Last night's weigh-in....

So last night's weigh-in was about what I expected. I lost zero and gained zero. I think this next week will be good numbers due to my jogging and getting back to my routine.
Still have 19 to go. :)

Tonight's weigh-in....

So we'll see how the weigh-in after work will be tonight. I hope to break the 100 pound lost mark, but I'm not sure if it'll happen this week. The reason I say that is due to the 2 cookouts that I went to over the holiday.
I hope I can hit at least 3 pounds to get to that 100 pound mark, though. If I don't, no big deal! I'll hit it the next time!

Stay tuned for results....

Jogged again today and body sculpting class....

I got to the gym about 20 minutes before body-sculpting class today. No idea why I was so early. I decided to jog before class to get warmed up. I wanted to jog for at least ten minutes and to do it all in one chunk rather than how we did it yesterday. If you remember, yesterday my trainer had me jog for 3 minutes, walk for 1 minute, then jog for 4 and walk for 1, then jog for 5 and walk for 1. I got 12 minutes in yesterday, but it was broken up into 3 sections. Today my goal was to do it all at once and I did! I jogged for about 10 minutes 30 seconds at 6.5mph which seems to be a really decent pace. It felt great. I seemed to keep a good heart rate and breathing. As soon as I finished jogging and went to walking to cool down, my heart rate and breathing seemed to return to normal very quickly. It seems that my conditioning is good!

So after warming up with the jogging, I went to class. I pushed myself today to use the 8lb and 10lb dumbbells. Now keep in mind that while those weights look light, we're doing aerobic exercises with the weights to burn fat and tone muscle rather than trying to build a lot of muscle. We do a lot of reps with the weights, so after time those 8 and 10 pounders feel much heavier, plus for some exercises we use two weights in the same hand. I use the 8lb weights most of the time, but when we switch up to doing chest presses on the floor or butterflies, I use the 10 pounders. I could use a heavier weight for those, however the 10's are the heaviest we have outside of the weight room. The ones in the weight room aren't rubber-coated like the others, so they would be a no-no on the gym floor.
I'm glad I pushed myself to use the heavier weights today. I got a good workout! :)

A little depressed lately....

I don't know why, but I've been in a bit of a funk lately. A little crabby some days. Other days I'm a little sad and lonely.
I mean I should be happy with all that I've been accomplishing since the end of September. I've lost nearly 100 pounds now. I've increased my muscle mass by a lot. I've begun jogging. I enjoy working out tremendously. I feel great physically. Etc etc etc. But emotionally I just feel bummed some days. It's just sort of a feeling of dreaded loneliness.
I dunno. Now that I'm not busy with a show going on, I don't have a lot to do at the moment. I think that has a lot to do with it. I spend a lot of time in the evenings alone; that's when I start to feel it.
I spent so much of the last year and a half or more between 2 relationships and I've now been single since February or so. I think that's a part of it, too. I like being single a lot at times, but I also sometimes would like to be in a relationship again. I dunno. I should just immerse myself in a project again like I've been doing. The 711 Theatre Project is coming up this weekend and next, so that'll help fill up a chunk of time for a bit.

Today's workout with new and improved jogging!....

So I hit the cross-trainer today for, I think, 30 minutes. I did aerobic mode which makes you switch up and go backwards sometimes, or use your arms more other times, etc etc.

I knew I wanted to jog for at least 10 minutes today. My trainer had me switch up after the cross-trainer and go to the treadmill. She wanted me to jog for a minute then walk for a minute then jog a minute and walk a minute, so on and so forth. I didn't like the sound of that too well, so she said she wanted me to walk a minute then jog for 3 then walk a minute and jog for 4 then walk a minute and jog for 5 minutes. I did so at 6.5mph. When I walked the 1 minute intervals, I walked 3.5mph. It felt great! It seemed, I guess, pretty 'natural'. Not sure if that's the word that I'm looking for or not. What I'm trying to say is that it felt right. It didn't seem to put stress on my body. I breathed fine throughout. When I'd stop jogging and would start walking, my heart rate seemed to drop back down to what felt like a normal range within a matter of seconds.

I'm really proud that I decided to start jogging. If I had tried nearly 100 pounds ago, it would have been pretty tough. I think I'm thin enough now that I can handle it.

After the jogging, we did the weights like normal and then ab exercises. We've stopped using the ab machine at my request and started doing ab exercises on the floor because the machine didn't seem to do nearly as much for me as the ab exercises do. The ab exercises are awesome. I always feel it afterward.

Jogging.... Who knew??

Two cookouts over the holiday weekend....

So I had two cookouts over the holiday weekend. My roommate had 1 on Sunday. I manned the grill. We cooked burgers and brats. I only ate a brat and stayed away from the chips and everything else (except the beer). I stayed outside as the food was inside.

Monday my family had a cookout at Saylorville. Well, the food was in the shelterhouse with us. I kept going and getting a chip and dip here and there several times. I had a burger and a couple of kinds of potato salad and some baked beans. Not too bad, but I wish I had stayed away from the chips. Oh yeah, and I had a couple of brownies. No beer, though, and no pop, just water.

We'll see what happens on the scale....

My weight loss results for the last week....

So I weighed-in last night after work. Keep in mind, my previous weigh-in was I gained 1/2 pound the week before. I knew this week would be better and it was:

I lost 3 pounds this week. I'm now down 97 pounds total! I only have 19 more to go to get to my goal! I'm now at 219 pounds! I haven't been this weight since freshman or sophomore year of high school, I bet.
I'm so impressed at what I've done thus far!!! I'm really starting to think about new goals for when I get down to 200. I really think that 180 is VERY achievable and would be a good, sustainable weight for me! :)

My uncle's reaction to my weight loss....

So my uncle got in town early. He was in yesterday evening. I had to judge a stand-up comedy competition last night, so I swung by my grandma's house, on my way home, where my uncle is staying.
He was surprised at how much weight I've lost and how good I look. He himself recently lost 20 or so pounds. The doctor wanted to put him on medication because he was pre-diabetic and had high cholesterol. My uncle didn't want to be on meds, so the doctor said if my uncle lost 20 pounds they wouldn't need to have that conversation. So, his wife started cooking him chicken and other healthy things. He eats oat meal for breakfast every day. He used to eat red meat and potatoes all the time.
Anyway....that's it. :)

My uncle is coming to town....

So my uncle whom I absolutely love and don't get to see much is coming to town for Memorial Day tomorrow night! He's awesome. He moved to Texas when I was really little and he only comes back once every few years. Well, he was back last Memorial Day and now he's coming back again this Memorial Day! He hasn't seen me since then, so he remembers me as being 316 pounds! I'm sure my grandma has told him I'm losing, but he hasn't seen any pics or anything. He'll be surprised I'm sure.


Lord, I'm making up today for not posting in some time. I'm too busy at work to post much and don't have internet at home (too much money). I stayed here for lunch today instead of taking my lunch to my co-worker's place like normal, so I have plenty of time to blog today.

Photo shoot for Mercy.... New clothes shopping....

So Mercy contacted me the other day about doing a photo shoot to show off my weight loss! That's pretty awesome! They're gonna have me go to University Photo in Clive. It sounds like it'll be a bit closer to my goal. I'm excited. That's pretty cool! Mercy has been nothing short of awesome to me! Everyone involved has been great. Did I mention that they sent me a thank you card and a gift card to Applebees for speaking at the diabetes conference in March? That was so nice of them and completely unnecessary! BTW, Applebees has a great menu with healthy items in it; flip all the way to the back. I like the grilled chicken dish w/ roasted potatoes and veggies. Yum.

On a sort of related note, I had emailed Sonya Heitshusen from channel 13 a couple of weeks or more ago and pitched an idea to her regarding the Move It Challenge. I suggested they do a makeover segment. She liked the idea and said they'd discuss it. I followed up a week later but never heard anything back. Oh well. I was hoping. It'd be nice.

Recently I went shopping at Kohl's for some new clothes for work. I just got a few things since I'm still losing. I can't fathom that I went from a 3x shirt when I started down to a 1x shirt now and a large dress shirt! Insane! It kinda sucks as far as having to buy a whole new wardrobe! It's so nice to be able to easily find clothes that fit me! It really makes me feel good!

Jogged today! Weigh-in tonight....

Jogged today!

So it being Thursday, we had body sculpting class today. That's where we do aerobics using weights. Before and after classes, I always try to get in another 10 or 15 minutes of cardio on my own. Today after class I was on the treadmill walking at about 4mph. Well, this guy who's bigger than me was jogging so I decided I might as well try. I jogged at a pace of 5.5mph for 5 minutes. I could've gone longer, but my time was up and I needed to get ready for work. I think I might try it again tomorrow for a bit longer. It was kinda nice to try it and succeed!


Weigh-in tonight....

Tonight is weigh-in night. I hope to do better than last week's 1/2 pound gain! So far it looks like I will. I did eat at Bravo last night. My friend Michelle and I went. There really is nothing super healthy on the menu. There were some salads that would've been good choices, but I didn't want a salad. Even the grilled seafood dishes all had butter sauces. :( I ended up getting some grilled scallops. She and I also split a piece of cheesecake. Oh well. We ended up going for a walk around the little pond or whatever outside then went inside and walked around the mall a bit. It was a very beautiful night outside!
More tomorrow with the numbers....

Weigh-in results from last night....

So I weighed-in last night after work.
All week long the scale at the gym seemed to be off. Well, it turned out to be more me that was off and not the scale.
Results:
Gained 1/2 pound. That's only the second time I have gained. The first time was many months ago. I gained 1 pound that time. I'm now at 222 and have 22 left to lose.

I think what was responsible for it was last Friday my co-worker, Dan, talked me in to getting HyVee Chinese for lunch. I was good and had 1 entree and a pop. Then Sunday we had pizza while we tore the set down from the play; I had 2 or 3 pieces and a breadstick. Then for lunch yesterday I had 1/2 order of fajitas and only ate one of the tortillas and had very few chips. But it all adds up.
Back to the grind stone! :)

No more play....

So the play ended Sunday night. That took up so much of my time, I almost don't know what to do with myself now!
Well, Saturday and Sunday this week I'll be shooting our (www.arizonainkstudios.com) annual Star Wars fan film competition film, so that will take up a good chunk of time.

Pizza on Sunday....

So the show that I was stage managing (and ended up acting in -- if 7 lines is acting) ended Sunday and we had to strike the set. The producer ordered pizza for us while we tore down. I ended up having like 2 or 3 pieces and a couple of breadsticks. I didn't drink any pop, though, just water.
I weighed myself today at the gym and it seemed like more than it had been. I hope that doesn't bode well for the next weigh-in Thursday. I haven't really changed anything else... I guess I did have 6 chicken wings Saturday night. I was at a former co-worker's b-day party and ate them there.
We'll see....

Yesterday's weigh-in results....

Drumroll please....

So keep in mind this week's weigh-in included a missed workout as well as a burger, fries, and pop. That being said, without further ado....

I lost 3 pounds this week! w00t!
I'm now down a total of 94.5 pounds since the end of July. I have only 21.5 more to go to get to my goal. I've even started thinking of a new goal. More on that later!

Bye Bye, Beardy?!?!?!

So I'm thinking of shaving my beard off.
Yes, the same beard that I've been growing since December 2006 and haven't so much as trimmed the length. It's over 8" long right now. Not sure if I want to or not. Part of me wants to while part of me doesn't....

Thoughts anyone?

First burger and fries and pop in months....

So Sunday I was really hung over and needed a gut bomb. I needed something to 'soak up' all of the alcohol. I went to McDonald's and got a double cheeseburger and a small fry and a medium Coke. This was the first burger and fries since around Christmas. I hadn't had pop in a few months either.
Is this a step back?? No way. It was one time in several months. The burger was MUCH greasier than I remembered. I didn't eat all of the fries.

New clothes....

So I had a few extra bucks and bought 3 new t-shirts... XL t-shirts!
I now wear an extra large t-shirt. That's insane! I haven't worn an XL since HIGH SCHOOL! WOW! I'm impressed with myself and my dedication and progress!
If I can do this, anyone can!

Missed my workout today!!!

ARGH!
Somehow my alarm clock's time changed from AM to PM. I missed my workout today because of it! I'm pissed!

Today's weigh-in results....

So I weighed-in today over lunch since I can't weigh-in after work today due to stage managing the play. I missed a workout yesterday, so I was worried that my weightloss wouldn't be too great. Well, I was wrong!
I lost 3.5 pounds this week!!! I'm now down a total of 91.5 pounds!!!
That rocks. 24.5 pounds to go! I can see the end of this goal right now! I'm really stoked!
I haven't weighed 224.5 pounds since high school -- nay, junior high, probably.
WOO!

No workout yesterday (Wednesday)....

So I didn't work out yesterday. :(
By the time I got home from rehearsal Tuesday night, it was 10:30pm. I had to make lunch and dinner for the next day and then do laundry. By the time I got everything done and hit the hay, it was 1:00am. I also had to be to work an hour early in order to get off an hour early to get to the play early to set up. If I was going to go to the gym it would've meant I had to be up at 4:40am instead of 5:40am. I set my alarm for 4:40am and even got up but decided I needed more than 3hrs 40mins of sleep!
I'm disappointed that I didn't go work out, but I think that it's also very important to get plenty of sleep to repair your body, so I think I made the right choice. It was the first workout I missed in a few months, I think.

Anyway, weighing-in over lunch today since I have the show right after work. We'll see if missing the workout affects my weight loss results this week....