The Kenyan Mission - Update 4

With less than 6 weeks to go, I'm feeling like I'm in a better place, even if the numbers on the scales don't reflect this. I have gone down a notch on my Fitbit (it's worn on your wrist) as it was a little loose and I have started to wear a pair of 40" waist jeans, which are still a little tight on the thighs but wearable. So there are signs that I am making progress.

I'm 1lb down since my last update, but as you may have read in my previous post, it wasn't without some frustration. But I think that gain, which I have since lost, could probably be put down to water retention from the weights work out.

As far as my gym work goes, it is starting to come on, I am regularly adding progressions to various individual exercises, instead of just adding progressions to all exercises in on hit. I'm also trying to incorporate different exercises in to my routine. I'm also trying to log what I'm doing, so I can monitor how well I'm moving along.

The main change to my diet since the last update has to be how I'm logging my intake. I have started using the Fitbit App to keep track of what I eat. The benefit of using the app over just writing it in the diary has to be the easy to reference record you then have.

You can set a goal with the Fitbit app (whether it be to lose weight, put on weight or even stay the same weight) and when you want to reach your target. The app will then calculate the calorie intake you should be aiming for and it will also take in factors relating to the information from your Fitbit device. I have started using this feature a few days ago and it is looking promising, so I will probably do a separate post about this in a few days.

The true test of if it is helping will be over the next few days, as 275lbs (my weight this morning) has been the 'glass floor' that I haven't been able to get past, so fingers crossed I can finally make some progress after the frustrating past couple of weeks.

I no longer expect to reach the 30lb target I set myself, but I will still try to plough on regardless and who knows, maybe I can get back on track.

Starting Weight	281lbs	Primary Goal	30lbs
Current Weight	275lbs	Still To Go	24lbs
Week +/-	-1lbs	Secondary	34lbs
Total  +/-	-6lbs	Tertiary	44lbs

ARRRRRRHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I'm having a frustrating angry moment.

I just got on the scales to find I have put on 2lbs, which is real kick in the nuts that has left me feeling a little disheartened.

I put my hands up, I have not been completely on the ball with the diet and I have also failed to keep the food diary but at the same time I know I haven't been on a binge and I'm regularly working out.

I'm actually progressing with the gym work and working out for longer and developing a routine, both at the gym and at home, and although there is that whole 'muscle weighs more than fat and that will slow down the amount you lose', I don't think that doesn't really applies as certainly not putting on 2lb when you weigh 275lbs.

But I must not stop, I just have to keep believing that I will shift the weight, I just wish I would of lost more weight before hitting a hitting the wall.

The Kenyan Mission - Update 3

7 weeks to go and my mission to lose 30lbs has stalled in the 2 weeks since my last update. In fact I weighed in today and I'm 1lb up since my last update, so I really am facing an uphill battle if I want to reach my goal.

My weight has been yoyo-ing between 275lbs (19st 9lbs) (My weight on my last update) and 279lbs (19st 13lbs), so similar to previous weeks just without the eventual progression of losing more weight.

I do admit to having dark days where I have just pigged out and my there have been a few days where I haven't kept the food diary, past writing down my weight that day.

What is grinding on me is that I have been more active but not seeing the results on the scales. I made sure I easily surpassed the 10,000 step goal each day and even did a week where I targeted doing more than 20,000 steps each day.

Two Week Step Record

I have also been working out more, making sure I visit the gym on my days off and I have started doing a home work out involving dumbbells, kettlebells and a Vipr. 

Hopefully I will break this bad period, finally get below 275lbs and get back on course by my next update. I plan on keeping up the working out and might even try and do some classes at the gym, I'm hoping it will all develop into a habit. My biggest challenge though will still be keeping on top of the diet and not giving into bad choices.

Starting Weight	281lbs	Primary Goal	30lbs
Current Weight	276lbs	Still To Go	: 25lbs
Week +/-	+1lbs	Secondary	: 35lbs
Total  +/-	- 5lbs	Tertiary	: 45lbs

Getting the Measure of Myself

Focusing on how much weight I've lost is OK at the moment, due to how much overweight I am, but really I should also be looking at my other body measurements.

So a few weeks ago I got out my tape measure and took some measurements.

I took measurements of my neck, bicep, chest, belly, waist, thigh and calf. Over the coming months I'll retake these measurements, along with some comparative photographs.

Heres the run down of the measurements I took;

Neck: 19"  -  Bicep : 16"  -  Chest : 52"  -  Belly : 51"  -  Waist : 46.5"  -  Thigh : 29"  -  Calf : 18.5"

Neck 19"

Bicep 16"

Chest 52"

Belly 51"

 

Waist 46.5"

Quad 29"

Calf 18.5"

Slipped Up

This weekend I slipped up and fell off the dietary wagon.

The weekend started off OK. Friday was my first day off, which as I work nights meant sleeping most of the day followed by an evening of TV and I didn't pig out either, just had a bowl of porridge, two meat rolls and some rice pudding.

Saturday is where it started to go downhill. First off, I forgot to weigh myself in the morning which would be OK expect I also didn't fill in my diet diary, meaning I wasn't able to track my calories and I'm having trouble, as I write this, remembering what it is I ate. I believe I had porridge for breakfast andriod know I has lasagne and chips in a cafe in town but after this ny minds a blank. The only other thing I know for certain is that I went to the gym.

Sunday I did get on the scales and found I was 1lb up on Friday, so the effects were starting to show. After a week of porridge I decided to treat myself to a bacon, sausage and rossti bap (a concoction of my own making). Again I didn't keep a diary, but I know I didn't behave. First having pork pie and thick cut bread and butter at the folks and then pizza and desserts in the evening, all washed down with some pop.

Monday and after my weekends antics I was looking to get back on the wagon, especially as I had put on another pound since the day before. I started well and had my porridge but that's where it ended. After visiting the doctors to book myself in for my vaccinations, I walked back in to town and past a chip shop that offers cod and chips for just £3, an offer they've had for a while that I had wanted to try but haven't gotten round to. After checking the film times I decided to have the fish and chips, with the aim being to go to the gym after the cinema.

I then had a couple bags of sweets at the cinema and some pop, which left me feeling too bloated to go to the gym. So like an idiot I went home where I, after the bloated feeling had past, had another pizza.

So it's Tuesday and I'm 2lbs up on Monday and 4lbs up on a few days ago. I've been good so far and hope to lose what I've put on in a couple days, but I really need to get my shit together and stop being so self-destructive.

The Kenyan Mission - Update 2

9 weeks to go and my mission to lose 30lbs continues.

Not a bad week, I lost 2lbs fairly early in the week and had a run of 3-4 days at the same weight.

I've tried to be more active and since the start of this week I've aimed to do a minimum of 20,000 steps each day, which I'm finding an OK target on working days but a bit more difficult on my days off.

Problems with a broadband and my iPhone dying have meant I've not been updating this blog, but I do hope to be back on it now I have my new phone and my broadband should be repaired by the end of the week.

 

So my total loss so far is 6lbs, which means my current Kenyan Mission Goals are;

Primary      : 24lbs

Secondary : 34lbs

Tertiary      : 44lbs

The Kenyan Mission - Update 1

So 10 weeks until I fly out to Kenya and a week since I started my mission to lose 30lbs by the time I get on the plane and it's been a bit of a mixed week but overall a positive start.

I've lost 4lbs but it has yoyo'd between a 0lbs and 5lbs. My main ally this week has been a lack of funds, so I haven't bought the same crap I would otherwise snack on. It also means I haven't bought my daily post-work bacon and sausage baguette from Greggs, which as a night worker is my regular dinner.

I've kept my food choices fairly basic for most of the week. I've had porridge (Flavored with freeze dried fruit) most days for breakfast, which I've made with water and no sugar but a couple times I've added a sliced banana. I've had chicken, rice, peas and mushrooms for lunch and dinner a few times and couple times I've had the same but with fish instead of chicken. 

Although I've been quite good with my main meal choices this week I have also enjoyed some cherry pie, that was free in work, and some cinnemon swirls that I got for free, as well as some free Quality Street and Roses chocolates, so I do wonder what affect they have ultimately had.

I've also been quite good as far as drinks are concerned, I've had just 2 500ml bottles of pop all week, which is very good for me, and have been drinking a lot more water, making sure I've got a full water bottle when I've leaving home/work. As far as hot drinks go, I've been drinking herbal tea without milk and when I'm at home I'm drinking it without sugar but I must admit to putting a little sugar and sweetener in when I'm at work. I've still had my nightly Mocha at work, which only has the sugar from the chocolate in it.

Being more active has been one of my aims and this week instead of catching 2 buses to work, I've been walking to the bus station and catching the second bus. I have also made my return to the gym, after being good and going most days through out Christmas only to not have gone since New Years Eve. I have also started on some muscular endurance work at home using my dumbell's and Vipr, I plan on building on this so that I have a proper workout on work days and leave the gym for my days off, so to save time.

So my total loss so far is 4lbs, which means my current Kenyan Mission Goals are;

Primary      : 26lbs

Secondary : 36lbs

Tertiary      : 46lbs