Weights over the years (since Dec 2008)

Since December 2008 I've fluctuated from mid 290s down to mid 260s.  At my heaviest I weighed
 297.4.  At my lightest I weighed 265.6 .

Nearly 11 months ago I was my heaviest.

I have been tracking my weight and workouts off and on since at least December 2001.  Recently, while cleaning out old crap I have found workout journals that list pretty much everything MyFitnessPal does but it's all handwritten.

The other day when I was going through my phone to find out the first time I entered a weight in one of the apps I've used I went all the way back to December 2008 where I weighed about the same as I did when I started juicing in December 2014.

I also found that February 16, 2014 I weighed 297.4 - so that gives me a 27.4 pound weight loss in the last year, with 13.5 just in the last 5 weeks.

I also noticed from the journals that there's a neurosis, of sorts, about weight and size - mostly due to my role in the Army and I had to weigh a specific weight and be a specific size.  In 2001 I weighed 208 pounds.  I know when I got to Iraq in May 2003 I weighed 190 or less.  From October 2003 to Feb 2004 I was prescribed a medication for OCD and I gained 65 pounds and was up to 255 which I would come home between 255 and 260.  I would drop down to 239 for a bit in nov 2004.  From there I struggled off and on and the stresses of work and I would gain weight.  I gained about 15-20 pounds after I quit smoking.  And in the last 7+ years I've maintained.

I ate everything that my trainer said I should.  I worked out how they told me I should.  I even documented 5 minute miles in October of 2002.  I never lost much weight.  I gained some muscle, but never lost much weight.  My belly and butt also kept getting bigger.

I shared all of this boring detail to get to this - The only thing that was consistent in ALL of my logs was that when I lost weight I dropped Coke - which didn't usually last long or I would drop it down but didn't drop it completely - until Dec 6, 2014.

You've read my results after 4 weeks of juicing, eating right (90% veggies), and cutting out Coke and all drinks not water, juice, or vegan protein shake.

I'm not sure where I'll go.  I have 3.5 weeks or so but I'd like to see 260 or better.  I've been working out heavily the last 4 days and felt great except the last two days where I think I think I have the flu.

W5J4 - W1D3

I woke up a little sore this morning.  I also woke up with some incredible vertigo.  I experienced a lot of vertigo during my workout which I had to cut short.

Before the workout I attempted one pullup.  I could not lift myself off the ground.  However, I jumped up and was able to hold myself most of the way up for a few seconds before I dropped it.

I did Circuit B of the TRX Pull Up Program

Long Torso Stretch - 30s each side both circuits
Side Plank L2 3x10s each side both circuits
Hip Press L2 13 (in 35s) first circuit, 15 in 35s the 2nd circuit
Inverted Row L2 10 both circuits
Pike L2 8 first circuit 10 2nd circuit

While I was working out I actually felt stronger.  That's not usually something that happens.  I also felt like the vertigo hindered me a little.  If there hadn't been vertigo to the point that I had to lay down until it passed I would've completed the remaining two circuits that I needed to.

W5J3 - W1D2

Started the first day of the smartfoodandfit "Feel Good Full Body TRX Workout"

I was concerned that I would run out of energy during this workout like I did yesterday.  I had my protein shake (vegan) one hour before my workout.

I did not run out of energy even as exhausting as the workout was.

Squats - I did Squat Rows yesterday so I didn't do any of these
Abducted Lunge - 25 each leg (1st), 12 each leg (2nd) - I felt like I overdid it with the 25, so I cut it back.
Jumping Jacks - 50 (each circuit)
Lunge - 12 each leg (each circuit)
Jump Ropes - 50 (each circuit)
Balance Lunge - 12 each leg (each circuit)
Jog in place knee highs - one minute (each circuit)

I was supposed to do three circuits, but only had time to complete 2.

Pre workout
BCAAs
vegan protein shake
16oz water

during workout
nothing today - I normally do BCAAs

post workout
BCAAs
vegan protein shake
16oz water
my juice for lunch

I feel great still.  I'm only a little hungry and that's because I missed my 5 o'clock juice.

I am feeling a little sore, otherwise I feel great.

W5J2 - W1D1

Today was my first workout since I started juicing.  I gave myself 29 days of juicing to give my body time to adjust.  I worked a lot through December b/c my kids were out of town so I didn't do much in the way of exercise either.

I started at the beginning with the TRX Pull Up Program as I started before on the 27Oct (http://elvisapocalypse.blogspot.com/2014/10/and-so-it-begins-again-week-1-day-1.html).

I ran out of energy, but I still felt good.  I did 2 rounds instead of 4.

Forward Lunge - 5 each
Squat Row - 15
Pull Up - 6 (1st), 10 (2nd)
Body Saw - I couldn't do any of these the first time I instead did 10s plank L3 and then I did 8 L2 body saws
Low Row to Curl to Y - 12 (1st), 10 (2nd)

W5J1 - 28 days of juicing and measurements

29 days no Coke.  I've only had water, juice that I've made, or coconut water to drink.  As for food, I've been mostly juice and occasionally some Green Beans or Black Olives.

As you can see by the numbers below I've made some great progress:
nearly 16 pounds lost
2 inches off my waist
2 inches off my hips
neck the same
1 inch off my chest

I'm feeling really well.  The only side effect I've had is some occasional weird dreams.  One dream I had I was driving my car and lived in a connex container in a gravel parking lot.  I was carrying around this baby the whole time with a chest carrier.  I swapped out my wrecked car for a black jeep... when I looked in the mirror I was Stephen Amell without a shirt on and the baby was his daughter.  I don't know why I dreamt I was Stephen Amell, but I'll take it.

http://elvisapocalypse.blogspot.com/2013/06/6june13-day-31-3rd-time.html
http://elvisapocalypse.blogspot.com/2014/04/measurements.html
http://elvisapocalypse.blogspot.com/2014/07/measurements.html
http://elvisapocalypse.blogspot.com/2015/01/w4j5-day-25-1jan15.html

	13May12	7Jun12	6Jun13	30Apr14	9Jul14	7Dec14	21Dec14	5Jan15
weight	270	272	270	284	279.4	286	275.6	270.6
navel	49	48.5	46.75	50	46.75	49.75	48.15	47.75
waist	46.5	48	43.5		45			46.5
hips	54	52.5	52	53	50	52.5	51.75	50.5
neck	18	17.5	16.5	16.5	16.5	16.75	16	16
chest				44	41.5	43	43.5	42

W4J5 - Day 25 (1Jan15)

This is my fourth day of juicing this week.  I have had a few "cheats" this last week (such as some sushi with my wife last night for New Year's Eve).  Most of my "cheats" have been solid foods (green beans, or olives) and not been "cheats" as in meat.  I'm still at (just a guess) 98% meat free for the last week.

I'm still down in the 273-274 pound range and my wife says I'm looking a bit smaller.  I need to spend some time cleaning up my office and organizing it so that it looks better.  Right now, it looks like I'm going to be on the cover of hoarder magazine.  In reality, I moved everything from the storage room to my office and the play room to make the former workout room/storage room into my wife's new office.

I found that I was losing veggies to rot - so I've decided to buy my juicing foods for about 2-3 days at a time.  I peel and cut the carrots and celeray and put them in the fridge in tupperware.  The apples, pears, and sweet potatoes I leave on the table in a dry bowl.  And the, kale and spinach I rotate the bag daily to make sure any moisture doesn't cause rotting in the bag.  I buy the sealed mexican cucumbers which I peel when I need.  This seems to cut down on all of my food loss to rot.

My estimate for juicing (since the 6th of December and one week was both my wife and I):
week 1: $126 (6Dec)
week 2: $50 (14Dec)
week 3: $220 (21Dec)
              $35 (22Dec)
week 4: $32 (28Dec)

In week 3 I also had to throw away 10 pounds of carrots, and 2 containers of spinach/kale/carrot mix - which was a total of like 20 -30 bucks in food and not all of that purchase was juicing food - so I'm going to estimate 150ish was mine.

I'll do a little better at keeping track this month - my preliminary estimate is about 400 bucks for my juicing this month.  I don't know what I'd spend on fast food, but I would guess about the same, if not more.

I finally got a measuring tape to do my weekly measurements - Instead of showing the table I've decided to show you a comparison between 21Dec and today.

2014 year in review

Almost a year ago I published this blog entry (http://elvisapocalypse.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-new-year-cognitive-shift.html).

I want to review some of that blog entry compared with one year later.  Did I make any changes that I am happy with?  Or was it the same thing just another year later?

The first thing I notice is that my weight on 3Jan14 was 295 (according to the blog).  My weight today is 273.  I have actively worked out quite a bit this year; just a guess but probably 7 or more months.  Reading through the headline entries where I mentioned what I did when I worked out I probably only worked out 3-4 months; felt like 7.  Overall, a win in the lower weight category and working out.  I have found that I do like conditioning calisthenics like TRX, American Ninja Warrior gym, etc.  So, this year, the plan is to increase exercising to at least something every day - today will be a TRX workout to see how that goes for me with the juicing since I've not really worked out in 25 days since starting the juicing.

Offending people - over the last year I have noticed more and more that people are more and more offended by less and less.  Some people seem to exist only to be offended.  Others seem to exist only to jump on the bandwagon of someone offended.  It seems like high school bullying has entered the world (years ago, but gotten worse); only now instead of being able to escape when you go home, you're inundated with attacks constantly.  As well, if someone says something you don't like you can public shame someone and then there aren't just you and your close friends that are offended, but whole groups in the world that can be offended.  If you make a mistake and it's captured on video you can be laughed at by many people in the world in a matter of days.  There are whole groups of people dedicating their lives to ripping apart what everyone says and taking one word someone says and turning it into a whole "they suck" message.  If you're so offended by so much then what the hell are you doing with your life that keeps you happy?

I apparently made some resolutions that I didn't keep
"At the end of this year I will be able to say that I ran a 5k, I lost 100 ish pounds, I'll have run and biked and played with my kids, and I wrote and filmed a sitcom that makes me laugh.  That will be me doing awesome for the year."

I didn't know I made resolutions, but apparently I did.  I didn't accomplish many of those things.  I did run, bike, skate, and play with my kids.  I didn't run a 5k, and didn't lose 100ish pounds.  I lost 20+ so 1/5th of the "goal".

What I did do this past year: 

• Helped develop an online Cherokee Dictionary (http://www.cherokeedictionary.net/)
• Started writing a Cherokee language book - mostly to take all of the lessons I've found and consolidate them into a reference book since there are no text books that I've found anywhere.
• Bought a TRX, roller blades, bicycle, and built a slide board that I used until my car died in July
• I learned how to ride a motorcycle and rode over 1500 miles 
• I did a lof of ancestry work this year to make sure I had information before elders in my family died
• I put my dad into a nursing home for Alzheimer's - now he and my grandmother see each other and don't know who the other is (just a joke, but we don't know if they actually remember each other).
• I attended a ton of BMX races from July/August until November.  My son's "rookie" year and 3-4 months racing took home the 1st place trophy for the 9 Novice class.  His trophy is 7' tall.
• I started work on Sky Net Now (http://www.skynetnow.com/) which is going to be awesome.  It's an weather early warning system.  Big things are coming with skynet in the next year.  Each module (called a Terminator) contains a LUCAS (Lightweight, Universal, Cartographic Atmospheric Sensor) module named after my son.
• I joined a group of friends to post about our successes and failures each week when it comes to eating better and working out.
• I've learned a ton about a bunch of electronics projects.
• I built a rudimentary HUD using BLE, my iPhone, an Arduino Mega, and an OLED
• I have been speaking out more to veterans about PTSD.  I want everyone to know that "they are not alone".
• I quit drinking Coke for 26 days (still going)
• I have had mostly vegetables and juice for the last 25 days (still going)
• I picked up my old Battlestar game (DRADIS) and started rewriting it

What would I like to do this upcoming year:

• Get my car fixed
• Skate, bike, and TRX more 
• Fix my slide board so it's more slippery
• Build an American Ninja Warrior playset in my back yard (ok, it's an actual gym, but we'll call it a playset)
• Ride my motorcycle more
• Clean up my office and get it organized the way I envision it with collectibles displayed
• Add a bunch of features to the Cherokee Dictionary project 
• Finish my book on the Cherokee language
• Do a Spartan Race, Highland Games, Run a 5k (Haley's Hope in August)
• Get down to 150-200 pounds (closer to 175)
• Build an articulated flight sim in my office
• Finish writing my sitcom (1.5 years and still not done)
• Complete a playable demo of DRADIS

Those aren't resolutions, just things I want to do.

I really only have three resolutions:

• Be a better person than I was last year
• Don't let myself stop me from accomplishing my goals (don't let negative thoughts get in the way)
• Workout at least 300 days during the year.  That gives one day off a week and a few days for vacations and if I get sick.