This week I have been doing something that I do not recommend for everyone, unless you want to change what you habitually stuff into your gullet. I have been reading labels - not just the calorie, fat, protein, and carb data on them but actually reading the labels with a particular emphasis on the ingredients. Can anyone honestly tell me what sodium benzoate is? Propyl gallate? Thiamine mononitrate? How about acesulfame disodium EDTA? I didn't think so. Don't worry - we are not going to delve into deep dark chemistry today. I just want to simply point out that there are some mighty strange constituents in some of the stuff I consume on a regular basis.
We've all heard the old adage "you are what you eat". This makes me extremely nervous because I don't even know what acesulfame disodium looks like. I don't even know how to pronounce acesulfame disodium. Ok, here comes a stunning confession: a major portion of my current diet consists of foods that can be obtained at a gas station, most of which has packaging labels chuck full of Greek-looking words that nobody knows what they are or what they do to you. Today, as I perused through one of my regular gas stations, I noticed only a few things that do not have a ton of weird ingredients in them. What are they? Well...water, an apple, some juices, and a banana. Have you ever looked at the ingredients on the chocolate milk jug and noticed all the goop they put in there?
Let me shift gears for a bit and explore the art of goal setting...I've always known that in order to execute any successful undertaking a notable plan needs to be established and followed. Let's say that your son or daughter comes to you and says "I really want to be an astronaut". Unless you have phenomenal connections with staffers from NASA, you simply can't drive you child to NASA headquarters and sign a waiver and toss him or her into the space shuttle and say "see you in a day or two - astronaut". Obviously, there needs to be some type of a plan. The better the plan, the more probable the intended results. Most successful plans consist of proper research (what does it take to be an astronaut?) coupled with an achievable path toward the end goal (college education, internships, etc.). Even if you want it 'real bad' plenty of significant effort needs to be put forth to accomplish the goal.
I've wanted to go from fatness to fitness for quite some time now; I'd even say that I've even wanted it real bad. I haven't had a very decent plan. In fact, I've pretty much had no plan. By the end of this post, I intend to layout the foundation of a good plan.
So what is the big plan? Before I lay out the big plan I'd like to express my appreciation to all of the comments or replies that have been left on this blog. I read each of them multiple times and strongly consider the recommendations that are expressed (that's how I lost my kneecaps). The support that I feel from your comments is tremendous. I'm going to integrate much of the great advice into my big plan.
The plan? Let me first reveal another interesting discovery. How long does it take to wolf down a Big Mac? A couple minutes? Not including fries, a Big Mac has about 560 calories. How long does it take to burn off 560 calories? Well, if I got on my mountain bike and peddled vigorously, non-stop, for at least 45 minutes I could burn off one Big Mac. If I throw in a bucket of fries, I'd have to huff it on that bike for twice as long. Whew, my heart rate is increasing just thinking about it.
What about the plan? I'm going to take a mulligan this week on reporting my weight.
Here is the plan (for real) - some of this is more-or-less philosophy to adopt and some are actually action-type items:
1. Follow the example of Mr. Cleaver. I think it is best to pack a lunch from home, include snacks and beverages (stay out of the gas station). Make sure that the food is as natural as possible, devoid of all of the weird ingredients described above.
2. Look at exercise as an activity to condition your heart, lungs, muscles, and spirit (have I mentioned how good exercise makes you feel?). Exercise shouldn't be viewed as a means to burn off the malicious intake of food - malicious food shouldn't be taken in.
3. Exercise 3-5 times per week; make sure that the heart rate gets in the 'zone' for an extended time (20-30 minutes minimum).
4. Weight training is a must; incorporate it into the cardio days, as well. It is not only the best way to exchange fat for muscle, it is the only way.
5. OK...Lastly...this one may be a challenge for me, but I was inspired by Devin and his year-long hiatus from candy. I am going to extend a challenge to myself and accept the challenge at the same time. The challenge is this - refrain from eating anything that resembles candy, cakes, cookies, or other malicious treats for one year, starting today (have you ever eaten a Chocodile?). Also, I'm going to refrain from drinking soda pop for the same year, starting immediately after I finish the Diet Dr. Pepper on my desk. When the year-long stint is finished, it is not my intent to throw a big party and go on an extended bender of eating crappy food and swigging down carbonated beverages. At that time, it will be prudent to establish proper limits, maybe a treat per week or something like that. (I'll cross that bridge when I get there.)
Again, I appreciate you support. Wish me luck enduring pounding headaches and the twitches associated with jonesing for a snack or pop. They should only last a few days.
Can anyone loan me a bottle of advil and a straitjacket?
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9 comments:
Hey dad, im just here to say you can do it! And don't quit!
-Ryan-
Go Richard! Sounds like a good detailed plan. Good luck this week and we'll see if we can't track down a strait jacket.
There is a quote I have read that goes something like this, "if you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there." So I think this is an awesome plan! That should help the weight loss a lot. Can I just say that you definitely have way more will power than me? No pop or candy for a WHOLE year? Wowzee! How about I eat enough for both of us and tell ya how it is? Good? I exercise so I can eat. I also say ignorance is bliss (in regards to the unpronouncable ingredients in our food). Best of luck.
Emily
P.S. I forgot if I have told you this already, but that Biggest Loser CardioMax workout is about 30 minutes and it is a great workout. I think you can get it Wally World for about 10 bucks. :)
Richard,
Well I read your post as I was eating my rootbeer float and I was inspired! Gary is eating his cheesecake and prompting me to set a similar goal with abstaining from something for a year. I however am sceptical that I could actually do something like that. How do you talk yourself into it - seeing as how I get so much stinking enjoyment from food. In fact I have actually succombed to the notion that we can't watch a movie without eating some treats along with it. Or that food is somehow synonomous with fun. I am tempted to use it as a bet with Gary - just because it is his idea and I don't think that he could actually do it.
So all my yammering is to welcome yours or anyone else's comments on this. I can dig the exercise thing. It obviously makes me look better, be healthier and it is a stress relieving experience. I can feel the difference while I am doing it and after. With changing the diet - how do you actully curb those cravings (or habits.) I mean how do you not think about what you can't have or shouldn't eat 24/7? Now that you can see how I think about it I have one suggestion on your plan. Don't cut out everything you love. If you are a sweets person - pick one sweet that you think is least harmful and use it to fall back on if you are just dying for something. Or maybe say that you can have a small amount of that item to reward yourself at the end of a month or week where you have been a perfect angel. I don't know - just a thought.
But everything you said is true about what we eat. Like for example bread. I started reading the ingredients on bread. Think about when you make bread - there are maybe 6 ingredients. Well even bread that you think is healthy because it says 100% whole wheat - could have up to 40 ingredients (the last 30 are things you never heard of.) So a good rule of thumb is to stick to things that have fewer ingredients - and hopefully ones you can recognize. Usually this eliminates things you can eat directly from or make from a box or can.
I will really go off here, but one more thing which you probably already know. If you are going to focus on eating healthier I would make a note of things that are made with white - processed flour as opposed to whole grain. You would be surprised once you think of everything that includes. But just to make a transition from white to whole grain can make a big difference.
But after all this jabbering from me - Kudos for making a plan. you are the kind of guy with the super duper will power that can stick to it. So go for it!
-Adrien
Hey,
I just have to say that yes, you are funny. You're really quite a hoot to be around. I'm debating on letting everyone in on the bet that we have going on. Okay, I'll do it...the thing is I think it is so great when we go to wedding receptions and see couples out there having a great time dancing. Not bear hugging or just kind of standing there, really dancing. I have always had this fantasy of Rich taking me out on the dance floor and dancing some kind of great waltz or being able to do the two step without looking like fools...okay, I'd even settle for some slick country dance moves. Rich, on the other hand would just LOVE it if I would get my hunter's safety and put in for some hunts and actually hunt with him. So, we made this deal that whoever reaches their goal weight and maintains it for at least six months first, has to either take dance lessons if I win or have me take hunter's safety and go hunting if Rich wins. So, the bet is on, we'll keep you updated on the progress;) It should give us a little motivation to say the least. One of us will have the opportunity to devolop some skills that we didn't know we had. Not to mention some seriously fun dates! Great plan, and I'll be rooting for you even if I HAVE to take hunter's safety!
Love ya,
Ju
Good Job Ju for getting your hunters safety! That is a good goal. Richard.. Congrats on setting a goal, I agree with Adrien, I think you should have something small to fall back on in case you NEED chocolate or something sweet. Who can resist a tasty homemade cinnamon roll?
I took one thing at a time. I stopped drinking Soda pop in September, and have not missed it. I have not noticed a huge difference, but down the long road, I am sure there is a difference. you are a huge example to me, I keep reading your blogs for inspiration for help to weight loss. Thanks for being a great example.
liz
Rich, besides the point of your inspirational and enjoyable blog, I think you should take up writing along with your "better lifestyle plan." And, the bonus to that, your time would be put into writing instead of wondering what to munch on (which is what a lot of my time is spent on) and you'll get to bless a lot of other people with your writing. You have a gift. I am serious by the way. Good luck and hang in there. Lisa
Richy!
Hey, I am glad to hear that you now have a game plan. I actually that you didn't have one before. Let me refraise that, you probably had one, but you just decided that you needed to maybe map it out a little more.
Good luck on the no crap for a year. Way to go, I know that is something I couldn't do, (ok I probably could if I really wanted to but, that is a little extreme for me, like I always say, moderation in all things.) I am sure that you will see some extreme changes just from doing that.
So, on the exercise thing, I think that is a noble goal. Sometimes though I think it is ok to say, alright I ate a big steak last night, I am going to work that off, or I know that I am going to go out to dinner tonight so I better work out a little harder because I know that I want to eat a little extra, or whatever! But, you are right if you are putting the right things into your body then you shouldn't have to workout to work out that stuff off. Also I think you will eventually get to the point that you will actually get to the point that working out is not so bad, and that you will look forward to working out and will feel crappy when you miss your workout. Don't worry it will come, you might think that I am crazy right now, but one day you will think like that it is crazy.
Well, what would you like to do this week. I hope your knee caps have recovered... How about doing intervals for your cardio workout. Think of a scale from one to ten. On this scale you want to be somewhere from 5-9. It is called your Rate of Perceived Excertion. (RPE)So this is how you are going to judge how hard you are going to work. So on your intervals you want to be 5-6, for about 2 mins. and then up to 7-8 for one min. Do this for about a half and hour or so, with a five min. warm up and a 5 min. cool down. That is supposed to get your maxium benefit of calorie burn and work your heart pretty good.
Good luck this week. I expect to hear a weight update next week. Since you aparently didn't want to share this week.
TTFN (tah tah for now)
LOR
Rich-
I am a little late in reading this blog and commenting, but I have be preoccupied with my cute niece Miranda and her health issues. First I want to say good luck to your 1 year sugar abstenance, and Secondly I still think the same as I did on my last comment that moderation in all things is a better goal (I think that you are setting yourself up for failure). But,if you think you can do it then more power to you. Thirdly, during High School when I was playing sports we were encouraged not to drink carbonated beverages so that we could perform at our top level. I found that I didn't miss it that much and occasionaly when I would have it, it would burn my throat when I drank it (not to mention the unwanted body noises that came from my mouth). I found that I wasn't missing out on anything by only having it occasionally. Good luck with your plan and I look forward to your next blog.
Sarah
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