In the beginning...

Well, I might as well call it that! The last four weeks have gone to shame. I've spent all of those weeks making decisions I would eventally regret! This last week wasn't too bad, but I still don't feel like I am committed enough to getting this done!

I blame it on work, when in fact, I should be placing the blame on my own shoulders! Work stands in the way of the normal means of watching what I eat, and exercising, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a way to get around that, and still do this the healthy way!

A huge bonus to my new co-workers is that they are all fairly health-savvy. Two of them regularly go to the gym, and invited me to go with them this past week. I happily obliged, and went for the first time in years, to try and wreck myself! I can honestly say, I loved it!

With the exception of my poor hip, everything felt great! The workout was just over an hour I guess, with ten minutes on a stationary bike, and another ten on a cross trainer (five minutes forward, two minutes backward, another three minutes forward). That was easily the closest I have been to death in awhile... but of course it felt great when I was finished! I hit the weights too, skipping over a resistance machine that I didn't see to begin with.

I have no real fitness, or weight information to fill you in on! I've lsot track of where I am in the program, as I never really stuck to the original plan anyway. I'd say I'm out of the running for America's next Muscle Mang... Bummer! Well, when I first joined Arnel's group, I was thinking of just having the guidelines, and hopefully a common goal amongst men to boost me far enough ahead to actually get this thing done. Now that I am six or seven weeks into it, I feel as though, even though i haven't really talked to anyone, I've made a bit of family... and for those of you who pay attention to this blog, it means the world to me, and ultimately, I think it's going to be you guys that push me to getting to where I want to be. I always thought that in the beginning, but I had more confidence in the fact that I would just do it by myself, with your motivation as an extra boost. While this was true in the beginning, it has certainly changed! I look forward to the weeks to come though, as I am still not going to quit. I've taken a pretty lengthly pause, but I am going to let it slide, and get back to work. that has to be the most over-used cliche on this blog, but it's true. The longer I stick to this mentality, the more successful I will be in getting back to work.

I don't know why I am teasing myself so badly, as I currently weigh 196lbs, and have for the last month. This is the lowest weight I've ever weighed in my memory, and that was a few years ago. One more pound, and I'm at the lowest I've been in my teenage/adult life... why can't I just stop fucking around, and make it happen?

I've had a go at making some food before hand, and trying to stretch it, and it seems to work better than trying to prepare some restaurant-class meal every night after a 10 hour day at work, and a two or three hour visit with my Mum in the hospital... I guess thus is life!

This weekend, I hope to get some good stuff done, some portioning of snacks, and I want to make some protein flapjacks that are healthy, but good for an on-the-go kind of snack. I've also been trying to recreate some of the sandwich toppings at a local sandwich shop that I enjoy, to save money, and control nutrition.

While I am not going to be wearing a stomach rippled with abs by the end of these sixteen weeks, I will not be out of the game. I am in this, to win it... for myself.

Thanks again to all who keep checking in! I love reading your responses, and it must take some good energy to write something for someone who won't write back! Cheers guys and gals! I appreciate it, like you don't even know!

Now, for photos from week six, or seven?!

Damn Me All to the Heckness!

Alright, I am sorry!

It's been far too long since my update, and I've missed a Week 4 update altogether. I could sit and make excuses all day, but I won't... instead I'll state that I'll simply have to try harder to keep on track with personal progress, as well as my blog.

I am nearing the end of week four, and I am feeling ashamed as I've yet to really do some tough physical work! I've been walking loads, in fact to my calculation 24.9kms in the last seven days. That being said, I've faulterd on my diet a bit as I have had a bit of an unpredictable week!

I got the job I was dying to get! I recieved a call last Friday informing me that they were offering me the position, and I jumped at the opportunity to start on Monday! I've now worked for Icelantic (www.icelantic.com) for a full work week, and I am quickly realising why it might be hard for other people to deal with a diet and fitness on a full work schedule! This brings me to my original point, my nutritional habits have slipped unfortunately... I'm aiming at convenience, rather than health! Don't get me wrong, I am not filling my body with saturated fats, but I had three small packets of crisps this week, which is not approved on this diet, and I've also dipped into the convenience of prepackaged chicken wraps... which are wrapped in white flour wraps. I know I am being ridiculously anal, but I have the kind of mentality that if something's worth doing, it's worth doing right! That's me, all or nothing! Haha.

I've also been missing out on proper scheduling with my meals, which has buggered me a bit. I am going to start cooking and portioning in advance to try and avoid these issues, and stay on track, as I have no real progress to show after another two weeks. the trouble is though, that while I have started this job, I have kept my obligation to my weekend job, as well as nightly visits to my Mum who has been in hospital for nearly two months. That seems to leave me with about two or three hours on weekdays, and nearly the same on weekends to deal with everything else in my life. With that in place, I suppose now is the true time to shine! I didn't realise how easy I had it before I started working through the week. Naughty naughty!

With all the issues aside, let's look at progress, which really isn't much of anything!

I haven't lost anymore weight, as I guess I've not really been keeping up with the diet, and I seem to be at a plateau of sorts with my walking heart-rate, and thus progress.

I have been on anti-inflamatories for about two weeks now I guess, and I seem to be fixed in terms of my hip, but with efforts of jogging, shinsplints have reared their ugly head... but with enough stretching, and hopefully muscle building... that should pass, and I should be running full-force soon. I am looking forward to it, so that I can start seeing more losses! I am loving my new 34 inch waist. It's an interesting thing, that. When you're a 36, or 38 you have trouble finding trousers, but 34s are everywhere... if only you could fit in them! Now that I am a 34, you wouldn't believe how many 36" trousers I am finding! Silly trouser demons!

Even though there hasn't been much progress, there should still be progress pictures, so without further ado, Week 3 photos, with an onion skin! First though, I'll subject you to another wicked recipe, this in fact might be my favorite dish yet, as it's something I love in 'the real world'.

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Sensible Caesar Salad with Turkey Breast



So you're craving 'real world' food, but your calorie budget won't allow for the hankering you've got! Maybe you've gotten to the point where you want to reward yourself with an off-limits meal, but don't have to ability to give in, and go get a burger... there comes this option, the low-fat Caesar salad!

Hold up! A Caesar Salad that we're allowed to eat, that actually tastes like a Caesar salad? Haha! Yeah right! No really, it's delicious! Try it for yourself, and you will not be disappointed! Add an optional turkey breast, however you like it... for a little protein!

• 1 Large Head of Romaine Lettuce
• 1 Small Red Onion/Shallot
• 1/3 Cup Low-Fat Greek Yogurt
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Tsp White Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• ¼ Tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic Minced

Preparing the Salad:

Wash your head of lettuce thoroughly under a cold tap, and place it on your cutting board. Cut straight down the middle of the head making sure you don't cut through the base, to keep it still in one piece. Turn the head 90° wither way, and cut it the same way, essentially to divide the head up into quadrants.

Now, whilst you have the head firmly gripped, start slicing it lengthwise now, from the top to the base, about 1.5" apart. Once you reach the core of the head, you'll be left with almost perfect lettuce leaves, ready for dressing duty. That'll have to wait though, as your shallot needs prepping first.

Take your shallot and slice off either end, and then half it with your knife from the top, down. This leaves you with two halves skin, still intact. Cutting the onion in half will make peeling the skin off a whole lot easier! Once your halves are peeled, you can simply make thin slices with your chef's knife to produce transluscent slices to sit atop your salad! The salad's base is ready, it's now time to work on the dressing!

Preparing the dressing:

The dressing is ridiculously easy to make! All you have to do is add all the ingredients! Start with your yogurt as the base, and then add you lemon juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and then finally your minced garlic, and a good seasoning of freshly cracked black pepper! When combining these ingredients, use a whisk! It improves the ability to introduce air into the mixture to help it stay fluffy, as well as emulsifying the oil with the rest of the mix!

Assembly:

Simple! Toss your romaine, and onions in the dressing, and plate it! You can then stack your turkey/chicken if you chose to include it with the meal... and give it a light bath of freshly grated parmesan cheese for a delightful meal! Bon Appetit!

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Week 3 Photo Updates: