10×10 in 2010

Posts Tagged ‘10x10in2010’

Having once decided to achieve a certain task, achieve it at all cost of tedium and distaste. The gain in self-confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labor is immense.
– Arnold Bennett

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In the movie “The Bucket List”, actors Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson portray two men on a quest to accomplish things that they’d always wanted to do, before they died.  I’ve been thinking about this for a few weeks now as the 10×10 in 2010 project gets under way; why wait until you’re on death’s doorstep to start planning out those amazing experiences?  Instead, think of the things you used to enjoy, and those amazing experiences you can look forward to once your own journey is behind you.

Source: Flickr

The world is a huge place, and being unhealthy really starts to limit how much of it you can get out to experience.  (I mean, there’s no way I’m hiking up a huge mountain pushing 330.)  As a way to keep motivated, put together a list of those things that, when you’re healthy, you get to do (or do again!)

If a (before I kick the) Bucket List is for those on the outbound train, what would you name a list for people getting their lives back?  Post a comment below with your ideas!

Gerret’s Starter List of Fun Things to Do Post-Weight-Loss

This is my list – you should go start your own, then post it somewhere visible (like the front of the refrigerator…)

1. Go downhill skiing
   There are few things to compare with flying down a mountain with the wind screaming by.
2. Take off Shirt at Beach
   (at least, without the threat of Greenpeace trying to slide me back into the water to save me…)
3. Shopping for clothes
   (whole new wardrobe, in normal sizes)
4. Run a 5k. And a 10k. And a Half-Marathon.  On the same day.
   (Yes, I’ve read Born to Run, and I can. not. wait. to lose more weight and start RUNNING again.)
5. Paddle a Kayak without rolling it
   (Heather, Dan, Kathy, I’m looking at you…)
6. Play Racquetball
   Really miss racquetball!

Image Source: Flickr

Today is scale day! The last few days have been a bit tense; on Thursday morning the infernal device displayed something north of 319, a clear indication that the week was going to be much less dramatic than my first check-in. So for the past two, no, three days, I’ve been extra-rigorous about monitoring portion sizes.  Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t stop eating!  No, instead it was a focus on being more conservative in measuring out calorie intake.  It’s astonishing how quickly a half-cup in your mind actually measures out at a cup or more.  For calorie-dense foods, that kind of doubling-up is disastrous!

Last night we had the black bean burgers; I ate two of them, and stopped there.  They were tasty enough that I could have powered through another two without slowing down, but the scale, and New Years’ Eve, loomed on the horizon.

Learnings This Week

Here are a few of the items I’ve learned (or remembered) on week two of this year-long journey.  This isn’t anything formal, it’s what has emerged in the past week or so from recent experience. (And it seems to be confirming those things Mom said when we were young.)

• Drinking more water really does make a difference. Slamming 8 oz. when you stagger out of bed in the morning helps, too.  It’s like a shot of caffeine, really.  The body heats up, a flush creeps up your neck and face, and the world comes into clearer focus.
• I’m drinking less coffee – getting enough sleep (6.5-7 hours a night), excercising in the morning, and drinking more water are contributing to blunt the thirst.
• Eating just before bed is a recipe for a lousy nights’ sleep.
• Reading motivational books (like Born to Run) is, well, motivational.
• Having a spouse that is turning into a serious runner helps, too. (3-4 miles a morning, in freezing temps, 3-4 times a week – she rocks!)

The Results

Starting Weight: 328 pounds.

Last Week: 320 pounds.

This Week: 317 pounds.

Total Weight Loss: 11 pounds.

Weight Lost This Week: 3 pounds.

With a goal of 2 pounds per week, the past two weeks have been an outstanding start!