The YoYo Affect is Not all Bad

Ok in an ideal world I would drop weight one time and keep it off.  My waist would be a size 32” and my wardrobe wouldn’t be stacked with clothes to fit all sizes and shapes.  Oh what a wonderful dream and for this Fat Man, that is exactly what it is; a dream.  My weight has been on a string, since I was 12 yrs old; up and down, up and down, up and down.  Some stretches longer than others but still an up and down affair.  That is why I say:
" in the battle of the bulge with every victory there is a loss and with every loss there is a gain". 

Fluctuating scales can be maddening, depressing, frustrating and the reason to go on a binge, but hey it is not all bad.  The mere fact that I am aware that my weight is changing is constructive.  The truth that I am upset about the gain is helpful.  The actuality that I am frustrated means that I am actively working on controlling my weight.  The fact that seeing an increase stimulates me into action is also encouraging.  The danger is when nothing bothers me and I am not frustrated, upset, confused or aggravated enough to do anything about the extra load.  When I am too indifferent to care, my weight will fluctuate 10kg, 30kg, and even 50kg/ 20lb to 100lb!!!!!

How I deal with the yoyo affect has changed over the years.   It seems like just yesterday I was 40 yrs old and could go to the gym for a month of training and drop a quick 10kg. Sadly those days are gone; at 55 years of age I am happy to see a drop of 500gm to 1kg a week.  Far too often I train all week to see no change or a small increase at the scales.  These sluggish outcomes have caused me to change my approach and do more than simply burn calories. now I monitor my food choices and measure my physical results. 

Monitor: I have a friend who weighs in every day and believes this is the most precise way to track his weight.  I don’t agree and choose to weigh in one time per week and honestly  if I was not in the midst of tracking my mass I would probably not weigh in at all except when I needed to go shopping because my clothes were too lose or tight.  I prefer to use my body measurements as an assessment to my physical fitness.   I size in, one time per month using the tape measure in the following spots;

1.     Wrist

2.     Forearm

3.     Bicep

4.     Neck

5.     Upper Chest (under the arm pits)

6.     Chest (bust)

7.     Waist (lower rib)

8.     Abdomen (belly button)

9.     Upper hip (above pelvis)

10.   Lower hips, across the middle of butt)

11.   Inner thigh

12.   Middle thigh,

13.   Knee,

14.   Calf,

15.   Ankle

 With these 15 measurements I get an accurate accounting of my physical progress or regression.    

At the end of the day Yoyoing has given me the stimuli to make changes in my routine, educate myself about food and nutrition and design a better program to continue my evolution towards ideal health and fitness.

If you yoyo and it upsets you, give yourself a pat on the back; that means you care enough to be aware and you are on the road to change.

Go have some fun,

Geo

Draw A Picture

Bali Indonesia the island of gods,  a beautiful island in the southern hemisphere’s chain of spice islands.  The Southern Cross lights up the night, emerald lakes gleam from the sun shining in the clear blue skies,  lime green rice terraces boarder narrow black top roads that wind through  a chain of artisan villages; wood carvers, basket weavers, potters, silver smiths, gold smiths, painters and trinket makers,  all linked with  culture and religion.  Bali island from mountain tops to coastal sceneries,  is a painter’s paradise and my first destination  in 1996.  

One gentleman I had the pleasure of getting to know was a popular painter named Jason Monet.  Jason was an accomplished painter and sculptor and had a compound where he spent his days working on various projects, drinking the local spirits, telling stories and laughing, Jason was a special character and I feel very lucky to have known him. 

 Jason had, had health problems and he appreciated that I was committed to working on my weight and health.  On one particular outing we got into a conversation regarding image and movement.  Jason said he never painted from photos because he wanted to capture movement in his paintings, he related this to my weight program and said Geo if you really want to get where you want to be  you have to have a mental picture of what you want to look like. He went on to relate it to his sculpting, when he worked with a block of stone he was not bothered by what needed to be removed because he knew what was waiting to be exposed.   He said: don’t worry about the fat, think about the body waiting for you to uncover.

In my opinion one of the most important factors  of becoming healthy and fit is to have an ultimate goal in mind, not only how much I want to weight  but what I want my body to look like as well.

Draw a Picture: I actually drew a picture of myself with cut abs, narrow waist, popping biceps and flat peks, that was 16 yrs ago and I still refer to it from time to time as my image guide.   Over the years I have continued to draw pictures some with my exact measurements that I use as an overlay to my desired shape which gives me a pretty good idea of my target areas to work on.   I suggest you draw a picture and give yourself a mental image of what you want to look like in black and white.

Go have some fun,

Geo

Life Is For Living

A couple of years ago I was in my room doing what I liked most; lying in bed watching TV.  My youngest son came to me and said: “papa if you were not so fat you could play with me.” Wow, from the mouth of babes, pure honesty.  He was right, I was slacking had let myself stop doing the things I knew worked and began doing nothing.  I was weighing 336lb/153kg. And I could not motivate myself to move.  Getting up in the morning was hell, my feet hurt when I walked, my knees were weak and my lower back was in constant pain.  I had a pretty good idea why fat people are jolly; because if I did not laugh I would have cried.  In the morning when the pain was at its worse, I tried to smile but all I could do was snarl, I was angry with myself and everyone around me knew it.  Life was not fun and I had no energy for new adventures,  Phoenix gave me the inspiration to get off my backside and get back to doing the things I knew I should and staying away from doing the thing I shouldn’t.  The next morning I limped to the mirror, looked myself in the eye and said: NO MORE, NEVER AGAIN! 

Today I am 97kg my back pain is gone, I wake in the morning with a pep in my step, my feet no longer give me pain and my knees are still weak but they do what I ask of them.   My health and fitness is a hell of a lot better today than it was 20 yrs ago and smiles come easily. 

My program has been developed over the test of time with trial and error.  I have documented my progress and regressions for more than 16 yrs. I have learned from my successes and failures and I honestly believe that I have discovered the right combination of food and exercise to keep me fit, lower my fat, build strength, and sustain my passion for adventure.   If you get any message from my blog I honestly hope it is:  “life is for living”  

Go have some fun.

Geo

Creating Our Own Standards

My night of dinning pleasure has come to an end, I ate sushimi, Caesar salad, jumbo prawns, Alaskan king crab legs, goat cheese and bell peppers with raw sweet onion from the cold section and the chafing plates provided me with lamb chops, and spinach soup.  I savored roasted ham that melted in my mouth and spring potatoes with fresh herbs.   For dessert I sampled an assortment of creamy and buttery delicate cakes, with chocolate mousse and a digestive of espresso and cognac. The total meal came in at under 2,000 calories, more protein than carbohydrates and more fat then carbs which means, I did not gain weight but I did nothing to get rid of my belly.  I am a Fat man in paradise, I love to eat, I derive great pleasure from food and it does not control me, I control what I eat and how much I eat and so can you.

Many of the actuary tables that are popular with the insurance industry such as Met life has almost everyone categorized as overweight or obese, no secret why they do this.   In today’s world, 240lb to 260lb is a common size.   Met life’s actuaries say my ideal weight is 72kg/ 160lb to 79kg/174lbs.  That is not what I want.   I believe my ideal weight is 84kg/ 185lb to 86kg/190lb.  I reject Met life's assessment and guidelines.  I know the weight I want; one that will make me happy and allow me to live a long fun filled life. Met life's actuaries do not fit into my desired standard of living.

Why live life by some one else’s standard?  I believe we should create our own life’s plan, one that is designing with life’s little pleasures, a life style that has rewards, adventure and happiness. In my opinion following a self generated road map to happiness is much healthier than being led by an insurance company’s idea of what my world should look like.  As a Fat Man in Paradise I am going to indulge and I am going to savor every , nibble, sip and bite.  I suggest you do the same.  

Go have some fun.

Geo

Changing Our Vocabulary

Words can actually work in helping us stay motivated, what I mean by that is the vocabulary we choose to use when we discuss our program can motivate or stifle our progress.    One of the nice things about having a partner that does not speak English as a first language is some of the things she says makes me re frame my own way of thinking.  For instance I was in the habit of saying I am going to” work out”.  When my wife decided to join me at the gym, she would say   “I’m going to play”.  At first I was a bit thrown by this until I realized “working out” did not translate and for her “playing” meant the same thing.

Once I understood the situation I saw the possible benefits of changing my vocabulary and make it easier for me to stay on track.

Workout vs. Train

 I dropped “ working Out” from my vocabulary and switched it to” Training” because that is what I am doing and honestly going to” train” is much easier for me to accept mentally, than going to work. 

Diet vs. watching what I eat/ controlling what I eat

Let’s face it Diets don’t work for fat people because there is no such thing as a short term program for long term results.  “Controlling What I eat” and “Watching what I eat” is something that I can do for short and long term results.

Lose Weight vs. Toning Up

It seems to me that I have always been able to find any weight that I have ever lost. “Losing weight” is a myth for a fat man, but I can “Tone Up” and become smaller in the process.

Cheat vs. Free Day

I’ve never met a person who was controlling what they eat,  who from time to time did not want to have a free day to satisfy a craving, this is normal human behavior so why twist ourselves with guilt, and shame buy using the word cheat?  Get rid of it and you will never cheat again.

Exercise vs. Burn Calories

Exercise conjures up images of sweat and pain but the goal of movement is to Burn Calories and almost everything burns calories.  A great web site to get an idea of what movement burns how many calories is written by Lance Armstrong; http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/fitness/exercise

Sex for an hour can burn 145 calories. Gardening can burn 300 to 400 calories an hr. Cooking Burns an avg. of 140 calories an hr. watching a movie even burns 65 calories an hr. So you see everything burns calories which help in toning up.

 In my opinion getting started on a healthy life style is not difficult but the real challenge is in sticking with it.  Which is why it is helpful to re frame our thinking towards doing the positive things that need to be done to get to where we want to go and changing our vocabulary is one method of making our dreams come true.

Go have some fun,

Geo

4 Elements of Navigating a Buffet and Not Gaining Weight (part 2)

This is part 2 of Navigating Buffets and not gaining weight.

•            Knowing
•            Planning
•            Execution
•            Commitment

When it comes to hitting the buffets, I have re framed my thinking. In the past a huge mound of food piled on my plate equated pleasure; more grub, more joy.   In the last 10 yrs. I have discovered that I get greater pleasure from variety and not quantity.

Knowing exactly how many calories my body requires for basic energy needs and how many extra calories it requires  when  exercise is involved,  gives me a working parameter to know how much food and beverage can be consumed without gaining weight.  

I’m not a big fan of Calorie Counting but this system is based on knowing exactly how many calories my body requires on a daily basis (BER) and how many extra calories it requires when I exercise (EER).

Basic Energy Requirements (BER) stands for minimum number of calories required on a daily basis. This is calculated as follows (1.3 calories) x body weight (per kilogram) x (24) hours in day. 

Example: 1.3 calories x 97kg. = 126.1 calories per hr. multiply this by 24hrs.  = a (BER) of 3,026 calories per day.

Extra Energy Requirement is factored by the number of hrs spent on physical activity.   This is calculated at (8.5 calories) x body weight (per kilogram) x (?) hours spent in training.

Example:  8.5 calories x 97kg. = 824.5 calories per hr in training x (?)  Hrs in training.  So if I was going to swim for( 1 hr) and do cardio for( 1 hr) I would have 2 hours x 824.5 hence  824.5 x 2 = an (EER)of 1,649 to add to my (BER) 3,026.   The day’s numbers would look like this: (BER) 3,026 + 1,649(EER) = 4,675 total calories required for “party” day. 

Planning ahead and making proper preparation is vital in successfully enjoying a full buffet or party without gaining weight.  Knowing what my (BER) is enables me to plan ahead, project and schedule my physical activity for that day.    The aerobic (EER) supplement gives me another 1,649 calories to consume without breaching my minimum requirement and allows me to participate in the festivities without a need to stress about what I am eating and drinking.   For example a full bottle of Red wine will cost me approximately 700 calories of my 1,649 (EER) allotment.  A Glass of Champagne is 89 calories, light beer is 150 calories, cognac is 102 calories, Sambuca is 103 calories and scotch whiskey is 90 calories.  If I am going to a Gala I can plan on having a light beer when I belly up to the bar for a chat with the boys, and 3 scotch and waters while I mingle and 3 glasses of champagne if it is being served  and a bottle of red wine during dinner.  I can finish the meal off with a couple of digestive such as Sambuca or cognac and I still haven’t consumed my (EER) of 1,649 calories.  That’s a whole lot of booze and a full night of drinking that I can partake in without concern of gaining weight.

 Execution is everything, set limits, be armed with a general knowledge of food and beverage calorie values; calculate the “Party days” BER and EER calorie allotment.  Have discipline; enjoy the party and stay within the planned limits and there will not be a weight gain.

An easy way to pick the best dishes without giving too much thought to calorie count is by using the food colors as a road map.  Pretend that the empty plate is a painter’s pallet and the food is the paint.  Red bell peppers, Green Leaf lettuce, White Fish, scalloped potato, and bright red tomatoes make a beautiful healthy platter.

 Red and orange, fruits and vegetables typically provide a great source of healthy carbohydrates such as bell peppers, strawberries and papaya.   The pale white starches such as potato Ala gratin, rice, white bread, and pasta are to be used as appointments or accents, eat them in very small quantities; they are high in calorie, offer very little over all food value, bloat the stomach and make it difficult to enjoy the full variety of an excellent buffet.

 Red snapper, Tuna sashimi, and salmon all look wonderful on the plate and offer a great source of protein with relatively low and healthy levels of fat. Skinless white meat of whatever fowl is always the healthier choice.  Lamb offers lower fat then Ham, steak offers less fat than pork; if it looks greasy or fatty then it is greasy and fatty and is to be eaten sparingly.

The Pastry chef rarely portions cakes the way we would at home which is good because the small bite sized sweets make it easy to sample several different cakes and delicacies while consuming the same calories as one home cut pieces of cake. When it comes to desserts,  any way we cut it, they are sweet, full of sugar ,rich in butter and cream, loaded in fat, carbohydrates and calories, taste great and are best  sampled in bite size portions.

Commitment to follow the game plan and get a clear picture of what health and fitness means to you.  Accept that change in taste and health come at a price; time and commitment, one day at a time, one bite at a time. Commit to eating smart and exercise, commit to living a good life and commit to having fun. 

Geo,

Go have some fun.

 

 

 

4 Elements in Navigating Buffets and Not Gaining Weight.

In my last thread I mentioned how much I enjoy hotel buffets.  With the arrival of summer and all the holiday BBQs, I am thinking it would probably be a good idea to suggest a way to successfully partake in one of these culinary feasts without gaining weight. 

Some may ask why bother, why not just stop eating foods that make you fat and put an end to the battle of the bulge.  I say that is a fair question but the older I get the fewer weddings I attend and the more funerals I am invited to.  Over the last several years I have known several men who were ill with terminal disease and they all took their doctors advice and changed their life styles; eliminating the various vices they enjoyed with the outlook it would add a few years to their life.  Near the end when they knew their fight was lost, they were angry, not about dying but for following doctors orders and quitting the things that made their life enjoyable.

Fat people do not like being told that they cannot eat.  I will never tell a fellow fat
person you cannot eat this or drink that but what I will do is share the information
that works for me.

In my opinion there are four considerations when preparing to indulge in a cornucopia of delectable delights.

1.       knowledge

2.       planning

3.       execution

4.       commitment

When it comes to buffets  I always have a plan, I  prefer to browse the iced dishes first; this will be where the  salads, sashimi, sushi, crab legs, shrimps, salmon, carpaccio, lox, cheese, breads, caviar, salmon muse, and dressings are on display.  My next stop will be the hot plate that’s when I put my sense of smell to work; with every lid I open I am greeted with the tantalizing fragrances of fresh herbs and spices.   Then I move on to see what’s roasting, Prime rib, Ham shank or leg of lamb.  The dessert section is where I expect to see ice cream, fresh fruits, chocolate fountains, and a wide range of delightfully delicious delicate cakes.   Once I have done my survey I have the knowledge to make my choices, execute my plan and keep my commitment to not gain weight. 
This is a lengthy and in-depth subject matter so I have broken it into 2 parts.

Thanks for reading.   BTW I dropped more than 2kg regatta week.

Ciao,

Geo

Go have some fun.

Temptation Island

For the last 11 years I have called Koh Samui home, it is a small island; only 25km at its widest point located in the south of Thailand. The weather is typically dry and tropical offering temperatures in the high 20’s C. /mid to high 80’s F. year round. Samui is the launching spot for some 60 surrounding islands and other tourist destinations such as Koh Phangan, famous for its Full Moon Party, Koh Tao with its deep sea diving and Ang Thong National Park. My island Paradise is very much like Las Vegas; what happens on Samui stays on Samui and no matter what the rest of the country is doing Samui plays by its own rules.

My home is one of the top 3 tourist destinations in Thailand, largely due to location. Consequently every day is Friday and there is a conscious effort by the business community which is made up mostly of bars, restaurants and some 300 resorts and hotels to promote a party atmosphere, for the huge influx of international tourist that arrive every day on the hour 365 days a yr.

When it comes to food and drink Samui is my temptation island, the Full Moon Party attracts as many as 30,000 revelers every month, mostly European youth in their 20’s and 30’s with insatiable thirst for cold beer and unlimited energy to dance until sunrise. The Bar scene is full on and in your face, there is no red light district for the pole dancers and girly bars they are located on nearly every corner, as are the restaurants with delicacies being prepared by chefs from around the world offering cuisine from Russia, Sweden, Holland, Libya, India, France, Italy, England, America and of course Thailand, just to name a few.

After 10 years I have become pretty good about being able to control my temptations and diet by setting limits on how much libation I partake and doing the things I know I should while staying away from doing the things I shouldn’t but there remains 3 major factors that disrupt my eating and drinking habits;

1. Travel; one of the perks in living in an international tourist destination is the number of hotels with great executive chefs. When I leave the island it is not easy to eat the way I do from my own kitchen which means I pack as many healthy snacks as possible for the road trip such as nuts, raisins and fruit but once I am at my destination the hotels offer beautiful buffets with incredible selections of all types of food. I could order off the menu or go out to dine but I love food and I feel it is such a waste of an opportunity to not taste the Chef’s work; caviar, pastry, and steaks, these meals will typically run more than 4,000 calories.

2. Guest; when friends come to visit me they are coming from far away points such as Russia, England, Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Holland, Germany, Bali and America, I feel it is only right that I take them out for a good meal, and again these meals will be 4,000 plus calories.

3. Finally the worst temptation for me is a special event called The Samui Regatta; a sailing tournament held every year with competitors coming to Samui from great distances such as Japan, Australia, Singapore and China and these sailors arrive thirsty and hungry. It is not the race day that concerns me with my diet although over the years I have had a few all day sessions but it is the fact that the Regatta is a weeklong event, and every night is a special celebration with all you can eat and drink service. I have learned to become more like a hermit crab during this time of year and hideaway in my compound and only join in on one or two events but this year is particularly difficult because I have just spend 10 days on the road cruising buffets and even though I had a few 4,000 calorie meals I managed to hold my will power, drop weight and win the battle of self control but now the Regatta is here and I have a dear friend in from the UAE who is leaving soon and he has made it clear to me that we will participate in the festivities.

Thus far this week, I managed to avoid the Regatta’s opening night Gala held at the Brazilian restaurant; that would have been a real colon buster. I have declined offers to join in on the spectator boats festivities; a full day of wine and food. I am doing my best to get through this week without gaining weight, if I do I believe my wife should give me a medal for my super human will power but if I have learned anything in life it is better not to speak too soon so I will just keep my mouth shut and wait to see what uncorks as the week progresses.

Cheers,

geo