The 8 Hour Diet

Mmm k. So this year I’ve decided “hey, I bought an iPad and I can read books on it, so let’s do some reading again like in the oldie timey days when you weren’t preferentially playing a video game where you were blowing zombie’s heads off. Not that I will stop doing that. Just, you know…reading may be more beneficial to my brain.

So book one of the year: The 8 Hour Diet. I’m a big Men’s Health reader, and this book is by the editor of Men’s Health. He’s also the man behind the Eat This, Not That series. His advice and ideas are usually solid, and easy to work into your lifestyle.

This whole…only eat during an 8 hour period of the day, eat whatever you want, but you’ll still lose weight thing though? I’m quite skeptical. I’m only one chapter in. And he hasn’t really gotten into how the “diet” works. So I’ll hold my opinions until I’ve finished the book. However, let’s be honest, considering my thesis is on the genetics of obesity, and in order to write my thesis I have gained quite a good understanding of how obesity happens…I am a biased reader. But I have nothing but an open mind to ideas that could be beneficial and revolutionary. And if this holds up to its claims, then yes, in my opinion this would be a revolutionary idea in the world of dieting.

But I’ve said enough for now and I shall hold my tongue until I’m completely done.

Carry on, my friends.
Later days.

Le sigh.

So I’ve clearly really sucked at updating this over the past months. And that’s for a number of reasons. Mostly due to school. I can’t believe that a journey into grad school that only started what seems like only recently, is now over in one more short semester. I’ve experienced more personal growth as a budding medical professional than I could have ever expected. I’m very excited to look for job prospects and (hopefully) begin my career as a new genetic counselor in only a few short months (AHH!!!).

And, also in those few short months my thesis project is due (DOUBLE AHH!!).

Long story short, I’ve drifted from the original purpose of this blog. This blog was meat to be a weight loss blog where I could share my personal weight loss journey and inspire others to forge ahead in their own journeys. I still want to do that, but I myself have partially lost my way. Life happened. I forgot how demanding it was to be a full time student. I started eating differently. Cheat foods became a regular in my diet. I started drinking diet soda again. Bad news bears time: I gained back 50 pounds. Now, I must say, I have been weight lifting on a regular basis, and I have seen some muscle growth, meaning that some of that weight is muscle. But there is no way in H. E. double hockey sticks that I gained 50 pounds of muscle. Perhaps someday I’d like that to happen and be totally ripped and sexy, but for right now, I have to focus on getting this weight off again. I’ve noticed that pants fit tighter again. Some shirts don’t fit at all. And for a while, I oddly embraced getting a bit bigger again. I enjoyed the stress eating. I got that rush from it like a long lost friend. But now I’m realizing I don’t perform as well as I used to at the gym. I tire out more easily. I get that “icky” feeling about what I’m putting into my body on a regular basis. It’s time to stop avoiding the issue, release stress in the gym and not through stuffing my face.

So.

My New Years resolution is to run a marathon as well as the tough mudder race. I’ve been talking about doing these things for a long time, so I figure a new year, new experiences, new me. All in one shot. I’ll be starting my career soon, my life will be changing in so many ways, so I am ready to embrace as much change as possible right now.

Plus, training for a race would get me back in the swing of things at the gym. I could start a new workout routine, strip off some fat again and gain more strength like I want to.

I’m a bit scared to get so hardcore again, but let’s be honest I’m an extremist. If I do something, it’s all out. So I’ll have school going on, plus a training schedule to keep and I’ll be watching what I’m eating. It will be good practice for when I have a job and a weight maintenance routine to uphold at the same time.

So yeah. Life. It’s exciting and terrifying and empowering all at the same time. I’m finally feeling like an adult. Which I like. I’m ready to move out, earn my own money, and have my own life.

I’ve also finally come to the conclusion that my weight will always be a constant issue in my life. I’m always going to have to work hard to stay at a healthy weight. I was blessed with a slow metabolism and a body that quickly and easily stores fat. And I am going to have to deal with that. There’s no way around that. We play with the cards we are dealt.

So happy almost new year, and here’s to hoping that my blog will be more frequently updated, and with an account of my second journey back to full body wellness and happiness. Round two. Bring it. I’m a glutton for punishment. Here’s to also hoping that people will read my blog and find it inspiring. That’s what I originally made this blog to do. To inspire.

Talk to you all in the new year. Have a wonderful holiday.
Signing off,
Nick

It’s the first day of classes.

I can’t believe there’s only 2 more semesters between me and my career. 

So much to accomplish before graduation though.

My thesis project. I can’t even right now. There’s so much to catch up on already, my weekend has officially become an extension of this week. 

Welcome back!
 

Woo!

Just worked out with Osei (my trainer) for the first time in a long time where we did strictly high intensity cardio/resistance stuff and not just straight weightlifting.

He’s an evil genius when it comes to that stuff.

He should really just develop his own version of crossfit because it would be a huge hit.

I haven’t sweat like this in a looong time!!!

I LOVE IT

Today’s Goal

Is for there to be a calm before the storm. My last year of grad school starts tomorrow. Today I want to have the last moments of peace, calm, and (relatively speaking) sanity that I can. I want to accomplish a little bit of work, maybe play a video game, maybe watch a scary movie.

Actually a scary movie sounds really good right now. But after the gym.

Off to the gym I go!