So, I'm 24, going on 25, and realized that I'm seriously f*cking up my body, in a bad way.
10 years ago I was the typical skinny teenager, riding my bike everywhere, and eating all the junk food I wanted. 5 years ago I wasn't 'fat', but I was no longer skinny. Some flab had built up, and my diet hadn't changed much since I was a teen. I was still somewhat active, I rock climbed indoors almost daily, but there was little cardio involved, and I wasn't really challenged, as I didn't trust my rock climbing buddies to belay me outdoors without killing me (an 8 foot fall in the gym didn't help).
Last year I began drinking energy drinks. First for the kick, then for the taste. To date there's nothing I love more than the taste of Red Bull. However, over the last few months it's gotten bad. 2 weeks ago I realized that I was frequently downing 4 servings of Red Bull a day, sometimes as many as 8. Some days I'd go without, like weekends, but I'd still be averaging 20+ servings a week. I went to Hawaii in July with some friends, and didn't take my shirt off to swim at any point during the trip. I hadn't stepped on a scale in 2 years; the last time I had I was a rather uncomfortable 220 lbs.
Now, I'm 277. I wouldn't say I get winded going up stairs, but I definitely feel something. My boobs are almost the size of my girlfriends (who isn't horribly well endowed in that area, but you get the idea). And I can't find pants when I go shopping as few stores seem to stock size 44.
So, about a week ago, I decided I need a change.
It's now been 9 days since my last Red Bull. In the last week, I've had 2 sodas while eating out, and a free "Ice Vemon" energy shot that I got in the mail. So I haven't succeeded in going cold-turkey off the sugary, caffeinated drinks, but it's a far cry from what I used to be doing to my body.
I've been on walks around the neighborhood twice, and got my ass handed to me on the treadmill last night walking 3mph for 15 minutes, where my heart hit 160bpm in the first 2 minutes. It's a rocky start, but still a start.
Going forward I plan to further refine my diet. When my girlfriend and I eat at home, we usually eat fairly well (could cut some more fat out of the diet), but my problem is neither of us are often in the mood to cook, and thus we don't often eat at home.
It's going to be a pretty rough change, but it's high time I started.
My goals:
-Deposit $100 per week normally spent on Red Bull and eating out into a savings account
-Cut 10 lbs by my birthday, November 1st
-Cut 20 lbs by the end of the year
-Some day dip back below 200 lbs, and evaluate a healthy target weight once I know what it's like to not be this fat anymore.
Not sure why I'm posting this here, guess I just needed to get it out somewhere. I've read a lot of great, inspirational posts here by others, hopefully in many months time I'll be the next guy posting a success story.
I think I have the mechanics down, between the stickies and other threads here, but any advice anybody has on staying motivated would be wonderful.
Progress Log
9/14/09
277.2 lbs
20 minutes treadmill
No eating habits tracked
9/15/09
277 lbs
20 minutes treadmill
20 minutes stationary bike
No eating habits tracked
Think I've discovered the beginnings of an ingrown toenail. Awesome.
Bought a fancy iPod Nano 5g with the built-in pedometer. Some initial testing indicates it's not totally accurate, but at least it under counts rather than over counting.
9/16/09
277 lbs
No workout
No eating habits tracked; food scale ordered
Signed up @ 24 Hour Fitness
9/17/09
277 lbs
~20 minute light walk outside
Bad, bad eating. Stupid birthday parties (still no soda though, go me)
9/18/09
275.6 lbs (likely all water weight, but woot!)
35 minutes treadmill
8 minute elliptical-ish-thing
Some light weights
10 years ago I was the typical skinny teenager, riding my bike everywhere, and eating all the junk food I wanted. 5 years ago I wasn't 'fat', but I was no longer skinny. Some flab had built up, and my diet hadn't changed much since I was a teen. I was still somewhat active, I rock climbed indoors almost daily, but there was little cardio involved, and I wasn't really challenged, as I didn't trust my rock climbing buddies to belay me outdoors without killing me (an 8 foot fall in the gym didn't help).
Last year I began drinking energy drinks. First for the kick, then for the taste. To date there's nothing I love more than the taste of Red Bull. However, over the last few months it's gotten bad. 2 weeks ago I realized that I was frequently downing 4 servings of Red Bull a day, sometimes as many as 8. Some days I'd go without, like weekends, but I'd still be averaging 20+ servings a week. I went to Hawaii in July with some friends, and didn't take my shirt off to swim at any point during the trip. I hadn't stepped on a scale in 2 years; the last time I had I was a rather uncomfortable 220 lbs.
Now, I'm 277. I wouldn't say I get winded going up stairs, but I definitely feel something. My boobs are almost the size of my girlfriends (who isn't horribly well endowed in that area, but you get the idea). And I can't find pants when I go shopping as few stores seem to stock size 44.
So, about a week ago, I decided I need a change.
It's now been 9 days since my last Red Bull. In the last week, I've had 2 sodas while eating out, and a free "Ice Vemon" energy shot that I got in the mail. So I haven't succeeded in going cold-turkey off the sugary, caffeinated drinks, but it's a far cry from what I used to be doing to my body.
I've been on walks around the neighborhood twice, and got my ass handed to me on the treadmill last night walking 3mph for 15 minutes, where my heart hit 160bpm in the first 2 minutes. It's a rocky start, but still a start.
Going forward I plan to further refine my diet. When my girlfriend and I eat at home, we usually eat fairly well (could cut some more fat out of the diet), but my problem is neither of us are often in the mood to cook, and thus we don't often eat at home.
It's going to be a pretty rough change, but it's high time I started.
My goals:
-Deposit $100 per week normally spent on Red Bull and eating out into a savings account
-Cut 10 lbs by my birthday, November 1st
-Cut 20 lbs by the end of the year
-Some day dip back below 200 lbs, and evaluate a healthy target weight once I know what it's like to not be this fat anymore.
Not sure why I'm posting this here, guess I just needed to get it out somewhere. I've read a lot of great, inspirational posts here by others, hopefully in many months time I'll be the next guy posting a success story.
I think I have the mechanics down, between the stickies and other threads here, but any advice anybody has on staying motivated would be wonderful.
Progress Log
9/14/09
277.2 lbs
20 minutes treadmill
No eating habits tracked
9/15/09
277 lbs
20 minutes treadmill
20 minutes stationary bike
No eating habits tracked
Think I've discovered the beginnings of an ingrown toenail. Awesome.
Bought a fancy iPod Nano 5g with the built-in pedometer. Some initial testing indicates it's not totally accurate, but at least it under counts rather than over counting.
9/16/09
277 lbs
No workout
No eating habits tracked; food scale ordered
Signed up @ 24 Hour Fitness
9/17/09
277 lbs
~20 minute light walk outside
Bad, bad eating. Stupid birthday parties (still no soda though, go me)
9/18/09
275.6 lbs (likely all water weight, but woot!)
35 minutes treadmill
8 minute elliptical-ish-thing
Some light weights