My vice

So since this blog was started 3 months into my workout regimen, I have to write my posts from memory until I get up to date. I keep a notebook that Paul uses to record all my lifts and the amount of weight I am training with, I also record my weekly weigh-ins that I do on Saturday mornings. Paul is the one that recommended the notebook to track my progress completely. So...

My weight has plateaued recently. Back in November I dropped a crazy 22 pounds in the first two weeks, which made my jaw hit the floor. I kept on losing weight steadily until I hit about 40, then it just sort of stopped. My weight would fluctuate up and down 5 to 7 pounds, and was getting frustrated! Trying to isolate the problem was easy; my cardio was consistent and my workouts with Paul were going strong. The only thing that could be throwing everything off was my diet. From the first day I starting going to Paul, he got on me to start watching my diet and not to eat any heavily-processed foods and to cut out carbs and sugar. I never really drank sodas and for my size I really don't do as much junk food as you would imagine. I have to admit though... I am a foodie! I love really good food. I spend a significant amount of my income and time going to nice restaurants, reading cookbooks and watching/reading with Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert, and David Chang. Food is my hobby, cooking is my therapy, and I think there is nothing better than trying out new places or cuisines. I am a food snob/dork and this is my problem. I can't let 5 days of hard work in the gym and with my diet be undone by two days of not watching what I eat. I had this idea that I deserved a cheat day once a week, but the fact is I don't. I was talking about this with Paul when he said something that really hit home, "You've had 25 years of cheat days". It took three months of training to figure out, that at our age, diet is 80% of it. I can't expect any dramatic results without changing my diet as well.