Failing at Goals Set Weeks Ago - But Trying to Find The Bright Side

In my mind, I’ve composed several thoughftul posts about what to do when things haven’t gone as I’ve wished in the weight loss department. But when I sit down to convert those thoughts into posts there’s a disconnect and I seem unable to do it.

In the end, this is 100% either my victory or defeat. It’s all my responsibility. Despite all of the bitching and moaning by others (and me at times) about poor genetics, the reality is, if you eat less and move more – you will naturally reduce your body fat. When you eat more (particularly of the wrong foods) and move less, it’s natural that your body fat moves the other direction. Indeed, the fact that I have lost 50 pounds demonstrates the workable hypothesis of better food choices, coupled with lower caloric intake combined with more exercise (and of greater intensities) means the body runs at an energy deficit and one naturally reduces body fat and also reduces body weight, typically.

One thing I do notice I haven’t done as much of – which I might want to reconsider adding – is the body weight exercise (push-ups, situps, crunches, burpies, etc.). Those have been absent from my routines for the past six weeks or so.

But I think, most importantly, whenever a system breaks-down one must immediately “track changes” – that is, let’s look at what has changed to try to determine whether that change can logically be the cause of the breakdown of the system.

Changes:
• eating handfuls of chocolate;
• under stress at work, while sitting in front of large groups of people formulating questions;
• Eating sandwiches rather than salads;
• Eating more than I should, arguably;
• Not tracking what I’ve been eating with regularity;
• Fewer smoothies;
• Fewer workouts;


EXERCISE – THOUGHTS

My exercise numbers for 2005, mostly stand as follows:

Exercise / distance; workouts - hours
Swim: 66,000 yards; 27 – 22.7
Bike: 1127 miles; 69 – 73.4
Run: 187.1 miles; 48 – 32.4

Rowing: 425,000 meters; 53 – 34.4

In fact, here’s what I wrote on January 5, 2005:

DISTANCES

My thought is to set a goal of 300% of the distances completed for 2004. That would mean roughly:

Cycling: 3,000 miles; (approx. 65 mpweek [46 weeks available training]);
Running: 340 miles (approximately 7.4 mpweek [46weeks available training]); and
Swimming: ~120,000 yards (approximately 2600 yards/wk [46 weeks available]);

Interestingly, I’ve maintained these numbers PLUS also held my own in the rowing area: some 425,000 meters. I didn’t even consider rowing as an additional exercise until February/March when I bought the C2 rower.

So I suppose I SHOULD reward myself for maintaining the exercise portion of my exercise routine. Though, for full disclosure, the averages have dropped slightly over the past few weeks – but to be expected given the craziness of working 8-5; school from 6-8/6-9 mon-thu. I’m still getting the majority of stuff in which is good and I should commend myself for the efforts.

NUTRITION.

But as I’ve learned exercise alone is never enough. Another huge component part for healthy living is eating well – for me, I think, that means tons of veggies and fruit and light on everything else. Try not to eat empty calories.

The truth is I’ve failed at this for the past 2-4 weeks. I can do better. Much better. And I will.

WEIGHT LOSS GOALS

The weight loss goals for this week, were:

215.9 / 218.6 / 221.4

Instead, my weighted average 5-day weight was 223.9.

So I’m above even my most pessimistic goal for the week by 2.5 pounds. This is frustrating but not insurmountable.

BODY FAT GOALS

The body fat goals for the week ended are:

24.78%
23.15%
21.53%

Unfortunately, I’m above all of these goals as well: Current body fat measurement via calipers: 25.99% (so above by ~1.21%). However, the Tanita scale gives me a weighted average of 23.5%. . . but that sort of doesn’t count.

AT this point, I’m unwilling to adjust my goals to an easier standard. I think you can double down and refocus and make everything work.

Now, it’s simply time to implement that plan.

Indeed, I’m tempted to go ride a mountain, come down and row a half marathon for time.