I alway say if you can’t grow hair on top, you might as well grow it somewhere. I’m not sure why I decided to let my beard grow. But I have decided that no matter how itchy it gets, I’m not going to shave it until I reach my goal weight of 180 pounds. That’s about 55 pounds away from now.
Swinging wildly
I’ve been trying. Really trying. But my weight loss seems to be going so slowly. And my weight is fluctuating madly lately. One day I’m down 8 pounds, the next I’m back up 6. Just when I think I’m getting a handle on things I weigh myself and feel so bloated. Obviously this is water weight that is swinging around. It has to do with how much salt I am taking in, the amount of running I am doing (or not doing) and my food choices. There is no way a 10 pound swing in a week is fat. I guess that’s why I continue to watch the long term trend which indicates I am on track losing 1-2 pounds a week. This is why following a daily weight is madly frustrating. I would not recommend it.
Fitness and Training
It’s only a month until the Twin Cities marathon. I completed my 4th 20 mile run last Sunday. Training has been going really really well. You can see from my 8 mile run this morning (details below) that my pace is improving. Most importantly my heart rate is remaining lower. It used to jump up to about 175 or so when I was pushing this hard but now I can barely break 160. I think the chances of me blowing away my PR next month are very good. I have the Dick Beardsley half marathon on September 11 and I’m looking forward to a fast time.
| Intervals (GPS Interval) | |||||||
| Type | Distance | Time | Total Time | Pace | Avg HR | Max HR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 8:54 | 133 | 145 | ||||
| Interval | 1 Mi | 7:54.21 | 16:47.34 | 7:55 | 146 | 153 | |
| Interval | 1 Mi | 7:57.28 | 24:44.62 | 7:58 | 147 | 156 | |
| Interval | 1 Mi | 7:55.03 | 32:39.65 | 7:56 | 144 | 157 | |
| Interval | 1 Mi | 7:54.82 | 40:34.47 | 7:55 | 153 | 160 | |
| Interval | 1 Mi | 7:55.45 | 48:29.92 | 7:56 | 155 | 158 | |
| Interval | 1 Mi | 7:36.06 | 56:05.98 | 7:37 | 155 | 161 | |
| Interval | 1 Mi | 8:03.14 | 1:04:09.12 | 8:04 | 153 | 158 | |
| Interval | 0.02 Mi | 0:09.59 | 1:04:18.71 | 8:00 | 157 | 158 |
On the fitness front I have been working out a lot and really building my core. I feel a lot stronger and tighter though my weight loss has slowed significantly in the last month. I’m now down to about 215 pounds and I don’t know if I’ll hit 200 before the marathon. But that’s ok. My body is still shrinking and I’m building muscle.
Weight Loss Progress
It is about time I updated you on my progress. I have been increasing my miles, increasing my speed and working out at the gym a lot. I have moved up from 20 pound weights for my bicep curls to 35 pounds and from 30 pound dumbells for chest presses to 55 pounds. I generally work my upper body and back 3 times a week. I have dropped from about 265 pounds to below 227 pounds as of this morning. The progress definitely shows! Take a look.
Weight Loss Update
It’s been about nine weeks since I refocused my eating and exercise and it is paying off with big time results! I have dutifully tracked every calorie, good and bad, on fitday.com. I have resisted temptation and have eaten cleanly for the last two months. And I am happy with the results! over 30 pounds have melted away. My clothes fit better and I feel much stronger. My running has been improving and I am on top of the world. I have a ways to go but it is so encouraging to finally be back on track.
