Day 27

Today - 0.8, total - 28.0

So today was the big day. Paddle-boarding. I did not succeed. I pretty much spent the day falling off the board, swallowing salt water and swimming back to the shore. I really have no ability to balance. I think I should have known better because I almost fall off the treadmill every time I use it. And it isn't like I lose my balance once or twice on the treadmill, I have to pay attention or I could fall off any minute. Paddle-boarding was not pretty. By the end of the day, I got the hang of it a little. Instead of standing, I was sitting on the board and paddling that way. It was actually fun, and I am going to try again tomorrow. There will be pictures, but I have not received them yet.

As for the diet, it is going well. I am back to losing weight, and I am still ahead of the 1 pound a day curve. I am not sure why, but eating fruit has started to affect my negatively. The last few times I have eaten an apple, I have had really bad stomach pains. I didn't eat an apple today, and I felt fine all day. I have to tweak what I am eating again so that I am still getting some fruit in my diet.

That is all for today, after my morning walk and the paddle-boarding, I am tired.

Day 26

Today - 0.8, total - 27.2

I am feeling so good. I am losing weight again and I am noticing some more small changes. My shirts are fitting so much looser now, which is cool. I really feel like I making good strides. It has been a good week, and I am going to go get some rest. I am going paddle-boarding tomorrow (pic bleow). We'll see how it goes and I will post some pics of it.

Day 25

Today - 1.0, total - 26.4

SO SWEET. Not only am I 1/4 of the way done with this lifestyle change, but I have broken through the plateau. I am 25% of the way through and I am still ahead of the 1 pound a day. Stepping on the scale this morning and seeing the weight loss, I was so happy. I really feel like I am making huge strides in this. I am eating such good food and I feel great working out. I realize a lot of these blogs have started to sound repetitive, and I am sorry, but I am not sure what else to talk about.

Ok, so, 25 days ago, I was 26.4 pounds heavier, I was a little nervous about this whole diet and I really didn't know what to expect. Going back through the last 25 days, I can see how far I have come. I feel different, which I can't quantify, but I can definitely tell. I don't want to drink alcohol, I don't feel tired, I don't sweat as much (working out not included), and I feel satisfied with what I am eating. My good friend from college (who is a nutritionist), told me that "bored eating leads to binge eating" recently and it concerned me. I don't want to fall off the wagon and lose the progress I have made, but when I think about it, I am loving what I am eating and really kind of surprised I am losing weight still. It makes this diet so easy. Also, I went to a website to see what my BMI (Body Mass Index) is now, and what it was, and I was shocked to see it has already gone done 4 points. Obviously, I am still above the point I want to be, but after 25 days, I am 4 points closer to getting to a good number.

I read something when I was in high school, and I am pretty sure it is true, but I was thinking about it today at work. For every pound overweight a person is, there is an extra mile of blood vessels and capillaries that the body produces to supply blood to that pound. With the weight I have lost, that is a marathon's length of blood vessels and capillaries that I have lost. This means my heart has to pump a little less as my blood does not have to travel as far. It is a weird thing to think that there are 26.4 miles less of blood vessels and capillaries in my body, and that is just a bit longer than a marathon, but like I said before, I get bored at work a lot.

25%. 1/4. Bring it on.

Day 24

Today - 0.0, total, 25.4

Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nada. I am firmly on the plateau. I am not losing, not gaining. It is annoying, but I just have to keep pushing. I have to keep going. This is tough. I have changed my diet a little. I am going to eat less fruit and cut out those carbs and see if that will help. I have added some more protein as well. For example, this morning, I had 2 eggs scramble with peppers, onions, spinach and some low-fat chicken sausage. It was really good. Also, for my second snack today, instead of a pear, I had some celery. Some tweaks that I am hoping will pay off tomorrow morning when I step on that scale.

Even as I write this, I am hungry, but staying away from my kitchen. Too many temptations. Until I break through, I will keep these brief.

Day 23

Today - (0.2), total - 25.4

Uuughhh, I hit my plateau. I knew it was bound to happen, and I was expecting it, but I still don't have to like it. I am still in a good place and I am 25 pounds lighter than when I started this, so I am happy about that. I know I need to maintain, keep working out, keep at it (I cut cheese out of my diet and put it into this blog apparently).

I really have nothing to say, but I am glad I am eating sandwiches now. They are really good.

Day 22

Today - 0.4, total - 25.6

I am back on track. I did go for two 4 mile walks yesterday to make up for the weight gain. I realized, after talking to DM, that this is a lifestyle change. Normally, on a Sunday, or any day off, I would do nothing. I would sit around, watch TV, eat and that's it. I am really happy I got out and did something. Even though it was just for an hour, it was better than sitting around for that hour, and going on 2 walks is twice as good.

I really feel like I am making improvements in what I can do also. When I started this program, I walked about 2 miles a day, and when I used the treadmill, it was a very painful hour without any incline. Today when I went to the gym, I walked for an hour and did about 13 or 14 minutes of level 3.0 incline. Last week, I was walking about 25 minutes at level 2.0 and have stepped up the incline (granted, the difference between 2.0 and 3.0 is not that much, but it is a change).

I also have noticed my clothes are fitting looser, which is nice. I used to go to work, tie my tie and immediately unbutton the top button of my shirt so I would be more comfortable. Now I can work all day with the top button buttoned and I am fine. My neck is smaller than it has been in a long time. It is a little change, but it is a satisfying difference.

That is all for today, but I am hoping for a good number tomorrow.

Day 21

Today - (1.2), total - 25.2

I let myself down today. I had a goal for today that I totally blew last night. I went out with a couple co-workers last night to a BBQ restaurant in Long Beach and I tried to be good, but I had a Caesar Salad. It had grilled chicken on it and I thought it would be ok (I tried to look for the Nutritional info on the salad, but it is not available), but getting on the scale this morning was pretty discouraging. I went for a walk anyway after that, and I think I might go for another one this afternoon to make up for it. I know I took a step backwards and I just have to fight back. I am pretty sure the sandwich I made might have changed what my body was used to, but I think it should be ok.

So, I took pics of the walks I go on in the morning. These pics show why I walk outside as opposed to a treadmill.

This is view into the valley looking at Mission Viejo.

This was taken from the same point, but looking south.

This is the top of the hill looking into the valley.

This is also from the top of the hill, but looking the other way.

This is the hill I walk up now, well, part of it, looking down.

This is the view from 1/3 up the hill looking up.

More of the uphill view.

That is all for this post. I am going to go for another walk after I watch some football.