Controlling My Calorie Intake41.2 lbs LOSTso farAugust 28, 2007 by Israel Lagares | No comments
The last couple of days have been pretty satisfying. I have managed to mentally suppress my appetite. As soon as I get up I make a protein shake and eat a bowl of raisin bran cereal with soy milk. Then I eat a yogurt, fruit and or a half a can of tuna for lunch. Dinner has been grilled chicken with salad.
Here’s a pic of an awesome tasting grilled chicken with romaine lettuce and virgin olive oil salad. Man was it good. My wife definitely knows how to make a mean grilled chicken salad.
The last few days have been all about “getting it done.” I have been mentally preparing myself for each day by telling myself that I WILL DO THIS! No matter what. The truth is that I must do this, there is no room for failure here. Not this time, not again. That’s the approach I am taking. That’s what has worked for me in the past, so that’s what I will do.
The working out and eating right part will come. I know it will. It all starts up there in your head. This past weekends workouts still have my body aching, but I like it. It reminds me that I am on my mission and that nothing will stop me.
Not even me.
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Day 1 All Over Again, 345 lbs with Videos41.2 lbs LOSTso farAugust 27, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 2 comments
Yep, that’s right. I was on the right track for about a month, doing my workouts and eating the way I needed to eat. I was even mentally “there.” But that’s behind me now because today was the day I started all over again.
I weighed myself today and was at 345 lbs. I told ya it was day one all over again! So that’s the starting weight I will use. So I woke up today and told myself “Israel, get off your butt and do this! Just do it!” I know I have it in me darn it. I was on a high school football team that was borderline torturing us for practice and I made it through Parris Island in South Carolina (that’s the Marine Corps Boot camp). So this should be super, duper easy. But you know what I realized? I had peer support during those tough times, working out alone in my shack doesn’t provide me that. So that’s where this blog comes in, along with some offline peer support from some friends and family. So I suggest if you are planning on embarking on a mission such as this, you do not do it alone.
So my first workout in a few months was a good one. Here are some videos of my bench workout. I managed to still be able to rep 225lbs 10 or 12 times. That’s pretty good muscle maturity I got going. I started out benching 205 lbs to warm up.
Repping 205 lbs on the bench
A close-up of my Y R U So Small Shirt and pumping out that last rep.
Me repping 225lbs on the Bench
Afterward, I almost passed out. Not because I was intentionally trying to push myself to the point of exhaustion, but because I think my body was SHOCKED! I knew that I had to stop so I came inside and got a cup of water. Then I started feeling dizzy and my stomach was in knots. I had passed out once before many years ago but it was nothing like this. So I sat down and collected myself for a few minutes. After it had passed I made a whey protein shake: Two 25 gram protein packing scoops of muscle building goodness. I then scarfed down some amino acids, creatine, glutamine, and a multi vitamin to wash it all down. The only supplements that I plan on taking include protein, glutamine, creatine, amino acids, and a multi-vitamin. I won’t be taking any appetite suppressants, rapid-energy boosters, or what ever else is out there. Not until I am at least 50 lbs lighter or so.
All I did for today’s workout was upper body. I benched, did some lat pulldowns for my back, and some standing bicep curls. That little and I still almost passed out. Go figure…I guess I am that much out of shape.
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Biggest Loser is Finally Coming Back41.2 lbs LOSTso farAugust 25, 2007 by Israel Lagares | No comments
I know that they have gone international and are airing shows in different countries, but it feels like it was forever ago that I watched the season finale of The Biggest Loser on NBC. Seriously, how long has it been? Anyone remember? I was watching some television and saw a commercial for it. Finally! It’s back, plus they have a “where are they now” special for the past contestants on Tuesday, Sept. 4. That will be fun to watch. I wonder how all of those people are doing. I bet they kept the weight off, or at least a reasonable amount of it off.
I think the Biggest Loser gods were listening to me when they got rid of Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s fat aunt and replaced her with super attractive Alison Sweeney as the new host (she has her own blog). She is hot, and not fat. Not that I have anything against fat women, but if you are going to host a show about weight loss, at the very least be presentable and lose some weight yourself.
I just saw the exclusive online video promotion for this season and its going to be awesome. Jillian is back and she is training a black team to compete with the red and blue teams. There’s a new Biggest Loser Campus. They even have the contestants pulling airplanes! I wonder what other new twists and shockers there will be this season. I can’t wait, I can honestly say I love that show. I sound all cheesy but this show brought me and my wife a little closer since it first aired. I know that this season I will be losing the weight along with the contestants or maybe even at a faster rate. We shall all see.
Season 4 kicks off on Tuesday, September 11th with a 2 hour episode. Woohoo!
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Steady Progress41.2 lbs LOSTso farJune 27, 2007 by Israel Lagares | No comments
It has been a while since I posted. Since my last post I have been hitting the weights and cardio on a consistent basis. Except for a couple of days last week when some “things” happened that required my undivided attention. But besides that I have been on a role. I have already made this my way of life. One thing I am looking forward to is the day when I can eat whatever I want and not have to worry about it. But that is a long way away, possible some time around Christmas, which would be perfect because my family tends to make some of the best food around the holidays.
Other than that I feel really strong. Stronger than before. I have also incorporated some different exercises into my routine which have helped me get hit some untapped parts of my body. I am also looking forward to being able to do some more cross training.
One thing I did notice today was that as I was on the treadmill I felt the weight holding me down. It was as if I had on a fat suit and it was pulling me down towards the earth. I hated that feeling!!! It made my legs feel heavy and my back hurt. Just thinking about it now makes me feel sluggish. Once I drop the weight I will try my hardest to keep it off.
I have decided to not weigh myself for a few weeks, maybe months, and to not take any pics until I do weigh myself. I will just post my progress by how I am feeling physically, by how my clothes fit, by how my body fits in the world around me (chairs, amusement park rides, tight places, etc.), and by how people react to my appearance. Besides that I won’t be officially measuring my progress with a scale for a while.
Well, that’s all for now. Until next time… Get it done!
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Weigh-In Day: 330 Lbs. Progress Photos41.2 lbs LOSTso farJune 10, 2007 by Israel Lagares | No comments
Well, I am happy to say that I lost 18 lbs so far in only 2 weeks since I have begun my journey. I have developed a mini-complex. By that I mean that I on a constant workout mode. I always want to be working out or eating right or doing something that will assist me in my overall weight loss. I guess its a catch 22 because it’s good that I want to be healthy and exercise but I also need to catch myself so that I don’t over train or under eat.
I have also decided to only blog a few times a week, minimum once a week. My workouts have me feeling awesome, lighter on my toes as I walk around. I have had some really great workouts this past week. This was only the first full week of my strength and conditioning training, but it has been awesome. I have managed to up my minutes on the treadmill to an average of 20 minutes per session before needing to slow it down to a walking pace. My strength training has been awesome. I am actually in a really good place. I have been able to maintain a good amount of strength through out my fat days. I also discovered that I have a good amount of lean muscle, which is over 200 lbs.
Overall, with my cardio, strength, and alternate routines I am happy. Plus losing 18 lbs in 2 weeks makes me feel good. I was originally aiming for 10 lbs a week, but I think a reasonable amount would be 5 lbs minimum lost per week. Anything over 5 is just extra. I want to take this time to say that losing over 2 lbs a week is not something anyone should strive for unless you are experienced with it. I have been through this road before and know my limits.
I have been able to stick to my strict eating diet. I have managed to only drink water and green tea for the last to weeks. I have the occasional soy milk or 2% milk with my cereal. I have cut out practically all of the sugars I used to consume. Its been a very strict diet, but I know that I need to do this in order to reach my goals. I have cut out anything else. I eat healthy and it feels good to know that I am sticking to it. I am already used to the eating of certain foods only so it isn’t a big deal anymore. When I go out to dinner I order healthy dishes.
I am looking forward to next weeks weigh-in and progress. So, until then, without further ado, here are the updated photos.
That is all for now, I am off to a good start. I am eager to start posting pics with more definition. Peace.
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The Evolution - Pictures of the Metamorphosis41.2 lbs LOSTso farJune 4, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 90 comments
This section is where I will be periodically posting all of the pictures that I take throughout the process of me losing the weight. Check back here often for visual updates on my healthy weight loss progress. I will attempt to take new pictures every week monthly.
Me at Day 1.
Second Shots on Day 8.
3rd Shots on 6/10/2007
This is a pic from July. I had lost a few pounds.
A shot of me sitting at my table on August 29, 2007.
This my Dallas Cowboys Jersey. It was a gift that led to a bet. Taken on September 13th, 2007. I am to fit into it more comfortably within 3 months.
‘
This is me on 9/28/07. Flexing after a tough workout. At the time of this photo I weighed 324 lbs.
Taken on 10/01/07 with a weight of 320 lbs. So far I have lost 20 lbs at this point. Awesome!
This is me on my recumbent bike on 10/05/07.
My first day of focusing on multi-joint (compound) exercises. The date is 10/18/07 and I weigh 315 lbs at this point.
These are pictures from me at 260 lbs, back from January 2005.
These are photos taken during and after my emergency appendectomy on Sunday, 11/25/07.
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Day 1 of forever: Before Pictures41.2 lbs LOSTso farMay 28, 2007 by Israel Lagares | 2 comments
What a day. It started out wrong. Things didn’t feel right. I was dreading waking up today because I knew that I had to begin my lifestyle change. Last night I was craving some Dominoes Pizza. I even ordered it , but it never came. I guess it was fate that didn’t let it come.
Anyway, so I wake up and the first thing I smell is breakfast. My mom is here on vacation and has taken it upon herself to make the most tasty meals at precisely the point in life when I have made this decision to shape up. It was mashed potatoes with onions and salami.
Why did the day start off wrong? Because I gave in to the food. I ate half of the heaping potatoes and all of the salami. I was disappointed in myself. Pissed off actually, but while eating it I couldn’t stop until I realized that I was failing. That’s when I pushed the plate aside and put the fork down. I didn’t eat anything until after my work out several hours later. I don’t recommend going long hours without consuming food or nutrients.
I was originally going to start off the routine by taking a mix of supplements, but I have since changed my mind.
The above is a shot of supplements my friend Lukas gave me. They include Ripped Fuel, Oxegen-Nitric Oxide Stimulator, Creatine Fuel and some others. I think I need to focus on the eating and exercise part of it. Therefore I will hold off on these until I drop some pounds. Instead I will stick with Whey Protein, green tea and some multivitamins.
Speaking of green tea, I just made a fresh batch today. It will be a major part of my new diet
I like it cooled. So I make it then let it sit for a while before putting it in the fridge. I ran out of lemons so I couldn’t add any. I have drank half of that batch already today. Plus tons of water. My bathroom visits have increased dramatically today. I suspect thats gonna be the case for a long while.
About 6 hours later I finally decided to workout. I was dreading it and the workout showed. It wasn’t the best workout in my life, but it was a start. I did break a sweat. I did some bench reps, lat pull downs and bicep curls. Then I walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes. I am a little sore. I was really disgusted throughout the entire workout. But like I said, something is something. I think tomorrow will be better. I am going to try and do two-a-days. Which is working out twice a day. I don’t want to burn myself out, but I think that will be a good boost. Maybe doing it a few times a week when my energy levels are higher.
I was a bit more active today too, which helps. I am going to try to do as much as I can: take hot showers with steam so that I can sweat, do a more around the house, go outside for walks, play with my daughter more. Little things that will help with the entire process.
I took some photos so that I can have before pics to show throughout the journey. I really do not want to post these, but I think it is essential. I figured the end result will be that much sweeter.
So here goes. ::Gulp:: The before pictures.
Yeah, it’s bad. 348 pounds of swollen fat. I am confident that I can carve away the fat and get back to my in-shape days.There is definitely room fro improvement. I will try and post photos every few weeks when I notice a significant drop in weight.
Well, that’s it for tonight. I should actually be sleeping. I am looking forward to tomorrow. I feel a bit better especially considering how the day began. Got to do 50 push ups first. Then I can sleep.
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