After 28 hard fought days, we came out victorious and, hopefully, a little better off than we were before. I can't believe how dedicated people have been to this group. Here are some fun facts for you:
- 21 different people posted at least once in the group
- As of the time of this writing, we've had over 400! posts in this group, including 328 check-ins, 28 blog posts, and a whole bunch of supportive comments
- Four different states were represented at one time or another in the challenge
I can't tell you how extremely cool all of this is to me. I know how hard February is for me (see my Superman post), and I knew that I couldn't make it through (and almost didn't) without the accountability that you all provided for me. There wasn't some grand prize for checking in everyday, yet you just kept coming back to remind that you're still here and still plugging away, just like me. I've received a lot of helpful hints that I will continue to be able to use on a daily basis. Without further ado, here are my numbers for the month of January and February.
January
Weight: 229.6 lb (-8 lb, total of -31.8)
BMI: 33.1 (-1, total of -4.4)
BMR: 2198 kcal (-35, total of -178)
Fat %: 38.5% (+4.7%, net loss of 3.5%)
Fat Mass: 88.3 lb (+7.9, net loss of 21.7 lbs of man boobs)
Fat Free Muscle: 141.3 lb (- 15.9 lb, net loss of 10.5 lb)
TBW: 104.4 lb (-10.6 lb, net loss of 4.7 lb)
February
February
Weight: 228 lb (-1.6 lb, total of -33.4)
BMI: 32.7 (-.4, total of -4.8)
BMR: 2173 kcal (-25, total of -203)
Fat %: 32.4% (-6.1%, net loss of 9.6%)
Fat Mass: 73.8 lb (-14.5, net loss of 36.2 lbs of Ben and Jerry's)
Fat Free Muscle: 154.2 lb (+12.9 lb, net gain of 2.4 lb)
TBW: 112.8 lb (+8.4 lb, net gain of 3.7 lb)
I'm pumped, gang. I know that I only lost a little over a pound and a half, I legit gained 10 pounds in the time from when I took those January measurements until Valentine's Day. That isn't a gold-star, I lost 12 pounds in the last two weeks kind of statement. Just saying that I did see some major changes in my body. Since the beginning of January, I've lost two pounds in my hips, chest, and waist. I've lost an inch in my arms, legs, and neck. I was really worried about the fact that I had lost so much water last month and that maybe I was just starving myself without building muscle, so I added weight lifting to the routine and look what happened! 13 lbs of muscle gain?! 14.5 lbs of fat loss?! I have a sneaky suspicion that by tomorrow morning, the scale will show me my 225 goal that I was hoping for and that I'll be ready to hit March like a mad man.
I've had a couple of people ask me today what my secret for this success is. I think it is six pretty basic principles.
- Use more calories than you put into your body. Honestly, weight loss doesn't get a lot more simple than figuring out calories in/calories out.
- Limit your white sugars and up your fruits and veggies. This is one of my 17-day diet staples that can be used even when you are eating carbs.
- Have a great support system. That one is pretty well documented with the over 400! messages in our group page.
- Forgive yourself. Everyone has shitty days where they eat a large pizza in their car while driving home or when their Cherry Berry container is so loaded with yogurt and candy that their bill comes to over $10. It happens. It is your ability to not dwell on those things and to get back on the horse that makes up long term success. I fall off the horse all the time, but difference between Jeff now and Jeff a year ago is that I don't come to the conclusion that I just can't ride horses. Have faith in yourself!
- Try new things and make the good ones habits. Molly and I are constantly changing our workout routines and our diet plans because the minute we get bored with something, we lose interest and start to backslide. I hated lifting weights because I didn't know how, but once I found something I could do, I gained the confidence to keep doing it. I hated running, but I invested in a great pair of shoes and now I'm on the treadmill twice a week. The Interwebs literally has thousands of healthy recipes that don't taste like rabbit food, so try a new one every week until you build a nice stable of things you love.
- Drink water, stupid! I'm not calling you stupid, but if you've ever sat through a 4th grade science class, you realize just how much of this planet, including your body, is made up of water. It turns out there aren't any lakes filled with Diet Coke, Starbucks waterfalls, or beer tidal waves (God, I wish that last one existed), so stop taking in all of those empty calories and chemicals and just flush your system. I'm still a two cup of coffee a day drinker, but I still make sure that I get enough water to keep my vital organs and muscles hydrated.
- BONUS TIP! Wear vertical lines. They make your body look longer and leaner and fool people into thinking you're thinner than you are. According to the incredibly mean clown in the dunk tank at the Sioux Empire Fair in 1994, horizontal stripes make it hard to tell if fat kids are walking or rolling.
Seriously, that's it. You won't find a guy who has fallen flat on his face with dieting more often than I have. But I know why being in better shape is important for me, and if you look around at pictures of your friends and family, you should know why it is important to you, too. I want us all to be able to get together and celebrate on my 80th birthday, but that can't happen when we let inertia win.
I'd like to thank each and everyone of you for helping me make Fitness February a big success, and I'd like to roll it into March Madness. If you like the daily check-ins, keep them up. I can't promise a blog a day, but I'll keep checking in and letting you know how my quest goes. I know a couple of you write blogs, too, so feel free to post the links in here so we can all share in your journey.
Let the madness begin!
Jeff
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