No, I do not consider myself on a diet.  To me, a diet is where you cut your food intake (there are some crazy schemes out there) in a way which you know is not sustainable.  Usually with diets, the weight quickly piles back on (usually worse) as soon as the diet is over.  I heard an interesting fact – fat cells do not disappear or melt away, they only shrink!  So they stay with you forever!  This is why people put weight back on so quickly when diets go out the window.

For me, it is about healthy eating in a sensible manner I can sustain for the rest of my life.  So in essence, this is a lifestyle change.  And the great thing is, I feel SO much better eating healthy food.  I am more alert, I have more energy, and I have a sparkle in my eye!  So forget the diets, and just start eating properly and exercising.  I think this is the only real way to lose weight.  Sorry, no shortcuts!

My Food Today

• Breakfast = Porridge (I make this with wholegrain oats, as I believe there are more nutrients if the oat is still whole)
• Morning Tea – Yeah right!  Actually, I had a plum.
• Lunch = Dinner leftovers!  Salmon, corn on the cob (half), broad beans, brown rice
• Afternoon Tea = Apple + yoghurt + protein powder + blueberries
• Dinner = Salmon (baked) + kumara + stirfry vege (onion, green pepper, cabbage, zucchini, 1 egg, 1 tsp oyster sauce)
• Supper = protein shake

I am really wanting to hit a big weight loss number this week, but am starting to think maybe I will be on par with last week.  I know any weight loss is good weight loss, but I am impatient!  However, regardless of the result, I will not throw the towel in, as I am committed to losing this weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for a very long time!

My workout today:

• Morning Walk (35 minutes + 144 stairs)
• Walk to and from Gym = 20 minutes (10 each way)
• Squeezeball squats holding medicine ball – 14, then straight into press ups 14,  repeat 3 times
• Vertical Row x 15, repeat 3 times
• Lunges x 16 (8 each way), repeat 3 times
• Flying Dumbbells (stand and flap arms like a bird!) x 10, repeat 3 times
• Steps x 20 (10 per leg) repeat 3 times
• Squeezeball Ab crunches x 15, repeat 4 times
• Lat pulldowns (shoulder press) x 14, repeat 3 times

I must admit I am feeling much better during my workouts, although I am still working up a sweat, and know I am pushing my muscles hard, the rest of my body is not screaming so loudly at me!  The weight loss journey continues to improve…

Diet is a huge part of weight loss.  The biggest change I have made is around portion size.  By following the recommendations made for the 12 week transformation challenge (see portion sizes here), I find I am no longer bloated, nor do I get ‘full’.  However, although I am not bursting at the seams, I am not hungry after I have eaten.  And if I do get a bit hungry between meals, I drink water and voila, the hunger is gone.  Losing weight is a by product of eating properly.  So I expect to see great results at my next weigh in!  I will not be below the yellow line!  Oh wait, wrong program!

Today’s Food

• Breakfast = Porridge
• Morning Tea = skipped
• Lunch = Same as dinner last night (salmon, salad, pineapple rings x 2, broad beans)
• Afternoon Tea = Watermelon mmm + 1 piece of wholegrain toast with avocado (salt, pepper, yum)
• Dinner = Grilled Salmon (yes, I love salmon!) + brown rice (1 cup) + broad beans + half a corn on the cob
• Supper = protein shake

TIP – I always cook enough for 2 meals.  This is why my lunch often matches the dinner from the night before.  I do not require too much variety every day in terms of the food I eat.  I do not need a 7 day menu.  What I do is mix up the afternoon teas, and change up the salads/ veges to add a little variety.  I could eat salmon every day for the rest of my life and not get sick of it.  Lucky I am not too fussy!

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Today was cardio day, and with my goal to lose at least 6.6 pounds this week (3 kg), I decided to push myself hard.  Sure, 12 days ago, I got sweaty from a 10 minute walk to join the gym.  But today, I pushed hard.

First up, my morning walk, which I have begun to enjoy.  A little bit longer today as I did my lap of Victoria Park and then went to a nearby supermarket to pick up some oats.  Ended up buying salmon and tuna + some other odds n ends, so the return journey home was with a little extra weight!  And of course, the stairs at the end.

Then at 1.15pm, the gym had an intermediate SPIN class.  Given I did a beginner class last week, I figured I deserved a promotion to the intermediate.  WOW.  If I did not lose some weight today, I will be gobsmacked.  I could literally wring my shirt out after the ride.  It made the beginner class look like a downhill stroll.  Still, I completed it (although I didn’t dial the full intensity, my poor legs!).

Spin Class = fat burn!

This evening I went for another walk as the sun was setting.  Walking is definately good exercise.  So this was 35 minutes long plus a stair climb at the end.

So today, over 100 minutes of walking and an insane SPIN class.  Yes, I can feel the weight fading away!

Given I do not eat poultry or land meat, finding variety in my diet takes a bit of thought.  I do eat seafood, and Salmon is by far my favorite food.  I am starting to realise the importance of putting the right stuff in my body.  I feel better, I am more alert, and honestly, good fresh food does taste very good!

Eat good. Or deal with me!

Food today:

• Breakfast = Porridge
• Morning Tea – as if I am up early enough to have morning tea AND breakfast before lunch!
• Lunch = Left over dinner last night (salmon, broad beans, Salad, brown rice)
• Afternoon Tea = Smoothie (strawberry, boysenberry, 2 x scoop protein powder, plain yoghurt, super trim milk)
• Dinner = Baked Salmon + salad + pineapple rings (x2)  + steamed kumara
• Supper = Protein shake

I also have been drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day and started taking a multi-vitamin tablet.  Starting to notice the weight loss, and diet indeed seems to have a large part to play (70% according to Steve, my personal trainer)

Had 30 minutes with my personal trainer, who took the same measurements that we did at the start of the program.  While I managed to take 2cm off my chest, I only took 1cm off my waist.  Oh dear, the tummy fat is going to be stubborn!

I just want a smaller tummy!

However, the rest of my measurements were quite a shock, especially body fat %.  Here they are:

• Blood Pressure  WAS 130/100 NOW 125/95
• Stomach   WAS 116cm (45.7″)  NOW 115cm (45.27″)
• Chest   WAS 118.5cm (46.25″)  NOW 116.5cm (45.8″)
• Upper Arm   WAS 36.5cm (14.37″)  NOW 34.5cm (13.58″)
• % of Body Fat  WAS 35.3%  NOW 25.7%

Wow.  Body fat from 35.3 to 25.7  -  it is very hard to believe!  I know I pushed hard, and feel like my body is responding well, but that is a huge number.  I will put it down to maybe an incorrect reading the first time, OR, I simply nailed it in the last 9 days.  Either way, I am stoked with the overall results.  2cm off my chest is fantastic.  Looks like the weight loss was not the only positive result from last week!  I feel as if my body has moved out of the sluggish gear it was stuck in and now the machine is in top gear and going smoothly.

The day has come at last!  Time to get on the scales!  And the result?  5.5 pounds or 2.5kgs!  I was a little disappointed, but Steve, my personal trainer, was very surprised and his initial reaction was “too much!” NEVER! hehe.  Perhaps I watched too much of ‘The Biggest Loser’ before starting this program (one series in a week!), so got used to seeing ridiculous numbers on their weigh ins.

Weigh in time!

However, any weight loss is good weight loss, so I will take the 2.5kgs and step up a little harder this week.

Starting Weight        265 pounds / 120 kg

Week One                 259.5 pounds / 117.5 kg         ( – 5.5 lb / – 2.5 kg)

As I like to sleep in (and hey, it is Sunday!), I skipped morning tea again!  However, I have learned the importance of breakfast!

Breakfast = Porridge (I actually enjoy my morning porridge now)

Morning Tea = Not again fatbird!  Yes, missed it again!

Lunch = 2 x sandwiches (tuna, lite cottage cheese) on wholegrain bread x 2 + plum + banana

Afternoon Tea = Natural unsweetened yoghurt with blueberries added + also added 2 x scoop protein powder.  MUCH tastier with the protein powder.

Dinner = Grilled Salmon + kumara + baby carrots + broccoli + brussels sprouts

Supper = Protein Shake.

All in all, I feel good about the food I am eating.  If diet plays such a huge role in weight loss, then no chocolate for me!

Day Seven.  One week.  Without having had any coffee or sugar, I had some headaches on days three and four.  During the week I felt very ill as well.  I wonder if it was my body going into withdrawal!  Today I have noticed another odd thing – I have broken out!  Pimples.  It is like being a teenager all over again.  Sure, my skin is naturally oily, but this is not usual.  I guess all the bad stuff inside me is coming out, which is great!  It is like the ugly duckling, about to transform!  We just need the transform part now…I have eleven more weeks for that!

mmm adult pimples

Also today I have noticed my first injury.  My elbow on the left arm is very sore when I fully extend my arm.  Not the tip of the elbow, it feels like the muscle that runs alongside my elbow.  It just feels tight, so think I may have pulled that when my arm slipped while doing an exercise where I put my weight on my arms, leaning against the backrest, pulling my knees up.  Great ab workout I am told.  A while before the ab flab is gone though!  Wonder how much weight loss I need before I can work my abs into a sixpack.

I better go post my food diary for today!

Today I slept in again.  In my defence, the neighbours had a very loud party until 3am.  First thing I did was go for my daily morning walk to and around Victoria Park.  Once again, no homeless people in sight, as the park was full of cricket games!

I push myself pretty hard on the walks – aiming for a brisk pace.  Soon I will replace walking with running (hopefully when I wobble a little less).  I noticed the stairs seemed a bit easier today.  Maybe my fitness is starting to improve.

I am only one week into a 12 week program.  With my goal to get to a weight of 200 pounds (90kgs), I need to lose a total of 66 pounds (30kgs).  Weekly then, I need to lose 5.5 pounds or 2.5kgs per week.  I think this should be easy, and i am sure I have reached my desired weight loss this week.  Tomorrow will reveal all!

Saturday.  The gym is closed all weekend.  There are other branches I could go to, but weekend is for cardio and one day of rest, so will skip gyms in the weekend.  So for exercise, that leaves me a few options like walking, Nintendo Wii Sports with friends, the stairs up to my apartment.

So first thing this morning, off I went for a walk around Victoria Park.  Now, this park is the home of homeless people through out the week, but on a Saturday, the homeless are nowhere in sight, instead you get all the soccor moms (ok, cricket) and so on, with a few games of schoolboy cricket going on.  If only they all knew what the park looked like during the week.  Anyway, I digress.

Walking was my main exercise today, as I went for another walk (about 35 – 40 minutes) this evening.  After both walks, I hit the stairs.  They do not get any easier!

Poor Fat Bird!

I imagine walking and stairs are great for weight loss.  I am not sure how much weight I have lost yet, but my target is just under 4kgs a week initially, as my weight loss will decrease as I get nearer my goal weight.  So I have to lose the big amounts in the first few weeks!  .  Everyone tells me this is too much, but I saw people on the biggest loser lose way more than that!  I am pushing myself hard and expect to see results!  Monday will tell all.  My weigh in is at 4pm which is late in the day, and my suspicion is that one gets heavier through out the day.  Not sure, but am looking forward to getting my first weigh in out of the way.

One thing I can say on Day Six – I am feeling much better now than I did before I started this program.  Initally my goal was weight loss, but I realise fitness and wellbeing are also great benefits!

On Friday, I went down to Club Physical to join the 12 week transformation challenge.  You can read about this here.  The manager of the club was wonderful and very friendly, an instantly likeable person.

I asked who my personal trainer would be and just as I asked that, in he walked.  His name is Steve.  After I had signed up, I asked when I could get a tour of the gym and the  facilities.  Steve offered to do it then and there, if I had time.  Of course I did!!  So he took me into his office, and then asked me what I was hoping to achieve.  My answer was simple.  “Weight Loss”.  I explained I did not like doing ‘circuits’ where I do boring reps on different machines designed to hurt muscles I did not know I had.  For me, it is about weight loss, and I want a cardio heavy plan.  However, he is the expert, so I will defer to him.

He then told me he was self employed, and that he received nothing from the club for the 12 week transformation challenge.  He advised that if I wanted to see real results, I would need to sign up for an extra hour of personal training per week at a special cost of just $60 per hour.  A quick calculation worked out that meant an extra $720 on top of the $550.   I said no, that I did not want to double the cost of the program.  He quickly lost interest in me and said he would see me on Monday for my first hour session and weigh in etc.  No gym tour.  Guess I will get that on Monday.

So we are not off to a good start.  My immediate reaction is that the marketing for the 12 week transformation challenge is fantastic, where-as the execution may be a little lacking.  I am sure Steve did not intend to undermine the program by telling me it would only work if I had an extra 60 minutes per week with him.  I will give him the benefit of the doubt, and assume he was just looking to make some extra money, and who can blame a guy for that.

Tomorrow at 11am, my life will change course.  The challenge will begin!  Despite Steve’s lack of enthusiasm after my polite refusal of his $720 extra plan, I am still excited by the opportunity before me and intend to give it everything I have and more.  No more fat bird!