So what in the heck do I mean by 'Reboot'? Well, basically, over the last month and a half or so I've gotten a bit complacent on my weight loss. I was doing so well and succeeding more than I had anticipated so I decided to cut back a bit on my intensity. It started with a little here, a little there, and overall I began falling back on old habits. I have still been good about cutting out the artificial sweeteners and 'filler' foods but I had begun giving the idea to myself that it would be OK to 'work out tomorrow' which filled in with another and another. Basically I was in a weight-loss / lifestyle change rut and returning to habits I shouldn't have.
So, here it is, the middle/end of January and I believe I've gained back about 8lbs or so since around the beginning of December. Now, I am not cursing myself for losing the control as the average person gains 6lbs during the holiday season each year. Instead, I know I did bad and I know how to correct it. Time to concentrate on losing the weight and living a healthier lifestyle again. I have a goal of completing at least a 5K this year and by completing I mean that I intend to run the entire thing, I don't care so much about time at this point. If I had continued on my previous path there would have been no way to complete this goal. Which means, as of today, I'm 'rebooting' myself and starting back on a good path.
One of the things I'm planning on is returning to entering my daily calories and exercise in LiveStrong. I think that, because I began to get complacent, I wasn't paying as much attention to my input/output of daily calories and talked myself into accepting a piece of chocolate here, some cookies there, etc. By being accountable through LiveStrong and knowing that I am faithful when I enter numbers in the system, I intend on entering calories once again. And, I believe that, from now on, the 'walk around the classroom all day', while it burns calories, I still need to get in at least some of a workout during substitute days as I used the walking in the classroom as an excuse for a full days worth of exercise. (Granted, being up and about all day long does wear you out)
As for diet, we've slowly been widdling away at the groceries we have in the house and I'm trying to get our supplies down to where I can have a few necessary ingredients and will be required to shop fresh once or twice a week. This will allow for more fresh fruit and veggie intake as well as getting rid of temptations around the house. Again, I have been good about keeping out the artificial sweeteners, but sugar is still a large temptation. That and when I get stressed I tend to bake and that has been happening more and more frequently as of late. So, having those nice, fresh-baked items around the house make it hard to resist temptation. Plus, we found some yummy Hansen's flavored sodas made with cane sugar and from time to time I decide to drink one of them.
I suppose one good thing about Kathrine (our Danish exchange student) not eating red meat is that I have been cooking with chicken, turkey, and fish a lot more often around the house. That's not to say I'm not going to go out and enjoy a nice steak when I get the chance, but at home it's been a 'healthier' meal due to the white meat and fish. Hamburgers are still my weakness so when we go out to 'Red Robin' I am sure to grab one of their wonderful hamburgers (lately it's been the Hunka Burning Love burger)...We have been finishing off the frozen veggies in our freezer as well.
As a bonus, here's a recipe for Quinoa Tabbouleh I made for New Years Day dinner, it was yummy!
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Quinoa Tabbouleh
Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, diced
2 bunches green onions, diced
2 carrots, grated
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa.
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As for exercise, well, that's where my big slack has been. I'd love to go and work out at a gym but the price of memberships are just so ridiculous I don't bother. Instead, I use the exercise bike downstairs, the Wii upstairs, and the weight set downstairs. What I really need is a nice treadmill so I can do walks/runs on cold days. But, it doesn't really matter because recently I've lost some desire to work out. I did say I am getting back on track though so I plan on working out 6 days a week, regardless of if I substitute teach or not. I'm guessing Thursdays will be my day off as I will be teaching in the early afternoon and taking a class in the evening.
I need to figure out new exercise routines though as I think one of the reasons I did so well losing weight before was because I had a mix of Wii games, did some weight lifting and cardio, and basically had a range of things to do. Once I start getting bored with the exercise though I tend to start writing it off until eventually I just drop it all together. I think once the weather starts clearing up I'll have a better time about the walking/running as I was enjoying that even though it was work. And, once the weather gets nicer I plan on doing a lot more GPSing with Lisa and the baby (around July).
As for running the 5K, I was wondering if any of my Colorado friends are interested in joining me for the Warrior Dash in August. The Dash is August 20th and 21st (I think we just do one day but hey, depends on how I feel come August). It looks like a ton of fun and I had a friend that did it last year and really enjoyed it. It's 3.15 miles and it's not just a run but there are fun obstacles along the way. Plus there's beer! :)
Warrior Dash
Now, if I could really step my game up, there's also the Tough Mudder in June but I've already got a volunteer for that one. Now it's just a matter of seeing if I could be able to run 7 miles. Let's see, 5 months or so to train? 7 miles? Can I possibly get better by about 1.5 miles per month until June? If I had a treadmill and was able to stay on task, yes. Whaddya say, anyone want to have a fund raiser for me to get a treadmill? The one I want is only $1400 on Amazon! :) It's for the greater good, me getting healthy. Time to have a car wash and raise some money. Maybe I could even score a bike out of the deal and start training for an Iron Man in 2012. Plus I've still got to climb Pikes Peak by June 2012! Yikes, these are adding up!
Tough Mudder
So, we've talked diet and lifestyle change. What else is going on? Stress has been high lately due to my teaching career sitting in neutral. I do have my professor job at the Community College which I love, but it's not enough to pay the bills. It's frustrating to finally get to where I have the ability and skill to teach a couple of college classes but can't teach more college until I get my M.A. in History which will probably be Fall of 2013 (at the rate I am going). So, even though I am not a stress eater, I do believe that's been a part of my demotivation lately. When I am thinking about finding a job with benefits, slowly working on my M.A., and knowing that we'll have the new adventure of having a baby in July, it seems like the weight of the world is pushing down on me. Sometimes it would be 'easier' to go back to computers but my happiness would shrink significantly, I love teaching.
So, wrapping up, I'm back on track and planning on getting back down to the 80lbs lost mark in the next two weeks or so. The big thing is finding a treadmill so I can focus on these upcoming challenges. I figure if I have something to work towards that it will be a good thing for me. I am so goal-oriented that by saying that I will be ready for something, I will be ready. I knew that school would be tough, but I also know that an M.A. in History will open a lot more doors for me.
That's about it for this posting. I intend on posting more once again as I get back into my routine. I figure it's a good outlet to voice concerns and frustrations as I progress towards my goal of losing 150lbs. Considering I was down 80 of those pounds a few weeks ago I know it is possible!
Until next time,
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
It's time to get serious...
OK, I say that, and I've been serious about my weight loss and lifestyle change, BUT, I have slipped several times in the past 1 1/2 months and the worst has been for this last couple of weeks. Basically for the last couple of weeks I fell way off the wagon and basically did not exercise and did not eat well for that time frame. Of course, I am paying for it as I have gained some weight back, but the nonsense is over. I've decided to commit myself even more to my training and diet so that I can lose these last 75lbs! Well, not LAST 75, but a healthy 75. Then, when I hit the 200lb mark, I can decide how I feel about another 20lbs past that. But I figure I won't get there for awhile so who knows if I will carry 200lbs and look healthy or if I will need to push past that point.
But first, the big milestone in my weight loss was that I had hit the 75th pound lost a couple of weeks ago. Now, I probably have a few pounds to lose to get BACK to that point since I have been so bad, but now that I'm focused again I believe I can easily do that. So, I am now, after 6 months, at my 1/2 way point, something I probably would not have believed would be possible 6 months ago. I actually felt that losing the 150lbs was going to take me 2+ years. Now, I have hope that I can actually lose the large majority of it within a year. Then it's a matter of maintaining my lifestyle, eating better, and taking care of myself.
So, you might wonder why I've 'fallen off of the wagon' in the past couple of weeks. Well, primarily these last couple of weeks have been high stress. The end of the semester was here and, for me, that meant that I had a 15-page research paper, (2) 3-page critical reviews (yet to be completed, one will be done today), grading of final projects for the class I teach, substitute teaching, and taking care of the ladies by doing regular chores like making dinner, taking them to school, etc. So, it all came to a head these past couple of weeks AND my birthday was in there as well (which I didn't really celebrate since I had so much stuff to do). Fitting in time to exercise became increasingly difficult and, although I managed to hit Thanksgiving and lose a pound, the post-Thanksgiving baking, cooking, etc. has been a boon to my existence. I know, I hate excuses too so I will just say I gave in to my dark side and consumed.
As well as I was doing leading up to these last couple of weeks, I just didn't find the time or motivation to fit in exercise which is what really hurts me. I can eat my regular meals over the course of the day but if I don't get in that exercise I really screw myself over on the overall lifestyle change aspect. When I am consistently working out and following my plan I lose a couple of pounds a week and feel successful in my pursuit. When I begin to fail it all starts crashing down. Now it's time to get back up to that peak and work on losing it again. Well, I already lost it, but I mean my weight, not my mind!
Right now I believe sugars to be the bane of my existence. With all of the holiday baking going on and all of the easily available sweets, it is very hard to resist temptation. I did succeed about 90% yesterday though as I substitute taught at my favorite high school and they had a pot luck available which had PLENTY of homemade baked goods. Instead of indulging I enjoyed my carrots, apple, and peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Would I have much rather have had the cupcakes that taunted me by being 3 feet away? Heck yes, but I was good and stayed true to the course. Now it's going to be a matter of making some sweets over the next few days to give to friends and family and it will be even HARDER to see the fresh goodness so close to me but without the ability to partake of the goodies...
As for exercise, my training for the 5K is temporarily on hold as the temps have typically been around the mid-30s for the past few weeks. I have continued on my 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout' routine as well as doing 1+ hour sessions on the stationary bike. This was when I was good and what I intend to get back to. I think I might actually boost my workouts up to 2X a day on every other day as well where one workout is all cardio and one is all weights. I need some upper body strength for crying out loud!
Speaking of needing strength, I have recently submitted a video for Survivor to get a chance at having an interview with the casting agents. I've always been a big fan of the show and have actually submitted applications 2X before (the reason I got my passport was so that I could submit an application to the show!). Now that I'm getting back in shape again I feel that it's time to throw my hat into the arena again. If I do get on the show I honest to goodness think I have a chance to go all the way as I have solid strategies and methods that I would follow that would get me far in the game. Sure, I wouldn't be a physical threat, but hopefully my brainpower will suffice! HA! So, come January 11th I am going to need everyone's help at getting on the show by voting for me. For the moment though you can view my entry video at the following link:
Jason's Survivor Video Application - Vote January 11th - 25th!
Other than that I'm just keeping busy. I'm still trying to find a full-time teaching position at a high school but the pickin' is scarce. I really want to find a full-time job so I can get on insurance as my wife's insurance at her work has almost tripled in price this year! Well, it's not all about the insurance, of course, I really want to get into a teaching groove. I LOVE my professor job at the college but, sadly, that doesn't pay the bills very well. It will help that I will be teaching 2 classes this coming semester but it still doesn't pay the bills. That and I'm beginning to loathe substitute teaching. I believe this lack of a full-time job is another reason I've been on a downward spiral these past couple of weeks as the stress just makes me down from time to time...
Anyhow, that's the news from here. If anyone knows of someone giving away a decent treadmill in the Colorado Springs area let me know, I can use it to train during the cold winter months. Or, if you all want to pitch in $100 I can go buy a super-crazy-fancy one from the sporting goods store, HA! Maybe I should start a web page for donations, yeah, that's the ticket...Knowing my luck I'd probably shoot my eye out!
As 2010 comes to a close I just feel that those that read this blog should know that there is hope for weight loss. If I can push myself and lose 75lbs in 6 months (in a healthy way) you can do it too. Make a New Years resolution and stick to it. It's tough and there are ups and downs, but you can do it. Are there days I want to give up? Of course. But if I can get back on that horse again and again, it's just a matter of time before you can begin as well. Don't make excuses like I did for 38 years, make time.
Happy Holidays to all, I hope to get another blog up before 2011 but if not, Happy 2011!
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
But first, the big milestone in my weight loss was that I had hit the 75th pound lost a couple of weeks ago. Now, I probably have a few pounds to lose to get BACK to that point since I have been so bad, but now that I'm focused again I believe I can easily do that. So, I am now, after 6 months, at my 1/2 way point, something I probably would not have believed would be possible 6 months ago. I actually felt that losing the 150lbs was going to take me 2+ years. Now, I have hope that I can actually lose the large majority of it within a year. Then it's a matter of maintaining my lifestyle, eating better, and taking care of myself.
So, you might wonder why I've 'fallen off of the wagon' in the past couple of weeks. Well, primarily these last couple of weeks have been high stress. The end of the semester was here and, for me, that meant that I had a 15-page research paper, (2) 3-page critical reviews (yet to be completed, one will be done today), grading of final projects for the class I teach, substitute teaching, and taking care of the ladies by doing regular chores like making dinner, taking them to school, etc. So, it all came to a head these past couple of weeks AND my birthday was in there as well (which I didn't really celebrate since I had so much stuff to do). Fitting in time to exercise became increasingly difficult and, although I managed to hit Thanksgiving and lose a pound, the post-Thanksgiving baking, cooking, etc. has been a boon to my existence. I know, I hate excuses too so I will just say I gave in to my dark side and consumed.
As well as I was doing leading up to these last couple of weeks, I just didn't find the time or motivation to fit in exercise which is what really hurts me. I can eat my regular meals over the course of the day but if I don't get in that exercise I really screw myself over on the overall lifestyle change aspect. When I am consistently working out and following my plan I lose a couple of pounds a week and feel successful in my pursuit. When I begin to fail it all starts crashing down. Now it's time to get back up to that peak and work on losing it again. Well, I already lost it, but I mean my weight, not my mind!
Right now I believe sugars to be the bane of my existence. With all of the holiday baking going on and all of the easily available sweets, it is very hard to resist temptation. I did succeed about 90% yesterday though as I substitute taught at my favorite high school and they had a pot luck available which had PLENTY of homemade baked goods. Instead of indulging I enjoyed my carrots, apple, and peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Would I have much rather have had the cupcakes that taunted me by being 3 feet away? Heck yes, but I was good and stayed true to the course. Now it's going to be a matter of making some sweets over the next few days to give to friends and family and it will be even HARDER to see the fresh goodness so close to me but without the ability to partake of the goodies...
As for exercise, my training for the 5K is temporarily on hold as the temps have typically been around the mid-30s for the past few weeks. I have continued on my 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout' routine as well as doing 1+ hour sessions on the stationary bike. This was when I was good and what I intend to get back to. I think I might actually boost my workouts up to 2X a day on every other day as well where one workout is all cardio and one is all weights. I need some upper body strength for crying out loud!
Speaking of needing strength, I have recently submitted a video for Survivor to get a chance at having an interview with the casting agents. I've always been a big fan of the show and have actually submitted applications 2X before (the reason I got my passport was so that I could submit an application to the show!). Now that I'm getting back in shape again I feel that it's time to throw my hat into the arena again. If I do get on the show I honest to goodness think I have a chance to go all the way as I have solid strategies and methods that I would follow that would get me far in the game. Sure, I wouldn't be a physical threat, but hopefully my brainpower will suffice! HA! So, come January 11th I am going to need everyone's help at getting on the show by voting for me. For the moment though you can view my entry video at the following link:
Jason's Survivor Video Application - Vote January 11th - 25th!
Other than that I'm just keeping busy. I'm still trying to find a full-time teaching position at a high school but the pickin' is scarce. I really want to find a full-time job so I can get on insurance as my wife's insurance at her work has almost tripled in price this year! Well, it's not all about the insurance, of course, I really want to get into a teaching groove. I LOVE my professor job at the college but, sadly, that doesn't pay the bills very well. It will help that I will be teaching 2 classes this coming semester but it still doesn't pay the bills. That and I'm beginning to loathe substitute teaching. I believe this lack of a full-time job is another reason I've been on a downward spiral these past couple of weeks as the stress just makes me down from time to time...
Anyhow, that's the news from here. If anyone knows of someone giving away a decent treadmill in the Colorado Springs area let me know, I can use it to train during the cold winter months. Or, if you all want to pitch in $100 I can go buy a super-crazy-fancy one from the sporting goods store, HA! Maybe I should start a web page for donations, yeah, that's the ticket...Knowing my luck I'd probably shoot my eye out!
As 2010 comes to a close I just feel that those that read this blog should know that there is hope for weight loss. If I can push myself and lose 75lbs in 6 months (in a healthy way) you can do it too. Make a New Years resolution and stick to it. It's tough and there are ups and downs, but you can do it. Are there days I want to give up? Of course. But if I can get back on that horse again and again, it's just a matter of time before you can begin as well. Don't make excuses like I did for 38 years, make time.
Happy Holidays to all, I hope to get another blog up before 2011 but if not, Happy 2011!
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
Sunday, October 31, 2010
On a month-by-month writing now?
Well it appears that I went from updating once a week to instead updating once a month. No, it's not on purpose as I do have things to say about my journey, but time is such a precious resource these days and things fall by the wayside. The weight-loss and lifestyle change have been going well overall and I am now past the 20 week mark with a loss every week except for one in which I balanced out with no loss and no gain for the week. I continue my exercise (although this week has been a bit of a 'lazy' week compared to others) and am still building my stamina. Other than that things have been busier for me lately and I've been working towards December when I can finally take a bit of a break.
So, first up, I mentioned that I have been working on the lifestyle change for over 20 weeks now and, a drum-roll please, I am down a total of 70.8lbs. Yes, in a period of 4 1/2 months I've lost the equivalent weight of my niece. Granted, it's taken a lot of work, as would be expected, but I can definitely see and feel the change. The odd thing is, as I lose weight with different exercises, different parts of my body shrink and grow. For example, if I go on a walk/run a few times a week, my stomach shrinks. If I choose to instead do the 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout', my arms and butt shrink. I understand that different exercises work different parts of the body but I just found it interesting to actually 'feel' the difference.
When talking about my diet there have been days of discrepancy but I am still following a somewhat regular routine. Considering how different my food intake is now versus last year, I look back on my old meals and, yes, sometimes I crave them, but overall I don't mind the change. For example, we went to Gunther Toody's the other night for dinner. Prior to my lifestyle change I would almost always get the same thing, a Dagwood (ham, bacon, fried egg, tomato, mayo, and a bun), Elvis fries (fries smothered in country gravy and covered in cheese), and a root beer milkshake (or similar). Instead, the other night I chose to get a Jalapeno Guacamole burger, substitute the hamburger for a turkey burger, got a wheat bun (not a big commitment as I like these more anyhow), and substituted the french fries for fresh fruit. Instead of having a meal that would have killed my daily calories, instead I had a much healthier choice and it was yummy. I won't lie and say I didn't crave my previous meal as I think the Dagwood is the best sandwich in town, but I have had cravings for more and more jalapenos lately so it wasn't a bad trade-off.
Yes, the cravings are still there and, from time to time I give in to the cravings. I am much better than I thought I would be though. This week I actually had a morning of weakness and, for some reason, I decided to have one sugary food, followed it with another sugary food, and then another sugary food. I don't know what triggered in my brain to say I needed the sugary food, but I felt bad afterwards both physically and mentally. I know I've got to give in to the small cravings every once in awhile but for this case I gave in a few times in a row. I was on such a sugar high for a couple of hours considering how low my sugar intake has been over the last several months. Couple that with a cup of coffee and, well, you get the idea.
On the non-craving side I have been cooking up some meals at home, like usual, and have found a few really good ones. One of our favorites I have posted below, Malaysian Mango Chicken Curry. I make sure to use fresh mango in it which adds a bit of extra flavor.
Malaysian Mango Chicken Curry
Prep Time:
20 Min Cook Time:
20 Min Ready In:
40 Min
Servings Original Recipe Yield 2 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 mango, peeled and cubed
Directions
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the chicken breast. Cook the chicken breast until no longer pink in the center. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate. Meanwhile, whisk together the chicken stock, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, curry powder, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Using the same skillet, cook and stir the onion over medium heat until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green and red bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes, then add the ginger and cook for another minute. Stir in the chicken stock mixture and the cooked chicken breast. Cook until the sauce has thickened. Drop mango in and cook until the mango is heated through.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 361 | Total Fat: 9.1g | Cholesterol: 66mg
I am going to try a turkey meatloaf in the near future that uses Quinoa, an ingredient I have never used before. Yesterday, at CostCo, I remembered the recipe required Quinoa and saw it there so decided to pick some up. I'll let you all know. And if anyone can explain what Quinoa really is feel free to E-mail me as I am too lazy to Google it at the moment! HA! So, I'm still eating healthier and making healthier food choices about 85% of the time. Eventually I will start cutting back on my carbohydrates and fat but for right now the biggest step was cutting out the artificial sweeteners and cutting back on the sugars.
Now I have to bring up exercise. For my exercise I tend to go in waves. One week I will be die-hard and exercises 6 out of 7 days with no problem. The next week I will slack a little bit and only work out 3 out of 7 days. Lately it's been up and down. One week I am so motivated to get things done and continue working hard towards my goal. The next I feel like I did a good job the prior week and deserve a bit of a break. I know this isn't the case as, if I want to continue the good job I've been doing so far I have to continue working out. One of my biggest justifications is partially substantiated in that I have been getting more substitute teaching jobs lately and I tend to continually walk around the classroom for several hours a day to be able to help out students as well as to curb any potential misbehavior. As a result I tend to walk for several hours a day, just at a really slow pace. So, I have been justifying my 'off' days by saying that I walked around a classroom all day.
As for my regular workout routines I have been continuing my walking/running and have been improving on my running. I'm still not anywhere near where I need to be for a 5K, but I have been increasing my running time and decreasing my walk time. It's a tough road though because, as a fat guy, my belly and chin like to bounce around a lot when I am running and it really isn't a pleasant feeling. But, I have been doing what I can before the weather gets too cold. Once that happens I'm going to start hitting my elliptical in the basement a lot more often. I would much rather be out there walking in the 'real-world', but ya gotta do what ya gotta do!
Other than the walking/running I have been continuing on my 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout' routine and have made my own circuit which is an hour and includes the 5 most difficult dance routines, the 5 most difficult boxing routines, and 5 mini-games (karate, ninja sword, and bull dodging). Depending on how motivated I am to do the workout that day I either sweat bullets or sweat very little. I do recommend it for a way to get some good aerobic exercise in though as it can push you when you need a workout day at home.
Another thing which I picked up on late in the season is hiking. When I go hiking I can at least bring the 'family' and get out to see some wonderful parts of Colorado. So far we've only gone to the Fox Run Park in Black Forest, but I do have a book of easier hikes that my friend Jenn recommended to me and I look forward to trying more in the future. The other nice thing about hiking is that, along the way, we can GeoCache as well AND, as a bonus, my Smartphone has the ability to run GPS software which is just as accurate as my big GPS so, we can go GeoCaching and not have to lug around any heavy equipment. The only bummer part, between using the RunKeeper and GeoCaching the battery on my phone tends to drain pretty fast so I have to charge it in the car when we leave. Not a big deal but I can see it being so on longer hikes.
At this point in the blog I've explained the food and the exercise so what about my motivation? Fortunately for me I've been going to my TOPS meeting every week and, as such, the desire to succeed continues. It's a lot more difficult losing the weight without having a couple of supporters and, as much as Lisa supports me, being held accountable by a group that includes other members that are going through the same thing is a big boost. By having that weigh-in date every Tuesday night it really makes you think twice about how much effort you put into eating better and exercising over the course of the week. Granted, we always joke that Tuesday are the saint and sinner days for us. First, we have to be saints and limit our food and drink intake so that our weigh-in is 'friendly' to us. Then, after the meeting, it's time to sin as several of us tend to disband the group and go our separate ways and get food that we've been craving for the week! HA! But TOPS really has been helpful and, surprisingly, we actually got 5 new members last week! We're getting to be a force to be reckoned with, hehe...
About motivation, it comes and goes but mostly it is there. I have not changed the way I eat and live to result in me being happy with what I look like but then give it all up. Since this is a lifestyle change there has been the motivation to change forever. And remember, a diet is a lifestyle change and you do NOT have to be 100% strict on what you eat as it will almost guarantee failure. Instead, you've got to let yourself have a treat from time to time so that you don't feel you CAN'T have something, you just can't have it with as much frequency as you once had. Heck, last night we went to Culver's after a USAFA football game and I had a small butterscotch custard. Was it good for me? Yes. Why? If the ladies had been having custard and I did not I may harbor some inner-resentment. Instead, I ordered the small with no extra frills where previously I may have ordered a large concrete full of extras. Did it throw my diet off? Sure, a little, but the small reward was worth spending a little extra time working out or cutting back on something a little later in the week.
They say that weight-loss should be a walk and not a run and I agree. Sure, I've lost 70+ pounds in the last 4 1/2 months BUT I am not racing to a goal. I lose around 2-3lbs a week on average and any more than that and I feel that I might be pushing myself too hard. A slow-burn is going to achieve a lot more in the grand scheme of things, at least for me. For me the goal is to have lost 150lbs by June of 2012. I've got plenty of time to get there and, with my continued efforts and hard work I feel that I'll actually hit my goal far before then. At that point in time the goal will not necessarily be anything under the 200lb mark, but instead to maintain my weight while increasing my exercise stamina. Honestly, I have no idea where my body will be in 1 1/2 years but it's going to be a helluva lot better off than it was 1/2 of a year ago!
Until next time,
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
So, first up, I mentioned that I have been working on the lifestyle change for over 20 weeks now and, a drum-roll please, I am down a total of 70.8lbs. Yes, in a period of 4 1/2 months I've lost the equivalent weight of my niece. Granted, it's taken a lot of work, as would be expected, but I can definitely see and feel the change. The odd thing is, as I lose weight with different exercises, different parts of my body shrink and grow. For example, if I go on a walk/run a few times a week, my stomach shrinks. If I choose to instead do the 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout', my arms and butt shrink. I understand that different exercises work different parts of the body but I just found it interesting to actually 'feel' the difference.
When talking about my diet there have been days of discrepancy but I am still following a somewhat regular routine. Considering how different my food intake is now versus last year, I look back on my old meals and, yes, sometimes I crave them, but overall I don't mind the change. For example, we went to Gunther Toody's the other night for dinner. Prior to my lifestyle change I would almost always get the same thing, a Dagwood (ham, bacon, fried egg, tomato, mayo, and a bun), Elvis fries (fries smothered in country gravy and covered in cheese), and a root beer milkshake (or similar). Instead, the other night I chose to get a Jalapeno Guacamole burger, substitute the hamburger for a turkey burger, got a wheat bun (not a big commitment as I like these more anyhow), and substituted the french fries for fresh fruit. Instead of having a meal that would have killed my daily calories, instead I had a much healthier choice and it was yummy. I won't lie and say I didn't crave my previous meal as I think the Dagwood is the best sandwich in town, but I have had cravings for more and more jalapenos lately so it wasn't a bad trade-off.
Yes, the cravings are still there and, from time to time I give in to the cravings. I am much better than I thought I would be though. This week I actually had a morning of weakness and, for some reason, I decided to have one sugary food, followed it with another sugary food, and then another sugary food. I don't know what triggered in my brain to say I needed the sugary food, but I felt bad afterwards both physically and mentally. I know I've got to give in to the small cravings every once in awhile but for this case I gave in a few times in a row. I was on such a sugar high for a couple of hours considering how low my sugar intake has been over the last several months. Couple that with a cup of coffee and, well, you get the idea.
On the non-craving side I have been cooking up some meals at home, like usual, and have found a few really good ones. One of our favorites I have posted below, Malaysian Mango Chicken Curry. I make sure to use fresh mango in it which adds a bit of extra flavor.
Malaysian Mango Chicken Curry
Prep Time:
20 Min Cook Time:
20 Min Ready In:
40 Min
Servings Original Recipe Yield 2 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cubed
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 mango, peeled and cubed
Directions
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the chicken breast. Cook the chicken breast until no longer pink in the center. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate. Meanwhile, whisk together the chicken stock, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, curry powder, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Using the same skillet, cook and stir the onion over medium heat until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green and red bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes, then add the ginger and cook for another minute. Stir in the chicken stock mixture and the cooked chicken breast. Cook until the sauce has thickened. Drop mango in and cook until the mango is heated through.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 361 | Total Fat: 9.1g | Cholesterol: 66mg
I am going to try a turkey meatloaf in the near future that uses Quinoa, an ingredient I have never used before. Yesterday, at CostCo, I remembered the recipe required Quinoa and saw it there so decided to pick some up. I'll let you all know. And if anyone can explain what Quinoa really is feel free to E-mail me as I am too lazy to Google it at the moment! HA! So, I'm still eating healthier and making healthier food choices about 85% of the time. Eventually I will start cutting back on my carbohydrates and fat but for right now the biggest step was cutting out the artificial sweeteners and cutting back on the sugars.
Now I have to bring up exercise. For my exercise I tend to go in waves. One week I will be die-hard and exercises 6 out of 7 days with no problem. The next week I will slack a little bit and only work out 3 out of 7 days. Lately it's been up and down. One week I am so motivated to get things done and continue working hard towards my goal. The next I feel like I did a good job the prior week and deserve a bit of a break. I know this isn't the case as, if I want to continue the good job I've been doing so far I have to continue working out. One of my biggest justifications is partially substantiated in that I have been getting more substitute teaching jobs lately and I tend to continually walk around the classroom for several hours a day to be able to help out students as well as to curb any potential misbehavior. As a result I tend to walk for several hours a day, just at a really slow pace. So, I have been justifying my 'off' days by saying that I walked around a classroom all day.
As for my regular workout routines I have been continuing my walking/running and have been improving on my running. I'm still not anywhere near where I need to be for a 5K, but I have been increasing my running time and decreasing my walk time. It's a tough road though because, as a fat guy, my belly and chin like to bounce around a lot when I am running and it really isn't a pleasant feeling. But, I have been doing what I can before the weather gets too cold. Once that happens I'm going to start hitting my elliptical in the basement a lot more often. I would much rather be out there walking in the 'real-world', but ya gotta do what ya gotta do!
Other than the walking/running I have been continuing on my 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout' routine and have made my own circuit which is an hour and includes the 5 most difficult dance routines, the 5 most difficult boxing routines, and 5 mini-games (karate, ninja sword, and bull dodging). Depending on how motivated I am to do the workout that day I either sweat bullets or sweat very little. I do recommend it for a way to get some good aerobic exercise in though as it can push you when you need a workout day at home.
Another thing which I picked up on late in the season is hiking. When I go hiking I can at least bring the 'family' and get out to see some wonderful parts of Colorado. So far we've only gone to the Fox Run Park in Black Forest, but I do have a book of easier hikes that my friend Jenn recommended to me and I look forward to trying more in the future. The other nice thing about hiking is that, along the way, we can GeoCache as well AND, as a bonus, my Smartphone has the ability to run GPS software which is just as accurate as my big GPS so, we can go GeoCaching and not have to lug around any heavy equipment. The only bummer part, between using the RunKeeper and GeoCaching the battery on my phone tends to drain pretty fast so I have to charge it in the car when we leave. Not a big deal but I can see it being so on longer hikes.
At this point in the blog I've explained the food and the exercise so what about my motivation? Fortunately for me I've been going to my TOPS meeting every week and, as such, the desire to succeed continues. It's a lot more difficult losing the weight without having a couple of supporters and, as much as Lisa supports me, being held accountable by a group that includes other members that are going through the same thing is a big boost. By having that weigh-in date every Tuesday night it really makes you think twice about how much effort you put into eating better and exercising over the course of the week. Granted, we always joke that Tuesday are the saint and sinner days for us. First, we have to be saints and limit our food and drink intake so that our weigh-in is 'friendly' to us. Then, after the meeting, it's time to sin as several of us tend to disband the group and go our separate ways and get food that we've been craving for the week! HA! But TOPS really has been helpful and, surprisingly, we actually got 5 new members last week! We're getting to be a force to be reckoned with, hehe...
About motivation, it comes and goes but mostly it is there. I have not changed the way I eat and live to result in me being happy with what I look like but then give it all up. Since this is a lifestyle change there has been the motivation to change forever. And remember, a diet is a lifestyle change and you do NOT have to be 100% strict on what you eat as it will almost guarantee failure. Instead, you've got to let yourself have a treat from time to time so that you don't feel you CAN'T have something, you just can't have it with as much frequency as you once had. Heck, last night we went to Culver's after a USAFA football game and I had a small butterscotch custard. Was it good for me? Yes. Why? If the ladies had been having custard and I did not I may harbor some inner-resentment. Instead, I ordered the small with no extra frills where previously I may have ordered a large concrete full of extras. Did it throw my diet off? Sure, a little, but the small reward was worth spending a little extra time working out or cutting back on something a little later in the week.
They say that weight-loss should be a walk and not a run and I agree. Sure, I've lost 70+ pounds in the last 4 1/2 months BUT I am not racing to a goal. I lose around 2-3lbs a week on average and any more than that and I feel that I might be pushing myself too hard. A slow-burn is going to achieve a lot more in the grand scheme of things, at least for me. For me the goal is to have lost 150lbs by June of 2012. I've got plenty of time to get there and, with my continued efforts and hard work I feel that I'll actually hit my goal far before then. At that point in time the goal will not necessarily be anything under the 200lb mark, but instead to maintain my weight while increasing my exercise stamina. Honestly, I have no idea where my body will be in 1 1/2 years but it's going to be a helluva lot better off than it was 1/2 of a year ago!
Until next time,
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Yes, it's been awhile...
...but fear not, the weight loss and lifestyle change have been going swimmingly. No, I am not swimming (yet!) but things are going well and I've continued to be successful in my journey. Overall I have just been so busy with life that I have not had a chance to sit down and spend time writing a new blog. Heck, I really should be reading a book for my India class as well as preparing a paper on said book. Instead, I felt it was time to send out an update and let you all know how things have been going. I believe that SOME of you actually read the blog so I guess I should reward my faithful subjects, ahem, readers!
So, let's talk about where I am at this point in my weight-loss journey. As of this week I believe I am down to my first 60lbs. lost. This, of course, is since June 15, 2010, something I would have never believed would happen in such a short period of time. Now, don't get me wrong, it is not just falling off (aside from the first week where I lost all of that water weight), I am working hard to keep up a healthier lifestyle and that includes both diet and exercise. Figure this though, in another 15lbs. I will already by 1/2 way to my weight goal of 200lbs.! Funny thing is, as I am starting to get more involved with exercise I really can see myself getting down to around 180lbs. but at this point that is not a goal, just a future possibility, 200lbs. will be far lower in weight than I have been since at least high school which was 20 years ago!
So let's start with exercise. First off, since the last blog I bought the 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout' for the Nintendo Wii. You all know how much I enjoyed the 'Gold's Gym Cardio Workout' and it's cardio boxing / mini-games so the Dance Workout was a no-brainer for me. Now, there are changes in how the game works and how much warning the trainer gives you when switching exercises. There is a much bigger learning curve on Dance Workout but, that being said, it is a really good way of getting the heart pumping! I started out fairly slow and worked my way up to about an hour of workout a day. I also put in a couple of 7-day set workouts which got me sweating. Needless to say, after 14 days of working out you could actually SEE the results in my photographs from one week to another.
So, I have basically been doing the Dance Workout for the past few weeks and really knocked off some calories. Not only that but I have begun to actually feel the results on my body and can feel my arms tightening up (less extra fat / waddle), my butt getting a bit firmer (I know, TMI!), my stomach disintegrating, and, oddly enough, my hands feel skinnier (my wedding ring easily slides on and off). So yes, my body is definitely giving me signs that I am doing the right thing. I can also run up and down the stairs without grabbing an extra breath of air at the top and walking around doesn't seem so much a chore anymore as it once was. Oh, and my dance workouts I continue to do all Advanced dances (not well, mind you) and at the end of a workout I don't feel like I am about to die! (exaggeration)
On to further exercise I will begin my 5K training tomorrow. A friend recommended an application for my phone called Couch-to-5K which basically gives you a walking/running routine that starts out really slow and works its way up to running for 30 minutes. It takes about 9 weeks to get to this point but hey, if I could honestly run a 5K that would be a miracle in and of itself considering I have always said that the only reason people should run is if they are being chased by a bear. Plus, not only will it give me some extra needed exercise, but I believe that once I am able to do a 5K it will be a significant turning point in my life. By the time I am able to do this it will be a complete 180 degree turn from my former lifestyle and a HUGE milestone for me. (Even now, just thinking about it I am actually getting a little emotional, seriously!)
How about diet? Well, things there are going great as well. There are days I go out and still eat some of my old favorites but that is few and far between. I still don't eat fast food and things like french fries and potato chips are things long in the past (and not really missed). Yes, sugar has still been a little bit of a weakness but I'm not talking about a candy bar or pastry or anything, I'm actually talking about higher sugar foods. Now, I have been faithful to removing both High Fructose Corn Syrup (now called Corn Sugar, idiots!) and all artificial sweeteners from my diet and it seems to be working well. It's just an occasional pang that I have for something sweeter. For example, I had Irish Oatmeal with cinnamon and dried berries this morning but it still needed just a little sweetness so I added about a tablespoon of brown sugar which was just enough. Sure, it wasn't AS good for me but it was high in fiber so I figure I kinda sorta balanced it out! HA!
Other than that I've been eating much better overall which is a lot tougher with my insane schedule these days. Typically Thursday I am the worst and only have 2 small meals but I am also all over town on Thursday. On a different note Lisa and I went to dinner at a local bar/pub last night and although 90% of their meals are pretty much standard pub grub, I still managed to avoid the temptation of getting a high calorie / high fat meal and instead got a grilled chicken breast with buffalo sauce and a side salad with vinegar and oil. It was a sandwich and came out on a large hamburger bun but I figured I didn't need the top of the bun which removed a couple of hundred useless calories. So, overall, the calories were manageable, I got my protein, and I got plenty of flavor (even though it was only so-so and the chicken was a tad dry). Moderation, moderation, moderation!
So for diet and to all of my friends that have been sending me recipes and helpful advice, thank you. it's good to see some of this yummy stuff coming through that is much healthier for me. I do not miss the easy prepared food (although I do have SOME in the fridge it is not NEARLY as much as before). I have also managed to keep my food waste down as we had to adjust to 3 people eating in our household and I was overdoing it on fresh fruits and veggies. Now I just get some about 2X a week, as needed, and make my meals from those. I did make some yummy Ethiopian Cabbage and Potatoes the other week, I'll post the recipe here...
Ethiopian Cabbage and Potatoes
Prep Time:
25 Min
Cook Time:
40 Min
Ready In:
1 Hr 5 Min
Original Recipe Yield 5 servings
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 4 carrots, thinly sliced
* 1 onion, thinly sliced
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1/2 head cabbage, shredded
* 5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the carrots and onion in the hot oil about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and cabbage and cook another 15 to 20 minutes. Add the potatoes; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.
Nutritional Information open nutritional information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 428 | Total Fat: 22.2g | Cholesterol: 0mg
I ended up using the pressure cooker and my first batch didn't have quite enough liquid in it so I added some more to the second batch and it came out perfect (and I froze it for future use). I also increased the spices from the original recipe as that seemed the most common gripe about the original. The increase in spices was just fine. So, if you like it, great, it's a yummy vegetarian meal!
So, on to other things. Lately I've been in a much better place mentally about my weight-loss and lifestyle change. For those that followed me before you know that I was feeling upset about weeks where I only had small losses. Instead, now I don't care so much. I figure as long as I am either maintaining or losing weight, no matter how much, life is good. Sure, I could probably gain some weight some week and I am OK with that now as well. I figure it this way, I am working hard at keeping my body happy and in doing so I know that I will encounter challenges. And, as you all know by now, a challenge for me is something I approach with the same gusto as I do all challenges, I will prevail! So, I've gone from an intense approach to my journey to a more laid back one. Heck, I've got enough stress in my life right now to have to add another thing to my plate!
As for stress I am trying to control it as I know that is also another thing that can bring a weight-loss routine to it's knees. I've got so many things going on in my life right now that keeping on top of them has been difficult but I figure things can always be worse. That and I took on all of these things on my own so I know that I have no one to blame but myself. Basically the hardest has been keeping on top of my schoolwork for my Master's program as the classes have been very difficult so far and instead of being the cocky bastard that I normally am, I feel like I am now at the bottom of the heap. Before, where I felt intelligent about things, now I feel like a first grader in a college level class! That's OK though, once I re-find my groove things should improve. It's just a matter of finding the time to read my books, write my papers, and gain a grasp on the material (the hard part right now). So, hopefully my stresses will diminish as I find my 'groove'.
Things in life are overall decent though. Having a foreign exchange student here (Martine) has been a great thing and we have so much fun showing her to all of the amazing places in Colorado on the weekends. We were planning on going up to see the Aspens color change today but she is visiting her friend from Norway down in Widefield so we are taking it easy this morning. I am making some fresh honey-wheat bread and later I intend on swinging by CostCo to get some strawberries for some homemade preserves (it will be my first attempt). Tomorrow we attend the foreign exchange picnic down at Bear Creek Park so that should be nice. It's been fun getting out and seeing things I've always meant to see in the Springs too! :)
Oh, an inspirational video I saw on YouTube recently has brought to light another going through almost exactly the same transformation as myself. His name is Ben and he just posted the video a few days ago about his weight loss journey. Basically he started at just 8lbs more than I did when I started my lifestyle change and he was very similar to me. He would sit and play video games all day, watch TV, etc. Now, he runs everyday and his journey has brought him from a 5K all the way up to participating in an Iron Man triathlon. He has lost 120lbs. since the beginning of 2009. So, I am on a very similar path and this video has been a big inspiration for me. His blog also helps as it shows how successful he has been and how it has changed his life. I hope one day I can post my 150 pound weight loss journey video at YouTube! :)
120 Pound Journey Video at YouTube
Ben's Blog
Well, that's about it. I have to go downstairs and transfer the dough from the bowl to the bread loaf pans to let them rise for another hour. I hope that you continue to enjoy my blog and I apologize for the lack of posts recently but honestly, I have been SOOOO busy I just haven't had the time. I will continue to update as I can though. Next time I'll be 15lbs. lights and at my 1/2 way point! :)
Until next time,
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
So, let's talk about where I am at this point in my weight-loss journey. As of this week I believe I am down to my first 60lbs. lost. This, of course, is since June 15, 2010, something I would have never believed would happen in such a short period of time. Now, don't get me wrong, it is not just falling off (aside from the first week where I lost all of that water weight), I am working hard to keep up a healthier lifestyle and that includes both diet and exercise. Figure this though, in another 15lbs. I will already by 1/2 way to my weight goal of 200lbs.! Funny thing is, as I am starting to get more involved with exercise I really can see myself getting down to around 180lbs. but at this point that is not a goal, just a future possibility, 200lbs. will be far lower in weight than I have been since at least high school which was 20 years ago!
So let's start with exercise. First off, since the last blog I bought the 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout' for the Nintendo Wii. You all know how much I enjoyed the 'Gold's Gym Cardio Workout' and it's cardio boxing / mini-games so the Dance Workout was a no-brainer for me. Now, there are changes in how the game works and how much warning the trainer gives you when switching exercises. There is a much bigger learning curve on Dance Workout but, that being said, it is a really good way of getting the heart pumping! I started out fairly slow and worked my way up to about an hour of workout a day. I also put in a couple of 7-day set workouts which got me sweating. Needless to say, after 14 days of working out you could actually SEE the results in my photographs from one week to another.
So, I have basically been doing the Dance Workout for the past few weeks and really knocked off some calories. Not only that but I have begun to actually feel the results on my body and can feel my arms tightening up (less extra fat / waddle), my butt getting a bit firmer (I know, TMI!), my stomach disintegrating, and, oddly enough, my hands feel skinnier (my wedding ring easily slides on and off). So yes, my body is definitely giving me signs that I am doing the right thing. I can also run up and down the stairs without grabbing an extra breath of air at the top and walking around doesn't seem so much a chore anymore as it once was. Oh, and my dance workouts I continue to do all Advanced dances (not well, mind you) and at the end of a workout I don't feel like I am about to die! (exaggeration)
On to further exercise I will begin my 5K training tomorrow. A friend recommended an application for my phone called Couch-to-5K which basically gives you a walking/running routine that starts out really slow and works its way up to running for 30 minutes. It takes about 9 weeks to get to this point but hey, if I could honestly run a 5K that would be a miracle in and of itself considering I have always said that the only reason people should run is if they are being chased by a bear. Plus, not only will it give me some extra needed exercise, but I believe that once I am able to do a 5K it will be a significant turning point in my life. By the time I am able to do this it will be a complete 180 degree turn from my former lifestyle and a HUGE milestone for me. (Even now, just thinking about it I am actually getting a little emotional, seriously!)
How about diet? Well, things there are going great as well. There are days I go out and still eat some of my old favorites but that is few and far between. I still don't eat fast food and things like french fries and potato chips are things long in the past (and not really missed). Yes, sugar has still been a little bit of a weakness but I'm not talking about a candy bar or pastry or anything, I'm actually talking about higher sugar foods. Now, I have been faithful to removing both High Fructose Corn Syrup (now called Corn Sugar, idiots!) and all artificial sweeteners from my diet and it seems to be working well. It's just an occasional pang that I have for something sweeter. For example, I had Irish Oatmeal with cinnamon and dried berries this morning but it still needed just a little sweetness so I added about a tablespoon of brown sugar which was just enough. Sure, it wasn't AS good for me but it was high in fiber so I figure I kinda sorta balanced it out! HA!
Other than that I've been eating much better overall which is a lot tougher with my insane schedule these days. Typically Thursday I am the worst and only have 2 small meals but I am also all over town on Thursday. On a different note Lisa and I went to dinner at a local bar/pub last night and although 90% of their meals are pretty much standard pub grub, I still managed to avoid the temptation of getting a high calorie / high fat meal and instead got a grilled chicken breast with buffalo sauce and a side salad with vinegar and oil. It was a sandwich and came out on a large hamburger bun but I figured I didn't need the top of the bun which removed a couple of hundred useless calories. So, overall, the calories were manageable, I got my protein, and I got plenty of flavor (even though it was only so-so and the chicken was a tad dry). Moderation, moderation, moderation!
So for diet and to all of my friends that have been sending me recipes and helpful advice, thank you. it's good to see some of this yummy stuff coming through that is much healthier for me. I do not miss the easy prepared food (although I do have SOME in the fridge it is not NEARLY as much as before). I have also managed to keep my food waste down as we had to adjust to 3 people eating in our household and I was overdoing it on fresh fruits and veggies. Now I just get some about 2X a week, as needed, and make my meals from those. I did make some yummy Ethiopian Cabbage and Potatoes the other week, I'll post the recipe here...
Ethiopian Cabbage and Potatoes
Prep Time:
25 Min
Cook Time:
40 Min
Ready In:
1 Hr 5 Min
Original Recipe Yield 5 servings
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 4 carrots, thinly sliced
* 1 onion, thinly sliced
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1/2 head cabbage, shredded
* 5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the carrots and onion in the hot oil about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and cabbage and cook another 15 to 20 minutes. Add the potatoes; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.
Nutritional Information open nutritional information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 428 | Total Fat: 22.2g | Cholesterol: 0mg
I ended up using the pressure cooker and my first batch didn't have quite enough liquid in it so I added some more to the second batch and it came out perfect (and I froze it for future use). I also increased the spices from the original recipe as that seemed the most common gripe about the original. The increase in spices was just fine. So, if you like it, great, it's a yummy vegetarian meal!
So, on to other things. Lately I've been in a much better place mentally about my weight-loss and lifestyle change. For those that followed me before you know that I was feeling upset about weeks where I only had small losses. Instead, now I don't care so much. I figure as long as I am either maintaining or losing weight, no matter how much, life is good. Sure, I could probably gain some weight some week and I am OK with that now as well. I figure it this way, I am working hard at keeping my body happy and in doing so I know that I will encounter challenges. And, as you all know by now, a challenge for me is something I approach with the same gusto as I do all challenges, I will prevail! So, I've gone from an intense approach to my journey to a more laid back one. Heck, I've got enough stress in my life right now to have to add another thing to my plate!
As for stress I am trying to control it as I know that is also another thing that can bring a weight-loss routine to it's knees. I've got so many things going on in my life right now that keeping on top of them has been difficult but I figure things can always be worse. That and I took on all of these things on my own so I know that I have no one to blame but myself. Basically the hardest has been keeping on top of my schoolwork for my Master's program as the classes have been very difficult so far and instead of being the cocky bastard that I normally am, I feel like I am now at the bottom of the heap. Before, where I felt intelligent about things, now I feel like a first grader in a college level class! That's OK though, once I re-find my groove things should improve. It's just a matter of finding the time to read my books, write my papers, and gain a grasp on the material (the hard part right now). So, hopefully my stresses will diminish as I find my 'groove'.
Things in life are overall decent though. Having a foreign exchange student here (Martine) has been a great thing and we have so much fun showing her to all of the amazing places in Colorado on the weekends. We were planning on going up to see the Aspens color change today but she is visiting her friend from Norway down in Widefield so we are taking it easy this morning. I am making some fresh honey-wheat bread and later I intend on swinging by CostCo to get some strawberries for some homemade preserves (it will be my first attempt). Tomorrow we attend the foreign exchange picnic down at Bear Creek Park so that should be nice. It's been fun getting out and seeing things I've always meant to see in the Springs too! :)
Oh, an inspirational video I saw on YouTube recently has brought to light another going through almost exactly the same transformation as myself. His name is Ben and he just posted the video a few days ago about his weight loss journey. Basically he started at just 8lbs more than I did when I started my lifestyle change and he was very similar to me. He would sit and play video games all day, watch TV, etc. Now, he runs everyday and his journey has brought him from a 5K all the way up to participating in an Iron Man triathlon. He has lost 120lbs. since the beginning of 2009. So, I am on a very similar path and this video has been a big inspiration for me. His blog also helps as it shows how successful he has been and how it has changed his life. I hope one day I can post my 150 pound weight loss journey video at YouTube! :)
120 Pound Journey Video at YouTube
Ben's Blog
Well, that's about it. I have to go downstairs and transfer the dough from the bowl to the bread loaf pans to let them rise for another hour. I hope that you continue to enjoy my blog and I apologize for the lack of posts recently but honestly, I have been SOOOO busy I just haven't had the time. I will continue to update as I can though. Next time I'll be 15lbs. lights and at my 1/2 way point! :)
Until next time,
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Much Overdue About Nothing...
...see, I did a wordplay! And for those of you that didn't get it, why are you reading my blog? HA! Just kidding. Anyhow, yes, this blog is far overdue and it's mostly been because I've had a couple of weeks where I didn't feel as well as I should about my weight loss. I've finally broken past that wall and am back on track but it took me some time and frustration to get myself rolling again. Of course I'm sure I'll be talking about it all in this blog and going into unnecessary depth about it so read on!
First off things, even with my brief parlay into feeling sorry for myself, are actually fairly decent. I think there are a few reasons why I fell into a little anger and frustration towards my lifestyle change and that coupled with the upcoming change in stress compiled into me putting too much weight (yes, this is an unintentional pun but it works so well!) into my diet and weight loss. Even before my nutritionist came over to tell me how to eat even better, I was a bit down in the dumps. There are just certain things that seem to trigger my cravings and it's been a little tougher to resist them even though I have been a thousand times better than I used to be when it comes to making poor eating choices.
So, what set this whole thing off in the first place? Thinking back it was a couple of weeks ago after a TOPS weigh-in that did me in. As I had gone for about 2 months of being the biggest loser in the group I felt I deserved a little reward for being so good. Going forward on this we brought our exchange student, Martine, to 'La Casita', a local fast food Mexican restaurant (far better quality than 'Taco Bell' or similar). Anyhow, against my better judgment I decided to go back to my old eating style figuring one meal couldn't hurt me that bad. That and I hadn't had 'La Casita' in quite awhile. It was good but yes, I made a poor choice and got the larger meal that I used to eat. So where is this going? One meal can't be the be all, end all of civilization, can it?
Well, in a way, yes. The next morning I weighed myself to see how much the meal had affected my weight. Sure enough, not only had I gained back all of the weight I had lost the previous week, but another pound or so on top of that. Well, this is about when my spiral into self-pity began. So, I worked hard for the next three days to lose the five or so pounds that I had put back on. I made it back to my weight I was and felt better about things. That is, until I made my homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Sure, I use the Barilla Plus wheat noodles which are better for me, and I didn't go overboard with the sauce or noodles, but, but, but, I did have three meatballs which were large, dense, and higher in calories and fat. Begin phase two of my decline into madness.
So, as you might expect, the single meal did me in once again and I was back to where I was at the weigh-in on the previous Tuesday. With the following weigh-in just a couple of days away I went workout crazy and boosted my general workout from an average of about 60 minutes (45 minutes on stationary bike, 15 minutes of weights) to 75 minutes (60 minutes on bike, 15 minutes on weights). I had even thought to double my workout for the day (which I decided against). Sure, I was working harder and longer than previously and was burning some good calories. By the time weigh-in on Tuesday came I was down from the previous week by a total of .5lbs. A far cry from the 3-4lbs average I had been losing before this point. A loss is a loss though so I wasn't so upset at the weight loss.
There were two things I was upset at by this point though. First, I knew that even though this is lifestyle change and not a straight up diet, I would probably never be allowed to eat the foods I want in life again. You know what I mean, the foods that are bad for me and have little to no nutritional value. Second, it would be necessary for me, on those times that I indulged, to have to really work hard at removing the weight that I put on. So, now I am in the mindset that looking at food I have to begin seeing it not as the food, which I love, but as how much work I would have to do to remove the food from my system. It does take a bit of joy out of eating, that's for sure.
And yes, I consider myself a foodie. I really enjoy a well-prepared meal and the right meal can be almost orgasmic in substance. Take, for example, Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant in Manhattan. We were there last year for vacation and it was one of the best meals of my life. Now the sad thing is that if I went back there, some of the joy of the meal would be taken away knowing that I would have to think more carefully about what I am eating instead of ordering what I want. Sure, there are other options but the point of the matter is, I have to look at food as a commodity rather than something I can just straight up enjoy. This is one of the things I will have to come to grips with and one of the reasons that this last week has been such a 'downer' to me.
Another reason I have had such a bad week is that there are now so many 'rules' I have to follow when eating. I have already removed almost all of the artificial sweeteners from the house (there are still a few floating around here and there) and chosen a lot healthier choices for pre-made foodstuffs but now there are even more rules. First, I have to up my protein all over the place. Not a huge problem but honestly, I've eaten such bad food for so long and I only eat a couple of times a day that splitting my meal up and adding so much protein is almost 'work'. But, I can get past this one. The other is that I am supposed to bring my sugars down to a manageable level. Well, until this week I didn't really know that so many foods have so many sugars in them!
As an exercise, my nutritionist wants me to balance out my sugars with a visual method. For each gram of sugar I get in my foods I am supposed to put a teaspoon of sugar in a clear container. By the end of the week this will show how many sugars I am getting in my daily routine. It's not bad except when you start looking at how many sugars there are in different foods. An example is V8. I drink one of the 5.5oz. V8s pretty much every day for an extra vegetable serving. Well, each little 5.5oz. can has 6 grams of sugar which equals 6 teaspoons of sugar. Being that my nutritionist would like me down to 40 grams of sugar a day, I've got to start cutting back in a big way. No, I'm by no means attached to my sugars, but it is disheartening to see how many sugars are in my daily food, including fruits!
So that's another thing I'm working on with my diet and lifestyle change. As for lifestyle change, this coming week begins the beginning of major changes in my life. First, I will begin teaching a class at the Community College here in town. Second, I am returning to substitute teaching on the days I am not teaching at the College. Third, I am planning on returning to the University for my Master's in History (as soon as I hear about my approval which I hope is sooner rather than later as school starts Monday!). Fourth, I will be a teacher's aide for both my History professor and Anthropology professors at the University (as time permits). So, there are some major stressors coming up in my life not to mention a potential career change for my wife (depending on salary). I am not a stress eater but these events have not helped my anxiety level as they are all hitting beginning tomorrow.
So, there are some reasons I've been so frustrated and angry with myself over the past couple of weeks. They just all combined to be a force of negativity even though many of the changes are what I've been waiting for since I graduated with my Master's in Education in 2008. I know it's hard for some of my skinnier friends to understand as they don't have to go through the same things as me with my weight issues but it is not something that is easily explained either. Sure, there were a few days where my self-pity seemed like I was whining about me, me, me, and I don't typically like to do that as everyone has their own problems, but hey, Facebook gets to learn all my sordid details in my life no matter how boring they are to the masses! HA!
Enough about that, I think I've gotten it off my chest. The biggest thing that came out of this is that I am back on track again and have restarted my workouts (after a 4 day hiatus) and eating right again. I figure I can either continue my journey into woe or just pick up where I left off and continue trying as hard as I can to realize my journey will not be solved in a matter of weeks but instead in a matter of years. Any way you slice it, the extra effort I am putting in now should help me in my later years and make things easier down the road. Sure, it's a lot of work and effort to get prepared for that day now but hey, it's me, when have I backed down from a challenge?
So on the workout front I did pick up the new 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout' last night at Target. One of the good things about it is that it is only $29.99 and I really enjoyed the first of the Gold's Gym games with the Cardio Workout. Anyhow, I plugged in the new game today and at the 1 hour and 8 minute mark I was done for the day. I didn't even realize that the time was going by the fast and I was definitely sweating by the end of it. The game itself is going to take some getting used to as the Cardio Workout was good at telling you what was coming up where the Dance Workout basically assumes you know the steps already. Fortunately there is a practice mode so I can practice the moves before going into the game. I will say that the Cardio Workout on the Dance Workout game is actually tougher/faster than the older game! It's tough but fun!
Other than that, after my bout with increasing my workout time last week I believe I will be keeping up that pace, at least for now. The good news about my increase in time on the stationary is that I got a lot more reading done! I can actually finish between 45 and 50 pages per day with no problem. It's nice because I enjoy reading and I get my workout in. Tell ya what though, I drink a complete 32 ounces of water BEFORE working out though as I sweat like crazy when I do a full 60 minutes on the stationary bike! It's good to know that I can do what I enjoy while working out though...
So, anyhow, this blog seemed like a long diatribe about why my diet and lifestyle change were affecting me and my outlook but, as I stated before, I'm back in the saddle and ready to reapply myself. I guess I just needed a brief hiatus to remind myself of why I was doing all of this in the first place. I'm sure after I get more settled into my schedule in the coming weeks that I will be completely back to 'normal' and not thinking about the negative stuff I was feeling and instead focusing on my future. Sorry for the delayed blog, it won't happen again (unless I get so busy that I lose track!)...
Until next time,
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
First off things, even with my brief parlay into feeling sorry for myself, are actually fairly decent. I think there are a few reasons why I fell into a little anger and frustration towards my lifestyle change and that coupled with the upcoming change in stress compiled into me putting too much weight (yes, this is an unintentional pun but it works so well!) into my diet and weight loss. Even before my nutritionist came over to tell me how to eat even better, I was a bit down in the dumps. There are just certain things that seem to trigger my cravings and it's been a little tougher to resist them even though I have been a thousand times better than I used to be when it comes to making poor eating choices.
So, what set this whole thing off in the first place? Thinking back it was a couple of weeks ago after a TOPS weigh-in that did me in. As I had gone for about 2 months of being the biggest loser in the group I felt I deserved a little reward for being so good. Going forward on this we brought our exchange student, Martine, to 'La Casita', a local fast food Mexican restaurant (far better quality than 'Taco Bell' or similar). Anyhow, against my better judgment I decided to go back to my old eating style figuring one meal couldn't hurt me that bad. That and I hadn't had 'La Casita' in quite awhile. It was good but yes, I made a poor choice and got the larger meal that I used to eat. So where is this going? One meal can't be the be all, end all of civilization, can it?
Well, in a way, yes. The next morning I weighed myself to see how much the meal had affected my weight. Sure enough, not only had I gained back all of the weight I had lost the previous week, but another pound or so on top of that. Well, this is about when my spiral into self-pity began. So, I worked hard for the next three days to lose the five or so pounds that I had put back on. I made it back to my weight I was and felt better about things. That is, until I made my homemade spaghetti and meatballs. Sure, I use the Barilla Plus wheat noodles which are better for me, and I didn't go overboard with the sauce or noodles, but, but, but, I did have three meatballs which were large, dense, and higher in calories and fat. Begin phase two of my decline into madness.
So, as you might expect, the single meal did me in once again and I was back to where I was at the weigh-in on the previous Tuesday. With the following weigh-in just a couple of days away I went workout crazy and boosted my general workout from an average of about 60 minutes (45 minutes on stationary bike, 15 minutes of weights) to 75 minutes (60 minutes on bike, 15 minutes on weights). I had even thought to double my workout for the day (which I decided against). Sure, I was working harder and longer than previously and was burning some good calories. By the time weigh-in on Tuesday came I was down from the previous week by a total of .5lbs. A far cry from the 3-4lbs average I had been losing before this point. A loss is a loss though so I wasn't so upset at the weight loss.
There were two things I was upset at by this point though. First, I knew that even though this is lifestyle change and not a straight up diet, I would probably never be allowed to eat the foods I want in life again. You know what I mean, the foods that are bad for me and have little to no nutritional value. Second, it would be necessary for me, on those times that I indulged, to have to really work hard at removing the weight that I put on. So, now I am in the mindset that looking at food I have to begin seeing it not as the food, which I love, but as how much work I would have to do to remove the food from my system. It does take a bit of joy out of eating, that's for sure.
And yes, I consider myself a foodie. I really enjoy a well-prepared meal and the right meal can be almost orgasmic in substance. Take, for example, Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant in Manhattan. We were there last year for vacation and it was one of the best meals of my life. Now the sad thing is that if I went back there, some of the joy of the meal would be taken away knowing that I would have to think more carefully about what I am eating instead of ordering what I want. Sure, there are other options but the point of the matter is, I have to look at food as a commodity rather than something I can just straight up enjoy. This is one of the things I will have to come to grips with and one of the reasons that this last week has been such a 'downer' to me.
Another reason I have had such a bad week is that there are now so many 'rules' I have to follow when eating. I have already removed almost all of the artificial sweeteners from the house (there are still a few floating around here and there) and chosen a lot healthier choices for pre-made foodstuffs but now there are even more rules. First, I have to up my protein all over the place. Not a huge problem but honestly, I've eaten such bad food for so long and I only eat a couple of times a day that splitting my meal up and adding so much protein is almost 'work'. But, I can get past this one. The other is that I am supposed to bring my sugars down to a manageable level. Well, until this week I didn't really know that so many foods have so many sugars in them!
As an exercise, my nutritionist wants me to balance out my sugars with a visual method. For each gram of sugar I get in my foods I am supposed to put a teaspoon of sugar in a clear container. By the end of the week this will show how many sugars I am getting in my daily routine. It's not bad except when you start looking at how many sugars there are in different foods. An example is V8. I drink one of the 5.5oz. V8s pretty much every day for an extra vegetable serving. Well, each little 5.5oz. can has 6 grams of sugar which equals 6 teaspoons of sugar. Being that my nutritionist would like me down to 40 grams of sugar a day, I've got to start cutting back in a big way. No, I'm by no means attached to my sugars, but it is disheartening to see how many sugars are in my daily food, including fruits!
So that's another thing I'm working on with my diet and lifestyle change. As for lifestyle change, this coming week begins the beginning of major changes in my life. First, I will begin teaching a class at the Community College here in town. Second, I am returning to substitute teaching on the days I am not teaching at the College. Third, I am planning on returning to the University for my Master's in History (as soon as I hear about my approval which I hope is sooner rather than later as school starts Monday!). Fourth, I will be a teacher's aide for both my History professor and Anthropology professors at the University (as time permits). So, there are some major stressors coming up in my life not to mention a potential career change for my wife (depending on salary). I am not a stress eater but these events have not helped my anxiety level as they are all hitting beginning tomorrow.
So, there are some reasons I've been so frustrated and angry with myself over the past couple of weeks. They just all combined to be a force of negativity even though many of the changes are what I've been waiting for since I graduated with my Master's in Education in 2008. I know it's hard for some of my skinnier friends to understand as they don't have to go through the same things as me with my weight issues but it is not something that is easily explained either. Sure, there were a few days where my self-pity seemed like I was whining about me, me, me, and I don't typically like to do that as everyone has their own problems, but hey, Facebook gets to learn all my sordid details in my life no matter how boring they are to the masses! HA!
Enough about that, I think I've gotten it off my chest. The biggest thing that came out of this is that I am back on track again and have restarted my workouts (after a 4 day hiatus) and eating right again. I figure I can either continue my journey into woe or just pick up where I left off and continue trying as hard as I can to realize my journey will not be solved in a matter of weeks but instead in a matter of years. Any way you slice it, the extra effort I am putting in now should help me in my later years and make things easier down the road. Sure, it's a lot of work and effort to get prepared for that day now but hey, it's me, when have I backed down from a challenge?
So on the workout front I did pick up the new 'Gold's Gym Dance Workout' last night at Target. One of the good things about it is that it is only $29.99 and I really enjoyed the first of the Gold's Gym games with the Cardio Workout. Anyhow, I plugged in the new game today and at the 1 hour and 8 minute mark I was done for the day. I didn't even realize that the time was going by the fast and I was definitely sweating by the end of it. The game itself is going to take some getting used to as the Cardio Workout was good at telling you what was coming up where the Dance Workout basically assumes you know the steps already. Fortunately there is a practice mode so I can practice the moves before going into the game. I will say that the Cardio Workout on the Dance Workout game is actually tougher/faster than the older game! It's tough but fun!
Other than that, after my bout with increasing my workout time last week I believe I will be keeping up that pace, at least for now. The good news about my increase in time on the stationary is that I got a lot more reading done! I can actually finish between 45 and 50 pages per day with no problem. It's nice because I enjoy reading and I get my workout in. Tell ya what though, I drink a complete 32 ounces of water BEFORE working out though as I sweat like crazy when I do a full 60 minutes on the stationary bike! It's good to know that I can do what I enjoy while working out though...
So, anyhow, this blog seemed like a long diatribe about why my diet and lifestyle change were affecting me and my outlook but, as I stated before, I'm back in the saddle and ready to reapply myself. I guess I just needed a brief hiatus to remind myself of why I was doing all of this in the first place. I'm sure after I get more settled into my schedule in the coming weeks that I will be completely back to 'normal' and not thinking about the negative stuff I was feeling and instead focusing on my future. Sorry for the delayed blog, it won't happen again (unless I get so busy that I lose track!)...
Until next time,
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
Friday, August 13, 2010
Back in the Day
OK, I found this post of the 40 Deadliest Fast Food Meals and had to compare what I used to eat to their list...Some results are scary, avert your eyes...
The 40 Deadliest Fast Food Meals (Images)
and the story
The 40 Deadliest Fast Food Meals (Story)
and these are the meals I would eat with some frequency
#1 Double Baconator (they say the Triple on the site but the Double is just as bad)
# 2 Supersonic Cheeseburger Combo (yes, this is what I normally ordered, with tots)
#6 Large Beef and Cheddar (although normally I'd get the Reuben sandwich)
#9 White Castle Cheeseburgers (I ate 6 of the (frozen) hamburgers no problem) )
#12 Chipotle Burrito (I almost always got the fajita instead of the beans so that saved some calories, but still)
#19 P'Zone Pizza (I normally ate the one with all-meat)
#23 KFC Double Down (I had only one of these and that was enough)
#30 Subway Cold Cut Combo (I get the 12", the only thing bad here is sodium)
Yep, so I ate the two worst offenders on the list and it was more than just once or twice. Now that I'm in a lifestyle change I don't believe these will be on my 'must-eat' list anytime soon!
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
The 40 Deadliest Fast Food Meals (Images)
and the story
The 40 Deadliest Fast Food Meals (Story)
and these are the meals I would eat with some frequency
#1 Double Baconator (they say the Triple on the site but the Double is just as bad)
# 2 Supersonic Cheeseburger Combo (yes, this is what I normally ordered, with tots)
#6 Large Beef and Cheddar (although normally I'd get the Reuben sandwich)
#9 White Castle Cheeseburgers (I ate 6 of the (frozen) hamburgers no problem) )
#12 Chipotle Burrito (I almost always got the fajita instead of the beans so that saved some calories, but still)
#19 P'Zone Pizza (I normally ate the one with all-meat)
#23 KFC Double Down (I had only one of these and that was enough)
#30 Subway Cold Cut Combo (I get the 12", the only thing bad here is sodium)
Yep, so I ate the two worst offenders on the list and it was more than just once or twice. Now that I'm in a lifestyle change I don't believe these will be on my 'must-eat' list anytime soon!
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Tougher week...
It's been a tougher week for me to stay on track. As our foreign exchange student, Martine, arrived on Monday I've done a lot more running around than I have recently and been busier than I have been in some time. On top of that I let a couple of cravings get through to me and although I knew better, I partook in them in a minor way. I am not a depressive eater as I rarely get down in the dumps but this week tested my fortitude for sure!
So let's go back a little bit as it's been some time since my last blog (just over a week). So, as I stated, we have received our exchange student who will be staying with us until next June and we look forward to sharing experiences with her. In the meantime I have been busy getting her registered for school, signed up for classes, touring the school, and showing her around our city. Fortunately, a lot of this counts as me being up and active so that's a good thing. I'm making some breakfasts, most lunches, and most dinners so at least I'm up and about instead of sitting in front of a television or computer screen.
On the other hand, as we are showing her around I have had a couple of instances where I have missed my regular workout routine as we may be out all day and when we get home it's a matter of making dinner, talking about Norway and America, or watching a movie or television show. So, as excuses are so unnecessary I will just say that I am going to make a bigger effort to make sure that I get my workouts done. If I have to wake up earlier in the day or stay up later at night to do so, I shall. It's nice to see my daily food and exercise journal when I get to take off about a half of the calories I ate while on the days I did not work out it is a bit disheartening to see all of those calories go directly into the fat deposit at the bank!
As for food I've had a couple of 'slip' incidents that I know I shouldn't have. The first time we were at Culver's and I had a chicken sandwich and a side salad. No, that wasn't the bad part. After eating those, Martine did not eat all of her chicken fingers (she had two left over) so I broke my no fried food streak and ate them. Yep, I know I shouldn't have being that A) they were fried and B) I had already eaten my meal, but I did. The other was that I spit an egg roll with my wifey when we went out for Chinese the other night (instead of Subway which I normally get on Tuesday after my TOPS weigh-in). That one wasn't quite so bad but still, it was fried food and against my current rules.
The other big problem I am facing now is that I have bought some American 'must-have' foods for Martine to try so the temptation in the house is higher as the food is just sitting in the kitchen. I have been good so far but every once in awhile I have to catch myself and tell myself that I do not need, nor do I want, the Twinkie. If this was 'The Matrix' I could just ask myself if the Twinkie truly exists, but then I would be fooling myself! HA! So, I had a little slip this week but I made up for it the next day with a good workout.
As for cravings, sure, I have them from time to time and I know what I can and can't do right now. I am still avoiding foods with a lot of sugar and also avoiding fried foods (mostly). I believe that we have successfully purged about 90% of our foods that had high fructose corn syrup out of our house although there are a few exceptions that are a little slower to get rid of. The biggest thing is that, do I want the Haagen Dazs? Yes. Should I have the Haagen Dazs? No. Could I eat the Haagen Dazs in moderation? Maybe. In the case of some of my favorite foods I've got to be careful not to fall back into any unhealthy eating patterns and it takes a lot more willpower to give up those things that I loved (at least temporarily) than it does other foods.
Fortunately, things have still been going well on the weight loss front and, after an unofficial weigh-in yesterday (yes, I know, I should stop that), I have officially lost over 41lbs since June 15, 2010. It seems extreme but I have had higher energy, been eating a lot healthier, and cut out most junk food that was adding to my ever expanding belly. I may have doubts that I can do it but it would be great to be down 50lbs total by the end of August. At least then I would be 1/3 there and the other 100lbs could come off slower and I wouldn't be too upset. It would feel like a new starting point if I could just get down under 300lbs.
Exercise has been going well aside from the couple of times that I have missed a workout. When I do workout I have been consistent with the aerobic and anaerobic exercise and it has been paying off. I can feel where I have lost weight/fat and feel where I have gained muscle. I work up a really good sweat when I work out and it is good to know that my hard work is resulting in positive output. Who knows, in a couple of years I could be the lightest I've been in a long, long time and be able to be more active in exercise while having fun doing it!
So really that's about all that's been going on here. I did not get a teaching job that I had an interview for last week but I am thankful that I have a friend and colleague over at Pikes Peak Community College that has been very patient with me while I looked for a full-time teaching job. So now I have the great opportunity of working at PPCC and begin teaching 'Introduction to Education' in just over a week. That and I will be subbing and working on other projects (hopefully) so I will get to build teaching experience while doing what I want to do eventually and be able to teach at a College or University level.
So, that's about all that's going on with the diet and exercise lately. I hope to get the Gold's Gym Dance Workout soon as it looks like another great way for me to alternate my workouts and I really enjoy the Gold's Gym Cardio Workout on the Nintendo Wii. I also picked up a jump rope and have begun to try to do more than a few jumps before getting tired. I will continue to update my blog as I get a chance so keep coming by and let me know if you have any questions or comments that you'd like me to address!
Until next time,
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
So let's go back a little bit as it's been some time since my last blog (just over a week). So, as I stated, we have received our exchange student who will be staying with us until next June and we look forward to sharing experiences with her. In the meantime I have been busy getting her registered for school, signed up for classes, touring the school, and showing her around our city. Fortunately, a lot of this counts as me being up and active so that's a good thing. I'm making some breakfasts, most lunches, and most dinners so at least I'm up and about instead of sitting in front of a television or computer screen.
On the other hand, as we are showing her around I have had a couple of instances where I have missed my regular workout routine as we may be out all day and when we get home it's a matter of making dinner, talking about Norway and America, or watching a movie or television show. So, as excuses are so unnecessary I will just say that I am going to make a bigger effort to make sure that I get my workouts done. If I have to wake up earlier in the day or stay up later at night to do so, I shall. It's nice to see my daily food and exercise journal when I get to take off about a half of the calories I ate while on the days I did not work out it is a bit disheartening to see all of those calories go directly into the fat deposit at the bank!
As for food I've had a couple of 'slip' incidents that I know I shouldn't have. The first time we were at Culver's and I had a chicken sandwich and a side salad. No, that wasn't the bad part. After eating those, Martine did not eat all of her chicken fingers (she had two left over) so I broke my no fried food streak and ate them. Yep, I know I shouldn't have being that A) they were fried and B) I had already eaten my meal, but I did. The other was that I spit an egg roll with my wifey when we went out for Chinese the other night (instead of Subway which I normally get on Tuesday after my TOPS weigh-in). That one wasn't quite so bad but still, it was fried food and against my current rules.
The other big problem I am facing now is that I have bought some American 'must-have' foods for Martine to try so the temptation in the house is higher as the food is just sitting in the kitchen. I have been good so far but every once in awhile I have to catch myself and tell myself that I do not need, nor do I want, the Twinkie. If this was 'The Matrix' I could just ask myself if the Twinkie truly exists, but then I would be fooling myself! HA! So, I had a little slip this week but I made up for it the next day with a good workout.
As for cravings, sure, I have them from time to time and I know what I can and can't do right now. I am still avoiding foods with a lot of sugar and also avoiding fried foods (mostly). I believe that we have successfully purged about 90% of our foods that had high fructose corn syrup out of our house although there are a few exceptions that are a little slower to get rid of. The biggest thing is that, do I want the Haagen Dazs? Yes. Should I have the Haagen Dazs? No. Could I eat the Haagen Dazs in moderation? Maybe. In the case of some of my favorite foods I've got to be careful not to fall back into any unhealthy eating patterns and it takes a lot more willpower to give up those things that I loved (at least temporarily) than it does other foods.
Fortunately, things have still been going well on the weight loss front and, after an unofficial weigh-in yesterday (yes, I know, I should stop that), I have officially lost over 41lbs since June 15, 2010. It seems extreme but I have had higher energy, been eating a lot healthier, and cut out most junk food that was adding to my ever expanding belly. I may have doubts that I can do it but it would be great to be down 50lbs total by the end of August. At least then I would be 1/3 there and the other 100lbs could come off slower and I wouldn't be too upset. It would feel like a new starting point if I could just get down under 300lbs.
Exercise has been going well aside from the couple of times that I have missed a workout. When I do workout I have been consistent with the aerobic and anaerobic exercise and it has been paying off. I can feel where I have lost weight/fat and feel where I have gained muscle. I work up a really good sweat when I work out and it is good to know that my hard work is resulting in positive output. Who knows, in a couple of years I could be the lightest I've been in a long, long time and be able to be more active in exercise while having fun doing it!
So really that's about all that's been going on here. I did not get a teaching job that I had an interview for last week but I am thankful that I have a friend and colleague over at Pikes Peak Community College that has been very patient with me while I looked for a full-time teaching job. So now I have the great opportunity of working at PPCC and begin teaching 'Introduction to Education' in just over a week. That and I will be subbing and working on other projects (hopefully) so I will get to build teaching experience while doing what I want to do eventually and be able to teach at a College or University level.
So, that's about all that's going on with the diet and exercise lately. I hope to get the Gold's Gym Dance Workout soon as it looks like another great way for me to alternate my workouts and I really enjoy the Gold's Gym Cardio Workout on the Nintendo Wii. I also picked up a jump rope and have begun to try to do more than a few jumps before getting tired. I will continue to update my blog as I get a chance so keep coming by and let me know if you have any questions or comments that you'd like me to address!
Until next time,
Losing That Fat
Jason Rasmussen
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