Cachinnatees... I need help. It's difficult for a grown man to admit that. But as I've said before, I'm in less than the best shape of my life.
MeSince getting a desk job and going to grad school I've put on a good deal of weight. I have not been sleeping enough. I have not been exercising regularly. It makes me unhappy. I'm serious! When I was acting up in NYC I was in great shape! I snagged a wife waaaaaay out of my league thanks in part to being in that good shape. What a letdown my current shape must be. Ugh.
So I'm going to try an experiment. I'm going to be veeeeeery vulnerable. I'm going to get really personal right here on Cachinnation Central. I'm going to enlist your help. I've set a few goals that you are going to hold me to:
- No fast food.
- No soda.
- No caffeine.
- Exercise 4 times per week.
- Goal weight 190 lbs.
- Sleep 7 hrs. per night.
Here's how it will work: I'm going to post weekly telling you my actual weight. I'm going to fess up to any malfeasance. I'm going to give you progress reports on how close I'm getting to those goals. I don't expect that I'll be able to start all of those goals successfully tomorrow, but I do expect to make progress.
How can you help? When I post these things, I need you to respond in the comments section with either encouragement or gentle chastisement. I could also use any form of motivation such as links to pictures of fat people or links to articles that will help me on my quest. Help me stick to it, Cachinnatees! Help me to be healthy again! I'll be honest if you'll be helpful. Please... help me Obi Wan Cachinnatees, you're my only hope...
29 Cachinnations
My beginning weight is 215. L. Ron Hubbard help me, I can't believe I admitted that.
Posted on 6/12/2006
I think this post is a great start. Now you have lots and lots of accountability. Desk jobs kinda suck in alot of ways, don't they?
Posted on 6/13/2006
I'm right there with you, Cach. I know you probably can't tell, but I've put on 15 lbs in the last year from sitting on my butt and drinking Dr. Pepper all day. I've now switched to unleaded. It's a weaning process. But I commend you for reaching out. The buddy system works. I think you should have a workout buddy...perhaps Boscoe...for accountability.
Posted on 6/13/2006
This should help.
Feel motivated?
Posted on 6/13/2006
First off...DON'T click the link in Forky's message. Trust me.
Second, I've got your back, cach. I found out I'm singing in a Don Giovanni with a friggin' ripped Leporello, so I've been hitting the gym HARD for a few months. You should see me I'm FRIGGIN HUGE!
Posted on 6/13/2006
You can doooo it! (said with the accent from "Waterboy"). Of course, I say this as I sit at my desk and snack away. I still can't figure out why I'm so hungry if all I ever do is sit at my desk all day. One of life's great mysteries, I suppose.
Posted on 6/13/2006
Sounds good. People do this with their finances too, post what they make and savings goals. It's an interesting support system, this blogging. You've got a way to go, but cutting soda will help you get there. All that sugar is not so good for the body. Also, what type of exercise will you be doing?
A can't seem to gain weight. I hover around 162 like it was my job. I think it's just gonna take time. That and my bum knee keeping me from running.
Posted on 6/13/2006
Check this out. Pete is a friend I challenged to run a half-marathon. Pete is NOT a natural runner:
Before:
http://runningpete.blogspot.com/2004/12/and-so-it-begins.html
After:
http://runningpete.blogspot.com/2005/04/goals.html
Posted on 6/13/2006
You can do it!
Posted on 6/13/2006
sounds hard. but good. good for you!
Posted on 6/13/2006
Cach - First of all, best wishes to you for success in this. You're very bold in being so open and public with this, but for many people this is a big encouragement and motivator, since you know you're not alone.
I hope you don't mind if I add a few observations, tips, ideas, and hopefully people will jump in to make additions or even corrections if they're more knowledgable in this stuff than I am:
-Several small portions throughout the day are better than two or three larger meals a day.
-Acquire a taste for water. Plain, old-fashioned agua pura. After a while (at least in my experience) it will become your primary craving when you are thirsty. It is very cleansing to your body, and helps in weight loss.
-Don't skip breakfast. Every medical source I could find agreed that the body reacts to a skipped breakfast by slowing metabolism for the day.
-For some reason, foods high in sugars and carbs (especially heavily processed foods) actually make you feel hungrier, moreso as you eat more. So excess snacking on cakes and cookies, for example, doesn't satisfy and make you feel full, but instead makes you crave even more. It's a strange cycle (I say this from experience).
-You are very wise to have mentioned soda and caffeine. These play weird games with blood sugar levels, and studies say they increase cravings a lot in the long run.
-Mix it up with the exercise routines, do lots of different things, have fun with it (we already know you're good at having fun).
And ultimately, remember that what you're working toward is a long-term lifestyle of moderation, that will stay with you from now on. It sounds like you have a busy schedule, but regularly scheduled activites like a brisk walk with your wife in the mornings or evenings can be enjoyable and healthy, providing time to stop whatever you're doing, and get together to talk and focus on one another. (I'm throwing that idea out there because it has worked well for me and mine).
Anyway, I hope you don't mind me offering these, and don't misunderstand the spirit in which they're offered, which is simply to try and be helpful. They're worth every penny you paid for them, so if they sound like bad ideas, I promise to give you a refund in full. :-)
Posted on 6/13/2006
Thanks for the help everybody. I appreciate all suggestions, information, and motivation. Keep it coming! I'll let you know how it goes. So far, so good.
Posted on 6/13/2006
I'll be sure to harrass you! Have you tried Yoga?
Posted on 6/13/2006
You should dance it off. I've got a 1.5 hour long dance warmup from college, taught by a 47-year-old gay prof. who idolized Bob Fosse. Nothing motivates movement like music. And I don't think Stan will mind if you borrow the movement studio this summer.
Posted on 6/13/2006
I have been trying this new technique of staring at my gut and mentaly burning fat. I'll report in a few days with my results.
Posted on 6/13/2006
First, congrats. You've taken the first 3 steps already. You've 1. decided you want to do something 2. set goals, and 3. set up accountability.
I can totally appreciate what you're going through, so here's my 10 cents.
Cutting out soda will make an unbelievable impact. I encourage you to do a food journal. Note everything you eat from a single tic tac or piece of gum to the steak and potatoes you had for dinner and tally the calories/fat/points/whatever...it's all basically the same (though calories is easiest) by day. You'll be amazed by the amount of calories you intake on a daily basis. Then if you know what you're eating and start to see habits of when and why you grab for something (like when you're on a boring conference call that's lasted for over 2 hours and poking your eyeballs out just isn't an option so you reach for a handful of M&Ms...) you'll be more aware when these situations arise and able to control what you put in your mouth better.
I had dieted from the time I was 10 until I was 21 and have done everything from weight watchers, to nutrisystem to pills. You name it, and I've done it, and most of them are crap because as soon as you reenter the real world and eat normal foods, you start to gain the weight back. Wether you have 10 lbs or 100 lbs, really the only thing that works is having accountability, burning more calories than you take in and accomplishing that with a moderate exercise plan. For the last 7 years though, I've made lifestyle changes. When you state it that way, it's virtually impossible to fail. :)
If I were you, I'd jump out of the gates with a workout plan 5 days a week that you can incorporate into your workday every day. If you can form a routine, it will be easier to maintain. It takes 2 weeks to form a habit, so if you can quit cold turkey for those 2 weeks, the cravings for junk or desire not to exercise will fade. Plus by then you should see some results. Goal for 1-2 lbs a week. Any more and you are more likely to gain it back.
Also, listen to your body, and quit eating when you're full. Don't think about the starving kids in Africa when you pile your plate up too high or go out to eat and they give you enough food to feed a family of 5. And, eat what you want, just watch your portions. You can have (after your 2 week cleansing period) ice cream from Brewster's, but have it once a week and only one scoop in a cup instead of the 3 scoops in a waffle cone when you drive home from work "that way".
Best of luck my dear friend. I'll be praying for you. In this task you're definitely speaking my language, but I tell you when you get to go down that size and can lap your "thin friends" up and down a flight of stairs without getting winded, that's when you start to get excited. :)
Posted on 6/13/2006
It seems you have enough encouragement. SO....That means I get to be "gentle chastisement"...WOOHOO
You told me when i left you were going to drop at least 20lbs and grow your hair out. You've had over 4 months and you are just now starting?? That gives you like 6 weeks. SO GET TO WORK ALREADY!!!
I thought you stopped drinking Caffeine when i left?? Didn't you throw things at my office every time i brought in a mountain dew?? Good news...Red Stripe doesn't have any caffeine!!
I tried to get you to come to the gym with me in Jan but you were too busy saving your theater...NOW GET TO THE CENTER...for God's sake...its a FREE GYM!!!
Can't help on anything else...I haven't had much Fast Food in 4 months, and i sleep plenty here!!
I expect a Skinny Cach when i get back damn it...A SKINNY CACH!!!
(that or I hope your thumbs got to fat to keep up with me on Mario Kart!!)
Posted on 6/14/2006
Hey, be cool! (I did grow my hair, after all.) And I got started a few months ago... then work got all busy and stressful again. Six weeks is plenty of time. You'll see.
Posted on 6/14/2006
I won't steer you wrong, The Cachinnator. I'll set you up with a great routine and give you healthy snack alternatives. First things first--go buy a blender. It's time for smoothies. Recipe to follow.
Oh yes, and start drinking water.
Posted on 6/14/2006
I'm almost drowning I'm drinking so much water! I need something to fight off the late-night munchies...
Posted on 6/14/2006
Nah... that'll never work...
Posted on 6/14/2006
She has irrefutable logic.
Dude. She totally nailed you.
Pwn3d!
Posted on 6/14/2006
actually, on the food journal thing, a really good idea, and the USDA has a website called "mypyramid" where you can record all your food, and it will do the calories, nutrients and everything for you. It also lets you record exercise, but it is beyond annoying to use.
Since moving to a neighborhood where walking is likely to get you harrased, at best, or possibly run down by people only accustomed to driving in Mexico, I have put on about 10 lbs, which I am trying to lose, especially after my grandmother, who takes antidepressants, since her stroke, grabbed my stomach, and said "what's all this?"
Posted on 6/14/2006
Your halirous! This site is Awesome!
Posted on 6/15/2006
No, I'm halirous!
For a late night snack just go with something low-calorie. I usually do half a glass of chocolate whey protein powder and non-fat milk. You don't need much.
I think beeki has the best idea of all.
Posted on 6/15/2006
Ouch, Katie... that's rough.
Yay!!! Parisa's here! Bienvenue, ma doux cherie.
And I'm saving it for the first report back this weekend, but I'll just say that my sleeping habits have been changing dramatically this week. So there!
Posted on 6/15/2006
final report. you cannot remove access fat with your mind. In fact, it has the adverse effect.
dang
Posted on 6/16/2006
excess-
double dang
Posted on 6/16/2006
Thanks for the feedback. I'll stop getting my hopes up over it.
Posted on 6/17/2006