Monday Notebook

Disclaimer: This post has 3 photos of me in it.  Though they are intended solely to assist in the illustration of bigger point(s), I will completely understand if any readers decide to forge reading this post because they are sick of looking at me.  For those who pass on today's post, I'm working on a 12 point argument on why Pluto should be reinstated as a planet.  Look for that tomorrow.

PART 1 - DON'T FORGET THAT THINGS TAKE TIME.
 
I'm just over 2 years into the new lifestyle now.  From a weight loss perspective that's 75 pounds.  The first 50 or so were (relatively) easy.  It's funny what happens when getting off your ass and doing something meets giving up drinking.  I lost 50 pounds in the first year.  The picture below is from the 2009 Long Beach Triathlon.  I weigh about 230 here.  Though in retrospect wearing a skin tight tri-top was an extremely bad fashion decision, I hope I can turn a negative into a positive by deeming this photo exhibit "A".

Exhibit "A" - Long Beach Triathlon 2009 - Chunky and stressed.

In the last year,  the weight loss slowed down - I've lost about 25 pounds.  But on the flip side, I've become faster and stronger than I ever imagined possible, and my body composition has changed quite a bit.  Exhibit "B" is from last weekend.

Exhibit "B" - Long Beach Triathlon 2010.  A bit less chunky and a lot less stressed.

Above and beyond the weight loss, what strikes me the most is that after a year I look more calm and composed, experienced and confident.  Call me crazy, but in some ways I'm more excited by that.

I'm not looking for "way to go!!" or "kick some more ass!!" comments.  Don't get me wrong, I love and appreciate every single comment I get.  But as it relates to getting from there to here, the pleasure is all mine.  Rather, I just wanted to put out a visual reminder that the realization of great things always take time.  Some of you started your journey earlier, some started later.  But in the end, we'll all get to the same place.  By the way, I've still got a ways to go, but I'm totally up for it.  How could I not be?

PART 2 - WE DIDN'T HAVE A SUMMER - UNTIL NOW.

Totally baked.

Southern California is baking.  I'm not just talking about the Inland Empire or the Valley, I'm talking about the coast too.  It was close to 100 degrees in Huntington Beach today.  I'm not sure it's ever been this hot in the 7 years I've lived here.

But if Jeff from Dangle The Carrot can endure a Texas summer, I can endure a few days of a California anomaly.  So there was no way I wasn't riding today.

When it gets hot here, it's usually because the winds are coming in from the desert.  So when I hit the road today I was surprised to discover that the wind was still coming in over the ocean from the southwest.  Except the wind was super heated.  How does this happen when the water temps have barely reached 62 degrees this year?

Once I got past the initial shock of the heat, the ride wasn't so bad.  I told myself that this was probably how it was going to feel at Ironman Hawaii 70.3 so I might as well take it where I can get it.  Besides, any chance to get some mileage on Pacific Coast Highway in the aero position is tough to pass up.

That said, I look a little more grimy in the post ride photo than usual.

They say we have a week of heat this left....

Rant

What a complete sucker I am.  When I realized I was a lard ass and that it was time to do something about it, I began to spend countless hours sweating my butt off putting mile after mile behind me by swimming, biking and running.  And it hasn't been cheap - bikes, running shoes, clothing, race fees, nutrition and the countless other pieces of gear that I have needed (or just wanted) have cost me a small fortune.

If I had only known about the Slim Tee.  For $19.95 I could have had instant gratification and saved thousands of dollars.  Instead of having to do all that work, the Slim Tee would have offered me a license to fake it.  The Slim Tee would have also allowed me to take no real responsibility for my health.  After all, the subtext of this commercial is that there's no shame in doing absolutely nothing to try and change your habits.  Why waste time that can be put to better use by sitting on your ass when a smaller waist size can be achieved in seconds?

As to the other benefits of fitness:

Renewed self esteem? - Not worth the effort.

A real sense of accomplishment? - Overrated.

Good health that may lead to a longer, happier, life for you and loved ones?  - Whatever.  Pass me the cheese fries, (expletive).  Because football season is starting.  And if I've got my fat gut stuffed into a Slim Tee, I'll be able to flirt with the waitress at Chili's (as long as my face isn't stuck in the middle of a plate of nachos when she walks by).

I'm sorry, but I just don't get it.  Actually, I do get it, I just wish it wasn't true.  For me, losing 80 + pounds is way up there on my list of the all-time awesome things I've done, and it was more than worth the fight.  If this product wasn't so pathetic, I'd be offended.  And it's not even the shirt that really bothers me, it's the two minutes of complete BS dialog in the commercial.  Strike when people are desperate and they will fall.  

I read blogs every day written by people who are in the process of losing weight the honest way.  And though we all struggle once in awhile, there is always one thing in common  - no one EVER bitches about the work or complains about how losing weight sucks.  People who are committed to good health tend to be really committed to good health.  And with the commitment comes passion and the desire to help others.  The Slim Tee doesn't come with new friends and a support group, that's for sure.

I'm preaching to the choir, but let's remember that compression garments are to help heal muscles thrashed from exercise and nothing else.

35,839

 If "tummy" didn't matter and it was all based on legs, I'd be dead sexy.  Just kidding.

35,839.  This is the amount of calories my Garmin says I have burned in the last 30 days, which I have further reduced by 30% because I don't trust my Garmin.  This doesn't include swimming or lifting, but as a point of reference I swam about 14,000 yards and spent about 4 hours in the gym in the last month.

Sounds like a lot, yeah?  Well I would think it is, except I have not lost any weight in two months.  By the way, I'm 6'0, have a big build, and currently weigh 215.  I'd like to get down to 200. 

According to the Harris-Benedict calorie formula, I need to take in 3364 calories a day to maintain my current weight based on the amount of training I do.  To be honest, I haven't been counting calories.  I didn't think I needed to, as I think (or I hope) that I eat pretty much on the right side of OK.  For example, this is what I had today -

Breakfast - 1 packet of instant oatmeal w/ 1 tablespoon of peanut butter; 8 oz orange juice; 4 strawberries.

Mid Morning Snack - 1 Clif Bar

Lunch - Turkey sandwich with 1 slice of real cheddar cheese and mustard on wheat bread; small bowl of Kashi crackers (15?)

Afternoon Snack - 1 Clif Bar

Dinner - 10 oz grilled tuna steak; 1 medium baked potato; 1 corn on the cob.

Dessert - 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Plus: sparkling water, NUUN on the bike, a serving of Fluid recovery drink, 2 cups of coffee and a diet coke.

For training, I rode my bike just over an hour at a high intensity, and did a 45 minute open water swim at a medium intensity.  It's more or less like this almost every day.

Now I'm sure every single one of you has already zeroed in on the dessert.  I wouldn't be surprised if you did and that may very well be the problem.  I hope not though, because I love ice cream.

At this point, I'm basically lean except for what's left of my love handles and a little bit on the sides of upper body under my arm pits.  

I'm not complaining, because I've come down from 290 pounds.  But I'm in for a penny, in for a pound (pun intended), and I would love to be the fittest 40 year old on the block.

Does anyone have any insight?  Feel free to berate me for the ice cream or indulge me in whatever science you've got.

Thanks!