week - so I know in my head that if I wasn't on vacation and kept that same 2.5 rate, I would have my number. Minor victory, even if just in my head.

Also, I noticed on the final results page for the July challenge that I dropped 2% of my entire body weight in July. I never really thought of it like that, but that's a pretty cool thing to focus on. There's still a few days in July, but my goal in August is to drop that 10 pounds from August 1 to the end of the month.

So not much more to report tonight. Gary's back in town, so we'll be working out together tomorrow for the first time in two weeks. Definitely glad to have him back.

Ok, so not the most exciting blog of the year, but at least I got one in. Catch ya'll tomorrow. Here's to a great August.

I Heart Reality

Weigh In: 283
Calories Counted: 789

Weight loss is a roller coaster, right? A few months back, I posted a blog and for my picture, I put up a corkscrew roller coaster, with the track flipping over itself as it went by.

First off, I'm going to start by saying that I realize that by the time he gets this far, Billy is already cringing in his chair as he reads. He's looking at my consumed calorie count of 789 today. This isn't a typo - and no, I didn't miss the 1 before the 7.

The answer lies in the number above it.

Yesterday, I spent all day being proud of my 100 pounds lost. One year - 100 pounds - yeah, I'm the man, right? I got my props, I got my pats on the back, and I was feeling pretty damn good about myself.

And you know what that means - a reality check.

I can't even being to explain (yet I probably don't need to because we've ALL been there) how frustrating it is to lose the pounds, just to see them come back. I mean, I gained 8 unexplainable pounds in one night a few months back, and it took me 3 weeks to regain that ground. But this one - this one really nailed me. I was hanging onto that one simple weigh in of 279 like I owned it, completely ignoring the fact that one day to the other, weight fluxuates. I wanted to soak it in and enjoy it, right?

Stepping up and seeing 283 this morning - I swore at the scale. A big loud "What the F%&$" came unwittingly out of my mouth. I couldn't believe it.

So, I fasted. It wasn't intentional. I just couldn't even look at food - it competely disgusted me today. I had 3 liters of water today. I had a tuna packet. I had a chicken breast, a small roll and a pile of lettuce with some fat free italian dressing on it. I even had 2 cookies that my wife baked tonight. But that's it. I didn't eat anything from the time I woke up until the tuna packet around 3pm. I was hungry.. starving even, but just the thought of food was enough to turn my hunger into nausea, so I simply passed.

For anyone who reads this, you probably already know how stupid that was. Less than 800 calories in a day is simply just not enough. I can't go on 800 calorie binges. It'll hurt more than it'll help.

But, it is what it is, right?

Gym early tomorrow, and then mowing the lawn - and then a graduation party, the mother of all temptations. Eat healthy, workout, and live strong, right?

TGIF.

379-279=?

Weigh In Today: 279 (new low!)
Weigh In June 22: 292.0
Total Weight Lost from July 2006 to July 2007:
100 POUNDS!

Yes, the fish weighs 100 pounds. :)

Today's going to be a numbers day, because of one very obvious milestone in my weight loss journey. I was weighed by my doctor back last July - it was when I started trying to lose weight. Not to be confused with the date that I started this blog (which is what I'm basing my "100 pound goal" on), July 2006 was when I got that 379 staring back at me, the first time I had weighed myself in a long, long time. It was the day the doctor put me on the scale - I had gone to him because I blew out my back tying my shoes - and the scale didn't register, I was WAY too big. I had to go get on that "meat scale" that they have in the back. One of the most embarassing moments on my life.

So even though I've got 29 more pounds to lose for the blog's purposes, I'm officially 100 pounds less than I was about a year ago. That's a big deal to me, and it's something that I honestly thought that I would never see. A huge accomplishment.

That being said, I've got a long way to go. But, to be able to say to people that ask how much I've lost .. that I've lost 100 pounds - that's eye opening. A badge that I'll wear proudly.

But it's not over yet.

Also, since I'm in a number crunching mood, I thought I would review the past 30 days. Last month on this date I decided to start tracking my measurements. First off, I kick myself daily that I didn't start doing this at the beginning, I can only imagine what it would have said. So, this is how it looks:

June 06 July 07 Total Lost

Weight: 292lbs 279lbs -13lbs
Neck: 17.5" 16.75" -.75"
Chest: 49.5" 45.25" -4.25"
Bicep: 17.5" 17.0" -.5"
Gut: 53.0" 51.25" -1.75"
Waist: 47.25" 45.25" -2.0"
Thigh: 27.5" 27.25" -.5"

It's completely crazy to look at these numbers for me. If you would have asked me how I felt about this month, I would be completely frustrated. I feel like, up until these last few days, I've been treading water. But I've lost 13 pounds in the past month, over 4 inches of fat from my chest, 2 inches off my waist, almost 2 inches off my gut.. those are amazing numbers.

Remember what I said about "Weight Loss being the best motivator for Weight Loss"?

I'm pretty damn motivated right now. A few days left for the July challenge - and I'm 2 pounds away from achieving my goal of 10 pounds. If this month's challenge is a race, we're in the last 50 yards - let's SPRINT to the finish, and start up August strong.
To me, that's completely amazing.

The Snowball Starts To Roll

Weigh In: 280.5 (new low!)
Calories Counted: 2051

First off, if you haven't read the other blog I just posted, please do. I can promise you it's worth the read. Onto the news for today, there's a lot to say, so here it goes.

I'm thrilled with my weigh in today, obviously. Just like Jay, I stepped on the scale and read 283.5. I have been seeing the 283's for way too long. Things needed to change, so I went back to what was working, an old workout - and drinking a ton of water. The last two days, yesterday and today, I drank 4 liters of water a day. That's a lot of water, and the body has been pretty busy with the whole flushing thing. Can only be good.

So, when I stepped on the scale and saw a 280.5, I couldn't believe it. It was good to see the scale move, and the fact that I was 379 pounds just a year ago - I'm 98.5 pounds down from last July. Since I started this blog, I've lost 69.5 pounds. That's a big deal.

As I said, I did the same workout that I did back on January 31 - but I added the appropriate amount of weight to the bar to reflect my improvement. I've got to say - pretty impressed with a few of the increases. The bench press hasn't moved up that much - not to mention I haven't really focused TOO much on freeweights, and when I do, I've usually got a spotter, but this is what I did.

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Circuit One
Squats - 3 sets, 15 reps. 115 pounds in January, 225 pounds in July
Flat Bench Press - 3 sets, 10 reps, 110 pounds in January, 135 in July
Hammer Horizontal Row - 3 sets, 15 reps, 140 pounds in January, 270 pounds in July

Circuit Two
Lunges - 2 sets, 10 reps
Barbell Curl - 2 sets, 10 reps. 65 pounds in January, 75 pounds in July
Tricep Extention - 2 sets, 15 reps, full stack (150 pounds)

Abs & Lower Back
Medicine Ball Crunches - 2 sets, 25 reps
Quadruped (Yoga Stretch) - 2 sets, 20 seconds each - not done in July
Child's Pose (Yoga Stretch) - 2 sets, 20 seconds each - not done in July
Scissor Crunches - 1 set, 25 reps - July replacement

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I couldn't do the Yoga moves because they require you to be on your knees, and my softball scabs are on my kneecap, so I did the Scissor crunches instead. Basically, you lay on your back, hold an 8 pound medicine ball above your head in your hands, and then meet your toes and fingers in the middle above you, as SLOW as possible. Total killers.

I was shocked at how tough this was. Even though I can attribute some of the exhaustion to the extra weight, I realized today that I haven' t been working as hard as I used to. I think that somewhere down the road these past few months, the workouts have gotten 'easier'. A little less of this, a bit less intensity, a shortcut here and there, and even though I'm IN the gym, I feel like perhaps I'm not utilizing it as good as I can.

And why? Failure of planning. I'd go in there, do this, do that, call it a day.

Back to following a plan. It works with the eating, and it works with the exercise.

No more shortcuts. 270 or bust.

Shaq's Big Challenge - Hitting Close To Home

I'm 30 years old. A year ago, I weighed 379 pounds. Today, I weigh in at 280.5 - 98.5 pounds less than I did last July. I'll talk about that in the next blog - but right now, I want to talk about a show on TV that every single person in this country should watch.

Shaq's Big Challenge is shown on ABC on Tuesday nights. It's a show about weight loss, but it's not some "Biggest Loser" competition type of show where the winner makes money. It's not a bunch of adults getting into a challenge where they have to vote each other off the show. This is the most pure show on TV - and for someone who has been battling weight his entire adult life, this thing hits home to me.

It's hard to explain, but to give you an idea about this show, I just spent the last hour watching this show on my DVR, and my eyes were welling up almost the entire show. You know that feeling you get when you are so moved that your body tightens up, and your eyes begin to water? It hit me pretty hard, and this is a show that has done that to me since I started watching the first episode.

The idea of the show is, there's 6 kids - all of which were in the obese category. I'm talking about a 14 year old who weighed 285. I'm talking about kids whose self esteem were non-existent, and they were afraid to show their faces. They were interviewing a kid that looked right into the camera and said that he'd felt like committing suicide because he felt so lost.

And it's not rehearsed. You can just tell how authentic it is. Shaq, his trainer, and a few others (a celebrity chef and nutritionist, for example) not only work with the kids, but they go into this school system and try to create change. School lunches full of deep fried chicken nuggets, pizza and tacos - they tackle some issues that frankly, should have been addressed years ago.

This show can't be explained in a paragraph. All I can tell you is that when I see these kids, working so hard, facing the same challenges that I do every day - the temptations of food, the realization that you are losing control of your life.. hell, even the glares and looks of disgust I used to get when I was walking down the street, it all hits home. It takes me back to the feelings that I had for years. I remember as if it was only yesterday where I was working in a pizza joint, eating pizza 3-5 times a day, drinking a 12 pack of beer every day, and I broke into a sweat doing as little as tying my shoe - yet I did nothing about it. I KNEW I was dying. I KNEW that I was destroying my life. I KNEW what I looked like in the mirror. But I did nothing. And why?

Because it was a lost cause. I was alone, I intentionally ignored the problem because I was so far away from the finish line that I didn't even know one existed.

This show "gets" that. Every week I sit there and watch it, and these emotions stir in me like crazy, it's hard to explain. As I said, I spent the last hour just completely moved. I had those tears in my eyes for most of the show. Then, when you look at these kids, they're accomplishing what they need to do. They're learning what we're learning - that a support system, the right plan, and a goal is all that you need to lose the weight.

Sounds a lot like the other aspects of our life, doesn't it?

http://shaq.abc.com. If you haven't seen it, you should. Give it a chance, and get over the fact that it's a "reality show" with an NBA basketball player. It's incredibly moving if you give it a chance.

I'll do another blog now with my regular update - I just really felt that this one deserved a spot of it's own.