Friday, August 20, 2010
Day 10 & Day 11: Ending It Early? Nah!
To be honest, I didn't even think about this thing on Wednesday or Thursday. My mind has firmly adjusted back to my normal routine, and it feels good. Not as much stress, feeling stronger and actually BETTER after getting almost back to my previous state. Not sure if I'm there yet and maybe it's just the initial high after returning from such a down place last week, but we'll see. I still plan on the day 21 update, but I'm not sure there is going to be much to report between now and then.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Day 9: Full Power?
My dad always had a term he used, "full power", which he would always tease me about as a kid and ask everyday when I woke up, was I at "full power?" Yesterday, I felt it. Plenty of sleep, nice lunch, good workout and some other positive things. If only all days could be like Tuesday August 17th, 2010 was!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Day 8: Back in Action FINALLY!
Long ass day at work, some minor annoyances, but stayed focus, came home and FINALLY was able to keep a decent pace up running. 3 miles in about 42 minutes, not the greatest pace, but did so without pain and numbness in the legs. Killed it on the egg whites too, and felt much better, although eating 10 egg whites is maybe a little overkill haha. The first day since day 3 that I really felt normal, and was able to do some slight lifting before bed this evening. I'm betting by day 21, I'll be right back on track, and today was the first day I felt that confident.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Day 7: Relaxing Sunday
It was Sunday, the best day of the week. It's usually relaxing, and today was. Had to work, but that didn't really bring things down. I finally felt myself most of the day, was able to do a decent workout and then go for a nice walk after dinner. It was my first HUGE meal since Wednesday, a sweet potato, apple, 8 ounces of chicken, 2 bowls of broccoli, 5 egg whites, onions, peppers, grapes, a couple bottles of water and some other various side items. It felt good to finally feel full on some of these items. The workout was alright but it was exhausting, and even on the walk in the evening, I felt that lack of energy. Not what I was used to. I can normally go without really feeling physically exhausted, even after a tough run. I guess you still have to build that stamina back up, but this alerted me that it may take a little longer than expected to get back into that peak shape. It's going to be a easy Monday, and since I'm off work Tuesday and Wednesday, we're gonna really push myself one of those days to see how hard I can really go.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Day 6: Moving Toward Normalcy?
It was a rough morning, but I felt pretty decent. Other than having to return to work and do something I really don't enjoy at all, today was good. Got my fluids in, ate really well with apples, bananas, egg whites, sweet potato and other quality fiber/protein sources. Most importantly, I was able to sustain a decent 3-mile workout with only very light cramping/pain. Hopefully tomorrow I can go a little more intense, even though I'm not sure I'm ready for 5-6 miles yet. Muscles still a little sore, so weight training has to wait another day, but overall, this was the first day of actually feeling pretty normal.
Still a little down after seeing the affect this has on everything, but even more motivated to show that it can be reversed in a short amount of time. Tomorrow means even more fluids, and an increased energy intake/output.
Still a little down after seeing the affect this has on everything, but even more motivated to show that it can be reversed in a short amount of time. Tomorrow means even more fluids, and an increased energy intake/output.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Day 5: Reality Is Setting In...
Today there isn't much to report, so I'm gonna keep it short. Tomorrow is my first day back to work in a week, I'm feeling pretty crappy, both physically and mentally and I'm still sore as hell and unable to really do any physical activity. The daunting task ahead of giving up the easy/sedentary lifestyle and actually getting back into a responsible eating and physical activity routine is weighing on me, even though I've done it for over a year now without issues. I'm still amazed how only a few days away from it can literally warp your mind/body into forming such unhealthy habits that can easily become a normal day to day thing. The majority of the day was spent sleeping, sitting around and preparing for the next few weeks. I did go for a brief walk/job today, about 2.5 miles, and walked the dog for another 2 miles, but again, it was rough on the calves and I was actually tired (especially after the jog). Tomorrow I plan on intensifying the running a bit and starting my first full day of lifting weights (everything has been to sore to really do so). We will see how it goes. The key to getting through the weekend is going to be fluids and easing my body back into a normal amount of food and feeding it stuff that can aid in digestion and boost metabolism, instead of completely stunt/warp it.
Day 4: Post-Experiment Statistics; The Cleanse Begins
Thursday morning, following a 72-hour intake of calories that would normally be suited to be consumed over 30 days, not three. I woke up and felt awful. I was sore all over, my head was killing me, my stomach hurt and at the same time, I was starving. My body, apparently after growing accustomed to this eating pattern, wanted more, and unfortunately for it, my mind denied it of everything. After packing up, I took a shower, grabbed a couple of apples, a bottle of water and was on the road home (literally and figuratively).
The drive home was peaceful. Listened to music, contemplated what I had done, tried to study closely how I felt and what my body was telling me. I have to say, despite numerous distractions, every sign I passed advertising a cheeseburger or tasty dessert, tempted me. I began to feel a slight addiction to this food, even though I kept telling myself not to eat anymore, I wanted to. There was some sort of desire that made everything else feel inconsequential, that we could always "get on the wagon next time." I saw first hand how easy it is to just continue a lifestyle like this on a daily basis and put off taking control and getting into shape. It got worse as I got near home, a stop at a gas station saw me go inside and pass up so many tempting items that just a day ago I would've had a field day with. I ended up settling with a pack of gum and a banana. Let me also add that the gum is a great way to stop intense cravings, and I figure to go through quite a bit immediately following the experiment.
As I arrived home, I unpacked everything, and then knew it was time to face the facts. It was time to take my stats again, and see exactly what the 72-hours of sabotage had really done to my body. Keep in mind, despite feeling crappy, looking worse and battling my mind (and appetite), I knew the telling signs would be the statistics. And despite drinking a few bottles of water, eating three apples and a banana thus far on the day, I wasn't really prepared for what the numbers would really say. They are below:
Statistics as of 5:30 PM on 08/12/2010:
Age: 26
Height: 5'7
Weight: 161.4 lbs
Waist: 35.0 inches
Midsection: 35.0 inches
Blood Sugar (fasting): 111 mg/dL
Blood Pressure: 122/70
Pulse (resting): 69 BPM
The evening of 08/12/2010, I attempted to run, on a slight incline, for 8 minutes at 6 MPH. My legs cramped up and I had to stop and only maintain a light jog the rest of the way. I ended up walking at a 3 MPH pace for another 42 minutes, but after the workout, my feet were almost numb and I was visibly tired and winded. I felt completely spent after a workout that would generally be something I could do very easily.
After this, I decided to take some Tylenol, eat a couple of egg whites and another apple and hit the hay for the night. I figured it may be a rough night because my body was being deprived of the routine it had come to expect over the past 3 days, so I got comfortable and expected it to be a LONG night.
The drive home was peaceful. Listened to music, contemplated what I had done, tried to study closely how I felt and what my body was telling me. I have to say, despite numerous distractions, every sign I passed advertising a cheeseburger or tasty dessert, tempted me. I began to feel a slight addiction to this food, even though I kept telling myself not to eat anymore, I wanted to. There was some sort of desire that made everything else feel inconsequential, that we could always "get on the wagon next time." I saw first hand how easy it is to just continue a lifestyle like this on a daily basis and put off taking control and getting into shape. It got worse as I got near home, a stop at a gas station saw me go inside and pass up so many tempting items that just a day ago I would've had a field day with. I ended up settling with a pack of gum and a banana. Let me also add that the gum is a great way to stop intense cravings, and I figure to go through quite a bit immediately following the experiment.
As I arrived home, I unpacked everything, and then knew it was time to face the facts. It was time to take my stats again, and see exactly what the 72-hours of sabotage had really done to my body. Keep in mind, despite feeling crappy, looking worse and battling my mind (and appetite), I knew the telling signs would be the statistics. And despite drinking a few bottles of water, eating three apples and a banana thus far on the day, I wasn't really prepared for what the numbers would really say. They are below:
Statistics as of 5:30 PM on 08/12/2010:
Age: 26
Height: 5'7
Weight: 161.4 lbs
Waist: 35.0 inches
Midsection: 35.0 inches
Blood Sugar (fasting): 111 mg/dL
Blood Pressure: 122/70
Pulse (resting): 69 BPM
The evening of 08/12/2010, I attempted to run, on a slight incline, for 8 minutes at 6 MPH. My legs cramped up and I had to stop and only maintain a light jog the rest of the way. I ended up walking at a 3 MPH pace for another 42 minutes, but after the workout, my feet were almost numb and I was visibly tired and winded. I felt completely spent after a workout that would generally be something I could do very easily.
After this, I decided to take some Tylenol, eat a couple of egg whites and another apple and hit the hay for the night. I figured it may be a rough night because my body was being deprived of the routine it had come to expect over the past 3 days, so I got comfortable and expected it to be a LONG night.
Day 3: The Final Day of Reckoning
Waking up on the third and final day, I was struggling to crawl out of bed after a crazy day one and even crazier day two. Fortunately, there was coffee still in the pot, even at noon, the Reds had a day game that was being televised, so I figured a nice lunch spot with some fried food, unlimited drinks and a place to enjoy the game would suit me fine.
After a cup of coffee, a quick handful of brownie bites and a 6-inch slice of the strawberry/cheese coffee cake, it was out to find my lunch destination. I settled on Ruby Tuesday's, and before I knew it, found myself at the bar with a Diet Coke in hand, the Reds game on in-front of me and an entire menu at my disposal. The theme of getting my "red meat fix" continued as I settled on the Bleu Cheese Burger with BBQ sauce, onion rings and unlimited fries on the side. It took a while to come out, and 3 Diet Coke's later, I was starving (shockingly so after how much I'd consumed). That burger came out, medium well, and it didn't last long. Nor did the plate of fries. Or the second plate of fries (did I mention they are unlimited?). Knowing that it was my bill to take care of, and that the Reds were getting trounced, I rolled out of there around 3 PM and decided it was time to hit the coffee shop to see what desserts they had left and to fire up the laptop.
Arriving at the coffee shop, I didn't see any fresh cinnamon rolls, but I did dive into the leftover batch of the morning muffins, and had myself one of those funky green (but delicious) pistachio muffins. Combined that with a cookies and cream milkshake, I was set, at least until dinner. I sat there for about an hour, sweating like a mad man, but content, and despite what was around 7,000 calories in a five hour span, I didn't feel overwhelmed. Plenty of room for a daytime snack, huge dinner and one final dessert to round things out.
Fast forward to that evening, I popped a quick shower, pounded a Diet Coke and snacked on a Ho-ho, apple pastry and some addicting granola they had purchased at the store the day before (with pistachios, almonds, dried cranberries and a maple syrup finish). Then, it was off to the best meal of the trip, a nice Marina restaurant complete with half-off appetizers, seafood platters and unlimited drinks. I couldn't wait.
Arriving at the marina, we were immediately greeted by the waiter who was very eager to let us know it was half-off appetizers until 8PM. Of course, being only 7 or so, the group decided it would be smart to order 5 of them for 7 people. I settled on my own, the deep fried banana peppers, and the table ordered chicken quesadillas, tortilla chips and queso, deep fried mushrooms and bread. After hammering home the peppers, an ice cold diet coke, I made my rounds in sampling the other apps. It was then time to order, and I went to the ultimate. It was called the Captain's Platter.
The Captain's platter featured deep fried shrimp, fried clam strips, an 8-ounce fried cod fillet and a fried and breaded stuffed crab shell with crab meat and stuffing. Sides of a baked potato with sour cream, butter and sweet creamed corn, life was good. Oh, and the best part, a nice hearty slice of cornbread. Another Diet Coke later, the meal arrived and I was in heaven...at least for 4 or 5 bites. Then, it hit me. I finally realized I wasn't going to be able to finish. I ate everything I could, but ended up boxing up half of the cod fillet and half of the baked potato. I knew things had just about run its course, and I also knew that it was almost time to end this thing. I figured nothing better to end it with than my favorite dessert, and it always has been since I was a kid...Dairy Queen.
We stopped at DQ after the trip back from the Marina, and I ordered the large cookie dough Blizzard. This was always my childhood favorite, and despite everything, it never tasted so good. Although DQ was about an 8-minute drive from the cabin, that bad boy was gone before we got home, and after a little relaxing and playing games with the family, they decided to have their dessert, which consisted of strawberry pudding cake and ice cream. Not wanting to be left out, I decided to have a monster slice of the cake (I passed on the ice cream) and also added one more piece of carrot cake just for good measure. Again, as the night came to an end, we finished with a game of dominoes, another Diet Coke, a Vitamin Water and a couple slices of ham before finally going to bed.
As I retired to the bed that night, very early at that (around midnight), I made a quick stop to really look in the mirror for the first time, and I have to say, it was shocking. First off, my whole body was swolen. My face, my wrists, my ankles, my calves, everything. I noticed a gut (not just a full belly, but a gut) for the first time in forever, and I could notice visible changes almost everywhere. Even these didn't alarm me too much, at least not as much as how badly I felt. I was tired, but again, jittery and in a lot of pain. My calves had cramps, my sides felt like they had ice picks in the side of them, and the headache I had I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. The only thing I could do is sleep and hope things improved from here on out, and knew that tomorrow started the next phase of the experiment. As much as I enjoyed consuming whatever I wanted and fulfilling all of my cravings, this was the first time I realized that it really wasn't even close to being worth how I felt then and how I knew I'd feel going forward.
After a cup of coffee, a quick handful of brownie bites and a 6-inch slice of the strawberry/cheese coffee cake, it was out to find my lunch destination. I settled on Ruby Tuesday's, and before I knew it, found myself at the bar with a Diet Coke in hand, the Reds game on in-front of me and an entire menu at my disposal. The theme of getting my "red meat fix" continued as I settled on the Bleu Cheese Burger with BBQ sauce, onion rings and unlimited fries on the side. It took a while to come out, and 3 Diet Coke's later, I was starving (shockingly so after how much I'd consumed). That burger came out, medium well, and it didn't last long. Nor did the plate of fries. Or the second plate of fries (did I mention they are unlimited?). Knowing that it was my bill to take care of, and that the Reds were getting trounced, I rolled out of there around 3 PM and decided it was time to hit the coffee shop to see what desserts they had left and to fire up the laptop.
Arriving at the coffee shop, I didn't see any fresh cinnamon rolls, but I did dive into the leftover batch of the morning muffins, and had myself one of those funky green (but delicious) pistachio muffins. Combined that with a cookies and cream milkshake, I was set, at least until dinner. I sat there for about an hour, sweating like a mad man, but content, and despite what was around 7,000 calories in a five hour span, I didn't feel overwhelmed. Plenty of room for a daytime snack, huge dinner and one final dessert to round things out.
Fast forward to that evening, I popped a quick shower, pounded a Diet Coke and snacked on a Ho-ho, apple pastry and some addicting granola they had purchased at the store the day before (with pistachios, almonds, dried cranberries and a maple syrup finish). Then, it was off to the best meal of the trip, a nice Marina restaurant complete with half-off appetizers, seafood platters and unlimited drinks. I couldn't wait.
Arriving at the marina, we were immediately greeted by the waiter who was very eager to let us know it was half-off appetizers until 8PM. Of course, being only 7 or so, the group decided it would be smart to order 5 of them for 7 people. I settled on my own, the deep fried banana peppers, and the table ordered chicken quesadillas, tortilla chips and queso, deep fried mushrooms and bread. After hammering home the peppers, an ice cold diet coke, I made my rounds in sampling the other apps. It was then time to order, and I went to the ultimate. It was called the Captain's Platter.
The Captain's platter featured deep fried shrimp, fried clam strips, an 8-ounce fried cod fillet and a fried and breaded stuffed crab shell with crab meat and stuffing. Sides of a baked potato with sour cream, butter and sweet creamed corn, life was good. Oh, and the best part, a nice hearty slice of cornbread. Another Diet Coke later, the meal arrived and I was in heaven...at least for 4 or 5 bites. Then, it hit me. I finally realized I wasn't going to be able to finish. I ate everything I could, but ended up boxing up half of the cod fillet and half of the baked potato. I knew things had just about run its course, and I also knew that it was almost time to end this thing. I figured nothing better to end it with than my favorite dessert, and it always has been since I was a kid...Dairy Queen.
We stopped at DQ after the trip back from the Marina, and I ordered the large cookie dough Blizzard. This was always my childhood favorite, and despite everything, it never tasted so good. Although DQ was about an 8-minute drive from the cabin, that bad boy was gone before we got home, and after a little relaxing and playing games with the family, they decided to have their dessert, which consisted of strawberry pudding cake and ice cream. Not wanting to be left out, I decided to have a monster slice of the cake (I passed on the ice cream) and also added one more piece of carrot cake just for good measure. Again, as the night came to an end, we finished with a game of dominoes, another Diet Coke, a Vitamin Water and a couple slices of ham before finally going to bed.
As I retired to the bed that night, very early at that (around midnight), I made a quick stop to really look in the mirror for the first time, and I have to say, it was shocking. First off, my whole body was swolen. My face, my wrists, my ankles, my calves, everything. I noticed a gut (not just a full belly, but a gut) for the first time in forever, and I could notice visible changes almost everywhere. Even these didn't alarm me too much, at least not as much as how badly I felt. I was tired, but again, jittery and in a lot of pain. My calves had cramps, my sides felt like they had ice picks in the side of them, and the headache I had I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. The only thing I could do is sleep and hope things improved from here on out, and knew that tomorrow started the next phase of the experiment. As much as I enjoyed consuming whatever I wanted and fulfilling all of my cravings, this was the first time I realized that it really wasn't even close to being worth how I felt then and how I knew I'd feel going forward.
Day 2: Waking Up Sucks...The Shock Continues
It was a crazy first 24 hours and my body was definitely trying to tell me so as I crawled out of bed after about 5 hours of sleep on Tuesday. With that said, I knew to complete this, I had to keep rolling, and boy did I!
We started with the typical breakfast of loaded coffee, 4 Pop Tarts, 2 bowls of Cocoa Krispies and then some random goodies (candy, cookies and more coffee). It was then time to check-in with the laptop and access the internet (we had no WiFi at the cabin) so the trip to the local coffee shop was next in-line. After arriving there, I noticed the massive cinnamon rolls they had on display, freshly baked (this was around 9:30 AM) and I had to have one. After some browsing and pounding the cinnamon roll, it was time to head out. After a quick trip to the gas station, I began my journey down I-27, which has basically everything you can want. Then I saw it. White Castle. Another thing I haven't indulged in for a few years, and I had to stop. Five bacon cheeseburgers and a large Diet Coke later, I was on my way home.
After about an hour of packing for the daily boat trip, a shower and another Diet Coke, it was time to head out for lunch at the marina. It was about a half-hour drive, and after launching the boat (I basically watched, wouldn't want to exert myself), we headed to the Marina Restaurant. The moment I saw the menu, I knew. It was going to be a Philly cheesesteak with a side order of fries, a gallon of ketchup and a large Diet Coke. After downing that bad boy, it was time for the banana split with chocolate syrup added. Definitely worth it, but at that point, it was a little before 1PM and I was definitely feeling it. I washed it down with a banana Moonpie and a pack of chewy Sprees before heading out on the boat for the day.
After a few hour break, sitting on the boat, doing a little rafting on the back of the boat, it was time to come back aboard and indulge in a few snacks. Thank goodness, there were no sweets on board for the day, because given my consumption of those in the past 24 hours, I probably couldn't have handled it. With that said, half a bag of honey pretzel sticks, a few handfuls of Lay's chips, some Original Chex Mix and two packs of Ritz Garlic & Herb crackers were enough to hold me over until dinner. Of course, two Diet Pepsi's helped aid digestion so that I could even make it to dinner.
We arrived back at the cabin around 6 PM, and after a quick shower, it was off to dinner. One of my favorite places was the choice, Bob Evans, and of course, I had been craving buttermilk pancakes. We started with a Diet Coke, ordered a strawberry-banana smoothie, and then came the four buttermilk pancakes, 2 dinner rolls and 2 sausage patties. Definitely worth it, covered with butter and syrup, I was in heaven. A little water to wash it down, and I was about as stuffed as possible.
At this point, I was feeling overloaded. Not only did I feel full, but I felt like it was almost the maximum amount of food my body could handle at once. I could barely make it to the car, but once I sat down, things magically improve and you start to relax and digest. A stop at Kroger for some supplies ended the trip home, and thank goodness for the 10 for 10 deals in the bakery section.
After getting home, grabbing another drink, we sat down to play some more cards. Of course, after a few hands, those desserts started beckoning. Two slices of carrot cake, a piece of apple pie, two packs of individual brownie bites, a strawberry/cheese coffee cake and two rice krispie treats were all there for the taking, along with the homemade chocolates, M&M's and other various goodies in the house. My dessert that night consisted of the two slices of carrot cake, four pieces of chocolate, a pack of M&M's, two more apple cinnamon pastries and ended with a hamburger with a slice of cheese on a bun. I was feeling good that night, washing it down with a diet coke, and I relaxed playing cards and then when everyone went to bed, playing some Baseball Mogul on the computer.
I wasn't tired, and it was going on 3 AM, and I decided to take some Tylenol PM to aid with the headache pain and assist me in falling asleep. Right before bed though, the sugar addiction kicked in and I downed another dozen pieces of homemade chocolate and half a pound of deli turkey (had to get some protein haha). It was then off to sleep, with assistance of the sleep aid and pain killer. Lets just say I was "out" for a while.
Although I ended up sleeping until around noon the next day, that night was rough. I woke up multiple times to go to the bathroom, and I sweated like no other that night. I'm sure my blood sugar was through the roof, and given the amount of food that had gone through my body in the previous 32 hours, my digestive system was WAY behind. I'm sure the kidneys and liver were also struggling, and I could definitely tell the heart was racing with the intake of caffeine and sugar because it was racing and I was very jittery. It felt like one of my old high glucose attacks, but intensified time ten. Very uncomfortable, and although you can't sit still or sleep, the only thing I wanted to do was bury my head in the pillow and sleep for the next week. Luckily, there was only one day to do...
We started with the typical breakfast of loaded coffee, 4 Pop Tarts, 2 bowls of Cocoa Krispies and then some random goodies (candy, cookies and more coffee). It was then time to check-in with the laptop and access the internet (we had no WiFi at the cabin) so the trip to the local coffee shop was next in-line. After arriving there, I noticed the massive cinnamon rolls they had on display, freshly baked (this was around 9:30 AM) and I had to have one. After some browsing and pounding the cinnamon roll, it was time to head out. After a quick trip to the gas station, I began my journey down I-27, which has basically everything you can want. Then I saw it. White Castle. Another thing I haven't indulged in for a few years, and I had to stop. Five bacon cheeseburgers and a large Diet Coke later, I was on my way home.
After about an hour of packing for the daily boat trip, a shower and another Diet Coke, it was time to head out for lunch at the marina. It was about a half-hour drive, and after launching the boat (I basically watched, wouldn't want to exert myself), we headed to the Marina Restaurant. The moment I saw the menu, I knew. It was going to be a Philly cheesesteak with a side order of fries, a gallon of ketchup and a large Diet Coke. After downing that bad boy, it was time for the banana split with chocolate syrup added. Definitely worth it, but at that point, it was a little before 1PM and I was definitely feeling it. I washed it down with a banana Moonpie and a pack of chewy Sprees before heading out on the boat for the day.
After a few hour break, sitting on the boat, doing a little rafting on the back of the boat, it was time to come back aboard and indulge in a few snacks. Thank goodness, there were no sweets on board for the day, because given my consumption of those in the past 24 hours, I probably couldn't have handled it. With that said, half a bag of honey pretzel sticks, a few handfuls of Lay's chips, some Original Chex Mix and two packs of Ritz Garlic & Herb crackers were enough to hold me over until dinner. Of course, two Diet Pepsi's helped aid digestion so that I could even make it to dinner.
We arrived back at the cabin around 6 PM, and after a quick shower, it was off to dinner. One of my favorite places was the choice, Bob Evans, and of course, I had been craving buttermilk pancakes. We started with a Diet Coke, ordered a strawberry-banana smoothie, and then came the four buttermilk pancakes, 2 dinner rolls and 2 sausage patties. Definitely worth it, covered with butter and syrup, I was in heaven. A little water to wash it down, and I was about as stuffed as possible.
At this point, I was feeling overloaded. Not only did I feel full, but I felt like it was almost the maximum amount of food my body could handle at once. I could barely make it to the car, but once I sat down, things magically improve and you start to relax and digest. A stop at Kroger for some supplies ended the trip home, and thank goodness for the 10 for 10 deals in the bakery section.
After getting home, grabbing another drink, we sat down to play some more cards. Of course, after a few hands, those desserts started beckoning. Two slices of carrot cake, a piece of apple pie, two packs of individual brownie bites, a strawberry/cheese coffee cake and two rice krispie treats were all there for the taking, along with the homemade chocolates, M&M's and other various goodies in the house. My dessert that night consisted of the two slices of carrot cake, four pieces of chocolate, a pack of M&M's, two more apple cinnamon pastries and ended with a hamburger with a slice of cheese on a bun. I was feeling good that night, washing it down with a diet coke, and I relaxed playing cards and then when everyone went to bed, playing some Baseball Mogul on the computer.
I wasn't tired, and it was going on 3 AM, and I decided to take some Tylenol PM to aid with the headache pain and assist me in falling asleep. Right before bed though, the sugar addiction kicked in and I downed another dozen pieces of homemade chocolate and half a pound of deli turkey (had to get some protein haha). It was then off to sleep, with assistance of the sleep aid and pain killer. Lets just say I was "out" for a while.
Although I ended up sleeping until around noon the next day, that night was rough. I woke up multiple times to go to the bathroom, and I sweated like no other that night. I'm sure my blood sugar was through the roof, and given the amount of food that had gone through my body in the previous 32 hours, my digestive system was WAY behind. I'm sure the kidneys and liver were also struggling, and I could definitely tell the heart was racing with the intake of caffeine and sugar because it was racing and I was very jittery. It felt like one of my old high glucose attacks, but intensified time ten. Very uncomfortable, and although you can't sit still or sleep, the only thing I wanted to do was bury my head in the pillow and sleep for the next week. Luckily, there was only one day to do...
Day 1: The Intake Overload
Generally, Monday mornings are rough for everyone. It's the start of a new work week, usually coming off a weekend and more sleep than usual. That wasn't the case on this Monday. It was time to begin.
After waking up and starting with a cup of coffee (2 spoonfuls of sugar and plenty of creamer of course), I really got going. Pop tarts, 3 eggs, a bowl of Cheerios, another bowl of Cheerios, yet another bowl of Cocoa Krispies and to finish, a couple homemade apple cinnamon pastries.
Lunch wasn't too far around the corner and we were set for a long day out on the boat, and that meant many goodies on-board. Only a few hours later, it was 2 turkey and cheese tortilla wraps, a ham and cheddar on white sandwich, 2 apples, potato chips, pretzel sticks, half a pound of homemade chocolate/peanut butter snacks, 12 ounces of chicken and 16 peanut butter chip cookies later, I was really feeling it.
My reaction at this point, was the ONLY thing I wanted to do was sit there. They say eating a ton of sugar actually kills your energy, and I can definitely relate. I didn't want to burn it off, it didn't make me energetic and want to move around, I wanted to sit there like a slug and not move. I also didn't really want to eat any more, but thanks to the 5 Diet Cokes I had consumed in that six hour period, I had a headache and was still hungry. That meant it was getting close to snack time.
We got home, talked about dinner plans and it was time to start up again. Of course, dinner was still hours away, so we can consider this "snack time", and boy was it. I attacked the containers of the homemade chocolate bars again, this time to a tune of about 15 pieces (each is about the size of a fun-size candy bar). Add to that, a blueberry muffin, a pistachio muffin, another ham/cheese sandwich, 2 packs of regular M&M's, another apple cinnamon pastry, 6 vanilla tootsie rolls (I always loved those things), a handful of Hot Tamales, a few Bit-O-Honey's (not even worth it haha) and probably another thousand calories of random stuff that was laying around. Then I get word that I'm in charge of cooking dinner that night, and although at that point, it didn't sound good, I knew in 2 hours I'd be up and ready for it again.
Leading up to dinner, I sat around, let things "settle", took a shower and then fired up the grill. Cheeseburgers, potato chips and Totino's Pizza Rolls for dinner, made for a champ. The burgers had to be thawed, so as I waited, I indulged in a couple slices of cheddar cheese to hold me over. The smell of the burgers on the grill really made me hungry, especially since I don't eat red meat and haven't in months. After loading each burger with a slab of cheese, I pulled them off the grill and we got ready to eat. I grabbed 2 enriched honey buns, loaded them with ketchup, mustard, lettuce and then added two 6-ounce burgers. Grabbed a dozen pepperoni pizza rolls, a handful of chips, a fresh Diet Coke and dinner was served.
Now they say when you give up red meat, you don't really miss it, but I have to say, I crave a juicy cheeseburger every once in a while. And it certainly hit the spot. So much so, that I had two of them. The dinner followed by another handful of pizza rolls (one of the worst things you can eat considering the calories, sodium, processed items and lack of anything healthy) and another diet coke.
The rest of the night, we were going to play it safe, keep it low key and hang around with the family playing cards. In our family, this also means time to bust out the desserts and snack. As we started playing cards, the goodies emerged. The entire collection of homemade chocolate came out, all three flavors (butterscotch, peanut butter and white chocolate, all mixed with milk chocolate) were popular. I had my share of each, but there were bigger fish to fry. Most notably, buttered popcorn, Twizzlers, peanut butter M&M's, blueberry Pop Tarts and maybe one of the most tasty things of the day, a triple decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I don't know why I wanted to make one, but I figured now was the time, so I did do. Despite being completely stuffed, it tasted good. I had to get serious about winning the cards, so dessert went on the back burner for a little while.
It was time for everyone to wind down, get to bed, but I was still a little antsy. I hung around the kitchen for a while, snacked on a few things here and there and decided it was time for a late-night sandwich. This used to be one of my guilty pleasures, snacking on the leftovers before bed, whatever we made that night, pizza, burgers, chicken, anything, would become a late-night snack. I fired up a cheeseburger (cold of course) and loaded it up. Add in a few Ho-ho's, another handful of chocolate and a Diet Coke to end the night, I was actually getting tired. It was fairly easy to retire to the bed, turn on The Wire and fall asleep. I was out like a rock in less than 15 minutes.
Day 1 was over, and after approximately 30,000 unhealthy calories in and the only real physical activity being getting in and out of the boat a few times and walking from the destination to the car a couple of others, it was on to day 2. I wondered before going to sleep if I could do this again, and not so much if I could, but if I wanted to. I already noticed physical changes in my body, even in less than 24 hours, and although the feelings hadn't kicked in quite yet (they wouldn't hit until tomorrow), I got that overwhelming sense that my body was in panic mode. It was just beginning.
After waking up and starting with a cup of coffee (2 spoonfuls of sugar and plenty of creamer of course), I really got going. Pop tarts, 3 eggs, a bowl of Cheerios, another bowl of Cheerios, yet another bowl of Cocoa Krispies and to finish, a couple homemade apple cinnamon pastries.
Lunch wasn't too far around the corner and we were set for a long day out on the boat, and that meant many goodies on-board. Only a few hours later, it was 2 turkey and cheese tortilla wraps, a ham and cheddar on white sandwich, 2 apples, potato chips, pretzel sticks, half a pound of homemade chocolate/peanut butter snacks, 12 ounces of chicken and 16 peanut butter chip cookies later, I was really feeling it.
My reaction at this point, was the ONLY thing I wanted to do was sit there. They say eating a ton of sugar actually kills your energy, and I can definitely relate. I didn't want to burn it off, it didn't make me energetic and want to move around, I wanted to sit there like a slug and not move. I also didn't really want to eat any more, but thanks to the 5 Diet Cokes I had consumed in that six hour period, I had a headache and was still hungry. That meant it was getting close to snack time.
We got home, talked about dinner plans and it was time to start up again. Of course, dinner was still hours away, so we can consider this "snack time", and boy was it. I attacked the containers of the homemade chocolate bars again, this time to a tune of about 15 pieces (each is about the size of a fun-size candy bar). Add to that, a blueberry muffin, a pistachio muffin, another ham/cheese sandwich, 2 packs of regular M&M's, another apple cinnamon pastry, 6 vanilla tootsie rolls (I always loved those things), a handful of Hot Tamales, a few Bit-O-Honey's (not even worth it haha) and probably another thousand calories of random stuff that was laying around. Then I get word that I'm in charge of cooking dinner that night, and although at that point, it didn't sound good, I knew in 2 hours I'd be up and ready for it again.
Leading up to dinner, I sat around, let things "settle", took a shower and then fired up the grill. Cheeseburgers, potato chips and Totino's Pizza Rolls for dinner, made for a champ. The burgers had to be thawed, so as I waited, I indulged in a couple slices of cheddar cheese to hold me over. The smell of the burgers on the grill really made me hungry, especially since I don't eat red meat and haven't in months. After loading each burger with a slab of cheese, I pulled them off the grill and we got ready to eat. I grabbed 2 enriched honey buns, loaded them with ketchup, mustard, lettuce and then added two 6-ounce burgers. Grabbed a dozen pepperoni pizza rolls, a handful of chips, a fresh Diet Coke and dinner was served.
Now they say when you give up red meat, you don't really miss it, but I have to say, I crave a juicy cheeseburger every once in a while. And it certainly hit the spot. So much so, that I had two of them. The dinner followed by another handful of pizza rolls (one of the worst things you can eat considering the calories, sodium, processed items and lack of anything healthy) and another diet coke.
The rest of the night, we were going to play it safe, keep it low key and hang around with the family playing cards. In our family, this also means time to bust out the desserts and snack. As we started playing cards, the goodies emerged. The entire collection of homemade chocolate came out, all three flavors (butterscotch, peanut butter and white chocolate, all mixed with milk chocolate) were popular. I had my share of each, but there were bigger fish to fry. Most notably, buttered popcorn, Twizzlers, peanut butter M&M's, blueberry Pop Tarts and maybe one of the most tasty things of the day, a triple decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I don't know why I wanted to make one, but I figured now was the time, so I did do. Despite being completely stuffed, it tasted good. I had to get serious about winning the cards, so dessert went on the back burner for a little while.
It was time for everyone to wind down, get to bed, but I was still a little antsy. I hung around the kitchen for a while, snacked on a few things here and there and decided it was time for a late-night sandwich. This used to be one of my guilty pleasures, snacking on the leftovers before bed, whatever we made that night, pizza, burgers, chicken, anything, would become a late-night snack. I fired up a cheeseburger (cold of course) and loaded it up. Add in a few Ho-ho's, another handful of chocolate and a Diet Coke to end the night, I was actually getting tired. It was fairly easy to retire to the bed, turn on The Wire and fall asleep. I was out like a rock in less than 15 minutes.
Day 1 was over, and after approximately 30,000 unhealthy calories in and the only real physical activity being getting in and out of the boat a few times and walking from the destination to the car a couple of others, it was on to day 2. I wondered before going to sleep if I could do this again, and not so much if I could, but if I wanted to. I already noticed physical changes in my body, even in less than 24 hours, and although the feelings hadn't kicked in quite yet (they wouldn't hit until tomorrow), I got that overwhelming sense that my body was in panic mode. It was just beginning.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
#3 - The Raw Statistics Prior to the Experiment
The most important thing is to have accurate data gathered before starting something like this, especially when comparing raw numbers before, after and then after an extended period of time. These numbers may or may not mean much to you, but any further research into what they are, why they are important and what certain levels could mean could definitely give you a baseline on how to interpret them. Most people who are interested in the subject are probably already well-aware what they might mean.
Statistics as of 5:30 PM on 08/08/2010:
Age: 26
Height: 5'7
Weight: 142.6 lbs
Waist: 32.4 inches
Midsection: 32.4 inches
Blood Sugar (fasting): 85 mg/dL
Blood Pressure: 107/60
Pulse (resting): 50 BPM
The morning of 08/08/2010, I ran a total of 3.1 miles (5K) in 28 minutes. I'd say this would be a typical pace for me, give or take a minute or so. Just threw that out there for comparison sake as we move forward.
Statistics as of 5:30 PM on 08/08/2010:
Age: 26
Height: 5'7
Weight: 142.6 lbs
Waist: 32.4 inches
Midsection: 32.4 inches
Blood Sugar (fasting): 85 mg/dL
Blood Pressure: 107/60
Pulse (resting): 50 BPM
The morning of 08/08/2010, I ran a total of 3.1 miles (5K) in 28 minutes. I'd say this would be a typical pace for me, give or take a minute or so. Just threw that out there for comparison sake as we move forward.
#2 - Breaking Down The 72-Hour Body Shock Experiment
We'll keep it simple, and take everyone back to the days of elementary school science class where the scientific method was used to conduct experiments for research on a particular subject matter. For easier understanding, here is everything broken down into simple terms.
HYPOTHESIS: Given a body that is adapted to very healthy, clean-eating and physically demanding lifestyle, it will receive a caloric overload (approximately 75,000 calories) and be deprived of any strenuous physical activity (a sedentary lifestyle) over the span of 72 hours. Even after dynamic physical, mental and statistical changes, through clean eating (only foods found in nature), an average daily recommended caloric intake (2,000 calories) and a moderate level of daily physical activity (4-5 days per week at 45-minutes per day), the body can reverse the damage done from the initial shock and return to it's previous state within a three week period.
PREDICTION: I predict that the subject (myself), will statistically return to the same figures (within 5% of each) in the three week period of time and be capable of undertaking a similar level of physical activity prior to the shock.
DEPENDENT VARIABLES: The statistical measurements done prior to the shock, after the shock and following the three week recovery period will all be taken at approximately the same time of day (morning), on the same devices (my personal devices) and in approximately the same state of being (controlling as many other variables of day-to-day life as possible)
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: The independent variable in this case will be the idea that it took nearly 15-months from beginning to end to reach the "previous state" and after the shock, it will be only 3-weeks. With that said, the starting points given each time frame are also different, and with no exact date pinpointing a similar starting time in the past, it's impossible to completely control this variable.
CONCLUSION: To be determined...
HYPOTHESIS: Given a body that is adapted to very healthy, clean-eating and physically demanding lifestyle, it will receive a caloric overload (approximately 75,000 calories) and be deprived of any strenuous physical activity (a sedentary lifestyle) over the span of 72 hours. Even after dynamic physical, mental and statistical changes, through clean eating (only foods found in nature), an average daily recommended caloric intake (2,000 calories) and a moderate level of daily physical activity (4-5 days per week at 45-minutes per day), the body can reverse the damage done from the initial shock and return to it's previous state within a three week period.
PREDICTION: I predict that the subject (myself), will statistically return to the same figures (within 5% of each) in the three week period of time and be capable of undertaking a similar level of physical activity prior to the shock.
DEPENDENT VARIABLES: The statistical measurements done prior to the shock, after the shock and following the three week recovery period will all be taken at approximately the same time of day (morning), on the same devices (my personal devices) and in approximately the same state of being (controlling as many other variables of day-to-day life as possible)
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: The independent variable in this case will be the idea that it took nearly 15-months from beginning to end to reach the "previous state" and after the shock, it will be only 3-weeks. With that said, the starting points given each time frame are also different, and with no exact date pinpointing a similar starting time in the past, it's impossible to completely control this variable.
CONCLUSION: To be determined...
#1 - Who Am I, What Am I Doing & Why?
This is probably the first question people will ask, and although I'm more focused on the results rather than the why, it's only fair to briefly touch on this question before we get started.
As it says, my name is Scott Connor, a 26-year old from Columbus, Ohio. I am not a licensed medical professional or a licensed trainer and/or nutritionist. I'm just a regular guy who went through a lifelong battle with various diseases, most notably, obesity, diabetes and hypertension. I decided to fix it all, go cold turkey, and do everything I could possibly do to rid myself of the constant medical bills, doctor's visits, prescriptions, pills, injections, side effects. Overall, what I now know, it was an absolutely awful quality of life.
I started to eat healthy, first by cutting out processed foods, adding in all fruits and vegetables to my diet and focusing on lean proteins and a wide variety of carbohydrates. I basically created my own eating plan that started with counting calories in and calories burned, but gradually changed to eating what I knew was healthy, tasty and satisfying at the same time.
The first part, the diet (as described above), can't work by itself however. Exercise is a huge part, in-fact, it's the most crucial in any sustained lifestyle. I went from someone who dreaded walking up the stairs to go to bed to someone that couldn't get enough physical activity. I started slowly, on a stationary bike, walking on a treadmill and doing some light weight lifting. It expanded to a wider variety of cardio machines (elliptical, stair-climber, etc..) and eventually into a majority of the focus turned to running. And yes, running became a way of life. From someone who struggled to run a mile in 20 minutes, I was doing five miles a day in fewer than 50. Some days, running a half-marathon wasn't uncommon. As I told most people, I usually stopped running because I was bored, not tired.
Keep in mind, this process started in January of 2009, after yet another physical with my primary physician where he warned be of my out of control diabetes and the continuing issues it was causing with my blood pressure, of course, all due to my weight and lack of physical activity. It became monotonous each and every visit. I would shrug it off, telling him that I knew I had to change and that maybe this time would be it. However, for years, the motivation was never there.
Something sparked in me that day. I decided to make a change. For the life of me, I can't remember exactly what it was, probably because it was one of dozens of times I had "taken a stand" against my diseases and vowed to change, only to see it die out in a day or two and the results come back the same after every visit. This time, it stuck. I kept pushing. Day after day. Sticking to the diet. Slowly building up my physical activity. I'm not sure at what point I realized it was working, but I'll tell you, once you notice a change in how you look and how you feel, it's addicting. You want to keep going. There isn't anything like it. It's unlike any high you can get from a drug and definitely better than anything you can get from food. It's what kept me pushing. All the way, full throttle, until April of 2010. Fifteen months after starting. I reached my goal weight of 140 lbs. There were no traces of diabetes in my system as my A1C levels were hovering around 5. My blood pressure was actually low for my age, and all of my other "physical numbers" were in the normal range, most of them on the very low end. Most importantly, I ran the equivalent of a half marathon, without stopping, in just over 2 hours and 30 minutes. I felt amazing. I could do anything. I was on top of the world.
However, that high you get isn't constant. Life still gets in the way. There are other worries, concerns, distractions, and for a little while there, my focus went away from my goals and I got off track a bit. I was still able to maintain everything, but I needed a new focus, and after seeing the film "30 Days Raw" and hearing about the story of Paul James, I decided this would be it.
With a vacation planned, it was the perfect time to get started, and I knew given the setting, it would be very easy to undertake. That set the stages for my 72-hour body shock experiment, and I have to say, I'm not even sure what I have gotten myself into! With that said, I want to show people how quickly you can shock your body, throw away months of hard work in a very short amount of time, and then get it all back in only three weeks. Along the way, I will document the highs, lows, physical and mental changes, body responses, feelings and the sheer before and after statistics. Enjoy!
As it says, my name is Scott Connor, a 26-year old from Columbus, Ohio. I am not a licensed medical professional or a licensed trainer and/or nutritionist. I'm just a regular guy who went through a lifelong battle with various diseases, most notably, obesity, diabetes and hypertension. I decided to fix it all, go cold turkey, and do everything I could possibly do to rid myself of the constant medical bills, doctor's visits, prescriptions, pills, injections, side effects. Overall, what I now know, it was an absolutely awful quality of life.
I started to eat healthy, first by cutting out processed foods, adding in all fruits and vegetables to my diet and focusing on lean proteins and a wide variety of carbohydrates. I basically created my own eating plan that started with counting calories in and calories burned, but gradually changed to eating what I knew was healthy, tasty and satisfying at the same time.
The first part, the diet (as described above), can't work by itself however. Exercise is a huge part, in-fact, it's the most crucial in any sustained lifestyle. I went from someone who dreaded walking up the stairs to go to bed to someone that couldn't get enough physical activity. I started slowly, on a stationary bike, walking on a treadmill and doing some light weight lifting. It expanded to a wider variety of cardio machines (elliptical, stair-climber, etc..) and eventually into a majority of the focus turned to running. And yes, running became a way of life. From someone who struggled to run a mile in 20 minutes, I was doing five miles a day in fewer than 50. Some days, running a half-marathon wasn't uncommon. As I told most people, I usually stopped running because I was bored, not tired.
Keep in mind, this process started in January of 2009, after yet another physical with my primary physician where he warned be of my out of control diabetes and the continuing issues it was causing with my blood pressure, of course, all due to my weight and lack of physical activity. It became monotonous each and every visit. I would shrug it off, telling him that I knew I had to change and that maybe this time would be it. However, for years, the motivation was never there.
Something sparked in me that day. I decided to make a change. For the life of me, I can't remember exactly what it was, probably because it was one of dozens of times I had "taken a stand" against my diseases and vowed to change, only to see it die out in a day or two and the results come back the same after every visit. This time, it stuck. I kept pushing. Day after day. Sticking to the diet. Slowly building up my physical activity. I'm not sure at what point I realized it was working, but I'll tell you, once you notice a change in how you look and how you feel, it's addicting. You want to keep going. There isn't anything like it. It's unlike any high you can get from a drug and definitely better than anything you can get from food. It's what kept me pushing. All the way, full throttle, until April of 2010. Fifteen months after starting. I reached my goal weight of 140 lbs. There were no traces of diabetes in my system as my A1C levels were hovering around 5. My blood pressure was actually low for my age, and all of my other "physical numbers" were in the normal range, most of them on the very low end. Most importantly, I ran the equivalent of a half marathon, without stopping, in just over 2 hours and 30 minutes. I felt amazing. I could do anything. I was on top of the world.
However, that high you get isn't constant. Life still gets in the way. There are other worries, concerns, distractions, and for a little while there, my focus went away from my goals and I got off track a bit. I was still able to maintain everything, but I needed a new focus, and after seeing the film "30 Days Raw" and hearing about the story of Paul James, I decided this would be it.
With a vacation planned, it was the perfect time to get started, and I knew given the setting, it would be very easy to undertake. That set the stages for my 72-hour body shock experiment, and I have to say, I'm not even sure what I have gotten myself into! With that said, I want to show people how quickly you can shock your body, throw away months of hard work in a very short amount of time, and then get it all back in only three weeks. Along the way, I will document the highs, lows, physical and mental changes, body responses, feelings and the sheer before and after statistics. Enjoy!
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