More Progress

Well it's official! I'm am over half way to my goal! As of my weigh in this past Tues I was at 229.6 pounds. I started off at 260. Here's the progression:


Beginning - January 16th: 260 Pounds

March 9th: 238 Pounds


April 17th: 229 Pounds

Running Goal

Well, I ran just under a mile to test my pace/time. I did .91 miles in 10 minutes and it was about an 11 minute pace. Not bad considering I ran/walked just over 3 miles yesterday with a 14 minute pace. Granted, I went longer yesterday which is why my pace slowed down but I was impressed today. There was only about a minute total that I walked. My goal is to get to a 7 minute mile! That's a big goal honestly, but I think I can do it. Next week I have the March of Dimes walk (which I'll be running) and I would love to be able to run the whole thing in a short time. It's 1.5 miles and I have high hopes for myself.

For any who are following this blog and you use Dailymile feel free to add me as a friend! http://www.dailymile.com/people/neveryone

Todays Run Details:

Winding Down

So much for updating regularly right?

This week is my last week of personal training. I'm very proud to have made it through 10 weeks of training, but I'm scared of doing it on my own. My trainer makes working out fun and keeps me going even when I don't think I can. I have high hopes for myself though. I've learned a lot from my trainer. I'm also going to go back to using my biggest loser Wii game, getting ready for my 5k run, and try to keep up the same schedule I've been working out on for the past 10 weeks. I might even be able to do more.

The one thing that has been hard lately is trying to eat enough calories in a day. I'm averaging about 1400-1700 a day. My bodybugg goal is about 2250 and I just can't get to that. I eat the standard 3 meals and 2 snacks (sometimes 3) but I can't get up there and I don't know what to do. Any suggestions are appreciated.

This weekend has been a Biggest Loser Marathon on Fox Reality channel and I've been enjoying it. I realized something today while watching. The episode I'm watching now is the makeover/reunion. I'm down about 25 pounds and I think I look a lot different than I used to. I'm going to get a similar moment very soon. I haven't seen my parents since Christmas and I started (over) working out in late January. I think they'll be shocked/impressed with how I look, I know I am. I see myself in the mirror in the morning and can't believe that it's me.

I actually went and bought a few new shirts for work because my other ones are starting to look a little baggy. I bought XL shirts and I still think they're a little too big. Soon enough I'll fit into a large. I haven't fit into a large shirt for a longgggggg time. The other thing I realized today is that my current jeans are a size 38 and I need new ones because they're loose and I'm on the last notch on my belt. That means I need at least a 36, maybe even 34. I haven't worn pants that small for 4+ years. It's an amazing feeling.

My next fitness step

I made a big step today...I signed up for a 3.5 mile run. I'll be honest I don't know if it's for a cause or if it's just this thing that goes on in Chicago, but I'm excited. I've never really been motivated to do anything like that. Part of that motivation is because I've been so out of shape. I'm still not able to run a full mile without having to walk part of it, but I will hopefully be in a good position for the run. I think being there with all those people will definitely push me to keep going.

I'm also going to sign up for a small work sponsored March of Dimes 1.5 mile walk/run. It's not the official March for Babies, but it's a branch off that happens around my office complex.

My cardio workouts that my trainer has been setting for me are getting more involved and cardio focused instead of weight loss. So, today I bought myself a heart rate monitor. It should be interesting to see what it calculates my calorie burn is vs my what my bodybugg says. However, the main reason I bought it was when trying to walk/run on the treadmill...it's a pain in the ass to grab the hand sensors. It should be a huge help so I can make sure I'm staying within my heart rate zones.

I'm going to try to keep this updated more as long as I can escape from work. So for now, good night.

Long time away

Well, it's been forever since I've updated here. I've been insanely busy at work, but it's not keeping me from my workouts! I've spent the last 5 and a half weeks with a personal trainer. He's been working me hard and I'm feeling better physically and mentally.

As of this morning since I first started my journey I have lost a total of 22 pounds. I started off at 260 pounds and have dropped down to 238. Over this time I have been receiving compliments from co-workers and my trainer. I'm excited to see how far this keeps going! So, for now I'm going to leave with the comparison of my before picture and current picture. Before is the top picture and the bottom is today's pic.

Week 1 Results & New Plan

Well, my week one is complete! I lost 5 pounds in a week. Starting at 260 to 255. I'm very happy with those results. I picked up something fun and interesting the other day as well. The Biggest Loser video game for Wii. I've only done day one so far, but the beginner workout (18 minutes) had me sweating by the time we were through. It's going to be a great addition to the rest of my routine.

Speaking of my routine...while I have several different books with a lot of different exercise routines I don't have the full motivation. I'm fully committed to working out and getting in shape, but not motivated enough. I decided to change that today. Today I signed up at a gym and got myself a highly recommended personal trainer. I start tomorrow and can't wait!!!

I've been doing pretty good! I hit the gym on Tues & Wed, took yesterday off, and will be working out again today. I'm thinking of trying the P90X program, but not sure if I want to spend the cash on it. Has anyone tried it?

I know I've lost a few pounds this week so far, probably water weight, but it's a start! I must be doing something right because my muscles were a little sore the day after my first workout, but it went away pretty quick. That's a big difference compared to how they used to hurt for days. I have to thank the Biggest Loser workout book for the tips.

First workout, WOW!

Man...that was rough. That's what I get for being out of shape! I picked up some 15lb dumbbells on my way home so I could complete the beginner workout. (If anyone needs dumbbells, they are on sale at Sears this week. I do have to legally say, I work for Sears, but I'm just trying to let people know they're on sale.) I was able to make it most of the way through, however there were a few things I wasn't able to fully complete. I'm not happy I couldn't do it, but I am very happy that I completed as much as I did. It's not for lack of energy, but I just couldn't push my muscles any more. I look forward to doing it again and being able to complete it!

Now that I've started again, I feel so much more motivated. I'm very happy and excited to finally be doing this. While it's going to be a late dinner night (I'll be staying up to make sure I give my self enough time between eating and sleeping) I'm happy to say I'm making something very nice and healthy from the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. Buffalo Chicken Meat Loaf. I love buffalo/spicy food and this is going to be a big constant in my life to replace the buffalo wings, buffalo pizza, etc.

Biggest Loser - BodyBugg Forums

Hello everyone! I hope all are well. Last week on the bodybugg forums we started our own Biggest Loser event. We're all going to weigh in weekly and see who does the best. While there is no grand prize, it is motivation for many people like myself.

Sadly, my week one was a big whopping 0 lbs lost. Unfortunately, my car broke down the day before we got started which stranded me in my apartment. This prevented me from getting to the gym, grocery store, and even work. While one problem was solved with working from home I had to resort to ordering delivery food...crap for when you're starting your journey. I'm happy to say I got my car back last night and am starting fresh! While I have gotten some great information from the Belly Off Diet book I purchased from Men's Health, I decided to take it a step further. I went and purchased the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook and the Biggest Loser Fitness Program books. I spent most of the weekend reading through the fitness book and I spent last night putting together menus based off of recipes from the cookbook. I'm looking forward to getting started with the workout program today. I'll keep everyone updated!

Guess Who's Back

After taking a holiday hiatus and gaining all the weight back I've lost, it's time to start fresh!!! A new year and a new program. I was fortunate enough to get the wrist monitor/watch accessory which will be a huge help. I came to realize that the bodybugg on it's own without constant feedback, was definitely a tough thing to do. To spare the eyes of any readers I may have, I will not post my starting picture again because it is the same as last time. I'm starting off again at 260 pounds with a goal of a toned 200-210 pound goal. I'll probably do some video updates as well as actual blogging because my writing skills are horrible. See you all soon and good luck with your new years golas!

One of my new favorite (healthy) recipes: Ricotta Sandwich Filling

This is probably the most simple, yet delicious recipe I've found for lunch. The original recipe is as follows.

• 32 oz Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large onion (chopped)
• Cilantro, Hot Sauce and Salt all to taste

Now, there is one thing I'm not a big fan of in this recipe, only because of my attempt to reduce it's usage. The olive oil. While the amount of olive oil compared to the amount of ricotta cheese is minimal, I've decided to put my own twist on this.

I removed the olive oil and salt and the filling taste great the way it is. However, sometimes you need a change, so here are a few things you could mix into a sandwich for a little extra flavor.

• Garlic Salt
• Cayenne Pepper
• chopped/diced tomatoes
• diced bell peppers

When you have made your filling of choice put it on some wheat bread or even in a whole wheat tortilla and you have yourself at least one component of a healthy lunch or a snack. The calorie estimate from Sparkrecipe.com for this is as follows. Just make sure this will change based off of what ricotta and components you put into the mix. To see the recipe page for this filling go here.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 16
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 67.8
Total Fat: 3.5 g
Cholesterol: 10.0 mg
Sodium: 60.1 mg
Total Carbs: 5.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1 g
Protein: 4.7 g

Week 2 Results

Well, week 2 is down. I have to be honest...I was no where near as active as I would have liked. My current goal is to lose 2 pounds per week. When I weighed myself on Friday it looked like I had lost about a pound. (I really need a digital scale instead of the measurment wheel.) So, I didn't reach my target, which is mostly due to my lack of exercise. However, the one pound is better than none. I am going to make sure I go to the gym today!

I'm still working on trying to balance out my diet a little bit. I'm trying to reach my calorie goal more so my body doesn't start holding on to excess carbs/fat because it feels it's not getting enough intake. I have to say, the digital scale I bought is insanely helpful though! It's interesting to see the difference between some labels measurments and the scales. I had some pasta sauce last night and the label said a serving was 3/4 of a cup. I wanted 2 servings for my pasta but when I measured it out on the scale, I got 2 servings in one cup. So, if you don't have a food scale, it's definitely worth it!

I'm going to try to post on here a little more often rather than just the once a week. Hopefully with some nice little recipes and such. Stay Tuned!

Week 1 Results

Well, it's been a few days since my last post. I was caught up in the wonders of one of my favorite times of year, Halloween. I avoided all candy! The only fight was with a few beers at the party, but it's ok. I used to drink way too much, like a few drinks a night too much. I drank light beer (still extra calories) vs my typical bourbon and gingerale so it was a lot less calories and sugar.

Anyway, I've completed my first week using the BodyBugg and I did pretty well. I wasn't able to meet my calorie intake goal everyday because I've been eating extra healthy. I was feeling full and had an average of 1761 calories consumed where my goal is 2250. Maybe I need to adjust my eating a little more to ensure I meet the 2250 goal, while still burning a extra calories. For workouts last week, I actually only worked out Monday - Wed. I did a little running and than some other exercises that utilize your body weight. I got those from a diet book I have called, "The Belly Off Diet." It's something from Men's health. I'm trying to use their workout regime because it breaks you into everything at a good pace, especially if you haven't exercised in a while. I'll list a few of the exercises in another post later on.

Anyway, my week one weight loss was rather high. I actually lost 10 pounds in my first week. My recorded average deficit was 1715 calories. However, after recording my updated weight the BodyBugg system said it was 2500 calories. So this can mean either two things, I can't record my food to save my life or I just lost a lot of weight somehow. I know I can record food, if anything I recorded under what was actually eaten just because of some things I wasn't able to get full nutrition info on. The last time I tried a diet change like this, I lost some extra weight at first as well. I think it's some sort of a "Detox" weight loss. If anyone has any input, feel free to comment.

I feel like I'm doing good, there has been one or two instances where some of the food I had wasn't the healthiest, but overall I'm getting into the routine. For now, I will leave you with this. My wonderful Halloween costume.

The Before(Current) OMG RUN AWAY Picture

So...it wouldn't be weight loss tracking with out the standard before picture. I warn you it's not pretty!

Food, Servings, and Grams Oh My!

Well, after a few days of using my BodyBugg and reading websites/forums I noticed something. I can read serving labels, use as many measuring cups, and convert stuff through google as much as I want but it doesn't mean I'm accurate. The BodyBugg system takes everything in grams and that's what nutrition labels give in a serving size as well. I decided to buy myself a nice little scale that measures in grams. Funny side note: In high school I used to work at Staples and every time someone would come in looking for a scale in grams we would joke about how they're just going to use it for drugs. We never even thought about food. Anyway, I did a little searching around Amazon because I didn't want to spend a fortune, but wanted something sturdy. I ended up ordering the Escali Primo Digital Multifunctional Scale. It has a whole lot of favorable ratings so I'm hoping it works for me as well. I can post some info about it once I get to use it a bit.

Welocome to 'I've been Bugged'

Welcome! I'm making this blog as a reference for myself and to potentially help anyone else who's trying to lose some weight. Before I get into the details of this blog, let me give you a little back story.

My name is Jesse and I live in Bloomingdale, IL. Over the past few years I've eaten what I wanted, drank too much, and followed a non-existent workout routine. It was a wonderful time and I don't regret it, but the outcome was not so great. I now weigh 260 pounds and have the gut to show for it. I always told myself I would not let myself become obese and if I continue the trend that I'm on, I will most definitely end up that way. This is only part of my motivation...the other part is that I want to look and feel good. Most of my extended family are all healthy with a well balanced figure while I show up to our yearly beach vacation looking like an unhealthy mess. I'm not happy with my weight and how it makes me look and it's time to take accountability for my past slacking and do something about it.

There is one final thing that motivates me. I'm a youngish single guy and I want to find that special someone at some point, but my dating luck has been horrid. At first, I was thinking that maybe my weight was unattractive, when really my thought process was what made me unattractive. I started to get so concerned over not being the "hot in shape" guy that it made me nervous and unhappy with myself. Those feelings of course distracted me from a real successful date with good communication. I need to be happy with myself before I can be happy with someone else. That is my realization and final point of motivation.

Anyway...enough about me. This blog is here to document my progress and share different aspects of my journey. Things that might help others like recipes and different work outs I find myself doing. The main reason I'm starting this now is because a few days ago I received a wonderful piece of technology called the BodyBugg. If you're not familiar with it you can read about it here. This is going to be the backbone of my journey and help guide me to where I want to be. I've heard great success stories from people who have used this little gadget along with former co-workers who swore by it. I figured it'd be a great thing to help me and keep me motivated. With that, I leave you to check back here as often or as little as you'd like. I hope this blog will help motivate you and maybe even give you some tips as time goes on.