Sunday, Monday, and today I am unable to go to the gym due to the holiday and my holiday shifts. It works out, because I tore a lot of leg muscle from Saturday with my cross step session. Family has been cheering me on for my progress and many of my clients from the office have taken notice about me “rapidly” losing weight. This has kept my spirits high and I am glad to see the fruits of my progress. I have been grateful for the whey protein that I have supplemented into my diet as a booster to my body’s healing needs, as my downtime for muscle recovery has gotten shorter from it. I am looking forward to returning to my routine by Wednesday and pushing forward with my training.

I have been a little more calorie conscious as far as food goes and I have been watching my intake. I do enjoy eating, but I don’t eat until I pass out… I have learned better portion control and the work outs have seems to make me want smaller meals at more often intervals. I don’t hunger as badly as I did before but I have been learning to eat before I am totally famished. My “caloric burn” calculation has kept me on par or with me going a wee bit over… hopefully I can get it to 80% of my daily requirements. Here are rough approximations of my “requirements” for calories:

• Base calories: 2000 (for basic body functions)
• 200 calories for bodily healing
• 200 calories during work
• 100 calories for driving (add an extra 50 – 75 depending on duration of drive time)
• 350 average work-out calories
• Total: 2850 calories required daily

Dietary changes have been at work so my intake has consisted of more grains and clean proteins. I am trying to increase dairy into my diet, because I have a feeling that it does help from memories of when I was working out and eating yogurt. I have minimized takeout to a last resort issue when possible. If I have a desire for take out, I try to stick to sandwich shop with minimal meat and dressing to keep clean. I have learned that “cheat days” are not bad, because they keep my morale up… I am happy with losing 5 lbs so far and hopefully I can be down in 140 to really make things count.