Tag: Fitness

Why Weight Isn’t Everything in Your Health Journey

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This morning, I hit 188.6 lbs. It may have been 188.4 lbs, but I forget exactly, so when that happens, I take the higher weight (I don’t want to give myself any undue credit). This is significant because now I’m settled firmly into the 180’s. That means I have less than 13 lbs to go before I reach my arbitrary and meaningless weight goal. I say it’s arbitrary and meaningless because in the past, I’ve missed target weights but felt a whole lot better, was healthier, fit into smaller clothing more easily, and felt like I generally accomplished my goals of being at a healther “Size.”

The AI image didn’t tie the laces, tuck them in properly, or properly blouse the boots, but I’m sure someone will comment on this anyway, so I left the image as-is.

The reason why so many people fixate on the numbers is because it’s an easy measure and it’s tangible. What’s less tangible is how much better you feel, how much easier exercise is, how less winded you are climbing a flight of stairs, and how much better those blood test results are during your annual physical. These are the things that really matter. Weight? It’s a simple way to put a number to all these things, but it’s actually not that simple.

Factors for affecting your weight include your height (obviously), age (bone density increases with age making your skeletal weight greater), genetic makeup, and fitness level. As I get more and more back into physical activity, my body becomes leaner but the muscles also more dense and heavier. When I lost my initial 130 lbs, it is only then that I decided to add exercise to my journey. I continued to lose some weight, making it up to 150 lbs lost, but then I started gaining weight even though I was still losing inches off my waist. This was because I was weightlifting and also running which made me much healthier and stronger, but also made my muscles more dense.

Weight, for me, is a snapshot. It’s an easy guide to see where I’m at without looking too much into it. But once I do, and once I take everything else into account, I find that weight is not an accurate measure of success when undertaking a healthier lifestyle. It’s more like a suggestion. That’s one of the reasons why Whole30 doesn’t want you to weigh yourself. Many people can become easily discouraged when they don’t see the numbers dropping (or worse, see them increasing) while ignoring all the positive changes going on in their body and overall health. As our bodies reconfigure from a bad diet to a good diet, the body reacts in weird ways. I’ve done enough Whole30’s to know the process by now, and I’ve made it past the stall that normally happens to me just past week 2. Now, I’m back to making progress as my body is completely accustomed to the good food and the complete lack of added sugars (or heavy carbs in any form). I still have fruit, but it’s blueberries, raspberries, cherries, grapes, and oranges. I may have a banana before my Army Fitness Test on Saturday morning, but that’s just to pump my blood with some easy/quick energy before exertion.

So, while I celebrate the weight loss, I don’t put too much into that. It’s nice, but honestly, the only reason I really care is because the Army still cares about weight, and the new “Fit” standards to measure body composition penalize short people (like me) with unrealistic numbers for people my age.

Two Weeks Down; Two to go

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So, in two weeks, I’ve dropped 2 inches off my waist and 16 lbs. That’s a great success so far. Also, I had to have some medical tests run, and the doctors told me that my numbers across the board were phenomenal for someone my age (and just about normal for a man at any age). I attribute that to 10 years of eating healthy and getting off my tail every now and then.

I’m looking forward to getting back into lifting; hopefully, soon.

There’s one thing I haven’t been putting enough focus on in the past two weeks, though: water. I need more water intake. The doctor confirmed that as well; I’m constantly dehydrated. This hurts not only my overall health, but my ability to lose weight. Ironically, to be able to lose weight as effectively as possible, you need to remain hydrated.

The plan for me is to force myself to drink more water. I don’t like it, but it’s necessary. I’m also working to reduce my caffeine intake. This is going to be harder, because not only do I love coffee, but I’m also addicted. Honestly, black coffee is what got me through the first week of Whole30. But, the doctor told me that some of the health issues I’ve been experiencing can be attributed to my high caffeine intake, so I’ll bring that down a bit. Not eliminate, but reduce.

Otherwise, I feel great. My gut feels smaller, my face looks smaller, my pants fit better, and going up the stairs doesn’t feel like such a chore anymore. I will also start my actual workout routine week after next. Why? Because I have drill coming up soon, and I don’t want to be sore for that. I also might have to run 2 miles, and I don’t want to jeopardize my ability to finish that with the best time possible considering I haven’t run in months.

Revamping My Diet: Success with Whole30

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So, no; it’s not another, “New Year, New Me” post or plan. Doing a Whole30 every now and then is something my wife and I do after we’ve let our diet slip out of Paleo into See-Food (we eat whatever we see fit). The result of that see-food diet has been me getting up to (GASP!) 205 lbs. That’s WAY too much for me. So… Whole30 time.

I started at 205 lbs. 205.6 lbs, to be exact. That weight was taken on Day 1 (also known as W1D1 in W30 parlance). The first week is always the hardest for me, specifically the first three days, and this time was no different. Fortunately, I had things to do to keep my mind off of the discomfort (like being daycare for my 13-month old granddaughter) and by the end of the first week, I had lost (this is crazy) 13 lbs.

Now, for the W30 purists, I know: You’re not supposed to weigh yourself DURING the W30. You’re supposed to weigh in at the beginning, and then again at the end. BUT… this isn’t my first W30, and I also know what motivates me past cravings: knowing my progress. I know: the W30 isn’t about the numbers alone. I get that. Coincidentally, all my clothes are fitting beautifully again now, and I FEEL so much better. My stomach isn’t extending outwards anymore which thrills me. But being that I’m still in the military, the weight is important for me as it’s a measure of our physical readiness (and I have a weigh-in later this month).

As I am now in the middle of Week 2, I am still seeing and feeling progress. I’m now down to 190.2 lbs which is well over 15 lbs. That’s 15 lbs in a week and a half. Absolutely incredible. The best part? The food. My wife makes AMAZING W30 foods, and if you want to make some too, check out her site called “Our Daily Bacon.” It’s 100% free, no registration required, and we literally live off the diets on that site. When we find things we love (that are Paleo or W30), she adds them to the site. It’s a mix of links to recipes elsewhere, or when they disappear, she finds the recipes and then posts them on her site. Super resource for those looking for delicious and easy foods to eat on W30 or Paleo.

So, here I am. Again. On another W30. And you know what? I’m loving it. I love how I feel, how I look, and I love that I will soon be able to exercise again (which I haven’t been able to do for two years due to injuries and surgery).

10 Years of Healthy Living

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When I first started my new lifestyle with a Whole30, I happened to have an annual physical scheduled about 45 days later which I went to. They drew blood, took vitals, and after the doctor admonishing me for partaking in a “Fad diet,” I went home. Three days later, I was called by the doctor’s office telling me that they had made a mistake and I needed to re-do my bloodwork. They said my blood was somehow changed with someone else’s, and the tests had to be re-done. I went in and they drew blood again, but this time, the results were the same as before, so the doctor called me in to talk about them.

These photos were taken exactly 1 year apart at an annual event.

He told me that he’d never seen someone go from being Type-2 Diabetic to not having elevated blood sugar at all. My blood pressure was normal, and with the exception of one of my lipid counts being a bit elevated, everything else looked normal. This was not the case for me before which is why they initially thought that my blood had somehow been exchanged with someone else’s.

After a year and 110 lbs lost, the doctor told me that he had also done a Whole30 and transitioned to Paleo and that he was advising all his patients to do the same. He said he’d never seen as successful of a transformation as mine and I was the inspiration for him to change his life and the lives of his patients struggling with weight and weight-related health issues.

We often hear that most people who diet to lose weight gain the weight back and then some within a year or two. First, Whole30 and the Paleo Diet are not fad diets. Second, I adopted a healthy lifestyle, not just a new diet. After my initial year of weight loss, I incorporated a lot of exercise and activities that are physical (mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, and re-joining the military). Eating sensibly and being cognizant of portion size coupled with limiting non-compliant foods as much as possible, I’ve maintained my weight loss for over 10 years now.

There are times when my weight fluctuates; typically when my wife and I go on a vacation and we sample local foods that are non-compliant. We mitigate the impact by sharing meals and limiting portion size, yet the weight still sticks to us. The butcher’s bill is usually between 6-10 lbs for a two-week trip. Fortunately, a lot of that is from water weight, and the vast majority is lost within a week of returning home and eating compliant foods again. But for the most part, I’ve stuck around the 185 lbs mark for over 10 years now.

I would prefer to be 170 lbs or less, but my body has other ideas. For whatever reason, it seems like this weight, because no matter how much I exercise or how closely I follow my diet, the weight seems to stick between 188 and 183 lbs.

Has it been hard? Not really. I still get to sneak the occasional dark chocolate or croissant without any significant impact on my health and weight, but otherwise, the Paleo Diet has become not only my new normal, but the new normal for my entire family and even close friends. There are many Paleo recipes we even prefer now over their non-Paleo counterparts as we find them even more delicious.

I don’t miss being winded walking up a flight of stairs. I don’t miss having pain in my legs when I wake up in the morning. I don’t miss not being able to tie my shoes because my stomach was so large it got in the way of me bending forward. I don’t miss the feeling of always being tired, and of always being over-heated even in air-conditioned spaces. For all those reasons, I stick to my diet happily and continue to be physically active as much as possible.

Rebuilding My Running Habit: Lessons from the Struggle

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It’s been over two years since I’ve been able to run, and now, while my Achilles heel still hurts a bit (especially in the mornings), I’ve decided to get back to running. I started last week, and let’s just say it wasn’t very fun.

The look of success after the most hellish running experience of the past 20 years.

I started last Wednesday. I ran two miles, and while it was tough, I got through it. I was sore afterwards, but nothing worse than I expected (I’ve done this “starting after a long break” thing before). I took Thursday as a recovery day, and I ran again on Friday. To say that the first half-mile was painful would be an understatement. To say the first quarter mile was nothing short of torture would be hyperbole. It was easily one of the most painful exercise experiences I’ve ever had. Yet, I couldn’t allow myself to quit. With literal tears running down my face, I continued running. I may have looked ridiculous to anyone unlucky enough to catch a glimpse of me running, but to me, I was running for my life. No matter how bad it got, nothing short of my body failing me would stop me from completing this run.

I had set a goal of two miles for these starting runs, and I was not going to stop until I reached the minimum distance. On my first run, I contemplated walking the second mile but thought against it. Living with the discomfort would last about 12 minutes. Living with the knowledge that I quit would last forever.

On this second run, I contemplated quitting after the first 1/4 mile. It was THAT bad. But again, I thought about having to live with the knowledge that I was a quitter, and I couldn’t get past that. I had to keep going. No matter how hard, no matter how painful; I was going to finish. Then, something I was hoping would happen came to pass: it got better. I was still experiencing discomfort, but it was less horrible. It was still pretty bad, but the longer I ran, the more bearable it became.

It never got easy. But it got easier.

This second run was on a Friday and I decided to give myself the weekend for recovery. Later today, I will start my third run in two years. I can already tell that my legs are ready. They no longer are sore at every movement, and I can successfully crouch without wincing in pain. I’m actually looking forward, not to the actual running, but to how I will feel afterwards. This is how I usually anticipate a run. I typically dislike the experience itself, and I can’t say I’ve ever truly enjoyed a run like some people do. I enjoy the feeling after the run; the mental clarity, the feeling of accomplishment, and the dull aching of muscles recently exercised. That’s what I am looking forward to this afternoon.

So I’m back. It was time. Oh, the pain in my Achilles heel? Greatly reduced. I’m now fairly certain that it’s been aching for exercise (literally). Now that I’m using my legs (and feet and ankles) again, they seem to be behaving properly. Who’d a thunk it.

UPDATE: So, I just completed my third run. It went a lot better than the first two. I had some slight knee pain in the first 1/4 mile, and it came back in the second to last 1/4 mile, but overall, I feel really good. I also reduced my run time by over a minute per mile which is really good. I actually felt pretty good out there. I decided that for the rest of this week, I’ll keep my runs at 2 miles but I’ll go up to 2.25 or 2.5 next week. My goal is to run 3-4 per run by summertime.

Getting a handle on my injuries

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The good news is that my Achilles heel, which has been a source of great pain for me for over a year, seems to be getting better. According to my podiatrist, it will make a complete recovery, and surgery most likely won’t be necessary!

The bad news is that I have spurs in my heels which, while they aren’t the source of my issues, are an indicator that I haven’t been stretching enough. What? I know; I didn’t know that was a thing. But apparently it is.

From my personal Instagram account.

Now, that just leaves my shoulder. That injury, I fear, will not have a good news. But, I have to wait another week for that outcome, so in the meantime, I’ve been doing a lot of stretching and after my visit to the specialist, I’ll hopefully start back up to my full fitness routine.

Injuries don’t have to stop us, but it is important for us to listen to not only our doctors, but to our bodies. We need to make sure, especially as we’re older, to not make things worse and to let our bodies recover and heal. Recovery is actually where the real growth happens.

Quality of Life Transformation: From Whole30 to Paleo Diet and Exercise

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I never would have thought of myself as being the type of person who could stay on a specific diet for any period of time to allow me to be successful long-term in getting fit and healthy. I thought that I was a slave to food, and that I would forever be doomed to eating too much, eating the wrong foods, and honestly, to die young.

Whole30 changed that for me, and transitioning into the Paleo Diet was super easy. Once my sugar addiction was broken and I learned to eat foods made from whole ingredients and avoiding anything with added sugar, grains, dairy, and legumes really made me feel better and improved my health significantly in measurable ways.

Initially, the incredible improvements in my health fueled my desire to stay strictly on the diet and to avoid sabotabing my process through cheat meals or days. Then, the more weight I lost and the healthier my body was getting, the less I wanted to go back. I saw every temptation as sabotage which made it easy to avoid. Then, once I started exercising and added fitness to my plan, I didn’t want to eat anything that would hinder my progress in getting stronger, faster, and more able to do long-term exercise.

In the end, now I am motivated by how I feel followed by how comfortable I am in doing things like mountain biking, hiking, walking up flights of stairs, wearing clothes that I like, and even getting in and out of my Porsche (which would have been impossible at my heaviest). All these things are quality of life (QoL), and my QoL is so much better with a healthy lifestyle than it ever was before.

Do I miss eating anything and everything with wild abandon? Absolutely! I love eating (still), and one of my biggest behavioral issues is that I have a very hard time with portion control. The more I eat, the happier I am, so it’s a struggle I fight still. But when I’m tempted to eat more, I remind myself that I feel great and I don’t want to sabotage that feeling and all the work I’ve done to get there with short-term satisfaction.

At the end of the day, health and fitness are things that you can’t buy; you have to earn it the old fashioned way: by putting in the work.

Slow and Steady Fitness Plan: Returning to Exercise Safely

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This morning, I weighed myself and was greeted with a nice number: 201.1 lbs. This is the lowest I’ve been since I got back from my deployment. I did a minor happy dance and then went about my day washing both my cars. They both needed it, although the 4Runner needed it far more.

While washing the car and listening to music by Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, and Billie Eilish (among others), I thought about how it’s going so far. I thought about the amount of food I eat, the amount of sleep I get, and my level of physical activity. I decided that I’m doing great on the food, I’m doing okay on the sleep, but I’m not doing any real physical activity yet. Part of that is fear of reinjury. My back has been slowly healing, and the last thing I want to do is reaggravate it. I know that back injuries take a long time to heal, but that you can set your healing process back by getting back to exercise too soon. So I’ve been reticent to jump back in.

With that said, I decided that next Monday will be the day I get back into my fitness plan. I will start off much lower than what my StrongLifts app will likely recommend only because I really want to make sure that I get back to things slowly. I will also get back to riding my bike as my Achilles heel is still too sore to run. The biking will be some great cardio, and I actually love biking. I have two mountain bikes I use on trails close to my house.

My weight was hovering between 202-204 for the past week, so it was nice that it finally dropped. I was beginning to really worry about what was going on, and I’m glad to see that the process is continuing to work as planned and as I’ve experienced in the past.

First morning without back pain

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It’s been a weird couple of weeks. I somehow hurt my back without doing anything at all. Yeah, yeah: I know. I’m old. But c’mon! I’m not that old.

In the office and thinking, “I need more coffee.”

But anyway, this morning was the first morning I awoke without any back pain. My right Achilles heel still has pain, and I think it always will. I’m learning to just live with it. But while I can do my exercises and even ride my bike with the Achilles heel pain, I can’t do either of those (and more) with the back pain. That it is now gone is significant.

I’m not sure when exactly I’ll start back up my exercise routine; maybe next Monday. I want to give my back enough time to fully heal and feel better. I want to make sure that I’m not rushing things and getting back into exercise too quickly. At the same time, I really want the benefits of exercise as it pertains to my health. I just feel better after a good bike ride or a good session in the gym. But I also don’t enjoy working with injuries, so I will wait.

Weight-wise, my weight didn’t change from yesterday, but that’s a win. I know that not every day will see a loss. I remember from my very first Whole30 that sometimes, I’d go 3-4 days without losing and then WHOOSH 2-3 lbs would disappear. I don’t know why it works like that, but it does. Now that I know what to expect, I’m good with these mini-plateaus and fluctuations.

As for food, today started with my Keto cereal with blueberries, and my lunch with be a Whole30 chicken parmigiana (without cheese or breading, obviously) with zucchini cut up like spaghetti noodles and a tomato sauce. This is one of our favorites, and I’m looking forward to it. Dinner will likely be the carnitas tacos again (one of my ultimate favorites). I will also have an apple after lunch, and likely a peach after dinner. We picked up some peaches on our way home from Dallas on Saturday, and they are the sweetest peaches I’ve had in years.

Weekend and back pain

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This weekend was supposed to be full of me doing some chores and tasks I’ve been putting off for a while and ended with me in bed taking muscle relaxers.

Ugh.

So, how did I get into this predicament? The best I can guess is that I was using poor posture at my desk on the first half of Friday. At noon, it was sore, and by Friday evening, I was in excruciating pain. I then spent the next two days either on a couch propped up with pillows or in bed laying down.

The good news is that today I feel a lot better, although there is still pain.

As for my Whole30, it has been progressing as planned. I’ve been eating only compliant foods, and I feel my body being less swollen or inflamed. As for my weight, the last time I checked on Monday morning, my weight was up a little to 206.9, but this is why they tell you on Whole30 to not weigh daily; your weight fluctuates naturally, and some people can get discouraged or demotivated by weight gains. I do not. I use them as fuel to further motivate me, and to take a very close look back on why my body is reacting the way it did to not only what I ate, but what I drank and what activities I did. It makes sense that my weight was up a little on Monday; I was sedentary all weekend.

I’m still not 100%, so I’m still taking it easy, but I’m looking forward to this weekend to do some more activities. I am really looking forward to getting back on my bike and getting back to lifting, but this back spasm really threw a monkey wrench into those plans. However, I know Whol30 works without exercise, and I lost 110 lbs without any exercise at all doing Whole30 and Paleo, so I’m not discouraged. If anything, I’m looking forward to getting started again at a lower weight. Running/biking are so much easier when you’re lighter, anyway.