What a difference a day (or 3 weeks) makes...

WOO!!!  Guess who is back?!

This guy! Well, not Leo, but ME!  Fat-Man-DO!

That's right! It's time to get back in the saddle and hit the blogosphere with my workout missives!

I needed to take some time off. Well, that's not entirely true. You NEVER need to take time off from being healthy and whatnot... but I was in a bad headspace for a while and I needed a reset so to speak.

So now, after nearly 3 weeks of inactivity and a REALLY poor diet of candy, carbs, and and more carbs.... with a side of carbs and a healthy sprinkling of carb-related sprinkles... I'm ready to get back out there and do the thing!

Let's just call it what it is - I was being lazy for a few weeks and enjoying the sweet, sweet reward of instant gratification through eating.

Always easier said than done, I know... but still. This time I have a new workout partner... my lovely wife. (Seen here eating some noodles.) She's decided to give it a go and we will be starting a new journey together tomorrow morning at 6:00am.

I'm not actually sure when the last time is that she was awake at 6:00am... but we're doing this! (She is not a morning person... but I love her anyway)

I will not be relying on a scale for this. I no longer care what I weigh... more or less. I just know that I want to FEEL better... and my body should be able to do that one way or another. Honestly - I feel pretty freaking great right now. I've been sleeping, more or less, well for the last few weeks. My diet hasn't been AS bad as I've let on above.  I have had too many donuts and potato chips... but I've pretty much stuck to similar eating habits I've developed in the past 6 months. I'm going to call that a win.

Progress, for me anyway, will be tracked by improvements on certain abilities, measurements, stamina, and just how good or bad I feel overall... which, like I said before, I feel pretty great these days. Might just be the warm, spring air... but who knows.

With that, I welcome you all back to my journey!!  Wish me US luck!!

PTSD - It's what's for dinner.

It's easier to go to the gym and tend to our bodies than it is to tend to our minds.... or at least that is MY opinion. And Right now - I'm going to venture into the land of 'WAY too much personal information" segment of our blog...

I suffer from PTSD due to some of the times and adventures I had back in my younger, Army days... and I, more or less, live with it these days and things are "okay" - but there are certain, special times of the year that it comes in swinging... like a wrecking ball to quote a shitty, shitty song.

The problems associated with PTSD and PHYSICAL fitness are many... but, to me at least, the big ones are the lack of sleep, lack of motivation, and withdrawing from other people and social settings. Because, let's face it - if you add those things up - the last place you want to go is the gym.

On top of that - there is the occasional misuse of certain substances... namely alcohol. I've already talked about that (here in this post). It is used as a method to combat some of the effects brought about by PTSD - mainly anxiety and, in some cases, the lack of sleep. Or, you know... so I've heard.

So - not sleeping, being all pissy, and not wanting to interact with people can do a number on you. I've put on 4 lbs in the last week because I've been stress-eating, drinking too much alcohol, not sleeping, and skipping the gym. It's not cool.

When it comes to anything dealing with your brain - it is best to seek out professional help... But, if you are anything like me, you don't like doing that. Which isn't a problem, per se, it just means you need to stop, look at your situation as a whole, and do some serious soul-searching. It's often difficult to tell when you're in a position of potential harm to yourself - or possibly others. And if that point is reached - it becomes far more than just  missing the gym.... SO - if you suffer from PTSD... seek help. It's okay to do so. We have such a stigma in this country for mental health and mental well-being. It's not a bad thing if someone has PTSD...


Now - on a personal level - 

Most people - these days - associate this with soldiers and warfare. We have a LOT of vets with PTSD. And, as a result, people think that "Oh, he just doesn't like loud noises" or "he gets moody around people." or "He just has bad dreams..."

 And while these things ARE true... they are certainly not the only reactions to PTSD... it can, and does, rear its ugly head in a LOT of different ways....

Signs and Symptoms of PTSD:

• Nightmares ✓
• Anger, Rage, and/or Irritability ✓
• Depression ✓
• Loss of Self-Esteem ✓ **
• Difficulty  in Trusting Others✓ **
• Guilt ✓ **
• Trouble Sleeping ✓
• Substance Abuse ✓
• Isolation and Alienation From Others ✓
• Persistent Memories ✓
• Anxiety ✓
• Heightened Sense of Danger ✓
• Hyper Alertness or Startle Response Changes ✓

Out of this list - I put a "✓"next to all of the ones that have affected me at one point or another... You'll probably note that I put it next to all of them - because it's true.  And I put ** next to some of the ones I feel most people don't associate with PTSD. And those are the ones that are tricky. The VA counselors were all really big on "nightmares, substance abuse, sleeplessness, and anger" - but I was personally never really told to be aware of those "**" symptoms... and let me tell you - they suck ass.

It's one thing to have a bad dream and be on edge... it's an entirely different thing to develop severe trust issues in your friends and loved ones... it's an entirely different thing to wake up and feel completely worthless for no apparent reason. Even though I can say "Hey, this isn't true. This is just the PTSD talking" - it doesn't get through.

Imagine this: 
It's like drinking a coke, but tasting poison. You can SEE it's a Coke. You KNOW it's a Coke... but regardless of the knowledge - your brain says "nope. It's poison". It takes the people in your life to say to you that "No, it's Coke." and then - it tastes like Coke. But they have to keep reassuring you that it's Coke and not poison... I'll eventually remember that it's coke, but I might need you to just hang out with me until I do. 

This is the most apt representation I can find for PTSD moments

It's difficult to talk about this shit... so I hope I didn't ramble too much.

One last note -

PTSD does not mean "be on egg shells with me" - It just means that if I do have a moment - help me remember that it's Coke... not poison.

I can't say that this is the same for everyone I know with PTSD... but it is with me.


Until Next Time - Get your head on right and get to the gym!

The importance of SLEEP

If ONLY I could sleep on a regular basis... I'd probably be happy, healthy, and super fit by now. But, as it stands, I often spend many nights awake, staring at my clock as I watch the minutes tick by...

Last night I watched my clock go from 10:15 all the way until 1:45...

Not sleeping is bad for you, Mkay?

I need to sleep better. Sleep is important in a LOT of ways. According to Harvard Medical School -"Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite." And, it you're trying to lose weight and get healthy - that's bad for you.

Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness - which, could then keep you from going to the gym... or help you order that large, comforting pizza instead of the fish and broccoli... Sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat. It also alters immune function.

So - try to get a full night of sleep. Adjust your schedule, relax, and see if that helps you out.

Until next time - get some rest!

Alcohol... I love you and I hate you.

Alcohol... The sweet nectar of the gods...

Not going to lie - I am a huge fan of bourbon, scotch, top-shelf tequila, rum, vodka, and beer... But the problem is that alcohol is basically a 4th Macro.

Protein: 4 calories per gram
Carbs: 4 calories per gram
Fat: 9 calories per gram
Alcohol: 7 calories per gram

So - you're looking at 64 calories per ounce roughly.

And you're thinking - well, that's not too bad. That's only 200 calories or so for a few drinks... And while true - here is the problem: Alcohol will interfere with the body's processing and burning of FAT...  Normally, the liver metabolizes fats, but you drink, alcohol takes preference. The liver breaks down alcohol for energy first, causing a build-up of fatty acids... Thus counteracting all that cool fat-loss stuff you've been working on.

This makes me sad. Because there are few things better than coming home, having a drink, and chilling out on the couch. But then I see things like this - Reddit User /u/Klamsykrawl gave up alcohol for a year... He lost 53 lbs and claims to feel better than he ever felt before.

Think before you drink... it could be hampering your progress.


Until Next Time - Stick to Water for a week. See how you feel.

Do you want to be thin? Or healthy?

SO... My name is FatMan Do...

Not too long ago I had 265 lbs of fat hanging over my belt, and I was huffing and puffing for air as I climbed the 2 steps into my house.

I decided that I'd had enough and I wanted to lose some weight...  I became fixated on LOSING WEIGHT!
I HAD TO LOSE WEIGHT! 
DEAR GOD WHY IS THE SCALE NOT MOVING FAST ENOUGH!!!!

It was like that... and I went out to my garage every most mornings for 6-9 weeks and I jumped and squatted and lifted little dumbbells. I ate salads and starved myself and I lost weight. That scale moved from 265 to 240... Then to 235... 230... all the way down to 225.

Holy. Shit. I was awesome. I thought that was some pretty cool stuff right there... BUT... tadaa... it all (Not all, but most) came back.

Why did it come back?

Because I wasn't smart about it. Using the bathroom scale to measure of how "healthy" I am is dumb. I didn't change my habits. I didn't add muscle to replace the fat I was losing... I simply worked the fat, and some of the muscle, out of my body in an ever maddening struggle to become lighter... and then I thought that weight would magically stay away because I was naive and didn't want to work out in the garage anymore.

I'd like to now draw your attention to WEIGHT... This is Kelsey Wells of Instagram fame...

Kelsey learned the difference between "thin" and "healthy"

She shows that you can actually replace fat with muscle and be thinner... while weighing the same. Fat weighs more than muscle. 5 lbs of FAT is easily twice as big as 5 lbs of muscle. So if you wait for it... if you bide your time at the gym or in your garage - while eating right at home - you can replace your fat with muscle and be AWESOME.

You don't have to just lose weight. Yes, losing weight feels awesome... but replacing your fat with muscle is even better. Teach yourself how to eat well, exercise right, and be good to your body... it takes time. 

Until Next Time - Muscles are good. Use them. 

You are what you eat.

How was your weekend?

*waits for answer*

Great!

Moving on....

Let's talk about diets... and by "diet" I mean - What you eat breaks down and becomes your body. Let that sink in... you LITERALLY are what you eat.. If you eat nothing but Tacos - you're a taco. And that might actually work for some people. But eating and dieting is not a "one size fits all" kind of thing in my opinion.

So... are you "big boned"? Mediterranean? Tall and skinny? V-Shaped? High Blood pressured???  We are not all the same. Let's be honest - not all of us have the same genetic makeup. Some people have ancestors who probably ate nothing but nuts and berries... some of us might have come from a colder region and nothing but fish and seal meat!(?)... But over time and generations and more time - those groups of people would tend to make better use of their food sources. Thus - a Keto diet for an Endomorph who puts on and stores fat easily would be good... a high carb for a very athletic person who is constantly on the move would be good.

The point is - you have to see what you are, how you operate, and what you want to get out of it.  The "Everyone needs to eat _______" method of blanket statement dieting is a terrible thing.  As are most blanket statements and ideas.

I've tried to the low-fat/no-fat thing. I've tried the "eat what you want but count your calories" thing. And I've tried to standard "60/20/20 Carbs to Protein to Fat" thing... And while all of these have their merits - they didn't work for me all that well. So, after looking around and reading and then trying it out - I've found that the lower Carb intake approach works very well for me. I'm ingesting 196g of Protein every day 93g of Carbs and 83g of Fat... And Since July I have dropped inches while putting on muscle and I feel great.

You can diet or you can exercise and you'll see results... but if you "Diet AND exercise" together - you'll see even BETTER results. And in less time.

So - There ya go.

Until next time - Eat well and lift heavy things.

So sick and tired of being sick and tired...

Laziness is a hard habit to break... 

You have to recognize that laziness and procrastination are destructive to your word. When you take on a task you make a promise to somebody (perhaps just yourself, but somebody) that you will complete that task. But being lazy means you are breaking your word... That’s not bad, or wrong, it just is.

You can't fix a problem with good intentions. You can't get healthy just by not wanting to be fat and unhealthy anymore. You have to get up. You have to move.

I'm really sick of being fat and out of shape. I'm sick of being lazy. I'm sick of being sick of it all... I've got more false-starts than I care to. I'm sick of the amount of time I spend on the couch...

Today is the end of 7 weeks of healthier eating - healthier living - and a better me. 

If you're at the beginning of your journey - Make today DAY ONE! And take as many DAY ONEs as you need until you find that motivation and that drive. Dig down, dig deep, get up and GET MOVING!!

Until Next time - GET UP!

If you think little efforts don't matter, give it two months...

If you think little efforts don't matter, give it two months...

Not going to lie - this picture is just being used for clicks

No real visible or even noticeable progress is made in a single day or even a single week... But you take those days and weeks and add them up and it'll show.

Take smoking for example - You quit smoking and still feel like crap on the next day or two... well, duh... you don't magically get healthy overnight. But give that 3 weeks and see how it feels. 

Anything you want to do to become healthier - stopping smoking, going to the gym, giving up alcohol, eating better - whatever you do, give it at least 30 days... or better yet, give it 60 days. Are you going to get ripped and shredded like the P90-X commercials? Maybe - if you put in the time, effort, and energy to following every aspect of that program. 

More realistically - You're not going to follow the diet exactly. You're not going to be able to do th 50 pull-ups he magically thinks everyone can do. You're not going to push yourself as hard as you should.

Why?  Because you're a normal person wanting to get healthy and not someone wanting to become a professional athlete. I mean - damn - if I got paid to go to the gym instead of sit in my chair at work, I'd be one fit SOB. But the gym is where I go at night - after work, after dinner, after time with the kids... When I have the the time or even the energy to go. 

And even doing that - just putting forth the effort that I can - without turning my life completely over to "fitness" - the change is noticeable at 30 days. I see it in my face, my stomach, and my chest. I feel it when I go up the stairs. I feel it when I play with the kids or do ANYTHING requiring some amount of physical strain on my part. 

And it feels good. 

In 30 more days - it'll feel even better. 

Until next time - Keep going! You're almost there!

Getting fat on Fat Tuesday

Ah... Mardi Gras... or "Fat Tuesday" in the vernacular... is the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of the Catholic Lenten Season of fasting and something... Sorry, I'm not Catholic so I don't know what all goes on other than a lot of commercials for fish and a lot of people swearing off of sweets and or Facebook until Easter.

Anyway.... I DO love traditions, though. And I'm a sucker for sugary cakes. So, I bring in a King Cake every year on Fat Tuesday and share... and I ate a piece and it WAS AMAZING.  It was, in one bite, more sugar than I've consumed in a month. Which means I've totally blown my carb intake for the day week... but it was good - And totally worth it.

But that's the point of my post today - It is totally acceptable to occasionally indulge in your sweet tooth.

Let me say that again. Slower. And with emphasis on the proper words:

It is totally acceptable to occasionally indulge in your sweet tooth.

This means that, from time to time, you can eat that piece of cake or chocolate and not freak out about it. As long as it is A: OCCASIONALLY and B: In moderation. It does not mean "Oh man, what a fun workout - I'm going to eat this whole cake today because I earned it." or "I've lost 1 lb this month - I've earned a 3,000 calorie Frappaccino every day this week."  It DOES mean that once every 3 weeks or so - I'll eat something that totally blows my calorie and carb count out for a day... and that's it. I'll enjoy it, it's good, and then it's gone. Allow me to think back to that post where I talk about it NOT being a diet and being a decision to live a better/healthier life... That's it! You can be healthy and still eat sugar from time to time.

Unless you're allergic to sugar - and that would just be awful.



So - there ya go, kids!  Enjoy your Fat Tuesday... but remember that it's one day - and next week you're back to FIT Tuesday

Cardio! It's what's for dinner!

Holy... cow.

After tonight's weight-lifting session we decided to add a small, 10 minute, cardio session to our workout.

Well... 4 minutes of Tabata Box-Jump - Jump up on the box, then down for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds, then repeat for 4 minutes... and I was about dead. Not really - but I could feel the years of overeating and smoking. After that, we did Tabata Wall-Ball - weighted medicine ball tossed up about 10' on the wall, catch it when it comes down and go into a squat, then explode out of the squat and throw the ball back up... we did that for 20 on/20 off... 

I love doing cardio... even though I hate it. 

Cardio and I are somewhere in this range...

Ah well - it'll help, right?

I plan on doing more cardio... not enough to kill my muscles, but enough to help trim some of the fat. I'm really starting to see a difference in my body... my stomach doesn't stick out as far, some of my shirts are fitting better, and I feel better. Well - I feel better as long as I'm not dying of the plague that everyone keeps passing back and forth this winter.

So - There ya go, dear internet, fun time with sweat and weight loss.

Until next time - be better!

Getting off of you A** and doing something...

Yesterday was Sunday - which is the first night of my weekly gym trips, and I... didn't want to go. True story.

I spent all afternoon on Sunday playing with my kids on the floor building Lego castles, space ships, and boats... and I was having fun. Then I spent some quality time with my wife - and I, to put it simply, just lacked the motivation to leave all of that and go to the gym. I was too comfortable. And that, like any excuse, isn't a good one.

But - my wife is an excellent supporter in this endeavor of mine and urged me on towards the door and the awesome pain of Chest Day awaiting me at the YMCA.  I also have a good workout partner who keeps me accountable - even on dreaded LEG DAY!!!

And the thing is - much like my normal, social anxiety - Once I was there and doing it, I was happy. It's the getting up and going that is my stumbling point.

And that's the problem with a lot of things in life - finding the deep down, innate desire to get up, out of our comfort-zone or routine and try new things or do something difficult. It's absolutely easier to stay home, take "fat-burners", eat pizza and dream about being healthy than it is to get up, get dressed, go to the gym when it's 17 degrees out, and work hard for 90 minutes with various heavy objects.

Don't get discouraged. I know many people are just like me - impatient. Didn't see any results in 12 days? Might as well stop going to the gym!  - That's not how this works. That's not how ANY of this works. It takes 3 weeks before you might even feel a change in any aspect of your personal health or behavior, let along see one. It takes 21 days (I'm told) to form a habit. And to make a habit you need a routine. And that's why Sunday sucks so much for me. Friday and Saturday are rest days and Sunday comes and I am still resting. But that'll change - and having good reminders from family and friends helps - as does the reward of how good I feel after the gym. Well, except on the days when I go and I'm really dehydrated and I cramp up really bad in my sleep - but that's more of a personal problem LOL.

SO - go out there, form a routine, make a habit - AND BECOME THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF!!!!  Even if it takes 6 months, 6 years, 20 years, or 40 years!

Weight Loss and other factors...

Getting healthy - changing your lifestyle for the better - isn't just about losing weight. Anyone can lose weight if they just starve themselves or burn more calories than you take in... and that's not healthy or a good change for you to go through. In many of those cases, the lost weight comes back with a vengeance shortly thereafter. It's good for a short-fix, but not long-term.

I was one of those people concerned only with the scale and what it said for a long time. I just want to lose weight I just want to lose weight I just want to lose weight... 

But it's not about weight. It is about body make-up and composition. What I really wanted was to lose fat, build some muscle, and learn how to treat my body better. Don't get me wrong - if they came out with a pill tomorrow that would allow me to lose all of this weight in a week - I'd really consider it. I'm lazy. 

Fat loss is better than weight loss. 

So - 3 weeks ago, or so, on January 14th I decided to take some measurements along with my weigh-in and track that as well. 

My first measurements looked like this:

Neck: 17.25"

Hips: 43.5"

Waist: 44.5"

Not exactly the picture of fit - even though I was "losing weight" I wasn't losing size. In all reality I was probably losing muscle do to an insufficient diet. Muscle, as you might know, weighs MORE than fat... 

Here we see 5 lbs of fat next to 5 lbs of muscle... note the MASS of each....

For the past 3 weeks - I've been really working on eating the right foods - high in protein, low in carbs, healthy fats that my body can process... And my weight-loss has slowed.  I felt I should be down to 225 by now easily. But that's not the case - I'm still hanging around 228/230... but...

BUT...

I measured again today... 3 weeks to the day.

Neck: 16.5" (down .75")

Hips: 40.75" (down 2.75")

Waist: 42.5" (down 2")

And that's pretty damn great!!

So - I am pleased... and I am going to go another 3 weeks and re-measure. Maybe I'll be down another couple of inches and another couple of lbs... Who knows. 

Wish me luck, kids!  

And today - we weigh in

Well, good morning, Internet!

Today is my (self-mandated) official weigh-in day. Every Wednesday morning I wake up, have a cup of coffee, a glass of water, take a shower, and weigh-in.

Since June I've come down 15 lbs from 243!!!

It's been an up and down battle, but I'm happy right now....

Initially - back in 2014 when I looked at myself and said "Wow... you've let yourself go" I was 265 lbs.  Literally the heaviest I've ever been. 

This is me... at 265 lbs.
Nov 2014

My overall goal is to just get down to a size that looks healthy, allows me to live a better life, and a shape resembling "fit-ish".  I have no desire to be super buff and look like like a body-builder. I just want to be healthier. My goal weight is 210 lbs... which means I have 18 lbs to go. I'm pretty sure I can do it.  And if I end up only making it to to 220 or 215 - but I'm happy and healthy - I'll be okay with that too.

It's better to stop thinking of going to the gym as a "weight loss" method. It's not. Going to the gym is an active lifestyle choice that results in a change in your body. In some cases you lose weight - in some you gain weight. Either way should result in a happier, healthier you as long as you put in the time and effort.

The same goes for eating. I'm not on a diet. I am not diet-ING. I am just eating differently than before. I'm limiting the types and quantities of food I intake on a daily basis... again, this is more of a change in lifestyle than a "diet."

So - there ya go. My rant on weigh-in day!!

Hope you all have a good Wednesday

FAT_MAN_DO!

Well, here it is - a Blog.

Just what the world needs - another overweight guy pouring his guts out to the internet while he tries to lose weight. BUT... I'm not forcing you to be here, reading this... nor is anyone standing behind me, forcing me to write this.

This blog is a place where I can expand on ideas and plans, share recipes, and just expand the reach of my personal goal of being healthy. Sometimes, being healthy isn't just about getting fit with your body - it's also about getting fit with your mind. And maybe a blog will help with that. Who knows?

So - there ya go, folks!  My first official blog post!

Welcome to my journey!