[Thereisonlyzuul] Yay not keeling over!

[Thereisonlyzuul]

Main quest: Reduce BMI below Morbidly Obese rating

Steps:
1.) Get off the junk food. Eliminate or reduce sweets. They are the enemy!
2.) Eat more fruits and veggies every day.
3.) Work up to three complete circuits of BBWW every other day.

Life side quest: Unpack the apartment. I've been living here for two months. Cardboard boxes are not decor.

Why am I doing this? My introduction post covers most of the reasons. My family is plagued by all sorts of dietary disease. I don't want to lose a leg or have to get stabbed by needles every day. I want to sleep properly and have the energy to play with my dogs, keep up with chores, do the last bit of school to graduate and still work full time without beating a co-worker nearly to death with a pool noodle out of frustration and sleep deprivation. I want to go on vacations with my other half's family without being judged for being obese. I want to look nice in pictures and be more attractive to my man. Mostly though, I just want to prove to myself that I can do it and that my disorder isn't a death sentence. I will overcome.

This is me. 27 year old dwarf at 268.2 pounds.

[holographicSam]

That's awesome! As you say: yay not keeling over!

 

Maybe it's just because I'm new to the fitness world, but what is BBWW?

[Thereisonlyzuul]

It is the Beginners Body Weight Workout. You can find it in the resources tab. It is a challlenge if you are hauling around as much as I am or if you just haven't worked out in a while.

[Thereisonlyzuul]

Today I wanted to get base line of where I am endurance-wise. I packed the pups in the car and headed to the local state park to do a trail I hadn't done in at least two years.

The glacier trail is about a mile and a half round trip of hills and cliffs. I used to do it like two times a month or more before I got into my slump. I remembered it being difficult, so I was a little surprised when I got to the end without much effort.

Then I remembered the walk back.Going in to the trail is mostly downhill. Walking back is pretty much uphill and then more uphill, and for a change of pace more uphill. I thought I was going to die.

With the encouragement of my dogs (who wanted to get back home for breakfast) I made it back to the car at around 45 minutes, covered in sweat and wondering why I thought jeans were an appropriate choice of workout gear.

I found that it was a little more difficult than it used to be, but I can still do it without stopping. I'm going to keep using the trail as a benchmark.

I still have my bodyweight circuit to do, but so far I've had veggies and fruit with breakfast and avoided a chocolate dipped power bar, so I am on the right track for the day.

[Thereisonlyzuul]

End of day update- Apparently I didn't need to work up to three circuits. I did it today. It wasn't easy, but after much deliberation and finally telling my inner fat kid to STFU I made it to the end of all three rounds. I guess my goal now is to do it faster and with less crying like a baby. Jumping jacks are a heck of a lot harder than I remember.

On the diet front, today was grocery day. I think I did pretty well on this week broke joke budget. I've got lots of fruits and lean proteins for snacks. I have some quick options for lunch and a plan for breakfast that will require that I get up on time. Dinners won't change much this week. I'm going to have to transition my other half slowly into better eating.

Life quest update- I got rid of three boxes! Woohoo!

[Thereisonlyzuul]

A day of undue stress at work plus our floor's monthly birthday bash (with some kick butt cake to boot) means Zuul is hiding in a conference room. No cake no cake no cake.....

[jaex]

Today I wanted to get base line of where I am endurance-wise. I packed the pups in the car and headed to the local state park to do a trail I hadn't done in at least two years.

The glacier trail is about a mile and a half round trip of hills and cliffs. I used. To do it like two times a month or more before I got into my slump. I remembered it being difficult, so I was a little surprised when I got to the end without much effort.

Then I remembered the walk back.Going in to the trail is mostly downhill. Walking back is pretty much uphill and then more uphill, and for a change of pace more uphill. I thought I was going to die.

With the encouragement of my dogs (who wanted to get back home for breakfast) I made it back to the car at around 45 minutes, covered in sweat and wondering why I thought jeans were an appropriate choice of workout gear.

I found that it was a little more difficult than it used to be, but I can still do it without stopping. I'm going to keep using the trail as a benchmark.

I still have my bodyweight circuit to do, but so far I've had veggies and fruit with breakfast and avoided a chocolate dipped power bar, so I am on the right track for the day.

 

Well that is good that you are already further along than you thought.  And dear lord I cannot imagine working out in jeans in the summer.

 

A day of undue stress at work plus our floor's monthly birthday bash (with some kick butt cake to boot) means Zuul is hiding in a conference room. No cake no cake no cake.....

 

This happens.  Hope tomorrow is better!

[Thereisonlyzuul]

Thanks, Jaex! I resisted the delicious cake despite one of my friends sitting on my desk and telling me it was so good. I reminded her that I have permanent markers and am totally willing to write horrible things on her white board with them. She shut up and ate her sugary temptation. XD

As for the jeans, it was a bit like walking around with my own personal swamp on. It gets a smidge humid in the Ohio River Valley during the summer.

[starsapart]

Woohoo, look at you, already fighting hard!  Goodness, I just love your fluffy zuul image so much!

 

Your goals look pretty great!  What are the metrics for grading progress?  Or are they all pass/fail?  I find metrics help you to see how much you're progressing.

 

I think it's awesome that you're kicking BBWW butt and hiking with your dogs.  What an awesome start.

[Thereisonlyzuul]

I hadn't really had time to sit down and do metrics yet, but I have a moment now.

 

For my main quest, to be out of the Morbid Obesity category for BMI and into Obese, I will need to get down to 250 pounds. From there, I will be fighting the long battle to Overweight at 180. When I get to that point, I will evaluate how I feel and look.

 

For my quest, the subquests are below with my scale and point allocations. I thought about falling off the wagon and then all failures turned into Oregon Trail references.

 

Stat allocation:

 

1. Keeping off junk food.

• A- Complete the challenge with no junk food! +3 to WIS +1 to CON
• B- Complete the challenge with 1-3 minor indulgences. +2 to WIS +1 to CON
• C- Complete the challenge with 4-6 minor indulgences or 1 major. +1 to WIS +1 to CON
• D- Complete the challenge with more than above but no binge. +1 to WIS
• F- Fall off the wagon. Unable to ford the river.

 

2. Eating more fruits and veggies

• Pass! +1 to STA +1 to CON
• Fail? Uhh..... Eat salads for a week as penance.

3. BBWW every other day

• A- Complete the BBWW every other day! +3 to STR and +1 to STA
• B- Miss1-3 rounds. +2 to STR and +1 to STA
• C- Miss 4-6 rounds. +1 to STR and +1 to STA
• D- Miss 7-10 rounds +1 to STR
• F- Zuul has died of typhoid.

[Thereisonlyzuul]

That awkward moment when you realize you didn't buy soda that you will drink and you don't have money for the vending machine, so you are quitting soda too.

[starsapart]

Soda's evil, nix it!  You'll feel sooooooooooooooooo much better!

[Thereisonlyzuul]

But but.... I like Diet Dew.... It tastes like sweet delicious cancer and kidney stones....

[Thereisonlyzuul]

Third night of circuits done. It is starting to get a little bit easier. I also noticed I default to squats and lunges as if I'm using a barbell. I guess I still have some muscle memory from weightlifting.

How interested would anyone reading be in a vegetable of the week thread? I thought it might be cool to post recipes for some odd or less liked vegetable, kind of like an Iron Chef ingredient challenge?

[starsapart]

Third night of circuits done. It is starting to get a little bit easier. I also noticed I default to squats and lunges as if I'm using a barbell. I guess I still have some muscle memory from weightlifting.

How interested would anyone reading be in a vegetable of the week thread? I thought it might be cool to post recipes for some odd or less liked vegetable, kind of like an Iron Chef ingredient challenge?

 

Dude, I would read the crap out of that.

 

I am always on the hunt for new recipes.

[Thereisonlyzuul]

I will let you know when I decide to start. I'll need input on what vegetables to feature each week. I think I'll start with Brussels sprouts. So nummy.

Today was rough. It was the first day I really had to say no to candy I really wanted. I had to avoid the pile of ghiradelli chocolate squares. Then I wanted a soda. Then I wanted ice cream.

I was triumphant (if not a bit crabby)! I came home and took the pups for a two mile walk and now I am finishing cooking dinner.

I really hope this starts getting easier. I work with too many gluttons with good taste. *sigh*

[Thereisonlyzuul]

Today was a day for deep thought. I woke in a profoundly depressed state, the depths of which I have not been in for several years. I layed in bed considering breaking off my relationship, quitting my job, quitting everything. I cried. I felt nauseous.

After a while I made it out of the covers. I ate my daily round of pills with a joyless breakfast I could barely finish.

I sat at my desk in haze of loathing. Not for anything in particular, just for existing. Everything made me angry. Lunch, which I had carefully cooked and packed tasted like slop with a side of mush.

I cried about a song on my mp3 player.

At this point, I decided I was going to quit abstaining from soda and chocolate. I was out of change, so soda was out of reach. I meandered to the candy dish and something happened.

As I stared down at the gummies and some expired Halloween chocolates I realized that I was an addict and this was my withdrawal. All of the aspartame and sugar were leaving my system and my body and brain were in pain for it. The shakes, nausea, anger and profound existential sadness were all because a food additive was interfering with my already jacked up brain chemistry.

This didn't make me feel any better. It actually made me rage. I left the candy bowl alone and drank some tea. I hated that tea but I hated candy and soda worse.

It's a few hours later. There are no temptations in the house. I'm less angry but I still don't want to eat any actual food. I'm going to work out . Hopefully that will at least wear me out and give me some sort of appetite. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

[Thereisonlyzuul]

Update: left it all on the mat. Still not hungry but ast least I'm feeling stable. Managed a few pushups in full form instead of on my knees.

[starsapart]

Ugh that is the worst feeling.  Push through, it will get better!!!

[Thereisonlyzuul]

Hooo boy was yesterday a mess. Today was much better. I guess I slept that mess off.

 

Today started with some tasty looking donuts that I stayed out of. We had a trip to one of my fave restaurants for lunch and I managed to avoid baklava. I probably could have eaten more vegetables with lunch, but all in all I controlled myself. I didn't even finish my gyro. Dinner was another meal out. Thai food with watermelon for dessert. Took the dogs for a good walk.

 

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I have the farmer's market in the morning and my new resistance bands will be delivered, hopefully in time for my circuits.

 

Also, I feel a pec muscle! I managed to do three non-wuss up push ups yesterday, maybe these teeny tiny pec muscles have more in them!

[Thereisonlyzuul]

Trying out a new recipe for whole wheat pizza crust for my tomato, mushroom and goat's cheese pizza. I'm also making the sauce from fresh tomatoes instead of canned. There was a new stand at the market and he gave me a discount on tomatoes, then threw a bunch more in my bag. <3 Thank you, new guy at the market!

My resistance bands came today. The workout poster is gigantic! I'm going to do my routine once the dough is rising.

Only drawback today was my significant other bought diet dew. It will be a test to stay out of it. I'm just glad he doesn't eat sweets, so we never have them in the house.

[shutsumon]

Your pizza sounds wonderful, and homemade tomato sauce sounds awesome. If I can find some toms that grow well outside in the UK I might have to try that next.

 

I'm currently morbidly obese as well so I know how that feels.

 

Good luck!

[Thereisonlyzuul]

Yesterday's workout was pretty tough. I waited until just before bed to do it. I had already put in some activity at the market and the grocery. I had taken the dogs for a walk on one of the harder trails. I limped though it though. I really like my resistance bands. This was also a great demonstration on the importance of the right fuel. I only ate some fruit during the day before pizza for dinner and it was an uphill battle to do that workout.

 

I weighed in today and Woot! Two pounds down!

[starsapart]

Woohoooooooooooo!

[Thereisonlyzuul]

This week I ordered some clothes for my other half and added some jeans for me. The first pair is a bit large, but the second are too small despite being the same size. I've picked out a top that I bought a while ago but was a bit too tight to be comfortable. Together the top and jeans are going to be my check in outfit. I'll try them on once a week to see how much progress I've made.

Another positive from working out I've discovered- my appetite is going down. Tonight was taco night. I can normally pack them in but I got two bites into my third and decided I was done. I did the same with pizza last night. Yay!