From Fatness to Fitness: Chapter 2

As you know from last week's writing, I have started working out once again. Unlike my blog towards the end of summer/beginning of fall, I am fully committed to getting back into the great shape that I was back in July 2010.

At that point, I was about 175-180 pounds and working out 4-5 times a week. I could jog three miles in about 25 minutes without much of a problem. Slowly but surely, after I started working from home and going to school full-time, I got fat again. Back up to 220 pounds fat.

Here I am again - right back where I started in November 2008.

Some updates since last week:

• I've been sticking with my "No Fountain/Canned Pop" mantra, although I just had a dream (or maybe a nightmare) that I broke this rule. It's been somewhat difficult not getting my mega amounts of Diet Coke, but not as difficult as I would have thought (given my dependence on it in the recent past).
• The treadmill is no longer a useless machine that has boxes stacked on it - it is now featured in the basement area facing the television. It has been used three times so far and still does not have "Extra Coat Rack" status, although I did recently line up my four new Beer of the Months on the machine. I am hoping to continue using this as a tool for when I cannot make it to the gym.
• My weigh in after leaving the gym today was 218.0, a drop of 1.6 from last week's weight. That brings the total weight to 2.8 pounds in two weeks. I am hoping the pounds start to shed a little more, but the key (as I've learned) is to continue working out and eating better. The goal is 1-3 pounds per week, so I can't complain as I am hitting my goals so far.
• Outside a single order of chicken rings at White Castle, I have also been able to avoid fast foods this month. I feel this, combined with the pop thing, will allow me to trim down and get into better shape.

Some quick lessons I learned this week while working out and dieting:

1. While the treadmill is nice to use, I work out harder when I am at the gym. I used the treadmill on Friday and Saturday in lieu of going to the gym. While I did break a sweat with each work out, I didn't feel the obligation of maximizing my work out the way I would when getting in my car and going three miles down the road.
2. I went about things the right way by not giving up EVERYTHING at once. And by everything, I mean all the bad dietary stuff I do. The fast food and pop are eliminated, but I still continue to enjoy a couple beers every now and then. I don't think I could give up everything bad at once and expect myself to remain level-headed. If anything, if I went about it that way, a severe regression could likely occur and make me want to work out/diet even less than before. I figure some of these continued vices are okay as long as they are done in moderation.
3. Working out while a good pump-up song is on - easy; when John Mayer comes on - not so much. As I mentioned in my Goals blog, one of my objectives for the year has been to listen to my entire I-Pod within a year's time for the first time. I will not skip a song and will listen to each song to its end. Like many people who work out, I use music to get through the process. Didn't really think about the difference between bands and my intensity at the gym. Before, I'd have work out mixes (some purely hard rock, some with some up-tempo hip hop music) that would make workouts a non-stop, intense experience. The motivation to work out through a slow tune must be increased.
4. Speaking of headphones, my most important lesson: just because you have headphones on, doesn't mean that other people can't hear you pass gas. Farting with headphones on is like farting in your sleep - you have little idea on the volume of your doings. Hopefully you're not like me and don't have much gas. In case you are not, just be careful of your surroundings when you're about to let one go. If you're a single guy who might be using the gym as an outlet to meet women, your best bet would be to avoid farting altogether. But if you have to, perhaps just walk over to the bathroom and then walk back to work out might be your best option. Thank God I have a girlfriend who is accepting of this bad trait that my dad will swear I picked up from my mom's side of the family.

Now that I grossed you out with that thought, I shall bid you good night for now.

For my sports-loving people, I'll be writing a sports blog soon. I needed a break after the Super Bowl - another New England/NYG tilt that lightened my wallet. I have a few ideas on blog topics - notably the Jeremy Lin phenomenon and its comparison to Tim Tebow (and how the situations are completely different).