Daily Diet
I started a diet back in March. I didn’t want to post it here cause I’ve had commitment problems in the past, but now that I’m pretty close to my goal and well in the groove, I feel a bit more comfortable sharing a few details.
Starting Point
I started on March 17th, at a weight of 245 pounds. I’ve weighed more at a few points in the past, but this was pretty close to those maxima (250). I’ve been on three yo-yo diets in recent years, with a low point of 205, but most of the time I hover around 218. On the BMI scale, that puts me solidly in the overweight category, and my high points are at the lower end of obesity.
Incentives
I decided to maximize my chances of success with as many methods as I could find:
- Money: Fortunately for me, my high point coincided with the weigh-in for a company sponsored weight loss initiative, offering to pay $10 per pound lost by February 2011. Given that my financial conscience is a LOT stronger than my dieting conscience, this has definitely made an impact.
- Peer Pressure: I recruited my best friend, Josh, as a workout partner. Even though we’ve missed a few days together, I think the partnership has been a strong positive factor in getting us both off the couch.
- Lots of Feedback: I weigh in every morning and chart the data by a number of different criteria. This has proved invaluable for keeping me on track, and now I actually get anxious when I can’t weigh in.
- Lots of Exercise: Exercise is usually relatively important in any diet, but doubly so for me because it keeps my mood up. I tend to eat as a mood stabilizer, and having a replacement for that has been critical.
- Progressive Rewards: I’m allowed one day a week where I can screw up - both to keep my sanity and to keep my metabolism up. I also get a major screw up once every ten pounds I lose. This helped a lot more in the beginning, since I could still eat the foods I was craving, but now I’m to the point where I usually (but not always) skip the rewards to get to my goal a little bit faster.
Hurdles
- Bipolar: The biggest contributor to my weight problems is my bipolar disorder. As I get stressed or depressed, my weight goes up. It’s no coincidence that every time I’ve been over 240 has been at the end of a particularly long bout of depression.
- Free Food: As stated above, my financial conscience is a lot stronger than my diet conscience. Anytime there is free food available, I’m almost certain to eat it. Mostly this is leftover catering at work, or when the boss brings in donuts, or my RPG game nights (when we share the dinner role). I’ve been getting better at eating less and occasionally abstaining entirely, but it’s still an issue.
The Routine
- 04:00 - Daily Calisthenics: I’ve been using the “Ladder” from the Hacker’s Diet, minus the running in place. The current rung gets listed as part of my statistics, and I haven’t missed a single day since I started.
- 04:15 - Daily Cardio: I run on a treadmill every morning for at least 15 minutes (up to 35 currently). I’ve missed a few days, but mostly because either A) I didn’t have a treadmill or other machine available, or B) I took a rest day to avoid injury.
- 05:15 - Breakfast: Oatmeal - 1/2c oatmeal, 1c water, 1/2tbsp honey, 1/4c applesauce. 230 calories, $0.20.
- 05:45 - Walk to Work: It’s a little over a mile, adding a little more cardio to the routine.
- 09:00 - Snack: A bag of trail mix (see previous post) - 240 calories, $0.34.
- 13:00 - Lunch: Varies - I cook 1-2 big meals on Sundays, separate them into single serving tupperware, and freeze them for later use. Roughly 500-750 calories. Lately, though, I’ve just been substituting a bag of trail mix.
- 15:30 - Snack: Another bag of trail mix or a yogurt (only if I’m hungry)
- 16:30 - Weightlifting: Tuesday/Thursday (and Saturday morning), I meet up with Josh for an hour-long full body workout.
- 17:30 - Dinner: Unless I’m starving, I try to skip dinner. Other than splurges, I haven’t had dinner in almost two months.
While it’s certainly not the most healthy diet, there are some days where I manage just oatmeal and a bag or two of trail mix - 500-750 calories and less than a dollar a day.
Results
I’ve lost an average of 2-4 pounds a week every week since I started - leaving me at 192 currently. My target weight is 175, which I should hit sometime in late July or early August (assuming I can keep up my pace.) Even if I don’t lose another pound, I’m still the same weight I was my freshman year of college.
Of course, the biggest challenge will be staying there, instead of letting the rollercoaster slide back up. I’m hopeful that the combination of Josh’s watchful eye, the long term financial incentive (I don’t get paid if I don’t keep it off until February), and continued vigilance at my feedback statistics will keep me at the target level indefinitely.