Full Throttle - Days 48 and 49

Well, I learned a lot this weekend. I realized how easy it is to eat poorly repeatedly after making poor eating choices once. Friday night I ate poorly, and it made the decision to eat poorly easier on Saturday and Sunday. This weekend I feel like I "relapsed", and I realized how strong poor eating choices have a hold on me. I have always been a fan of unhealthy, great tasting foods, and I have always struggled with my weight. For most of the last two months I have been making much more healthy choices in the food that I eat. However, I am disappointed in myself this weekend. I still ate better this weekend than I would have eaten a few months ago, but I still feel guilty. On Saturday morning I was driving by a donut store, and my son told me he was hungry. At first I was only going to buy him some donuts, but then once I was in the store I decided to get me some donuts too. I felt so stupid because I was looking around hoping nobody would see me. Then, as I was paying for the donuts, I heard a voice say, "Is that Full Throttle approved?" I knew I was caught!!! Being caught was probably the best thing that could have happened because it made me realize how strong of a hold food can have on me. I also chatted with BJ at Full Throttle Athletics about it tonight. As he said, if I do not buckle down with my eating, I will just be spinning my wheels. My goals are much greater than only spinning my wheels. The reason I blog about my transformation and write about it on facebook is so I am able to have the accountability that I need. I know that this accountability is very important to my progress, and it is crucial to my success. I must make a plan for the week and follow it closely in order to be able to eat healthy. Without a plan it becomes too easy to make poor choices. As soon as I finish blogging this post I will write out my menu for the week. Although I am disappointed in myself, I will use this experience to help guide me to make wiser choices in the future.

Full Throttle - Day 47

This morning's training went really well. I overslept a bit and was unable to get there at 5:45am to do my deadlifts. So, I will go in tomorrow (Saturday) morning to work on my deadlifts. I ate pretty well in the morning, but I went to a Texas Rangers double header game and experienced my first all-you-can-eat buffet in quite some time. I am a bit disappointed in myself for making poor choices. I ate poorly and too much. I ate a couple hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and nachos. I know that I need to work harder.

Full Throttle - Day 46

Here is what I ate today:
7:45am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink
9:45am - 1/4 cup almonds
1:00pm - Salad with smoked chicken and light balsamic vinaigrette dressing
6:30pm - 2 filets of smoke catfish and half a smoked chicken breast
8:00pm - Diet Dr. Pepper

Full Throttle - Day 45

Today I struggled a little bit with my eating. I did not overeat, but I ate some things I knew that I should not eat. Eating healthy has always been a struggle for me, and I now get frustrated wth myself when I do so. I know that I did not make any huge mistakes, but I still feel bad when I don't eat the way I should. Here is what I ate today.
5:30am - Whey Protein Drink
7:45am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink
9:45am - 1/4 cup almonds
12:30pm - Salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and 1 fish taco
4:00pm - 1/4 cup almonds, whey protein drink
9:30pm - 2 bean burritos, Diet Dr. Pepper
I drank about 100 ounces of water

Full Throttle - Day 44

I am writing this three days later. I can remember what I ate, so I will post that:
7:45am - Apple and ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink
10:00am - 1/4 cup of almonds
12:30pm - Salad with smoked chicken and Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
3:30pm - 1/4 cup of almonds, whey protein drink
6:30pm - 6 Scrambled eggs with hamburger meat, spinach, and mushrooms and hot sauce
I drank over 100 ounces of water.

Full Throttle - Day 43

This morning I went in to Full Throttle Athletics early to start working on my deadlifts. I am still trying to get my form correct, and the proper form will make a huge difference in the amount of weight I am able to deadlift. It felt really good to do some deadlifts and imagine myself lifting so much more weight in a few months. I am really excited about the potential of lifting 500 pounds eventually. This morning's training consisted of a total of 40 deadlifts (I did 3 sets of 5 at a heavier weight before the bootcamp began and then 5 sets of 5 as part of the bootcamp), and then we did 3 rounds of 10 burpees (squat thrusts) with a jump at the end, 20 lunges, 30 squats, and a 400 meter jog. After working my legs so hard, the jog was somewhat difficult. Each time the jog began my leg muscles were very confused and it would take several steps before my legs did not feel like wet noodles. Once I was done with training I came home and did yard work. A couple months ago I would have been so tired I would have never been able to come home and do yardwork after doing so much physical exercise. I am already seeing so many benefits to my training at Full Throttle Athletics, and I know I will continue to see changes, both internally and externally.

Full Throttle - Days 39-42

I am finding it more and more difficult to sit down and blog every day. I will try to continue to do so, but if I am unable to blog daily I will at least blog every few days. BJ has mentioned a Tactical Strength Challenge in September to me several times, which would include deadlifts. During my training at Full Throttle Athletics I have grown to really enjoy deadlifts, and in the back of my mind I knew that the Tactical Strength Challenge would be something I wanted to participate in. I spoke with BJ about it a little, and I am now going to really start training for the deadlift portion of the Tactical Strength Training. I will be going in 15 minutes early each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings to train for this. Plus, the training we do at the bootcamp on those mornings are also great training. Click this link to see some highlights from the most recent Tactical Strength Challenge. I am excited about taking part in this challenge. I have set a personal goal to deadlift 315 pounds by September and to deadlift 500 pounds by this time next year.

Full Throttle - Day 38

Today my wife and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. I told myself today that this is the last time she will be celebrating an anniversary with a "fat guy." By this time next year I will be in much better shape and much stronger. I am excited about becoming healthier so that I can spend more time with her and our kids. I have an amazing family, and I am so glad they are so supportive of me and my transformation. I love showing my kids the videos of the 6am group training at Full Throttle Athletics. We watch them together, and they enjoy seeing me. Today my 6 year old told me that I look different from the others in the group because my belly and chest are bigger. It made me laugh because he was so honest, and I know that I am transforming my body. He loves watching me train and giving me some "tips" and then trying some of them himself. See below for video of today's training.
Today my schedule was a bit off, so I did not eat quite the way I should have. Here is what I had to eat today:
5:30am - Whey Protein Drink (half serving) - 26 grams of protein
7:30am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink, 2 slices of roast beef deli meat - 40 grams of protein
1:00pm - Dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse with salad and various meats, including sirloin, chicken, and 2 small sausages.
8:30pm - 2 filets of smoked catfish - 40 grams of protein

Full Throttle - Day 37

I must say that BJ is an amazing trainer. He gives me so much more advice and encouragement than I ever would have expected before my transformation started. If I have a question, I know that I can go to him, and he will respond right away. If I have a concern, I know that I can go to him, and he will put me at ease. He knows what he is talking about, and he is very helpful. When I first started the Boot Camp at Full Throttle Athletics, I had no idea what to expect. My idea of a boot camp was some mean guy yelling over me and making me feel belittled the entire time I am working out. BJ is not like that at all. When we are training he walks around and gives tips, pointers, helps with form, and encourages us. I am by far the largest person in the 6am Boot Camp, but he is patient with me, and the entire group is so encouraging. I have never used any kind of personal trainer, and I am sure there are some great ones out there, but BJ is absolutely the kind of trainer I need. I am so excited to continue training with BJ at Full Throttle Athletics.
Here is what I had to eat today:
7:30am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink, apple - 35 grams of protein
10:00am - Whey Protein drink, 1/4 cup of almonds - 35 grams of protein
12:45pm - salad with smoked chicken and light balsamic vinaigrette dressing - 30 grams of protein
3:30pm - Whey Protein Drink, 1/4 cup of almonds - 35 grams of protein
6:30pm - Chicken breast sandwich on wheat bread - 45 grams of protein, diet coke
I drank over 100 ounces of water

Full Throttle - Day 36

This morning I woke up, and I was exhausted. I am thankful for the accountability of a group of people expecting me to be somewhere to train because that is what helped me get out of bed. On my way to Full Throttle Athletics this morning I was still feeling very sluggish and was worried that it would be more difficult for me to give my full effort while training. So I decided to stop by a convienence store and buy a low calorie enrgy drink in the small shot size. It made a dramatic difference because I suddenly had the enrgy to train harder than I had in awhile. Today's session was tough, but I felt pretty good throughout. I spoke to BJ about drinking an energy drink each morning before our training, so I plan to start doing that. 6am comes early each time I train at that time, and I feel like my fatigue has caused me to not be able to train as hard as I'd like, and I am hoping the energy drinks will help boost me. Today I felt good because I told several people about what we did this morning, and most of them had very stunned reactions like, "There is no way I could do that" or "I get tired just thinking about that." It made me feel good because 6 weeks ago I would have said the same thing, but now I know that I can do it. The warmups alone would have been considered a full workout for me 6 weeks ago.
Here is what I had to eat today:
5:30am - Whey Protein Drink (half serving) - 26 grams of protein
7:45am - ProGrade Lean Meal Reaplacement Drink, about 10 blackberries - 35 grams of protein
10:00am - Whey Protein Drink (half serving), 1/4 cup of almonds - 35 grams of protein
1:30pm - 3 steak fajitas with cabbage leaves in place of tortillas, and gucamole - 50 grams of protein
4:00pm - Whey Protein Drink, 1/4 cup of almonds - 60 grams of protein
6:30pm - Filet of smoked catfish, 2 beef jerkey sticks - 30 grams of protein
I drank over 120 ounces of water

Full Throttle - Days 34 and 35

This weekend was a good weekend. My wife and I spent the weekend celebrating our anniversary. Although we went to several restaurants, I was very careful with what I ate. For lunch one day we went to Benihana, and I ate only a small amount of rice, along with chicken, and calmari cooked on the hibachi grill. Then for dinner at another restaurant I had scrambled eggs with hamburger meat, spinach, and mushrooms. As most weekends, it is more difficult to drink as much water as I drink during the week days when I am able to drink water all day while sitting at my desk.

Full Throttle - Day 33

Today I was weighed and measured. I have lost 3 pounds in the last week, and I have lost a couple inches. I am excited that my weight went down, but I was hoping for bigger results. Maybe I have watched The Biggest Loser too much, and I keep expecting to have one of those weeks in which I lose 10+ pounds. So far, it has just been slow and steady. This week I ate really healthy, and so I had hoped to really see some results. However, I am down 12 pounds and 7 inches in just over a month, and my waist is down about 2 inches. I am so excited that my weight and size keep dropping. My wife and I are celbrating our anniversary this weekend, so I am really having to remain disciplined as far as my diet is concerned. My goal is to lose 15 pounds per month for the next few months.
This morning's training was intense (as always). I love the feeling after a good, hard workout. The video below was taken during our training today.
I have gotten behind on my blogging, so I am actually typing this several days late. I followed the same eating routine as I have all week with several meals. However, I do not remember exactly what I ate.

Full Throttle - Day 32

Today something happened that I have been waiting for. We all have those clothes that we hang on to "just in case" we lose weight and need them someday. Well, today was that someday, at least for one pair of shorts. I was changing clothes this evening and put on some of my favorite shorts, which I purchased last summer. Unfortunately, those shorts were now too big, and they were practically falling off of me. So, I went to the top of my closet and figured I'd give my old shorts a try. I had not worn them in over a year because they had become too small. Well, they are no longer too small, and I was so excited to be able to wear those shorts. I have half a closet full of clothes I like that I have not been able to bring myself to part with, and I know that within the next couple months I will be able to wear them all. I am a bit nervous about tomorrow morning because my weight and measurements will be taken. I have worked SO hard this week, and I fear seeing no change. However, no matter what any of those measurements say, I am able to wear shorts that have not fit me in over a year. THAT excites me.
Here is what I ate today:
7:45am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink, several strawberries - 35 grams of protein
10:15am - 1/4 cup of almonds - 8 grams of protein
12:30pm - 3 steak fajitas with homemade guacamole using cabbage leaves in place of tortillas (surprisingly delicious!!!) - approx 80g of protein
4:00pm - Whey protein drink, pear, 1/4 cup of almonds - 60g of protein
6:15pm - 6 scrambled eggs - 36g of protein

Full Throttle - Day 31

Today's training was one of the most difficult yet. We did 10 pullups, 20 squats, and 30 new kind of kettlebell swings. After completeing this, we ran 400 meters. Then, we did it again... then again... then again... then again... as many times as possible in 30 minutes. It was unbelievable how difficult it was to run after working my legs so much. As I was training, I kept telling myself that good things will come if I work hard. If getting in shape and being healthy came easy, then everyone would do it. I know it is not easy, and I am reminded of this daily. However, I also know that the hard work will pay off, and eventually I will really see the benefits. I am already noticing that I have more stamina, and my legs feel stronger.
I am going to try to keep track of the number of grams of protein I eat in a day. I am having to do some research to try to figure out the amount of protein in each item I eat.
Here is what I ate today:
5:30am - Whey Protein Drink, about 10 blackberries - 52 grams of protein
7:45am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink - 35 grams of protein
10:00am - Several blackberries
12:30pm - 2 smoked sausages, smoked chicken breast - 40 grams of protein
3:45pm - Whey Protein Drink, about 1/4 cup of almonds, pear - about 75 grams of protein
6:30pm - 2 small smoked chicken breasts, several zuchinni slices - 50 grams of protein
I drank over 150 ounces of water today

Full Throttle - Day 30

Planning out your meals for the week sure does make things much easier. It makes my choices much easier and makes it much more difficult to give in to temptation. Although I had to make some slight changes to my "road map" it was easy to fill in the gaps where necessary.
Here is what I had to eat today:
7:45am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink, several strawberries
10:15am - handful of almonds
12:30pm - Salad with smoked chicken breast and mushrooms, with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
3:45pm - handful of almonds, pear, and whey protein drink
6:45pm - Smoked catfish, 2 handfuls of spinach
I drank over 120 ounces of water today

Full Throttle - Day 29

Today I gave my "road map" for my week's meals to BJ for him to review. He made a few suggested changes, which was very helpful for me. It made dinner tonight for our family very easy because we already had it planned.
Here is what I ate today:
5:30am - Whey Protein Drink, several blackberries
7:45am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink, several strawberries
12:00pm - Salad with turkey, 1 egg, and light balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1:30pm - 1/4 cup of almonds
4:00pm - Whey Protein Drink, apple
6:45pm - Smoked chicken, green beans, and several slices of raw zucchini

Full Throttle - Days 27 and 28

This weekend it hit me how hard this whole thing can be sometimes. Right now I am finding the eating part to be the most difficult aspect of my transformation. I have eaten poorly for so long that it is taking much more effort to change my habits than I expected. BJ's comment on yesterday's blog kinda knocked the wind out of me a little and made me realize how poorly some of my eating choices are. I realize that I must plan ahead on what I will eat and to be prepared so that I do not make poor decisions. Today I planned out everything I will eat the rest of this week. Tomorrow morning I will take my plan to BJ so he can look over it and make any suggestions so that I can have a good week as far as my diet is concerned. I truly want to change my life, and my eating habits must change for this change to be successful. Almost seven days a week one of my kids has a baseball or basketball game or practice, or I have to umpire adult softball, or my wife has to work late, or any combination thereof. This hectic schedule has made it difficult for us to have time to prepare good quality meals at home. We must plan ahead so that we have food prepared when necessary so that we do not just go and grab fast food when we have a busy night. I am looking forward to the health benefits as well as the financial benefits of planning out our meals in advance.

Full Throttle - Day 26

Today marked the end of my fourth week of working out at Full Throttle Athletics. It was also time for my weigh in. I lost half a pound, which disappointed me at first, but I am ok with it. Once I got home I weighed myself again, and I realized that since December I have lost 32 pounds!!! I still have a long ways to go, but this is exciting. The first few months were trying to do it on my own. Now I have help, and I am confident the fat will fall off as the muscle builds.
Here is what I ate today:
7:30am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink, several blackberries
12:30pm - Chili's Guiltless Grilled Chicken Sandwich and steamed broccoli
4:00pm - Whey Protein Drink
8:30 - 6 McDonald's hamburger patties dry, a fruit parfait, Diet Dr. Pepper
I drank about 100 ounces of water today

Full Throttle - Day 25

One great thing about posting what I eat is that the two people who are monitoring it closely are able to tell me exactly what needs to change and how it can change. I am so thankful to have that feedback so that I can maximize my efforts to gain lean muscle and lose fat. I honestly feel so blessed to have people around me who encourage me, support me, and provide me guidance in this transformation. I feel as though a lot of people are wanting to see me succeed. One of the people that encourages me a great deal is one of the people I work out with every morning, Jennifer Johnson. I must admit that the first time I worked out with Jennifer was my 2nd time to ever work out at Full Throttle Athletics. The first time I worked out it was only me and my friend Mark, and I made it halfway through the workout and thought I was going to pass out. When I saw Jennifer, who happens to be Mrs. Frisco, and her friend (who for all I knew was the runner-up for Mrs. Frisco or possibly Ms. Frisco) come in the morning of my second workout, I sucked in my tummy and told myself that I had to finish my workout today no matter what... I couldn't let these girls see me looking all weak. Anyways, Jennifer was preparing to compete for Mrs. Texas, so she was working her tail off. Through the last four weeks of working out I have watched Jennifer's work ethic and been inspired to see her go for her goal the way she has. She has also been very encouraging to me as I pursue my goals. Because Jennifer is Mrs. Frisco (and I think she should have won Mrs. Texas - but I have never been a pageant judge, so my opinion doesn't make much difference) I figured she was one of those girls that kinda always had it easy. Today she posted a very inspiring blog post, and it really showed me how "normal" she actually is. I want to share it with those who read my blog (I hope you don't mind, Jennifer) because it was inspiring to me. It made me reflect on some things and set some new goals. I can't wait until the day I can post about how much my life has changed through this transformation the way Jennifer was able to in her post today. I am already forming relationships and friendships and gaining confidence in myself, and I am discovering a new love for exercising that I NEVER thought I would have. I feel inspired, encouraged, and empowered to change my life. I still kinda suck in my tummy when the women walk in the gym, but I know I can totally be myself and know that they are there going through the same things I am. *Note to all the rest of you 6am Full Throttle folks: your time will come when I will post about what you mean to me because all of you have encouraged me in so many ways.
Here is what I ate today:
7:30am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink, several strawberries
11:45am - Salad with vinaigrette dressing, mushrooms, carrots, hame, salami, and mozerella cheese and half a piece of bread
7:30pm - Grilled talapia with steamed broccoli
I had a beef jerkey stick when I got home and read BJs post that I need to eat more protein.
I drank a ton of water today.

Full Throttle - Day 24

This morning's workout was amazing and difficult as usual. I just feel so good after my workouts. I love the feeling. Today we did 5 sets of various different exercises which included my introduction to Hindu pushups. Somewhere during the workout I lost track of how many sets I had completed. I thought I had only completed 4 sets. The last part of the set included a short run. When I returned from my run, I saw everyone sitting down as if they were done, and I was very confused. I started to do my next set when they all told me I had completed 5 sets. Wow, I felt like it was Christmas because I was done when I thought I still had one more set to go. I probably would have gone a little harder on my last set had I realized it was the 5th set, but it was a pleasant surprise to be done.
I am growing to really like the group of people I work out with every morning. We have had a couple new people come lately that I look forward to getting to know as well. Everyone in our group is so encouraging, and it is fun to be able to discuss the exercises with them. I look forward to many more workouts with them.
Here is what I ate today:
5:30am - Whey Protein Drink, several blackberries
7:30am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink, several strawberries
12:00 - I gave in to temptation and had Taco Bell. I was so disappointed with myself
6:00pm - 2 apples and a ton of spinach
I will be back to work tomorrow, so I hope to get back into my routine of eating a bit healthier.
I drank more water today than I have this week so far, but I still did not quite drink enough water.

Full Throttle - Day 23

I have had to stay home with my kids for a couple days this week because their schools are closed due to the threat of swine flu. I am discovering that I have developed a routine with my eating habits on my work days, but the days I am at home I find it more difficult to drink enough water and eat properly. I have to be extra disciplined on these days. I am also learning that my 12 year old is my food watchman. If he sees me about to eat something that he deems unhealthy, he asks, "Are you allowed to eat that?" This can be a bit annoying, but it sure keeps me in check.
Here is what I had to eat today:
9:00am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink, several strawberries
12:00pm - salad with light vinaigrette dressing with tomatoes and carrots, bowl of broccoli cheese soup
6:00pm - a couple handfuls of spinach, 2 deviled eggs, a few slices of ham
I again did not drink as much water as I should today.

Full Throttle - Day 22

Today's workout was great. I felt like I pushed myself better than I had been pushing myself. It is funny how exercises we did as kids with no problem are so much more difficult now as an adult who has not exercised in years. Sit-ups used to be easy for me, even as a husky kid. But now I realize that my ab muscles are not all that strong, plus my belly gets in the way a little bit (but I know that is only temporary).
I was talking to someone today who said that I inspired them to also get into shape. What a great feeling to feel as though I inspired someone to exercise and eat healthy. I think in the past the only time I inspired anyone to do that was when they would look at me and say, "I don't want to look like that guy, so I better start working out." I still look forward to working out and getting myself healthier. I almost feel like I crave the early morning workouts now. Plus, now that I get up at 5:15am three days a week, sleeping until 6:30 feels like I am sleeping in.
I am typing this on Wednesday for Monday, so I am having trouble recalling what I ate. I know that for the most part I ate ok, but I gave in to temptation and ate poorly for lunch.

Full Throttle - Days 20 and 21

This weekend I did not drink near as much water as I should, but for the most part I ate pretty well. I try to allow myself one "free meal" every week. I usually take the free meal on the weekend. It was a busy weekend and can be hard to eat correctly when on the run, but I sure tried to. After a long weekend, I am having trouble recalling what I ate. Aside from my free meal and not drinking enough water, I ate really well.

Full Throttle - Day 19

I weighed again today, and I am down another 4 pounds. So, I am now down 9 pounds in a little over 2 weeks of working out and eating healthier. It is so nice to see these results. My measurements did not change much, but that is mostly due to the fact that I am building muscle. In December I started a low carb diet, and then after a couple months, I started eating poorly again. However, I am now down 26 pounds since December 3. I still have a long way to good, but this is a start.
My workout today at Full Throttle Athletics went really well. I worked hard and did well, which was encouraging.
Here is what I ate today:
5:15am - Whey Protein Shake, 2 slices of ham
7:15am - ProGrade Lean Meal Replacement Drink
9:30am - Small packet of carrots
12:30pm - Lean Cuisine pizza, small packet of carrots, small bowl of grapes
6:30pm - several slices of chicken lunch meat and Diet Dr. Pepper
9:15pm - Salad with steak, hot saice, corn, and small amount of cheese, with Coke Zero.
I drank over 100 ounces of water today.