1Year4Days: 2011 Recap

Hey Folks!!!  I know you thought I had given up on the whole 50 pound weight loss journey.  But I am still here and will continue to work toward reaching my goal of losing 50 pounds.

+20lbs Dec2010

-20lbs Dec 2011

Well lets recap all the different diets and exercise programs I attempted to incorporate into my lifestyle.

1. The How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days from the book "The 4 Hour Body"
• Lost 8lbs and didn't seem like something I would consider doing continuously
2. Counting Calories
• Lost additional 4 pounds for the couple of months I focused on calorie counting.  I think this works for me, but you have to stay focused and make sure you track everything
3. Roller Skating
• I really enjoyed roller skating and think if I did this at least twice a week it would make a huge difference with losing weight and keeping the weight off.  This is something I think I could continue to do and add to my lifestyle
4. Salsa Dancing
• Salsa dancing was fun, but it requires you to have a partner.  Currently I am single, so it really doesn't fit into my lifestyle as something I can depend on doing throughout the week.  But who knows, maybe in 2012 I might find that special someone who is game for going out and doing the latin 2step!
5. Going to the Gym
• SMH...I think I went to Golds Gym maybe 3 times this year.  I know not working out is the major reason why I haven't dropped as much weight as I have hoped for.  I recognize that I am just lazy and trying to find the easy answer to losing weight and keeping it off.  
6. P90 X
• P90 X is made for someone who is already dedicated to working out on a regular basis.  For someone like me, I think it is a little to much to soon.  It is difficult to go from no exercise to 6 days a week worth of exercise(avg 60 mins per workout).  I believe I would have had better luck with 30 minute workouts 3 times a week.
• After the first month of P90X I was burn out and think I averaged 1 workout per week during second month.  The last month I didn't even do 1 workout.
7. Phentermine (appetite suppressant)
• Phentermine is appetite suppressant that can be prescribe by your doctor.  It is great if you need a little jump start to help kick those food cravings that occur when you decrease your food intake.  When I take phentermine I am to get through the day without feeling like I am starving, which usually leads to over eating.  
• I am currently only taking phentermine when I feel I need it.  This month I actually have not taken it because I no longer feel like I am starving between meals.  I rarely crave unhealthy food now and noticed that I crave healthier foods (fruit and veggies)
8. Weight Watchers(WW)
• WW worked really well for me and I am still participating in the program.  When I finally joined WW in June I had put on weight about 6 pounds and felt myself slipping back into old habits.  I lost close to 18 pounds while on WW, bringing me very close to 25 pounds total.  Unfortunately November 2011 I fell of track and let the holiday dinners and desserts get the best of me.  By the time December rolled around I had gained about 6 pounds.
• WW is great for the support and if you attend the weekly meetings will encourage you to be more accountable for what you eat.

I didn't reach my 50lb weight loss goal, but I am happy to say that this time last year I was 20lbs heavier.  When I look at my weight loss compared to my starting weight in Jan 2011 I feel pleased with the progress I have made.  

I will continue to share my weight loss journey with all of you until I reach my goal.  For my next post I will share some of the new exciting things I will be doing to help me reach my goal.  

Looking forward to a happy and healthy 2012!!!

+20lbs Dec2010

-20lbs Dec 2011

DAY 59: March Madness with Kettlebells and The PAGG Stack

Since I don't like going to the gym I wanted to create a workout that I could do at home.  After a little research I discovered that the Kettlebells give the best full body workout with minimal time involved.
If you've never heard of kettlebells, you aren't alone. Although this piece of strength training equipment has been around for decades, only recently has it caught the attention of mainstream athletes.  Kettlebells are bowling ball-sized cast iron weights with a single looped handle on top. Kettlebells range in weight from two pounds to over 100 pounds.  Read More here

I will make sure I post videos of some of my workout sessions!  Also since I enjoy the Wii Michael Jackson Dance Experience so much I will even post a video of me doing a couple of MJ moves ;-)  But I won't be letting you know when, so I guess you just have to keep checking back to see me hit a couple pelvis thrust along with a kick and quick spin!!!

I also decided that I need to start taking some sort of vitamin supplements.  Along with taking my "One A Day" multi-vitamin I wanted to add in some supplements that promote weight loss.  Last month I did the 30 day slow carb diet created by Tim Ferris.  Tim Ferris recommended taking a combination of Policosanol, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Green Tea Extract and Garlic.  When these four supplements are combined they have found to increase weight loss.  Instead of buying all the individual supplments I found a supplier who combined all supplments into a easy to take tablet.
The PAGG Stack is 4 supplements:  Policosanol, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Green Tea Extract and Garlic.
All of the supplements work together to increase weight loss, but each does have a specific purpose.

• Alpha-lipoic acid directs your carbohydrate intake to your muscles and liver instead of sending it to your fat cells.
• Green Tea Flavanols prevents the storage of carbohydrates in fat cells.
• Garlic extract have been shown to make fat regain more difficult.
• Policosanol has benefited Tim Ferris and his other followers with increased fat loss while taking the AGG combination.

The PAGG Stack is taken 4 times a day, 6 days a week before meals and before going to bed. 

Who is George?

I first met George back when I was about 12 years old.  Before I actually met George I would hear people talk about him all the time.  A couple of my friends had actually met him before me and would act like they were sooo grown and "special" because George was now their special friend.  Well let me tell you this...sometimes I wish I never met George.  After I met him I couldn't get rid of him.  He drops by every month and some times unannounced.  He puts me in such a bad mood at times, that most folks don't want to be around me for a couple days.  He is a PAIN in my A ...well feels more like a pain in head and stomach cramps.  And then when he is around I crave all types of junk food.  I don't know if it is the junk food but for some reason my clothes fit tight and my scale is always going up when it should be going down. Damn that GEORGE...DAMN DAMN DAMN!

GOOD NEWS FLASH
Well if any of you out there know George then I have some good news for you if you are following the slow carb diet plan.  Timothy Ferris author of the 4-Hour Body states that you should ignore scale readings in the 10 days before menstruation.  He advises that since women tend to retain much more water just before their periods to treat your first weighing following your period as your "after" measurement.  I don't know about the before thing...but I do know I always retain water during my visit with George.

What is "DGW" Day?

Dieters Gone Wild...Let the eating begin!!!!  This is the one day in the week where you eat all the things you were craving for during the week.  Cupcakes...eat it; Double cheeseburger...devour it; Pizza...inhale it; Box of chocolates...pop em until you POP.  The idea is that once you stuff yourself, you won't want to think about any junk food for the rest of the week. 

BUT....

Make sure to follow these rules:

1. Make sure your first meal of the day is not a binge meal and drink a small amount of grapefruit juice before your first DGW meal.
2. Make sure all the DGW food passes through you quickly by drinking coffee or tea with caffeine.  I know this works because I can't even finish a cup of coffee in the morning without running to the toilet :-)
3. Do some funny exercise moves right before you eat and about 90 minutes after. The suggested exercise moves are air squats or wall presses for about 1 minute.
4. Get your PAGG Stack.  In The 4-Hour Body, Tim suggests that these 4 supplements are the 4 horsemen of sustained fat loss which have a huge impact when put together:
   Policosanol: 20-25mg
   Alpha-lipoic acid: 100-300mg
   Green tea flavanols: 325mg (decaffeinated)
   Garlic extract

How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise (4 Hour Body)

How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise (4 Hour Body)

The following information is from the author of the book "The 4 Hour Body"
I will be following the rules listed below for the next 30 days. Well actually my start date will be 1/1/2011. I'm sure I will loose some weight because i know carbs do pack on the pounds. Anyways this is just the beginning. On 1/1/2011 I will list out all my goals for my weight loss journey of 2011. I just wanted to post the 30 day challenge that I will be doing in case any others wish to join me. Special thanks to my sister who purchased the 4 Hour Body book and encouraged me to join her. Hopefully she will share and post her results on my blog at the end of her 30 days.

How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise
(Written by Tim Ferriss)

It is possible to lose 20 lbs. of bodyfat in 30 days by optimizing any of three factors: exercise, diet, or drug/supplement regimen. I’ve seen the elite implementation of all three in working with professional athletes. In this post, we’ll explore what I refer to as the “slow-carb diet”.

In the last six weeks, I have cut from about 180 lbs. to 165 lbs., while adding about 10 lbs. of muscle, which means I’ve lost about 25 lbs. of fat. This is the only diet besides the rather extreme Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) that has produced veins across my abdomen, which is the last place I lose fat (damn you, Scandinavian genetics). Here are the four simple rules I followed…

Rule #1: Avoid “white” carbohydrates

Avoid any carbohydrate that is — or can be — white. The following foods are thus prohibited, except for within 1.5 hours of finishing a resistance-training workout of at least 20 minutes in length: bread, rice, cereal, potatoes, pasta, and fried food with breading. If you avoid eating anything white, you’ll be safe.

Rule #2: Eat the same few meals over and over again

The most successful dieters, regardless of whether their goal is muscle gain or fat loss, eat the same few meals over and over again. Mix and match, constructing each meal with one from each of the three following groups:

Proteins:
Egg whites with one whole egg for flavor
Chicken breast or thigh
Grass-fed organic beef
Pork

Legumes:
Lentils
Black beans
Pinto beans

Vegetables:
Spinach
Asparagus
Peas
Mixed vegetables

Eat as much as you like of the above food items. Just remember: keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them. Almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes. Surprisingly, I have found Mexican food, swapping out rice for vegetables, to be one of the cuisines most conducive to the “slow carb” diet.

Most people who go on “low” carbohydrate diets complain of low energy and quit, not because such diets can’t work, but because they consume insufficient calories. A 1/2 cup of rice is 300 calories, whereas a 1/2 cup of spinach is 15 calories! Vegetables are not calorically dense, so it is critical that you add legumes for caloric load.

Some athletes eat 6-8x per day to break up caloric load and avoid fat gain. I think this is ridiculously inconvenient. I eat 4x per day:

10am – breakfast
1pm – lunch
5pm – smaller second lunch
7:30-9pm – sports training
10pm – dinner
12am – glass of wine and Discovery Channel before bed

Rule #3: Don’t drink calories

Drink massive quantities of water and as much unsweetened iced tea, tea, diet sodas, coffee (without white cream), or other no-calorie/low-calorie beverages as you like. Do not drink milk, normal soft drinks, or fruit juice. I’m a wine fanatic and have at least one glass of wine each evening, which I believe actually aids sports recovery and fat-loss. Recent research into resveratrol supports this.

Rule #4: Take one day off per week

I recommend Saturdays as your “Dieters Gone Wild” day. I am allowed to eat whatever I want on Saturdays, and I go out of my way to eat ice cream, Snickers, Take 5, and all of my other vices in excess. I make myself a little sick and don’t want to look at any of it for the rest of the week. Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction. That’s right: eating pure crap can help you lose fat. Welcome to Utopia.

Here are some of my meals that recur again and again:

scrambled one whole egg, black beans, and microwaved mixed vegetables


Grass-fed organic beef, pinto beans, mixed vegetables, and extra guacamole (Mexican restaurant)


Dieters Gone Wild day food



Grass-fed organic beef (from Trader Joe’s), lentils, and mixed vegetables