So what prompted you to do this?
What, the decision to lose weight or the blog? On the weight, I just got tired of my pants being too tight. (Plus the letter from my father, which I will discuss at a later date.) I did a hard core program in 2006 and lost about 25 pounds and felt great. I slowly put it back on at the rate of about 10 pounds per year, and sometime in '09, I decided it was time to do something again. I had tried a couple of short term diets in 2007 and 2008, but nothing that amounted to any serious results. So last year I decided I really needed to get serious about it. But it was football season (lots of tailgates), and then the Holidays and Bowl Games, so I just decided to enjoy the season and start the day after.
Regarding the blog, as I mentioned over on the sidebar "What this is all about" section, I recently watched the movie "Julie & Julia" and was impressed by the Julie character who blogged about cooking all of the 524 recipes in the Julia Child cookbook in one year. I had never done a blog and thought it might be a fun way to keep me on track and learn a little more about blogging.
Why the no alcohol policy?
Two reasons:
1. The obvious calorie content of the booze and booze by products (munchies).
2. The fear of missing a workout either due to a neighborly invitation for cocktails in the evening or the absence of motivation in the morning (due to former).
But you're an Ole Miss alumni; isn't that crazy?
Very, and I'm a Saints fan too, but they've both been winning more lately so that's helped lessen the need to medicate.
However, I happen to live in a very socially active neighborhood with a certain shall we say "zest for life" that has really made this a lot more challenging that I thought.
What exactly is the program you're doing?
I'm basically following the "Body For Life" exercise program
.It was created by a guy named Bill Phillips (yeah, he's the metro looking guy on the right), and he produced some amazing results (see some of the before and after pictures) as well as life changing impacts on some of the participants. I really like this program. It's challenging without making you feel like you're gonna puke (see P90X), and it works every part of your body plus cardio fitness. Plus you can send in before and after pictures and possibly win $25,000 cash!
How does it work?
It's 12 Weeks, 6 workouts per week (1 each day and then a free day). Monday/Wednesday/Friday are weights and Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday are cardio. On the MWF weight days, you alternate between upper body and lower body. You can use machines or free weights and have a lot of options on which exercises you use. On the upper body days, you work Chest/Shoulders/Back/Triceps/Biceps, all with separate set groups. On the lower body days you work quads/hams/calves and then do ab work. Both programs take about 45 minutes. The cardio workouts are about 20 minutes. There are some wonderful exercise guides, spreadsheets and logbooks available free on line.
About the diet. What are you doing there?
No formal 12 week diet as defined by some book or service. I am tracking everything I eat (and I mean everything), and I'm incorporating a few diets I've uncovered through the years. I kick started the whole program with "The Three Day Diet" which my neighbors John and Christy recommended. It's a hard core deal, but really got me off to a good start. After that, pretty simple, I'm eating lean meat-chicken-fish, lot's of salad and green vegetables, avoiding the fried stuff and breads.
A big deal is portion size. I learned about that when I tried the Nutrisystems diet in 2007 and lost about 18 pounds in 6 weeks. Man, when that box of food arrived from UPS and I opened it and said "This is my entire month's supply of food?" I mean this box
was about the size of a toaster. But I tried it and too my surprise, it worked and I wasn't hungry after eating that tiny lunch cup.How much do you hope to lose? What are your goals?
well, like Madonna, nothing too radical....
As I mentioned, I did a similar program in 2006 and lost about 25 pounds. Keep in mind that this program builds muscle so I probably shifted some pounds around to the better. I did all of the workouts, but I didn't diet as strictly as I should have. So this time I am paying more attention to the diet. The sad news is that this time I'm starting about 8 pounds heavier than the last time. I've been busting my ass for two weeks and I'm just now at where I started back in '06. So, with that handicap and 4 more years on this body, (slower metabolisim, etc) I have to be more vigilant.
Anyway, to answer your question, I'd say that weight-wise, I'd love to bust 220 (may be a bit agressive), but I will say that my biggest goal is my gut and double chin. And I'll let the pants and pictures be my judge at the end of this period.
Long term control is my second biggest goal and my biggest fear. Yesterday, I spoke with my good friend Marilyn Beasley, who owns the Diet Center in Jackson . I'm going to meet with those fine folks to get a body fat analysis (which I will post here of course) and get on a maintenance plan.
Sounds great, so how's it going so far?
Overall I am pleased. Obviously, it's never has fast as one would hope, but I feel good; all of the initial soreness is gone, and I'm actually enjoying the sense of well being
coming from all of this.I've dropped 8 pounds and 2 inches in my gut so far.
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