The past few months have really opened my eyes about how being out of shape affects my success as an actor. I spent every weekend for a month in a row traveling all over the country, auditioning for theaters to get ANY job. I guess I was maybe a little cocky in that I thought FOR SURE I just had to get something from all this work. I was in for a rude awakening. Don't get me wrong though... I am not saying that my weight is the only reason I can't get cast, but I know it plays a huge role.
So here I go!!! My goal with this blog is to have my friends and family (and possible followers? maybe? could be fun?) send words of encouragement, tips, suggestions, anything to help me reach my goal and be the best performer I can be.
Here's the big moment. My starting weight. After I tell you this, that is motivation enough for at least the first 10 pounds or so....
but first....
1st Goal: (May 5 - 1 Month) - 210 lbs
2nd Goal: (June 5 - 2 Months) - 199 lbs
Starting Weight - 234 lbs (yikes)
So that's it. Send me some positive energy and words of encouragement if you can, because I am ready to prove to the world that I CAN do this.
1. You can do it!!
ReplyDelete2. I'm doing the same thing right now - woo support!
3. you're awesome - keep at it, and if you ever feel discouraged I'll leave you terribly inspirational song lyrics.
That's awesome! Good luck sweetie, I'm proud of you and I know you can do it!!
ReplyDeleteHey its Ian Gibb. Good luck with everything! I have lost 23 pounds since September...it IS possible. Find a workout program (P90X is a good one) and a WORKOUT PARTNER, someone you can be held accountable by. It is always a good motivator to have someone else doing it too. Lastly NEVER take a day off (except the one day to rest) it'll just give you an excuse to do it more often. GOOD LUCK!
ReplyDeleteI...LOVE...YOU!!! This is such a great step baby. I'm behind you one hundred percent. love love love
ReplyDeleteHey Ryan,
ReplyDeleteThe first goal may be hard to attain... by that date (May 1, unless you've already lost 10 lbs already). That's almost 20 lbs. in a month and that's hard to do. I just don't want you to be disappointed. You'll see your final goal. This is a battle that can be won, but it's constant... you'll learn so much about yourself. A lot of weight will come off at first if you're on a good diet (no fried foods... use skim milk.. no white bread...) You want to do this the healthy way and a way that will last longer than the fast ways out.
I agree with Ian, you need a workout partner.. definitely "someone to be accountable by". I recommend going to the Huff and having 2 sessions with a trainer. The first session they'll do your BMI and fitness test... that way you know where you come from and it's so uplifting at the end of a certain date to see how it's changed. The second session they'll give you a workout regimen for fat burning and toning. You just need to be blunt with them about what you want. The last sentence of what Ian said is also very true, it's harder to get back in the gym if you've missed more than enough time to rest.
Alright homie, good luck with this. I have 6 years of advice for you if you want it. I was at that weight when I first came to OU. Yes this is Jai Ho. This is very brave and bold of you.
Hello sir. My name is Matthew Alvin Brown. You probably don't know me, but I am a huge fan of your work. You're probably one of the smartest, funniest, most talented fellas out there...But you probably don't know who I am and you probably hear that all of the time...So, it's probably not so special coming from a guy you probably don't even know...probably.
ReplyDeleteI want you to know that I am supporting you. Here's my two cents...Get a membership to a gym. Yeah, I know...telling a gay dude to get a gym membership is HILARIOUS...But, really. I bought a gym membership and I sorta have to go...because it costs money...and I don't have a lot of that to go around...so, it kinda forces me to go...In fact, I'm on my way now. Bye!
Best wishes, friend.
Whatever you do do not cut out the carbs in your diet. As a performer, you need them. The reason why a lot of people quit their diets is because they do not eat carbs, which is their main form of energy.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you will probably lose more than 4 lbs the first week. What you will be losing is water weight.
Overall, I would call this a lifestyle change and not a diet. By calling it that, you are doing your self a favor. The difference is that when you call it a "diet", the moment you break it, you will be tempted to "give up" and eat more. On the other hand with a lifestyle change, you are more than likely brush it off, and continue it. Its just how the brain works.
Good Luck!
JO
you can do it ryan!!! this is fun :)i knowww youll be able to do this. Love you whole bunches
ReplyDelete-Rach
I can't really describe how fortunate I felt to get to see a performance of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" earlier this year; I was in what one might call a low point of my life, and seeing that show lifted my spirits more than I can relate here.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I saw in the show a performer playing the role of Will Barfee, and I saw more talent in that actor than most can ever hope to have.
Anyone with that kind of talent can do anything he decides to dedicate himself to. Best of luck!
Ryan- So proud of your ambition and commitment, but more proud of your recognition that you need emotional aid and support. We're all here for you. Go get 'em tiger.
ReplyDeletexoxo. love you.
Meliss
I have recently lost 30 pounds in 10 weeks by diet and exercise alone. It is hard, especially in the beginning, but once you see the numbers on the scale going down it motivates you to keep going! I used www.sparkpeople.com to track what i was eating (theres even a free iphone app!).
ReplyDeleteDrink as much water as you can possibly fit into the day. Eat foods high in fiber. Snack. Sounds weird but eating a small snack between breakfast and dinner works. Keep breakfast and dinner smaller than lunch. I eat lots of subway. Cut dressings and cheeses out as much as possible. Soups can be great low cal fillers. And look at calorie/fat content for everything you eat before you eat it. I often say "hmm i could have this small cookie or i could have a whole meal". That makes it easier to make good decisions.
As for working out, I take a yoga class three times a week when schedule allows, and if it doesnt I do a dvd or something. Then each morning I get up and do workouts on wii. Ive still got another 25 pounds to go, but Im sure I can do it.
If I can do it...you totally can! Hang in there and remember this will change your life forever in more ways than you even realize. That slice of cheese is not worth being unhappy. :)
Ryan,
ReplyDeleteYou can do this! You already are beautiful inside and out, all of this will just be icing on the cake!
Love you,
Jessie
Hey!
ReplyDeleteYou're awesome for doing this! Support is exactly what you need to help you stay on track :)
But what's is really going to come down to is your own desire. You have to be self motivated!! You have to force yourself to not eat that cookie/pizza slice/candy bar and just pass it up > that was the HUGE mental challenge for me. Especially with comfort/junk food! But remember, take it one day at a time.
The other thing is planning to screw up (not work out, eat 2 big pieces of cake, what have you...). You know you're going to do it. But have a plan for getting back on track when that happens.
I also agree with a few comments from above:
~20lbs is a lot to lose in one month so go by how you're feeling and not just the numbers. Every time I would lose 10lbs I would hit a plateau for a while. It was my body's way of responding to the weight loss. My word of caution is to not obsess over the scale. When I first started losing weight it was unhealthy that I'd check my wight every day (sometimes twice). But I stayed on track and stopped obsessing over the numbers and ended up losing 37lbs in 6 months.
My recommendation would be to weigh yourself once a week - maybe every Sunday. And to take your measurements every 2 weeks. This was the BEST trick I ever tried!!
I tracked: neck, shoulders, chest, belly button, butt/hips, thigh, calf, ankle, wrist, forearm, bicep. Make sure to stay on the same leg/arm with the measurements too. When you do this, you will see that some weeks your numbers might not change, but your measurements might. Maybe muscle mass is replacing fat, and muscle weighs more than fat.
Ok, I'm going to stop writing. GOOD LUCK for today!
Ryan-
ReplyDeleteIf you want inspiration, or someone to confer with check out
theamazingshrinkingactor.blogspot.com
Chase is an OU drama alum, who's doing this same type of thing.
And as everyone else has said, it's a lifestyle change; I found that what helped me was keeping a log of everything I was eating as a way to hold myself accountable as well as see if there were changes that I could make or days that I felt better based on what I was/wasn't eating. And if you have a sweet tooth like me, dont try to cut it out all at once, do it slowly and find alternatives (a few hershey kisses vs a candy bar) that fill the craving, but keep caloric intake down.
Best of luck!
-Sarah Burnham
Hey ryan! Its mace face!
ReplyDeleteI FREGGIN LOVE YOU! You are super awesome and you can do this!!!!!!!!
Snack of the day! Its so good and you will LOVE it... I hope.
they have 100 calorie packs or guacamolie(sp?) and instead of eating one of those with chips... try red pepper! Its soooo good! Red pepper is also good with hummus!!!!!
:) i am too just trying to loose a wee bit of weight. I wanna fit into one of my high school dresses for my junior recital!!!!
i love you sooo much and I miss you!
you can do this!
Ryan-
ReplyDeleteWe've only met briefly on a couple of occasions (I worked with Paul at MTW), but I wanted to show my support in this.
This is the best thing you will ever do for yourself. When I graduated high school I weighed about 270lbs. (I don't remember an exact weight, but I remember it being that high). At 5'7", that's a large number. Today I weigh about 155lbs. It can be done, and you've already taken the first step.
The hardest part is making it a habit. Never take off more than just one day, otherwise it will be much harder to get back on the wagon. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is don't look at it as "I'm on a diet and exercise plan" It's a new lifestyle, which can be difficult at first, but the mind set is what is going to take the weight off and keep it off.
Best of luck. I'm rooting for you!
Ryan!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love you and think you are incredible. Second, Clarice and I have been hitting up the gym almost everyday, so if you need workout buddies... just give one of us a call!
You can do this.
Love.
Mary.
Hey, Ryan!
ReplyDeleteA couple things...
"Goal Weights" are okay things to have...but don't let that be the only driving force for you. Your goals are to feel better and become stronger. I would recommend perhaps weighing in every two weeks or so, but don't let that be the only factor in your "success", because there are so many things that weight can attribute to...i.e. when you are in the initial stages of losing fat, then gaining muscle...it might not be the best indicator and shouldn't be your ONLY one. I would recommend, however, before and after pictures =)
Also...some fun tidbits...
Take a multi-vitamin every day, as well as a supplement...i.e. cod liver oil, etc.
Keep a work-out journal to keep track of what you day on what day. It will inspire you to keep going.
Juice and smoothies are amazing. They are an easy, healthy way to start your day. In addition to working out, you MUST eat and eat WELL.
Here is a fun smoothie recipe to get you going:
A few handfuls of KALE
7-8 strawberries
some ice
some water
apple cider vinegar
flax seed oil
agave
fresh ginger
So good and so good for you.
In addition to water, make sure you are replenishing your ELECTROLYTES through supplements such as coconut water, smart water...etc. Too much water can actually be a bad thing when you are going through a rigorous routine because you are flushing out your system, including good salts, etc. So you must replenish your electrolytes and keep them balance.
Sleep. It's when your muscles repair themselves.
Protein powder. Something natural. Whey. One before and DEFINITELY one after your work-out. Your muscles will absorb it like a sponge.
And....make an amazing gym mix to listen to.
The more you work out, the more you realize you CANNOT live without it =)
I work out 6 times a week and would not trade it for the world.
Also....spice up your cardio! Spinning class and DANCE CLASS...
I just did 30 days of Bikram Yoga...each class you lose about 600-900 calories.
Look into it and let me know how you're doing.
xo
Paul Louis Lessard
paullouislessard@gmailcom
517-927-1693
Baby! I can see that you already have tons of supporters and admirers! And I am just gonna add myself to that list : ) I am very excited for you to begin this journey! What a huge step! It's gonna be hard, but I know you can do it!I love you! And I hope I get to see you in NY this Summer and encourage you in person!!! Break a Leg!
ReplyDelete-Love,
Jillian
Hi Ryan. I came across your blog on facebook and wanted to reach out and give you some encouragement and some tips that have helped me. I recently lost about 15 pounds, but it came with a lot of sacrifices. I don't work out and I hate diets, so the only thing that works for me is elimanation. I stopped eating meat awhile ago except fish, but what really did it for me was doing a a lot of research of the foods I was putting in my body. Read this book called Skinny Bitch. You don't have to take on all their principles but it really helps to break everything down and figure out what's really worth it to you. I gave up gluten (wheat, oats, bread, pasta ect); dairy, and high fructose corn syrup. And not only did I lose weight but I actually feel good when I eat. Everything here in America is so processed that I read all labels now and ask tons of questions at restaurants. This might not be the path suits you but I thought I would share. At least check out the book. Its real no-nonsense. Good luck!!!!
ReplyDeleteNicole Boutiette
My "Bottom"! It's Laura. Oh goodness, I just think the world of you. Not only do you inspire me as an artist-- but as a person, you are just beyond words. I have no doubt you will attain whatever goal you set for yourself.
ReplyDelete(Also, I just joined www.sparkpeople.com because I saw someone mention it on all of these comments and and it is AWESOME. I think it will really help me track what I eat, since that is one of my biggest issues. I don't know if that's something you want to do?)
Anyway, I can't wait to keep reading and see how much ass you kick! :) Love you bunches!
Hey Ryan,
ReplyDeleteI have a great article on foods that we all eat, but can lose lots of calories if we avoid, so I'll get that to you. Also, don't punish yourself if you miss a work out. Just resume the next day. And do you eat something immediately in the morning? I've always been told that's the most important meal because it gets the metabolism started. Anything..a banana.. a glass of chocolate milk. ( It sounds weird but I drink that after I work out and it has the exact protein/carb ratio that you need!) I'm very proud of you. I'm sure you'll be happy with your goal weight, even though I think you're very handsome right now!!
Lisa F
Ryan! It's Anna. I heard you gabbing about this in voice, so naturally I stalked you and found your blog. So happy for you! You can totally do it (safely and patiently, I hope)! It sounds like you're keeping your spirits up so far, and a positive attitude is at LEAST half the battle!
ReplyDeleteThoughts: Try drinking half your weight in ounces of water a day. You'll be amazed at how much less soda, etc. you drink because a) you aren't thirsty, and b) you'd wet your pants! Water is so good good good! Also, go bonkers in the produce aisle! Make a huge fruit salad, veggie stir fry, just eat that produce like it's going out of style. Ask around for good recipes (or just come to my house for dinner)!
Yay for you! You are going to feel so wonderful! And the already-handsome devil you are is just going to be that much healthier and happier!