WINTER PROGRAM - PROLOGUE

Needless to say, I’ve been struggling with the program. I have had quite a few starts and failures. 18 months ago, I was successful in following the Eat to Live diet. Gradually, I got away from it and succumb to my food addictions; chocolate, alcohol and salty snacks, CASS.

I’m starting, again. I'm re-reading the latest book from Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Eat for Health. I read the first section, last night. I going to follow the program. Fuhrman has written this book for people to ease in to the program. I went fully into Eat to Live, but haven’t been able to return.

I call this my Winter Program, December through February. The goal is to lose 13 pounds of fat, with a weight of 169 with a 20% of fat. My long term goals are; weight 159, 15% body fat, 36” waist
and add 5 pounds of muscle.

I will use this blog for a daily food journal. I’m getting serious. Really, I am.

Today’s weight 182

Today’s Food Journal:
Breakfast:
2 egg omelet with red peppers and mushrooms, cheese
1 toast spread
2 scones with spread & blue berries preserve

Lunch:
Green smoothie; banana, pineapple, collards, soy milk

Dinner:
Black eyed peas,
Steamed collards,
Home made veggie soup
Pita chips with hummus

Exercise
1 hour walk outside
30’ on the Bowflex

A SUCCESSFUL DAY!

EOM JULY

Ended the month of July at 175, a five pound loss. An inch each off the chest, waist and hips. Fat 23% and BMI 24.4. Meeting the exercise goals. Have kept the eating to three squares, no snacks and no booze. Feel good.

Need Kick Start

Tomorrow, will mark 5 remaining weeks of the summer challenge. I have not been consistent with my exercise and eating. This week I will post my July results.

I am addicted to my salty snacks and my alcoholic beverages. As of tonight, I am on the wagon! No more alcohol or chips or Cheetos.

I purchased Dr. Fuhrman's Eat for Health. I am doing well with my healthy eating, but getting too many calories from the salty snacks and beer.

This last week, I've improved my exercising, but need to be consistent.

Summer Challenge

Okay, I didn't make my goals. Quite the contrary instead of losing the sought 7 pounds, I gained eight!

My dietary goal is to follow a modified "Eat to Live" plan by Doctor Joel Fuhrman. Last year in following the basic plan I lost 20 pounds in six weeks. By modified I mean chicken once a week, fish three times a week, eggs once a week and more whole grain than on the restrictive diet. I do allow 3 drinks a week. It's a healthy doable diet.

My goal weight is 160 with 15 % body fat with 36" waist. I began this recent pilgrimage on Memorial Day at 180, 25% and 40". I plan to reach my goals by Labor Day.

I need to increase my exercise for a total of 5 hours a week. 3 1/2 hours of cardio which is walking or using a Gazelle indoor. Strength training on Bowflex for 3 X 30 minutes a week.

My weaknesses are sugar; chocolate and salty snacks' Cheetos and chips when I am stressed out. I have been STRESSED OUT!

Fell off the Wagon

Fell off the wagon. Couldn’t move the needle down with eating right and working out and got frustrated. The stress of work took over and my emotional eating began and exercise went bye bye.

This week through ETL eating and a little exercise back at my starting weight 173.5. The rest of the stats are chest 40, waist 38, hips 39. Fat % 24. I’m getting back on the wagon with same goals but with no set date.

Week 3

Had a good week of exercise and surpassed my weekly goals by getting in 6 1/4 hours. My total weight stayed the same but my fat per centage came down a per cent. Feeling good and having no desire for sweets, salty snacks or a drink. I do need to watch my intake of crusty bread, even the good stuff whole grain.

Week 2

Week Two I met my exercise goals with a little more 5.5 hours. Great! My weekly weigh in on Wednesday gave me a 2 pound weight loss. I have felt no desire for sweets or salty snacks. The desire for an occassional drink has past. I do need to cut back on eating whole wheat bread. It's become a snack. I also eat too much with dinner. I eating ETL with vegetables, fruit and beans.

I'm reading Tom Venuto's book Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle. I've written my goals which I post below. There's a lot of good stuff in Tom's book.

One point Tom has made it's hard to lose fat and at the same time gain muscle. There is usually some muscle loss with all weight loss.

GOALS
1. Reach 36 inch waist
2. Lose 14 pounds of fat – [40 – 15 = 25]
3. Reach a weight of 160
4. Gain 3 pounds of muscle [132 + 3 =135]
5. Reach Body Fat 16%

The next 90 days [3 months] by May 1st I will have lost 15 pounds of fat and gained 3 pounds of muscle achieving a weight of 160 with a waist of 36”.

I will do this by doing at least 5 hours a week of exercise; 1.5 strength training and 3.5 cardio.
I will follow the Eat to Live healthy eating maintenance plan.
I will consume no alcohol!

Week One Exercise Goals Met

I'm burning up the calories with my Gazelle. I hit the goal of 5 hours per week yesterday. Then and today I put in a hour on it. I've moved up my circuits to 2 on the bowflex.

Think I am overing missing a drink. Wanted a beer yesterday watching the VA VATech game. Was going to have a beer with Nachos matching the Super Bowl. But had Black Bean Soup with filtered water. I'm not feeling deprived.

Got the fat analyzer scale correctly calibrated. Says I'm 22%. Wednesday will be the official weigh in for the month of February.

Day One

Well it's not really day one. But it does feel like it. Gosh, I was up at 5:30. Walked the dog and then worked out on the Gazelle for a hour! Wow!

Today's Friday and really missed that end of the week drink. Wanted a glass of red wine, but oh well.

Weighed in at 171. That's a significant drop but really only a fluctuation. I got on my fat analyzer scale and it read 31%. That can't be right need to check the settings.

The wife cautioned me the weight is not the test - use the mirror. She is right again. The mirror does say lose weight!

On the Wagon!

Wow. What’s happened since the last entry recorded 11/17th. How about gaining 7 pounds and an inch on the waist!

Winter is the worse time for me for gaining weight. The next two months can be my most dangerous. It was last year. So, here goes. I’m back on the Eat to Live dietary health style. This will include no alcohol. My goals are a 36” waist and lose 15 pounds. My time frame is In three months – May 1st.

I have to follow my exercise regimen if I am going to do this. I have to get up earlier and use the Gazelle for 30’ a day. My goal is 6 days a week. So that’s 3 hours cardio. Working out on the Bow flex three times a week for makes total exercise up to 4.5 hours a week. Let’s make that at least 5 hours a week of exercise.

Okay ready, set GO!