YES!!!!!

Whew. For a second there, I thought my weight might change, but thankfully, it's still right where it's been the last 2 days - 285.8.

Now, here's what bugs me to no end about the weight loss process: I'm 99% perfect in all areas for three days, and I can't lose an ounce. But you and I both know that if I had a Wendy's Classic Double with fries, I'd jump up 2-3 pounds instantly.

Whatever.

Today I'm keeping my carbs WAY low. I'm eating as few as possible in hopes that my body just has some excess carbs in there that it needs to burn off. Not sure what else to do besides generally continuing to move forward the best I can.

Sometimes life gets in the way, and your body might not always cooperate, but you make the choice to keep going - not your body. Eventually, it will have no choice but to cooperate. But you can't let it keep you from moving forward.

Always move forward.

Well, THAT sucked

Back at freaking 285.8 this morning, which BLOWS, and ANGERS ME.

But what am I going to do?

Did I have the perfect week? Not really, no. My eating was solid, but not great. My activity level was very good, but again, not great. I did well, but I could have done better.

So, Beck and I are starting an actual football training regimen today. It will work on our quickness, agility, and stamina, not to mention our football skills. We'll do it an hour a day, four days per week. It'll consist of some items like this:



Now, as for not coming anywhere close to my goal of 282.X this week? I'm not thrilled about it, but I'm not done. So, here's my new goal...

281.8 by next Friday morning.

I need to ensure that I eat 95% clean, and stick to our workout schedule this week.

Doable.

Right?

Even More Frustration

Yesterday consisted of about 2,000 calories, an hour in the backyard throwing (and chasing down) the frisbee, and no food after dinner at 5:30pm.

This morning has consisted of a weigh-in of 285.8, a FULL POUND UP FROM YESTERDAY.

Now, here's where I keep telling myself that this can't last forever, and that I need to just keep doing what I know I'm supposed to do.

But what I WANT to do is yell, scream, and say bad words.

My goal of hitting 282.X tomorrow is pretty much shot, and I'm up 1.2 pounds from this time last week.

Kinda peeved today.

A LITTLE Frustration

Purposely had a LOW calorie day yesterday - roughly 1,000.
Had a good football-based workout.
Drank more water.
Had no snacks.

Lost .2 pounds - 284.8.

The 282.X by Friday isn't looking good at this point. All I can do is try.

Checking In

Yesterday was one of those "good but not great" days. Didn't eat 100% clean, but didn't do anything crazy calorie-wise. Just could have done better.

Also, thanks to Beck's crazy schedule, we couldn't get out to play football, but we're going to make time to get out there for an hour or so today to get a sweat worked up.

My weigh-in today was 285.0 on the nose, which I'm pretty OK with after being 286.6 yesterday and not having a great day. I'd guess I'm pretty on track for my 282.X by Friday morning.

All-in-all, I'm pretty happy with my direction right now. I'm planning on being out of the 280s sometime in the next three weeks, and I think that's going to serve as a nice fuel to keep me going. The last time I know I was anything under 280 was January. Too long ago.

That's it for now. Catch ya later.

Grrr

Alright, nobody bit, but the "all-you-can-eat" place in the last post was a salad bar.

Long story short, I jumped up 3.2 pounds after our cheat meal, and spent the weekend being good (not great, but really good) just to take 1.4 pounds back off. I was 288.0 Friday morning, and I'm 286.6 today.

Now, my goal with the cheat meal, and it was a risk, was to eat something I wanted, pay the price, and get back to my original goal weight of 286 by this morning - which I failed to do. We tossed the football a lot this weekend, and we were going to do it again yesterday, but our kids and neighbors kind of tossed a wrench in the idea. So, I missed my real workout yesterday, which didn't help my cause much.

That said, we'll get back to it today, and my goal this week will be to see 282.X by Friday morning.

Also, for those of you in Michigan - male and female - let's play some flag football. 3-on-3, 40-yard field, 30-minute running clock, co-ed...

Seriously, let's do this.

Ugh

One of those days. Kids going nuts. Work busy for me. Work busier for Beck. No time to cook.

Next thing you know, we're sitting in an all-you-can-eat restaurant, and I'm filling up two plates and a bowl with food, then coming home to eat a bowl of cereal. We did try to get out tonight and toss the football, but by the time we started it was already getting dark.

So now we're going to try to unwind, watch a movie, and hit tomorrow running.

Bulk Smash!!

As you may notice to the right, my goal of hitting 286.0 by tomorrow morning has been smashed by me, The Incredible Bulk.

Not only did I meet it, I destroyed it.

Today's weigh-in?

284.6

I really don't know how I dropped so much so quickly, and I don't care, to be honest. All I know is that my calories have been perfect since last Wednesday when I started this back up. And we've worked up a sweat in some capacity every day since last Wednesday, as well. Lots of throwing footballs and frisbees, going for walks, working out...something every day.

So, I find myself feeling pretty thrilled today.

Now, we're planning a controlled cheat meal tomorrow night. We're going to a Chinese Buffet, where we will only make two trips to the bar, and fried foods will be kept to an absolute minimum. We'll also be eating fewer calories through the day, keeping our number small as we sit down to eat.

Nothing wrong with cheating once in a while, as long as you're smart about it.

So, 286 is killed, and now my sights are set on 276.4. I have over two months to drop eight pounds, so I feel pretty good about getting there early, and giving me a big jump on 240.

I'm back, baby.

Unstoppable

Well, I thought I screwed up last night. Around 10:15 PM, I just got HUNGRY. Like, actually HUNGRY. I was trying to resist, but I caved. I had 1/2 a PB sandwich on whole wheat, and followed that up with a cup of dry Captain Crunch cereal. And then I had ANOTHER cup of dry Captain Crunch cereal.

I got weak, and I gave in. My calories were still in range, but it was more THAT I ate, and not WHAT I ate. Still, I was anticipating a bad number on the scale today.

What I got was a 286.4. Down almost a pound from yesterday, and only .4 pounds from my goal weight of 286.0, and with two days left to hit it.

This morning I realized that Beck and I have been active every day over the last week. Running, going for family walks, tossing a football, throwing a frisbee - every day since last Wednesday.

Even an avalanche starts with just a little snow. I think the avalanche is coming.

EDIT

I know sit at 8 pounds lost in 7 days. I'll take that.

Holding Pattern

I'm waiting for a more "official" weigh in that will take place roughly 45 minutes from now, and I'm hoping the numbers are a little better than my unofficial weight from a few minutes ago. If the weight holds, it will appear that my body has moved into a bit of a holding pattern, at 287.4. My last three weights were 287.2, 287.8, and today's 287.4.

If the number doesn't change, it's going to bring my first mental challenge of this reboot. Three days of no loss is just enough of a speed bump to get into my head. I expect to lose at least a little weight every day, with an occasional "nice" drop of a pound or more. And as unrealistic as it is, when I don't get it for a few days, I start doubting.

But I'm also realistic. I know it's insane to expect weight loss every day. Hope for it? Sure. Get pissed if you don't get it? No. Plus, for those of you who were around since Day One, you recall that my body like to screw with me - drop .4, drop .6, drop .2, gain 1.0, drop .4, gain 1.6, drop .2, drop .2, drop 3.8, etc.

So, this is where I need to focus. No matter what my scale says 40 minutes from now, it won't change my day - eat right, stay active.

And heeeeere we go...

EDIT

Official weight: 287.2

The Coalition Seems Quiet...

Here's hoping all is well.

Another good day for Beck and I. I'm getting close to calling it a streak, but I've had five good days before, so I'll hold off until Thursday. That'll but me at seven perfect days.

That's it. Hope everybody had a good day.

Update

287.8 this morning, so I'm up .6 pounds. I'm not too bothered by that, as I did go a little carb-happy last night with homemade potato salad (red potatoes, low-fat/low-cal dressing).

We've also decided that we like tossing frisbees. We found a little crappy one in our back yard last week, and it's kind of addictive. So, we're going to go try to find a cheap - but better - one at Target or something today.

More later...

Quickly

287.2 this morning, so I'm down another 2.6 pounds even after my first "slip up" (one scoop of ice cream with my daughter). Active day ahead, so I'm counting on that number dropping even more tomorrow.

I'm down 7.2 pounds since Thursday morning., and only 11 pounds from my Nov. 5 goal.

Built-In Motivation

Read the post below this one, but also check out these old posts that are serving to keep me going.

Me fat.
Me very fat.
Me at my thinnest.
My cheesy grin.

I want junk food

But I have already decided that I'm not allowing myself to deviate even an inch on my food intake until Thursday of this week. I just have to fight through these desires. So I will.

Haven't had my official weigh-in this morning, but my unofficial weight was the same as yesterday. I didn't work out last night, as I became progressively more sore throughout the day. And dinner was heavy on the carbs. But we'll see what the scale says in a few minutes here.

I will be doing my workout tonight, sore or not. I need to get at least three days a week in, and I'm planning on four.

Alright, that's about it. I'm sure I'll blog more later.

Have a good one.

*****EDIT*****

Weight was 290, so down another full pound. I hate that I had to start so high, but I'm glad that I'm down 4.4 pounds since Thursday morning.

Just got back from a 2-mile family walk, and followed that up with 20 or 30 minutes of tossing the football in the back yard. Not a bad start to the weekend.

My new short-term goal is to see 286 on the scale by Friday morning.

Has Anybody Seen...

This?



I've heard it's cheesy, and pretty much a poorly updated Karate Kid, but that it was a fun movie - lots of action, etc. As I look for motivation anywhere I can find it, I can't help but think that an MMA-based movie might not hurt.

Not looking for movie of the year, just looking for a cool 2 hours. Anybody have any input?

Progress

More later, but wanted to check in.

Couple of PERFECT days in the books. Eating has been pristine, I'm staying active, and I just plain feel better. I'm trying to figure out where the jump in weight came from last week, as I went from 288 to 294.4 in two days on average eating. But, I'm back to 291.0 today, so I'm down 3.4 pounds in two days.

Back to my Band workout tonight, and then we're hoping for an active, football-tossing-filled weekend. A lot going on personally, but it's more exciting than anything.

All-in-all, I feel good these days. My sleep is better. My attitude is better. My focus is better. And I haven't so much as thought about junk food in three days, which is something I've fought with through all of my past reboots.

Beck and I were talking last night, and she really feel like we're back where we need to be with this.

Only time will tell, but I think she's right.

Dinner Choices

Going into dinner, I sit at roughly 890 calories. I'm aiming for no more than 2,000 for a the next week or two. But we have nothing in the house, so we had to go to the store to pick up something quick and easy.

Sometimes, when you have kids to feed, you've been at work all day, and you don't have the time to go grocery shopping, you have no choice but to run into the store and grab something quick.

So we did.

We got iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, carrots slices, low-fat shredded cheddar, and light Italian dressing, and we're going to grill up some chicken.

I'm going to have a MASSIVE salad that will come in at roughly 350 calories, leaving me room for a bowl of wheat Chex later tonight.

Heck yeah, baby.

Holy $#!&!!!!

Alright, just got done with THIS, and let me tell you, it's the real deal. It might be one of the most complete workouts I've done in a long time. For those of you who may be struggling to find time, I HIGHLY recommend investing the $20 in some resistance bands (I have two pair, as some of these are just too easy with only one), and 25 minutes of your time 4 days per week.

My legs are sore, and my arms are tight and bulging. I was sucking wind by the end, and I've got a good sweat going right now.

Seriously, it's worth a look. Even if you're doing well, this might be a nice change of pace for you. And you can do it in your bedroom or your basement.

Alright, have a good night all. Here's one of many PERFECT days in the books...

Good Day So Far

Just got in from running some routes with Beck and tossing the football - about 40 minute's worth. Got a sweat worked up, and got the heart going, so it's a win. Will start my Anywhere Workout tonight. MH had a nice piece about the benefits of resistance band training, and it makes me feel better about using them for a few months.

Food-wise, had a small bowl of Cheerio's for breakfast, a turkey wrap for lunch, and was still hungry. So, I went into the kitchen for a second sandwich, and decided to do carrots with low fat ranch, instead.

So, several little victories so far today. But they start adding up after a while. Now I just need to keep them coming.

Gotta Do It

So, I just got done reading Billy's latest blog, and the comments that accompanied it. You know what I felt? Total jealousy. Not pride on Billy's behalf. Not inspiration. Nothing but jealousy. Where Billy has succeeded, I've failed. Where he kept going, I stopped. Where he moved forward, I regressed.

I look back at my old blogs, and I see that I could have EASILY been at my end goal of 240 by now. I could have my 10% body fat. I could mow my lawn with my shirt off. But somewhere along the way, I decided that I'd rather have crappy foods and nights on the couch than an impressive and healthy physique. So, my push ups have been replaced by Twizzlers. And my 5-mile walks have been bumped for Chinese buffets.

I can say stress played a part, but I could have been stronger than my stress, had I chosen to. I could say that fatigue played a part, as doing this for over a year did weigh on me. But with so many others still going, what's my excuse for stopping?

The truth is, I saw that pic of me at 272, and I liked what I saw. I figured I earned some time off. And that time off turned into laziness. And that laziness became a habit. Gone were the days of MAKING myself do something - anything - to work up a sweat. They were replaced by movie nights, cheat meals, and video games.

But Billy's blog smacked me right in the face. That could be me trying to decide if I want ripped abs, or if my flat stomach is good enough. Instead, I've spent the last two months hovering at 290 - 18 pounds heavier that I was a year ago, and 50 pounds from where I really want to be.

I've made so many excuses and justifications for my failures that I've started to believe them. But I don't, anymore.

My name is Kevin Antcliff, and I'm still fat. I need to lose 50 pounds. And I need to start again today.

Maybe that jealousy I felt was actually inspiration after all.

Check back through the day, as I'll be adding some specific plans and goals to get me back on track.

---EDIT---

On 11-5-07, I weighed 276.4. By 11-5-08, I need to be there again. Plenty of time. It gives me roughly 10 weeks to drop around 14 pounds.

I'll be using the Men's Health Anywhere Workout, which I couldn't find to link to. Gym's aren't in the plan for us right now, so I'll be using this exercise band workout 3-4 times per week, with cardio 2-3 times per week. This is a total body workout that claims you'll notice results in 8 days, blah, blah, blah. We shall see.

Alright, people. Let's rock and roll.

Inspiring Commercial

Between Nike and Under Armor... They have the market cornered on inspirational commercials. Here's the latest from Nike.

Quick Update

Been sick with flu/strep all week, and my eating is notoriously awful when I'm sick. That said, I was able to hold steady this week - weighing exactly today what I weighed on 7-25.

Not exactly parade-worthy, but I was afraid the weight was back up this morning, so I'll take it.

I'm still not feeling great, but I'm hoping to get out this weekend and take some walks, play catch - something. I'm kind of anxious to get active again after a week of feeling like microwaved poo.

Yes, I felt THAT bad.