Finding My Healthy Self

Sep, 2024

As I get older I have found the weight creeping up on me. I got on the scale one day early this summer and see my weight got up to 183 lbs. Back in HS when I wrestled it was at 130. Now I know 25 years later 130 isn't a healthy weight but nor is 183. The BMI internet calculators put me as overweight. Every body is of course different, and everyone has different goals that matter to them but for me I didn't want to be 183. So I did what everyone does these days; I poked around with AI to see what is healthy weight for a 40 something person and got to 165lbs. 18lbs less. This was gonna be some work.

I began about 2 months ago and I am only 4 lbs from my goal so I thought this a good time to document what I did:

1. I downloaded an app I used a decade ago, LoseIt. It help me understand what calorie goal to shoot for, integrated with Garmin/Apple Watch for tracking my calorie burn and use the camera as a barcode scanner to easily enter data. I'm sure there are hundreds of apps but this one is easy and cheap.
2. I setup training plans. I love cycling; love it, but never really had a focus other than casual biking but I used Training Peaks and then Zwift, and now TrainingDay to test my FTP and then set up challenging workouts from there. Through it I increased my FTP from 210 to 235 and am going to keep going.
3. I used my Apple Plus subscription to take Apple Fitness classes for Strength and Core.
4. Replaced some snacking with protein shakes
5. Think about what I eat, and more importantly the portion size
6. Drink alcohol vastly less often and in vastly less quantities.

I live or die by my training schedule now, which being a dad is important. I can work together with the family to make sure I can be available for them and for myself. My schedule goes as follows.

• Monday - Rest Day, some stretching a walk around the neighborhood, etc
• Tuesday - 1hr Tempo ride on the Zwift. Basically keeping the heart in Zone 3
• Wednesday - :30 of Strength workouts on Apple Fitness
• Thursday - 1hr Threshold ride on the Zwift. Zone 4 mainly
• Friday - :10 of Strength, :20 minutes of Core on Apple Fitness. I HATE doing core.
• Saturday - Cross train, go for a hike with my partner, do some weeding, swimming whatever that isn't biking.
• Sunday - Long bike ride, 3-5 hours in the saddle outside seeing the beautiful sites.

Throughout this I am tracking my calorie burn. With the app (like all of them I suppose), I can see my calorie goal if I am sedentary to lose weight, but I can also see the extra calories I gain if I work out. So for example if I am going out to dinner Tuesday night and want to have a richer meal I stay on the bike longer. Instead of burning 400 extra calories maybe I can do 800 extra calories. That could mean a few more beers or another handful of fries.

This strategy for me really worked. I enjoy eating and have a big appetite, but to earn that meal I have to work. That usually means biking but it could be a long walk if I have the time, a job, or chasing after my daughter when she bikes. Either way I earn those calories so I can have bigger meals.

I jumped around training plans a bunch on the bike. Mainly because I felt alot of them were focused on getting to a race. While I wouldn't mind racing some day, that's not my goal here, it's general fitness. I want to be strong and lean. I don't think that paying $ 20 a month to just be strong seemed like a lot and TrainerDay while basic is $4. I can get behind that. If I ever want to actually race I may go back to Training Peaks or Zwift but for now TrainerDay works.

I'm really proud of myself here. Work has been so out of control lately that being able to wrestle some control over this part of my life has felt really good.