Get Fit: Week 12
Hello internet and future self.
On August 9th, it will officially be three months since I've started my fitness journey. I am currently at 222.7 pounds, averaging a little more than 10 pounds per month (originally started at 260 pounds). That's almost half of my total end goal of 180 pounds. It's crazy how much progress and effort I have made since I've started.
I am in disbelief that I am already at this point. I know this week I haven't been very good with my diet. On Sunday, I celebrated Jessie's birthday at the King Tut exhibit in the California Science Center. After that, we went to a Japanese restaurant where they served sushi, alcohol, and some fried appetizers. I tried to limit myself on the fried foods and stuck with the rolls as my main serving. But I couldn't help myself with the alcohol, mixing both wine, soju, and beer during the celebration. Furthermore, we went to Karaoke and I had a sweet iced coffee drink during the festivities.
On Tuesday, I ate with my group of coworkers at a Chinese restaurant where the majority of primary dishes were fried food. I tried sticking to the veggies and limiting the amount of fried food that I take in. There were times where I would grab an extra serving. On top of that, I ended up buying a drink after the lunch, adding on more to the calories.
Thursday was Happy Hour with coworkers from my previous section at the Service Desk. We had several individuals that were leaving the group due to promotions or had to return to their former positions. We went to a place called Blue Cow where we had pizza, beer, and hard liquor. I couldn't find too much healthy food at the Blue Cow and did eat quite a few servings. On top of that, I couldn't resist accepting the challenges of liquor with former coworkers.
Friday was my off day and ended up eating a hearty breakfast with my brother prior to his laser eye surgery appointment. I ate an Acai bowl for lunch, but then had to get a quick dinner bite from Starbucks via a Chicken and Cheese sandwich. There was a lot of sodium in the sandwich, which I did regret. On top of that, I went to a wine tasting later in the day with my coworker Lawrence. They had tons of charcuterie, cheeses, crackers, and nuts all which complemented the wine I was tasting.
Saturday, I hiked with my coworker Alex to a placed called the Wisdom Tree. The elevation was about 800 feet with a total 3 mile run (there-and-back) to get to the destination. It felt good not to be huffing and puffing for breath, but I did notice that my shirt was drenched in sweat. After that, we went to a placed called Black Cow in Montrose Crescenta where I proceeded to have a hearty quiche breakfast with coffee. I ended up skipping lunch because of how much food I ate, but then hung out with another coworker David. He was hosting a UFC fight fathering at his place and ordered several Armenian dishes which included lamb, chicken, rice, hummus, and a variety of snacks to munch on. Of course, we also had alcohol which does not do me any favors with my diet.
Sunday, I met up with my friend Kevin to get some lunch while my car was getting tinted. I found a placed called Toast which had some healthy selections. I thought what I ordered was healthy, but then ended up not being very good for me because of the amount of cheese put on with the toast. On top of that, I also got eggs, bacon, and a sweet Kombucha drink. Kevin and I also decided to split a savory french toast.
So yeah.... this week, I did not do well with my diet. Funny thing though is I am still losing weight overall by the end of the week (close to three pounds). I know I should be much stricter, but for some reason, I let myself go this weekend and just have fun with it. Kevin keeps telling me that I should be taking time to rest from the gym every so often. I just fear that if I do, I'll end up getting lazy and stop going to the gym.
I still need to be more mindful about my food. This week, I have a dinner date with my friend Jessie out in Pasadena. I'm treating her out because she hosted and practically paid for her birthday dinner (not cool!). We are heading for a Japanese place, so I should be able to pick a healthier entree than what I have done this week.
I've been making pretty good progress in the gym. I relaxed my resistance from 15 to 12, mainly because I was mad at myself for losing muscle mass in my arms. However, I did increase the amount of weight I am working with from 115 pounds to 130 pounds. Due to all the festivities, I've only been able to get a 1.5 hour workout at the gym with Saturday being the only exception. I'll need to be more mindful about my events and time it better so I can alternate my plyometric workouts every other day or so.
There is a major work trip coming up, something I've been preparing for in my last update. I'll need to find a way to make time and head for the hotel gym during my visit while still trying to enjoy the town. I'm thinking about doing a very early morning exercise so that I have time to get breakfast around the town, attend the conference during the day, and then explore the night/dinner scene after the day is over.
I'm very proud of how far I have gotten up to this point. I hope that by the end of this week, I will be around 220 pounds, one that I consider to be a major milestone in my fitness journey. I'll continue to keep at it and trust the process, stay consistent, and have fun.