Day 114: The Weigh-In: Week 16

Again with the time-management skills. This week was honestly a blur. I did make some time to ride my bike, but the weather left much to be desired. A decent amount of sun during the weekday but chilly! And this weekend was allllllll wet. Such is Chicago in April, I suppose. I had Thursday off but kinda took time to relax and reflect as it was the anniversary of a good friend's untimely passing.

I didn't do much on Saturday, but for some reason, still did not blog. At any rate, here were the results...

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (4/24): 220.
Weight loss this week: 2 lb.
Total weight loss: 34 lb.

I am nearing the peak point of when I last lost a lot of weight. I'm not sure exactly how much it was, but I'm thinking it was around 213 lbs. Which means, of course, it's only going to get harder from here. I believe the last time I hit that weight, I was doing that South Beach Diet about six or seven years ago. Of course, that didn't last and eventually I came back to bread, my true love.

The key to this weight loss regimen for me is that I have not completely eliminated some treats, I have just limited them. If I do eat like crap - and trust me, I still do at times - I tend to limit it to once a day or one day a week. Knowing I can allow myself to do that will usually get me through the week of eating well and portioning out meals.

I saw an old acquaintance Michelle at my friend Sarah's birthday party on Saturday night and hardly recognized her! She's been kicking ass on her own weight-loss regimen and I must say it sounds like she's earning every bit she loses. Go, Michelle!

I can't believe it's already almost the end of April. What... the hell.

Neil

Day 107: The Weigh-In: Week 15

I am so very pooped today. I think I'm going to map out today's biking tomorrow, as it really is too much work for me at this time, but I need to post my weigh-in blog entry before the day is over. I biked all the way down to Pilsen(!) this morning to shoot an all day video with Guy Clark and most of Cell Camp for a video contest entry for MoveSmart. It was a late start but we finally got done around 7:30. I still managed to ride all the way back to Lincoln Square from Pilsen via the Lakefront. I think it's around 20 miles round trip.

Before I left, I did my standard Saturday morning weigh-in...

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (4/17): 222.
Weight loss this week: 2 lb.
Total weight loss: 32 lb.

Nice! I'm guessing the last few day's adventures on my bike saved my butt. This bike is sure getting me the exercise I needed. I do not think I will be biking tomorrow as I don't want to get tired of it too early. It's going to be a nice sunny day tomorrow though, which are rare on weekends in Chicago, so I may still go for a walk.

Sadly, my Wii has been gathering dust for a month or so and now that the weather's getting nicer, I may be going outside for exercise now. Anyone want to borrow it?

Neil

Day 105: My First Big Bike Trip

I took my first big bike trip on my Marin tonight! It was the best evening of the year so far, so I simply could not pass up the opportunity. Unfortunately, I got home a little later than I wanted so I just grabbed my bike and headed out. I need to plan out my trip better next time, as Chicago actually does have designated bike routes. Luckily, I was still able to bike on most streets without much of a problem, even if they didn't have a path.

I rode all the way down to Navy Pier and back to Lincoln Square. I took about a 15-20 minute rest near the lakefront for "Neil time." It's hard to resist such an amazing night at the lakefront and I'm a little upset I haven't gone down to the lake more often in my 3 1/2 years of living in Chicago. All in all, it took about an hour and a half round trip and this site calculated I burned just over 900 calories tonight.

In weight loss news, I am not happy with the little snacking I've been doing nor with the lunches I "prepared" for myself this week (Lean Cuisine). I'm taking a little cue from my friend Rachel and making sure I'm cutting out High Fructose Corn Syrup; I haven't had much anyway but none is better than some. I also must make sure I cook something up to eat over the entire week. I'd rather have fresh cooked meat than frozen microwavable meals. After this week, I am also cutting out cereal. (I have been having bananas for breakfast, but I still buy cereals to snack on at home.)

I am taking careful steps to make sure I don't gain any weight this week and I suspect I'll only lose a pound. I'm not sure I mentioned earlier, but my goal for these next hundred days is 20 pounds. I am actually about 10 pounds away from my lowest adult weight ever. Sooooo close but soooo far.

So, yeah. 204 pounds by July 19. Let's do this!!

Neil

Day 102: I Got Me A Bike!

So, I get a furlough day this week, so I can actually catch up with stuff that I've been lagging on. Hopefully.

As I mentioned in the previous entry, I made a purchase yesterday that will have a great affect on my weight loss this spring and summer, and that is that I bought a BIKE! I managed to find a spectacular deal on Craigslist. I bought this bike for $100. The only issue, at least that I've been told of/noticed so far, is the seat needs to be fixed. The guy bought it brand new last year and barely used it and basically was just trying to get rid of it because it was taking up space. He said he should've asked for more after all the responses he got but he said I was the only one he replied to because I just sounded the most interested; lucky me! (I hope.) I hope this bike wasn't stolen, but the dude had a kid and seemed like a decent chap, so I have my doubts.

Anyway, I'm very excited about this. My own bike was stolen just over a year ago and I missed all the fun last summer. Riding your bike in the city is not always a fun ride but at least I get to see more of it. It came with a U-lock too, but I think I'm always going to be paranoid it's going to be stolen. This city has a terrible reputation when it comes to stolen bikes. Almost every one of my friends have had their bike(s) stolen here in the three and a half years I've lived here.

Anyway, anyone wanna bike the Drive with me? Any braver souls wanna ride nekkid?

Neil

Day 100: The Weigh-In: Week 14

This weekend was filled with lots of friends again, which also means terrible time-management skills on my part. This entry is back-dated to when I weighed myself this weekend. I seriously am terrible at how I balance my time, more on that later. Right now, I do have good news to impart...

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (4/10): 224.
Weight loss this week: 2 lb.
Total weight loss: 30 lb.

I hit my goal! I looked back on my previous entries and I lost about six pounds in the past month. The loss is definitely slowing down but I'm still on a good pace. Plus, the spring is here and I'm getting out more. I made an awesome purchase this weekend which I will blog about immediately after this entry.

Thanks to Craig, an old friend from Woodstock, for his tips and reminders about what I should be focusing on as I lose weight. One thing I have not been getting enough of is sleep and it's my own fault. I'm sure it's an issue that my friends share too. Since I have a 9 to 5 job, I feel like I never have time for my own projects, so I don't get to work on them until I get home, which I tend to dilly dally around with so I don't start on them until late...

So my point is that I need to manage my time better. Tips are welcome.

Excelsior!
Neil

Day 97: Celebrity Weight Loss Secrets!

There are a lot of crazy diets that celebrities go on to lose weight. Most of the time, actors do it for movie roles. For example, for The Machinist, Christian Bale went without proper rest for prolonged periods, and placed himself on a crash diet of generally coffee and apples, which reduced his weight by 63 pounds in a matter of months.

Some do it to just be healthier and/or look better. Jennifer Hudson recently lost about 50 pounds through Weight Watchers, according to the commercials, and looks even more stunning than she did before.

Then there's Brian Wilson. The man had gained a lot of weight during the 1970s and without a doubt needed to turn his life around. However, he turned to the controversial doctor Eugene Landy, who cared for Brian and subsequently brainwashed him and exploited him over the course of 15 years.

How controversial is he? Just look at this video of the Beach Boys on The Tonight Show in 1984.



Brian lost a hundred pounds in one year. For a year, he "starved," isolated and put on a 600 calorie diet and he subsequently lost 100 pounds. I can't even imagine how miserable that was, but he certainly seems more lively at this point in his life than he had been in years past. My diet right now is limited to around 1,400 calories a day, more than twice his amount, and I sometimes find it hard.

The only crazier thing I've heard is that Will Sasso lost 200 pounds in a year ten years ago. But that guy was morbidly obese beforehand.

Anyway, I found that video a few weeks ago and I just had to share!

Neil

Day 93: The Weigh-In: Week 13

What happened to this weekend? Seriously, my only time since Friday night that I've been at home was to sleep, and I didn't sleep long either night. The cast and crew of the new web series "Hank Frisco" spent all Friday night and all day Saturday shooting the first episode, Saturday night I was out til 4am par-tee-ing, and I spent all day today at my parents' place for Easter. I'm pooped but this blog needs an update and I mustn't forget to report the weigh-in.

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (4/3): 226.
Weight loss this week: 2 lb.
Total weight loss: 28 lb.

I still managed to lose weight this week and it looks likely that I'll hit 30 lbs by Day 100, which is great. Today was the first time my mom has seen me since Christmas and she was blown away! :-)

Yeah, so bad habits are hard to get rid of. My bad habit of not updating this blog more than once a week has reared its ugly head and Phase II has not taken off like I hoped it would but I really feel I'm going to turn that around this week. It has been a crazy past couple of weeks and I think its throwing off my priorities.

Anyway, thanks for sticking around, gang. New entry on Tuesday night!

Neil

Day 86: The Weigh-In: Week 12 + DC

Now, before you get down on me for a week gone by without a blog post, let it be known that I was gone Wednesday through Saturday morning on a company outing to Washington, DC and I did not have any access to the internet (except my Twitter update via cell text).

So, how did I do this week in another city? Not so hot. All company-related expenses were paid by my bosses - including meals. Everything is expensive and terribly overpriced in DC, so of course, I felt like I could eat anything. I know it doesn't make any sense, but this really was my thought process.

I really did well in keeping up with exercising. On Wednesday night, I worked out for an hour at the hotel's gym and it reminded me of the overall better workout I miss by not going to the gym. I sweated a lot and burned plenty of calories on the exercise bike and elliptical machine in only an hour. I never really got to see much of DC during the whole trip, so on Friday night, I walked around the city for hours to see how many landmarks I could at least experience (more on that later). Still, I felt like my meals were too much and bad to burn off before my weigh-in today.

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (3/27): 228.
Weight loss this week: 0 lb. (+1)
Total weight loss: 26 lb.

Yes, my 11-week trend of no weight-gain ended this week... just barely. I mean, my digital scale says 228.0. I checked it over and over this morning, hoping it would become 227.8, but it never changed.

On Thursday night, I did not workout, and I wonder now if that would've made a difference. I also ate grease-covered Fuddrucker's after my walk last night (of course I found the Subway after I stopped there) and a cinnamon pretzel at the airport this morning before my weigh-in (again, a reel lack of selections on my route); both of these probably did me in as well.

The walk on Friday night really was impressive though. I had been on my feet all day already with the installation we were doing at the Renaissance Hotel downtown and they hurt before I stepped foot on the walk. They really hurt on the way to the Lincoln Memorial. They were killing me as I went to the Capitol. It was all much further than it had appeared, but I'm glad I got to see those landmarks at least. I only learned when I plotted the course today that I had gone about six miles, my second longest walk ever.

Too bad I gained all the calories I lost when I ate the Fuddrucker's Dogzilla with Fries afterwards... although it did taste really good. But I really hate the idea of gaining any weight during this fitness plan because I now have re-lose it again.

Of course, I'm certain I can and will do it this week now that I'm back to my normal daily routine. I'm two weeks away from Day 100. I'm looking to have an even 30 pounds lost by that time.

Peace,
Neil

Day 79: The Weigh In - Week 11

Unbelievable week. Spring decided to arrive in Chicago right on schedule, although it decided to leave on vacation again last night, as we all woke up to Winter this morning complete with snow back on the ground. But it was still an amazing week.

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (3/20): 227.
Weight loss this week: 3 lb.
Total weight loss: 27 lb.

I hit my goal for the week and then some! I've lost more than 3 average newborn babies this year. I think I'm back on track.

When my feet hit the ground the morning after my 8 mile walk, there was an immediate stiff pain coming from my shins, which I guess shouldn't be that surprising. However, I do realize that I need new shoes if long-distance walking is going to be part of my daily or weekly routine. Luckily, Fleet Feet Sports is in the hood!

I am gearing up to run the Chicago Marathon in October 2011. I'm not used to running at all in general, no less long distances. I'd rather be safe and get my body comfortable to doing it and I think this October is just too soon for me. Plus, it encourages me to continue living healthy into late next year to be able to run.

In the meantime, my goal for next week is 2 more pounds lost.

Excelsior!
Neil

Day 77: A Spring In My Step

Inspired by the Spring weather that will soon taper away into the cold again this weekend, last night I decided last night that I was going to challenge myself to walk all the way from downtown to my place on the Northwest Side. I put on my sneakers for the first time since maybe last October and I was pumped for the walk the whole day at work.

By midday, I wasn't sure if I would walk along Lake Shore Drive or if I'd walk through the neighborhoods as I originally planned. In the end, I stuck with my original plan and this is what I ended up doing:

Total distance: 8.11 miles and it did take me almost three hours. I really enjoyed it though and I plan to do a variation on it at least once a week. I want to make sure the route is different every time though; that's what keeps it interesting.

I stopped at a Subway around Fullerton and Lincoln halfway through, simply because I needed a nosh. I met up with my lovely friend Kate Lambert at Addison and Southport, who, honestly, really made the last part of the walk go by faster. Thanks, Lamby!

I'm looking forward to doing more walks like these and if anyone wants to join me, the more the merrier. I ultimate goal this summer is to walk the entirety of Western Avenue, which is officially a little over the length of a marathon. I'm certain I can do it, although walking a straight line north might be a bit more boring than I'd wish for. Someone did this route years ago and took pictures of their trip and put them up on a website. Anyone know what I'm talking about? Anyway, this summer. Maybe around August?

And again, anyone who wants to join me is welcome.

Neil

Day 75: I've Been Here Before

So, because I like to reminisce, I decided to look at my LiveJournal a few weeks back.

There were a lot of things in there that I had forgotten about. (I have the memory of an ant when it comes to some things.) Some of these memories were good; some bad. I was a whiny bitch sometimes and I definitely used that LJ to vent.

There was one fact that I came across that I had totally forgotten about. On November 23rd, 2006, I listed things I was thankful about, including:

"I've lost a total of 20 pounds since I've lived here."

I had totally forgotten that when I first moved to Chicago, I had lost twenty pounds in the first two months I lived here. (Sound familiar?)

How? Well, I had a job that I was on my feet eight hours a day. And then I was also going to rehearsal and was on my feet that much longer. I definitely didn't change my diet. So, of course, when I got the job in the office a month after I did this entry, I eventually gained that weight back pretty quickly.

Now, unfortunately, I can't find anything where I mention how much I weighed before and after the weight loss. I did complain months earlier that I was at the most I had ever weighed, but I was less open about my weight back then than I am now. I keep getting 220 in my mind, but I thought I weighed 250 when I moved to Chicago.

At any rate, I have been down this road before and I've already passed my original Chicago weight loss. Most Chicago folks don't remember it because I gained this weight back within the first few months of meeting them. This time it's different, though. It's pretty impressive to me that I am able to maintain an office job where I sit on my ass everyday and still managed to lose more weight this year than I did being on my feet eight hours a day.

Imagine if I had a job where I didn't sit on my ass anymore.

Neil

Day 74: More Daylight Means More Walking

So I decided that I'm finally going to get my very expensive Nikon N75 fixed. It broke almost five years ago when the film started loading incorrectly. I never got it fixed because at that point I was just looking for a reason to get a digital camera.

I planned to go to Central Camera after work to get a quotation on repairs but realized quickly I would never get downtown before they closed at 5:30. So, at the last minute, my co-worker Todd told me about Helix just north of the Racine stop on the Blue Line. I gave them a shot but discovered they closed earlier at 5pm. However, I didn't have anywhere to be until 8, so I figured... random walk!

Today's walk was 3.23 miles, which was about the same distance as a couple of previous walks. Not the least of my "big walks" but not the most. (I'm still looking to hit 5 miles at least). Still, the near West side is awesome. I'm going back some point very soon with one of my cameras. There is an amazing building on Madison dating back to a year after the Great Chicago Fire that I hope is never torn down.

For some reason, I also neglected to blog about my half-drunk walk home on Saturday night.

This was 2.91 miles. Now, this was not, of course, walked during daylight. It was, however, the evening of the Daylight Savings. It was more awesome for the fact that it was pretty late at night and all the bars were already closed so the St. Patty's drunken noise was gone. It wasn't so late that the sun was coming up, but you could hear the birds. This is the first time I've heard morning birds this year and it really reminded me of Spring. 

I. Can't. Wait for Spring.

Neil

Day 72: The Weigh In - Week 10

So, I went directly to the bar after work on Friday and then to a party directly after that, so I did not weigh myself on my usual Friday night. I did weigh myself Saturday morning, when I should've blogged about it. I did not but I made a note of the weight.

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (3/13): 230.
Weight loss this week: 2 lb.
Total weight loss: 24 lb.

I lost two pounds, which is great, but I am noticing that I'm getting a little too laxed with things. My wii is starting to gather dust. This often happens and also how I tend to end my progress. There is a plateau point I know I'll hit and I think I've hit the first, but there's much more I know I have to - and can - lose, if I pump it up to the next level.

So I am now entering Wearing Thin: Phase II.

I may add to this, but here are some essential ground rules/changes:
- I have to sweat every day.
- I can't use social situations as an excuse to eat poorly.
- I am still going allow one "spoiler" meal, but I can't allow it to spread into the entire weekend.
- My new weigh-in date is Saturday morning instead of Friday night.
- I will set weight-loss goals weekly intending to keep up with my goal of 180 by 12/31. Right now, the curve on the chart appears to be on-course, but I can take that for granted.
- I have to blog at least 2 more entries than my standard weigh-in entry per week.

I did not meet my goal of 3 pounds this week, so my goal for next week is 2 pounds (for a total of 26 pounds).

Let's do this.

Day 64: The Weigh In - Week 9

Another week with nothing to blog about? Terrible. It really has been quite a stressful week at work and next week will be no exception, but I take it as a reflection of my lack of dedication towards the diet routine this week. I think I was wondering what I could get away with, actually; I lost 3 pounds last week and there was only one day of exercise. What if I didn't exercise at all this week?

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (3/5): 232.
Weight loss this week: 0 lb.
Total weight loss: 22 lb.

Oh snap!! I really didn't eat anything too bad after Saturday, but I think the lack of exercise does make a difference. Who knew?? However! It should be noted that this is my bye week, meaning during my entire diet I have lost a lot one week, little the next, lot the next, little the next. I didn't expect to lose more than 1 pound. I did technically lose like .6 pounds (my scale is digital) but I do not round up.

ANYway, I'm gonna really pump it up this week, exercise every night if I can and really watch what I eat. I want to hit the big 25 pounds next week. I also have a great entry that I've been meaning to write since I started this blog. Hopefully I can get to that this weekend.

Thanks for the continued support, peeps!
Neil

Day 60

Yeah. :)

Day 57: The Weigh In - Week 8

Boy, I really sucked at blogging this week. I was home all day on Monday, too, and I was just a lump in front of this infernal box. The good news, I guess, is that I'm going back to five days a week, so although I loved the extra day of sleeping in, the nothingness that Monday was becoming may have eventually taken my life.

Anyway, a paradox this week. I was definitely eating some crap. On Saturday, I had my "guilt-free" meal of Mexican food as Friday night was spent seeing awesome lady arm wrestling at the Mystic Celt. I ate more than my share of chips this week. I ate terribly last night and had ten 25 cent BBQ wings during a dudes' night out. Last night was also the only night this week I spent sweating (after I got home from dudes' night). I just remember feeling guilty about my eating this week (what else is new?)

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (2/26): 232.
Weight loss this week: 3 lb.
Total weight loss: 22 lb.

Here was the other side of that: This was really the first week I felt thinner. Like, a lot of my clothes felt loose, my skin felt tighter (?), and I can really feel the difference in my upper body from the exercise that I am doing. I feel great, really.

I've now lost 22 pounds in two months and that's an awesome feat. And one of those months has only 28 days (can you guess which one?) Granted, 14 were in January and 8 were in February. Still, at this rate, I'll probably be at my lowest weight since before I moved to Chicago by the time Easter comes. And... AND... I did this all during the winter months. Who ever gets away with losing weight in the winter? I do. Yes sir, I think I'm gonna look - and feel - pretty good this summer.

Now I'm going to celebrate with what I was GOING to eat last Friday: a burger.

Neil

Day 50: The Weigh In - Week 7

As I mentioned yesterday, this week was not great. I portioned but I feel like I still ate bad stuff. I got ice cream, but it was just the 100 calorie bars. But I ate them all. We had a sausage luncheon at work on Thursday and I limited myself to one sausage, but I had some mini cupcakes, too. I feel like I'm slipping little by little each week so I've got to watch out.

However, knowing these foods were entering my body, I did exercise more this week too. I worked my lower body and the lunges killed my legs. It felt like I never walked before for a few days. I stretched beforehand but I think my leg muscles were just not used to it. It'll be all the easier next time I guess.

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (2/19): 235.
Weight loss this week: 1 lb.
Total weight loss: 19 lb.

And I think I barely lost that pound. I could see the scale feeling sorry for me and throwing me a bone. I am glad that I lost a pound rather than nothing or - gasp - gaining a pound. That's the worst and I know it's probably going to happen some point once some of this fat turns to muscle.

I've lost the majority of the weight I put on after I moved to Chicago. That's great. And for those of you who are wondering, this is how the chart looks now. I think I'm still on course.

 

Til whenever,

Neil

Day 49: Taking The Subway

So, I really like Subway. I didn't think I would. I thought it would get old, but it turns out, it's something I really look forward to after work on most days. People get down on the place sometimes, but eff that! It's actually a decent meal and it's way better than cramming your face at a McDonald's or Wendy's.

I almost always get the same meal when I go there: the 6" black forest ham on wheat (with honey mustard sauce), baked Lays chips and a medium Diet Coke. Total calorie count is about 450. It's the second best thing you can get at Subway behind a pile of veggies on bread and it's conveniently my favorite!

I have actually been toying around with going to every Subway in Chicago. I thought maybe I could review them, actually, but then I realized how stupid that was, since most are the essentially the same. That's actually what they set out to do. However, there have been things that set some apart from others.

I am in the process of creating a Google Map of all the Subways to which I have been. I know this is something you're all dying to know but it is not as easy as it seems.

Unfortunately, I've only been twice this week. The other days I've been out socializing like some young punk kid and not eating the best (but portioning! portioning!). We'll see if it comes back to bite me on my weigh-in tomorrow night. Nervous as always!

Til then,
Neil

Day 43: The Weigh In - Week 6

I had to retro date this. It was a very busy night last night and I only had time to weigh myself between work and dinner. I stuffed myself with sushi and went to see The Room last night at the Music Box with friends and got the legendary Tommy Wiseau's autograph!

This was my first week (since that first week this year) where I was sure that I had lost weight. Of course, that would mean I actually didn't. Still, I went down a notch on my belt and my pants still didn't feel too tight, so surely I lost something, right?

STARTING WEIGHT (1/1): 254.
CURRENT WEIGHT (2/12): 236.
Weight loss this week: 3 lb.
Total weight loss: 18 lb.

I followed the cycle that has been occuring the past month or so where I lose a 1-2 pounds one week and 3-4 pounds the next and back and forth. I'm very happy with this rate and currently seem right about on course to meet my goal, expecting, of course, to have some real difficulty getting off those final 20 pounds or so.

Some people have noticed I've looked a bit thinner, but its still not obvious (at least to me). Looking at pictures of me 3-4 years ago (when I was around 225) I don't I look too much different (except more hair). I do however look pretty different in photos from around 6 years ago when I was in the 215 range. So I have another couple of months to go yet before I start actually seeing real noticeable change, where I believe people will actually ask me, "Have you lost weight?"

By May, I could weigh the least I have been in about 15 years.
By July, I could weigh the least I ever have in my adult life.

It's very exciting.

Neil

Day 39: Walking and Taking Photos

I took a short walking tour of some of the side streets in Wicker Park-Bucktown today. 3.55 miles.

I took a few photos today. It was another sunny day that will not last through the night, as we will be expecting almost a foot of snow in the Chicago area tonight.

Chicago still has reminants of its old address system. For an explanation of what the hell I'm talking about, go here. It's an interesting part of mostly-forgotten Chicago history! When we were shooting the original pilot for "Snap!", I remember seeing houses in the Wicker Park area featuring houses that had these old numbers, so I did some exploring today.

The photos can be found on my Flickr, starting here.

Neil