Don't Wait, To Lose Weight, In 2008

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

It has been a long time since I have blogged, but I am back!! My family had a great Christmas last year and there was some concern from Lori and I that we would be a little heavier at the beginning of this year than at the onset of the Christmas holidays.
Well the good news is that neither one of us gained a pound!! I am back on track and have set a goal to have my weight fluctuate between 180-185lbs as opposed to 185-190lbs. I am excited to reach my new goal, and I have some more company on my journey.

• My mom has lost 13lbs
  
• Brad H has lost 7lbs
• Liz lost 8lbs
• Jasmine has lost 3lbs

I am very excited and happy for the new individuals who have made a commitment to change their lives!! It is going to be a kick-ass year

The Uphill Battle Is Almost Complete

I am down a total of 21lbs from the beginning of my weight loss journey. I am still enjoying the GR2 chocolate meal replacement shakes, and I have continued to eat smaller portion sizes at my main meals.
In the last 8 weeks, one of the my main goals was to keep my strength levels at their current levels. If I succeeded in this goal I knew that my relative strength levels would dramatically increase. So here are a couple of stats for you...
1. Weighted Chin Ups 3 sets of 8 reps @ 75lbs (+ my current body weight of 189lbs)
2. DB Chest Press (using a stability ball) 3 sets of 10 @ 90lbs
I also had the opportunity to perform a conditioning workout that I have not completed since my knee operation in April. The workout and the results are as follows...
Workout
5 Chin Ups
10 Plyo Ball Slams
10 Burpees
20 Jumping Jacks
(45 seconds rest and repeat the above exercises until 10 circuits are performed)
I was able to complete the above workout in 18mins 34seconds, and even though it felt tasking I cannot tell you how great the workout felt being 21lbs lighter!!!

I am hoping to join the Jiu Jitsu dojo in the New Year and add that activity to my kickboxing regime. I need to lose 4lbs in order to compete in the weight class (for jiu jistu) that tops out at 185lbs. The last time that I weighed between 185lbs and 190lbs was my Freshman football year at University...I don't mind telling each of you this is a very motivating factor to attain my goal!!

I am loving the GR2 Control Program!!

The Correlation, Being Overweight & Cancer Risks

Well, if 'looking better naked' is not your slogan or your goal, there are still plenty of reasons to shed excess pounds. Late last week there was a news report that being overweight is a major contributor to cancer. The report stated that there were 6 types of cancer that were linked to being overweight
1. Colorectum (bowel)
2. Post Menopausal Breast Cancer
3. Pancreas
4. Kidney
5. Endometrium (womb)
6. Esophagus

The study also had a few recommendations
1. Individuals avoid weight gain through their adulthood
2. 30 minutes of moderate daily activity (eventually rising to 60 minutes)
3. Drink water instead of sugary fruit juices
4. Eat more fruits, vegetables and fibre

If you think that our health care system is suffering now, think of the possibilities 10-20 years from today. At of today 1/4 Canadians are overweight...as this trend continues to rise diseases/pathologies such as Type II Diabetes, Cancer, High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol will skyrocket. It will not take long before our health care system begins to burst at the seams from health issues, that are largely within our control.

All of the recommendations that are listed above are within your control, make a choice to adopt a healthier lifestyle!

Just like the Bunny, I'm "Still Going..."

It has been approximately 8-9 weeks since I embarked on the GR2 Control Program and I am extremely close to achieving my goals. I can vividly remember writing down my goals with Lori and sharing some of my personal thoughts in my first blog. At that time, my goals seemed to be a pipe dream, but I knew from the outset that with perseverance and support I would be able to achieve them. Here are a few things that the GR2 Program has done for me
1. Maintained my absolute strength levels
2. Increased my relative strength level
3. Decreased my chances of developing Type II Diabetes
4. Increased my energy levels
5. A total weight loss of 20lbs (5 more to go!)
I may need to by some new clothes since I have not been this size this my first year of university, but that is something I am looking forward to!!
There are 5 other individuals who are participating in this challenge and there are 2 more individuals who will be embarking on GR2 Control Program next month. I am looking forward to watching others make positive changes in their lives, and they, in turn, will provide me with additional motivation to maintain my success.

I will remain patient...but I vow to increase my activity!!

Well it has been a little while since my last 'post'. I am still down 15lbs from the beginning of my journey, and I WILL chip away at the last 10lbs. My plan for the next 6-8 weeks, is to increase my level of activity through a few simple outlets.
1. I will add two 15 minute sessions of skipping per week to my regime
2. I will add one 15 minute body weighted conditioning circuit to my regime
The main thing that I want people to realize is that I plan to keep up the same level of activity when I reach my weight loss goal. I have not yet added Jiu Jitsu to my training, and when I do it will mean that I will be training an extra 3 hours per week. That means that I will have 3 hours of kickboxing, 3 hours of Jiu Jitsu, and 2 hours of strength training. Which is a total of 8 units of exercise in 6 days (I always take at least one day off every 7 days for recovery). I realize that if I do not at least maintain my current level of activity then I will eventually gain back the weight, and I have worked hard to lose it!!!
I know there are more than a few success stories from the challenge, but I want everyone who is currently in the challenge (and those who get on the GR2 Control program in the future), that refining your eating habits is only part of the battle. You must increase your level of activity in order to maintain your weight loss. Remember, this is a lifestyle change NOT a DIET!! If you can establish a healthy eating regime and an active lifestyle you will be a success. You will be a role model for your children, significant other and friends.
Be a role model, meet your goals and exceed your own expectations!

Sharing In The Success Of Others

Okay, so I am still feeling pretty good about myself and I am also feeling good about a couple of other individuals who have decided to embark on the GR2 Challenge.
In the near future you will be able to read a progress report from Amit, and you will also get another update from my better half, Lori.
It is a fantastic to be able to share in the success of others! I once again have to mention how much easier (and enjoyable) the journey is when you have a support of other individuals.
I am now down a total of 15lbs, and I have to lose another 10lbs. I have more energy and my relative strength has increased. The road to weight loss is now easier to navigate, due to my success, and to a large extent, sharing in the success of others!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Boy do I love long weekends!! Although since I am a business owner, I do not actually get long weekends (my boss can be an A#*)!
On a serious note, I love the family time that surrounds long weekends and the creative gourmet meals that Lori puts together. Of course when there is a big family dinner, that usually means a meal that consists of 3-4 courses (which means that dinner is a marathon, not a sprint...). Well this year, since I am right in the middle of the GR2 Challenge, I promised myself that I would 'enjoy' all the spoils of the Thanksgiving dinner at 'Casa Campbell'. As dinner was rolled out and placed on the table (in order to fit all the food it should have been a boardroom size table!), I strategically began my meal and planned the first two helpings (I was not sure if I could eat 3); my first helping consisted of:
a) white turkey meat with gravy
b) stuffing
c) broccoli
d) twice baked potato
OK, so the stuffing, potato and gravy are not the 'healthy list' (although the stuffing was made with whole wheat bread), however, the main point here is that I could not eat any more than 1 helping!! My stomach has shrunk and therefore I reach a point of feeling sated much sooner than I would have in the past.
As a result, I also felt better throughout the evening (I did not have to loosen my belt in order to breathe), and about 1.5 hours after dinner, I indulged in a piece of apple pie with ice cream.
We had our family dinner on Saturday and this morning (Monday), I got on the scale and noticed that I am down a total of 13lbs. I felt great that I had managed to enjoy the holiday by allowing myself to indulge to a point, but within control. I listened to my body when it told me "you're full" and made the wise choice not to have seconds of the apple pie.
I have another 10lbs to lose so I will need to remain disciplined in order to stay on course and meet my goals.