Weight Loss Log: November 8, 2004
Here’s the deal: My last foray into weight loss netted some awesome results. I was able to lose 30 pounds, getting back down to the weight I was when I graduated high school. Sadly, that is still overweight. And since then I’ve slacked off a lot.
For my height (69 inches or 175 cm) and age (25 years) I should be between 129-169 pounds based on medical recommendations, with a BMI range of 19-25 kg/m^2. A couple of different scales recommend different ranges. Currently, my weight is hovering around 260 (I’ve gained 10 pounds since my last diet) and my BMI is 38.4 kg/m^2. So my goal is to get down to 160 pounds, losing 100 pounds off my frame. That’s going to take some serious work, but I have a pretty decent plan to get there.
Sunday Lori and I decided to change our eating habits pretty dramatically. No more fatty burgers and fries from fast food places, and no more sugary chocolates (except on free days). Fast food will be limited to salads or grilled chicken sandwiches with water, tea, or diet cola to drink. The diet colas will be reduced as well. Around the house we mainly drink Diet Rite which has no sodium, caffeine, or asperthame. It’s sweetened with Splenda so it is healthier than Diet Coke.
The biggest problem I’ve been having is going out to lunch at work. We’ll go as a group and get large burgers from Red Robin or Sodie’s, fatty Chinese buffet food from JD China, or thick fried soul food from AQ Chicken. Needless to say, when I go out to eat at work it is big, filling, and unhealthy.
To fix that problem I bought a bunch of nutrition bars at Sam’s Club this weekend like I did before. I’ll have three bars during work, all spread out during the day. I’ll eat a bar at ten, one at noon, and another at three. That and plenty of water should be plenty. We’re going to eat at home more to keep us from going out and eating unhealthy food from restaurants.
Thai food is still allowed, but that’s because I’m addicted to it.
Not everyone would consider our new diet to be healthy, but to me it is a drastic change and I know it will help me get to my new goal. For example, yesterday I had a salad from Burger King with a bottle of water, and for dinner I made a spinach and cheese Tortilloni with pesto sauce. Today I will have my bars and then for dinner I’ll probably make some pad thai or grilled chicken and rice.
The diet I’m following is pretty close to the Body 4 Life, and I plan on having a free day where anything goes. So I’ll work hard all week sticking to my plan, and then one day during the week (probably Saturday) I’ll eat whatever I feel like.
Another vital component to reaching my goal is exercise. My plan is to go straight from work to the gym and alternate between cardio and weight training. I’ve got my gym bag with me today and I’m pretty pumped about it. I’ll write more details tomorrow.