Mindy sent me a questionnaire to determine my goal and my relationship with food. It was very revealing. I had to think about what and when I was eating and why I was eating. I know I eat my feelings. I make more excuses for bad food choices when I am disappointed or depressed. Treats and junk food seem like a reliable way to do something pleasurable when I feel down. Injuries are a double-edged sword because I can't do the activities i like to do and I tend to eat worse.
"Sometimes I will impulsively wolf down handfuls of food while staring at our food stores. My wife Rena will say, ‘Gary’s pantry eating again.’ Is that bad?"
I then took the dreaded "before" pics. I am very uncomfortable posting this photo — not because I am shy — but because I am an inherently private person. I do believe in the importance of tracking progress and I will be using a few metrics to do so. I will track appearance (shown below), my body composition (test coming soon) and my weight. For most people, I would discourage using weight as an important measurement because it doesn't take into account body composition changes that occur from getting stronger. I, however, compete in weightlifting and the sport is organized into weight classes so I need to be as strong as possible at the correct weight to be competitive.
My next post will go over my macro allotment and talk about meal planning and review my progress. Good luck to everyone trying to reach goals and achieve greater levels of fitness!
Gary
Perk Co-founder