Two work out pics (idea from workout site listed below. . . ) 

View from other side of pull-up bar. 

Pull up bar I just got last week (finally). 

Pullups.

I just got a pull-up bar (see below).  I bought it mostly because I like the "strength training" concepts from crossfit.com.  I learned today, that my max no. of pullups is 0.  Not what I'd hoped for, but it makes sense. 

It's tough to pull 248 pounds up onto the bar.  So, in the meanwhile, I'll have to:  a) keep dieting; b) keep working out; and (c) perform pullups negatively and/or off of a chair/stoop, so I work the muscle group even though I'm not technically doing pullups unassisted.  Some better than none. 

WEIGHT LOSS

I've been pleasantly surprised at my continued progress at weight loss.  I've been below 250 all week which is pleasant.  I'll probably reenter my second year of grad school weighing less than my first year.  I can't help but to try to set weight goals for reentry (maybe I can weigh 239 before I reenter; but in the end, I realize the more important focus is health/fitness, which revolves around strong even workouts, coupled with sensible diet and some weight training. 

WORKOUTS, PAST WEEK

Because I had finals this past week, my workouts were all screwy. . . didn't do anything since monday (finals mon and wed evening).  I'll probably do a ride tomorrow or something. 

WEIGHT LOSS - THIS EVENING

Weird evening, because I sort of just kept eating (salad, then sandwich, then three bowls of cereal).  But I now eat cereal out of either a coffee mug or the smallest Ikea bowl I own.  So I guess even three bowls is the equivalent of one bowl of cereal six months ago (I'd estimate 3 bowls today was ~500 calories, including the 1% milk). 

Here's my own personal workout of the day for 07-22-04 (proposed):

1.  burpees;
2.  pull ups;
3.  v sit ups;
4.  box jumps;
5.  push ups;
6.  turkish squats. 

 

 

Drinking lots of water these days (instead of soda). 

My new pullup bar (pic 1 of 2). 

other side, pic 2 of 2. 

bowl #2. 

Not sure what happened but I went crazy with the cereal this evening. I ate three bowls. 

picture of burrito wrap attempt with salad, beans, burrito bread (tortilla I suppose), green peppers, tomotoes, turkey and mustard with bbq sauce. It was alright but good for me. 

Picture of my burrito bread -- made as part of a salad wrap 072204 

My food diary for week ending sunday 071804. I think I may start running it sat-sat, because I tend to process data on Sun 07-19-2004. 

Picture of me 07-18-2004. Thrusting my chest forward for a better look. I seem to be getting there. . .  

Orange sat 07-17-2004 (don't remember eating this though, might have been friday) 

weight/measurement charge. 

Granola Bar 07-17-04 (sat.) 

Apple eaten sat. 071704 

Thoughts week ending 07.18.2004

CATEGORIES:
 
foods eaten.
Exercise Taken (new exercise/calisthentics routine);
Studying for finals. 
Data Analysis
Girlfriend
 
FOODSTUFFS:
A week filled with lots of eating out, which is its own challenge, internally and externally.  Continue to eat lots of salad and turkey sandwich, with gatorade and cereal in the mornings.  Also eating significant amounts of fruit.  So, I think the eating pattern is generally healthy.  On average, I consumed 1931 calories per day this week; and for the past (roughly) 6 weeks, I've average 1894 calories per day.  This seems to be in line with my current losses (see data below). 
 
EXERCISING
Continue with regular exercise.  I added two days of routines from crossfit this week -- the second much more successful than the first (not as long in duration or individual intensity).  I also continue to use the computrainer regularly.  I only ran once this week though. 
 
Some of the challenge has been in developing a new relationship/girlfriend. . . it's taken up lots of time (which is a good thing), but in that time crunch it also meant less exercise.  In the end, I know I'll be able to reconfigure things to work correctly. . .
 
 STUDYING
This has also been the beginning of crunch week as I have finals Monday (24 hours from the time I write this) and another one on Wednesday.  Therefore, I've spent less time workout out and more time studying (or at least trying to). 
 
DATA ANALYSIS
 
The data continues to improve. 
 
Average calories per day (this week) = 1931
Average calories per day (average over past six weeks) = 1894
 
During the week my average waking weight was 249.3 pounds, while my average body fat was 31.5%.  My moving 5 day average weight, moved from 251.9 pounds at the beginning of the week to 248.4 by the end of the week. 
 
Measurements. 
My measurements continue to decrease as well.  My biceps have been reduced from 17.0 inches to 15.0 inches; thighs from 28 to 26.5; upper wast has moved from 48.0 inches down to 45.0 inches; while the "lower waist" has moved from 44.0 inches to 42.0 inches.  My chest has also decreased 3 inches, from 50.0 inches to 47.0 inches; and my neck size is down 1.0 inches from 18 to 17.  My "total inches" lost at this point is 12". 
 
DATA ANALYSIS - DISCUSSION
I think collecting, analyzing and then processing data about one's progress is an important motivational tool.  It's certainly been helpful for me.  Sometimes weight doesn't move but inches do.  Sometimes inches will stay relative constant but you'll be down in weight.  It seems as though I am moving in the right direction.   
 
I am thrill that as of 05-15-2004 I weighed 270 pounds, and I now weigh 247 pounds, a loss of some 23 pounds.
 
The other real point of happiness about this newfound journey is this:  I think it's time to purchase some new shorts.  My old shorts aren't fitting so well these days (indeed, I can do that wrestling thing, where I can simply pull them off without unbuttoning them).  I think before school begins I am going to purchase perhaps 2-3 pairs of 38 inch waist shorts.  Hope they fit :-).  School starts in four weeks and I think I could easily bust out to 239.5 pounds by then -- hopefully. 
 
 

Lower Weight - Strength Training (calisthenics); dating/gf

Interesting last few days. 
 
I'm dating a girl now (a bit ahead of weight schedule if you will, and I'm convinced it has something to do with all of it).  Didn't get much of a workout in the last tow days (07-14 and 07-15).  I have finals on Monday and Wednesday, which should be pretty intense, and yet predictable. 
 
I did a few "crossfit" type workouts.  One on ~Tuesday morning and the other this AM, Fri.  The intensity was a bit much at times.  20 seconds on 10 seconds off for 20 mins on Friday.  I think I can work up to 5x per week at 30 mins, 20/10 or even, perhaps 25/5.  I was sore for several days after Tuesday, so I decided to ratchet back in a major way for Friday's workout (went to 15/15, 12 minute overall duration).  I can increase the intensity in multiple ways:  1) more frequent workouts (instead of 2x per week, go to 5x per week); 2) increase duration from 12 mins to 15 mins, 20 mins, 25 mins to 30 mins; 3) increase the frequency from 15/15 to 20/10 to 25/5 to 35/10; to 45/15 to 50/10. 
 
I did order a pull up bar earlier this week too. . .
 
In addition, I intend to

Caloric chart for week ending 071104. 

Noticed I'm down a few belt loops these days. You can see indentations at the last, penultimate and 3rd to last spots. It's encouraging. 071104. 

grapes 071104. 

salad with beans, croutons, green peppers, 1/2 avocado and mushrooms. 071104. 

beans with salad (071104). 

bowl of cherries sun., 071104. 

Nice tough 20 mins calesthintic like workout. 20 seconds/10 secs rest of 8x: push ups; sit-ups; burpies; squats; box jump (coffee table). 

Fitness training

I was fascinated by the fitness site http://www.crossfit.com/. They tackled a question I've struggled with for a long time: HOw does one define and then determine whether they are fit? Before, that definition, was the absence of disease, which doesn't really capture it.

Crossfit, in some sense, lampoons the triathletes of the world, saying they don't have vertical leaps, or strength necessary to become fitness (essentially, jack of all trades, master of none). There's a certain logic to it. They promote general fitness through a workout of the day philosophy. Sounds great on paper, but the practicalities of doing that within the confines of my one bedroom apartment (or trudging down to the gym 5 days of the week) seem a bit unrealistic for my day-to-day life. Nonetheless, I may have convinced myself that 30 mins of tough cardio, bodyweight lifting (i.e., push ups, sit ups, crunches, pullups, one-legged squats (just found pull up device for door for $32). Also the site reveals the simple/easy way to make medicine ball out of basketball filled with sand (cut hole and insert sand via funnel).

So, I think I'm going to do some of it. Not sure exactly what. Thinking out loud: I may try some minor routine of 20-30 mins all out effort between, push ups, sit ups, burpies, squats. They're also big on squats and dips. I know when I did dips in high school wrestling, I never felt strongs. I did something crazy like 40 dips before I became fatigued. Pull ups weren't a problem either. It's interesting the site is also big on climbing rope (big in wrestling) as well as box jumping and handstands and walking on hands. I remember I could walk on my hands during wrestling. . . that may have been the strongest power/weight ratio I've ever had as a human being on this planet.

* push ups;
* sit ups;
* burpies;
* squats;
* dips;
* box jumping (onto coffee table; or step on and off);

So, thinking aloud, a 20 min routine and then a 30 min route.

20 seconds on 10 seconds off. x8
push ups
(4 mins);

20 seconds on 10 seconds off; x8
sit ups (bradley);
(4mins / 8 mins);

20 seconds on 10 seconds off; x8
squats;
(4 mins / 12 mins);

REPEAT
24 mins.

TO GET 32 MINS. . . ADD

20 seconds on; 10 seconds off; x8
pull ups.

I'll try it tomorrow. . . it's late tonight. . .

kc.

Progress

GOOD NEWS / BAD NEWS

Several bits of good and bad news.

The numbers are in:

WEIGHT
It appears I’ve dropped ~20 pounds since 05-15-04, 55 days. So that’s approximately 2.5 pounds per week (0.36 pounds per day). That seems about right to me.

BODY FAT
It moves around a lot using my electronic impedance scale. So, it’s tough to tell what’s really going on. On 06-01-2004, my BFat was 34.5% according to my scale. My 5 day moving average shows it’s gone from 31.2% on 07-02-2004 down to 30.3% on 07-11-2004. So, I’ve probably dropped about 3% of body fat (3% * 270 = 8.1 pounds lost; but I’ve actually lost 2x that ~20 pounds).

INCHES
Firstly, I think taking measurements is as beneficial if not more beneficial than weighing one’s self. I’ve noticed even when weight isn’t moving much you can still notice changes in measurements. Numbers:

Four measurements taken so far: 06-20-04; 06-27-04, 07-04-04, 07-10-04. Below is comparison of data from 06-20-04 to 07-10-04.

Bicep: 17 – 15 = 2 inches lost;
Thigh: 28 – 26 = 2 inches lost;
Upper Waist: 48 – 46 = 2 inches lost;
Lower Waist: 43 – 42.5 = 0.5 inches lost;
Chest: 53 – 48 = 5 inches
Neck: 18 – 17.0 = 1 inch.

12.5 inches lost. But I think people normally do either an upper or lower waist measure (anyone know appropriate way to measure waist? Widest point or points where us “short waisted” people wrap our pants around?)

So in three weeks I can notice a discernible difference via inches lost around parts of my body. I do notice some of my shorts aren’t as tight as they once were, which is a very good thing. I also notice it’s easier and easier to climb on my bicycle.

PICTURES
My pictures are frustrating, because in my mind dropping 20 pounds should produce significant results, and it just hasn’t. I look at my “skin” (like shirts and skins) and just think, that can’t really be me. But it is.

I do think as frustrating as these pictures are, they do produce a motivational force based upon my own vanity and that’s positive. And I look forward to posting them on my road showing how far it is I’ve actually come.

PHOTOGRAPHS – FOODSTUFFS
I like taking pictures of what I’m eating as it’s quite easy to show someone else what I’ve been doing (though I’ve told no one of this blog), but also because it allows me to easily record what it is I’ve eaten, with the press of a button (rather than trying to maintain a messy written journal which is inevitable inaccurate – a photograph inevitably brings it all back.

EXERCISE-RUNNING
I’m still right at the edge of 250 pounds (and my left knee has been a bit sore here and there). I’d like to start adding running as an exercise, but it seems a bit tricky right now. I think I’ll probably keep with swimming and cycling for the next week. If I’m consistently below 250 next week, then I’ll probably add running the week after (week beginning 07-19-04).

CONCLUSION:
I think I’m still headed in the right direction. I think the food journal, measurements, weight and body fat are all decent mechanisms individually and provide, collectively, excellent feedback upon my progress.

Cool site

I found a cool exercise site, crossfit, I actually like.

Long ago I tried to define fitness/health. They did the same.


k

Breakfast 07-11-04: oatmeal. 

Food diary through sat., 07-10-04 (picture taken noon on 07-11-04).