Graduation, Birthday, and A New Job.

The past week has been quite a hectic week full of celebrations, surreal times, and new beginnings. With a new job starting tomorrow, I am going to have to figure out a new eating schedule, new workout schedule, and new times to work out with Seth. During the past week, a thought came across my mind, what am I going to do when Seth is no longer there. I mean, I can't possibly work out with him all my life, eventually I will have to go on my own, with the knowledge and skills he's taught me. But not just yet, I still have a long way to go. I guess it's not the fact of how to work out and what to do, but rather needing someone to keep me motivated and to help me push through. Consistently I've seen my weight drop from 240-230-220-210-200- and now it's in the 190's. quite crazy indeed. So with this chapter coming to an end, a new beginning awaits for me, who knows what I will look like a year from now.

Sore, Sore, and Soar.

Even though I was still sore from the work out with Seth two days again, I had a really good work out today. More weight, more reps, and more determination. There were a couple of new exercises that challenged me, all of which will help in reaching my new goals. Lately people have been calling me "an inspiration" and I just don't think it's really hit me yet, how much weight I have lost and how much work I put into working out. I feel great, look great, but I'm no role model, no inspirational leader, nor am I a super hero, but that is just how I feel right now.

Quality over Quantity: Technique

The next thing I need to work on, is choosing a weight that will allow me to do the weight lifting with good technique rather than the amount of weight and the number of repetitions. It's better to have good quality reps/sets than more reps/sets so that you don't risk hurting yourself.

Habits, Future, and My Mindset.

The past night I slept for over 14 hours and I believe I am trying to make up for the lack of sleep I had the past week. I had a good "breakfast" or rather lunch at Subway: 6inch, oven roasted chicken, honey oat, no cheese, red onion, pickles, pepper, and fat free honey mustard. Afterwards I went new cloths shopping and found some amazing stuff at Macy's. After getting some new threads, I went to go get my body measured by Seth, and go over my progress and what are my ultimate goals as well how we are going to get there. Right now we are doing more weights, more reps and eventually do more weight and less reps. After the workout, and buying more protein [which I really needed], I went home, relaxed, and started cleaning out my closet. I am going to donate all my old clothes as well as all my toys. As I enter the work force and adulthood, I want to make sure I look the part, live in the part, and find myself after having lost weight and having a new mindset on life.

Habits to Break: Fast Food & Snacks

I need to realize what fast food had done to me. It got me to the point where I was unhappy, depressed, and fat, and I never want to be there ever again. There is absolutely nothing healthy at fast food places. I need to stop being lazy for those few minutes and simply eat at home or go to the grocery store. In terms of hunger and snacks: the problem I am facing is knowing if I am hungry or just filling time by wanting to snack. I just have to take time to simply think. A few short minutes to get my head straight and focused.

-note to self & Seth- I need to take a "Before" photo again. Front View/Shirtless

Food Focus, Work Driven.

Today was a very long day. I had a school breakfast meeting to attend to this morning, and having little to no sleep last night, I was say to least, very irritable. I had a bad breakfast for the day, lunch consisted of the mall food court, but dinner was not bad. I had a small dinner salad with a black bean soup. I did however, did some cardio today, about 300 calories burned and got to see Alison, who came back to the gym just last week, and I'm glad to have her back. I need to work on my nutrition and my discipline. Today I was also continuing to shop for clothes, and unfortunately I just could not figure out what looks good, what fits right, and what is appropriate for casual and work attire. What really got to me, was my small thing of a gut, I want to get rid of it!

Goal for the Week: Cardio & Nutrition

I need to make sure I do Cardio every other day and make sure I eat right everyday, that way I can reach one of my goals of getting those six pack abdominals.

New Name, New Goals, New Life.

This morning I completed my very first 10K in 1 hour and 19 minutes. Even though I was in the back of the pack, I am just very happy I finished something that ended my goal over a 6 month process. I have now changed this blog in order to bring some more life and motivation for me to post everyday. I am now calling this blog "ello Muscles" after my English friend who calls me this whenever he sees me.

I have new goals for this new journey which are:

1. Weigh 180 pounds
2. Muscle Definition
3. Six Pack Abs [I know...I am very ambitious]

I also want to complete one of my goals from the last goals I had:

1. Weigh under 200 lbs [DONE]
2. Lose my gut [DONE]
3. Do 1 pull-up

So I need to finish that goal as well. After 187 days since I have started I can now see how much work I have put into this crazy journey and am starting to realize that this is a lifestyle. My father today told me that a person recovering from alcoholism will always be surrounded by alcohol, but it's the will power that keeps the person from relapsing. The same goes with food. It's all about will power to keep away from bad food. My mother keeps asking me how much I weigh, and I told her this today, "it doesn't matter how much I weigh, but how I feel" So from now on, this blog has been blessed with a new life.

Self Improvement: Diet Soda

I need to stop drinking Diet Soda. The aspartame [sugar substitute] that is in the soft drink is researched to damage your liver over a long period of time. Not only that but the aspartame also increases your craving sensory in the brain, basically making you want sweet and sugary. So what I need to work on this week is to not drink any soda.

Before/After Photo

Day 173 - 5K for Diabetes

This morning I did my second 5K. The first 5K I walked the whole course, and that was in June when I first started the weight loss journey. This time I ran/jogged/walked the course in 30 minutes. It was quite exhausting, but when I finished, it felt invigorating. I have a 10K in December, although I am very scared because I barely made the 5K, but what I thought about was when I was doing 1/2 pull-ups with Seth, it didn't seem like I gave it my all. At least this time, I can do my best, and exert all my energy to finish the 10K coming up, just as long as I don't get hurt.

This blog will come to an end, but it will reincarnate into a new blog coming soon.

-Dennis

Day 166 - Weight Loss Goal Complete

I have finally reached under 200 lbs. I have lost a majority of my gut. Now only one goal left. One Pull Up. But I think this will be it until a while. I may update a few more times, but this blog is complete. Thanks everyone for your support!

Day 164

One more pound to go. I am debating if I want to continue this blog after I have reached my goal. It was a long journey, and I think when that time comes, this blog will be put to rest. In the past week I have finally gotten my things together in the last few weeks of college, and today was my last interview with memorial hermann hospital in the food and nutrition department. I still have a lot to do, but I will end it in a bang. The next time I will post will be when I have reached my goal, and started life after college.

Day 151 - Self Sabotage

I don't understand why I keep setting myself up for failure. Last week I had gotten down to 202 lbs. Only two more pounds to go, and I thought it would be okay to splurge. Then that splurge reacted to something deep down inside of me, from my past, and my old routines caught up with me. I have gained 5 pounds and I'm not happy. I need to discipline myself in eating right, and get off my lazy butt and do the physical activities I need to be doing. When I get a chance after I graduate, I am going to work out with Seth three times a week, after I find a job or course to pay for it all. Until then, I am going to keep fighting.

Day 141 - Lean Down or Bulk Up

4 more lbs until I reach my goal. It has been a long journey, but after I reach my goal, I will have to decide upon a new goal. After polling my friends if I should continue to lean down, or whether I should bulk up, the majority believe I should lean down, but ultimately it is what I want for myself and my own body.

What I want is to lean down, but at the same time build some muscle. I don't want to be a meathead, bodybuilder, or abnormally bigger. I want to be skinny, like anyone else in this world, but I still want to accomplish my other goals.

Goals:
1. Get under 200
2. Do one pull-up
3. Lose my gut

So I am not done. I am going to continue with the same process and devote more to exercising and more discipline to my food intake. I also do not want to use Creatine, due to the longterm effects many studies have shown and what I have read in Livestrong.com. and mostly I'm slightly worried if after getting to the body I want, when I stop taking creatine what will happen. Fat Burner, I don't know either. I haven't read too much about it, so I don't want to take anything unless I have done my research.

So that is what I am going to do, Keep GOING!

Day 139

It has been quite a while since I have updated, and this is basically what has happened. I haven't worked out since last Tuesday because Seth and I felt my body as either going to be out of commission or my joints would have failed on me really soon. Since not working out, I feel great. I have been taking Glucosamine for my joints, I got a one-hour massage at Massage Heights, and I put my two weeks in at Freebirds World Burrito. Also since my last post I have attended a career fair, where I will be finding a career/job when I graduate in December. Currently I am in the library studying, and now I am 205 lbs, and only 5 more lbs til my goal. Until then, I will update in a couple of days.

Healthy Tip of the Day: Rest, Relax, and Be Sensible.

Working out for 3-4 months straight is awesome, but taking time off is awesome too. Your body needs to recover from all the stress from working out. A week off is what one needs to recover from long months of working out. Go get a massage, read a book, enjoy the outdoors, relax. When it comes to food, be sensible. Don't eat what you know is bad. After resting for a week I lost 3 lbs, just from eating right.

Week 17

One of the better weeks I've had and I have accomplished so much. Went out to eat two times and even going out today, all for friends' birthday's of course. I have been doing a lot of cardio as well, still training for my 5K and 10K soon. Work has been very stressful, and I really want to just concentrate on school, but unfortunately I need the money. This morning I just got done working out with Seth, now off to work, then off to class, and then 4 tests today. I just have to keep doing my best when it comes to nutrition and cardio so that I can lose my >> ( . )

Healthy Tip of the Day: Eating out

If you go to a restaurant for a friends birthday or just to go out with your family, this is a easy tip to eat healthy.

-Look to see if they have a healthy section of the menu.
-Watch out for salads dressings and condiments
-When your food comes out, ask for a to go box
-Drink Water, It's cheaper!

Week 16

During this time, I drove from UH to the 24 Hour Fitness Club 209, because I like the environment there. Last week when I was working out with Seth, I vomited.., to make things worse, it was all stomach acid because I didn't eat anything before working out. Since then I have been eating, not being lazy, and last night I did my first 5K "mock run" which I completed in an hour. Besides that, school, work, and just about everything is kicking my butt, but in the words of a very confident naive man: "Bring It"

Day 101, Day 102, & Day 103

After my 100th day, I've been doing well and working out, got my new kicks, music, and ready to hit the world running, literally, I was running everywhere I went. Although today during training, I vomited, having not eaten any breakfast, and being light headed and dizzy. Seth is now 3-0. So now I will rest, and on Thursday, when I don't have my training session with Seth, I am going to see how far I can go walking/running the actual 10K that is in December.

One Week Later......DAY 100

It has been a busy week, and I have been doing the same thing and trying to get a schedule down for working out. School, Work, and Working out along with an eating schedule is what I am trying to fit into my weeks now, and so far it's been a little difficult but I know once I get a routine down I will do fine. It has been 100 days since I started working out, and for this momentous occasion, I am going to go to either buffalo bayou, or maybe hermann park, and jog on the super good day. I have work now, and then I will be jogging my ass off today, and then some studying.

Day 93

I did some light cardio today.

Okay for the better news. I have signed up for the

2010 Trafigura 10K Run for the Ronald McDonald House on Dec 4, 2010.

I have 90 days to train for this awesome charitable run, and it gives me some new motivation/goal for my weight loss as well.

Here is a sample training I am hoping to do for this 10K Run.

Week 1:
Day 1: 1/1 x 10 (1 minute run, 1 minute walk x 10, for a total of 20 minutes)
Day 2: 1/1 x 10
Day 3: 1/1 x 10
Day 4: 40-45 minutes cross-training

Week 2:
Day 1: 1/1 x 11
Day 2: 1/1 x 12
Day 3: 1/1 x 13
Day 4: 40-45 minutes cross-training

Week 3:
Day 1: 1/1 x 15
Day 2: 1/1 x 15
Day 3: 1/1 x 15
Day 4: 45 min cross-training

Week 4:
Day 1: 2/1 x 10
Day 2: 2/1 x 10
Day 3: 2/1 x 10
Day 4: 45 min cross-training

Week 5:
Day 1: 2/1 x 10
Day 2: 3/1 x 10
Day 3: 2/1 x 14
Day 4: 45 min cross-training
Day 5: 30 min cross-training

Week 6:
Day 1: 3/1 x 10
Day 2: 3/1 x 8
Day 3: 3/1 x 11
Day 4: 45 min cross-training
Day 5: 30 min cross-training

Week 7:
Day 1: 3/1 x 10
Day 2: 3/1 x 8
Day 3: 3/1 x 13
Day 4: 45 min cross-training
Day 5: 30 min cross-training

Week 8:
Day 1: 3/1 x 10
Day 2: 3/1 x 10
Day 3: 3/1 x 15
Day 4: 45 min cross-training
Day 5: 30 min cross-training

Week 9:
Day 1: 3/1 x 10
Day 2: 3/1 x 10
Day 3: 3/1 x 17
Day 4: 45 min cross-training
Day 5: 30 min cross-training

Week of Race:
Day 1: 2/1 x 10
Day 2: 30 min cross-training
Day 3: 3/1 x 5

I am going to need to buy some new running shoes. [Jocelyn saw my shoes and gave me a look. So she suggested I go to Fleet Feet and get some awesome running shoes.]

One thing I am worried about are my knees. Perhaps I should get a knee brace.

More to come. This is going to be awesome.

Day 90, Day 91, & Day 92

What an interested set of days these were. Two training sessions with Seth on Tuesday and Today, and it was not bad. Although I must say, my body is starting to fail on me right now. Joints, knees, elbows, head...I need a drug to cure my pain. Any pills that can do all this, let me know. For right now I'm putting Bengay, Ice, and taking Advil. I think that is all I can do until it gets better.

I attempted to do a pull up today and failed miserably. I could not lift myself up...[Sad Face]

Also today, I talked to Jocelyn [I think she's Seth's boss] and she suggested to help keep my motivation up I should find some sort of 5K run, or something to work my way up to. I want to do something Charitable so that it's for a good cause.

Today I bought a lunch box! and also an Ice Pack to keep my food cold. I am ready and set to eat healthy this week, i just need to steal some food from the cafeteria first.

So I have decided to get a roommate. I am very excited. [kinda lonely in a room that is similar to a jail cell all by myself. His name is Wells, an Architecture Student at UH, and as long as he can stand my snoring, he will be an awesome roommate.

tomorrow I have work, and will be heading home for the weekend to spend time with my family. hope all goes well, and hoping to keep my motivation up.

Day 89

I tried my best to eat right, but I seemed to always not do so well. Today was my class packed day from 830am-9pm. I woke up around 8 and had breakfast, Cereal and Skim Milk. For Lunch I had a tuna sandwich w/ the V8 Fusion. But then an hour later I had lunch again w/ my friends. Chicken Salad Sandwich and a side salad. It was unnecessary and I wasn't even hungry. I don't know what came over me. I felt like crap after eating. Dinner came by, and I stopped at Subway, but then I found something unpleasant in my sandwich and that was from the first bite, so I ended up getting my money back and getting two kolaches, a bag a chips and water. Then two hours later I had dinner again w/ my friends at the dorm cafeteria. At night while studying I was munching on tortilla chips and salsa. Total Calories were way over 1500.

Jocelyn from the 24 hour fitness told me to record what I eat to help see where my intake is, and from the looks of it, I need to be stronger.

NEW UPDATE!

I am having problems right now. I am slowly gaining my weight back. I am not eating right. I have not been exercising. School has started last week, stressed has built up, and my old ways are coming back. I need help. I need to figure out a plan to eat right, work out, w/ my hectic, chaotic schedule. I don't want to ruin all the hard word that I have been doing for two months now. I will have to talk to Seth about all of this on Tuesday.

This is a rough draft of my schedule and eating schedule and working out schedule.

Monday
8AM Breakfast: Cereal, Skim Milk, Banana
830AM Class: Restaurant Layout and Design
10AM Class: Professional Selling
1130 Lunch: Tuna, Wheat Bread, V8 Fusion
1PM Class: Leadership
230PM Class: Advance Hospitality Operations Management
4PM Mid-day Snack: Fruit/Vegetables, Water
6PM Class: Beverage Marketing
8PM Dinner: Protein Bar, Water

Tuesday
10AM Breakfast: Cereal, Skim Milk, Banana
12PM Workout: Seth
1PM Lunch: Protein Shake
230PM Class: Hall of Honor Management
530PM Dinner: Tuna, Wheat Bread, Avocado, Fat Free Mayo, V8 Fusion

Wednesday
8AM Breakfast: Cereal, Skim Milk, Banana
830AM Class: Restaurant Layout and Design
10AM Class: Professional Selling
1130 Lunch: Tuna, Wheat Bread, V8 Fusion
1PM Class: Leadership
230PM Class: Advance Hospitality Operations Management
4PM Mid-day Snack: Fruit/Vegetables, Water
5PM Workout: Cardio
7PM Dinner: Small Portion of Dorm Food

Thursday
10AM Breakfast: Cereal, Skim Milk, Banana
12PM Workout: Seth
1PM Protein Shake
4PM Work: Freebirds
[Break] Dinner: Tuna, V8 Fusion

Friday
930AM Breakfast: Cereal, Skim Milk, Banana
1045AM Work: Freebirds
[Break] Protein Bar
3PM Workout: Cardio
5PM Dinner: Small Portion of Dorm Food

Saturday
11AM Breakfast: Cereal, Skim Milk, Banana
12PM Work: Freebirds
4PM Workout: Weights
5PM After Workout: Protein Shake

Sunday
10AM Breakfast: Cereal, Skim Milk, Banana
1045AM Work: Freebirds
3PM Lunch: Tuna, Wheat Bread, V8 Fusion, Avocado
5PM Workout: Cardio
7PM Dinner: Small Portion of Dorm Food

I hope this works..

Day 83 & Day 84

Tuesday I had my training session with Seth, but I felt defeated because I was hurt. My joints and parts of my body hurt so much. After working out with Seth, my elbow and hamstring are extremely not well. Today I am still taking classes, but in the evening I will go work out. I am having a difficult time with food, but so far today, it has been going very well. Internet at UH has been awful, so I might not update so often as I'd like, hope it gets fixed.

Day 81 & Day 82

Did some light cardio going around campus. Today was my first day of school and I have got to say. My nutrition and meals have all been good, bad, and ugly. I need to plan out my meals in advance so that I don't drift into any temptations that may occur on campus. I still have one more class right now, which ends at 9pm. Mondays are my rest days, so tomorrow, I have my work out with Seth at 12pm, class at 230, and then studying. woo.

Day 80

I had one of the insane workouts today. I didn't have breakfast, so I was nauseated while I worked out. I was tired, full of sweat, and loved every minute of it. I hope Seth can keep this momentum up, as well as myself. I need to build up my stamina and cardio, and gotta get some...uh...some sort of undershort/wear that will prevent chaffing, because that stuff gets annoying after a while. Now I have to do yard work...pack my stuff, and go to school.

20 more days until I hit Day 100. It would be pretty epic if I can lose 10 lbs in 20 days and reach my goal. Then I want to set a new goal after that. I am think 25 lbs more to lose making it 75 lbs. I just hope I have the motivation, effort, and money for it.

Day 76 - Day 79

I am not going to lie, I hadn't worked out on days 76-78. On Day 79, I did my cardio for the day, and went to work afterwards. I also got my key to my dorm room, which I will really be moving into tomorrow. So tomorrow I will have to mow the yard, clean my room, pack, pack my car, work out w/ Seth, and go to UH and do the actual move in. It was funny getting my key today, there were all these hispanic people outside of the doors of the dorm, trying to "help" people with their stuff, whether is was wanted or not. It looked like the dorms turned into home depot today. I on the other hand offered to help and helped one girl get her old huge TV to her room...on the fourth floor....w/ no Elevator. Until tomorrow!

Day 75

It has been 75 days since I have started the weight loss journey and today, everything or at least most of the things in my life are coming together. I will be starting school soon, work has been amazing, and soon my health will be at an all time high. Today I had my training session with Seth, and today....we finally got to workout on the bench press. Even though I could only do the bar, with no weight, it's one small step toward getting stronger and maybe I can add weight to it as time goes on. After work, I did yard work....in the rain. and I cleaned the inside of my car. What a work out today. I also got some protein bars and new protein powder for the next coming months and I'm just excited to keep going and see what results I can get by continuing on in this journey.

Day 72, Day 73, & Day 74

I am not going to lie. These days were spent dealing with stress, work, finances, and it was like an emotional roller coaster ride. I did not work out during any of these days. On top of that because my family ate all my food I purchased for the week, I mainly at out, and...tried to eat healthy. But I think this will me my R[est] and R[elaxation] from working out for this month. I have a personal training session tomorrow with Seth at 3pm. So I will post more this week.

Day 71

It seems like these days are so boring to me. It's like the same thing over and over again and no change, even though there has been much change in my life lately. This morning I did absolutely nothing, I went to work around 3pm, got off work, and went to work out without my work out buddy because he was dehydrated. I had a good cardio and light workout day tonight. I got home around 1am. [I wonder sometimes if working out at night is a good thing?] When school starts in a couple weeks, I am hoping I can maintain everything. I kind of fear that it will be too much for me. I think the only thing I need to maintain this last semester in college is:

1. Eating Healthy
2. Working out [w/ Seth, Reyes, or just by myself]
3. Getting enough sleep.
4. Studying enough so that I can graduate.
5. & working at Freebirds too.

but I guess I won't really know how any of this will turn out until I start my first week of school. Now I am going to sleep, and have a training session with Seth at 3pm tomorrow.

Day 70

So today was quite an interesting day. I went to work out before work and did the weight loss program on the ellipticals. Work went well, was kind of slow, and after work I went and did Cardio again same program before work. Is that good or rather detrimental to doing Cardio for the day? That was pretty much it. More tomorrow.

Day 69

Woke up. Had Cereal. Went to the grocery store. Had a sandwich w/ veggies and a glass of V8 Fusion. Went to work out w/ Seth. Home. My day has been really uneventful, but tonight I am going to try and figure out my schedule for the next couple of months and make it work. I'm hoping it all goes smoothly like this summer. Work > Working Out > School. Now I am trying to incorporate it all in one week. This is what I am thinking about.

Monday - School, Rest Day
Tuesday - Work out w/ Seth, School
Wednesday - School, Cardio
Thursday - Work out w/ Seth, Work
Friday - Work, Cardio
Saturday - Work, Workout
Sunday - Work, Cardio

That will start in two weeks, and we will see how that goes.

Day 68

Today I woke up and actually had breakfast, a real breakfast I should say. One cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch, One Cup of Skim Milk, and a Banana. I am actually glad my friend Nick from work referred me that cereal. There is a similar cereal Kashi Go Lean, with more protein and fiber, but it doesn't taste so great compared to the Go Lean Crunch. So I ate the cereal and with the leftover milk in my bowl, I placed that and the banana in "The Magic Bullet" and had a banana smoothie. yum. [next time I'll add strawberries or blueberries to it] I took a final for my summer school course, and I got an A in the course! So no more school to worry about until I start again in two weeks. I did an hour of yard work, and now I am about to make myself some lunch. After I eat, I'm going to go to work, and after work I will head to the gym to do some much needed weight training.

Day 66 & Day 67

Yesterday was quite a long day at work from 10:30am - 10:00pm. My back was hurting after work, I was just glad I had a chance to at least sit in my car during one of my breaks. After work I did cardio w/ Reyes, 15 minutes on the Treadmill, 15 minutes on the Ellipticals, and the rest on the Rowing Machine. I was beat. Did some core workout towards the end on the dreaded swiss ball, and headed out afterwards. I wasn't feeling to hot afterwards, most likely because I didn't eat....all....day...so I did what I thought was the best thing for me at that time, and it was to go get some "healthy" McDonald's. Today is my rest day, and also my day off. So I will now relax, veg out a little bit, and maybe go to the park.

Quick Tip of the Day: V8 Fusion and Smoothies!

A great way to get a daily serving of fruits and veggies with some great taste is by getting V8 Fusion. Doesn't taste that bad and really cheap and convenient. If you do have the time and money, you can get fresh fruit, veggies, and make your own smoothie for the day!

Day 64 & Day 65

Yesterday was okay. I simply did cardio after work. Not much to it. But today was one of the best days I have had in a long while. Today I worked, and it was a bit tiring and fun, but after work I got to go work out with one of my co-workers, and new friend, Reyes. We decided to go work out afterwards, and after having a burrito from work, we better had worked out. We did a light warm up on the ellipticals, lifted some free weights, and mainly worked out on our core. It was great working out with someone [not that I am saying working out with Seth isn't awesome] but working out with someone that has similar goals. Reyes hadn't worked out in 9 months [even though he purchased a three year contract w/ 24 Hour Fitness] So we are going to plan working out after work whenever we have similar schedules. I need to plan out when I can work out, eat, and all that good stuff again now that I have a new job and also I am about to move. One of my other co-workers from work, Nick, gave me some good advice on my nutrition w/ low cost and high results. He suggested I eat Kashi Cereal, V8 Fusion Juice, Fruit Smoothies, Protein Bars, Protein Shakes, and still consume normal healthy lunch/dinner. I am really excited I got a work out partner, I found some new motivation and this will definitely keep me on track and toward the road to SUPER SEXY-ness! woo.

Day 63

Today was a good day full of productivity and having the puzzle pieces in my life right now fall in place [like Magic!] I had a training session with Seth today, it was pretty good, but for some reason I felt so tired and exhausted. We took my measurements for today and found that I lost .02 percent of fat. Which equates to 7 lbs of pure fat gone. I need some time to adjust to my new work schedule and eating schedule as well since I'm no longer waking up at 5am any longer, which means I get more sleep now. Now I am off to work, but one last thing before I end this update is that I am going to be upgrading my membership from one gym to all gym access. I have found that many different gyms have different hours of operations, and since I get off work somewhere around 8-11pm, I need a 24 hour gym to work out at. So I will be testing out the Galleria 24 Hour Fitness Sport Gym, and see if it's the same.

Day 60, Day 61, & Day 62

I am a little bit disappointed in myself because I have been slacking off really badly. I don't want to blame it on changing jobs or not having any money, but they are factors of it. Friday was the first day of my new job at Freebirds and it was amazing, fun, and all in all pretty neat. Good People, Good Place....maybe not the BEST food for my diet, but that just means I just won't eat there. Another thing that has been bothering me is that I have tried going to work out at 24 hour fitness, but on the weekend it closes at 8pm. So I am considering on getting the all 24 hour fitness package. It's a little bit more, but then again, a little bit goes a long way. I still want to continue my training with Seth, but I need to tell him that I need hardcore workouts because I think I am plateauing....no bueno. Saturday is my day of rest and today I did some yard work and also some dancin'! [and also work.] Tomorrow I have a session with Seth and right now I am going to check on the 24 hour fitness website and see what the other club hours look like.

Day 59

bad day, good day. I was 45 minutes late for work. I only ate once today at 2. workout was great. but right now I have a serious stomach ache. [oi] Today I purchased 20 training sessions that will last me until November, and tomorrow is my last day at work and my first day at my new work. I also have made it to the wall of achievement at the gym. how exciting. until tomorrow, have a good evening.

Day 58

My healthy days are over....at Jason's Deli. On Friday will be my last day, and on Friday will be the start of my new job with Freeb!rds. Awesome. Very awesome. I am so excited to work for an awesome company and earn and save money. Although...I don't know whether I exactly got the job or not, Matt, the manager at Freeb!rds just told me to come in on Friday for training, which is what I am going to do. Today I worked out and did some cardio, did a weight loss program on the ellipticals. Found out today that 24 Hour Fitness is having a SALE on personal training and it's 10% off until this Saturday. Right now I am studying and trying to figure out my future. woo

Day 57

Today was a good day. The people at 24 hour fitness have made it known to me that they are there for me, and also my well being. They truly care for you. My Aunt had passed away, and I have been really not taking too well. Most of the day I spent by myself, and I haven't worked out. I talked to Alison on the phone, when I came to the gym, I talked to Jocelyn, and worked out with Seth. In the end, yes, I can mope around all day, but what can I do to stop being so negative and think positive. I will figure that out in due time. The work out with Seth was good, but I worry about how I am going to pay for the next few sessions.

Day 54, Day 55, & Day 56

The weekend was a pretty slow and unproductive day, I did not get a chance to work out, but today I am going to clean my house, go to the gym, and do some cardio. It seems like its getting harder for me to lose weight, perhaps I am hitting a plateau. 13 days to lose 2 lbs. I think it is because when I went to Vegas I didn't work out nor did I eat very healthy. On top of that I need to be more discipline with my diet and exercise currently right now. So off to the gym I go, and hope I can post more things that will help both me and everyone.

Day 53

Today was a good start today, working out with Seth at 8am. The workout was interesting and gym was not as crowded as it normally is. Went into the Meathead Area, where all those big huge bodybuilder type people work out, but there was no one really there...except for this one guy who kept staring at himself in the mirror for a long time. After my workout, I went to work. Work dragged on forever, and I didn't eat so healthy. I need to plan my meals before hand so I know what I am eating is good for me, but I at least managed to eat for lunch a cup of fruit and a cup of steamed veggies. Tomorrow I am going to relax from working out as my relax day, and continue on sunday.

Day 52

If you are wondering about the days, I decided that since in my first month of this blog I counted the number of days since I started working and not posting only the days I worked out so I edited that. Today I worked all day and didn't work out, I came home to an upset stomach, and I have my training session with Seth at 8am, work at 10am, and then pass out at 9pm. So I am going to keep this short since I have to go to sleep. Good Night!

Day 51

This morning I had an interesting workout with Seth. I was a bit late, got there, and I was just out of it. Let's just say Balance is not my friend. The exercises that had to deal with balance really frustrated me. Besides that it was a great workout, and now I am off to work.

Recipe of the Day - Fire up the Grill Salmon and Roasted Corn

Very simple recipe that super healthy for you.

Ingredients:
6oz Salmon Fillet
Lemon Juice
Capers
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Corn

Simply place the salmon on the middle of a sheet of aluminum foil. Brush Olive Oil on the Fillet, sprinkle salt, pepper, and capers. Dash of Lemon Juice. Wrap the salmon and cook on the grill for 10-15 minutes. With the corn, simply brush some olive oil on it, salt and pepper and roast on the grill until done.
Simple, Easy, and GOOD!

Day 46 - Day 50

Day 46-49 : Vegas oh Vegas...Lost my money, Ate the bad stuff, and didn't exercise. So today I woke up and went to the gym to do some light Cardio. 30 minutes and that was it for today, I was a bit sluggish today, being a bit fatigued, hungry, and tired. So where do I go from here. Work. save money, purchase more sessions with Seth. Workout 6/7 days, 3 Cardio, 3 Weights. Eat right. That's pretty much it. I gained 2 lbs from Vegas but that's okay. I did realize though that when you eat anything, weight isn't going to magically increase. The food is going to be digested and pooped out. Gaining weight is eating badly on a consistent basis while not working out. I'm just glad I got my craving out in Vegas, so now I can focus on my goals.

Day 50: Now I am off to work!

More to come in the following weeks!

Day 43, Day 44, & Day 45

I have not worked out the past two days because I was just not feeling well mentally, physically, and emotionally. I have not been eating, and when I have I was not eating right. I knew this day would come when I had over stressed myself out with too much, and whenever I got to the tip of the iceberg, there was the expected avalanche. So Today I was glad to work out with Seth, get back on track, and tomorrow...VEGAS. One thing I learned today is how much I appreciate everyone at 24 hour fitness. It seems like I have really impacted a lot of lives from the short time I was there. My Story. My Devotion. My Life. So thank you to everyone there.

It gets hard, I am NOT going to lie. You will experience cravings, You will get tired, and you might cry a little bit. But in the long run, you will gain some self esteem, self worth, and self reliance. Today I got a new hair cut, went shopping, and looked at myself in the mirror, and I see a physical change. A small physical change, but a change nonetheless. So my message to everyone out there is KEEP GOING!. and thank you to everyone who is with me on this journey.

Day 42

Today was an uneventful day. Actually, it seems like my whole summer has been uneventful. I wake up early in the morning. Go to work. Go work out. Go Study. Go Home. Sleep. Then start again. So this weekend will definitely be my real summer vacation. [Las Vegas] Some of the things I worry about going on this trip are a couple of things.

1. I have saved enough money for 30 sessions with Seth, I don't want to lose it all in Vegas.
2. I don't know what I am going to be eating in Vegas, most likely it will be a buffet.
3. Exercise in Vegas?...

I will eventually figure this out, but today, I had my training session with Seth, and it went well. I tried to provoke Seth, so that I could get a good work out, although I have been really....really...tired. Fatigued. Exhausted. I wonder what Seth's advice will be on all of this.

Health Tip of the Day: Stress

Ways to relieve stress (1) Sleep. (2) Take a walk (3) Music

I have found that I have so much stress lately, with work, school, life, and the weight loss and working out. Whenever I do get enough sleep, I have less stress because I am well rested. Last week I took a stroll around the park. Very nice to be one with nature. Lastly music has definitely been a huge stress reliever by means of drowning out your thoughts or singing with the music.

Day 40 & Day 41

so I am about half way there toward my goal. I have lost 20 lbs in 40 days. I feel awesome, but for some reason I am wearing out a little bit. I guess this Vegas trip coming up is much needed. Yesterday's training session was awesome, but my attitude and myself was just not there. I was just tired and fatigued, and my body is still sore today. Today I am just resting because I have another training session tomorrow and I want to be at least 85 percent. Now I am off to do some yardwork in this Texas Heat...

Day 38 & Day 39

Yesterday I went to Beaumont, Texas and pretty much didn't do any physical activity all day. Today however, I went to work, did some cardio, and did some heavy lifting in the evening. So my body kinda hurts, and I have personal training tomorrow. My friends whom I haven't seem since I started working out saw a difference today. [really cool] But I got a long ways to go. I'm going to Las Vegas in a week, and I am wondering what I can do to still work out, eat healthy, and get enough sleep. I guess I will have to talk to Seth about that tomorrow.

My only daily tidbit I have today, is go get a personal trainer, or rather go get Seth. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't have gone this far. I would have just gotten lazy again and gone back to my old ways. The reason why I even think I got this far besides Seth, well, it's pretty much Seth. I pay so much for him, I have to go, or else I would be wasting my money. At one point in time I thought to myself, man, is this really worth it, then had a great work out with Seth, and never thought about it ever again. Go get yourself a Seth, or maybe Go and get yourself an Alison, in order for you to sign up for 24 hour fitness, and then go get yourself a Seth. I am now an Advocate for personal training. -fin-

Day 37

Maybe I should've scheduled my personal training with Seth on Friday because I am wiped out. I couldn't even do push-ups, it was like I was back at square one. But that's okay, I got a free training session. whoopie. Work today went really well, besides the fact that I didn't gather so many hours as I did last week, I need to really watch my money, and I am afraid I will lose all my money in Vegas next week. But besides that I have to wake up at around 430 tomorrow morning, so I will go to bed right now. Until tomorrow.

Day 36

Today, I woke up very...very....sore. My abs were burning. But today I started to see some physical changes. My biceps are bigger, my shoulders more broader, belly got a bit smaller. At work today, one of my co-workers asked if I had a baby yesterday. With regards to my nutrition, I had breakfast around 9am. I had a snack around 12-1pm. Lunch around 3pm. Then I really didn't have dinner because I was just working and working and working. So I had small snacks to help reside my hunger. After work I went to the gym and did only 30 minutes of cardio, because I didn't want to go home so late, since I have work at 6am tomorrow morning. Now I will get some sleep right now and get some muscle recovery. I am going to need it because I have a training session with Seth tomorrow and I am still sore from yesterday's session. oi.

Day 35

It has been five weeks now and today I absolutely loved my workout, and even wished it was longer. I started my warm up, football style. I think I even surprised Seth a little bit because I surprised myself. Before hand I went to the park and jog/walked 5K around the lake at the park. Very good day, and I am lovin' it. One suggestion though, DO NOT GET GATORADE RECOVER. It just made me absolutely full and bloated. Just go with the normal protein shake like APEX LITE FIT or MUSCLE MILK LITE. Now I am going to go to sleep early, so that I get enough sleep. Ta-Ta.

Day 34

Happy Independence Day! and just like every holiday, my family decides to go to a Chinese buffet. Let's just say, I failed. I failed so badly, I texted Seth telling him to give me hell tomorrow for what I did today.

Happy 4th of July!

Day 33

Today I slept in. I went shopping for some new workout clothes, had lunch at Souper Salad with a friend, and did some weight training today. Made sure to tackle every muscle in my body while listening to a great new workout music I put in my mp3. Now, I have to worry about tomorrow. My family and relatives have decided to go to a Chinese buffet for not only July 4th but my cousins birthday. What the h-e-double hockey sticks am I going to eat? I asked Seth, what I should do and he said just eat whatever is the HEALTHIEST at a Chinese Buffet. No White Rice and No Fried Food. That will be an interesting dinner since last time we had a family dinner, it was horrible because all I wanted was a salad, and what they gave me was a platter of chicken fajitas. I hate eating out now. I just want to cook my own food and know that it's good for me, because being in the restaurant food industry, I know how bad everything can be, but I also know how you can tweek a couple of things for it to be okay. Jason's Deli's Salad Bar is amazing, such make sure you stay away from the potato salad.

Three things to help you when your losing motivation:

1. Get some new clothes.
2. Work out with a friend.
3. Record why you started in the first place.

I was starting to lose my motivation. I just didn't want to go work out anymore. So what I did was on my first week of working out, I recorded myself on a voice recorder that I had for school. I told myself and said

"I'm tired of being fat, I'm tired of waking up not being able to breathe, I'm tired of being tired, and I'm tired of worrying about my health. Dennis, Keep Going! For your family, your friends, and YOURSELF!"

That helped me out the most, the other two, getting new clothes just helps your self-esteem and the working out with a friend makes it so that you have someone to push you.

I will let you all know what happens tomorrow at the...CHINESE BUFFET!

Day 32

What a rainy day it was today, and I absolutely love it. Today I simply went to work, worked out, watched the FIFA World Cup, and signed up for a 5K Run for Child Obesity. I hope Seth can train me for that.

So it has come to my attention that I should treat myself every once in a while because if I don't, when I lose all the weight, the cravings will be worse, and I will lose the battle. So I will treat myself tomorrow and then go work out couple hours after I eat.

Three of my personal goals in my weight loss journey:

1. Weigh under 200 lbs
2. Lose my gut.
3. Do ONE PULL UP.

I simple want to see the hundreds again and go from there. I want to lose my gut like everyone in America, maybe even a six pack. Lastly, be able to do simply one pull up. For years I've tried, but now I will do it!

Day 30 & Day 31

Yesterday it was storming outside, so I decided not to drive in the flooded streets of Houston. Instead I cleaned...I think that burns some calories. Today I worked out with Seth, although earlier that day I had broken out in a rash on my neck, difficult breathing, and then some. Must've been some sort of food allergy or something. Today was odd. Seth was quiet and there was no music at the gym. It was a really depressing day at the gym. I tried to make some small talk with Seth, but I think that's better than an awkward silence. Anyway, I finally got the chance to work out in the "free weights" section of the gym. Where all the big scary muscle people are at, while I, with my fatness, seemed like a fish out of water. All in all, it was an okay day. Need to watch out for my splurges of food I eat. It all adds up in the end.

Day 29

Music. That is the one thing I think helps you do cardio for a long period of time. I think it is the reason for some motivation as well as thought provoking ideas. I just got off of work and I am heading to the gym.....after my mp3 player charges.

-Changes to my post topics and layouts-

usually I have some sort of splurge of health and wellness knowledge and now, I have been sha-lackin'. So what I figured is that I wanted this blog to discuss my journey in losing weight and a health tip to better one's health and wellness. the tips usually comes from the things I experience that day. So I will continue to do so as time goes on, or basically, every once in a while I will post a tip.

Day 28

It has now been four weeks and I have finally gotten everything that I needed to get in place. Sleep, Working out, Nutrition, work, school, and finances. Today before working out with Seth I retook my measurements and found out I lost 3 inches on my waist and lost a total of 14 pounds. The workout with Seth went well, and today was just all in all a good day. I don't really have much to say today, and I really just wanted to keep this short, but I still have a long journey ahead of me, and if I want to accomplish my goal, which is to be under 200 lbs and lose my gut, I will be happy.

Day 27

Today I felt unmotivated, distracted, and tired. I got a good night's sleep last night, I had gotten lower back pain today, and I worked for a couple of hours today, but other than that, I don't know why I just failed at working out today. I tried to do the cycling machines today, but only for 5 minutes. I then tried a different type of ellipticals for another 5 minutes, and then 10 minutes on the treadmill. I did do 20 minutes of Cardio, but it was on 3 different machines!. Not so great..But, Tomorrow is another day, and I will gain back my motivation, I just have to find it...again.

Day 26

Last night I got a good 14 hours of sleep, to make up for all the lost sleep the past week. Muscle Recovery at it's finest. Today was a Hot Houston Day. A good day to go swimming. So I did laps in the pool, and after a while, I felt quite exhausted. I found that even when you are swimming, your body still needs those fluids. Funny how your body needs water when you are surrounded by water. I checked my weight after swimming and to my surprise, another two pounds lost. [wow, muscle recovery really works] It says according to the health professionals of Wikipedia, that if you do not rest your body and not sleep well, your weight loss will end up slower or going to plateau. What muscle recover also is, is when you work out, you tear up your muscles, then with the muscle recover it comes back together. That's the simple mans way to put it, at least my way I put it.

A problem I am having right now is having my family not eat all of my food that I buy. Solution: Wrap it in foil, label it "science project" and all will be well. My stretch marks have been slowly fading, but I need to go buy some Vitamin E Vaseline or some Cocoa Butter.

Topic of the Day: School Work, Work, Working Out
So many people, like myself have work, school, and work out. But how do you balance the three? It seems like my schedule these days are consistent and they are starting to form a routine. Work, Working out, School Work, Sleep, Wake Up and do it all over again, and of course eating every 3-4 hours so that you can have a great metabolism. It's a lot to take in, and do, but the only way I really get through the day, is to remember. All of those three things, are connected for one ultimate goal.

School: To get an education, so that you can get that career you ultimately love.

Work: To get the money so that you can pay for school, so that you can get the career you ultimately love.

Working out: A great stress reliever, and to get healthy and fit so that you don't get sick, so that you can go to work, and pay for school, so that you can get that career you ultimately love. [and to also increase your longevity and live a long and healthy happy life.]

Day 25

Today was quite simple.

woke up, ate breakfast, went to work, ate a snack, ate another snack, ate lunch, work, go home, eat dinner, pass out and go to sleep.

-currently resting my muscles/body-

Day 24

Today was just a day to rest. My rest day if you want to call it that, but after 11 hours of work, I'm kind of glad I have my day to relax and catch up on my lack of sleep.

-sorry no health and wellness fact today-

edit-

So when I thought I was napping, my friends decided we should hang out, go to the bookstore, study, and since I'm already up and going, I have decided to do some laps in the pool later tonight.

I think Seth is right that I am over-doing it just a little bit, but for once in my life I am actually seeing progress. I am seeing that this all will be worth it in the end. I will have my rest day on Saturday. tomorrow I will do weights, and come Monday, I hope Seth brings me the workout he gave me yesterday, by far one of the best so far.

Day 23

Never again will I [EVER] say that Seth doesn't work my butt off. Today he gave me hell. [mwahaha, just what I wanted] Work was great, The Workout was brutal, I'm eating right, now i just need my daily recommendation of sleep and a day to just rest my body.

I am struggling with all my late night cravings, but I'm doing alot better, such as right now when I am suppose to be studying, I had a craving, and i'm munchin' on some fruit instead of McDonalds.

I am really trying to figure out how I am going to pay for all of this personal training, but hopefully in four weeks when I go to Vegas, I will win enough for my personal training and gas money. Now I just need to save save save, and practice on my slot machine arm. *DING*DING*DING*DING, is what I want to hear.

Recipe of the Day: Sausage & Egg Bagelini

1 one hundred calorie bagel
1 turkey sausage patty
1 medium size egg
fat free kraft shredded cheddar cheese

So what you do is cook the egg in a small skillet or pan w/ a ringmold and made a egg patty. Then you heat up the turkey sausage. Place the sausage on the bottom of the bagel, then the cheese, then the egg patty that was made, then the top bagel.

Using a cooking spray, coat a panini press or a george foreman grill. make sure it's hot and place the bagelini in the press and toast it up. Once you see some grill marks, your bagelini is ready to enjoy.

Day 22

Long Day at work, and I didn't go grocery shopping so that I could prepare my meals for the week, so I will go later tonight. After work I went to the gym and saw both Seth and Alison. I actually never seen them together before. Talked to them for a short little while and learned that since my friend signed up for 24 Hour Fitness w/ her bf, I get to have one free training session with Seth. [woot]

Today I did Cardio. At first I did 15 minutes on the ellipticals, and then I remembered the step n sculpt class was today. That one hour class wiped me out. After the class, my right knee started to hurt like a pinching in my knee. I think I overworked it out today. [Can you imagine? Me Working out TOO MUCH?!?]

It was my grandma's birthday today, and I called her and wished her a happy birthday. She's really awesome and is one of my motivators in this journey that I have embarked. Thanks Grandma.

Lastly, I have to remember that it's not always about the numbers, according to lbs. Next week, I am going to re-measure my measurements and see how far I have come to being healthy.

[By the way, If you are reading this Seth, the step n sculpt instructor whips me more than you do so far...so... BRING IT SETH!....that is all..]

Mental Wellness: Relieving Stess

5 different ways you can relieve your stress besides eating:

One. Working out [Yeah, I know. Can you believe it? But take it from me, it really does work.]

Two. Go Shopping! [Shopping is a good way to just get away from it all and take some time for yourself]

Three. Movies [Watching a movie at home or going to the movies with a friend is such a great way to get out of this world and into a different reality in the movies.]

Four. DOGGY! [Playing with your dog or pet is a way for you to have someone to be there for you and as well as you for them. Great way to have some fun too]

Five. Friends. [Being with a friend and talking to them about anything and everything is always a good way to relieve some stress. maybe even a good cry might do some good.]

Day 21

It has been three weeks since I started this journey, and to make this day even better, one of my friends that I recently reconnected with, has joined 24 hour fitness. I'm so proud of her. Go Marisa!

So I decided to do something different today, and that is working out before work. It was interesting. I worked out around 8am, I was kinda sleepy, but it was a good start of the day. I was awake throughout my mid-shift at work. So after resting after work, I decided to go to the gym and do some cardio. 30 minutes and 5 minutes of cool down. I sweat soooo much today.

One of the things I am happy to see are some of the results. Before working out and this journey, I would wake up in the middle of the night....choking. Gasping for air. Wake up again w/ dry mouth, and I hated it so much. Now I can finally sleep in peace. I'm more active throughout the day, and when I come home I'm not tired any longer. I still see my gut, but hopefully that will be gone in due time.

Quote of the Day

"Eat Right, Exercise, and a Good Nights Sleep are the key to losing weight." -Anonymous

Day 20

While I was doing some yardwork, I hurt my ankle and then my left elbow again, is flaring up again. It's starting to hurt like last time around. So today is Father's Day, and I had lunch with my relatives, and they said they see a little difference so far and to keep going. That really boosted up my spirits and will continue to help me keep motivated. Today I decided to rest up for this week. I want to make sure I am not fatigued like I was last week. Tonight, I am going to a mexican restaurant for Father's Day Dinner. I will definitely watch what I order and ask them to adjust the way they cook it. Hope everyone is having a great sunday!

Happy Father's Day

Day 19

So I had a great night sleep, a good 12-14 hours. I guess I was catching up on the lack of sleep I had this week. I had some breakfast and headed toward the gym. So..I haven't been doing weights unless it's with Seth, my personal trainer, because I was scared I was going to hurt myself again. This time was completely different. I loved every minute of it. Did all the workouts he showed me on one of my training days and after I left, I felt completely pumped. So pumped in fact, I decided to start my studying for my summer school course food and beverage purchasing, which I have a test tomorrow on Father's Day. Partly the reason why I am posting this late at night, or early in the morning, however you want to word it. While I was studying at the bookstore, I bought a book called Are You Ready? by Bob Harper from The Biggest Loser. One of the chapters that really hit me the hardest was emotional eating. Eating when you are stressed and eating when you aren't even hungry, which I am guilty of, even during the start of this blog.

Mental Wellness: Emotional Eating

Emotional Eating is when one is experiencing fear, pain, anger, sadness, or loneliness - we reach for food to push away or get relief from the feeling. Sometimes you have to ask yourself are you really hungry or is something wrong? Along with emotional eating are cravings, which might be triggered by emotions. So what happens when you want to reach for food? Here are a couple things you can do:

1. Stop
2. Don't React
3. Connect yourself with your soul, your love, or even God
4. Take a walk
5. Call a friend
6. Write in your journal
7. Read a book
8. Listen to music
9. Yoga
10. take a nap.

Day 18

I felt really sick today. After work, I went to the gym, so that I could get my cardio, and in only 5 minutes, I was out the door, throwing up, feeling dizzy, headaches, and no bueno. Now I am at home, resting, drinking lots of water and relaxing.

-no random health and wellness information today-

Day 17

I had a pretty rough day at work. I was exhausted, fatigued, and overall just having a bad day. I still had my breakfast, two snacks, and lunch. Today was another training session with Seth, and it was okay. It seemed to go by really fast, but I got a lot of useful information. After the workout, took a protein shake, had dinner, and I went to the Barnes and Noble to study with a friend.

Some of the information that Seth gave me were:

Sleep: Ideally, you need 7-9 hours of sleep.
[I am getting 4-5 max]

Workout Schedule: Cardio 3 days, Weights 3 day, Rest 1 day.
[I was doing 4 Cardio and 0 Rest]

Vegas: Have fun, relax, and take the time off and enjoy yourself.
[I'm going to Vegas next month, and was going to workout over there...next to a slot machine]

That's it for me today, as I am going to pass out in a couple of minutes.

Day 16

I know that the date says June 17, but as you will see, it is 12:15am. I went to work this morning and it was a good day. I had my breakfast this morning, a snack, a protein shake, lunch, and that night went to my friend's birthday barbecue pool party. I got the chance to be the grill man, and was in charge of the grilling of the food. It was some skirt steak, corn tortillas, and grilled corn and onions. Let's just say, today I splurged just a little bit.

After the party, which ended around 10:00pm, I decided to get my cardio in for that day and work out at 24 Hour Fitness, which by the way, is open late, early, and all day. That was such a great perk of joining, that I had not realized. Now if I close the deli late at night, I can still work out and not have to worry. One of my other friends, who goes to the fitness center close by work as well, had to leave the party early and go work out.

Some problems I am having right now are a couple of things. [One] That Greek yogurt makes me want to vomit every morning. I have found a even better yogurt, less calories, and less sugar, that I was surprised to even find. It's the Kroger Lite Brand. [Shocking, isn't it?] So once I have gulped and finished my yogurt, which is Friday, I will go and purchase some of the better yogurt.

Health Tip of the Day: Stretch Marks

Stretch Marks are forms of scarring on the skin with an off color hue. They are caused by the tearing of the dermis, or skin. Stretch Marks are often caused by weight gain, such as pregnancy and muscle building, or as we might all know, non muscle building, in the form of gaining unhealthy weight and fat.

How do we get rid of stretch marks? Well there have been some talk about using Vitamin E or Cocoa Butter. Although no tests or studies have shown them to be effective, often a lot of people resort to a tummy tuck, or other surgical procedures.

Day 15

Today was the day I finally did everything right when it comes to losing weight, according to the books and professionals. I had Breakfast at 6am, I had a snack at 9am, I had a second snack at 1pm, I had lunch at 3pm, I worked out, I had dinner afterwards. By eating 5 times a day, your metabolism is suppose to increase [I hope so] Today I did the Step Class again, just like I did in Day 1. I am still very fatigues half way through, but in time, I will get better.

Right now, until June 17, 24 Hour Fitness is having a sale on their membership as well as their personal training. 10% off, which I will take advantage of.

I don't know if anyone reads my blog, but to all of you, I will keep going, and I will be healthy, No Matter What.

4 Ways to help lose weight:

1. High Protein Diet
2. Cardio after Weights
3. Sleep
4. Eating Whole Grains

For more information check out this link:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/149037-faster-ways-to-lose-weight/

Day 14

A good day, well so I thought. I woke up early today, in order to make sure and eat breakfast before work that morning. I had the breakfast I prepared the day before. Then I worked and then ate lunch again....9 Hours later. [No Bueno] I later found out, after work, while at the gym, I need to eat every 3-4 hours. Breakfast, Snack, Protein Shake, Lunch, Dinner. The workout today with Seth was good today, but for some odd reason, I just felt so deflated afterwards. In my head, I'm thinking, I'm not seeing results, I'm still...[FAT] But I know it takes time, and to be patient.

One of things that is bothering me right now is paying for all of this. Now, after being really critical with my nutrition, it has started to become really expensive. I don't want to ask my parents for money, and I am already working, which all or most of the paychecks is going toward the personal training/diet/gas money. In 4 weeks, I'm going to Vegas. Perhaps I can get some money there...

Even though I may seem deflated and worried, one thing I have realized, that still continues to keep me motivated, are my friends. I don't want to let them down. and myself, I don't want to let myself down as well.

Day 13

No work today, what a wonderful day! I got up this morning, had some breakfast in the form of fruit and then mowed my yard, which took about 30-45 minutes. I then went to the gym and did 45 minutes on the ellipticals. Now, how you say, can you do 45 minutes without getting bored? Three Ways:

1. Watch TV. UT and TCU were playing against each other in college baseball. On the other TV screen was the original Power Rangers Movie. Brought back a lot of memories.

2. Listen to some upbeat music. On my playlist were songs from Lady Gaga, B.O.B., Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Michael Buble, Chino y Nacho, Aventura, and La Roux. I basically choose anything that's TOP 40 Music.

3. Think. Time to think about your future, your next day, your life. Thinking about all of this stuff makes the time go by really really quickly.

After working out, I went to Whole Foods to get ready for Seth's "Homework". He wanted me to get up earlier and eat breakfast. So what I did was get all the things I will need for the whole week and then place them in Tupperware, and label the days accordingly. I got Greek Yogurt, Mixed Fruit [which consisted of Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, and Blackberries] All of those fruits by the way are in season for this summer. I also got some peach granola, which will be delicious with the yogurt. I might have a egg, but for now, I still hate eggs and I still hate breakfast. What I also got there was some dinner when I got home, and all in all, it was a great day today. Now I have to study for my summer school class.

Thought of the Day: Motivation and Support

It's difficult to get self motivated and to support yourself in your journey to lose weight. Working out with a buddy or a friend is extremely helpful as you can push each other to work out. Having a personal trainer [like Seth] helps me get pumped up to exercise and for once really, just leave all my problems outside. Another great way to get the support is doing the classes that are available. When you take a class, you may meet others just like you, and you might even have fun doing it. There are different motivations and supporters out there, it's just where to find them is the hard part.

Day 12

Today was a more productive day. Throughout all of my meals, I made sure that my nutrition was on point. I did research online as well as at the bookstore. I needed to make sure I had smaller portions, never skip a meal, and never eat so late. In the morning I actually had breakfast [and I always hate breakfast]. 3-4 Hours later, I had lunch at La Madeleine. [Petite Spinach Salad and a Cup of Tomato Basil Soup] Couple of hours later I had a mid-day snack. [Cup of Fresh Fruit and a Gluten-Free Rice Bar] 3-4 hours later I had Dinner [4oz Rib-eye, Half a Cob of Corn, and fresh strawberries]. Since today I was studying all day, since I have summer school, I am actually now going to go jogging around a church nearby my house. I spent a good majority of the day with thoughts of eating healthy, but if any weight is to be lost, I will have to exercise more.

Who are you?

I know I usually give a quick healthy tid-bit, but I decided to let you all get to know for little bit . My name is Dennis, I am 21 years old, a Senior at the University of Houston, and I intern at Jason's Deli as a manager in training. I also intern with the Director of Marketing for Hilton as a "Sidekick". I work 10+ hours everyday, and after work, I go work out. I was always a little overweight when I was little, and in high school was just a plain old fatty. I lost weight between high school and college, and after my years in college studying Hotel and Restaurant Management with an emphasis in Sales and Marketing, I gained the infamous Freshman Fifteen, or rather Freshmen Fifty. After I finish my internship, I will have to find another job in order to pay for and keep Seth [My Fitness Consultant]. Possibly work after my training at Jason's, and now I am off to jog. Au Revoir.

Day 10 & Day 11

On Thursday was my day with Seth training me. We basically did exercises and weights that we covered overall in the past training sessions. [and I also might like to add that I increased the number of sets/reps this go around] That day we discussed the next couple of months and also my nutrition/diet.

I don't eat breakfast. I eat lunch at Jason's Deli 5 days a week. For Dinner I have whatever my mom cooks, healthy or unhealthy, and always with a bowl of white rice. We decided that I should wake up early in the morning before work to eat breakfast in order for me to start off with a good start. After working out I take a protein shake, and then lower the amount of portion I intake from my mom as well as try to switch white rice for brown rice.

Today was by far one of the most unsuccessful days of my workout. I didn't get to do my Cardio today. I was so tired from work that I, like many others, just passed out. I will get my Cardio in tomorrow and Sunday.

Healthy Choices: Swapping the Bad for the Good

Instead of eating out, go to the grocery store and get food that you know is good for you, and you know how it is cooked. If you do eat out, consider eating something off their healthy alternative menu, or maybe even eat a smaller portion.

Instead of drinking whole milk, swap for skim milk. Instead of yogurt, swap for greek yogurt with less calories, fat and sugar. Granola has lots of sugar in it as well, so you can possibly swap it out for walnuts or chopped almonds. A great healthy way to also get your daily needs. Lastly, instead of going back for seconds, swap that for a good conversation.

Day 8 & Day 9

Seth thought I should take the day off yesterday from exercising [and he was right] I was so sore yesterday, right when I got out of bed, or at least trying to. My core [or abs] were so sore, I couldn't lift myself up from the bed. [I had to roll over...] Then came work, where I had to carry and lift some heavy boxes and food items at Jason's Deli. After my ten hour work shift, I went home and passed out.

Today I increased my cardio from thirty minutes to forty-five with the approval of my personal trainer [or rather Consultant] and I was off to the gym. I did forty-five minutes straight on the treadmill at a good walking pace and every ten minutes I would jog or run for a good couple minutes until I was tired and out of breath. I didn't have any music, but what I did to pass the time was think, observe, watch some good ol' TV. Now that I have used most of the machines and classes at the gym, I have come to the conclusion that I enjoy the classes the best. Working out with a group and having loud blaring music in the background was my kind of exercise, plus it was on a set schedule where I come every week for that class and even meet people.

Recipe of the Day: Pan Seared Salmon w/ Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:
Fresh Salmon
2 Large Avocado (Diced)
1/2 cup Red Onion (Diced)
1/2 cup Tomato (Diced)
1 sprig of Cilantro (Chopped)
3 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)
Salt and Pepper
1 Lemon (Juice)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Simple dice all the avocado, red onion, and tomato and place in a bowl. chop the cilantro finely and add to the bowl. Add a dash of salt and pepper as well as juice from a lemon. Carefully stir or toss and place in the fridge.

With the Salmon, sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, as well as some olive oil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a pan w/ Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add the Garlic into the pan and sauté for a couple of seconds. Add the Salmon into the pan and let it get a nice sear for a couple of minutes. once there is a nice sear, make sure you don't burn it, flip it over and continue cooking for just another couple of minutes.

Once the salmon is cooked on the outside, place the salmon in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until cooked. Take out, place on a plate and top the salmon off with the Avocado mixture. Enjoy!

Day 6 & Day 7

So yesterday, After doing one hour of yard work in the sun, I decided to go against what I was planning on doing, which was to do Cardio, and listen to Seth and alternate Cardio and Weights. Unfortunately, while I was working on my triceps, I somehow over-extended my left elbow. It felt like sharp pains in my elbow whenever I straightened my left arm. [No Bueno] So I decided to instead, go swimming in the lap pool, which btw, worked out a lot of different areas in my body.

Today, was my third training session with Seth. I decided to workout before work that day, [which by the way, I was sore all day at work, which was a 2-close shift] We stayed in the corner of the gym, mostly doing exercises without any machines. Let's just say, I was always out of breath, sore, and my shirt was drenched in sweat.

The workout went great, although I was worried about two of the exercises.

[Push-ups] I hate push-ups, and have always hated them. When I was younger and in grade school, I was always the one who couldn't do a push up. Even today, I could only do 5, and would be out of breath afterwards, but it will take time for me to build up strength. [Patience is the key]

[Shoulder Exercise] Concerning the shoulder exercise, I had to straighten my arm, along with carrying a certain amount of weight. [Shots of pain in my elbow again] So I told Seth, and he decided to show me another exercise as to not risk hurting, what I already hurt the day before. All in all, the third training session with Seth was one of the best and one of the toughest.

One problem I am having though, is my diet, nutrition, and choices. I feel like I still don't know what I should eat, suppose to eat, and can eat. Questions I need to research or ask Seth. Since I work at Jason's Deli, I have a good opportunity to eat healthy, although most of the stuff there, besides the salad, I have seen and researched unhealthy. Lots of Processed food, sodium, sugar, and especially...[CARBS!] Luckily, I follow the simple saying,

"If you know it's bad for you or you don't know if it's good for you, don't eat it."

Gatorade, Red Bull, and Margaritas!

So is any of this stuff really good for you? If you had any choice in the matter, water is probably the way to go. Gatorade is okay for you only if you just worked out, if not, it's just sugar, sugar, and a little bit of salt. Energy Drinks help you stay awake, but yet again, sugar, sugar, and Caffeine! Alcohol will always have empty calories. Really, there is no other way around that, although you can have a drink once in a while, and a while being every month. Lastly, Diet Coke. Just because it says [Diet] doesn't necessary make it good for you.

Unhealthy Yogurt?

After being at the grocery store for an hour, I have learned that Yogurt can be deceiving. One serving of Yoplait yogurt or any other yogurt can have as much sugar as a can of soda. This also goes along with Yogurt Parfaits from McDonalds or any other fast food place. What's the alternative? Greek Yogurt! Little or no sugar, and along with fruit and granola, would make a great snack or breakfast item.

Day 5

Just a typical day, except this time I had to go to work at my friends friends wedding and that lasted quite sometime in a restaurant that has air conditioning problems. [I mean, don't get me wrong, in my pursuit to lose weight, sweat=good] What really surprised me the most when I looked up the calories just now was that the yogurt contains 38 grams of sugar, which I know is SO not good for you. After work I hit the gym and did 30 minutes on the ellipticals. I was getting kind of bored after a while [but luckily tuning out and watching TV just let the time go by] So then, I got tempted. I know it's bad to check and see how much you weigh everyday, because then you might get discouraged, but I just knew I was feeling good and doing what Seth tells me to do, and turns out, in 5 days, I lost 7 lbs. Most presumably water weight [maybe some fat], but it gave me just a motivated boost. [Knowing now that the personal training w/ Seth is working out.]

Portion Control: America vs. The World

When I took the time to travel overseas to Asia, I noticed one big thing that made me realize how fat I was and how unhealthy America is [the portion of food]. In Japan, at McDonald's, the regular cup, is the kids cup in America. The regular fries in Japan is the Kids Fries in America. In Vietnam, at KFC, the portion of one piece of chicken was half of a drumstick [cut right in half of the bone], of course in America, it's the whole bone and caboodle. The reason why America is the fattest nation in the world is because [simply] we eat too much, and exercise too little.

Day 4

My second training session with Seth, my personal trainer, went by really well. We started off by stretching and getting my heart rate up. We used different things such as the medicine ball and a foam cylinder. In this session he showed me how to use some of the cable resistance machines and doing exercises that instead of working on one muscle group, it worked out multiple muscles at the same time. One thing I enjoyed about this session was the variety workouts and the combinations I can do when I do my weight training days. After the session, my arms felt like jell-o, and when I walked, it felt like gravity was winning. In order to help my muscles from being sore and tightening, We stretched my hamstring and quads after the workout. Tomorrow, I will do Cardio, and I think Sunday I will do Cardio as well, because on Monday will be my third session with Seth.

Eating Disorder: Bulimia

Bulimia is a eating disorder that is very [very] bad for you. After a person with bulimia consumes food, they will regurgitate it back in the toilet. They won't absorb any essential vitamins and minerals and their Body Metabolic Rate will also decrease. The Body Metabolic Rate [or BME] is the number of calories that your body burns everyday if you are idle [or in bed all day] Your body will then start to devour your muscle and eventually almost eat you from the inside out. Not only can there be vomiting, but also fasting, laxatives, and even over exercising. Losing weight the right way [the healthy way] will always be better for you than Bulimia.

Day 3

After working from 6am-5pm, I headed to 24 hour fitness. Today was my cardio day, and Seth, my personal trainer, or rather my personal motivator, told me yesterday to do 30 minutes of cardio today. I did 15 minutes on the treadmill, increasing the speed by .5 every 2.5 minutes. After I got a sweat and my heart pumping, I decided to hit the ellipticals for the other 15 minutes and increasing the resistance 1 level every 2.5 minutes. After the workout, I stopped by the desk w/ Alison, one of the 24 hour representatives that coincidentally stopped by Jason's Deli, my work, for lunch and after work, helped me get started. So at the desk I bought FIT Light Reduced Calorie Meal Replacement, or in other words a protein shake. The reason why I decided to get his was because I always skipped breakfast, and this way I can get the protein I need for the day, as well as the protein I will need after my weight training days. I also purchased a 24 hour fitness bottle w/ cap to shake the protein shake. [because stirring it with a spoon will just give you clumps.]

Recipes of the Day:

Strawberry Spinach Salad: 200 Calories

Ingredients:
Baby Spinach
Strawberries
Sliced Almonds
Feta Cheese
Strawberry Vinaigrette [or your low fat or no fat favorite salad dressing]

Wash the spinach and strawberries. Cut the top off of the strawberries and slice in half. Toss salad until fully mixed and have the dressing on the side. Bon Apatite!

Long Vietnamese Turkey Lettuce Wraps: 340 Calories

One Head of Lettuce
1.25 lbs of Jennie-o Ground Turkey
1 White Onion
2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce [It's a Vietnamese Peanut Sauce that can be found in your international section.]
1 tbsp Sriracha Hot Sauce [If you like it a bit spicy]
1/2 cup Unsalted Peanuts

Take the core out of the lettuce, cut in half, and carefully remove the leaves of the lettuce one by one, to be used as a bowl.

Brown the ground turkey in a pan, drain the oil. Sauté the onion until translucent. Combine ground turkey and onion in the pan. Add the peanuts, hoisin sauce and sriracha sauce, and stir until the ground turkey is fully coated. Place in a bowl and serve with the lettuce. Use the lettuce a wrap, and Enjoy!

Day 1 & Day 2

On my first day working out,I saw that there was a step class after work, so I decided to attend and get my cardio for the day. The class was a bit intense, and I was one out of only three men that were there. I learned right away, that this was a but much for my first day, but at least it was a start to a new beginning. The class lasted an hour and by the end, I was drowning in sweat.

The second day came after a long day of work and I finally met my personal trainer. His name is Seth and he seemed really cool. He took my measurements and I found out that I am 240 lbs with 28% body fat and have about 66lbs of fat on me. So after warming up he showed me a couple of machines and floor exercises that will help me in my journey to lose weight and gain muscle. First was to stretch, then we worked on Quads, Back, Biceps, Shoulders, Pectorals, Triceps, Hamstring, and Abdominals. It was the resistance training machines at first, and then I will continue tomorrow with cardio and Friday with Seth again.

Thought of the Day: Health and Money.

I want to think that if you are unhealthy, you would do as much as you can to become healthy. Obesity is becoming a problem in the America and an unhealthy problem that leads to serious health problems such as heart disease and stroke. So between a trip to Paris vs. working with a personal trainer twice or three times a week, I decided that my health, no matter what the cost to fix it, would be the better choice. If it was my choice I would have both but because I don't have much and don't make much money, that was the ultimate problem. Unfortunately, it seems like to lose weight, you have to adjust your lifestyle and of course your eating habits. No more dollar menu burgers and greasy treats, and hello to the protein shake.