Salad... Starting to feel like a rabbit

232.8lbs. I did go below 230, but after bday celebration feasts I weight in at 232.8 this morning. Oh well.

Just wanted to post on my lunch of a sandwich and salad. Getting really sick of the salad. Even with different greens and different veggies one can only vary it so much where it really seems different. I'm starting to not like my lunches and put off eating stuff while I work. I'm not starving or anything and it's funny that I will actively choose to not eat right away around noon. I think I'm finally getting away from eating because it's time to eat or because I'm bored mentality.

Anyways, salad is a great filler as I sit here and type this stuffed from the salad I ate. I just think a little variety needs to be had. Tomorrow I am going to try and make the tofu noodles (google hungry girl and pasta and you should be able to see what I'm talking about). Hopefully it'll be something I can have instead of salad almost every weekday. Really will try to post pics of things soon as well.

You are what you don't eat...

We've all heard the expression "you are what you eat"before. I have also been asked to think about what I put into my body and that those are my building blocks that I use for when I get injured and for maintaining my body. Recently, I was chastised by my bootcamp instructor on eating 6 dumplings. I could have eaten more and my mom made them so it's hard to refuse them. This got me to thinking... It's not just thinking about what you're putting into your body as much as thinking about what you're not putting into your body.

Think about that... I'm sure when I was almost 170 that the Nutrisystem I had was fine, but moreso it was the hot dogs, hamburgers, and pizza puffs (really liking pizza puffs right now for some reason) that I didn't eat at all that led to the weight loss. I'm not endorsing Weight Watchers as I don't really know how I feel about the system yet (though I have generalized a few strong opinions), but they don't count fruit and vegetables as points. I don't really think about how many snack bags of baby carrots I eat or how many oranges. I don't think about how much salad I eat. I just eat it because I know those things aren't going to impact me like some other foods will.

Just yesterday, I went to a Chicago White Sox game (won the tickets otherwise I wouldn't go). I thought a great deal about nachos, hot dogs, beers, and all the other good stuff you can get at a ballgame. It was the self-control in knowing I shouldn't really eat any of that stuff that stopped me. I still wish I could have had the $11.50 nachos in the baseball hat. I even tried to justify it by saying I could give the hat to my little nephew when he visits. In the end, I saved myself from probably a 5 figure calorie count... Yes, I would have probably eaten most of it and probably would have snapped at my gf if she took more than a few of the nachos. So really, is it the prevention of 10k+ calories that I should be more conscious about or is it making sure I eat all my veggies that's important?

I'm not advocating preventing yourself from eating foods that you like, but just for kicks think about what you wanted to eat and didn't. Keep track of it like I'm going to do. It's amazing how calories can add up for food that you're not eating!

Btw... I had a polish, fries, and a cup of chili at Lindy's before the game with my gf and friends. I could have looked to get a salad, but comparing what I ate to what I could have eaten still indicates that I saved calories... and really, if you can't enjoy yourself with friends sometimes how can you really be happy?

It'll be another big meal on Friday for a birthday, but I've been good otherwise. Will post as soon as I hit 230 if not sooner!

Nutrisystem

As promised (to myself and whoever reads this) I am going to try and upkeep this blog better. Today, I'd like to share some thoughts on Nutrisystem and really look back on the whole weight loss process during this time.

My absolute skinniest during my adult life is for sure when I was on Nutrisystem. I believe I went from around 240 to around 170-180. That is a change from wearing 36 jeans around my hips to 34 around my natural waist. It's going from an XL to an M. Thinking about that actually makes me a bit sad. All this work... vows to never put it back on again... That's the past though and you can't dwell...

During this time, I believe I just got out of a bad relationship and of course was looking for something to do. It seems like everytime I get into a relationship there is a letting myself go part to be lazier... I needed to improve myself. I ran into an old grade school friend who still lived in the area around this time and found out that he worked out at the gym so I started as well as a means to socialize and also do something about my weight.

In addition to starting at the gym, I started on Nutrisystem. With the different food options (although some of it sucked) it wasn't bad to follow. There's no watching what you eat or really anything thinking. They give you food to eat and you eat it. I don't remember how many calories I was eating a day, but I was really bad about supplementing my meals with fruit and veggies. Actually, I don't think I ever really did. I was obsessed with how much weight I was losing...

While Nutrisystem, played an important part, I would have to say my workouts at the gym were what really defined that time in my life. I lived on the eliptical. I would go and workout for an hour at a high intensity. My job at the time had me travel around Chicago a lot and was very good with time. I would always work out in the evening, but in addition sometimes I had morning workouts because I didn't have to leave for a location until later. Sometimes during the week I could just go back to the gym between travelling to different locations. Either way, I was at least getting an hour worth of exercise everyday and usually it was around 2 hours up to 4 hours I think a few times. I was a beast and really was blinded to anything, but the results.

It's a bit funny, I think one of my downfalls as I started gaining weight again was dropping Nutrisystem as I just didn't know how to eat healthy and I would go out with the guys who didn't have the same zeal for healthy meals as I would need. I started doing more weight training and socializing more at the gym which was great for vanity as I was bulking up nicely, but really wasn't necessary yet as I needed to work more on my cardio still and focus on losing weight than adding some bulk to my arms and chest.

With Nutrisystem, I didn't have to worry about what to eat, but I also never had to learn how to portion myself properly. Also, it was hard to go out as I would have leftover meals from my plan I didn't use if I did go out. I met a girl around that point as well and for the dating process Nutrisystem just didn't fit. Going out to eat, snacks, and other food aspects of dating just didn't help anything.

Of course, I worked out less as well. Slowly, the weight crept back up. Of course, the weight loss process wasn't healthy as I didn't see the doctor and I was really limiting myself on calories daily while expending a lot of energy working out. Unless, I actually changed what I was doing into a sustainable lifestyle I was never really set up for success.

After so many words, I guess the main point is it's a lifestyle and eating habits that needs to be changed in order to have success. Hopefully, I can add little things I learn from my own research and findings... even things I feel from personal failures and successes.

I apologize for rantings and disorganization when I put these up. Really, they aren't planned, but just are a jumble of thoughts that I type up. I'll try to proofread these before posting, but no promises. I don't know if I'll talk about MDBETHIN next or something else... I guess we will see.

Oh... and on a more current topic. I'm at 235 right now after a weekend of dogsitting and having brunch both days... and deep dish pizza. It was the gf's idea and it was a great treat although probably not the best idea so early into this new and hopefully final try into getting in shape. The 235 could also be because I don't think I was taking in enough water previously. Regardless, hopefully I'll hit 230 soon and will be happy once I leave the range of worrying if XL shirts will fit nicely.

232.2 lbs. I think the last time I was back around this weight was December of last year. Hard to keep track when I barely keep up with this blog...

Anyways, have done a few of my bootcamp classes again. Lots has happened since last time I posted which I don't think I'll get into really, but needless to say it's been a draining time for quite a while.

The last two bootcamps I had to forego some of the exercises with one of them where I actually had to vomit outside and the other time I had to stop as I was really winded. Tony, my instructor said it was the food I've been eating and I agree. Pizza puffs and hot dogs have really been comforting during my last weeks at my old apartment and even before then, but it's not the fuel or building blocks I want for my body.

Food from the casino which my parents love to bring home or ask for me and my gf to go eat doesn't help either and just compounds the junk I am putting in my body. The problem is I always feel bad saying no especially when I have to keep repeating myself. It's ridiculous really.

Anyways, I have lots to write about, but I thought I would just touch on that first. I think that may have been my undoing before. While I lost a lot of weight with mdbethin.com and also nutrisystem once I got off their system I would slowly put the weight back on. I'll talk more about those programs another time as I really liked them, but I do have some critiques for them as well.

232.2 from 237 all from diet changes and starting to workout again. I know it's just my body adjusting to eating better again and it's probably loss of water weight, but still it's progress again at least... More later...