Day #173 - Travel Series Part 12b - A Very Long But Eventful Day

Today started off at 7:30am for Patty and I down in Orlando, FL. I wish I could continue this statement with," We spent the day touring all of Disney World and hung out with Mickey in the process." But of course reality set in as I was woken up by my alarm clock as well as the wake up call I had set with the hotel. However, today did end up being a very productive day.

Patty and I started by executing an event at a high school that was roughly 20 minutes away from our hotel. The great thing about the morning event was, that it was quick and easy. I have done literally hundreds of these types of events over the past 5 years, that I can do them in my sleep by now. Once we were done with the morning event, Patty and I made our way back to the hotel to enjoy a nice healthy meal from Applebees. I love eating at Applebees when I am traveling because they have several meals on their menu that are calculated with Weight Watcher's Points. After we were done eating lunch, we had to hustle back towards the high school so we could follow the bus to our night event. The night event ended up going very smooth as well and we ended up making it out of there by 10:30pm. And we are now back in the hotel getting ready to wake up at 6:00am for our morning flight.

I know we are both tired but we are also excited about traveling home tomorrow. I love executing the events that fall on a Thursday or Friday because that means that Patty and I will be home for the weekend! Anyway, I am exhausted and I need to try and get a little sleep before our early flight. 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 - 35 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's Points System)

Breakfast - 2 granola bars and 1 serving of fruit = Points 6
Snack During the Day - 2 granola bars and a serving of beef jerky = Points 6
Lunch - French Onion Soup, Chicken Sandwich, and fruit (Applebees) = Points 14
Dinner - Turkey Sandwich on whole wheat bread with a side of apple slices = Points 9

Total Points Eaten Today = 35 Points

Exercise

I did not make it to the gym today. I have been running around since 7:30am this morning. I will be executing my weight lifting routine tomorrow.

Day #173 - Weigh-In = 228.8 lbs

Day #173 Weigh-In

Day #173 Front Shot

Day #172 - The Heavy Man, Travel Series Part 12a

Hello everyone, this is The Heavy Man, and I am writing today's post from sunny Florida. This week's business travel has brought both Patty and I to beautiful Orlando, FL. Unfortunately we are here on business and we are not going to be able to visit Disney World at all. It would be a different story if we only had one event to do tomorrow but we are stuck doing two. It started out as one event about a week and a half ago when we finalized it. And then suddenly turned into two events, when doing just one, didn't workout any more. Well needless to say, the show must go on!

I do on the other hand, have some good news today. When I woke up this morning to weigh myself, I received an unexpected surprise. I actually weighed in this morning at 228.4 lbs! It is funny because I have been expecting, the last two days, to go up in weight a little because I have grown accustom to the weight fluctuation happening after I lose a decent amount of weight in a short period of time. However, I have been experiencing a decline in weight, at a great pace, for the last couple of days. I only hope it keeps on going. I also should try and force myself to stop talking about it because I am only going to jinx myself.

I have been so focused on trying to get to 70 lbs lost as well as breaking into the 220s, the last few weeks, that I didn't even realize I have not had a cheat meal in a while. I am very proud of myself for trying to stay away from the one cheat meal a week plan. And I realize now, that I don't need that one meal a week to stay sane during my mission. I am so motivated and determined to keep on losing weight, that I am actually keeping myself sane in a way. It is even getting easier for me to constantly eat healthy on the road because I am so afraid of slipping and eating something unhealthy. I even manage to workout just about every day, in some way, when I am home and traveling. Anyway, I am exhausted from traveling today and I have an early morning coming up. 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 - 35 Points) *My new daily points limit is 35 points because I have broken into a new weight range.
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's Points System)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 4
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of homemade Two Cheese Vegetable Lasagna = Points 6
Late Afternoon - Turkey and american cheese sandwich on a multigrain roll with a side of pita chips = Points 14
Snack - 1/2 serving of 100 cal animal crackers and 1/2 serving of popcorn chips = Points 2
Dinner - Grilled chicken with rice pilaf and broccoli (TGIFridays) = Points 9

Total Points Eaten Today = 35 Points

Exercise

Today I ran for 15 mins on the treadmill and then 15 mins on the elliptical. Tomorrow I will be doing cardio again because the hotel I am staying at, does not have any weights in the fitness center.

Day #172 - Weigh-In = 228.4 lbs

Day #172 Weigh-In

Day #172 Weigh-In

Day #171 - Move Over "230"

This morning I got my first glimpse as to what it feels like to be in the 220 lbs range! Yes my friends, The Heavy Man has reached another milestone!! This morning I weighed in at 229.8 lbs!! I have mentioned several times in the past that it has been a very long time since I have weighed in the 220s. And let me tell you, I got that sense of accomplishment feeling yet again this morning, as I stared down at the display screen on my scale.
To be honest with everyone, I thought it was going to be a couple more days until I was going to see anything close to the number 220 on the scale. In the past, after switching up my weight lifting routine, I would usually see a little spike in my weight because I would be shocking my body. But to my surprise, that didn't happen this time. Now I am not saying that I am out of the 230s forever because we all know how our bodies can fluctuate in weight from day to day. But it was very motivating to see that I have reached that milestone this morning. It is very surreal for me, to think that I have lost over 70 lbs so far on my mission. And looking back on my journey to date, it seems like I have gone through a lot, in such a short amount of time. The last five and a half months have sure gone by quickly. I can't even imagine how quickly the next 9 months are going to be if I keep focused with my eye on the prize.

It is funny to think back on how I hated to workout and found it to be a chore to do. And now I can't go a day without having the need to get my workout in. I actually use working out as a tool to release all of the stress I go through on a day to day basis. Working out has become my escape from reality. Even if it is only for an hour a day. During that hour, everything seems to come together every time. Anyway, I can't wait for tomorrow's weigh-in, to see if stayed in the 220s for the second day in a row.

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

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 36 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's Points System)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 4
Snacks During the Day - 1 serving of cheese crackers, 1/2 a serving of yogurt pretzels, and a pear = Points 6
Early Afternoon - 1 Boca veggie chicken pattie with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll and a serving of baked chips = Points 8
Late Afternoon - 1 Boca veggie chicken pattie with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll and a serving of baked chips = Points 8
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Two Cheese Vegetable Lasagna = Points 6
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 2

Total Points Eaten Today = 34 Points (2 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I ran for 35 mins on the treadmill. Tomorrow I will be executing the weight lifting portion of my workout routine.

Day #171 - Weigh-In = 229.8 lbs

Day #171 Weigh-In

Day #171 Front Shot

Day #170 - Time For A New Workout Routine

It is Day #170 of my "Mission to Healthy" and I am feeling more energized every day. I weighed in this morning at 230.0 lbs, which means I am doing something right because I am almost into the 220 lbs range. However, I have been executing the same weight lifting routine for the last few weeks now and I think it is time to make a change. I am hoping to shock my body, once again, by switching to new exercises. I am so close to breaking through the 230 lb wall, that I think switching it up will be right move to do so. But I think the scale might jump up a little at first because I am introducing a new set of weight lifting exercises to my body. However, I think it will take no time, after the small jump in weight, to move forward into the 220s.

Of course every time I attempt to switch up my routine, I have to consult with my buddy, the personal trainer. And believe me, he was happy to help me do so. He first reviewed what I have been doing the last few weeks and he said it looked like the routine was effective. But he agreed with me, that it was time for a change, to help me get to the next level. And right after he said that, he looked at me with a smile and said let's challenge you a little more. All I could think about was how easy it will be for me to fall asleep tonight and how sore I was going to be, waking up tomorrow morning.

The new weight lifting routine involves more of the stability ball and a lot more alternating exercises. At first I thought it was going to be easy to transition into the new routine but after the first set of exercises, I was feeling it. I also noticed that it took me a lot longer than usual to finish just the first set. It turns out, that it took me about a half an hour longer to finish the entire routine. I was sweating so much at the end, that I think I will be more prepared on the next lifting day by bringing 2 bottles of water instead of just 1. I am glad that I decided to switch up the routine today and believe me I can already feel the difference in my body. 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 - 36 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's Points System)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 4
Snacks During the Day - 1 serving of peanut butter crackers and a 1/2 serving of cheese crackers = Points 4
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 baked chips = Points 8
Late Afternoon - 2 Boca veggie burgers with 2 slices of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll and a serving of baked chips = Points 10
Dinner - 1 serving of London Broil and a serving of whole wheat pasta with parmesan cheese = Points 9
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 2

Total Points Eaten Today = 37 Points (1 point over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I executed my new weight lifting routine: Alternating Cable Press, Pull Overs with Band, and Dumbbell Side Lunges (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Stability Ball Push Ups, Half Ball Cable Upright Rows, and Alternating Hammer Curls (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), Bent Over Cable Rows, Side Raises into Flyes, and Alternating Leg Extensions (4 sets of each x 15 reps each), and Knee Ups, Dumbbell Skull Crushers on Stability Ball, and Low to High Cable Chops (4 sets of each x 15 reps each). Tomorrow I will be doing cardio.

Day #170 - Weigh-In = 230.0 lbs

Day #170 Weigh-In



Day #170 Front Shot





Day #169 - Basketball Night Take 2

Last Monday night, I attempted to play basketball for the first time in about 6 months. And being that I have lost some weight since then, I thought it was going to be an easy transition running up and down the court. Well I was way off on that. At the time, I had just recently gotten over a nasty cold which caused me to get winded quickly. Also, I was not used to stopping and going so much while running and that caused my lower back to act up. Anyway, I ended up limping out off the court and was sidelined from working out, the way I have grown accustom to, for a few days. But tonight was a different story my friends.

I had a great weekend of working out and I had managed to lose some more weight. But the most important thing about this past week was that my back was feeling 100% better. So only thing left was to do today, was to figure out whether or not I wanted to jump back on the court and give it another try tonight. I was hesitant at first because I didn't want another set back with my back. But my back was feeling great and I didn't want last week's mishap to ruin what could be a great cardio night for me. So I sucked it up and made my way to the court after work was over. This time I made sure to stretch really well before I stepped onto the court tonight.

I was a little winded in the beginning but midway through my first game, I was actually feeling pretty good. And guess what, I ended up scoring 4 points in a game that went to 11 points. Not only was I moving good but I was having a pretty good shooting night as well. I ended up playing 3 very intense games tonight, which added up to about an hour and a half of constant movement. I even received a compliment during the final game of the night. The guy that was guarding me asked why I was so full of energy. And I really didn't notice that I was. I was feeling so good by the last game, that I was out running everyone up and down the court. I didn't want the night to end!

I was happy that I didn't let last week's set back keep me from playing again tonight. Not only did I a get a great night of cardio in but I also weighed in this morning at 230.2 lbs. This brings my official weight loss amount to 71.8 lbs. This also means that I am that much closer to breaking into the 220s. I can't wait for tomorrow morning's weigh-in to get here!

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

Meals of the Day (The Heavy Man - 36 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's Points System)

Breakfast - 4 Eggo nutrigrain waffles = Points 4
Snacks During the Day - 1 serving of cheese crackers, 1 serving of peanut butter crackers, and 2 pears = Points 8
Early Afternoon - 1 serving of leftover homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 5
Mid Afternoon - 1 serving of leftover homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 5
Late Afternoon - 1 serving of leftover homemade Chicken Pot Pie (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 5
Dinner - 1 Boca veggie burger with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll and a serving of baked chips = Points 7
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 2

Total Points Eaten Today = 36 Points

Exercise

Today I played basketball for roughly an hour and a half. Tomorrow I will be executing the weight lifting portion of my workout routine.

Day #169 - Weigh-In = 230.2 lbs

Day #169 Weigh-In

Day #169 Front Shot

Day #168 - The New Shopping Grounds

Mr. Weight Fluctuation has struck again. Just imagine me saying this with an evil villain laugh. Except this time, it has struck in a good way. Within the last 2 weeks I have lost over 5 pounds, gained 2 pounds back, and then lost those 2 pounds yet again. With this crazy equation taking place, I managed to weigh-in this morning at 231.4 lbs. This is a great example of how not giving up, even though the scale went up in weight, can create positive results. It also doesn't hurt that I have learned the different patterns that my body goes through, on a weekly basis, pertaining to losing weight. My main goal this up coming week, is to break through the 230 lb mark, right into the 220s. It will happen sooner than later, I can feel it.

Anyway, today was a very productive day for Patty and I. And being that it was Sunday, it was definitely time to go shopping for this week's meals. But instead of going to our normal food store, that is literally right next door to our apartment, we decided to try out the new store in the next town over. Patty and I have been hearing some great things about the new Stop & Shop that just opened, about 5 minutes away from where we live. We were told that the prices were fair and the sales can help us save every week. And when we hear the word "save", we will jump at the opportunity to do so. So we decided to give it a try today.

As soon as we walked into the store, I could tell that we were going to have a great time. The first thing we did was sign up for a store membership, this way we could take advantage of all of the potential savings. Next, we walked over to the portable scanner wall to get our scanner. This was the coolest part because you can scan everything you put into your cart before you reach the check out counter. I had a lot of fun doing so. There was even a person walking around the store with free food samples!! When we were done with our shopping list, we brought the cart up to the check out counter and loaded our scanner into the machine. All we had to do from that point, was to pay for the food and bag everything. We ended up saving a lot of money, purchasing more food than we usually do, and stocked up for the next week! I really enjoyed the experience and I would recommend everyone to do their food shopping at a Stop & Shop, if you have one by you that is.

When all is said and done, today started off with a great weigh-in that lead to me being extremely motivated for the rest of the day. The food shopping is done, the laundry is done, my workout was awesome, and I am feeling relaxed and ready for the week. 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 - 36 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's Points System)

Early Afternoon - 1 serving of whole wheat pasta with 4 reduced fat crescent rolls = Points 8
Snacks During the Day - 1 serving of mini yogurt covered pretzels, 1 serving of mini peanut butter crackers, 1 serving of cheese crackers, and 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 13
Late Afternoon - 1 Boca veggie chicken patty on a Weight Watcher's whole wheat roll with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese, and a serving of baked chips = Points 8
Dinner - 1 serving of homemade Chicken Pot Pie & 1 reduced fat crescent roll (Weight Watcher's Recipe) = Points 6
Dessert - 1 Weight Watcher's ice cream cone = Points 2

Total Points Eaten Today = 37 Points (1 point over my daily limit)

Exercise

Today I ran for 35 mins on the treadmill. Tomorrow I will be executing the weight lifting portion of my workout routine.

Day #168 - Weigh-In = 231.4 lbs

Day #168 Weigh-In

Day #168 Front Shot



Day #167 - A Long but Very Fun Day

Today was a very long and fun filled day. Even though I weighed in this morning at 233.8 lbs, which was another pound gained from yesterday morning, I still had a great day. I had 2 great weight lifting days within the last 3 days and I strongly believe that this little spike in my weight is do to that. I guess this would be the down fall of weighing yourself everyday. Because you can actually see the many different fluctuations the human body normally goes through during the course of the week. I actually feel like I am winding up, by taking a few steps back, before I sprint forward and leap into the 220s for good.  It will happen my friends because I am determined to make it happen!

Anyway, I started the day off by meeting up for breakfast, with an old friend of mine. And yes, I did eat a nice and healthy breakfast. Then I decided to go home and get my workout in for the day, which just so happened to be my weight lifting routine. After I was done working out, I went home to make sure that I was showered and ready to go into NYC, for my brother's comedy show at the historical, "Comic Strip." For many of you who don't know what the "Comic Strip" is, it is the place where Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock got started in their careers. My brother did very well!! After his show was over, we made our way back to New Jersey for a party, honoring our good friend who is about to have a baby. The interesting part about walking into the party tonight, was that a lot people thought I was my brother. My brother is 2 years younger than I am and he is 175 lbs. I consider that mistake to be a compliment to all of the hard work I have been putting in the last few months. And I am now home writing my post for the day.

I started the day at 7 am this morning and it is a Saturday!! But I did manage to eat healthy the entire day as well as getting a workout in, so I didn't have to worry about it tonight. It ended up being a long but very fun filled 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 - 36 Points)
(I am currently following the Weight Watcher's Points System)

Breakfast - Egg whites with a slice of american cheese on a wrap = Points 6
Early Afternoon - 1 Boca veggie burger with a slice of Weight Watcher's american cheese on 2 slices of Weight Watcher's whole wheat bread with a serving of baked chips = Points 6
Late Afternoon - (1) 6" Turkey sub on whole wheat bread with 2 slices of american cheese and a side of baked chips (Subway)  = Points 10
Dinner - Grilled chicken with a slice of american cheese and lettuce on a wrap with a side of honey mustard and fruit = Points 10
Dessert - 1 Fruit Cup = Points 2

Total Points Eaten Today = 34 Points (2 points under my daily limit)

Exercise

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

Day #167 - Weigh-In = 233.8 lbs

Day #167 Weigh-In



Day #167 Front Shot