ASOIAF Weight Loss Challenge II

[smegma]

I had a pretty good, but not great weekend. Still gluten-free, and I haven't indulged in pop yet (although I did find a gluten-free pizza so when the time comes, I'll indulge then). I did have some potato salad that was horribly fatty, but it actually upset my stomach so I chucked the rest of the container. Breakfasts have been 2-3 slices of turkey bacon and a couple of eggs, lunches are salads, and for dinner I had tacos again from Chipotle (just two of the three they give you), and Saturday night I had some roast chicken. I have been snacking on small portions of veggies throughout the day, with a few corn chips thrown in there. For a snack/dessert I heated up one gluten-free waffle and put a little bit of Nutella on it. Not too bad!

Where I failed: popcorn. Not a total disaster, but I made two bags of popcorn at home this weekend while the bf and I were watching The Wire and I ate the vast majority of the two bags. This was a habit I developed over the past couple of months. Last night, I resisted making any. From now on I'm going to make popcorn and just take a small bowl and be done with it (I am definitely of the "if it's in front of me, I will eat it" mindset.

But I did walk two miles a day each day, and this week my goal is to keep going with my eating (doing pretty well there) and increase my activity to include swimming at least 30 minutes twice this week and start a 3 time per week strength training (I have a gym membership, might as well use it)

My biggest hurdle this week may be that I'll be drinking on Thursday night. I can go months and months without drinking, but when I do, I want to EAT. I'm going to be very cognizant of this and make sure that I don't end up with McDonald's or something just because I get that drunken craving. Also, because of the extra calories I'm going to consume, going to try to balance it out with strict control this week.

All told, down 7lbs so far. Feeling more energized too!

[lady narcissa]

And today is off to a tempting start. Currently the secretary outside my office has a platter of homemade miny Bavarian creme donuts dipped in chocolate on her desk which are for everyone to snack on. I can see them from my desk. They are calling my name. I'm going to close the door in a few minutes and crank up the music so I can't hear them.

Today is also the beginning of what I refer to as "Birthday Season" at my office...i.e. a birthday every few days with cake every afternoon. I think this week's challenge is to just say NO to all these things. That probably sounds pretty similar to my first week's tweak but these are added temptations. It's one thing to resist candy, it's another to resist cake and homemade donuts.

I'm also going to work on portions while eating out. I have a few dinners and lunches scheduled this week and I've got to be more disciplined in these situations.

Oh and I am down a pound from last week. Which is decent considering eating fail at the end of the week. My belt is over one notch as well.

[cjfshaw]

Or eat different things in different ways. Have you spoken to a sports dietician?

Nope, but my diet and workout plan have both started to naturally lean toward what is apparently the typical 'hard-gainer' plan. I think I'm just going to start eating a shitload of peanut butter or something in addition to what I already eat. What does everyone here eat when they need a snack? All I really want is Dorito's but they are just a waste of stomach space and empty calories.

[Nichole]

Other then having a few glasses of wine each night, I did alright this weekend. No beer, no pizza rolls. I had icecream, but I didn't go over my icecream only two days a week rule. Took my dog on long walks each day.

So far today, I'm not sure I can make it through a full day of work. I wasn't even able to keep water down this morning and now just feel crappy. I might have to throw the towel in and go home soon. I don't know what is wrong, I was thinking perhaps salmonella that they say is going around in eggs, but the eggs I get are local and they say not at risk. I've also been eating a lot of tomatoes lately since my coworker gave me a lot from his garden. When I was younger tomatoes could fuck my stomach up but I haven't had an issue in a long time.

My tweak for the week will be to do cardio five times a week and weights three times.

[cjfshaw]

My tweak for the week will be to do cardio five times a week and weights three times.

Phew, that's a lot of working out. Good luck to you. If you aren't already, I would suggest doing the weights and then the cardio if you are doing them on the same day/in the same session. Personally, I can never lift after a run but I can run (slowly) after lifting.

As for me, I haven't specifically listed any tweaks or anything so I'm going to go through my changes right now.

1.) My first change was to add breakfast. I am consistently failing at this, and need to do better. The reason is that I wake up late, so this leads to change number 2.

2.) Go to bed earlier. Obviously if this was easy there wouldn't be a huge market for sleeping pills. Personally I find that if I don't eat at the right times and do an exhaustive physical activity of some kind an hour or two before I try to go to bed I simply can not sleep. This leads into change 3.

3.) Do some kind of strength workout (high weight, low reps) every day that I am not tired enough to pass out.

[Nichole]

Phew, that's a lot of working out. Good luck to you. If you aren't already, I would suggest doing the weights and then the cardio if you are doing them on the same day/in the same session. Personally, I can never lift after a run but I can run (slowly) after lifting.

I usually do weights on my lunch break. I have a hour for lunch and one of the salesmen here set up his weights in the warehouse. I just go use those. Then, I do cardio in the evenings. I get really sweaty if I'm doing cardio right, so I would rather not try to fit that in at lunch. So, really it is using three lunches a week to do weights and five days a week to do something cardio in the evening or on weekends.

And just so you all don't worry about me not eating lunch, I can eat whenever I want at my desk.

[Seventh Pup]

Yes please post your tweaks post haste. Anyone with out a tweak by Wednesday is coming off the list! Unless I don't get a chance to update the list until Friday, then they are coming off the list. But rest assured, not posting a tweak soon will eventually lead to perhaps not being on the list. :unsure:

With that out of the way. Rewards are coming soon for the rest of you who have been at it more then one week. One of my goals this week is to keep the names on this list current. I just figured out how to look up people’s posts, which means I won't have to constantly be rereading the thread to make sure everyone had a second week update. I am sure this will help me save some time. (Pervious to this I’ve been rereading the first thread in it’s entirety for every reward) Third week rewards will come out next week after you have completed your third week, (or second or first), of the challenge. They will probably be a little random or when everyone gets one. But my goal is to keep at least the names on the list current.

I'd really like to remind everyone that the tweak can be small, it can be something your already doing but haven't committed to, it can anything at all that you can relate somehow to loosing weight.

For instance my weeks tweak about drinking more water, and taking a multivitamin is not really that big. It will be much easier then my first week tweak of not buying food at work. But as I've started to be more active I've gotten hungrier. Staying hydrated has been shown to diminish hunger. Taking a multivitamin may help diminish hunger. Drinking three large glasses of water is not hard, neither is taking a pill in the morning. Tweaks do not need to be big scary things, there man purpose is to make you look at your lifestyle with critical eye, and see what sacrifices, or changes you can make or take for a short period of time to make it healthier.

[cjfshaw]

somehow the cafeteria at work screwed up pasta w/ meat sauce and minestrome, I am baffled

[Seventh Pup]

Nope, but my diet and workout plan have both started to naturally lean toward what is apparently the typical 'hard-gainer' plan. I think I'm just going to start eating a shitload of peanut butter or something in addition to what I already eat. What does everyone here eat when they need a snack? All I really want is Dorito's but they are just a waste of stomach space and empty calories.

You might want to think of things you can add eggs. Like when ever I make Ramen I add an egg to it, you might want to add two or three. Adding them to your breakfast as either boiled, or scrambled. Add then to your lunch, having a hard boiled egg with salt is very filling, and wonderful snack, adding them to your lunch salad is a great way to add protein to your lunch.

In general you are just going to need to eat more. (For our New Comers Capoeirista13 is going this challenge in reverse. He actually needs to gain weight. In the spirit if togetherness even though his basic goal runs counter to the Challenge we let him join.)

[cjfshaw]

I like the idea of hard boiled eggs as a snack. I used to nom on them w/ black pepper and italian dressing.

[Seventh Pup]

I'm a lurker, but I'm going to emerge from my observational nook to jump right on this bandwagon.

I'd like to lose 10 pounds this fall. I'm not overweight per se, but as my frame and desired lifestyle go, I'm big. Throughout my life up to second year of college I was about 10 or 15 pounds lighter (don't use scale, I go by feel usually), and I felt a lot better. Now I'm having difficulty sustaining a good run or working out to my full ability. My energy levels are way down because I'm eating so much crap. I don't feel healthy.

I'm a huge social eater, so that's my main problem right there. I've been making dinner at my friends' house lately, and they always make huge, delicious desserts, and I feel almost judgmental (they're overweight, but active) not joining in because they both know I have a huge sweet tooth. I tend to eat too quickly and thus overeat too since like 98% of the population eats faster than I do.

Huh. Writing that down actually clarified a big part of my problem that I otherwise wouldn't have been clear about. Well anyways, the game plan is to cut out sweets and other processed simple carbs entirely, slow down eating, and up my workout routine. I missed registration for this big marathon I wanted to do SOO badly, but I'm just going to train for it as if I were running it anyways. I also occasionally do insanity at my friends' house, prior to huge dinners with dessert.

Welcome S'vrones!

So S'vrones what is the thing you are going to tweak in your life style for the next ten weeks?

[Seventh Pup]

I like the idea of hard boiled eggs as a snack. I used to nom on them w/ black pepper and italian dressing.

I like of the idea of you adding dressing to it sense you need to add calories. :)

[Seventh Pup]

I like the idea of hard boiled eggs as a snack. I used to nom on them w/ black pepper and italian dressing.

Also think about adding things like full fat yogurt, and cheese to you snacking routine. (I eat fat free string cheese, and yogurt as a snack right now). They taste yummy and are good sources of protein and calcium. I had a creamy yogurt on Friday that was that had rich in vitamin A, and had a good amount of vitamin C and iron in it. It was also 270 calories (yicks for me, awesome for you.) :)

[cjfshaw]

I'm somewhat lactose intolerant, which makes that a bit difficult. Yogurt kills my stomach and is simply not worth it. My stomach is all over the place with how it reacts to cheese. Milk I'm totally fine with actually. Ice cream doesn't hurt my stomach either, it's a bit odd.

[smegma]

I have noticed that if I keep hard-boiled eggs around, I eat better and more healthy than normal. Whenever I get really hungry is when my good decision making skills go out the door. So if I am starving I will just eat a hard-boiled egg first and that will calm me down. Only 70 calories or something and it helps a lot. But for those that are trying to gain weight, they are helpful too because of the added protein.

[BigFatCoward]

I have noticed that if I keep hard-boiled eggs around, I eat better and more healthy than normal.

i can't get the image of you sat on the tube or somesuch, thinking 'hey i'm hungry' getting a hard boiled egg out of your bag and chowing down. if you had a tiny little salt cellar to sprinkle on top that would be awesome. far more socially acceptable than the ignorant fucks who eat fried chicken, kebabs and other stinky greasy shit in a confined space.

edit, as long as you dispose of your shell in an acceptable manner.

[Slyfinger]

Is it too late to join? If not, I'll offer a brief update on my summer weight loss.

I've lost 17 pounds and 2 inches off the waist since May. I've given up soda, sugar(except in my coffee), and Kool Aid. I've tried to eliminate high fruitcose corn syrup as much as possible but that shit is in everything!!!

Portions are being watched, food isn't being fried, and vegetables are being consumed except for the occasional slip.

The weights and exercise machine in my basement aren't collecting anymore dust as I've been actually using the fuckers! 3-4 times a week for 30-45 minutes. I can lift my body weight(200) but I normally lift smaller(135-165) since I'm going for tone, not bulk. 800-1000 crunches/sit-ups a week on the Ab Lounge.

All in all, not a bad summer... except those fucking donuts. If donuts were health food, I'd be... well, healthy.

[Fez]

I'm definitely feeling stronger, so I am gaining muscle, but despite being hungry most of the time due to my switch to 3 smaller meals from 1 giant meal and cutting out sugary drinks I really don't feel like I'm losing any fat. Its kinda discouraging. On the plus side I now can do 2 pull-ups at a time so there's that.

I think I will have to take a stab at my drinking in order to make a difference, so my new tweak is to ensure at least half the beer I consume is of the 'lite' variety.

[Tyria]

My first week goal was to hop on the elliptical three times a week and cut out the pop. In the last two weeks the first was a success, but I caved and had pop twice, which is still a huuuge improvement on how much pop I'm used to drinking.

My second week tweak was to do the 40 minute walk home from work at least twice a week. I did it three times last week!

This week's tweak will be to jump on the more water bandwagon. The only time I usually drink water is when it's really hot out, or I'm hungover. I just don't like the taste of nothing, I guess. I can't use those no or low calorie powders to flavour water, because all I can taste is the aspartame or whatever it is, that tastes like chemicals to me (same reason I don't like diet pop). I find water easier to drink when it's super cold, so I'm going to make sure there's always lots of ice in the freezer.

I actually like mineral water, so I will start keeping some at home. Someone, I can't remember who, said that mineral water can be a good substitute for pop cravings. Fingers crossed!

[Kymeera]

My newest tweak is to switch out my normal breakfast of a bagel and cream cheese with a granola bar. I may have to change it later if I find that I'm starving by 10am, but maybe it'll go well.