The Heavy Man's Diary

Day #10 (Part 2) - Work Then Travel

2011-03-24T00:12:00.000-04:00

Today was another busy day of work. It is funny but it seems like I have a whole lot more work to do when I am working from home. Don't get me wrong, I worked by butt off at my last job when I was in an office during the week. But it seems like the day goes by quicker when I work from home. To tell you the truth, it doesn't feel like there is enough time in the day to get what I have to get done. As long as I do what I am supposed to do and make my boss happy, then I have no complaints at all.

I will officially back on the road once again, starting tomorrow. I am flying down to Jacksonville to assist with the operations of my new company's first event of the year. I am very excited to get down there because I will be meeting a lot of my new co-workers for the first time. Like I mentioned yesterday, it is always fun putting a face to the voice. And if this weekend goes the way I know it can, we all could be in for a successful year. I am knocking on wood and crossing my fingers as I am typing.

Today was also another strong day for the mission. I ate very well and got back into the gym again for my cardio and core body workout routines. I am a little upset that I couldn't do my cardio outside today. The last two days have been full of crappy weather. And when I say crappy, I mean snow, rain, and hail. I don't understand how we can go from absolutely amazing weather this weekend back to this crap. I really can't wait for Spring to be in full swing because that means the snow will be gone and I can exercise outside a lot more! As I start to train for the 2 triathlons I will be doing in September, I think being able to do so outside is going to be the key to my success.

Anyway, it is getting late and tomorrow is a travel day. I am going to continue to follow my mission while I am gone. I am hoping that I will be able to get internet access while I am on the road. If I am not able to, I will make sure to update everyone with how the weekend went on Monday. So until tomorrow my friends, have a great night! Let's get to the details of the day.

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 1 egg and 1 egg white on WW whole wheat bread with a pear = Points 4
Snacks - 2 rice cakes, 1 pear, and 2 granola bars = Points 8
Lunch - 2 whole wheat & american cheese sandwiches with a pear = Points 6
Dinner - 1 serving of miso soup, 1/2 serving of edamame, 2 tuna rolls, and 1 serving of hibachi steak = Points 23

Total Points Eaten Today = 41 Points (2 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I did: 15 minutes on the stair climber, 25 minutes on the bike, and 15 minutes of core body exercises. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #10 (Part 2) - Weigh-In =195.6 lbs

Day #10 (Part 2) Weigh-In

Day #10 (Part 2) Front Shot

Day #9 (Part 2) - Feeling Better

2011-03-22T23:47:00.000-04:00

I am not sure if I had a 24 hour bug yesterday or if I ate something wrong. But I feel a whole lot better today than I did yesterday. However, my stomach was still feeling a little upset, so I didn't really eat like I have grown accustom to. None the less, I still managed to eat healthy and stuck to the mission perfectly. As a matter of fact, I believe I came in under my daily points limit again today. I was also able to execute my exercise routine much better today as well. I was so determined to get a good workout in after not feeling so well yesterday.

Work was never ending today. As soon as I woke up, it was a non stop process to get every thing accomplished that I wanted to. Not only did I have to execute my check list but I had a ton of things added onto my plate as well. Now I am not complaining at all because I would much rather be to busy than not busy at all. Plus it is very fun, when I have all the permission in the world to be as creative as I want to be! Like I said yesterday and I will say it again today, I love my new job so far!

Tomorrow is going to be a very long but important day. I will be preparing to take my first business trip for my new job and I can't wait to meet everyone for the first time. It is a different experience being able to work from home and not knowing exactly who you are talking to on the other side of the phone. I just hope I am able to impress and gain the trust of everyone I am working closely with. This also means that, "The Heavy Man" is going to be on the road once again. And guess what my friends, the scale, camera, and of course the mission are coming with me. Even though I will not be home, Part 2 of the mission will continue as planned.

Well my friends, it is getting late and I have a lot to do tomorrow. So until tomorrow and I mean tomorrow, have a great night. Let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 eggs on a whole wheat bagel with apple slices = Points 11
Snacks - 1 apple, 1 pear, 1 serving of baked tostitos, and 2 rice cakes = Points 6
Lunch - 1 1/2 servings of Newman's All Natural Pizza = Points 12
Dinner - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of whole wheat pasta = Points 13

Total Points Eaten Today = 42 Points (1 point under my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Chin-Ups (4 sets), Upright Rows (4 sets), Bent Over Rows (4 sets), Dumbbell Shrugs (4 sets), Rear Delt Rows (4 sets), Arm Curls Straight Bar (4 sets), Preacher Curl (4 sets), Reverse Curls Straight Bar (4 sets), and Wrist Bends (3 sets x 2). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #9 (Part 2) - Weigh-In = 194.8 lbs

Day #9 (Part 2) Weigh-In

Day #9 (Part 2) Front Shot

Day #7 & #8 (Part 2) - From Feeling Fine to Feeling Sick

2011-03-21T23:50:00.000-04:00

Hello My Friends,

I first want to apologize for missing yesterday's post. As you all know, Patty is currently studying for her Master's degree and she had some very important papers she had to write yesterday for her classes today. So she had to use the computer. She has successfully finished and I am back tonight. I was determined to not miss 2 days in a row. By the way, you really didn't miss anything yesterday. I got some work done and tried to relax a little before the week started.

Today on the other hand, started off very busy. I was up and moving on all cylinders early this morning and did not take many breaks at all. I love my new job so far and I am sure it is only going to get better as time goes on. However, as the middle of the day approached, my day started to fall off. My stomach started to hurt, my head began to pound, and I absolutely feel like crap. To tell you the truth, I don't really get sick often but when I do, it really sucks. I didn't even fulfill my daily points limit today with the fear that I wasn't going to be able to stomach it. I even attempted to play basketball tonight but wasn't feeling good the entire time. Even my friends were noticing how I was feeling and asked me if I was ok because I wasn't my normal upbeat self.

Thankfully, my brother has some cold & sinus medicine for me to take tonight. And to be honest with you all, I feel like I can fall asleep at any time and sleep all the way through the night. Anyway, I am going to head on to bed and hopefully I will be better tomorrow. I promise I will have a much better post for you all tomorrow night. Until then, have a great night my friends! Let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 Rice Cakes = Points 3
Snacks - 2 pears = Points 0
Lunch- (1) 6" turkey sub on whole wheat with american cheese, side of sun chips, and a side of apple slices = Points 16
Dinner - 1 1/2 servings of whole wheat pasta and a side of whole wheat garlic toast = Points 15
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 4

Total Points Eaten Today = 38 Points (5 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I played basketball for a little bit but felt sick the entire time.

Day #7 & #8 (Part 2) - Weigh-In =198.8 lbs & 197.6 lbs

Day #7 (Sun, Mar 20, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #7 (Part 2) Front Shot

Day #8 (Mon, Mar 21, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #8 (Part 2) Front Shot

Day #6 (Part 2) - Baseball and Friends

2011-03-19T23:41:00.000-04:00

My baseball team ended up winning our game today!! And guess what my friends, I hit 2 home runs today as well! I even received a few compliments on how fast I was around the base paths. So I would say that today was a great day on the cardio / exercise side of things. I say this because I played well today on top of getting a nice 3 1/2 hours of cardio in.

However, I will admit that I struggled a little on the eating side. I ended up have 2 slices of pizza today for lunch. But I did not let that stop me from eating healthy the rest of the day. I know there will be times where I will make mistakes and eat something I should not have eaten but that is life. And the most important thing I have learned from this mission so far, is to learn from my mistakes and move on. Because if I sit here and dwell on it, then I will never make any successful progress towards my goals.

Tonight was fun as well. Paul and Janine (Paul's Wife & Patty's Bridesmaid) invited us over for a nice healthy dinner consisting of turkey burgers and turkey sausage. And let me tell you, tonight's dinner hit the spot! It was also fun tonight because Paul is a Weight Watcher's guy as well. He actually started doing Weight Watcher's after I started and saw that it was working for me, so he decided to give it a try. And 60 lbs later, he feeling better than ever. We like to motivate each other all the time and believe me it helps every bit.

Anyway, I am exhausted and I want to wake up at 7:30am for basketball tomorrow. So until tomorrow and I mean tomorrow. Have a great night my friends!! Let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

*Today I had cheat meal for lunch. That is the last cheat meal for a while.

Breakfast - 2 granola bars and apple slices
Snacks - 1 apple
Lunch - 2 slices of pizza and 3 garlic knots
Dinner - 2 turkey burgers with 2 sides of baked tostitos
Dessert - fruit

Exercise

Today I played baseball for 3 hours. Tomorrow I will be playing basketball in the morning and I will be lifting weights in the afternoon.

Day #6 (Part 2) - Weigh-In = 196.0 lbs

Day #6 (Part 2) Weigh-In

Day #6 (Part 2) Front Shot

Day #5 (Part 2) - Challenging Myself

2011-03-19T00:29:00.000-04:00

Today was a very productive day with work, capping off a very productive week of work. That is all great but the weekend is here and it is time to relax for a little bit. Actually it is time to get outside because the weather is going to be awesome. Today was the first day since late summer / early fall, of this past year, that it actually hit 70 degrees. To tell you the truth, it was hard to not go outside today with how beautiful it was but work had to come first. And now that Spring is quickly rolling towards us, I am going to challenge myself by taking my cardio workouts outside once again. I do enjoy executing my cardio workouts inside the confines of my new gym but outside is where I belong.

And speaking of challenging myself, I am going to attempt to expand my outdoor activities by adding a few things that I never done before. This was mainly because of my size and health to tell you all the truth. And now that I have lost roughly 107 lbs and I feel great, I want to challenge myself in new ways and to see how far I could push my boundaries. If you have been following this blog for a while, you may know that I play men's softball during the Spring and I also play basketball every Monday & Sunday all year around. I am still going to continue with these activities because I have a lot of fun doing so. However, in addition to those I am going to start playing baseball every Sunday during the Spring, going into the Summer. And while all of this is fun, I am also going to start training for two Triathlons that I will be doing with my cousin in September! Yes my friends, the Heavy Man is going to be kicking it up a level.

I am very excited that I have given myself the opportunity to participate in all of these different types of sports and events. It makes me fill up with pride because I was not in this position a little over 9 months ago. So with this being said, I need help and advise on how to go about training for the Triathlons. I figure that I can continue with my workout routines while training for my future events at the same time. Please comment on this post, Facebook me, Twitter me, or email me (www.theheavymansdiary@gmail.com). I am looking for all of the help I can get. Anyway, I will have the details to these events up within the next week, when I get them from my cousin. I am excited about this opportunity and I want to make the best off it.

Well, it is getting late and I have a scrimmage tomorrow at 8am with my baseball team. Until tomorrow and I mean tomorrow. Have a great night! Let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 1 Egg and 1 Egg white on 2 slices of WW whole wheat bread with a side of pear slices = Points 4
Snacks - 1 pear, 1 serving of baked tostitos, and 1 apple = Points3
Early Lunch - Turkey with cheddar cheese on a wrap with lettuce, a side of fruit, and a side of honey mustard = Points 16
Late Lunch - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of baked Tostitos = Points 9
Dinner - 2 cups of steamed chicken and broccoli with a side of brown rice = Points 11
Dessert - 1 serving of grapes = 0

Total Points Eaten Today = 43 Points

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Bench Press (4 sets), Dumbbell Incline (4 sets), Cable Flyes (4 sets), Dumbbell Shoulder Press (4 sets), Dumbbell Triceps Ext (4 sets), Triceps Push Downs (4 sets), Neck Ext (3 sets), and Neck Flex (3 sets). Tomorrow I will be playing baseball and doing cardio.

Day #5 (Part 2) - Weigh-In = 195.2 lbs

Day #5 (Part 2) Weigh-In

Day #5 (Part 2) Front Shot

Day #4 (Part 2) - Not This Time Temptation

2011-03-18T00:28:00.000-04:00

Hello My Friends,

First of all, Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone and I really hope it was great one for you all. Secondly, the temptation to have a cheat meal and to eat bad today was there and I managed to get past it! When Patty arrived home from her internship tonight, she made it perfectly clear that she did not feel like cooking at all because she had a very long day. And of course me being the supportive fiance said, "No problem at all. What would you like to eat that does not involve cooking?" While I was asking her this simple question, my mind started to wander off into the possibilities of what dinner could be. The first thing that popped in to my head was pizza and of course my mouth followed by starting to water. I couldn't believe how quick my body was to react to what my mind was thinking.

However, before my imagination went any further, I quickly suggested that we take a walk to the food store to see if we could find any healthy alternatives, that involved as little cooking as possible. And guess what my friends, I ended getting pizza but it was the all natural frozen kind that only took up the remaining 14 points I had left for dinner. I was extremely proud of myself today for kicking, the temptation I had, in the butt. I stuck around my daily points limit today because I made the effort to do so.

I think the more times I resist temptation, the easier it is going to get for me to stay on track with Part 2 of my mission. Like I mentioned two days ago, I had hit a stretch for a while where I was averaging a cheat meal a day and I felt like I was starting to lose control. But fortunately, I was able to get back on track the last few days. No body is perfect and of course everyone is human but it doesn't hurt to try to stay focused as much as possible.

Anyway, I want to finish off the work week strong tomorrow. Until tomorrow and I mean tomorrow, have a great night! Let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 1 Egg and 1 egg white on WW whole wheat bread with a side of pear slices = Points 4
Snacks - 2 apples, 1 pear, 1 serving of sun chips, and 2 rice cakes = Points 6
Early Lunch - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Parm (Weight Watcher's Recipe) with a side of whole wheat pasta = Points 12
Late Lunch - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of sun chips = Points 12
Dinner - 2 servings of all natural Newman's Pizza = Points 14

Total Points Eaten Today = 48 Points (5 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I did cardio (Stair Climber, Elliptical, and Bike) for a combined 45 minutes and then I executed my abdominal / core workout routine. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #4 (Part 2) - Weigh-In = 197.0 lbs

Day #4 (Part 2) Weigh-In

Day #4 (Part 2) Front Shot

Day #3 (Part 2) - Just Like Riding a Bike

2011-03-16T23:39:00.000-04:00

Hello My Friends,

One would say that I am starting to make a habit of writing my daily posts once again. I am going to be honest with you all when I say, that I can definitely feel a difference within me when I am writing a post everyday. For the last few weeks I have been pushing off my posts, due to my work load and being straight up lazy. I was constantly telling myself that I will start writing everyday again tomorrow. And then tomorrow would turn into the next day and before I knew it, I would have gone a week without writing a new one. I was also using the same mentality with my meals everyday. I would be averaging a bad meal each day and I would constantly tell myself that I would start eating healthy the entire day again tomorrow and that too would turn into the next day. But since I have started my daily posts once again, I am constantly reminding myself to not go in reverse and that I worked hard to get to this point. Because I really feel that you all deserve the truth and I would be letting everyone down if I continued to eat crappy and be lazy everyday.

I have been doing great the last 3 days with both eating healthy and exercising. And I feel like I am back to the way I was before I went down to Charleston for the month of December. To tell you the truth, it is much easier for me to be following a routine again with eating healthy, exercising, and writing my daily blog. It is kind of like riding a bike because it has been easy writing and eating healthy the last 3 days. I am also seeing my weight starting to go back down on the scale once again and I am determined to break through that 190 lbs wall sooner than later.

Anyway, it is getting late once again and I have a lot to get done with work tomorrow. So until tomorrow my friends and I mean tomorrow, have a great night! Let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo Nutrigrain Waffles = Points 7
Lunch - Turkey on a wrap with lettuce and cheddar cheese, with a side of fruit, and a serving of French Onion Soup = Points 24
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Parm (Weight Watcher's Recipe) and a serving of whole wheat pasta = Points 12
Dessert - 1 WW ice cream cone = Points 4

Total Points Eaten Today = 47 Points (4 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Chin Ups (4 sets), Upright Rows (4 sets), Bent Over Rows (4 sets), Dumbbell Shrugs (4 sets), Rear Delt (4 sets), Arm Curls Straight Bar (4 sets), Preacher Curl (4 sets), Reverse Curl Straight Bar (4 sets), and Wrist Curls (8 sets). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #3 (Part 2) - Weigh-In = 197.6 lbs

Day #3 (Part 2) Weigh-In

Day #3 (Part 2) Front Shot

Day #2 (Part 2) - Keeping A Promise

2011-03-16T01:56:00.000-04:00

Hello My Friends,

Yes I am back for the third day in a row and I don't plan on missing another daily post until my wedding day is here. And if you think about it, my wedding day is a little over 5 months away. So that means I am going to have to be really creative every single day because the last thing I want to do is bore you all to death. But we can discuss this at another time.

I had the urge to eat bad food the entire day but I did not fold into that temptation at all. In fact, I went over my daily points limit by 7 points today but it was done with all healthy food. I guess if I have to go over in points, it is better to do it in a healthy matter instead of eating crappy food. And to tell you the truth, focusing on writing my daily post today, made me not want to have a cheat meal. Because the last thing I wanted to do was eat crappy after I promised you all, two days ago, that I was not going to have any cheat meals for a long time. And eating crappy food today, I feel, would have been a slap in the face towards you all.

I ended up having a lot of fun tonight at a concert in the city with my buddy Paul. He works in the music world and he has a friend who got us into see one of my favorite bands at the Irving Plaza tonight in NYC. And let me tell you, it was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. The energy in the place was amazing and everyone did not stop moving the entire concert. I think I might have lost about 10 lbs tonight just by sweating up a storm because the place was so packed with people who were all jumping up and down, including myself. It was a great way to end a very busy and productive day at work.

Anyway, I have to get up for work in the morning. Until tomorrow and I mean tomorrow, have a great night. Let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo Nutrigrain Waffles = Points 7
Snacks - 1 pear, 1 apple, 1 Weight Watcher's Ice Cream Cone, 2 granola bars, and 2 small soft pretzels = Points 17
Lunch - 1 and 1/2 slices of Newman's All Natural Pizza = Points 12
Dinner - (1) 6" Double Turkey sub on whole wheat bread with a slice of white american cheese and a serving of sun chips = Points = 14

Total Points Eaten Today = 50 Points (7 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I did not make it to the gym or run outside. I will be making it to the gym tomorrow.

Day #2 (Part 2) - Weigh-In = 198.0 lbs

Day #2 (Part 2) Weigh-In

Day #2 (Part 2) Front Shot

Day #1 - Part 2 Starts Now!

2011-03-15T00:31:00.000-04:00

Hello My Friends,

Do not adjust your computer screens, it is I the Heavy Man, back for a second day in a row. For all of you who are new to this blog, I have been on a mission I like to call, "The Mission to Healthy" for a little more then 9 months now. I started on Monday, May 31, 2010 with the full intention of losing weight for my wedding, that will take place this August. But as the mission grew, it became more about helping myself as well as others who struggle with the same weight issues I do. And to make a long story short, I have been on this mission now for 9 and 1/2 months and I have learned a lot. Not to mention, I made a ton of friends that keep me motivated constantly. But unfortunately it has been hard, since the last week of December, to keep up with my posts on a daily basis. I actually went about 250 + days straight without missing a post until that point. If you are curious about the obstacles I have gone through to get to this point, please feel free to visit the blog's archives and check it out.

Anyway, I have been slipping a little lately on the eating side and I think missing my daily posts plays a part with that. When I was blogging everyday, it served as a constant reminder of how far I have come. And I can tell you right now, I will never go back to being over weight ever again. You may have noticed that I have updated the blog site and added a few more pictures of myself, that date back to when all of this started. To bring you up to speed, the pictures I am going to share with you all now, are the most recent. You will be able to see how far I have come by comparing these photos with the ones that are on my site's home page. They will remain there as another reminder of what I will never be again.


Day #1 (Part 2) Mon, March 14, 2011

March 4, 2011 (Side Shot)

It has definitely been a long but successful journey so far. And I do not plan on stopping any time soon, even when my wedding day has come and gone. So I am going to put the last 9 and 1/2 months in the past and now focus on the future and the new tasks at hand. I am going to officially call it Part 2 of "The Mission to Healthy" and Day #1 starts today. I have a little over 5 months to go until my wedding day is here. And what I pictured myself looking like, will become a reality come hell or high water. The Heavy Man is back people and I am sorry that I have been lazy the last few months. It has not been fair to you or myself. I look forward to taking this next part of my journey with all of you.

Until tomorrow and I mean tomorrow, have a great night!!! Let's get to the details of today:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo Nutrigrain Waffles = Points 7
Snacks - 2 pears and an apple = Points 0
Early Afternoon - (1) 6" Double Turkey meat sub on whole wheat bread with 2 slices of white american cheese and a serving of sun chips (Subway) = Points 15
Late Afternoon - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with a pear and a serving of sun chips = Points 12
Dinner - 2 servings of homemade Stuffed Shells (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 10

Total Points Eaten Today = 44 Points (1 point over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I played basketball for 3 hours. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #1 (Part 2) - Weigh-In = 199.8 lbs

Day #1 (Part 2) Weigh-In

Time For A Change

2011-03-14T01:51:00.000-04:00

Hello My Friends,

I am officially back and this time it is for real..... I promise. The last few weeks have been hectic because I have taken a new job and the transition into the new position took a little bit of time. But I am officially with the new company and I can now focus on getting back to the mission at hand once again. And that mission is losing weight and getting into the best shape of my life, for my wedding. Of course losing weight and keeping it off, is a life changing development and I am happy to be focused on that mission once again.

I have been working out just about everyday, but my eating has slacked a lot lately. I have been eating more cheat meals lately and my body is starting to fight with me because of it. If that isn't a sign to get back to my mission hard core, I don't know what is. I am still at 100lbs lost since, Monday , May 31, 2010 but that isn't good enough for me any more. I want to take it to the next level, where I don't see any more fat and muscle starts to show its face.

Many of you may notice that this blog page looks different. I felt that a change was needed because I kept on making excuses, for why pushing my next post back day after day, wasn't that bad. Well guess what Heavy Man, writing these posts and sharing my struggles and accomplishments with you all, is what kept me on track. And since I have lacked in that department, I was starting to lose sight of the big picture. Well that is stopping now. I am going back to my daily posts, eating healthy every single day with no cheat meals, and of course exercise!

Even though I have been executing this mission for the last 9 months, I am starting tomorrow as if it was Day #1 all over again. My wedding is right around the corner and I have worked way too hard to mess this up now. Patty doesn't deserve that, my family doesn't deserve that, all of you don't deserve that, and I don't deserve that. The Heavy Man is back baby and it is time to stop the crap and get back to business.

Until tomorrow my friends, and I mean tomorrow, have a great night!

- The Heavy Man

Under Construction

2011-03-12T23:42:00.000-05:00

Hello My Friends,

I am officially announcing that, the Heavy Man's Diary, will be under construction starting tomorrow Sunday (March 13, 2011) and will relaunched again on Monday (March 14, 2011). I have been hit again with some reality and I am sorry that I have not held up my end of the mission and our friendship that I have developed with you all, over the last 9 months.

I think it is time for an update with the site. A little change will be good and I hope you all will stick with me through this brief transition.

I appreciate all of the support I have received from every single one of you over the last few months and I hope what we have started together, will turn into life long friendships.

I will be back soon!

-The Heavy Man

Days #270 - #278 - I'm Sorry!! / Side Shots!!

2011-03-04T23:14:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone!! I know it has been a while since my last post and I am very sorry. But this last week has been a wild roller coaster ride that just started to calm down. First of all, I started this week, on Monday, working at the same place I just ran the event for down in Charleston. However, I am now with a new company making a lot more money, that will help Patty and I pay for the wedding we want! Yes my friends, the Heavy Man has taken a step forward in his career! And I can't even explain how much happier I am that this has happened to Patty and myself. The road to get to this point was a long one but I am ready to hit the ground running once again.

Anyway, this last week has also been an up and down ride for the mission as well. I have been exercising constantly but have been slipping a little on the eating side. Now I don't want you all to get the wrong impression. It is not like I sit here and stuff my face everyday. I have had a few more cheat meals in the past week than I would of like to. And I have disappointed myself in the process. I weighed in last Thursday, Feb 24, 2011 at 194 lbs. And as of this morning I weighed in the 198 lbs range. I feel like I have gotten lazy in the past week and it has got to stop! Now gaining 4 lbs in 9 days is not that big a deal but it can become one, if I don't make an effort to get back on track. I now see it as a must and not an option because I will never go back to the way I was. I also have to get back to my daily posts because they keep me on track by talking about my ups and downs everyday.

But enough about the depressing stuff. I am not going to show you the last 9 days of "update photos" because it will be very repetitive and a little boring. But I am going to show you this month's edition of my "Side Shot Photos." I want to thank you all for being so patient with me over the last 2 months, with my on and off postings. I am finally starting to get back on track with this new job and my wedding is getting closer and closer by the day. It is time for me to man up and get focused once again!

Day #1 (May 31, 2010) - 302 lbs

Tues, Feb 1, 2011 - 202 lbs

Fri, Mar 4, 2011 - 198.2 lbs

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 43 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites with a slice of cheese on a whole wheat bagel = Points 11
Snacks - 1 serving of sun chips and grapes = Points 4
Lunch - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Parm (Weight Watcher's Recipe) with a serving of whole wheat pasta = Points 10
Dinner - 1 serving of Chicken and Broccoli with a side of brown rice and an egg roll = Points 17

Total Points Eaten = 42 Points

Exercise

This morning I did my cardio workout for 50 mins and then I did 10 minutes of core exercises.

Day #278 - Weigh-In = 198.2 lbs

Day #278 Weigh-In

Day #278 Front Shot

Days #265 - #269 - Catching Up

2011-02-23T23:44:00.000-05:00

Hello my friends!!! I have yet again been caught up in the crazy saga that I like to call my life. I don't even think "busy" is the word that can describe the last few days. And it is not just my work life that has been busy, it is my personal life as well. Now I am not complaining at all, I actually prefer to be busy instead of being bored with nothing to do. Anyway, the last week has been crazy but it has also been productive. To tell you the truth, so much has happened that I really can't remember what things happened on which days.

The good thing is, that no matter what happens in my life, I am still going to stay true to my mission and my health. Which means I kept to my healthy eating routine as well as working out every day. Speaking of working out, I have been doing a lot more cardio lately because my lifting partner, Paul, is about to have his first child any time now. So he has been with his wife the last few days helping her along the way. And I wish them the best of luck! Anyway, as I mentioned above, I have been sticking to my mission and I have managed to get myself down to 196 lbs as of yesterday and this morning. I am determined to make it into the mid 180s and then I want to start building more muscle and toning my body. I will have a body worthy of a magazine cover by the time my wedding date is here!

I am now going to leave you with the many update photos that I have taken over the last few days that will illustrate my progress. I have missed you all and I will talk to you again tomorrow.

Saturday, Feb 19, 2011 (Day #265)

Front Shot

Weigh-In

Sun, Feb 20, 2011 (Day #266)

Front Shot

Weigh-In

Mon, Feb 21, 2011 (Day #267)

Front Shot

Weigh-In

Tues, Feb 22, 2011 (Day #268)

Front Shot

Weigh-In

Wed, Feb 23, 2011 (Day #269)

Front Shot

Weigh-In

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man 43 - Points) *My daily points has gone down because I broke through the 200 lbs wall.

(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 7

Snacks - 1 apple, 1 pear, 1 yogurt pretzel pack, and 1 serving of baked tostitos = Points 6

Early Afternoon - 2 pieces of Chicken Parm (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 9

Late Afternoon - 1 Boca Chicken Patty on WW whole wheat bread with a slice of WW american cheese and a serving of back tostitos = Points 11

Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Beef Stroganoff (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 10

Total Points Eaten Today = 43 Points

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Lat Pull Downs (Front - 3 sets), Lat Pull Downs (Back - 3 sets), Upright Rows (3 sets), Bent Over Rows (3 sets), Seated Cable Rows (3 sets), Dumbbell Shrugs (3 sets), Straight Bar Curls (3 sets), Preacher Curls (3 sets), and Front Straight Bar Curls (3 sets). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

I Am Still Here

2011-02-22T23:46:00.000-05:00

Hey Friends,

I hope you all had a great weekend and last few days. I just wanted to let you all know that I am still here and I am still going strong. I am upset with myself for not being able to keep up with my posts like I was able to before the month of December. Things have been extremely busy with both my work and personal lives. But that doesn't mean I don't think about you all every single day. I have a post that I am planning for tomorrow, to catch you up on what has been going on with me the last few days. I know I promised I would be posting again every night but the last few days have been crazy and I have some exciting things happening that I can share with you guys soon!

I have been still going strong with the mission and I have been taking my update photos every day like usual. Speaking of update photos, my "Side Shot" post for next month is coming soon! Anyway, as of this morning I weighed in at 196 lbs!! I think I want to get down to the mid 180's and then start building the muscle back up.

Thank you all for being patient and please stick with me as I take a huge step into the next part of my life. You have been so supportive of me and very motivational as well. I have truly made life long friends with each and every one of you!!

I will talk to you all tomorrow and be prepared to see a ton of update photos as well as a recap of my last week. Until then my friends, have a great night!!

- The Heavy Man

Day #264 - Getting Back To The Streets

2011-02-19T00:21:00.000-05:00

Today was absolutely beautiful outside and was a very pleasant change of pace from the extremely cold winter New Jersey has had so far this year. And when it is 60 degrees outside the entire day, it only makes the work day go by even slower. Thank goodness I had a ton of work to do today, to keep the clock moving forward at a decent pace. But I have said it before and I will say it again..... Thank God it is Friday.

As I left work tonight, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do in terms of working out. And after a few minutes of pondering my options, it popped into my head, I will run outside tonight! For those of you who have gotten to know me over the past few months, you know that I enjoy running outside. And for those of you who are getting to know me now, it hasn't always been that way. I used to despise running because it meant I had to move at a faster pace then I was accustom to. Hence the 302 lb problem I had developed a while back. Anyway, I decided it was time to take my cardio routine back to the streets tonight.

It has been almost a month and a half since I was able to run outside. This long period of time was due to bad weather that has been brought on by this very long winter. I was able to run a lot down in Charleston during the month of December but it was nothing like being able to run at home. So with my excitement starting to get out of control, I made my way outside. I did not waste any time heading towards my old running route, that got me through the starting stages of running.

During my run, I was noticing how much easier it was for me. I remember when I first started a few months ago and I couldn't wait to get from point "A" to point "B" and then back home. It almost felt like I was running because I had to, not because I wanted to. Well things have certainly changed since then. I enjoyed my 45 minutes of cardio tonight. It gave me a feeling of being myself again in my own environment. One thing is for certain, I hope Spring comes fast because I definitely want to be running outside instead of in the gym. Anyway, it is getting late and I have a full day of things that have to get done tomorrow. Until tomorrow, have a great night my friends.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites on a multigrain roll with a slice of american cheese = Points 8
Snacks - 1 apple = Points 0
Early Afternoon - (1) 6" Chicken Teryikai sub on wheat bread with a slice of american cheese and a serving of sun chips (Subway) = Points 15
Late Afternoon - (1) 6" Double Turkey sub on wheat bread with a slice of american cheese and apple slices = Points 10
Dinner - 1 serving of steak with brown rice and steamed vegetables = Points 11
Dessert - 1 serving of WW ice cream = Points 4

Total Points Eaten = 48 Points (4 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I ran outside for 45 minutes. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine and I also have baseball practice.

Day #264 - Weigh-In = 198.8 lbs

Day #264 Weigh-In

Day #264 Front Shot

Days #257 - #263 - I AM BACK!!

2011-02-18T00:58:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!!!! I am back and I am very sorry it has taken me this long to write my next post. Since last Friday, my life has been busy and I apologize for disappearing. It was not intended but I am back now and it is time to get down to business. So the last week has been very eventful. I have gone down in weight, then back up in weight, and back down. My birthday weekend was a huge contributor to this weight roller coaster. But I did manage to get through this past weekend with only gaining a few pounds. And it is now the end of the current week and I am still go strong. I did however have a cheat meal with Patty tonight, celebrating good news. What I want to do now is share with you all a little bit from each day, during the past week, and show you the update photos from each day as well.

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 (Day #257)

Friday was the day before my birthday and it just so happened to be my father's b-day as well. So of course I called to wish him a happy birthday. And of course it was the last day of the week, which meant that the weekend was upon me. Friday just so happen to be the day when I weighed-in the least since the start of this mission.

Day #257 Front Shot

Day #257 Weigh-In

Saturday, Feb 12, 2011 (Day #258)

Happy birthday to me!!! Yes my friends, my birthday was Saturday and I turned 28 years old. A fun fact about Saturday is that I was a over 100lbs lighter than I was on my birthday last year!! I just so happen to pig out on Saturday as well with a nice Hibachi dinner, followed by a night of drinking and fun. And as you can see I was still in the 196 lbs range Saturday morning.

Day #258 Front Shot

Day #258 Weigh-In

Sunday, Feb 13, 2011 (Day #259)

Sunday I woke up with what many people call a "hang over." All I have to say is that it was a good birthday :-) I also had my official birthday breakfast with my mom, step father, and grandma. It was a great way to start the morning. You will also notice that my weight went up a little due to the partying from the night before. Whoops!

Day #259 Front Shot

Day #259 Weigh-In

Monday, Feb 14, 2011 (Day #260)

The day that everyone fears because it is time to go back to work. Believe it or not, my body was still feeling the affects of the weekend and I felt like I was dragging ass the entire day. But I did manage to get myself to basketball for a nice 2 hours of cardio. Patty and I didn't end up doing much for Valentine's Day because she had night classes and we were both exhausted. I did however manage to stay away from all of the, not so good foods, that Valentine's Day brings to the table.

Day #260 Front Shot

Day #260 Weigh-In

Tues, Feb 15, 2011 (Day #261) - Wed, Feb 16, 2011 (Day #262)

Nothing happened at all on both Tues and Wed. That seems to happen a lot because they are both in the middle of the week and are usually boring days. I did however stick to the mission and the healthy eating routine. So that is a definite plus. You can also notice that I started to go back down in weight as well.

Day #261 (Tues) Front Shot

Day #261 Weigh-In

Day #262 (Wed) Front Shot

Day #262 Weigh-In

And that brings me to today (Thurs, Feb 17, 2011 - Day #263). It was a very eventful day at work and in my personal life. I received some very good news from an old friend that I am excited about. I also worked my butt off at work to get a lot of things done. I then decided to pick up some flowers for Patty and to treat her to a nice dinner. A dinner that I just so happen to have a cheat meal during. So we all should expect to see my weight go back up again on the scale, come tomorrow morning. I am not worried though, because I am about to kick my mission into another gear. My wedding is six short months away and I am going to look damn good by the time it is here. Anyway my friends, I had fun catching up with you all and I look forward to my next post, which will definitely be tomorrow....... I promise!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

* Today I had a cheat meal with Patty, celebrating some good news.

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles
Snacks - 1 pear, 2 servings of wheat thins, and 1 serving of baked chips
Lunch - (1) 6" double turkey sub on wheat bread with a slice of american cheese and a serving of baked chips
Dinner - Half of a sampler appetizer, chicken with pasta and alfredo sauce

Exercise

I did not workout today. I went straight from work to pick up Patty and we went out to dinner.

Day #263 Weigh-In

Day #263 - Weigh-In = 197.8 lbs

Day #263 Front Shot

Sorry.... I Will Be Back Soon

2011-02-16T22:57:00.000-05:00

To all my friends,

I am sorry for disappearing over the past week. My birthday celebration this past weekend was awesome and I have been tied up at work the last few days. I have still kept up with my healthy eating and workout routine. So I haven't been gone from the mission. It have just been a little wrapped up lately in life. But that is no excuse and I will be back to posting every day starting tomorrow. I appreciate everyone's patience and I hope you are not mad at me. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!!

Your friend,

The Heavy Man

Day #254, #255, & #256 - Riding the Weight Roller Coaster, Once Again

2011-02-11T11:06:00.000-05:00

This past week has been both busy and very long. I find myself looking at the clock more than usual because I can't wait to get out of work and into the gym. Also, it doesn't help when it is my birthday this Saturday and it just so happens to land on a weekend this year. Usually my friends and I hang out on my birthday and then I meet up with my mom and grandma the day after for a birthday meal. I am going to try my best to control my junk food cravings this weekend, especially after my Super Bowl break down last Sunday.

This week has been a roller coaster when it comes to my weight. I started off under 200 lbs last weekend before the Super Bowl. Then I was over 200 lbs after the Super Bowl. And now I am under 200 lbs once again at the end of this week. It is very interesting actually how much the human body can fluctuate during the course of a normal week. I am just happy that I stuck to my healthy eating routine this entire week while working out just about everyday.

Today is a very busy day at work. But I will make sure to take time, later tonight and this weekend, to let you all know how I did with food, during my weekend long birthday celebration. But until then, I am going to leave you with my update photos from the last few days. Have a great Friday my friends!!

Day #254 (Tues, Feb 8, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #254 Front Shot

Day #255 (Wed, Feb 9, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #255 Front Shot

Day #256 (Thurs, Feb 10) Weigh-In

Day #256 Front Shot

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Thurs, Feb 10, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites on a multigrain roll with a slice of american cheese and a fruit cup = Points 8
Snacks - 1 apple, 2 pears, a serving of pretzels, and 1 serving of wheat thins = Points 7
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Two Cheese Vegetable Lasagna (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 7
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Two Cheese Vegetable Lasagna (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 7
Dinner - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with a serving of baked chips = Points 11
Dessert - 1 WW ice cream cone = Points 4

Total Points Eaten = 44 Points (1 point under my daily limit)

Exercise

Yesterday I executed my weight lifting routine with Paul: Bench Press (3 sets), Decline Dumbbell Pres (3 sets), Chest Flyes (3 sets), Shoulder Press (3 sets), Triceps Extensions (3 sets), Triceps Push Downs (3 sets), Neck Bends (6 sets). Today I will be doing cardio.

Day #256 - Weigh-In = 197.4 lbs

Day #251, #252, & #253 - A Cardio Filled Weekend

2011-02-08T12:22:00.000-05:00

This weekend was filled with constant movement. My buddy Paul and I have joined an adult baseball league that will be taking place this spring. Since we both haven't played since high school, we figured that we should start throwing the ball around as well as get some hitting practice in before our first official practice on Sunday. So you could only imagine how tired and sore we both were after this weekend was over. Of course we worked out in the gym during the weekend but we also got a ton of extra cardio in with baseball practice, Sunday morning basketball, and Monday night basketball. I actually woke up this morning (Tues, Feb 8, 20110) the most sore I have been in a while. But I will take this soreness because it means that I am actually doing activities that will help me lose more weight in the long run. Plus it is fun to branch out into different activities.

Sunday (Feb 6, 2011) was a day that I will not forget when it comes to food. Patty and I ended up going to Paul's house, along with my brother, Caroline, and a few other of our friends. There was so much food on the table that I just couldn't help myself. The only shinning moment of the night was that all of the food was healthy. But that still doesn't neglect the fact that I walked out of that house, more stuffed than I have been, since the start of this mission. Sunday night will be used as a constant remember that I can still lose control every once and a while. I just have to be more careful that it doesn't happen any more. You will notice by my update pictures how my weight fluctuates according to the days because of my pig out session on Sunday night during the Super Bowl.

Day #251 (Sat, Feb 5, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #251 Front Shot

Day #252 (Sun, Feb 6, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #252 Front Shot

Day #253 (Mon, Feb 7, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #253 Front Shot

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Mon, Feb 7, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 7
Snacks - 2 serving of wheat thins = Points 6
Early Afternoon - 1 boca veggie burger on a WW whole wheat roll, with a slice of WW american cheese, and a serving of baked tostitos = Points 10
Late Afternoon - 1 boca veggie burger on a WW whole wheat roll, with a slice of WW american cheese, and a serving of baked tostitos = Points 10
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 8
Dessert - 1 WW ice cream cone = Points 4

Total Points Eaten = 45 Points

Exercise

I played basketball last night for 2 hours.

Day #253 - Weigh-In = 200.6 lbs

Day #249 & #250 - The Fat is Coming Off Once Again!!

2011-02-05T12:40:00.000-05:00

I apologize for doubling up on the last two day's worth of posts. I was extremely busy on Thursday (Feb 3, 2011) and yesterday (Fri, Feb 4, 2011) I wasn't feeling that good and I ended up staying home from work. But let's not bring up things that can slow down the mission or this blog in any way, shape, or form. Instead, I want to talk about the positive things that happened this past week, that helped me to break through my little plateau and into the 190s!!! Yes my friends..... I have officially done it. Not only have I lost over 100 lbs in the last 8 months but I have managed to say good bye to the 200 lbs range and hello to Onederland!!!!

I have been struggling the last few weeks with losing weight. I was eating healthy everyday, with the occasional cheat meal here and there. I was exercising just about everyday but not as consistent as I wanted to be with the balance between cardio and weight lifting. And nothing was happening because I was still around the 201 - 204 lbs range. I was starting to get a little hard on myself because nothing seemed to be working any more. I am not complaining because what I have done in the last 8 months has changed my life around tremendously. I just know that I am not finished with this mission yet because I still have some fat to lose and some muscle to develop. And I will admit that it is hard some times to stay positive when things are not happening like they used to. But that is why I developed this mission and this blog. Because it gives me the opportunity to lean on all of you for help and motivation.

Well that motivation came earlier this week. My buddy and I had decided last Sunday (Jan 30, 2011) that we were going to start working out together in the morning to switch things up a little. My buddy Paul, had started Weight Watcher's, after I had started, and lost about 50 lbs himself. So we were the perfect answer for each other's situation because he was stuck in a 205 lb stand still for the last few weeks as well. After we had agreed to make this switch, it took a while to get to the starting line. It is not easy trying to wake up at 6:15am everyday to execute a workout before you go to work, especially if you are not a morning person to begin with. To make a long story short, it took us until Wednesday to get everything in motion. But once we started, it was actually fun, and we don't really want to stop. We were motivating each other so much, that we ended up going to the gym twice on Wednesday and twice yesterday. And what do you know, that switch up was what we needed to get the weight loss going again. Because I started the week 201.4 lbs and I weighed in this morning (Sat, Feb 5) at 197.2 lbs! That is over a 4 lb loss in 6 days!! The amazing thing about it, is I only had to switch my workout times / routine and my body did the rest. I mean I ate the same everyday as I always do and all I did was switch up the exercises and the times I did them.

When all is said and done, this week was awesome in terms of working out and re motivating myself all over again. I am excited to get back into the gym today (Sat, Feb 5, 2011). I am waiting for Paul to get home from work, of course. Well I am going to leave you with the update photos from the last two days and I will be back again soon to recap the details of today (Sat, Feb 5, 2011). Until then my friends, have a great day!!

Day #249 (Thurs, Feb 3, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #249 Front Shot

Day #250 (Fri, Feb 4, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #250 Front Shot

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Fri, Feb 4, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PontsPlus program)

* Even though I stayed home sick from work yesterday, I still had a craving for pizza. So Patty went and got me 2 slices, which count as a cheat meal.

Breakfast - Eggs on 2 slices of Weight Watcher's whole wheat bread
Snacks - 3 apples and pretzel pack
Lunch - 2 slices of pizza
Dinner - 1 boca burger on 2 slices of Weight Watcher's bread with a slice of WW american cheese, a serving of baked chips, and a pear
Dessert - 1 WW ice cream cone

Exercise

Yesterday I executed my new weight lifting routine in the morning and I felt sick the whole time, so I went back home and went to bed. I attempted to do some cardio last night and had a pretty decent workout. Today I feel a lot better and I will be doing cardio and core as my workout.

Day #250 - Weigh-In = 199.4 lbs

* Like I mentioned before, I weighed in this morning (Sat, Feb 5, 2011) at 197.2 lbs!!

Day #251 (Sat, Feb 5, 2011)

Day #248 (Wed, Jan 2, 2011) - "Front Shot Photos" & Thursday Preview

2011-02-03T11:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday (Wed, Jan 2, 2011) started off amazing and ended the same way. I actually managed to drag myself out of bed yesterday morning to go to the gym. Once 6:15am came, I wanted to roll over so bad and go back to sleep. But I made myself get up and get dressed for the gym. It also helped that I was meeting a buddy of mine there to workout with. It was an idea that he and I came up with the other day because now we have to go in order to not let each other down. We both executed a new workout that worked our shoulders, back, and some biceps. He used to do this workout back in high school when he was preparing for the baseball season. And you all know me, I am willing to try new things, as long as they are healthy and work. Our workout lasted about an hour and we were both on our way to our offices at a very decent time. I would say it was a success! So much of a success that we ended up going to the gym again last night to do some cardio. Yes my friends..... I executed my weight lifting routine yesterday morning and then went back to that same gym, last night, to get some cardio in. Two times in one day!!

I am going to let you in on a little preview for my next post that will be recapping today (Thurs, Jan 3, 2011). This morning I weighed in at 199.4 lbs!! I think the switch up yesterday, working out in the morning and then doing a little cardio last night, actually shocked my body!! I know I might not be the same weight tomorrow morning and it might take me a little longer to be under 200 lbs permanently but I will take it for now!! So yesterday was a great day in terms of working out and this morning was great in terms of weighing in!

I am going to leave you today with my "Front Shot Photo" comparison. I usually show my "Front Shots" the day after I reveal my monthly "Side Shot Photos." I hope you all enjoy and I will talk to you next post!

Day #1 (Mon, May 31, 2010) 302 lbs

Day #248 (Wed, Jan 2, 2011) 201.8 lbs

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Wed, Jan 2, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man 45 - Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointPlus program)

Breakfast - Eggs on 2 slices of Weight Watcher's whole wheat bread = Points 5
Snacks - 1 pear, 2 rice cakes, and 1 serving of wheat thins = Points 6
Early Afternoon - (1) 6" Chicken Teriyaki sub on whole wheat bread with a slice of american cheese, a serving of sun chips, and apples = Points 15
Late Afternoon - (1) 6" Double Turkey sub on whole wheat bread with a slice of american cheese, pickles, and an apple = Points 10
Dinner - 2 pieces of grilled chicken and a serving of whole wheat pasta = Points 11

Total Points Eaten = 47 Points (2 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Yesterday morning (Wed), I executed my new weight lifting routine: Lat Pull Downs (3 sets), Lat Pull Downs Front (3 sets), Upright Rows (3 sets), Back Rows (3 sets), Straight Bar Curls (3 sets), Preacher Curls (3 sets), Fore Arms with dumbbell (3 sets). I was also on the bike at the gym last night for 30 mins.

Day #248 - Weigh-In = 201.8 lbs

Day #248 (Wed, Jan 2, 2011) Weigh-In

* Like I mentioned above, this morning (Thurs, Jan 3, 2011) I weighed in at 199.4 lbs. I wanted to share it with you as a preview to my next post that will be recapping today.

Day #249 (Thurs, Jan 3, 2011) Preview

Day #247 (Tues, Feb. 1, 2011) - It's Side Shot Day Again!!

2011-02-02T10:49:00.000-05:00

Well this morning (Wed, Jan 2, 2011) started off great!! But I will get to that later on tonight, after today is over. But for now I want to recap yesterday (Tues, Jan 1, 20110). I first want to thank you all for your support and words of encouragement. I was so excited about building this new consistent routine, of working out every morning, into a habit. But unfortunately it didn't happen the way I wanted it to on Monday and I was very disappointed in myself. And after reading all of the comments, I was determined to make this new direction work. I made up for it yesterday in the gym and set my sights on getting up early this morning.

Yesterday was just the same old routine of working, working out, eating healthy, and going to sleep. So nothing really interesting happened, except for the ever so popular "Side Shots!" For everyone who is new to this blog, I take my "Front Shot Photo" every single day, along with a photo of my daily weigh-in. And I know it can get boring after a while but I wanted to share with everyone what I go through on a daily basis while trying to lose weight. I think there is no better way, then showing it through pictures. However, I will stray away from that path at the beginning of every new month and take a "Side Shot Photo", to show a different view of how I have been losing weight and getting healthier. So with that being said, below are three photos. The first photo, is my "Side Shot" from Day #1 of this mission. The second photo, is a "Side Shot" from the beginning of last month. And of course the third photo, is a "Side Shot" of from the 1st day of this month, which is February of 2011. I hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think.

Day # 1 (Mon, May 31, 2010) 302 lbs

Day #219 (Tues, Jan 4, 2011) 206.6 lbs

Day #247 (Tues, Feb 1, 2011) 202 lbs

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Tues, Feb 1, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 7
Snacks - 1 serving of wheat thins, 1 serving of yogurt pretzels, and an apple = Points 6
Early Afternoon - (1) 6" double turkey sub on whole wheat bread with american cheese, a serving of baked tostitos, and an apple = Points 13
Late Afternoon - (1) 6" double turkey sub on whole wheat bread with american cheese and an apple = Points 10
Dinner - 2 grilles cheese sandwiches (All Weight Watcher's Ingredients) and a serving of baked ships = Points 11

Total Points Eaten = 47 Points (2 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Yesterday I ran on the treadmill of 35 mins. This morning I executed my new weight lifting routine.

Day #247 - Weigh-In = 202.0 lbs

Day #247 Weigh-In

Day #247 Front Shot

Day #246 (Mon, Jan 31, 2011) - A Horrible Start

2011-02-01T11:41:00.000-05:00

Well my new plan of working out in the morning has gotten off on the wrong foot. It was my goal on Sunday to start a new consistent routine of working out every morning, so I can be working out at the same time everyday. It will also help to free up time after work, so I can do the things I need to do at night. It would also allow me to write my daily post at a decent time, so I could get to bed earlier. But unfortunately, the day didn't go quite as planned.

First, I slept through my earliest alarm that was set for 6:10am. Second, I woke up at 6:30am with a sore back because of my snow sledding adventures over the weekend. So I decided, as I was half awake, to workout after work because I was going to be late if I went to workout at 7am. But little did I know that my work was going to keep me in the office until 10:30pm and of course my gym closes at 11pm. So I didn't even workout at all yesterday (Mon, Jan 31, 2011). And it wasn't like I could go running outside because we were in the middle of our most recent snow storm in NJ as well. I can't believe that I let myself down on the first day of my new consistent routine.

I am determined to build this new routine and make it a habit because I think it will be the best option for me going forward. I think if I could get my workout in every morning, I will be able to shock my body enough to sling shot myself into the 190s. And like I mentioned before, it will also give me some much needed time after work to get other things done. Until the next post, have a great day my friends!

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Mon, Jan 31, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 7
Snacks - 3 apples, 1 pear, 1 yogurt pretzel pack, and 1 serving of wheat thins = Points 6
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie and a serving of wheat thins (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 11
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 8
Dinner - (1) 6" double turkey sub on whole wheat bread with american cheese and a serving of sun chips = Points 15

Total Points Eaten = 47 Points (2 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

I did not make it to the gym yesterday. I am hoping that today will be a different story.

Day #246 - Weigh-In = 201.4 lbs

Day #246 Weigh-In

Day #246 Front Shot

Days - #242, #243, #244, & #245 - Getting Back to a Consistent Routine

2011-01-30T18:59:00.000-05:00

First of all, I want to apologize for two things. First, I want to apologize for not publishing any new posts until today. I have not put a new post up since Thursday. The second thing I want to apologize for, is being lazy the last few weeks and let me explain what I mean. Since the beginning of January, I have been slow with my daily posts. I don't know why I slipped into this little holding pattern but it is really bothering me now, to the point where I want to get back to my old ways of posting my daily updates every night. It has been so bad lately, that I am finding myself doubling up on posts and waiting for the next morning to talk about the day before. I want that to stop now. The only part of my daily posting routine, that has been consistent, is my update photos. I am really happy that I have continued to take those photos everyday.

This laziness has also spread to my workout routines as well. It is not that I am not working out, it is the fact that I have not been consistent with my routines at all. For the majority of this mission, I have found success alternating between weight lifting and cardio workouts every other day. But lately I have been finding excuses to not weight lift as much and to stick to doing a lot of cardio. I know that cardio is an important part of losing weight but so is weight lifting. I think a big reason for doing more cardio is because my long days in the office are taking a lot out of me mentally and I don't feel like going through the motions of weight lifting as much as just running on the treadmill. Well this is going to stop as well and I think working out at different times during the week, at night, is because of my work schedule. So I am going to start building the habit of working out in the morning. I think making this move will help with two things. First, it will get me on a consistent workout schedule, at the same time, everyday. And second, I think it will allow me to do many more things after work as well as relax with Patty. I will be able to get my posts up every night again at a decent time.

So as you can see, I have been doing a lot of evaluating lately and I think a change is a must. Getting back to a consistent routine with both my writing and my workouts will help me keep sane. The eating has been fine and right on target but as you all know, losing weight is so much more than just eating better. You have to be mentally in the game to succeed. Well, I have said my piece for the day and I am once again very sorry for being so lazy the last couple of weeks. These few changes are what I need in order to kick it up a level and stay strong for the next 6 months until my wedding day.

I am going to leave you with the update photos from the last few days:

Day #242 (Thurs, Jan 27) Weigh-In

Day #242 Front Shot

Day #243 (Fri, Jan 28) Weigh-In

Day #243 Front Shot

Day #244 (Sat, Jan 29) Weigh-In

Day #244 Front Shot

Day #245 (Sun, Jan 30) Weigh-In

Day #245 Front Shot

With that being said, let's get to the details of today:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Eggs on Weight Watcher's (WW) whole wheat bread = Points 4
Snacks - 1 serving of 100 cal pretzel pack, 1 pear, and 1 WW ice cream cone = Points 7
Lunch - 1 serving of French Onion Soup, 1 7oz sirloin steak, 2oz of shrimp, and steamed vegetables and red potatoes (Applebees) = Points 22
Dinner - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches (WW Ingredients) and serving of baked chips = Points 11

Total Points Eaten Today = 44 Points (1 point under my daily limit)

Exercise

This morning I played basketball for 2 hours. Tomorrow I will be starting my new morning workout routine with weight lifting.

Day #245 - Weigh-In = 201.4 lbs

Day #240 & #241 - To Much Snow!!!

2011-01-26T23:07:00.000-05:00

As I sit here tonight (Wed, Jan 26, 2011 - Day #241), writing this most recent post, I am reminded of how much I miss the warm weather. As many of you know, I live in New Jersey and we are currently in the middle of a very bad snow storm right now. The kind of snow storm that does not allow you to see a foot in front of you as you drive down the street or attempt to look out the window. So with this being said, you could only imagine how hard it was to get to the gym to workout. But being either the brave or dumb person that I am, I decided to take the trip to the gym anyway because I didn't want to miss my workout. I didn't want to miss the workout today because I managed to actually get below 202 lbs, as of this morning, and I was afraid to lose the momentum that I currently have.

Anyway, it usually takes me about 10 minutes to get to the gym but this time it took me a little longer. And as I embarked on my very snowy journey, I manage to pass two cars stuck in the snow in the street and I got stuck behind the snow plow brigade for what seemed to be a life time. However, this story does not end successfully because the gym was closed when I got there. All of that was for nothing. So I turned around and made my way back home. Of course there is always tomorrow but I am afraid to see if I went back up in weight because of the missed workout today.

Yesterday (Tues, Jan 25, 2011 - Day #240) was a very boring day. I was in the office the entire day from morning until around 7:00pm, came home for dinner, and then went to the gym to workout. So you all didn't miss anything. But I still want to leave you with my update photos for both yesterday and today. Until the next post, have a great night everyone!!!

Day #240 (Tues, Jan 25, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #240 Front Shot

Day #241 (Wed, Jan 26, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #241 Front Shot

With that being said, let's get to the details of today:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites on a whole wheat roll with a slice of american cheese = Points 8
Snacks - 1 serving of wheat thins, 1 serving of 100 cal pretzel pack, and 1 apple = Points 7
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 8
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 8
Dinner - 2 servings of homemade Stuffed Shells (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 11
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = points 4

Total Points Eaten Today = 46 Points (1 point over my daily limit)

Exercise

I did not workout today because my gym was closed due to a very bad snow storm.

Day #241 - Weigh-In = 201.4 lbs

Days #238 & #239 - Up and Down...Goes My Weight

2011-01-25T14:31:00.000-05:00

I apologize for not posting the last two days until now. Some times it is hard to break away from life to get things you want to get done. But again that is not an excuse and I will focus on being as good as I was, putting up posts, before I went down to Charleston for the month of December. Anyway, Sunday (Jan, 23, 2011-Day #238) was a great day because I visited my mom for the first time since the end of November. And the best part was, I am 20 lbs lighter since I have seen her last. And her reaction was exactly what I thought it was going to be. It is always good to put a smile on my mother's face, when it comes to my weight loss program. She was the one person who gave me that life changing wake up call, almost 8 months ago, that started this entire mission to lose weight.

Below are the update pictures for Sunday. Notice that my weight had gone up since my weigh-in Saturday morning. I had reached my goal of 202 lbs on Saturday morning but then executed my weight lifting routine and had a cheat meal, on Saturday afternoon, to celebrate my 100 lbs lost. So, my weight did go up on Sunday morning but has started to go back down since then.

Day #238 (Sun, Jan 23, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #238 (Sun, Jan 23, 2011) Front Shot

Monday (Jan, 24, 2011 - Day #239) was just about the same as every Monday. I traveled into the office, completed all of the objectives I had mapped out on a daily check list, and then ventured into NYC to see my brother's show at Caroline's on Broadway. And of course I ate healthy the entire day. The only two things that were different yesterday, is that I did not get a chance to play basketball last night because of my brother's show and I did not make it to the gym to workout. I had set my alarm for early in the morning but I slept right through it. And then I was in the City last night until 10:30pm, so I did not have much time to do anything. I did however, walk 30 blocks in the freezing cold. That must count for something.

I did start the day off on a good note yesterday because my weigh-in was less than what it was on Sunday. So I am apparently dropping back down to 202 lbs and hopefully more, if I can keep this momentum going. Anyway, below are yesterday's (Mon, Jan 24, 2011) update photos. I hope you enjoy and I will talk to you all in the next post. Until then, have a great day!

Day #239 (Mon, Jan 24, 2011) Weigh-In

Day #239 (Mon, Jan 24, 2011) Front Shot

With all of this being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Mon, Jan 24, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 7
Snacks - 4 rice cakes and 1 pear = Points 6
Early Afternoon - 1 Boca chicken patty with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a WW whole wheat roll and a serving of baked chips = Points 11
Late Afternoon - 1 Boca veggie burger with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a WW whole wheat roll and a serving of baked chips = Points 10
Dinner - 2 pieces of grilled chicken on 2 slices of white bread and 6 french fries = Points 12

Total Points Eaten = 46 Points (1 point over my daily limit)

Exercise

I did not make it to the gym yesterday but I did walk 30 blocks in the city last night, to catch a train home.

Day # 239 - Weigh-In = 204.0 lbs

Day #237 - An Adjustment Period

2011-01-23T11:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning (Sat, Jan 22, 2011) I weighed in again at 202 lbs!! It was my second day in row weighing in the 202 lbs range. This means that as of yesterday, I was still at 100 lbs lost for the mission!! And I know this next part is going sound stupid. But I actually went out with Patty's family, who was up by us yesterday, for a cheat meal to celebrate my 100 lbs lost. I know it sounds like a bad idea but I was so happy with myself that I just had to do it. I know this morning's weigh-in might be a little over 202 lbs but it was well worth it. Not to mention, yesterday was the first day I lifted weights in a week, so that will add to the potential higher weigh-in as well. But I am determined to be under 200 lbs by the end of next week anyway. I now know it is possible for me to be at 202 lbs or 100 lbs lost!

Anyway, I took my first weight lifting trip to my new gym yesterday. And let me tell you what an experience that was. As you all know, I am very used to an empty gym and being abe to use any machine I want, at any time. But yesterday was not the same story. This new gym, Platinum fitness, is a very popular gym and it is always crowded in there. I think the $10/ month plan is obviously working. Getting back to the story, I was actually fighting for machines. Which in a way actually caused my workout to speed up because I had to time everything perfectly before another person jumped on the machine that I had to use next. So it actually made me sweat a little more than usual. But on the other hand, it was not fun trying to sneak my way onto a machine. This new gym transition is going to be an adjustment period that I am going to have to be patient with. And believe me, I am not going to give up, even if I have to fight for every machine. I mean not literally fight with everyone, I mean work even harder to get what I have to get done.

Well it is another full day of NFL football and I am excited to see both games!! Until the next post, have a great Sunday my friends!

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Sat, Jan 22, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

*Yesterday was a cheat meal day, to celebrate my 100 lbs lost for the mission. I will be back on the normal eating routine again today.

Breakfast - 4 nutrigrain waffles
Snacks - 1 apple, 1 pear, (2) 100 cal pretzel packs, and 2 granola bars
Lunch - 1 serving of french onion soup, a cheese burger with waffle fries, and a serving of peanut butter pie
Dinner - 1 serving of whole wheat pasta and 2 pieces of home made garlic bread (All Weight Watcher's Ingredients)
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone

Exercise

Yesterday I executed my weight lifting routine: Dumbbell Press on Stability Ball, Lat Pull Down, and Side Dumbbell Lunges (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Push Ups w/ Stability Ball, Upright Cable Rows on Half Ball, and Alternating Bicep Curls (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Cable Rows, Side Raises, and Squats with Stability Ball ( 4 sets of each x 15 reps each), and Planks, Triceps Push Downs, and Side Dumbbell Bends (4 sets of each x 15 reps each). Today I played basketball and tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine again.

Day #237 - Weigh-In = 202.0 lbs

Day #237 Weigh-In

Day #237 Front Shot

Day #236 - Another Milestone Reached!!

2011-01-22T10:34:00.000-05:00

Another milestone has been reached for the mission!! I woke up yesterday (Friday, Jan 21, 2011) feeling great and very anxious to see what I was weighing in at. I had a good few days of working out and of course I was sticking to my normal eating routine. And I could feel it, deep down inside, that something good was going to happen. So I jumped out of bed and made my way towards the scale. But I made sure to take a detour by the bathroom first because I wanted this weigh-in to be as accurate as possible.

After my short bathroom break was over, I continued towards the scale. The walk to the scale seemed like it took forever and it was only about 10 feet from where I was standing at the bathroom door. And as I approached it, all I could think about was what I have been through the last 7 1/2 months to get to this point. So I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and proceeded to step up on the scale. It took me a few seconds to open my eyes and look down. As my vision corrected itself, I was filled with that feeling of accomplishment because the scale was reading that I officially weighed 202 lbs!!! I had accomplished my current small goal!!! I had finally reached 100 lbs lost for the mission!!!

Now I realize that it could go up or down at any time. And I will have to work hard to make sure it keeps on going down. But at least for the time being, I accomplished something that I thought would never happen, even in my wildest dreams. If it does go up a little, I will not let that slow me down at all because I know my body weight can fluctuate and I know that muscle weighs more than fat after I lift weights. But for now, I am going to use this moment as motivation to keep on going strong!! Until the next post, have a great day my friends!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Friday, Jan 21, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 7
Snacks - 2 apples and 2 rice cakes = Points 2
Early Afternoon - 1 Boca chicken patty with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a Weight Watcher's roll and a serving of baked chips = Points 11
Late Afternoon - 1 Boca chicken patty with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a Weight Watcher's roll and a serving of baked chips = Points 11
Dinner - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of baked chips = Points 11
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 4

Total Points Eaten = 46 Points (1 point over my daily limit)

Exercise

Last night I ran on the treadmill for 40 mins!! I kicked it up a little from the 35 mins yesterday!

Day #236 - Weigh-In = 202.0 lbs

Day #236 Weigh-In

Day #236 Front Shot

Day #235 - Back On Track, Once Again!

2011-01-21T11:39:00.000-05:00

I feel like I am back on track now and my current small goals of getting to 202 lbs and breaking into the 190s is just a few days away. I had a great eating day yesterday (Thurs, Jan 20, 2011) as well as I made the time to workout last night. And not only did I workout last night, but I pushed myself a little more on the treadmill. I usually run for 30 mins on the treadmill but last night I was able to go 35 mins. Next cardio day, which will be tomorrow, I will extend my time on the treadmill to 40 mins. I know it is small but I am going to take it one step at a time.

Yesterday was also a big day for stocking up in the apartment. The last week has been hectic and I felt like I was playing catch-up with my personal life. But everything is settling down because I found a new gym, I am back to my normal eating routine, and I feel more relaxed that Patty and I had visited both of our families for the holidays. So the last thing that we had to worry about was filling our kitchen with all of the healthy foods that have helped me get to were I am today. And let me tell you, it was actually fun last night going to the food store and stocking up. We also made it a point to try new meals for this up coming week but of course we still had our favorite, Chicken Pot Pie, on the list.

Anyway, it is time for the day to start and the weekend to begin in a few short hours. I will talk to you all again very soon. Until the next post, have a great day my friends!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Thurs, Jan 20, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites on a whole wheat bagel with a slice of american cheese = Points 11
Snacks - 2 apples and a 100 cal pretzel pack = Points 3
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 5
Mid Afternoon - 1 serving of Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 5
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 5
Dinner - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches (All Weight Watcher's Ingredients) and a serving of baked chips = Points 11
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 4

Total Points Eaten = 44 points (1 point under my daily limit)

Exercise

Last night I ran for 35 mins on the treadmill. Tonight I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #235 - Weigh-In = 203.6 lbs

Day #235 Weigh-In

Day #235 Front Shot

Day #234 - A Determination to Succeed

2011-01-20T12:10:00.000-05:00

Yesterday (Wed, Jan 19, 2011) was day #2 of my current gym dilemma. To recap my last two days, I found on late Tuesday night, that my gym was shut down due to bankruptcy. And after finding out this very disappointing news, I realized that I was left without an official place to workout at. It wouldn't be as bad if it was not winter time because I could easily run outside. But that is not the case, which brought up some cause for panic the last two days. Plus I need a place to execute my weight lifting routine as well. So with all of this in mind, I made it a priority yesterday, to find a new place to workout.

I spent most of the day in the office yesterday and did not have any time to research new gyms. Luckily Patty took the time yesterday to do so, while she was at home. Plus my brother had some input about his gym that he uses, which is in the next town over from where we live. And as soon as I was done with work, I made my way home to eat dinner and then to visit potential gyms. I went straight to the gym that my brother recommended because it was the closest to my apartment. And believe it or not, I fell in love with it as soon as I walked in the doors. It is gigantic and has plenty of weights, cardio machines, and weight lifting machines for me to be able to do what I needed to get done. And the best part is, that it is only $10 / month and I can cancel at any time if I wanted to. So ladies and gentlemen, I am now an official member of Platinum Fitness in Verona, NJ.

I am extremely happy with myself for having the determination to find a new gym right away and to not waste any time in doing so. I could have easily packed it up and said I will look for one over the weekend or next week. But I did not want to lose any momentum that I had built up recently. During my long 7 1/2 month mission so far, I have gone through 3 scales and now I am currently on my second gym. And I have not lost a step yet. If that isn't determination, then I don't know what is. Until next post my friends, have a great day!

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Wed, Jan 19, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites with a slice of american cheese on a multigrain roll = Points 8
Snacks - 2 servings of wheat thins and 2 apples = Points 8
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Beef Stroganoff (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 10
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Beef Stroganoff (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 10
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 5
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cup = Points 4

Total Points Eaten = 45 Points

Exercise

Yesterday I ran for 30 mins on the treadmill at my new gym (Platinum Fitness). Today I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #234 - Weigh-In = 203.4 lbs

Day #234 Weigh-In

Day #234 Front Shot

Day #233 - A Minor Bump in the Road

2011-01-19T12:04:00.000-05:00

Well, I seem to have hit a little bump in the road. This bump came last night (Tues, Jan 18, 2011) when I departed my warm apartment, to execute my daily workout routine. I have been extremely motivated the last few days because the scale is starting to go down again and that goal of 100 lbs lost is right here for the taking. So I wanted to make sure that I got my workout in last night. But as I pulled up to my gym, I noticed that the lights were off and there were a few people standing outside letting out some stress. I was interested in knowing what was going on, so I parked my car and made my way to the front door. Now it is 10:30pm at night and it is 30 degrees outside and all I wanted to do is workout and get home. But that wasn't going to happen last night and to be honest, it will never happen at this particular gym ever again.

As I approached the door, I noticed a white piece of paper hanging on it. And this paper said that my gym, the branch that I am a member at, has been shut down permanently due to bankruptcy. I was shocked to read those words and it took me a few seconds to process it. This gym, that has been instrumental for me over the last few months, is no longer open. Which means I currently have no place to workout at. This problem can be fixed very easily but this news kinda came out of nowhere. I was literally upset last night that I could not workout and that I was going to have to waste time now trying to find a new gym. And what makes this situation even worse, is that it was the only 24 hour gym in my area that I knew about.

Regardless of what happened last night, I have to make it a priority to find my next gym very soon. I don't want lose any momentum that I currently have right now with the mission. If it was spring time, I could just run outside. But it is winter, 30 degrees outside, and the side walks are very icy where I am. So running outside is not an option, plus I still have to execute my weight lifting routine. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Until tonight my friends, have a great day.

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Tues, Jan 18, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites with a slice of american cheese on a multigrain roll = Points 8
Snacks - 3 apples, (1) 100 cal pretzel pack , and 2 servings of wheat thins = Points 11
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 8
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 8
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Beef Stroganoff (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 10

Total Points Eaten Today = 45 Points

Exercise

I did not get a chance to workout last night because my gym has been shut down. The weather was also bad last night and I couldn't run outside.

Day #233 - Weigh-In = 204.0 lbs

Day #233 Weigh-In

Day #233 Front Shot

Day #232 - Getting Back to the Basics

2011-01-18T11:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday (Monday, Jan 17, 2011) was a day of getting back to the basics of this mission. Those basics would be: eating healthy and exercise. Isn't it amazing that when you break it down like that, there are basically two main things you have to concentrate on while trying to get rid of that unwanted fat. Of course there are many other things that come into play and every one's body and mental approach can be different. But it can be as simple as eating healthy and exercising every day.

I had a great eating day yesterday and I was able to spread out my meals perfectly. I was not overly hungry at any time during the day and I ate my last meal right around 9pm. Which meant that I did not go to bed with a full stomach. The exercise portion of yesterday actually kicked my butt. I played basketball for 2 1/2 hours last night. And it wasn't like I played a game, sat down, and played another game 20 minutes later. My team actually ended up playing 6 games last night because we kept on winning. When you win, you stay on the court. I don't think I have ever played so much basketball in one night. I actually went home sore as hell. I had no problem getting to sleep last night either. I would say that yesterday was a great day for getting back to my routine.

The wedding is right around the corner and I am not about to slow down any time soon. I realize that the last month and a half was hard but I managed to survive. I ended up losing 20 lbs in the month of December and I think that is a pretty amazing accomplishment. Especially since I was not home and did not have access to a gym everyday. Anyway, today is here and I have a lot to do but I will talk to you all again tonight. Have a great productive day!

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Monday, Jan 17, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites with a slice of american cheese on a multigrain roll = Points 8
Snacks - (1) 100 cal pretzel pack, 1/2 a serving of whole wheat wheat thins, and a pair = Points 4
Early Afternoon - (1) 6" double turkey sub on whole wheat bread with a slice of american cheese, pickles, and a serving of sun chips = Points 15
Late Afternoon - (1) 6" double turkey sub on whole wheat bread with a slice of american cheese, pickles, and a pear = Points 11
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 8

Total Points Eaten Yesterday = 46 points (1 point over my daily limit)

Exercise

Last night I played basketball for 2 1/2 hours. Tonight I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #232 - Weigh-In = 204.4 lbs

Day #232 Weigh-In

Day #232 Front Shot

Day #230 (Saturday, Jan 15, 2011) & #231 (Sunday, Jan 16, 2011) - The Laziness Stops Now!

2011-01-17T12:46:00.000-05:00

I would like to start off this post by saying that I am very sorry for not being as quick with my posts the last two weeks. It seems like I have been playing catch up with my life, ever since I got back home from Charleston. I have been doubling up on posts and I have not been as consistent with my workout routines as I would like to be. Thank goodness I am forcing myself to stay on track with my eating. But there are no excuses and I know I have to pick my game back up with regards to the mission. I have come too far to become lazy with this mission. You all have been so supportive and motivating, that I can't let this slip away. I have been working hard for the last 7 1/2 months and I am currently 97.6 lbs lost since Day #1. And it is now time to push forward to that goal date of Friday, August 26, 2011 because I am determined to be the healthiest I have ever been. I owe it to my family, I owe it to my friends, I owe it to Patty, I owe it to all of you who have been by my side since the start of this mission, and I owe it to myself. So let's go Heavy Man, the time to shine is now.

This weekend was great, hanging out with Patty's family. And now that the holidays are over and we have successfully seen everyone in both our families, it is time to get back to business. My current two goals of reaching 202 lbs and breaking through the 200 lbs wall still stand. I want to reach that first goal by Monday of next week and the second goal by the beginning of February.

It is time for me to get back to work but before I sign off for this morning, I am going to leave you with the update photos for Saturday and Sunday of this weekend. I hope everyone has a great day and I will talk to you all again tonight.

Day #230 Weigh-In

Day #230 Front Shot

Day #231 Weigh-In

Day #231 Front Shot

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Sunday, Jan 16, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 homemade banana crepes = Points 10
Snacks During the Day - 3 apples and 2 granola bars = Points 5
Lunch - (1) 6" double turkey sub on whole wheat bread with 2 slices of american cheese, pickles, and a serving of sun chips = Points 15
Dinner - 1 roast beef and provolone cheese sandwich on a long white roll = Points 15

Total Points Eaten Today = 45 Points

Exercise

I did not workout yesterday (Sunday) or on Saturday. Laziness is not acceptable anymore. I will be playing basketball tonight and I will be getting back to my weight lifting routine tomorrow.

Day #231 - Weigh-In = 204.6 lbs

Day #228 & #229 - The Heavy Man is Back on the Road

2011-01-15T01:20:00.000-05:00

Yep, I am back on the road but this time it is for personal business and not work related. Yesterday was a busy day at work and I made sure to get everything done that I needed to because I wanted to focus this weekend on what Patty and I had to do personally. Which is why I took a vacation day today to head down to Delaware early with Patty. We still have not had the chance to see her side of the family for Christmas and that is why we will be down in Delaware until Sunday. And I plan on doing nothing work related the until Monday.

Like I mentioned above, yesterday was a very productive day at work but nothing else happened at all. I even convinced myself to take a day off from the gym to rest a little because I have been going none stop since I got back from Charleston. And we all know that the body needs to rest once in a while, in order to keep on going strong. I am however, having trouble getting to that 100 lbs lost mark. I got down to 203 lbs but I am now back up in the 206 lbs range. I know I had a good weight loss streak going down in Charleston but I think a lot of that was stress related. And now that I am home, my body seems to be getting back to normal and I think that is why my weight is fluctuating the way it is. I have been able to lift weights a lot more now and that might be coming into play as well, with the weight fluctuation. I am not complaining and I know I will lose the weight again very quickly. I just wanted to share what I have been observing for the last couple of days.

Anyway, I am in Delaware with Patty and we have a full day ahead of us tomorrow, with all of her family coming over for a big holiday dinner. I am going to leave you all tonight with my update photos from today and yesterday. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!!

Day #228 Weigh-In

Day #228 Front Shot

Day #229 Weigh-In

Day #229 Front Shot

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites on a whole wheat bagel with a slice of american cheese = Points 11
Snacks - 2 apples = Points 0
Lunch - 1 1/2 servings of homemade Chicken Parm and 1 1/2 servings of whole wheat pasta (Weight Watcher's recipe) = Points 14
Dinner - Foot long double turkey sub on whole wheat bread with 2 slices of provolone cheese and apple slices (Subway) = Points 20

Total Points Eaten Today = 45 Points

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Cable Chest Press, Lat Pull Down, and Leg Extensions (4 sets of each x 15 reps), Push Ups on Stability Ball, Upright Cable Rows on Half Ball, and Alternating Biceps Curls ( 4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Cable Row, Side Dumbbell Raises, and Leg Press (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), and Planks, Triceps Push Downs, and Side Bends (4 sets of each x 15 reps each). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #228 - Weigh-In = 206.4 lbs

Day #227 - A Night Out With Friends

2011-01-13T10:48:00.000-05:00

Last night (Wednesday, Jan 12, 2011) was a much needed night out with good friends that I haven't seen in a while. This group of friends has been together since my senior year of college, which would be about 6 years now. And it can get hard some times trying to get together like we used to do, back in the day. Everyone is off doing their thing with jobs, marriages, having babies, etc...... And it is important to us all that we take time, every once in a while, to see each other. I think it helps to break up my normal routine of work, working out, and sleeping. Anyway, last night was awesome.

I knew when the plans were first made, that we were in for a night full of laughs, stories, and great food. So I was expecting the worst in the food category and made sure to workout before we went out for the night. I also have not had a cheat meal for a while now. So last night, I gave myself the night off. And let me tell you, it was worth the stomach ache and I was fully aware that the scale was going to be up a little in the morning. But that is life and I have to be able to let myself have some fun every once and a while. I will lose that weight no time anyway.

Well, it is work time and I have a ton to get done today. I will talk to you all tonight about all the adventures I had today (Thursday. Jan 13, 2011). Until tonight my friends, have a great night!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

* I went out to dinner with my friends last night and had a cheat meal for the first time in a few weeks. I will be right back to track with the mission today.

Breakfast - Egg whites on an egg bagel with a slice of american cheese
Snacks - 2 apples
Early Afternoon - London Broil and Baked Mac & Cheese (Weight Watcher's Recipe)
Late Afternoon - 1 Weight Watcher's personal pizza
Dinner - Shared an appetizer sampler with 6 other people and had Ribs and fries for the main course
Dessert - Cookie Sundae

Exercise

I ran for 30 mins on the treadmill last night. Tonight I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #227 - Weigh-In = 204.0 lbs

Day #227 Weigh-In

Day #227 Front Shot

Day #226 - Getting Ready For More Snow

2011-01-12T00:07:00.000-05:00

The good news is that I seem to be back on track with losing weight at a nice healthy pace. The bad news is that I am stuck in a blizzard that I heard is projected to give us just about a foot of snow and possibly more. This means that my car is going to be snowed in tomorrow morning. Patty and I live in an apartment building that does not have a parking lot. So we have to park a block away in a public lot every night. And this public lot gets plowed every time there is a big snow storm, so people can get into the food store. When it gets plowed, it usually means that our cars get buried under a ton of snow and it literally takes forever to dig it out. And if this storm goes for a while, then that means Patty and I will be stuck. Thank goodness we still have food left over from our shopping trip last week. But this does mean that it will be hard to make it to the gym tomorrow. Maybe I will run up and down the stairs (3 levels) in the hallway tomorrow for a half an hour. I can get creative sometimes when I need to be.

Today at work was very productive. I turned on my music, shut my office door, and got down to business. The office can get a little hectic sometimes when everybody is in. So I have to do my best to drown everyone out if I have a lot to do. My boss was happy with the results I was able to get today, which made me happy that my hard work paid off, at least for today. The great thing about my job is that everything I need, can be accessed online. So if I do get snowed in tomorrow, I will be able to work from home as if I was in the office.

Well, it is almost time for bed and another day is just about in the books. I hope I am able to figure something out tomorrow, pertaining to working out, if I do get snowed in. Feel free to share any suggestions you might have. I hope you all have a great night, and I will talk to you tomorrow.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 1 egg and 1 egg white on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll = Points 5
Snacks During the Day - 1 apple, 1 serving of pretzel sticks, and (1) 100 cal cookie pack = Points 6
Early Afternoon - Boca veggie burger on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese and a serving of baked chips = Points 10
Late Afternoon - Boca veggie burger on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese and a serving of baked chips = Points 10
Dinner - London broil and Baked Mac & Cheese (Weight Watcher's recipe) = Points 12
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cup = Points 4

Total Points Eaten Today = 47 points (2 point over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Cable Chest Press, Lat Pull Down, Alternating Single Leg Extensions (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Push Ups w/ Stability Ball, Cable Upright Rows w/ Half Ball, and Alternating Single Arm Curls (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Bent Over Cable Rows, Side Raises, and Leg Press (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), and Planks, Triceps Push Downs, and Side Dumbbell Bends (4 sets of each x 15 reps each). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #226 - Weigh-In = 203.2 lbs

Day #226 Weigh-In

Day #226 Front Shot

Day #225 - Another Monday

2011-01-11T10:42:00.000-05:00

Every Monday signifies the start of a new week. In my eyes, it is the day when all of the goals and objectives are set for the up coming week. I also know that from Monday to Monday, is the time period when I aim to lose my 2-3 lbs of fat for the week. Monday is also the day I started this mission, over 7 months ago. And taking all this into account, every Monday is when I record my most up to date weigh-in on the Weight Watcher's website. By recording my weight every Monday with Weight Watcher's, I am able to see how much I have lost for the week as well as how close I am to reaching my goals. Weight Watcher's also calculates my daily points every time I move into the next level of weight loss.

However, I have not recorded my weight, with Weight Watcher's, since the first day I was down in Charleston, SC. Which means I have gone over a month without knowing if my daily points limit was the same or if it had to be adjusted. And yesterday, I finally realized that I had gone that long without doing so. And you will never guess what happened with my new points calculation. Right after I recorded my weight online, my daily points limit dropped 4 points. This means that I have been eating at least 4 points over my limit now for a while. And this might be part of the reason why I was stuck at 208lbs for a while as well.

Regardless, it is what it is and it is time to move forward. I made sure, yesterday, to stick to my new points limit and to workout hard, just like I always do. Anyway, it is time for me to do some work and I will be back tonight my friends, to fill you in on the details for today.

With that being said, let's get to the details of yesterday (Monday, Jan 10, 2011):

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 45 Points) *My new daily points limit is 45 points.
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Sesame Bagel with 1 egg and 1 egg white = Points 10
Snacks During the Day - 1 apple, (1) 100 cal pretzel pack, and (1) 100 cal cookie pack = Points 6
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Two Cheese Veg Lasagna (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 7
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Two Cheese Veg Lasagna (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 7
Dinner - 1 serving of Crusty Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 10
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cup = Points 4

Total Points Eaten Yesterday (Monday) = 44 Points (1 point under my daily limit)

Exercise

I played basketball for 2 hours last night (Monday). Today I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #225 Weigh-In

Day #225 - Weigh-In = 204.2 lbs

Day #225 Front Shot

Day #224 - It is Great To Be Home

2011-01-09T22:13:00.000-05:00

Today was another relaxing day spent at home. Of course playoff football was on today but I wanted to make sure that I spent time with family that I didn't get a chance to see for the holidays. That family would be my father and step mother. It was great seeing them not only because of the holidays but because I haven't seen them in a while. Which means they haven't seen the new and improved 96 lbs lighter me. And the reaction was exactly what I had hoped for. My father had a gigantic smile on his face when he walked through the door. He couldn't believe how different I looked and he was happy that I have been working hard to make myself healthy. He also said that it was time for him to get back into shape as well and he is currently on Day #9 of exercising and eating better!! I think that is awesome!!

Today was also the second day in a row that I woke in the morning to exercise. I was up and ready to go by 7:30am to play basketball, at the gym in my town. I used to play with these guys all the time, a few years back, when I was in college. I want to make it a goal to do so every Sunday morning. I like being able to get up and exercise in the morning on the weekends. I would do so during the week but my work schedule is so hectic sometimes and I love going to the gym after work to wind down and release all of the stresses of the day. Regardless, it felt great getting my workout in early this weekend because I was able to focus on everything else I had to get done the rest of the day.

It seems that I am back into full swing with both my workout and eating routines. I have also been able to catch up on some much needed sleep and as a result it is making me feel more energetic during the day. I know I have said it a few times this week but I am so happy to be back home and back to normal life. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 1/2 serving of homemade Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 3
Snacks During the Day - (1) 100 cal pretzel pack, 2 apples, 1 serving of pretzel sticks, and 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 10
Early Afternoon - Whole wheat bagel with 1 egg white and 1 egg = Points 9
Mid Afternoon - Bagel with 2 slices of Weight Watcher's american cheese and a serving of baked chips = Points 13
Late Afternoon - Grilled cheese sandwich with a serving of baked chips and a Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 10
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Two Cheese Vegetable Lasagna (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 7

Total Points Eaten Today = 52 Points (3 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I played basketball for an hour & a half. Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #224 - Weigh-In = 206.2 lbs

Day #224 Weigh-In

Day #224 Front Shot

Day #223 - A Much Needed Day Off

2011-01-08T22:37:00.000-05:00

Today was a day of relaxation as well as productivity. The first thing I did this morning was to make sure that I got up and ate breakfast. The second thing I did was go straight to the gym to execute my weight lifting routine. Today was a full day of high school, college, and NFL football. I wanted to make sure to get my workout in early so I didn't have to worry about trying to get it in tonight after the late game. And I am glad I did so because I am tired and it is only 10:00pm on a Saturday. I guess my body is still trying to recoup after a long December. Also, Patty has been sick the last few days and I think I might be next because there is not many places in my apartment I can go to escape. I just hope it skips over me because getting sick now would really suck.

My eating routine is back to normal as well. I used up all of my daily points today and I made sure to space out each meal evenly so I wouldn't be hungry late tonight. It is great being back home with nothing but healthy food in our place as well as having Patty's home cooking back in full swing. The great thing about the recipes we use, is that the servings per meal is a lot, so we always have left overs for the next day. All I had to do today was put a serving on a plate and pop it in the microwave. There is nothing better then having time to workout properly, eating healthy great tasting food the entire day, and having football on the TV. Today was a much needed day!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 7
Snacks During the Day - (2) 100 cal pretzel packs, 2 apples, 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone, and 1 pear = Points 10
Early Afternoon - 1 1/2 servings of homemade Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole = Points 8
Mid Afternoon - 1 Boca chicken patty on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese and a serving of sun chips = Points 12
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 5
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 5
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 4

Total Points Eaten Today = 51 Points (2 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Dumbbell Press on Stability Ball, Alternating Pull Downs, and Alternating Single Leg Extensions (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Push Ups on Stability Ball, Upright Cable Rows on Half Ball, and Alternating Single Arm Curls (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Bent Over Cable Rows, Side Raises, and Leg Press (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), and Planks, Triceps Push Downs, and Dumbbell Side Bends (4 sets of each x 15 reps each). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #223 - Weigh-In = 205.0 lbs

Day #223 Weigh-In

Day #223 Front Shot

Day #222 - My First Weekend Off in the New Year!!!

2011-01-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

Today was actually my first full day back in the office without having to leave for meetings. And let me tell you, it felt like the clock was taking forever to reach 6:00pm. I kept on looking down at my watch because all I wanted to do was to head into the weekend and relax for the first time in a while. Football is on all day tomorrow and I have absolutely nothing to do at all. It is going to be great. I will tell you though, that when time goes by slow during the day and you are a hungry person, time seems to go by even slower. It was torture waiting for each meal time to arrive. And it is important for me to spread out my meals during the day because if I don't, all my points will be used up early. And I will be left hungry and feeling miserable around dinner time.

I feel like I have been at a stand still with my weight for a few days now. I am sure stress had a big part with my weight loss down in Charleston. But since I have gotten back to my normal routine, I have been stuck in the 208 lbs range. I think it is my body getting back to a normal weight loss cycle. I could also be wrong and only time will tell the true answer. I feel like I am so close to reaching the 100lbs lost mark but it is still so far away. I was told a few times, at the beginning of this mission, that the last few pounds will be the hardest to lose and I am starting to believe that more and more every day.

On the other hand, I still have over 7 months until my wedding day and I am a strong believer that anything can happen if you work hard. So I say bring it on. And maybe by the time my wedding day is here, I will have a six pack of abs and will look like one of those guys on the cover of Men's Health Magazine. Here is to dreaming big and working hard to achieve those dreams. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 7
Snack During the Day - 2 apples, 1 pear, (2) 100 cal pretzel packs, and 1 serving of sun chips = Points 10
Early Afternoon - 1 Boca chicken patty with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll and a serving of sun chips = Points 12
Late Afternoon - 1 Boca chicken patty with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll and a serving of sun chips = Points 12
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole = Points 5
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 4

Total Points Eaten Today = 50 Points (1 point over my daily points limit)

Exercise

Today I ran for 30 mins on the treadmill. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #222 Weigh-In

Day #222 - Weigh-In = 208.0 lbs

Day #222 Front Shot

Day #221 - Back to Work

2011-01-06T23:43:00.000-05:00

I had that feeling of accomplishment once again as I headed into work today. But this time the feeling wasn't a result of something I did with the mission. It was actually pertaining to being able to pull off developing, planning, and executing a nationally televised football game in only 6 short months. An event like this usually takes a good year in order to be executed correctly. Myself and several other co-workers managed to it in only 6 months. And that my friends is an accomplishment!!! So while traveling into work today, I was calm and relaxed for the first time in months.

I was very excited for dinner tonight, because Patty was going to be making one of my favorite recipes (Beef and Vegetable Cheese Casserole). But unfortunately, I had a meeting today in New York City for work. This meeting was to start planning for next year's game. And of course I didn't get out of the meeting until about 6:45pm, just in time for rush hour traffic. So instead of losing our minds, being stuck in traffic for hours, we decided to eat dinner in the city and then drive home afterwards. This meant that I was going to have to improvise once again with a meal and that I wasn't going to make it home for the home cooked meal. But like I always do, I managed to adjust and ordered a nice healthy grilled chicken sandwich for dinner.

Other then my meeting today, the day went by very quickly and we ended up getting a lot done. I have one more day of work tomorrow, before I get to a nice relaxing weekend of football and catching up with family for the holidays. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!!

With that being said, let's get to the details if the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 7
Snacks During the Day - 2 servings of 100 cal pretzel packs, 2 apples, and 1 pear = Points 6
Early Afternoon - 1 Boca chicken patti on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese and a serving of sun chips = Points 12
Later Afternoon - 1 roll and grilled chicken on 2 slices of bread with lettuce = Points 11
Dinner - Grilled chicken sandwich with a slice of american cheese and a cup of New England Clam Chowder = Points 14

Total Points Eaten Today = 50 Points (1 point over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I ran for 30 mins on the treadmill. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #221 - Weigh-In = 208.2 lbs

*I forgot my camera at work and I will not be able to add my up dated photos until tomorrow morning when I arrive in the office. I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Day #220 - A Much Needed Day Off / Front Shots

2011-01-06T11:03:00.000-05:00

I am sorry that this post (Day #220) wasn't published last night but blogger was giving me some trouble. So I am going to be brief with what went on yesterday and I will then have a much more in depth post tonight for what happened today. I spent my second vacation day (yesterday) getting some more personal things done. It was great not having to wake up early in the morning and drag myself into work. It was so relaxing to be able to go at my own pace. The refrigerator is stocked with healthy foods and I have been back on my normal workout routine for the last 2 days now. I even made it back into the gym for my first weight lifting session in what seems to be almost two weeks. I am going to state for the record right now, that my weigh-in number will be up a little from yesterday morning because I lifted weights. I think my body will be catching up and evening out pretty soon, before we see a drop in weight again. But it won't take long before I am breaking through into the 190's. So as you can see, life is quickly getting back to normal and I am loving it.

I am going to leave you this morning with my tradition "Front Shot" comparison. I usually compare my "front shot photos" the day after I show my "Side Shot Comparisons." Let me know what you think and I will talk to you all tonight after work and my workout is over.

Day #1 - 302 lbs

Day #220 - 206. lbs

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 4
Snacks During the Day - 1 pear, (1) 100 cal pretzel pack, 2 granola bars, and 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 12
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's recipe) = Points 8
Late Afternoon - 1 grilled cheese sandwich with an apple and a serving of sun chips = Points 8
Dinner - 1 serving of french onion soup and steak dinner (Applebees) = Points 17

Total Points Eaten Yesterday - 49 Points

Exercise

Yesterday I executed my first weight lifting routine in a while and it felt great. Dumbbell Press on Stability Ball, Alternating Single Arm Pull Downs, and Alternating Single Leg Extensions (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Push Ups on Stability Ball, Upright Cable Rows on Half Ball, and Alternating Single Arm Curls (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Bent Over Cable Rows, Side Raises, and Leg Press (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), and Planks, Triceps Push Downs, and Dumbbell Side Bends (4 sets of each x 15 reps each).

Day #220 - Weigh-In = 206.6 lbs

Day #220 Weigh-In

Day #218 & #219 - I'm Back!!!! With Side Shots!!!

2011-01-04T22:51:00.000-05:00

Well it is official, I am back home and I could not be any happier!!! I am sorry that I did not write a post yesterday. Patty and I drove back to New Jersey from Charleston and did not get into our apartment until 5:00am this morning. And we went straight to the bedroom once we walked through the front door, for some much needed sleep. I was extremely happy to be sleeping in my own bed after being away for over a month. It may be colder up here than down in Charleston but there is still no place like home.

I left New Jersey a month ago weighing in at 224 lbs. And I returned this morning weighing in at 206 lbs. I guess this proves that no matter what obstacle stands in the way, it is very possible to accomplish what you want to get done. I left New Jersey executing my mission, lived in South Carolina for a month executing my mission, and now I am home ready to hit the ground hard. When we woke up this morning, Patty and I wasted no time getting our personal life back on track. We managed our budget, paid all of our bills, and went straight to the food store to shop for the upcoming week. It felt great getting out to the food store and buying all of the ingredients to cook our favorite Weight Watcher's recipes for this week. And of course after all of the running around was complete, I made my way to the gym. I ran a lot outside during my month in Charleston and attempted to get into the gym every chance I could. But nothing comes close to being able to workout at home in your own gym. I started my normal routine up again, by running on the treadmill tonight. Tomorrow it is weight lifting...... finally!!!!

I am so excited to be back home and to nurse my life back to normal. I can't wait to see more positive results in the near future. And speaking of results, there has been something missing that I have not been able to do for two months now. And that would be the ever so popular, "Side Shot" comparison. I did not take a side shot photo for December because I was not home and I wanted to keep every side shot photo looking the same. So I had decided to wait until I got home to do so. So without any delay, I will leave you all tonight with this month's edition of my side shot photos.

Day #1 - 302 lbs

Day #155 (2 Months Ago) - 238.2 lbs

Day #219 - 206.6 lbs

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast / Lunch - Egg whites with a slice of american cheese on a whole wheat bagel and a low fat chocolate milk = Points 19
Snacks During the Day - 1 apple, 1 pear, 2 servings of 100 cal yogurt pretzel packs, 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone, and a serving of sun chips = Points 14
Dinner - 1 1/2 servings of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's recipe) = Points 12
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 4

Total Points Eaten Today = 49 Points

Exercise

Today I ran for 30 minutes on the treadmill. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #219 - Weigh-In = 206.6 lbs

Day #219 - Weigh-In

Day #219 Front Shot

Days - #215, #216, & #217 - Time to Get Home!!

2011-01-03T01:17:00.000-05:00

First of all, Happy New Year's to everyone!!! This very long month has finally come to an end and I am about to make my way back home!! The last time I spoke to you all, I was getting ready for my big event to happen on Friday. And I realized today that I keep on mentioning my big event but I never really shared with you all exactly what that big event was. I am the director of the NUC All-World Gridiron Classic. It is an all-star football game that is played in Charleston, SC. And to make things even more stressful, it was live on Fox College Sports nationally. Yep, I was running a nationally televised football game on a Fox Channel on New Year's Eve.

I know I kept on sharing with everyone how stressful this last month was. And it was very stressful because I didn't want to mess up or have this whole week look like crap. Well I can honestly say that all of the hard work did pay off. The week went well, all of the players were happy with the results, and I was told that the game looked awesome on television!!!! Even though this last month was rough with not being home and all of the work I had to do, I still managed to have fun during the game. And I am so proud of myself for not giving up when times got rough. I can thank my mission for that because I have learned through this whole process to not give up, no matter how difficult it can get.

I know I haven't been perfect with keeping up with the posts during this past week. I kind of expected it to happen because of how busy I was. But I promise that it will be back to the normal routine again this up coming week. I am so excited to get home and back into the normal routine. Well it is time to get to bed because we have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow. I will talk to you all later!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

* I celebrated the New Year and the success of my game by eating crappy today. I can't wait to get back to my normal eating and exercise routine.

Snacks During the Day - 4 granola bars and fig newtons
Lunch - turkey and cheddar cheese on a whole wheat bagel with baked chips
Dinner - grilled chicken with cheddar cheese on a pretzel roll with a serving of french fries
Dessert - samples of cheese cake, key lime pie, and chocolate mousse

Exercise

I did not workout in the gym today. I did however move equipment and boxes all day. I know I haven't had any time to workout this week but I will make up for it from now until my wedding day.

Day #217 - Weigh-In = 204.0 lbs

Day #217 Weigh-In

Day #217 Front Shot

Day #213 & #214 - Almost There!

2010-12-31T01:57:00.000-05:00

The big day is almost here and I can't wait to get it done and over with. All of the hard work, long hours, stress filled days, etc...... has all come down to one day. I hope everything goes off well because we have all worked to hard to not have it do so. I am sorry for missing a few post days during the the last week, it has been very hectic down here trying to run this event. But at least I have found some time to eat a little more today, than I have been the last few days. I am still alive and kicking but I would imagine that my stress levels must be off the charts though.

I have another long day ahead of me again tomorrow. But before I go, I want to leave you with my up date photos from the the last two days. I hope you all have a great new years eve and let's make sure to start the new year off great!!!

Day #213 Weigh-In

Day #213 Front Shot

Day #214 Weigh-In

Day #214 Front Shot

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

* I have honestly not kept track of food intake the last two days. All I have to say is that it has been less than my daily points intake each day. I really can't wait to get home so I can get back to my normal weight loss plan routine.

Exercise

I was constantly moving and sweating my butt off today. I also can't wait to get back to a normal exercise routine as well.

Day #211 & #212 - Same Stuff, Different Day

2010-12-29T00:43:00.000-05:00

Well it finally happened. I knew it was going to be hard to keep up with my blog every single day of this week. I apologize for missing my first day out of 211 straight days. Things are busy and hectic down here in Charleston but we are managing to survive. Today was another long day of non-stop work. I want to say that I made it to the gym but I have been up working since 6am and it is currently 12:15am now on Wednesday morning. And I am running only on 2 hours of sleep in the last 3 days. I think if I can pull this whole event off, then I will be able to do a lot of things in life. But I want to stick to getting through this week first.

I have another long day ahead of me again tomorrow. But I want to leave you with my update pictures from today and yesterday because I missed last night's post.

Day #211 Weigh-In

Day #211 Front Shot

Day #212 Weigh-In

Day #212 Front Shot

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Snack - 2 cookies form Subway and a pear = 12 Points
Dinner - Baked Chicken on bone with pasta = 16 Points

Total Points Eaten Today = 28 Points (21 points under my daily limit) *Not the way I want to lose weight.

Exercise

I seem to be having trouble finding my way into the hotel gym. I am, however, constantly moving the entire day without stopping.

I will talk to you all tomorrow. Have a great night!!

Day 210 - A Bad Weather Day

2010-12-27T11:17:00.000-05:00

It has been a very long day and I am going with no sleep now for the last 23 hours. Today was the day that the participants for my event were suppose to start showing up in Charleston. But I think mother nature had other plans. The north eastern part of the country was hit bad today with a gigantic snow storm. Which in return cancelled a lot of flights for my event. We were supposed to have over 60 people arrive today, instead only about 25 arrived due to bad weather. This left us scrambling the entire day, trying to rebook everyone on new flights and trying to time our airport pickups around the massive amounts of delays.

Amongst all of the craziness, I only managed to eat three slices of pizza the entire day. And that was because pizza was the only thing available to eat. I did however manage to keep myself moving the entire day. Rest was not an option,with the amount of work that had to get done. I only hope that tomorrow's kick-off event goes off without any problems, "knock on wood." Anyway my friends, it is 6:15am and I have a meeting coming up at 7:00am, that I have to make sure I am ready for. I will talk to you all tomorrow.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Early Afternoon - 2 large slices of pizza = 14 Points
Dinner - 1 Large slice of pizza = 7 Points

Total Points Eaten Today - 21 Points (28 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

I was running around like a mad man today but I did not get into the gym. I will get into the gym tomorrow for a weight lifting session.

Day #210 - Weigh-In = 210.6 lbs

Day #210 Front Shot

Day #209 - Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T01:27:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to all!!! Tonight's post is going to be short and sweet. I woke up this morning feeling better than I have been the last few days. The reason for that is because Patty and I were alone in the house and there was no body from work asking a million questions or interrupting me every five minutes. I was actually able to go about my day very relaxed. I spent a little time today working and the rest was with Patty. We finally moved into the hotel today and boy did we get the royal treatment. We are staying in one of the presidential suites in the Charleston Marriott and I think I could get used to it.

Patty and I didn't get a chance to exchange any gifts today and it took us forever to find an open restaurant to eat at. This area really shuts down during a holiday but we were having fun trying to find something that was open. We ended up finding an IHOP that was open and we had our selves a nice little Christmas morning breakfast. And of course I ate healthy this morning, especially after our Christmas Eve dinner last night. Anyway, is it getting late and we have a ton of work to do tomorrow in preparation for everyone arriving for this week's big event. Wish us luck everyone and I will talk to you all tomorrow!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 slices of whole wheat french toast, with egg whites, and 2 slices of turkey bacon = Points 11
Snacks - 2 servings of sun chips, 2 servings of cheddar cheese, 2 granola bars, and a fruit cup = Points 19
Dinner - Baked Chicken with a serving of risotto rice = Points 11

Total Points Eaten Today = 41 Points (8 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

I did not make it to the gym today. I did however move a lot of boxes and equipment over to the hotel.

Day #209 - Weigh-In = 211.4 lbs

Day #209 Weigh-In

Day #209 Front Shot

Day #208 - Celebrating Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T22:28:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!! I started off the day feeling crappy because it was becoming a reality that I wasn't going to be home on Christmas for the first time in my life. And many of you who know me and have gotten to know me over the last few months, know that I am a family guy who loves the holidays. So tomorrow is going to be hard but I still have Patty here with me, which is a plus. I only have nine more days to bust my ass and then I am home once again. I think the first thing Patty and I will do is to visit our families who we didn't get to see for Christmas. Next, we will start planning hard for our wedding which is now only 8 short months away. We are then going to spend some time in New York City because I miss the city as well. Finally, I am going to get back into my normal routine once again and push hard to the wedding day!

Since tonight was Christmas Eve and we have been working non-stop, I decided that I owed Patty a night out with a nice dinner. So I asked her where she wanted to go and she replied, with a big smile, to Applebees for appetizers and some good food. So with that reply, I knew I was in for a nice big stomach ache at the end of the night. But I didn't mind because it was Christmas #1 and Patty has been patient the entire week she has been down here. Plus, I still had 34 points left over after this morning's breakfast and I didn't think cheating tonight was going to be that bad. Granted I have stomach ache right now but I think it was worth it to spend a little down time with Patty after a long few weeks. I think I might be in the 213lbs range again tomorrow but I know I will get that ground back very quickly.

Anyway, I promised Patty that I would watch a movie with her in bed tonight while we fall asleep. I hope you all get what you want for Christmas and have a great day with your families. I will talk to you all tomorrow night, Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

* Today I ate a healthy breakfast but then had a cheat meal with Patty tonight, celebrating Christmas Eve.

Breakfast - Egg whites with a slice of american cheese on a toasted bagel
Snack - 1 serving of baked chips
Dinner - I split an appetizer sampler with Patty and had a grilled chicken and shrimp dinner with steamed vegetables with whole wheat pasta

Exercise

I did not workout today. I worked the entire day and then celebrated Christmas Eve with Patty.

Day #208 - Weigh-In = 211.6 lbs

Day #208 Weigh-In

Day #208 Front Shot

Day #207 - The Starting Date is Almost Here

2010-12-24T00:36:00.000-05:00

It is almost Christmas time but I feel like Patty and I are the only people, tied to this event, that will be working on Saturday. I feel a sadness deep inside every time I think about it. I can guarantee that this will be the last time that we miss the holidays at home like this. Today was another long day of work and we actually started to think about next year's event in the process. We were developing ways on how to make it better, while not going through all of the same headaches we went through this year. It is true what they say, the first time is always the most difficult. I have a feeling that next year's event will be 10 times better and even more efficient.

I am counting down the days until Patty and I move into the hotel. That magic number is now 2 days. At least in the hotel I will be able to lift weights and run on a normal routine once again. Thus making it easier for me to get back to my daily routine. I have been working out everyday but not the way I want to. Running every night is great but I need to get my weight lifting workout back into the mix. Any exercise is better than no exercise but I do miss my normal routine a lot. It also helps that I have been eating pretty good since I arrived down here. In the last 3 weeks, I only had 2 cheat meals. That is not bad at all, considering that I have not been home for a while now.

Anyway, tomorrow is another important day for getting work done. The participants will be heading down here on Sunday and I want to make sure that everything is covered and taken care of before they are here. I hope you all have a great night and I will talk you tomorrow.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Lunch - Foot long double turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with 2 slices of american cheese, a serving of cheddar sun chips, and apple slices (Subway) = Points 23
Snack - A serving of wheat thins = Points 3
Dinner - 2 servings of Tuna Roll (Sushi), 1 cup of hibachi chicken, 1 cup of white rice, a salad with honey mustard dressing, and a cup of edamame = Points 22

Total Points Eaten Today = 48 Points (1 point under my daily limit)

Exercise

I ran for 30 mins outside. I will probably end up running outside for the next 2 nights and then get back into my weight lifting routine on Sunday, when I get into the hotel.

Day #207 - Weigh-In = 212.0 lbs

Day #207 Weigh-In

Day #207 Front Shot

Day #206 - Just Another Day in Charleston, SC

2010-12-22T23:56:00.000-05:00

I am sorry if my posts have been a little repetitive and boring lately but everyday seems to be the same down here. I wake up, I work for about 14 hours, I run or lift weights, I write my blog, and then I go to sleep. And then I wake up again the next day and do the same exact routine all over again. It is starting to drive me a little insane. I love the fact that Patty is down here with me for the holidays but we both miss home very much and wish we were there. But like I mentioned yesterday, that is life and I will roll with the punches if I have to. I know Patty feels the same way too.

I have started to gain back the momentum that I lost for a few days. The scale is going back downwards in weight once again and I am happy to see this. At least something positive is happening down here. I actually can't wait until Patty and I move into the host hotel for my event on Sunday. We will have a gym to use 24/7, plus we will be away from all of the madness that is surrounding the house that we are currently in right now. And we are getting one of the presidential suites when we make the switch. That is also something exciting to look forward to. Anyway, the day has finally come to an end and of course I have more meetings and objectives ahead of me tomorrow. I hope you all have a great night!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Snacks During the Day - 2 servings of reduced fat wheat thins = Points 6
Lunch - Foot long double turkey sub on whole wheat bread with 2 slices of american cheese and a serving of sun chips = Points 23
Dinner - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches on wheat bread with a serving of baked chips and wheat thins = Points 16

Total Points Eaten Today = 45 Points (4 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I ran outside for 30 mins. Tomorrow I will attempt to get into the gym and if not, I will run once again.

Day #206 - Weigh-In = 213.6 lbs

Day #206 Weigh-In

Day #206 Front Shot

Day #205 - To Much To Do, With So Little Time

2010-12-21T23:42:00.000-05:00

As the starting day for my event keeps on getting closer, the more the work keeps on piling up. I wish there was a few of me down here to lessen the work load. Patty has done a great job with helping me out but we are only two people doing the work of at least ten. But that is life and things aren't going to get any better if I just sit here and complain the entire time. I have to keep on reminding myself that it is only two more weeks and then I am home once again. I have to think of this whole experience as if it were a puzzle or a game I am trying to beat. Maybe if I can make it fun, then time will go by a lot quicker and it will be easier to get things done.

Anyway, I ate very healthy today and managed eat my daily points limit. And I followed my own advice that I mentioned last night. I made sure to make some time for myself today to go running. Even though work was consuming a good part of my time today, I made sure to take a break to workout. And I felt a lot better after doing so. While running, I was able to step back in my mind and lay everything out that had to get done and hopefully this will help me in the next few days leading up to the big event. My run felt great tonight because the weather was a very nice 60 degrees and I was just in the mood to run. And I am definitely happy that I made the time to do so.

I hope you all have a great night and I will talk to you tomorrow!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Egg whites with cheddar cheese on whole wheat bread = Points 10
Snacks During the Day - 2 slices of whole wheat toast with a serving of peanut butter, grilled cheese sandwich with a serving of wheat thins, 2 rice cakes, and a serving of wheat thins = Points 22
Dinner - Steak and Potato Salad and a serving of French Onion Soup (Applebees) = Points 17

Total Points Eaten Today = 49 Points

Exercise

Today I ran for 30 mins outside. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #205 - Weigh-In = 214.8 lbs

Day #205 Weigh-In

Day #205 Front Shot

Day #204 - Work Rules The Day Again

2010-12-20T23:45:00.000-05:00

Like I mentioned last night, crunch for my event is here and my phone did not stop ringing the entire day. I felt like I was a mad man answering emails and directing everything from behind the scenes. The great thing about today was that all of my apparel has come in and my sponsors are starting to send me their deliverables. There are a few open ended objectives that have to be finalized but I think everything will come together very nicely when all is said and done. We are now 6 days until everyone arrives down in Charleston on Sunday and Monday. I can't wait for this all to be done and over with.

Anyway, I made a conscious effort to eat healthy today. I tend to lose track of my food intake when I am focused on work. And I made sure that it did not happen today. However, I did not make it to the gym today or outside to run. I literally spent the entire day, from morning to now (11:20pm), working at my desk in my room. I stayed in my room because it tends to get noisy in this house during the day. I managed to get a lot done today but I am still upset with myself for getting to wrapped up in work to not workout. Especially after weighing in this morning at 214.8 lbs. I knew I would spike again after last night's anniversary dinner. I am going to make sure from here on out, to make time for myself during the day to get some sort of workout in for the next two weeks. It will be a lot easier again, to get back to my routine, when I get back home.

Until tomorrow night my friends, have a great night!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Grilled cheese sandwich with a serving of wheat thins = Points 9
Early Afternoon - Grilled cheese sandwich with a serving of wheat thins and an apple = Points 9
Late Afternoon - 2 slices of whole wheat bread with a serving of peanut butter and 2 sides of wheat thins = Points 15
Dinner - (1) 6" Turkey sub on whole wheat bread with a slice of american cheese, a serving of baked chips, and an apple = Points 13

Total Points Eaten Today = 46 Points (3 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

I did not workout today due to work. Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #204 - Weigh-In = 214.8 lbs

Day #204 Weigh-In

Day #203 - And Here We Go

2010-12-19T23:49:00.000-05:00

Patty has officially arrived in Charleston, SC!!! And you can only imagine how happy I was to see her standing at the baggage claim door, when I went to go pick her up from the airport. Not only was I excited to see her after 17 days but I was also anxious to see her reaction to how much more weight I have lost since I seen her last. And to my calculations, it has been roughly 11 lbs lost in the last two and a half weeks. Her reaction was exactly what I had hoped it would be. The first thing see said to me was, "you are melting away." She then told me, after a while, that it looks like I have gotten thinner all over. And even later on in the night, she said that she couldn't believe the difference in only 17 days. I guess my determination and the new Weight Watcher's PontsPlus program has been affective so far.

Now I pride myself for being honest with everyone when it comes down to this mission and my weight loss program. And I am going to let everyone know now that I had a heck of a cheat meal tonight for dinner. The reason for this cheat meal was because I missed Patty and my 7 year anniversary being down here. And I know it was rough for the both of us. So I promised that I would take her out to a nice dinner when she got down here. And I kept my promise tonight by taking her to her favorite type of restaurant, Hibachi. The meal was great and I ate every single piece of food that was put on my plate. And of course I felt guilty afterwards and went running for 30 mins outside in the freezing night air. I already know that I am going to be weighing in higher than 215 lbs tomorrow morning. But I realize that this will happen and I will keep on going strong to gain back that ground and then some.

It is great having Patty down here with me. She is the one that keeps me calm and she will also be there for me when I get really stressed out during the next two weeks. Anyway, Monday is quickly approaching and crunch time is about to start. Wish me luck everyone, as I attempt to execute this event the best I possibly can.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

* I had a cheat meal tonight with Patty, celebrating our 7 year anniversary.

Breakfast - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with a serving of wheat thins
Snacks During the Day - 1 serving of baked tostitos and salsa, apple
Lunch - (1) 6" turkey sub on whole wheat bread with 1 slice of american cheese, a serving of sun chips, and an apple
Dinner - 1 serving of tuna roll (sushi), mushroom soup, a side salad, chicken and steak, mixed vegetables, and a side of rice (Hibachi)

Exercise

Today I ran for 30 mins outside. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day # 203 - Weigh-In = 213.8 lbs

Day #203 Weigh-In

Day #203 Front Shot

Day #202 - Please Let Me In!!!!

2010-12-19T01:02:00.000-05:00

I weighed in this morning at 213.2 lbs. I had a great weight loss streak going for the last two weeks and now all of a sudden, I am spiking back up a little. But I am not worried about it one bit because I have learned that it will happen to my body numerous times during this mission of mine. I do believe that eating the chili from last night, even though it was a small portion, had something to do with this little spike from yesterday morning. You have to take the good with the bad, in order to get where you want to be. And believe me, I will get to where I want to be, that is a promise my friends.

I finally got back into the gym today!!! It has been a some what long process but I was determined to not go one more day without executing my weight lifting routine. Now getting into the actual gym itself was a bit of a process. I ventured out to the office today, where I could get a new key for the gym. I finally got tired of waiting for the new keys to come to me, so I went to them. I was able to secure two new keys pretty quickly and I made sure to test them to see if they worked. And the test was pretty successful because I was able to open the front door to the gym fairly easy. Later on in the night, I decided that it was time to get my workout in. So I made my way to the gym around 10:00pm. As I walked up to the door, I proceeded to slide the key into the slot and it did not work! At this point, I had enough. I wasn't going to miss another day of weight lifting because the freakin door wasn't playing nice with me. I actually called up the office, which is open 24 hours a day, and pleaded for them to let me in. And sure enough, I had a person there not even five minutes later, to let me in the gym. After a long few days and some patience tonight, I finally executed my weight lifting routine!!

I can't tell you how great it felt to be in the gym today. It cleared my mind and made me feel so relaxed. Anyway, Patty is flying into Charleston tomorrow and I want to make sure that I wake up in the morning to pick her up. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 eggs on 2 slices of whole wheat bread with a slice of american cheese = Points 10
Snacks During the Day - 4 rice cakes, 1 apple, and a serving of baked tostitos with salsa = Points 8
Early Afternoon Lunch - Grilled cheese sandwich with a serving of wheat thins and an apple = Points 11
Late Afternoon - Grilled cheese sandwich with a serving of sun chips and an apple = Points 10
Dinner - Egg whites on 2 slices of whole wheat bread with a serving of wheat thins and an apple = Points 8

Total Points Eaten Today = 47 Points (2 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Dumbbell Press on Stability Ball, Lat Pull Down, and Leg Press (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Stability Ball Push Ups, Upright Cable Rows, and Alternating Dumbbell Curls (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Cable Rows, Dumbbell Raises, and Alternating Single Leg Extensions (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), and Planks, Triceps Push Downs, and Dumbbell Side Bends (4 sets of each x 15 reps each). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #202 - Weigh-in = 213.2 lbs

Day #202 Weigh-In

Day #202 Front Shot

Day #201 - 90 lbs Down

2010-12-18T00:43:00.000-05:00

So I weighed in this morning at 212.6 lbs, which is normal due to weight fluctuation. But I was still happy to see that number looking back at me. Knowing that I am around the 90lbs lost mark, makes me extremely happy and proud of myself as well. Even better, is knowing that I am so close to reaching 100 lbs lost. Which seems like it is only a few weeks away. Well, I guess I can officially check off my current small goal of weighing in at 215 lbs by December 31st! And because that goal has been accomplished, I am going to state another one for the record right now. I want to break through the 210 lb wall, right into the low 200's by December 31st. I can't believe I am even saying this right now! Never in a million years would I have pictured myself possibly weighing around 200 lbs, maybe even under 200 lbs eventually.

As I was running today, I was imagining what it would feel like right now being home with Patty and my family, especially since it is Christmas time. And I still get the same feeling inside of being very homesick. But the good news is that Patty will be down here in Charleston starting this Sunday!! I had a credit with Continental that rolled over with me from my last job and we thought this would be a perfect time to use it. If I can't be home with Patty right now, might as well bring Patty here to me. I think it is the perfect solution and maybe it will help me deal with being homesick.

I mentioned before that I went running again today. This is because our replacement keys, to the gym, are still not ready. Don't get me wrong, I have developed a real love for running over the past few months, but I need to get a weight lifting session in soon. Running does help me clear my head but lifting weights really helps to get rid of the stress that builds up during the day. Anyway, the day was very productive again and I feel like we are getting closer to finalizing the details for the big event coming up in a week. But for now, I am going to get some much needed sleep. Have a great night my friends and I will talk to you tomorrow.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watchers PointsPlus program)

*I had a bowl of homemade chili tonight, that one of my co-workers made and it tasted great. He also made pasta salad as well. I am going to count this as a cheat meal.

Breakfast - 2 rice cakes and a cheese sandwich
Snacks During the Day - 1 serving of pasta salad, 2 rice cakes, and 2 servings of wheat thins
Lunch - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with a serving of wheat thins
Dinner - 2 cups of homemade chili and 2 slices of whole wheat bread

Exercise

Today I ran outside for 30 mins. I am determined to get into the gym tomorrow to execute my weight lifting routine.

Day #201 - Weigh-In = 212.6 lbs

Day #201 Weigh-In

Day #201 Front Shot

Day #200 - Still Moving Forward

2010-12-17T00:59:00.000-05:00

I believe I have reached two milestones in one day!! Well, first I am going to state the obvious one. It is officially the 200th day of my, "Mission to Healthy!" Can you believe that I started this mission 200 days ago??!! And I have not strayed from path the entire time. It is the longest commitment I have ever made, well beside the 7 years I have been with Patty. But common, 200 days straight! I am extremely happy that I did not give up on myself and I don't plan on ever giving up for the rest of my life. Thank you all for your support over the past 200 days and I can't wait for the next 200 days to start.

The second milestone I hit today, happened when I weighed in this morning. The scale displayed that I was weighing in at 211.8 lbs!! This means I have lost 90.2 lbs since the start of this mission!! Of course it might be a little higher tomorrow because of my weight fluctuation but I was extremely happy to see that number on the scale this morning. As a matter of fact, I have been doing great in the weight loss column since I have arrived down here in Charleston, 2 weeks ago. Since I have gotten down here, I have lost 12 lbs! I think that is great, since I am not at home and I don't have access to a gym right now, because the key doesn't work. I do however, want to check my weight on the gym scale when we get a working key again, just to make sure that my scale is still accurate. I always tend to do this when I have a good weight loss streak going. It is just a habit of mine that I have developed.

Anyway, day #200 went pretty well and I am feeling better every single day with my health. I am pumped and ready to hit the ground running for the next 200 days. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PontsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 slices of american cheese on 2 slices of whole wheat bread = Points 16
Lunch - Piece of roasted chicken with a piece of pork loin and a serving of corn = Points 10
Dinner - Turkey with 2 slices of cheddar cheese on 2 large slices of 9 grain bread and a serving of baked chips (Atlanta Bread Company) = Points 20
Late Snack - 1 slices of american cheese on 2 slices of whole wheat bread = Points 6

Total Points Eaten Today = 52 Points (3 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I played basketball outside for an 1 1/2. It was a great workout and the weather was awesome. Tomorrow I hope to get back in the gym, if we ever receive our new keys!

Day #200 - Weigh-In = 211.8 lbs

Day #200 Weigh-In

Day #200 Front Shot

Day #199 - 7 Years!!

2010-12-15T23:42:00.000-05:00

Today was another very long yet productive day. I feel like I am moving at a faster speed than I was a few days ago. Like I mentioned yesterday, I have gotten through tough times before that I just had to fight my way through. And this current project I am in the middle of is no different. I am trying my best to do a great job and I only hope that it will come out great in the end.

Anyway, that is enough about work for tonight. I ate a little better today than I have the last few days. Now don't get me wrong, I have eaten healthy the last few days but my meals had consisted of grilled cheese sandwiches, egg sandwiches, and peanut butter & toast. I was forced to eat these meals because we have not gone food shopping in a few days because we all have been working constantly. However, today was a different story. I ate a nice turkey and bagel sandwich for lunch and I had a nice plate full of steamed chicken, broccoli, and rice for dinner. I was happy that I was able to get some different food in my system. I also ran outside for the second day in a row because our gym keys are not working anymore. Any exercise is better than none at all.

I have one more announcement to make before I turn in for the night. Today marks 7 years that Patty and I have been together as a couple! She has seen me at my best and has definitely seen me at my worst. But no matter what, she has stuck by my side through all of it. I will be happy to spend the rest of my life with her and call her my wife in just 8 short months. Patty I love you very much and I can't wait to see you soon!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - Peanut butter on 2 slices of whole wheat toast = Points 9
Snacks During the Day - 2 rice cakes and peanut butter with whole wheat toast = Points 12
Lunch - Turkey with american cheese on a whole wheat bagel and a serving of baked chips = Points 15
Dinner - 2 cups of steamed chicken and broccoli and a serving of steamed white rice = Points 11

Total Points Eaten Today = 47 Points (2 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I ran outside for 30 mins. Hopefully our gym key gets fixed tomorrow so I can execute my weight lifting routine.

Day #199 - Weigh-In = 214.0 lbs

Day #199 Weigh-In

Day #199 Front Shot

Day #198 - Getting Work Done and Making Time For Me

2010-12-15T01:04:00.000-05:00

I felt like myself again today!! These last two weeks have been very long and extremely stressful but I made it through them. I have to keep on reminding myself that this event and everything associated with it, is not the end all be all. I have had rough times like these in the past but I survived. Hell I was in the worst shape of my life, a little over six months ago, but I managed to work my way through it. If anything, this mission has taught me that not everything in life is easy or will be handed to you. It is up to you to make your own path and control your future.

I sat in the kitchen of our house / make shift office, down here in Charleston, the entire day from 9am - 11pm. And I did nothing but book flights for 40 people and made sure that everything, pertaining to traveling, was on the right track. The entire time I was working, I kept on thinking about running a successful event. I know it is said, "If you believe it, it can be done." I am hoping that this applies to my event as well. And the event was not the only thing I was thinking of. It had been 2 days since my last workout and I was determined to not make it 3 in a row. My goal was to be finished with everything by 11pm so I could run outside. And sure enough, 11pm rolled around and I was out the door faster then you could blink your eyes.

It was extremely cold outside but I made sure to pack on the warm clothes. As I was running, I felt like I was in my own world and nothing could bother me. I actually ended up visualizing the entire week of my event from start to finish. And I know I can translate what I was imagining into reality. Anyway, my run was very relaxing and was the perfect way to end a very productive day. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 eggs on 2 slices of whole wheat bread = Points 9
Snacks During the Day - 2 rice cakes = Points 3
Lunch - 2 peanut butter and whole wheat toast sandwiches = Points 18
Dinner - 2 eggs on 2 slices of whole wheat bread = Points 9

Total Points Eaten Today = 39 Points (10 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I ran for 30 mins outside. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #198 - Weigh-In = 215.8 lbs

Day #198 Weigh-In

Day #198 Front Shot

Day #197 - Needing Some Me Time

2010-12-14T00:33:00.000-05:00

The days are starting to run into each other down here. I actually thought that today was Tuesday. And I didn't make that mistake just once today, I made it a few times. There seems to be work upon work that keeps on piling up. And every time I think I have a little break, something new pops right into the picture. Now I am not complaining because I knew what was ahead of me coming down here. But I think the hardest part about this whole trip is that my family and Patty are not here with me. It is Christmas time and it really doesn't feel like Christmas at all. I just wish that this event is successful and that January comes very fast.

Work filled my day once again and I didn't workout now for the second day in a row. I am disappointed in myself because that is 2 days in a row now that I didn't make time for myself. And I have to make a conscious effort to not let that happen any more. I have come to far to slip now. It is a good thing that I remain eating healthy everyday. I am thinking about trying to workout in the morning because my days are only going to get busier from here on in. And if I start my day off exercising, hopefully it will keep me going strong and energized the entire day. Plus it allows me to get my workout in everyday, this way I can focus on getting what I have to get done for work the rest of the day and not have to worry about getting to the gym late at night. The one good thing about living in my mobile office is that I can sleep in a little, get up and workout, and still have a full day ahead of me.

Anyway, it is getting late and I was up to 3am last night trying to get things done. I think I am going to try and catch up on a little sleep tonight. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 1 slice of pound cake = Points 8
Snack During the Day - 2 rice cakes = Points 2
Lunch - Foot long Chicken Teriyaki sub on whole wheat bread with 2 slices of american cheese, a serving of baked chips, and apple slices = Points 25
Dinner - 1 baked chicken breast, a side of green beans, and a serving of wild rice = Points 12

Total Points Eaten Today = 47 Points (2 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

I did not workout today due to work. Tomorrow there will be no excuses.

Day #197 - Weigh-In = 217.2 lbs

Day #197 Weigh-In

Day #197 Front Shot

Day #196 - Another Long Day at the Office

2010-12-13T03:22:00.000-05:00

Today's post is going to be short and sweet. I hope you all don't mind but I have been up since early this morning, planning for the upcoming week. And I just got done working for the night and it is currently 2:51am, Monday morning. I actually spent the entire day, at the kitchen table down stairs, organizing everything so I can be on top of my game come tomorrow morning.

However, working the entire day does mean that I did not get to workout. Now don't get me wrong, I tried executing a workout today but I just don't think it was meant to be. I worked until 10:30pm tonight and then decided to try and run outside. But the weather was so bad, with rain and high winds, that it wasn't the ideal running outside situation. I then attempted to go to the gym, I have been using for the last week and a half, but the key wouldn't work to let me in the door. It was already approaching 11:00pm and there was nobody inside to let me in. So I ended up going back to the house to do some more work.

Needless to say, today was a day filled with work and nothing more. At least I still ate healthy the entire day. Hopefully that will keep me going strong in my current weight loss streak. Anyway, I hope you all have a great night and I will talk to you all tomorrow.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Early Afternoon - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches with a serving of wheat thins = Points 17
Snacks During the Day - 1 serving of wheat thins and 2 rice cakes = Points 7
Late Afternoon - 1 grilled cheese sandwich with a serving of pita chips = Points 11
Dinner - 1 homemade slider burger, 2 slices of whole wheat bread, and 2 slices of fat free american cheese = 14

Total Points Eaten Today = 49 Points

Exercise

I did not make it to the gym or run outside due to weather. I will be doing cardio tomorrow.

Day # 196 - Weigh-In = 216.6 lbs

Day #196 Weigh-In

Day #196 Front Shot

Day #195 - A Little Rest at Last!!

2010-12-12T00:06:00.000-05:00

The weekend is finally here!!! I was so happy when I woke up this morning and my calendar said it was Saturday. The long week of meeting after meeting was finally over and I could actually sit down to organize everything. Now granted I had 2 meetings today but they were on board a World War II battle ship and I didn't mind those meetings at all. Other then those two work related objectives, the rest of my day was pretty relaxing and I totally needed that after this last week.

I also woke up this morning weighing in at 215.6 lbs!! I am still amazed that I was able to lose a good amount of weight since arriving down in Charleston a little over a week ago. I guess the constant working out and the new Weight Watcher's program has really helped with this current weight loss streak. However, I did go a little over board at dinner tonight and ate a little more than I normally do. We had turkey tacos tonight and I ended up eating 3 instead of my intended 2. And to tell you the truth, I felt a little guilty for doing so at the time I had finished the third taco. But then I realized that it has been a long time since I had a cheat meal and I have done so well this past week. This might not be a good excuse to do so but I am not going to let it bother me at all. I might weigh-in tomorrow morning more than I did this morning but I feel that I will be in the low 210's by the time my event rolls around on December 31st.

Anyway, I am going to get to sleep soon because I want to get up tomorrow morning to play a little basketball before I get back to work. I hope you all have a great night and I will talk to you tomorrow.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

*Today I ate more for dinner than I normally do. So I am going to count this as a cheat meal day.

Breakfast - 2 slices of american cheese on 2 slices of whole wheat bread
Snacks During the Day - 3 servings of wheat thins
Early Afternoon - Grilled chicken on a roll with american cheese and a serving of sweet potato fries
Late Afternoon - 2 flour tortillas with 2 eggs, american cheese, and cheddar cheese
Dinner - 3 turkey tacos with cheddar cheese and lettuce

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Dumbbell Press on stability ball, Lat Pull Down, and Leg Press (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Stability Ball Push Ups, Cable Upright Rows, and Alternating Single Arm Curls ( 4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Bent Over Cable Rows, Side Raises into Flyes, and Alternating Single Leg Extensions (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), and Planks, Triceps Push Downs, and Side Dumbbell Bends (4 sets of each x 15 reps each). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #195 - Weigh- In = 215.6 lbs

Day #195 Weigh-In

Day #195 Front Shot

Day #194 - Good Results

2010-12-10T23:29:00.000-05:00

Today was a pretty good day for work. Things seemed to be more productive today then they were earlier this week. I love the fact that everyone, that is involved with this event, is starting to pull together to get things done. It is really great when you have motivated people around you working towards a common goal. I hope the rest of my days, down here in Charleston, go exactly the same way. "Knock on wood!!"

I have some more good news for everyone, pertaining to my mission. This morning when I woke up, I weighed-in at 217.8 lbs!! I am really amazed how good I am doing with the weight loss down here, even though I am so far away from home. I believe it is good that I am using exercise as a way to take a break between the long hours of working each day. This is the first time in a while that I have been able to build up a consistent workout regiment. I say this because I have been traveling a lot, for the last 10 weeks, and I some times have to do cardio more days in a row because I don't have any weights to workout with. But I have now been in one location for a week & a half. And I have been able to establish a balance again between my weight lifting routines and my cardio routines. So I think this can be a contributing factor to my current weight loss success.

Also, I did start a new eating routine as well. I am still following the Weight Watcher's program. However, they have just converted over to a new program called, PointsPlus. And let me tell you, I am loving it so far. I noticed that it allows me to eat a little more. And by being able to consume a little more food, it allows me to eat more times during the day and that serves as fuel to my body. Now I could be wrong with my assumption but that is what I have noticed. Regardless, I just started this new Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program when I got down to Charleston and it seems to have shocked my body a little. I think the results over the last few days have shown.

When it comes down to it, balancing my workout routines more and switching up my eating routine seems to have done something. I only hope this success keeps on going. My event is 3 weeks away and maybe I can get my weight below 215 lbs by then. Here is to hard work and determination!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 1 cup of Cheerios, 3 eggs with american cheese, 2 slices of whole wheat bread, and a fruit cup = Points 17
Snacks During the Day - 1 serving of baked tostitos, 2 rice cakes, crystal light, and a serving of cheddar cheese = Points 12
Lunch - 1 grilled cheese sandwich (whole wheat bread and 2 slices of american cheese - 2% milk) and a serving of wheat thins = Points 11
Dinner - 1 grilled cheese sandwich (whole wheat bread and 2 slices of american cheese - 2% milk) and a serving of wheat thins = Points 11

Total Points Eaten Today = 51 Points (2 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I ran for 30 mins outside. I was lucky because I beat the rain. Tomorrow I will be executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #194 - Weigh-In = 217.8 lbs

Day #194 Weigh-In

Day #194 Front Shot

Day #193 - One Step at a Time

2010-12-10T00:24:00.000-05:00

Today was full of work, like usual. And like the last few days, things went well and others things did not go so well. But that is how I learn what will work and what won't work. This whole process of going through a first year, with this event, has had its ups and of course it has had its downs. But when it comes down to it, I am learning how to build a business from the ground up. And that type of education I am very lucky and thankful for. Anyway, I am getting closer to getting done with what needs to be accomplished.

No matter how stressful my day may get because of my my job, I am still going strong with my personal mission. I made a pact with myself, a little over six months ago, to become healthy and I am going to see that this happens. And today was no different. even though I had a ton of meetings to attend today, I still managed to eat healthy and stick to the rules of my mission. I did not however, work out today. I was actually on my way out the front door to go running, when my boss stopped me because he wanted to have a meeting pertaining to what has to get done. And that meeting took over an hour to finish. By the time it was over, my clock had already said that it was 12:00am. It was too late for me to run because I still had to write my post and clean up for bed. I have a very important meeting early tomorrow morning and I want to make sure that I get enough sleep for it. I am actually still feeling sore from last night's weight lifting session, so you know it was a very productive one.

Anyway, it is getting late once again and I have to wake up early in the morning. Thank you all for sticking with me this far and I hope that we continue to take this journey together. Until tomorrow, good night my friends!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 cups of cheerios, a cup of 2% milk, and egg whites on whole wheat toast = Points 13
Snacks During the Day- 100 calorie pack, 2 servings of baked tostitos with salsa, 2 granola bars, and a banana = Points 15
Dinner - 1 cup of tomato sauce, 8 shrimp, 1/2 cup of angel hair pasta, and 2 slices of garlic bread = Points 24

Total Points Eaten Today = 52 Points (3 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

I did not workout today. I will be doing cardio tomorrow.

Day #193 - Weigh-In = 219.8 lbs

Day #193 Weigh-In

Day #193 Front Shot

Day #192 - Rough Day, Great Night

2010-12-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today was a very long and stress filled day. Things didn't go quite how I wanted them to go at work and it really put me into a bad mood. I wasn't mean to anybody, I was just feeling a little off. But that is life and sometimes you have to go through these days to get to the good ones. My buddy said it best today, "everything happens for a reason." And he was right for saying that. Luckily my boss was understanding about how things went today and he was really cool about helping me get things corrected. I felt better after he did that and the rest of my night went pretty well.

But before I jumped into the rest of the night, I made sure that I got into the weight room to let out some steam and frustration. Before I get into my workout session, I want to take this opportunity to introduce you all to my buddy, the former personal trainer. His name is Vinny and I have been working with him for the last 6 months. He is a great guy and a very hard worker. I turn to him to him for advice at work as well as working out. Anyway, Vinny had a great weight lifting routine setup for tonight because he knew how rough my day went. He called the workout, "Drop Downs." And what this consisted of was 5 main exercises that worked out each major muscle (Chest, Legs, Shoulders, Back, and Abdominal). We executed one exercise for each muscle at 4 sets x 30 reps. The first 10 reps of each set was the heaviest weight, the second 10 reps of each set was a little lighter, and then last 10 reps was the lightest. So in reality we ended up doing 4 sets of 30 reps for each exercise. The workout was so intense that I don't think I will have a problem getting to sleep at all tonight.

The day may of started off bad but it ended great. I am very thankful to have some great people surrounding me down here to help me get through the times that I need help with. I am also glad that I made it to the weight room tonight because it really helped me to calm down. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 cups of cheerios with a cup of 2% milk = Points 9
Snacks During the Day - 100 calorie snack pack and 2 meatballs = Points 12
Early Afternoon - Turkey sandwich with a slice of fat free american cheese on whole wheat bread and a serving of baked tostitos and salsa = Points 10
Late Afternoon - Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread and a serving of baked tostitos and salsa = Points 9
Dinner - Grilled cheddar cheese sandwich with a serving of baked tostitos and salsa = Points 13

Total Points Eaten Today = 53 Points (4 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Chest - Bench Press (4 sets x 30 reps), Legs - Leg Press (4 sets x 30 reps), Shoulders - Lateral Raises (4 sets x 30 reps), Back - Lat Pull Down (4 sets x 30 reps), and Abs (3 sets x 30 seconds each). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #192 - Weigh-In = 219.4 lbs

Day #192 Weigh-In

Day #192 Front Shot

Day #191 - Getting Things Done

2010-12-08T00:08:00.000-05:00

Today was another long day of working towards getting this big event in Charleston up and running. I believe that most of my day was occupied by meetings. And when I wasn't in a meeting, I was by my computer working on others things that needed to get done. I feel like I am stuck in a weird dream that I can't wake up from. But I realize that this is what has to happen and I am a team player first and fore most. So working hard is what I will do until everything is complete. Come hell or high water, this event will happen and it will be great.

It is funny because I use the same attitude when it comes to my weight loss program. It is not always that easy to stick to something that you know you have to do, in order to stay healthy. I know that eating right and exercising is what I have to do to get healthier and eventually stay in shape. So having all of this knowledge now of knowing how to eat correctly as well as exercise correctly, I know that is what has to get done. It is not a matter of feeling like I have to do it. It is knowing that it has to get done and thus I execute this weight loss program the best I can, to make myself better.

It is amazing what a person can do when they know they have to get something done in order to survive. Whether it be at a job or becoming healthy to live, you will get it done if you know that is what you have to do. Of course making the decision to do it is important, but I think everyone is born with the natural instinct to survive. Anyway, that was my deep thought for the day. I am going to get some sleep before my next wave of meetings are here. Good night and I will talk to you all tomorrow.

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program)

Breakfast - 2 cups of cheerios and a cup of 2% milk = Points 9
Snacks During the Day - 100 calorie snack pack and banana = Points 2
Early Afternoon - Grilled chicken on a sandwich roll with fresh mozzarella and a side of fruit = Points 14
Late Afternoon - Turkey on whole wheat bread with a slice of fat free american cheese and a serving of baked tostitos = Points 8
Dinner - 3 slices of roast beef with a small amount of gravy, a serving of white rice, a side salad, and a dinner roll = Points 18

Total Points Eaten Today = 51 Points (2 points over my daily limit)

Exercise

I did not make it to the gym today due to meetings all day and a dinner meeting tonight that had us arrive back to the house at 11:00pm. I will make sure to get my weight lifting routine in tomorrow.

Day #191 - Weigh-In = 220 lbs

Day #191 Weigh-In

Day #191 Front Shot

Day #190 - A "Front Shot" Comparison

2010-12-06T23:59:00.000-05:00

Today was another long, yet productive day. I had meetings the entire morning that answered some very important questions that I had coming into today. And now that I have those answers, I can proceed with moving forward on even more important objectives. I also managed to complete some developmental objectives as well and hopefully this big event of mine, will start to take shape very soon. I know that there is a ton of hard work getting put into this, I only wish that the out come happens the way I am hoping it will.

Anyway, I had another successful day of healthy eating, as well as exercising. I even managed to grab a couple compliments from some co-workers I haven't seen in a while. And you know receiving compliments for hard work, really motivates me to work even harder. I am also happy that I have managed stay on track so far, even though I am away from home.

I wanted tonight's post to also feature some comparison shots. I know I usually feature my side shots at the first of every month but being that I am not home this month, I wanted to save my next side shot post until I get home. I am doing this because I want each of my side shot photos to be in the same elements every time. I think that makes it easier to compare the pictures. However, I still wanted to share a comparison of my front shot photos from today and the very first day of this mission. I hope you enjoy seeing the difference as much as I do. Let me know what you think.

Day #1 - 302 lbs

Day #190 - 222.6 lbs

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the new Weight Watcher's PointsPlus Program)

Breakfast - 2 cups of cheerios and a cup of 2% milk = Points 9
Snacks During the Day - 100 Calorie Snack Pack = Points 2
Early Afternoon - Grilled Chicken on a bun with a slice of american cheese = Points 10
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipes) = Points 17
Dinner - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches (whole wheat bread and fat free american cheese) and a serving of baked tostitos and salsa = Points 11

Total Points Eaten Today = 49 Points

Exercise

Today I ran outside for 30 mins. Tomorrow I will be right back in the gym, executing my weight lifting routine.

Day #190 - Weigh-In = 222.6 lbs

Day #190 Weigh-In

Day #189 - Weight Lifting Once Again!

2010-12-05T23:47:00.008-05:00

Another day down, another day closer to getting back home. Today was another long day of planning, developing, and executing for work. It sucks to say, but from now until the end of December, I will be working none stop. But the prize at the end, developing and executing a successful event, might be able to help me get through this next big push. I did feel a little bit of panic start to set in today because there is so much that has to get done. However, I was able to eliminate that feeling by working out tonight. And I didn't just go running again, I was able to lift weights........ Finally!!!! I felt crappy going into the workout and after I was done, my entire demeanor had changed. While executing my workout, I managed to calm myself down and remembered that taking things one step at a time, will help me get things done. I feel a lot better now and I am ready to hit the ground running tomorrow.

Not only did I manage to get into a gym today, I also continued with my healthy eating routine as well. Today was the third day that I was on the new Weight Watcher's PointsPlus program and I have to admit that I am liking it. First off, my points value is higher than it use to be because Weight Watcher's has developed a new calculation that is totally different from the old program. The new points calculation looks at 4 key nutrients (Fat, Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fiber) that we find in every day food, that help us stay satisfied while losing weight. So instead of just counting calories, this new program looks at the components of calories (macro nutrients) to better account how each of our bodies processes food and how satisfying that food is to us. But having a higher amount of points, doesn't mean that I get to eat a lot more. This new calculation as been applied to every single piece of food that is in the Weight Watcher's database. And a majority of everything has gone up in points value as well. I think the website might be able to explain it a little better, http://www.weightwatchers.com/index.aspx. Check it out when you get a moment, you might find something you like. And like I have mentioned before, I am not pushing anyone to do this program. I am only suggesting that you see what it is about because it has helped me lose 81 lbs in the last 6 months and I am not going to stop anytime soon. I think the new program is very interesting and it seems to be working for me as well.

Well it is getting late once again and I have a meeting to attend early tomorrow morning. I am extremely happy that I finally made it to a gym today to lift weights. And I can honestly say that working out every day, has given me away to escape everything that stresses me out. Until tomorrow my friends, have a great night!

With that being said, let's get to the details of the day:

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 49 Points)
(I am currently following the new Weight Watcher's PointsPlus Program)

Breakfast - Egg whites on whole wheat bread with a slice of fat free american cheese and an apple = Points 4
Snacks During the Day - 1 apple = Points 0
Early Afternoon - Grilled chicken sandwich with a slice of american cheese, a serving of collard greens, and an extra piece of chicken = Points 17
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 17
Dinner - 2 grilled cheese sandwiches on whole wheat bread with a serving of scoops chips and salsa = Points 9

Total Points Eaten Today = 47 Points (2 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I executed my weight lifting routine: Alternating Single Arm Cable Press, Lat Pull Down, and Side Dumbbell Lunges (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Bench Push Ups, Cable Upright Rows, and Alternating Single Arm Bicep Curls (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Bent Over Cable Rows, Side Raises into Flyes, and Alternating Single Leg Extensions (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), and Planks, Triceps Push Downs, and Side Dumbbell Bends (4 sets of each x 15 reps each). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #189 - Weigh-In = 221.4 lbs

Day #189 Weigh-In

Day #189 Front Shot