Hi everybody! I'm new to this board and really love the place so far. Like the rest of you in this particular forum, I'm striving to lose some weight and shape up and diving is a major motivator for me. Just as some background ... I just turned 50 in March and I've been overweight all my life. I've been diving for 31 years and my weight has never really caused me any problems with that, but I know I would be better, more comfortable and safer if I had less fat on my body and had better cardiovascular conditioning.
So I started getting really serious about it beginning April 1. I'm 6 ft. tall and weighed in at 258 ... not good. But I started hitting my local YMCA early nearly every morning and eating good, "clean" food, trying to space my feedings throughout the day, every 3-4 hours. I try to stay to a schedule of doing a "pushing" workout for chest, shoulders and triceps on Mondays and Thursdays and a "pulling" workout for back and biceps on Tuesdays and Fridays. I feel that my cardio workouts do enough for my legs, which are my best feature. I start each workout with 10 minutes or so of warmup on a recumbant bike and finish with 30-40 minutes of cardio on either a treadmill or an elliptical machine. In the cardio workouts I shoot for a burn of 400 to 500 calories each session, depending on the time spent, so I'm pretty gassed at the end. I also have been "snorkeling" (laps) in the YMCA pool at least a couple of times a week, 30 minutes each time.
I have been trying to stay off the scale, since I am the type who gets addicted to it and can't stay off it, then get discouraged when the results are not what I want or expect. So, in April I weighed on the 1st, then vowed to put the scale away and not weigh again until the 15th. I get paid on the 15th and on the last day of each month, so weighing on payday seemed like a good plan. On April 15th I had lost 13 pounds, so I was pleased with that. I had set a goal of 20 pounds for the month, so I was glad to be more than halfway to my goal at halfway through the month.
Then I got kind of derailed. A few days later I went to a concert and had a few beers. I had not been drinking at all in the first half of the month. A couple of days later I had a few beers again, vowing to get back on track the next day, which was a Monday. You know, "my diet starts on Monday." Anyway, I did get back on track, but started weighing myself far too often again. I continued my exercise regimen and proper eating, but by May 1, I had only lost about 3.5 more pounds, making my April weight loss 16.5 pounds. I was at 242.5. I know 16.5 pounds is actually good for one month, but I fell short of my goal and was disappointed. I had been watching "The Biggest Loser" every week, and that's inspiring, but getting results like they get is unrealistic, isn't it?
So, with the new month of May I vowed again to stay off the scale and continue my regular exercise and eating program, and I have done really good so far, one week into it. No beer or junk food. I have set a more realistic goal of 13 or so pounds for May, which will put me at 230 or below. My next weigh in is next Thursday, May 15th.
I'm going to Orlando for the weekend this week, but will be able to stick to my program. I really am taking it "one day at a time" and focusing on doing the right thing just for today, then doing it again tomorrow.
I'm not really sure what my ultimate goal is as far as weight, around 200 would thrill me to death, but I have a brand new shortie wetsuit I bought a year ago and I would love to be able to wear it, so one goal is to be able to wear it comfortably in the fall when the water starts cooling off and I'd like to extend my diving season. I only dive in the warmer months. It's size XL, but you know how that is ... when you hold it up on the hanger it looks more like a Medium, and I'm not exaggerating. I guess that's a subject for another thread, but why do they do that? I know wetsuits are supposed to fit snugly, but I wear size XL shirts and T-shirts and such perfectly, but can't zip up that freakin' wetsuit! I saw on another message board where someone suggested that the suits are cut and manufactured in Asia, where the people are smaller. Anyway, my goal is to wear the darn thing and I've got quite a bit of gut getting in the way! LOL!
Sorry for this getting so long, but future posts won't go into so much detail. I just wanted everyone to know where I am, where I'm going and how I plan to get there. Confessing everything is good, so now I'll be held more "accountable" for my progress. It's great to be part of an online community that has so much in common.
Thanks, guys!
