Thursday, July 10, 2008

Goal-setting

So, I just stepped off the scale and was greeted with a 252. I mention this because, I fear the "easy" part is done. My diet, while far from perfect, is signifigantly improved. Previously it was McDonald's for breakfast. Jack-in-the-Box for lunch. Dinner was either at home, or at Panda Express. Thinking back on those times, it's a miracle I only weighed 280; I ate terribly. We all did.

I want to get down under 235 by Christmas. I doubt that I'll drop another 25 pounds in three months like I have (it took me some time to break my previous bad habits after leaving USAREC so I didn't actually start losing weight until late March). I attribute a lot of this weight-loss to the lifestyle change of better hours, less stress, and improved eating habits. But by the holiday time, I don't see it as unreasonable to have shed that remaining recruiter-weight.

Here is where I stand right this second as far as diet and exercise. I run a little over three miles a day on Monday-Wednesday-Friday. This at a moderate pace, I'm more concerned with endurance and my breathing those days. Tuesday-Thursday I do two miles but at a faster pace. I'm more concerned with leg strength and speed on those days. Saturday and Sunday are days of rest. I want to get down to just one day off, but, self-assessment here, it's a motivation issue. I hate to run. Hate it with a passion. I run during the week because, well, I leave for work early so I can beat traffic and leave early for the same reason. I get to the office a good two hours before the work-day starts. What else am I going to do for those two hours? Weekends though I don't have that same motivation. What I hope will happen soon is that I will be able to take Zoe for a run in the morning on Saturdays. The parvo scare from May has kept her on lockdown in the backyard until she's a bit older and has had more of her vaccines. So I'm hoping that in the not-too-distant future I'll be able to take her out of the house again. When that happens I'll be able to get a short run on Saturdays.

Of course, all the exercise in the world won't help without controlling the intake. I admit it. There is room for improvement in my eating habits. Room for a lot of improvement. Here's my usual diet. For breakfast I have a bowl of cereal. Currently it is Cocoa Puffies with skim milk. Lunch is at Subway where I get one of the low-fat six inch subs or the spicy italian. Dinner is at home. I've swapped drinking soda at work for drinking water, although I will have a medium soda with lunch and usually another one towards the end of the day. But I don't go through four or more like I used to. Snacking has, mostly, been reduced as well. My current vice is Mochi Ice Cream. Yummy.

Anyways. 235 pounds by Christmas.

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