Make a SMART Resolution

Make a SMART Resolution

January 1st is the time of year when many will make resolutions for the new year.  Often the resolution is to get in shape or lose weight.  These are good goals but making those resolutions alone are too general.  If you are going to reach your goals, no matter what it is, this year, you should not make general goals but be specific on what you want and have a plan on how you are going to reach them.

Many people have seen the SMART acronym for goal setting.  You can use it for weight loss or fitness goals.
S-specific
M-measurable
A-attainable
R-relevant
T-time specific

Specific -  if you want to lose weight or get in shape, you need to set a plan on how you are going to reach that goal.  Are you going to follow a specific weight loss plan?  Are you going to follow an exercise program?

Measurable -  Your goal must be measurable.  If you want to lose weight, how much weight?  Or, you could use clothes size as your goal.  If you want to get in shape, how will you measure that?  Run a 5K; do 50 push ups; get into that difficult yoga pose?  Do you want to eat better?  Will you measure that by eating 2-6 servings of vegetables a day; cut out breads; eating a serving of fish once or twice a week?  Come up with a goal that you will be able to measure so that you can see how you are progressing.

Attainable -  Set a goal that you can reach.  Your goals have to be reasonable.  Losing 50 pounds is an admirable goal, but it will take many sacrifices that may be difficult for you to follow.  Also, it will take 6 months to reach the goal.  You can make that a long term goal.  But set mini goals along the way.  Competing in an Ironman will require many hours of workouts.  Will this fit your family life?  This is also an attainable long term goal, but you will need shorter distances to reach along the way.  Be careful not to push yourself beyond your physical limitations.  Injury will set you back.

For weight loss, I recommend 10% weight loss as your first goal.  

Relevant -  weight loss or getting in shape are relevant as long as it is something you are able to do.  Sometimes work or personal matters become more important than weight loss.  But, absent drastic circumstances, don't let those things derail you.  Make sure you take time for you.  Your well being is always relevant.

Time specific -  if you are attempting to lose weight, your goal should be 1-2 pounds per week.  If starting a running program, your mileage should increase by only 10% per week.  Most exercise programs increase a little as you go. Be careful not to push yourself too much too soon.

Have a fantastic new year.

My 11 Year Odyssey

On Thanksgiving day, eleven years ago, I decided to play in my first, and only, Turkey Bowl.  It was a flag football game involving other 40+ males trying to relive their youth.  On that fateful day, I broke my ankle which began the downward spiral of weight gain.

The end of the year is not an easy time for weight management.  It is particularly hard when you are on crutches.  Did you know the average male adds 3.4% of his body weight each year (5.2% for women)?  Most of this is gained around the holidays.

After I recovered from the ankle break, I tried to start running again.  I never was able to return to my marathon years. Before I knew it, I was in the position of not being able to lose weight because I couldn't run, and I couldn't run until I lost weight.  Or, so I thought.  At that time in my life, I thought I could outrun my bad diet.  I didn't realize then that weight loss is 80% diet.

A couple years later, I had a surgical procedure which was also around Thanksgiving.  I don't know how much I weighed at the time, but I was getting bigger.  I tried to stay active, but it didn't work.  I was still gaining weight.  By the end of 2010, I was over 300 pounds.  That's when my wife and I decided to join weight watchers.  I was shocked when I stepped on the scale.  I had no idea that is what I weighed,  I had convinced myself that I wasn't that big.

I was very successful with weight watchers for 5 months.  I lost 40 pounds.  By the end of the year, I had gained a few pounds back, but I thought I was in control.  I was wrong.  Half way through 2012, I had regained 26 pounds.  Again, I convinced myself that I wasn't that big.

It wasn't until the summer of 2013, after looking at vacation pictures that I realized I was a big dude.  People just aren't nearly as big as me.  Heck, I was twice as big as my adult kids.   It was then that I started to take control of my life.

I have finally returned to the same weight that I was 11 years ago.  But, I am still overweight.  The last 16 months of conscience eating has been a slow process.  I have lost over 50 pounds.  This calendar year, I have lost 20. That's only 2 pounds a month.  See how 2 pounds a month adds up?

During this time, I have read at least 6 books on diet.  I lean now towards a high protein, higher fat, low carb diet.  We all know bread is bad, I just never knew how bad these sugars were for your body.  Sometimes I falter, which is why it has taken me 16 months to lose 50 pounds.  There is no magic pill.  There is only perseverance.  Keep pushing forward.  It is a lifestyle change. Through this process, I have realized 2 fundamental truths for weight loss success:  1) log food intake; 2) drink lots of water.

When you log food, log every thing.  This is what holds you accountable to yourself.  There are many apps for logging food.  I think Weight Watchers is the best.  But, you have to be a member to use it.  Value Diary uses WW points if you are using WW.   I am currently using MyFitnessPal.  Livestrong is also good.

For water intake, The new wave of thinking is to take 1/2 your body weight and drink that many ounces per day.  For us big folks, that's a lot of water.  I don't know if there is any scientific evidence that water is better than any other non- caloric beverage. When you drink that much water, you just don't feel like eating.  My greatest success has come when I am drinking a lot of water.  

Bacon is Good

My favorite breakfast, if not my favorite meal, is bacon, eggs, home fries, biscuits and sausage gravy.  It is filling, tasty and satisfying.  It is also full of saturated fat, cholesterol, white flour, white potatoes and other unhealthy items.   But, this entire meal is not unhealthy.   Aside from the biscuits and gravy, this can be a healthy meal.

Buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy are so tasty.  But, they lack any nutritional value.  Gravy is just flour, butter and whole milk.  As I learn more about nutrition, I have learned that flour should not be in anyone’s diet.  During the last month, I have geared my diet to more of a keto diet.  Under a keto diet, butter and whole milk are good.  So, maybe a little flour isn’t so bad.  I’m kidding.  Flour is bad. 

If flour is bad, nothing about a biscuit can be good.  Biscuits, although tasty and filling, are empty calories.  They may fill your belly briefly, but they offer nothing nutritionally.  Many people crave bread.  The way to get rid of that craving is to stop eating anything with sugar.  Three weeks after starting a keto diet, I have no cravings for sugar.  Sure, it is tasty and good.  But, when you eat sugar, you crave sugar, resulting in overeating. 

If home fries are made properly, they are another thing I enjoy.  But, like biscuits, they have little nutritional value.  They are made with white potatoes, butter and oil.  White potatoes in and of themselves have nutritional value.  But, they are dense with sugar.  For purposes of avoiding foods dense in sugar, they should be avoided on any diet.  For those that like sweet potatoes, I found a recipe for sweet potato home fries http://thescrumptiouspumpkin.com/2012/11/16/skinny-sweet-potato-home-fries/.  This recipe, when made with olive oil is much more nutritional than home fries with white potatoes.  I haven’t tried this.  Unless it’s my assistant’s sweet potato casserole, I do not eat sweet potatoes.

Everyone loves bacon.  As it turns out, it might not be as bad as you thought.  The down side to bacon is the salt and the nitrates. But, it is high and protein, vitamin B, and other minerals.   Despite what you have heard, bacon is not bad for you.   So, enjoy.  Check out www.authoritynutrition.com/is-bacon-bad-or-good. 

Eggs had a bad rap.  Everyone agreed they were good for you.  Then, it was believed eggs were bad for you.  Now, they are back to being good for you.  People still avoid the yolks, but that is where the nutrition is.  Egg whites give you protein, but little else.  Yolks contain many essential vitamins and minerals.  People seem to avoid yolks because they have cholesterol in them.  SO WHAT!!  One of the biggest fictions propounded by experts is that the intake of cholesterol increases our serum cholesterol.  Bogus!  (Note: If you want to know more about cholesterol, I recommend the book “Cholesterol Clarity”)

Other than noting that bacon and eggs are good breakfast staples, this post offers no other point.  Enjoy.

Long Time, No Write

It's been over a year since my last post.  Since that time, I have lost 40 pounds and feel much better.  I have lost 40 pounds before, only to gain it all back.  It seems 40 pounds is a point where I start to feel content with how I look and feel.  It almost becomes a final goal instead of a milestone along the way.  Within the next year, I hope to lose another 40 pounds and get even fitter. 

Since the beginning of the year, I have been doing some body weight workouts.  In January, I started with Turbulence Training which is a 20-30 minute workout that has 20 second intervals followed by 10 sec rest periods.  Then, a friend suggested I try Tony Horton's P90X3, which is a 30 minute workout.  Both workout programs have been great for me.  Best of all, they can be done at home with minimal equipment.  So, no going to the gym to deal with a bunch of teenagers handing out.  More importantly, no cardio machines which I have read is not very helpful at all. 

I need to now concentrate on my "diet".  I hate to use the word "diet" because of the negative connotations.  I really should say, my eating habits.  We know that the key to weight loss is 80% diet/20% exercise.  The more I read, and the more I examine my struggles with food, I am drawn to a paleo diet.  A paleo diet is a concentration on meats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.  The real essence of a paleo diet is no processed foods. This can be a tough adjustment in our convenient lifestyle.  It takes planning. 

Lastly, I named this blog "Diary of a Fat Man" to add humor.  But, I think I need a more positive approach, and am trying to figure out how to re-name the page. "Losing 50 at 50" is a name I have been drawn to for a long time.  If anyone knows how to change the title to this blog page, let me know.  It seems I may have to just start an entirely new blog. 

Slower is Better

When I lost 40 pounds a couple years ago, the weight just seemed to melt off for the first two months.  This time around, it has a been a slow process.  The fear, of course, is that I know I can gain a pound or two in a weekend, while it seems to take a week of hard work to lose that same couple pounds. 

As I think about the slow weight loss this time, I have realized that is it probably better.  The experts seem to agree.  In an article on Weight Watchers On-line, it is suggested that the slower weight loss will lead to long term success.  The Mayo Clinic also notes that slow dieting is much preferable to fast dieting.  In a Fit Day article, there are 6 reasons why slow weight loss is better: 1) maintain weight loss; 2) safer; 3) eliminates muscle loss; 4) prevents loose skin; 5) healthier hair; 6) reduces fatigue. 

As I lose weight at a slow pace, I know I must be more conscientious of my food selection and how much I am eating.  The only way for me to do this is through tracking my food.  I am hopeful that because I am more aware of the food I am eating that I will transform my eating habits for long term success.  When the weight slowly comes off, I know that if I have a bad day or week, I will need a lot more time to lose the weight that I need to lose.  This should keep me focused each day. 

A Never Ending Journey

When I started this blog, I thought it would make me accountable to myself by putting my struggles and triumphs for all the world to see. I was wrong, when things went bad, I just didn't write. I wasn't inspired and I had nothing but excuses. It has been 19 months since my last post. In that time, I gained 11 pounds and had no desire to change my lifestyle. After vacation this year, I had a renewed fire to lose weight. So far, I've been successful. But there is a long way to go. Since college, I've been overweight. I never really dieted until law school when, one summer, I lost a lot of weight on Nutri System. I, of course, gained it all back. When I graduated, I took up running. I don't know how much I weighed then, but I do not recognize the picture of the skinny 28 year old holding his new born son. Although I continued to run, I gained weight. I worked my way up to running marathons, completing my first one in 1999. Marathon running for a big man is taxing on the body. Eventually, I spent 6 months training for the race followed by 6 months recovering from the race. I switched to triathlons, but never really lost weight. That was a time when I believed training was sufficient and I did not need to diet. When I broke my ankle at 41, on Thanksgiving day, my training stopped but my eating didn't. That is not a good time of year to be immobilized. My exercise habits never recovered and my weight increased dramatically over an 8 year period. It was at its highest at the end of 2010. That's when I first joined Weight Watchers. I had quick success with the program, losing 40 pounds in 5 months. But, as is typical for me, I got bored and lost interest in tracking food. By the end of the year, I gained 13 pounds back. Trying to put a positive spin on the situation, I was happy with having lost the 27 pounds for the year. I was ready to lose again in 2012. Well, 2012 turned to 2013 and it wasn't until July 1 of this year that I was able to get my mind back on track. It has always been the case where once I get in the right frame of mind, I can stay on track for 30 or 40 pounds. Once I lose that desire, it is almost impossible to regain it. I don't have an explanation. I can only hope that this time I can really make a change in my lifestyle and live and eat healthily. I hope to be inspired to write more often and am able to find something that will keep me from regressing to the habits the I've acquired in 51 years. i hope my habits now are all healthy. Who wants to join me on the journey?.

What I learned in 2011

During 2011, I lost 27 pounds. I am ready to start anew in 2012. In 2012, I will be 50 years old. So, I have set a goal of 50 pounds in 2012 before my 50th birthday. This is a significant challenge. But, I think I can do it, especially if I follow what I learned in 2011.

1. Don't look at pictures unless you want the truth. When I look in a mirror, I kid myself into believing that I am not that different than other folks. But, when I see a picture of myself with others, I am a bit surprised how small people other people are.

2. No matter how much I attempt to rationalize, fast food is bad. I don't think this needs anymore explanation. Nothing good can be found in these places. A friend of mine calls them "purveyors of poison", and with good reason.

3. Weight loss is 80% diet, and 20% exercise. For a long time, I believed that I could exercise and burn away the calories I took in. But, when you consider it takes an hour of exercise to burn 350-500 calories (depending on intensity level), you realize it is impossible to burn enough calories to offset what you ate. It is more important to reduce calorie intake.

4. Exercise is important. When you have an exercise program, you are more apt to be careful with your food intake. Also, exercise increases muscle and consequently speeds up the metabolism. Or, so "they" say.

5. Fruits and vegetables are important. I was never a fruit and vegetable eater. I like fruit, but never cared for many vegetables. In 2011, I tried different vegetables and found that I liked them. Fruits and vegetables are filling and are full of fiber and nutrients. When filling up on fruits and vegetables, you are less likely to eat other nutrient poor foods.

6. Bread is bad. Okay, it isn't necessarily bad, but it is high in calories and low in nutrients. Bread is easy to fill up on, but not satiating.

7. Tracking food leads to success. If you write down all the food you eat you will realize what you are eating. You will be less likely to have fatty foods and you will realize that you are probably eating out of boredom and not because you are hungry.

8. One bad day will not ruin you. Once you have had a bad day eating, put it behind you and move on. Be careful not to let one bad day lead to another, and another. You do have to acknowledge the bad day of eating, but don't let it discourage you.

9. Weigh in every week for accountability. Regardless of how the week goes, you have to weigh in. You need to enjoy the successes and face the failures. Even if you know you have had a bad week, you need to get on the scale and recognize the gain. Once you have taken account of the gain, move on and learn from the set back. Start the day with a new attitude. On the other side, it is important not to be too comfortable with success. A week where a good weight loss does not mean you can take the next week easy and eat to your heart's content.

10. If you fail to plan...Planning what you are going to eat is crucial to success. There are many a day when I left the house not knowing what I would eat that day. The day always resulted in eating pretzels or other low nutrient foods. Some days led to eating very poorly.