Halloween Holiday Candy Crisis Prevention41.2 lbs LOSTso farNovember 1, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 3 comments
As most of you already know, yesterday was Halloween in the U S of A. We went trick-or-treating and managed to collect a ton of candy and junk food. Of course my daughter wants to eat all of it, but this time around she wanted to share her candy binge with me. That’s were things got ugly.
My favorite chocolate candy is Nestle Crunch. I used to buy the giant size bars and eat each square one by one. I would make sure to hold each piece in the same two fingers so that I could lick the melted remnants of it from my fingers once I finished the entire bar. Each bar must have contained 1000 calories or more. I have always loved eating chocolate, but alas, I must stop myself. I had to turn down my daughters urging binging demands. I felt weak at first, but was steadfast with my decision to not give in to the candy temptation.
I even had to remove myself from the room with all the candy. I went out to get some air and did some push ups. This sounds weird, but I was feeling like an addict being tempted with his favorite drug. I was getting flash backs of all the tasty Halloween candy memories I had had as a kid knocking on doors and getting M&M’s, Kit Kats, Crunchs, Snickers, and what ever else we were offered. I was the one to not really care about my costume, for me it was all about the junk food. I would usually consume a third to half of all of my candy booty the same night. Yes, it was bad. Now that I think about it, I even managed to sneak in a giant size Nestle Crunch into boot camp! My drill instructors didn’t even have a clue. I enjoyed that bar for weeks since I had to practice stealth and could only eat one square of it each night. It was well worth it.
So back to yesterday and my struggle. There was one point at which I almost caved in. We had just got home and my wife placed all of the candy on the counter. I looked at the nutritional facts for a fun size M&Ms plain and saw that it only had about 80 calories per 3 servings. All of which were bad. But 80 is not that much, especially since I was only planning on eating one bag, which would have made it 26.6 calories. I can burn 27 calories with my eyes closed. At that point I looked at my wife (she thought it was fine since I have been doing so well) and then looked at the candy, then I put it down and said, “No. It’s not worth it.” I said it out loud and my wife was proud of me. So was I.
I was confronted with one of my favorite temptations and managed to get through it unscathed. This was a check mark in the win column of weight loss. It also helped that we didn’t get even one Nestle Crunch bar. That would have made things turn out differently.
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
No More Weekly Weigh-Ins for this Fatso41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 31, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 8 comments
I have decided to stop weighing myself on a weekly basis. When I first started out I had planned to weigh myself at the end of each month, but figured a weekly weigh-in would help me see results faster and would in turn keep me motivated. Well, that worked and now it’s time to move on. I eventually plan on weighing myself on a monthly basis, but for now twice a month will do.
I figured that weighing myself every two weeks will suffice. It will also help me see “bigger” numbers. So instead of a 2 lb loss in one week, I may see a 4 or 5 lb loss if I wait for two weeks. I don’t expect to pull Biggest Loser numbers every weigh-in, but I do plan on working my butt off as hard as possible. If those big weight loss numbers come then so be it. If not, it’s fine. I also plan on being below 300 lbs, which was my original goal for November 1st, by my next weigh-in in two weeks. Doing this will help me keep my mind off of that until then.
Over the last few days I have come to realize that the scale is just a tool to help measure my weight, and nothing else. Too often I have given the scale way too much power over me and how I feel. Not anymore. By not weighing myself so frequently I will be on the road to releasing the strangle hold that the scale has had on my fatso psyche for years. There are other things I can measure my weight loss success with, such as feeling better in clothes, being able to run easier, having looser clothing, having better sex, breathing easier, etc, etc. Not being a slave to the scale is a major goal I plan on achieving.
By the way, it’s Halloween where I am from so I need to take my daughter trick-or-treating. She’s a witch this year and looks so cute. Anyway, be safe out there and don’t let your kids eat too much junk, go out alone, or go into weird neighborhoods.
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Tipping the Scales: 1.4 lbs. Lost this Week41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 30, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 10 comments
After the disastrous day that I had early last week I was sure that I wouldn’t lose any weight. But I managed to do it. I got back on track and stuck to my routine for the week. I was able to drop 1.4 lbs, which considering the fast food pizza I ate, is great! It was business as usual as I ran, rode bike, and trained like a machine. The intensity with which I approached things this past week is the intensity level that I want to continue to have from this point forward.
I was thinking that eating that fast food fueled me in more ways than one. Since I ate all that crap I wanted to get back on track with a vengeance. That led me into working twice as hard and testing myself more. The last couple of weeks have been breakthrough weeks for me. I started noticing changes with my body, I started noticing changes with my training, and I started noticing changes with my inner warrior.
I plan on building off of the progress I have been having and not letting up one bit. I feel like I am healthy inside, but now I need to match the outside. I am close to my goals of being healthy and that’s what this whole thing is about.
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Fat Mean Jogging Machine41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 28, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 7 comments
A couple of weeks ago I decided to stop running/jogging for a while. Why? Well, for a couple of reasons. One reason was because I was feeling sluggish on my runs. The second was because my left knee was feeling a bit out of whack. I thought that by taking the pressure and stress off of my knees that I could let them heal and be able to get back on track. No pun intended.
That was one of the best decisions I have made so far. During the time that I decided to stop running, I also decided to get on my recumbent bike for my cardio. I was pleased with the workouts I was getting from the bike. I thought it wouldn’t be as effective, but it was. My legs were constantly being tested, as well as my endurance.
Now fast forward to a few days ago. I lifted the treadmill jogging ban, but I still have a ban on jogging outside. I will wait until I drop 15 or more pounds first. I was on my cardio day and wanted to switch things up. So I decided to get on the treadmill. It was awesome. I was able to do some HIIT running. Something I was dreading. My initial goal was to jog for 5 minutes. I was hoping I could last that long, but wasn’t expecting to. Then 5 minutes became 10. Then 10 became 12. I was in the zone. After that I decided to do some interval sprints while I was at it. I finished up the 19 minutes of jogging/running with a 5 minute cool down walk.
I Was then able to run like that again the next day. Both times not feeling sluggish or any knee pains. Then yesterday topped it all off. I didn’t want to do HIIT and opted instead for some endurance running. I was able to stay on the treadmill for 30 solid minutes. 30 MINUTES!!! Can you imagine a 300 lb man running for 30 minutes at a fast pace? I don’t think so. I know in my heart that I could have lasted anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, but needed to stop because I had plans that I was already late for.
I wasn’t expecting to be at this level with my running until I dropped down to 274 lbs. That number reminds me of the last time that I was able to run with the intensity and ease that I have been running with the past few days. It feels great to be ahead of some of my goals and this just proves that all of my goals are attainable.
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Fast Food Is My Kryptonite41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 27, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 15 comments
A few days ago I wrote about how I gave in to the temptation of eating fast food. In this case it was Domino’s Pizza. A few minutes after I ate it I began feeling weak and light headed. It was as if I was weakened by something in the food. And you know what? I was. All of the processed crap and fat in fast foods makes my body weak. It’s as simple as that.
That’s how I know that fast food is my kryptonite. I was so severely weakened that I had to take a nap. I didn’t want to, but I had to. I could barely keep my eyes open. The next day I could barely get out of bed. My stomach was bloated all day and I couldn’t use the bathroom due to constipation. It had been so long since I had eaten fast food that my body was shocked from having consumed it.
Some how I managed to lift weights and get in a great run, but all the while I was feeling like I had two watermelons in my stomach. Yes. It was that bad. I felt so bloated that I wasn’t even hungry. I felt like if I ate anything else I would blow up. Keep in mind, that this was the next day and I still could barely stomach anything. I had to force myself into eating some fruit and vegetables. I needs me my nutrition!
So, the clock struck 11 PM and I was still feeling bloated and constipated. A whole 30 hours after originally eating fast food pizza. I couldn’t take it anymore and downed four vegetable laxative pills that I keep around in case of emergency. It’s supposed to take effect within a few hours, but that wasn’t the case. I went to bed and the following day I finally got to rid myself of the damned fast food kryptonite.
I know there’s still some remnants of it inside of me, but I think over the next few days I will be able to clean myself out. I plan on eating fruits, veggies and oats as my primary fuel. That should help me stabilize my equilibrium.
Oh, and no more fast food for a long while. No Wendy’s, no McDonalds, no Burger King, no Sonic, no Pizza Hut, no Checkers, no Taco Bell, no Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and definitely no Domino’s Pizza!
Fast food, I’m officially on strike!
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
The Incredible Shrinking Fat Man41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 25, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 18 comments
That’s me. Yessiree. I am shrinking in all the right places. I noticed it over the last few days. At first I thought that maybe I was seeing things, but then it hit me once my shorts starting falling off. I have been wearing these shorts for years. I call them my red Stony Brook shorts. I got them from my head football coach when I red shirted at Stony Brook University. They were his personal shorts. Now I have them. LOL.
Anyway, so I was walking around the house and all of a sudden the shorts started falling and they felt looser around my thighs. The reason I know that I am not seeing things is because these shorts have no string. I used to be big enough to not need a string around the waist to hold them up. Now I do. Then it started happening with my other shorts too. I usually don’t need to tie my workout shorts, but now I have to. I was even tempted into trying on my goal jeans, but decided against it.
I have also been noticing that my shirts are feeling significantly looser around my chest and belly. Back in August I purchased a couple of semi-goal shirts. The plan was to be able to wear them at the time, but not be too comfortable in them. I have been wearing them recently and they feel great.
So it hit me: It’s all coming together. The working out, eating right, and staying as positive as I can (except for yesterday’s Domino’s Pizza fiasco that still has my stomach feeling bloated) is finally showing outward physical change. I have been feeling different inside for quite some time, but now I can see it.
The 40+ lbs I have lost are not being missed whatsoever.
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
I Had My First Major Relapse and It’s Okay41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 24, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 16 comments
Today was a rainy, gloomy, depressing day. It has been pouring all day, since late last night actually. I was in a crappy mood all day and it showed. To top it off I had the first major relapse since starting on my weight loss journey.
I caved in and we ordered pizza. Domino’s Pizza to be precise. My wife didn’t feel like cooking and wanted to eat pizza. I wasn’t really in the mood for it, but I went ahead and said it was fine to order. We had two medium pies, an order of cinnastix, and a liter of Coke soda. It was so good. Deliciously-good. I-couldn’t-stop-eating-it-good!
After eating it I felt like crap. I hadn’t felt so crappy in a long time. When I say crap, I don’t mean I felt guilty or anything of that nature. What I mean is that my body was in some weird sort of state where I felt tired. The feeling was overpowering. My body hurt and I couldn’t open my eyes. I felt heavy and with no energy. I think my body was in shock from having eaten that stuff. That’s a sign of not ever doing that again!
I also noticed that mentally I am fine with the fact that I cheated. I don’t feel like wanting to kill myself or giving up on my weight loss. I just know that I cheated big time and need to work my butt off to get back on track. I will be doing that tomorrow.
I think I am finally getting to where I need to be, both physically and mentally. That’s a good feeling.
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Tipping the Scales: 8 lbs. Lost this Week41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 23, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 17 comments
I DID IT!! I reached my goal of 8 lbs lost this week. I was so happy to have done it. Happy enough to be eating some Italian sausages for dinner as a reward. Last week was a rough one, but I got it done. I haven’t had a high number like this in a while (and I am not planning on them anymore). I think incorporating those intense multi-joint exercises are working. I am sore as heck after doing only 2 sessions. Body parts are hurting that haven’t hurt me in a while. It feels awesome!
I have decided to keep my goals in check. I’m going to strive for more realistic numbers like 2 lbs and 3 lbs lost in a week. Having lost 8 lbs feels great. That still may leave me short of my 299 lbs by November 1st, but that’s okay with me. I am a bit closer to my goals now. I wouldn’t mind being 299 lbs come November, but it may have to wait until middle or late end of the month. If my numbers hold true as they have so far, I should be at around 304 lbs to 305 lbs by next week’s weight-in. Falling a little short isn’t that bad.
So far since beginning my fat loss journey I have lost a total of 41 lbs. Not too shabby. I have lost a total of 13 lbs so far in October, which makes it a good month in my book. It’s actually starting to show physically. I am noticing changes and can’t wait to take my monthly pictures on November 5th. Maybe by then I will be under 300 lbs? Who knows? All I know is that I will have trained some more and kept on track.
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
What’s That Weird Taste In My Mouth?41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 22, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 12 comments
Over the last few weeks I have been getting this weird taste in my mouth. I would normally just drink some water and then ignore it. That doesn’t work anymore. The taste is too intense now, and not in a good, rich chocolate cake sort of way. It will only subside after I eat, due to the foods different flavor masking the odd taste.
I have been trying to figure out what it is, but can’t quite put my finger on it. It started occurring after I incorporated more intensity into my work out routine. Around that same time I introduced creatine and amino acids in my post workout shakes. I thought that maybe I wasn’t getting enough hydration, but trust me, I drink tons of water and it doesn’t feel the same as having a dry mouth.
What does it taste like? Well, I think it tastes like the whey protein and glutamine that I drink. The taste is mostly on the underneath, towards the back and sides my tongue. Could it be the protein and glutamine? I don’t think I drink too much of it. Could there be some remnants collecting under my tongue?
What the heck is that weird taste in my mouth? Have you had any similar weird tastes in your mouth? Any professionals out that with any advice?
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
My Current Fat Man Workout Routine41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 19, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 39 comments
The following is my new weekly workout routine. I decided to switch things up a bit after reading John’s post about multi-joint exercises. I try to switch things up every six or so weeks so that my body doesn’t adapt. Now was the perfect time. Right now I am going to focus on working in multi-joint exercises with three full body strength workouts per week. Each should take less than an hour, more like 30 minutes to complete. I go moderate to heavy on each lift, with a 30 second rest between sets. I perform three to four sets per exercise with 10 to 12 reps each. I warm up with a set of push ups each day and will be incorporating pull ups/chin ups, as soon as I can lift my fat ass body weight again. On these days I also hop on my recumbent bike for one hour when I sit down to watch TV.
I had to print out a chart so that I could remember what to do on the days I was lifting. I find it will take away the hassle of having to memorize the routine. That helps me focus on the lifting. So I opened up Microsoft Word and did my thing. Now the chart is hanging in The Shack.
Free Workout Routine:
Day 1 (Tuesday)
1. Barbell Squats - 135 lbs, 185 lbs, 205 lbs, 225 lbs (I used to squat over 400 lbs in high school, it’s been a while)
2. Flat Bench - 135 lbs, 225lbs x 3, 205 lbs
3. Dumbbell Presses - 50 lbs x 3
4. Incline Bench (Barbell) - 135 lbs x 2, 155 lbs
Day 2 (Thursday)
1. Deadlift - 135 lbs, 155 lbs x 2, 185 lbs
2. Step Ups (dumbbells) - 35 lbs, 50 lbs x 2
3. Dumbbell Rows - 50 lbs x 3
4. Close Grip Pulldowns (Palms facing inward) - 80 lbs x 3
5. Wide Grip Pulldowns - 65 lbs x 3
Day 3 (Saturday)
1. Lunges (Dumbbells) - 50 lbs x 3
2. Military (Overhead) Press - 135 lbs x 3
3. Dumbbell Military Press - 50 lbs x 3
4. Upright Rows - 60 lbs x 3
What do I do with my other days? Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are my cardio exercise days.
Free Exercise Routine:
1. I make sure to get some form of cardio in, whether it is on the treadmill, the bike, or outside cross training. I especially like doing HIIT. There’s nothing like it.
2. I also work my midsection on these days. I perform two sets of 100 twists (works best when done with weights), two sets of 15 reps on the ab wheel, and two sets of 40 to 50 crunches.
3. When I am extra energized I hop on the recumbent bike for another hour as a second workout. Sundays I’m a lazy bum and recuperate.
I had my first workout yesterday (Thursday, Day 2) and I felt it. All of it. I was drenched in sweat, my heart rate was up, and I was pumped. Not sure if you could see the sweat in the main photo above, but my wife tried to capture the essence of what I felt at the moment. I am looking forward to Saturdays workout. I love taking hot steam showers and drinking my protein/creatine/amino acids/glutamine shake afterwards, it feels really good when I am done with a tough workout session.
That’s my workout and I’m sticking to it!
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Multi-joint Exercises, Benching is Good but Curls are for Girls41.2 lbs LOSTso farOctober 18, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 16 comments
Yesterday John from Total Transformation wrote a great piece on multi-joint exercises. He pointed out their benefits which include time saving, fat loss, and muscle building, which is something that I am in need of. When he first mentioned multi-joint exercises to me I was at a loss for what they were. I had never heard of them and figured that they were something totally different from what I was currently doing.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I have been performing multi-joint exercises for years. I knew them as compound exercises. As a matter of fact, my workouts have been primarily based on performing multi-joint exercises such as bench pressing, squatting, military (overhead) press, dumbbell rows, upright rows, lunges, leg presses, dead lifts, push ups, dips and pull downs. I was ecstatic. I do sprinkle in some isolation exercises too. Those are biceps curls, triceps extensions, and calf raises to name a few. After reading his article, which concludes with a teaser for next weeks continuation, I have decided to remove the isolation exercises from my routine. For now I will focus on the major muscle groups with multi-joint movements.
In John’s article there is a link to AskMen.com writer Jim Carpentier’s take on multi-joint exercises. Reading both John’s and Jim’s articles have opened my eyes. First off, I felt like a dumb ass for not knowing that I was actually already doing the exercises, but more importantly they make a great point that you can build muscle faster with these compound exercises. Why? Because you are working out multiple (thats what the multi stands for I think) muscle groups at one time, which forces your body into working more and producing more of the stuff your muscles need. Plus you still get your biceps and triceps worked out. They go into a bit more detail in their articles and I suggest that you read them. It’s worth it.
When John posts his workouts I would continuously ask myself why is it that he only performs certain exercises. Now I have the answer. The guy has transformed himself into lean, mean, training machine. In high school my football coach would always say that curls were for girls. Seems like he knew what he was talking about.
Like this? Share it:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
