Getting My Bearings

Weekly Weigh In

Starting weight: 271 lbs
Current weight: 168 lbs
Loss last week: -4 lbs
Total Loss: 103 lbs
Thoughts: Operation Increase = promising!

The Bod Pod

3…2…1….BLAST OFF! That’s the first thing that came to mind yesterday as The Girl, Cassie, and I all stepped up to the Bod Pod to have our body composition tested. It looked like something straight out of a science fiction movie and was pretty neat in general. After weighing in on a scale hooked up to a computer running what looked like MS-DOS (really?), I jumped into the Pod and was immediately assaulted with a series of pressure changes for a total of ninety seconds. And that was about it. It was — by far — the quickest $30 I’ve ever spent. It was worth every penny. My results:

Fat Weight: 46.5 lbs
Lean Weight: 121 lbs
Total Weight: 167.5 lbs
Percent Fat: 27.8%
Percent Lean: 72.2%

What do these numbers mean?

- My body is comprised of 46.5 lbs of fat and 121 lbs of bones, muscle, skin, and organs.
- My body fat percentage is considered ‘acceptable’ according to the American Council of Exercise.
- My suspicions have been confirmed. I am, in-fact, a Mini Rambo in Disguise.

Sort of.

Does my lean body weight mean I am totally ripped with muscle? If you’ve seen me trying to do shoulder presses, you’d know just how ridiculous this assumption is. I will be the first person to admit that I don’t do much strength training for two reasons: 1. it bores the hell out of me and 2. I don’t know what the hell I am doing. I think it’s safe to say that much of my lean body weight has to do with sporting a higher bone density and a larger frame and less to do with muscle mass.

To be honest, I have always felt that I weighed much more than I actually looked — especially when I was a young athlete playing a butt-load of sports. I spent much of my middle school and high school years feeling extremely self-conscious about my weight because I weighed as much as thirty pounds more than my friends. Even though I was built like a brick shit house, I hated myself, my body, and the number on that scale. Oh, what a young, uneducated, and tortured soul I was.

Was?

I’m pretty sure I fell into this category last week when I was bitching about Cassie’s incredible weight-loss numbers. If these test results don’t completely extinguish the urge to compare myself to others then nothing will. Her weight-loss numbers, calorie goals, and goal weight will and should differ from mine because our bodies are different — just like my weight-loss numbers, calorie goals, and goal weight may differ from yours. It seems like a logical concept that should come easily, but to be honest, it’s way too convenient to look at what other people are doing in similar situations, make sweeping generalizations, and then try to apply their results and/or methods to your situation without considering the myriad of variables hidden beneath it all. I don’t know how many times I need to remind myself, but I’ll do it again: the road to weight loss is a deeply personal and deeply individualized journey.

‘Tunnel vision’ is a side-effect most of us will experience at some point thanks to the many misconceptions, misinformation, and plethora of stigmata surrounding weight-loss. I am no different. Did you know that the ‘ideal body weight’ for someone of my gender and height is 118-120 pounds? These ‘one size fits all’ ideals crafted by a bunch of suits and medical persona can wreck some serious havoc on the psyche of individuals that fall just outside of the ‘norm’. It would be totally impossible for me to hit that number without killing myself in the process, yet, I allowed that number to slowly pop up on my radar. With the help of the Bod Pod, I am confident that my ‘Final Resting Range’ of 145-150lbs is a healthy goal for me. I can finally loosen my asshole a bit and take a chill pill now that I have a better understanding of what lies beneath.

And that’s what I plan to do.

In terms of moving forward, I’d like to get my body fat percentage down to 18-20% which will likely happen naturally as I begin to train for my half marathon next month. Since I almost failed Algebra II as a senior in high school (after failing as a junior) and barely passed Dip-Shit Math in college, I had The Girl run some numbers to figure out how much body fat I need to lose in order to hit that 18% goal. The result? In order to hit 18%, I will need to lose 20 more pounds of body fat. That sounds pretty straight forward, but I’m not sure how measurable my progress will be since the scale cannot distinguish between fat loss/muscle gain.

At this point, it’s safe to say that I’m fine with a little mystery.

Perfect 10 Update

Skate More – FAIL. I did not skate again last week (or today!). I did, however, beg my sister via text to set aside some time in her busy schedule to hit some Stick Practice in the near future. Hopefully it’ll come through.

Lose More Weight – WIN. I think it’s safe to say that part of this week’s big loss was residual (aka highly unlikely that I created a 14,000 calorie deficit over the last seven days), but hey, a loss is a loss!

Cook More – WIN. I’ve been easing into the cooking scene thanks to Operation Increase. Instead of microwaved burritos and tuna wraps for lunch, I’ve been creating some interesting concoctions. My favorite meal thus far was created by mixing 1.5 cups of Trader Joe’s Mac & Cheese, 2 cups of Trader Joe’s Organic Vegetable Medley, and 4 ounces of Trader Joe’s tuna. OK, I cooked the whole thing in the microwave, but it was delicious and seriously out of my Lunchfort Zone.

Draw More – As soon as I am done this blog entry (and play some Super Mario Bros. with Chris), I am drawing. Mark my words!

Keep Running – I was back on the treadmill Wednesday after giving my knees some much needed R&R last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I kept the workout light on Monday by completing a quick 5K at home on the elliptical. I stuck to my schedule Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and enjoyed a nice 6.6-mile jog around the neighborhood yesterday. My knees were a bit creaky this morning, but not enough to throw up a red flag.

Something You May Not Know About Me – I pick my nose. Daily. And maybe even hourly.

1. The Girl about to take the Pod for a spin
2. The Girl trying to keep a straight face when I got paparazzi on her ass
3. Me wearing nothing but a bra, biking shorts, a stone cold expression