4XLT

Today’s Weigh In: 331.8 pounds
Days Till Goal: 24
Pounds To Go: 11.8

Alright people, here we go for round two! This week’s been an interesting one, more so along the lines of adjusting to my new workplace and schedule as an 8-5 cubical guy. My old job in the nonprofit / ministry world was really, really flexible in terms of its hours and scheduling.

That aspect of the job was a double edged sword, as I could always arrange my schedule and make time for errands or hang out times with friends, but there was ALWAYS work to be done. On the other hand, I’m done with work at 5:00pm and that’s it (not counting my freelancing on the side) – no worrying about it late at night or having random events in the evening or weekends or having to spend a lot of time preparing for a sermon or worship set.

And so, it’s actually a really positive thing for my weight loss work (and cash flow – ha!). I’ve got a set schedule that I am learning to easily stick to.

My eating’s been good and on track, if not 100% to the level it should be in regards to my macronutrient goals. But the calories are where they should be, and I’ve recovered from the anomaly of the twelve chicken wings which caused the five pound bump this past Sunday.

So, if I keep my head on right and my wits about me, I should be able to get into the 320s next week. However, every time I’ve made mention of my progress this month, I end up dropping the ball soon thereafter. But not this time!

New FAT Coalition Members:

Some of my fellow bloggers who are a part of the FAT Coalition may have seen some comments from a fresh face going by the name of “RodeDaddy.” He’s blogging through his own weight loss journey, too, and could use the support the Coalition is known to give (along with the verbal butt-kickings we all need from time to time, too!)

Check out his own blog, Waste the Waist, and give him a FAT Coalition welcome!

My apologies for the lack of blogging focus lately! Though the job is going well, I’m working on finding my rhythm of how everything in my life is going to be working – and that includes this blog.

I’ve actually been thinking about what 4XLT is and will be and what it could, can, and should be in the future. As the evolution of my life continues, I’d like for 4XLT to evolve in turn to become a source of inspiration and information for those who were and are in my shoes: morbidly overweight and near the point of resigning themselves to a life that far below what they dreamed of.

But the truth is my own life isn’t together enough to start helping people with their own. My recent weight loss plateau showcases that painfully well. Without any hyperbole, I’ve lost the same 338-333 range of five pounds between at least five times over the past month and a half. No exaggeration.

I do think that the blog can be a resource, but it will come when I’m able to be a resource. And for that to happen, I need to continue forward progress in my own life!

So, there will be no major overhaul of the site, no organized blogging (past my own weight loss recording and thoughts), no blog promotion for the time being.

Right now, mission critical is getting under three hundred pounds by December 12th. I know I’ve said it before, and each time I get in the 331-333 range the past few weeks I blow it (either by a lot or by something insignificant that I end up paying for – e.g. the 12 chicken wings Sunday afternoon) by eating poorly.

It’s time I start walking the walk – this blog is just talk.

Everything goes right this weekend. My eating is spot on. Things are going well. I’m in the low 332 range yesterday.

I have a measely 12 hot wings over the course of three hours yesterday afternoon (along with adjusted eating the rest of the day) which add up to about 750 calories according to the Daily Plate. I drink a LOT of water. I have a diet Coke. I go to the gym and do my cardio.

I gain three pounds.

What the hell?

I don’t understand this rut I’m in. How in the world could I have gained three pounds yesterday? There’s no way my calories were over..

Gah.

I started my new job this week, so things have been pretty busy. I won’t say they’ve been crazy, as I think I’m adjusting to my new schedule pretty well. However, part of that adjusting has been finding time to blog. So, in the spirit of 4XLT being a free-wheeling personal blog first and foremost, I’ve got some random thoughts and commentary to share with you!

1: Give Up a Little and Lose a Lot

Monday night, I ate dinner really late with a friend. To compound the problem, I ate very poorly. Burger. Fries. Chips & black bean dip. However, I had been eating well for the better part of the weekend, and didn’t think it would hurt me much.

I was wrong.

I woke up the next morning a full four pounds heavier! I went from a mid 333 on Monday to a low 338 Tuesday morning. Needless to say, I’m pretty pissed at myself for my moment of mental weakness. Three days later, this morning I weighed in at an even 335.0.

These series of yo-yo weigh ins have killed me in the 330s. I can talk the talk, but now I need to walk the walk. That’s the bottom line.

2. Tug of War Was a Bad Choice

I’ve been going hard at the gym lately. Consistent weight training while focusing on my squats and power cleans has been a good return to form for me. I’ve been attacking my cardio with a combo of rowing, HIIT on the elipticals, and steady state on the bike.

All that to say that my gym time has been priority number one lately (as it should be).

With my weak right ankle and consistently unreliable right knee, why would I risk playing tug of war at a picnic? Call it stupid male ego, and be done with it, I suppose. But as I’m more of a lumbering giant than more nimble type, the tug of war is about the only game I can compete in. I’ve got to show up and make a statement, right?

Bad idea, as my team was the underdogs (I was the only strong guy on the team with several smaller girls). As we were getting yanked nearly over the line, I posted my right leg, sat back, and begin to find that happy place I go to when rowing at the gym.

Too bad we went over the line. My upper body did, too, but my leg stayed stoutly planted in the ground.

I went down grimacing and needed help standing. My knee and my ankle were both pretty banged up. My knee’s much better, but my ankle still hurts and is sore at the end of the day.

And so, I’ve blown my opportunity for a top flight work out at the gym by being unable to do cardio AND my big, leg-centric lifts (squats and power cleans) by having a bum leg.

Stupid move, Will.

3. What’s Up with My Arm?

I can see the curve of my bicep! It’s not much, but after being both weak and fat for so long, this is a welcome change! And, while catching my breathe in between my bicep/dips superset at the gym earlier this week, I noticed my delts (shoulders) are a lot more noticeable now.

That’s cool, for no other reason that being vain.

4. My Name is Robert Paulson

(Watch Fight Club if you’re not familiar with Bob Paulson)

I’m still fat. Really fat. With a long ways to go. And for whatever reason, I seem to be noticing that certain parts of my anatomy are dropping down in size a lot quicker than others.

For example: my gut. It’s shrinking, and that’s great. But slightly to the north, things seem as.. prominent.. as ever. Damn man boobs. They’ve ever been the single thing I’m most conscious about. Well, more weight loss is all I can do, right?

5. Eating Right at Work is Completely Doable

I think that keeping the nutrition strong and healthy while at my new job is going to be 100% doable – and easy. Why? The structure of my work day looks like it will play a big role.

In fact, the overwhelming change in my day-to-day life in to a rigid, organized schedule at a corporate job and away from the much, MUCH looser self-employed / nonprofit work I’ve been doing for the past three years looks like it will favor me in a number of ways.

I’ll be able to establish a routine of life (and eating and working out and sleeping) that will help me create a happy of healthy eating and such as the weeks move on.

I’m looking forward to how this plays itself out.

6. The Seahawks Got Roughed Up in a Gang Fight

My Hawks have been dropping like flies do to all the injuries over the past couple of weeks, and the past few days are no different. Seattle has an early bye this year (Week 4), and the next two games (San Francisco and St. Louis) should be much easier than last week’s versus the Bills.

If the Hawks can make it to the bye in three weeks and get healthy, we might have a decent shot in the playoffs, but I’m waiting to see how we fare against the Giants in Week 5 before making my decision about the season.

At any rate, the NFL is back and that makes me oh so very happy.

The trick for me is finally finding a cool place to watch it on Sunday afternoons.

(This is the second installment of my ongoing conversation about developing a healthy meal plan. Looking at the first post on developing a healthy meal plan, I’d have to say it was information overload. So, an extra special thanks to all of you who read and commented.)

I think way too much. Sometimes it all blows up in my face, and something it occasionally works out in my favor. I spent a good chunk of time last week reading as much as I could about all sorts of fancy nutritional plans (and then unloading on you, my poor readers).

As it turns out, maybe my thinking’s been a good thing, if for nothing else than making me strategically approach my nutrition. As I said in my first post, it’s time to take my nutrition game up another level past the simple calorie counting I have been doing.

I think I’ve got a good handle on where to begin now. I’ve uploaded a .pdf of what my daily food intake will be, which you can download.

Download my daily nutrition plan here. (PDF 55KB)

As you see there, I’m going with a simple macronutrient breakdown of approximately 30% carbs / 40% proteins / 30% fats. Fortunately, these numbers also break down to 60g of Carbs, 50g of proteins, and 40g of fats whenever I eat them each meal.

It all adds up to 2440 calories a day. The weights of the macronutrients (60,50,40) are easy to remember and work into a regular diet, as I look to put together my meals with some sense of purposefulness.

I’m going to be running with the idea of not eating carbs and fats together, but including an equal serving of protein with each of my five meals.

The real test for me in this begins this week, as I’ve officially started my new job and am in the corporate world as of today. If I don’t plan now how I will successfully implement my meal plan, then I’ll just fall flat on my face and gorge myself at work’s ridiculously awesome campus cafeteria (Indian food at work? Oh no.).

I’ll talk next about how I’ll be handling my workout nutrition next.