My Big Fat Life

A bad time, yearning for better times!

2009-12-21T23:04:00.001-05:00

It is really hard to maintain a blog when you feel no one reads, and if you do not post on a regular basis, no one reads and no one follows what you are doing and what you have to say. Knowing this falls of deaf ears and probably no ears at all, I am going to try and get back to regular postings.

The past few weeks and months have been rough and tough. After much effort into weight loss and such, I fell off the horse and have gained some back. There are many reasons but the main one is I am a weak person, just full of petty excuses. So let me name them off, get them out in the open, and then I can maybe move on and get back to me again.

I hurt my shoulder. I hurt my knee. I had to put my dog down (Dec. 9th and I miss her!). Work has been long and stressful. I guess the one single thing that really made me slow down and stop was my dog Elmo. I tried to spend every waking hour with her I could before she had to go; and when I did try and get back into it, I just wanted to be with her. Since she has gone, my shoulder does not hurt much any more (but maybe that is just in my mind?). To top everything else off, I think I had H1N1 Swine Flu last week and am suffering the residual bronchitis (for sure) and eventual pneumonia (I hope not). This has been a horrible sickness!

Come the new year, I am striving to do better and get back to what I have done; for everything not to be a total loss so to speak! I want to get back to better eating, exercise, and better habits!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!

2009-08-31T16:15:00.002-04:00

Has been a while since I have posted something and updated my journal but I have been around, and am still around. Things have been a struggle for the past few months but it has not been all bad! Talk is very cheap so I am not going to waste any time on promises; all I can do is just keep at it and keep trying! Here are some updates...

Things have been good overall. My plateau really knocked me on my butt and frustrations ran deep. I decided to take some time off from eating right and exercise, more as a great experiment than anything. I guess we will see how this experiment works out. It might really back fire and I can easily be right back where I was.The road to hell is paved with good intentions! I did have good intentions all summer long but nothing worked out. I have gained weight; in the area of 40 pounds gained. It would be so nice if we could lose weight was quickly and easily as we gain it! That is not the case so I am hoping that I can take that weight off plus another 50 pounds over the next year.

I have been at this healthy eating and lifestyle plan for one full year now (minus the past 2 months) and there have been many positive things happen over this year! I am so looking forward to getting back into the exercise. So struggling with eating right now; I want to eat everything in sight. Being around such rich food ALL OF THE TIME does not help my situation at all. I need to remind myself each and every moment to get back to basics and do the things I had been doing right for the whole year.I am not feeling good about what I have ahead of me. I am not the slightest bit optimistic about the next 6 months and year. Motivation is not even on my mind right now. I need to dive in and get back!

My little dog Elmo is still hanging in there but she is getting light in weight and frail. The golf game was great and I have become a fan of playing the sport, even though I will not actually play very much! Our new puppy which was only supposed to be 8 pounds in weight is now 15 or more pounds; he is becoming a monster of a little dog. I still continue to make television appearances and have my hands in many other fires right now. It seems there are not enough minutes in the day to do everything which needs to be done.

What is going on?

2009-07-06T22:34:00.001-04:00

I mean that question in the most literal sense; what is going on with me? The past 3 weeks have been terrible, but not quite horrible. I have managed to exercise on a semi regular basis but not as mush as desired and eating has been bad but not off the charts! This Saturday will be one month since I have weighed in and expecting the worst! I have not lived as I have wanted to and have not lived up to my own personal rules I have set.

Today, almost feel like back on track, almost. My motivation has gone away and I have become lazy. Maybe it is because it is summer, or I am just burned out, or I am just sick of it all? No excuses man! Time to get back up and get it in gear! I feel like I am completely out of control.

I have done much talking over the past few months with little action. It is time to be a man of action and face the consequences of my bad choices. I hope this is a stepping stone to even greater things!

I am going to play golf for the first time in my life soon! It is going to be embarrassing!

Been a bad man!

2009-06-22T22:36:00.001-04:00

It has been a rough go of it the past week; all from my own doing! I have partaken in beer and ice cream over the past few days, not making very good decisions. This would of been devastating to me years ago but not this time. I am not giving up and am back on track today!

Was on television again this past Sunday and made something really bad to eat. I just had a small bite thank goodness! You can find the recipe here.

Over Training? Back to basics...

2009-06-13T13:44:00.000-04:00

Who would think you can over train yourself? Never really thought or considered the possibility but it is real. I had an apifiny over the past few days. I was thinking back to the last time I have lost a bunch of weight and gave up. Got to a point where I was exercising really hard and my appetite became veracious. Was at a strong plateau level; just giving up and putting all of the weight I had lost back on very quickly.

Have been stuck for the past month like before but this time is quite different. Over the past two weeks, I rested from exercise 4 days in a row and 2 days in a row this week. Looking back to late last year and how I was exercising then; I believe it is time to get back to basics.

I had adjusted my exercise routine over the past few months to 5 or 6 days a week of working our intensely; one day of upper body training, one day of lower body training (30+ minutes of just resistance exercise), and plenty of aerobics on top of all of that. Before, I was basically doing a full body workout 3 or 4 times a week for 20 minutes at a time plus a good amount of aerobics.
I am going back to this. I still may work out 5 times a week but I am really going to relax on the weight training. I feel as strong as I ever have right at this moment; doing exercise like I did when I was a teenager.

I lost 3 pounds this past 2 weeks and am back to where I was before. If I had gained 5 pounds, that would not of surprised me so I am extremely happy to get back to basics! All of this makes me wonder about "The Biggest Loser". The show gives the appearance the contestants are working out for hours and hours every single day. Do they really do that? There must be time for rest! Really looking forward to seeing how this adjustment works for me.

10 Miles Behind Me...

2009-06-06T17:46:00.000-04:00

Yes, I walked 10 miles this morning. It was really tough; the last two miles were very hard! The last mile was almost unbearable but I wanted to finish and I did. My legs are fatigued but I feel pretty good right now. I have a very hard time seeing myself walking 12, 15, or even more miles at one time. Feel free to beat me like a drum if I ever say I am going to attempt that!

The last time I walked 7 miles, my hands swelled up pretty good during that walk; something called edema. I had never experienced that and got a little worried. I did a little research and found out that I needed to drink more water and possibly a sports drink during the walk because of an electrolyte imbalance. Today, I drank plenty of water before the walk and drank a Gator Aid half way through the walk, and very limited swelling today! I like that!

I have raspberry bushes in my back yard and they are starting to yield some really tasty berries! I love fresh stuff like that!

A few days off and 10 miles...

2009-06-05T23:08:00.002-04:00

After really struggling or just feeling like I have been struggling, I have taken 4 days off from exercise. I needed to give my body a rest and let the shock of starting up again take hold of my body. (Thank you Laura!!) It is all about changing things up all of the time. In the past, taking this much time off would of been devastating and I would of just given up. Never again for sure.
So what better way to jump right back in than with another big walk; I am shooting for 10 miles tomorrow morning. I am taking a little flatter and more forgiving route this time out am going to drink plenty of water before and during the walk, and maybe a Gator Aid as well. I am even going to take a short break during the walk for a little culinary inspiration (watching a short cooking demo at a farmers market).

This has been a really long, tough week. Work has really eaten into my personal time, our new puppy is a hassle, and that makes the wife a little upset, and it seems like it has rained for the past 3 weeks straight (not really, just feels like it). Tonight is the first time I have been able to get on this computer and blog or anything at all, all week long. Once again, no confidence for weigh in next week but I am sure feeling good! Life is great and it was such a great day and week!

TGIF!!

Just as expected...

2009-05-30T23:37:00.002-04:00

I actually had another gain this past two weeks, 5 ounces. It does kind of really stink but it is just one of those things I have to deal with, face full on, and get past. It really could of been much worse for sure! It could of been a gain of 5 pounds.

My eating the past 2 weeks was not the best. I really pushed the exercise extra hard. If I can get my eating under control, I think things will improve very much. I need to journal my food intake (and I have said this over and over with out staying true to my word) on a more consistent, daily basis. I know for a fact that in the past, I would be so extremely discouraged at this moment and quiting this whole thing would be so easy, but right now, I am not down in the very least. I even feel energized and encouraged at this very moment! I have 3 months before I reach my year of living a healthier life. Am sure I will not reach my goal of 280 pounds but I am still going to give it a shot! At this point, If I can make it to 299 by August 23, I will be beyond happy!

This whole journey has not been about weight loss; it is about making better choices and leading a healthier life and I have done this. Weight loss is just a side effect!

I am on television tomorrow morning.

Pain and Depression

2009-05-27T23:23:00.001-04:00

I have battled depression for most of my adult life but things have been good recently. Monday and Tuesday, I was really feeling down and out, just about the worst I have felt in years and years. No particular reason; just something which happens from time to time.

I really feel like I have been working out really hard over the past 6 weeks, pushing my body in ways I have not done since I was a teenager. After my long walk last Saturday, I was feeling pretty good and did more yard work Sunday afternoon. My legs hurt so badly the past few days, just from planting flowers! Using muscles in a way they have no been used in many years! Really makes no sense to me at all.

I have no confidence for my weigh in this Saturday at all. I hope there will be a loss and at best, I am hoping just to maintain. My energy level this week has just crashed! It took everything I had just to work the aerobic step for one hour tonight (and sore legs are not helping!). I am feeling so anxious right now; I just need to chill out a bit and relax

We have a new addition to our family. He is a pug and his name is Sushi. What a cute little dog he is.

7 Miles

2009-05-23T15:45:00.000-04:00

I managed to walk 7 full miles today. Really feel like this is a big accomplishment and step; setting my sights on 10 miles now, just one extra mile at a time. This whole week has been a great exercise week! I did three major hours of yard work yesterday plus a short work out and I was whipped after all of that. My eating this week has been decent considering it was a vacation week with much temptation around. I have a big concern now.

Anticipation of the weigh in next Saturday, I am wondering if I really have hit a major plateau? Today is my 9 month anniversary of a changed lifestyle and I am so excited about all of the progress I have made, yet feeling down about the possibility of being stuck in a rut. Maybe I should go ahead and make the dive into joining the gym? I just really feel like something is missing in my journey right now and I surely know this is not the case at all.

On a more positive note, Cloths are fitting much loser and even things like my wedding ring and shoes are fitting much larger than before. It is amazing that when you do lose weight, you take it off everywhere, yet you can not spot lose exactly where you want it.

I hope to have a great workout week and eating week next week!

Vacation Work Outs!

2009-05-19T20:20:00.002-04:00

I really wanted to have a dedicated week of exercise since I have extra time this vacation week and so far, things have worked out pretty good. I was feeling a bit ill last week but worked out hard Thursday night with a full body work out. Friday night, I did a nice long walk, going up the "hill of death" 3 times. Saturday, I walked very close to 6 miles, total of 2 hours. Sunday was an off day from exercise.

Monday, I cut grass for 2 straight house and walked up the new hill, "The suicidal hill of reckoning" one time. It is a very long, steep, and intense hill but I made it just fine. Walking down was just as tough as walking up!

Today, I did two one hour work outs. First: 30 minutes of step aerobics and 30 minutes of intense upper body. Second: 30 minutes of step aerobics, 25 minutes if intense legs, and 5 minutes of intense abs. I am working on a push-pull workout; opposing sets of pulling and pushing (bench press, curls, shoulder press, curls, etc.)

Wednesday is my off day this week. Thursday will be another day of yard work, walking, and lower body. Friday will be a day of yard work and an intense upper body workout. Saturday, I may attempt to walk 7 miles but I am going to wait and see how I am feeling that morning. Sunday will be an off day again.

Things do not seem to be working out with my personal trainer. I am considering joining a gym. I will really only have Saturday and Sundays to go, so I really do not know if it will be worth it or not? The one I am looking at is inexpensive with no yearly commitment so I may just give a go for a month or two and see what happens.

I wish I could work out 2 hours a day, every day! Tomorrow is my wife's birthday and we are going out to dinner. I am going to try and be sensible and good!

My first gain...

2009-05-16T12:20:00.002-04:00

I knew it was going to happen and really thought this would of happened months ago, but it finally happened today. I gained almost 3 pounds over the past two weeks. This could be devastating but it really is not; it is just a part of what happens when you start living a healthier lifestyle. Even though I have made tremendous strides in my physical conditioning over the past month, this is not muscle gain; rather this is just a natural fluctuation in addition to the the fact that I have not been strict as to what I have been eating on a daily basis. I feel it is time to get back to basics!

On a very positive note: I walked around 6 miles this morning. I had set a goal at the end of March to walk a specific distance and I did walked this route and distance this morning. It was long and tough; I wanted to give it up half way through and I have one major hill to walk up right at the end. I did it and am very happy! I have not walked this far in years and years. The last time I did something like this may of been when I was 18 years old. I consider today the start of my exercise boot camp for this upcoming week! Am going to work it real hard all week long!

We had a small earthquake here this morning at 4:08 am! That was really wild!

2009-05-15T22:27:00.002-04:00

Elmo the dog is doing good. Stitches out today but we still do not know about her long term prognosis.
I am on vacation next week! Really want to exercise a whole bunch, but I want to be sensible and not hurt myself!
I can not change my icon above; and it is ticking me off!
Weigh in tomorrow and I feel like I have lost nothing these past 2 weeks. Expecting a gain for the first time in 8 months!
I was walking tonight and passed a couple who said they have seen me walking all of the time and wanted to know how much weight I have lost. I told them and they seemed blown away. Still such a long way to go.
I am trying to jog a bit but I still have so much belly fat, it is really uncomfortable for me to do this! I hate this feeling right now because I want to do so much more!
AussiePete and Kilk53 are just awesome members of everydayhealth.com and you should really check out what they have to say! Thank you gentlemen for all of your support!
I walked up my "hill of death" 3 times tonight! I have a new hill to go after now. It is long, steep, and daunting so I am going to call this hill, "The suicidal hill of reckoning".
Check back tomorrow for updates!

26 Percent of me gone!

2009-05-02T13:16:00.001-04:00

Weighed in this morning and a 6.5 pound loss; 113.5 pounds total. Much more than expected and this is my biggest loss in a while. An important stat about this loss is that I have surpassed the 25 percent mark. Can you imagine having 25 percent of your body mass gone? It is a good feeling and this puts me just about 50 percent to my weight loss goal. Today is a very good day for sure.

My dog Elmo is doing better this morning. She is ready to chase the squirrels and rabbits! Will be a little while longer before we can let her do something like that!! Will keep posted on her progress. I made a little web page for her and you can check out here:
http://www.chefjeffonthe.net/elmo/index.html

That was unusual...

2009-05-01T21:41:00.002-04:00

I put in a good little walk tonight; 3.25 miles but I did not feel like doing this at all. I will explain at the the end of this posting. While walking, I came upon another lady waking part of my same route. This happens quite a bit but I noticed she was wearing flip flops and smoking a cigarette (Maybe she is just out for a stroll? Not exercising.).

I said to her, "Good evening and hope you are well".

She replied, "Doing OK. Do you walk alot? I used to and lost 40 pounds but I took a year off and gained it all back."

"Yes, I walk very much, this is my third time going up this hill (of death as my wife calls it). It is really tough getting back into it so hang in there and good luck".

On a sad note: My dog is not pregnant. She has ovarian cancer and had major surgery yesterday. I may talk about this some other time but she is doing OK for now; we are hoping for the best. I was up for most of last night in case she needed me. I am so tired today and that is why I did not want to exercise. I did it and am happy for that!

Weigh in tomorrow morning.

Going Main Stream

2009-04-28T22:56:00.000-04:00

When you are extremely obese, there is no task more daunting that going shopping for clothes. I have never enjoyed this part of life; especially for the past 20 years. I have been limited to shopping in "big & tall" stores which have an extremely limited selection of clothes to select from, plus these products are very expensive, often costing double or more than a comparable item at a main stream retail store. Often these clothes are made poorly and just do not last very long, sometimes not even lasting through a first wear and wash. Even if I could find an article of clothing which could slightly fit from a big box store, it was never right fitting and would just end up in a drawer or as a donation to the needy. I have just dealt with all of this for years and years, just accepting what was given to me; sad about this most all of the time.

This past weekend, I was actually able to shop in a main stream, big box store; picking up some nice fitting clothes at really great sale prices. I would estimate that I saved over $100 on 5 individual pieces. In a B&T store, they would cost over $150 total and I estimate I spent in the area of $45. That is pretty substantial. On pair of dress pants is way to small for me right now, a 46 waist, so I am thinking of these as a short term goal pant and will try them on again in a month or two.

Even though I have not been logging my calories and exercise on a regular basis, I am still keeping tabs on what I am doing each day; a few slip ups here and there but still staying on plan. Since I have been working with my personal trainer, I have seen dramatic improvement in my physical performance. I am no where close to being a top, world class athlete but I am making serious strides each and every day. I do weigh in this Saturday.

Still on puppy watch! We are expecting puppies to be born any day now!!

Puppies and a steady loss

2009-04-18T22:05:00.001-04:00

Weighed in this morning and had another loss; right around 3 pounds making my total now 107 pounds. I know if I buckle down more with my eating, I can have bigger losses but I can not complain about a 1 pound a week loss. Still thinking about weighing each week, or once a month.

So we knew that something was up with our dog, Maybe she was just gaining a little weight and getting fluffy? We took her to the vet this morning and, not sick or ill; she is pregnant! Puppies on the way! YIKES! We have no idea who the father is but we suspect this happened at doggy day care. Much work ahead of us!! Will keep posted on how she and the puppies progress.

You can go with this; You can go with that...

2009-04-17T22:40:00.000-04:00

The scale is not the only measure of weight loss progress but it is probably the most common measure of how we keep track of what we do each day. This creates the problem of frustration because of daily fluctuations and this leads to stopping the plan. "I give up!"

When I started all of this back in August, I decided to weigh myself every other week thinking this would eliminate all of the frustrations of jumping on the scale each day and it really worked. It does seem now I have begun to level off and am currently averaging about 1 pound per week loss. Nice and slow is the way to go but I like everyone else want more. The big question is, should I continue to weigh every 2 weeks, start weighing every week, or cut back and only weigh once a month? I feel that if I cut back to once a month, I might only work really hard the week before I weigh. If I begin to weigh every week, I might try and stay more focused and work hard every week.

There really is more to losing weight than just exercise and eating healthy. There is a gigantic psychological element to this whole equation and many people will not accept this or just have not thought about it. There is the power of positive thinking, attitude adjustment, changing the way we think, stress and pressure of every day life, living up to expectations of ourselves and others. All of this coming down on our shoulders can really put us in a bad place, moving down a destructive path. I think rocket science is easier!!

Two years ago, I accidentally purchased a size 2X pair of pants along with the size 6X I was wearing at the time. I really thought I would never be able to get into those things. I tried them on a few weeks ago and not even close but... this morning, I could get them on, buttoned and zipped! Tight, yes, but one more success to be excited about!

This is going to be brutal...

2009-04-14T22:54:00.000-04:00

If you do not like people who beat themselves up, or are very hard on themselves, then you need to just turn and look away because this is not going to be very pretty! Just pardon my pity party for just a little while, this will be over soon!

I have really not had a very good few days of eating! I can not really say it has been horrible but it surely has not been good. I am really trying hard not to fall back into old eating habits. If I could put this into more simple terms; Easter candy has really screwed up my week so far! Last week was ok and just ok as far as eating goes. This week, starting on Saturday night was just a down hill avalanche of failed will and determination; I gave into the candy.

Work has become just a big ball of stress and everyone is on edge. Maybe things will calm down soon but it feel like an atomic bomb waiting to be unleashed. I am not one for excuses and I actually hate them. It is my own fault and I need to accept the responsibility for my actions!

Tomorrow is a brand new day and a new beginning! I am getting tired of saying that, because the only person I am fooling is myself! It really is time for a new beginning and I am the only person that can make that happen! I can come way too far to turn back, fall into old lack of habits, and start putting weight back on.

Note to instigators: Please stop trying to feed my sugar and other bad foods! I am really trying hard to make the right decisions and it is so hard to do with sugary stuff around. I am now convinced that sugar is just about the root of all evil!

How many steps? Part II

2009-04-09T22:00:00.001-04:00

Sunday: 11,000 Steps
Monday: 18,400 Steps
Tuesday: 7,000 Steps
In addition, we were on our feet for 14 hours on Monday and 14 hours on Tuesday.

With all of this said, this week has not been a great week for eating. Really did not eat very much on Monday and Tuesday. I over ate a bit yesterday and today. This has really been a roller coaster of a week for sure. It has really taken me 2 days to just start feeling better; I have not really exercised in a formal way this week. When will my "normal" schedule come back to my life? Next week will be a better week!

How many steps?

2009-04-05T19:28:00.001-04:00

We are getting ready for a food show and I was curious about how many steps I will take over the next three days. The facility where the show is at is quite large and we usually do plenty of walking over the days it takes to set up and put on an event like this. Although I do not really consider this exercise, it is still a bunch of moving around. I walked over 11,000 steps today alone. Might double that tomorrow and Tuesday. A pedometer is a pretty cool little gadget to help keep track of stuff like this. How many steps do you take in a day?

I had another loss this period, 2.88 pounds. Maybe I am starting to level out or just have not paid as much attention to my caloric intake. I have been hitting the exercise nice and hard and taking some great physical steps thanks to the trainer I have been working with, and even though it has only been a week, I can really feel some changes in the way my body is performing. Eating for the next two days will be horrible; either I will eat too much junk (but the gum will help out with this!) or will just not have enough time to eat (I tend to forget to eat when I am very busy) and neither situation is a good one to be in. This food show will be behind me soon and hopefully will be able to get back to my just about semi normal schedule.

Arming yourself with the best weight loss tool...

2009-03-26T22:48:00.001-04:00

After everything I have gone through over the past seven months, I can say with confidence that knowledge is your best weapon for losing weight! Yes, you have to eat right, exercise, get plenty of sleep, drink tons of water, yadda yadda yadda, but all of that is for nothing if you do not have a comprehensive understanding of nutrition and how the foods you eat affect your body.

Yesterday on a major morning news show, they were talking about sugar and high fructose corn syrup and which one is better or worse to eat. The nutritionist recommended not more than 35 grams of either a day and this confused my wife and she asked, "how does a person know how much to eat of any given food like sugar?" Really, this is one of the most confusing and frustrating things any person has to decipher; you almost need to have a science degree. I think a good starting place is MyPyramid.com; but is this site alone enough? You can talk with your doctor about nutritional issues but he/she will probably end up sending you to a nutritionist.

To complicate this issue even more; a recent report shows that the fresh vegetables we are eating today have half the nutritional value of the same vegetables just 30 years ago. I am sure there are many reasons why this has happened, but top of the list is the use of fertilizers and chemicals which help promote plant growth. Years ago, farmers gave their crops plenty of room to grow and today, the plants are crowded together for more profit per acre. More plants in less space with more chemicals equals a less nutritionally valuable consumable product.

THIS IS NO EXCUSE TO STOP EATING YOU VEGGIES!!!

Arm yourself with the knowledge to make better choices and decisions. This is really hard to do but you are the only person who can make this happen.

Taking it to another level...

2009-03-23T22:31:00.002-04:00

Through this last seven months of my life, I have been a big advocate for asking for help from friends and family. I really believe that you can not make a journey like with out support. On the other side, I have fought the idea of going to gyms and signing up for services which are expensive and sometimes can just be wasted. I am at the point where I need more help and I asked for it and am starting a new chapter this Saturday. I am starting to work with a personal trainer.

I really have no reservations about this; I believe this is help I really need and with this help, I am going to be able to reach some major health goals, many which I do not even know yet. Looking forward to sharing more as things progress!

I did weigh in this past Saturday and lost 1 pound over the past two weeks. Not a big loss but it is still a loss. I have been exercising really good the past few weeks. I walked almost 5 miles this past Saturday and am still feeling the effects tonight, but it is a good feeling. Things are going to get interesting from here and am really looking forward to the next few months!

Back in the game!

2009-03-17T21:53:00.001-04:00

Has been a decent time over the past few weeks with exercise and eating has been pretty good. My leg is feeling great and I am actually running up the stairs at work for a change. Am really looking forward to the weather breaking and getting warmer. I have set some short term goals for walking and I want to get on this as soon as possible. I hope to walk 6 miles soon. I have the route all mapped out; am ready to get going!

I have tried something a little different and probably dangerous these past few weeks. I have not been logging my foods and journal here. It is more of an experiment than anything. I know for a fact that I have been eating more than my daily goal of 1,600 calories; probably in the 2,000 range. This could back fire on me for sure but this is a chance and experiment I am willing to take. I may not post a gain this Saturday but I was expecting that this past weigh in. It just does not matter because I am moving now and still trying to make excellent eating decisions.

I had to break down and buy new cloths this past weekend. I purchased 4 new pair of pants. Maybe this does not seem like a big deal to some but it really is a big deal. The sizes were a 54 inch waist (3X) and this is down from a estimated and probable 62 or 64 inch waist (6X). I have such a long way to go but I have come so very far.

I am out of town the next two days but I always get excited about this trip baecause I get to use the tread mill and elliptical trainer. I think I am going to bring my swim suit and hit the pool also. Am really going to push it good while I am away. I have really been tossing around the idea of going to a gym or working with a personal trainer. I feel that I am getting to the point where I need some extra help with my workouts and accountability.

I hope to get back to my food journal next week and blogging more of a regular basis!!

Loss: 7.56 Pounds, -100 POUNDS!

2009-03-07T11:11:00.000-05:00

What a really unexpected surprise today! I have now lost 100 pounds in just over 6 months! This was really unexpected considering what I have been doing and going through the past three weeks. I do not know if the loss is contributed to being sick, not exercising and losing muscle mass, or the old metabolism is just working better, or a combination of all, I am happy this point has finally been reached. Believe me when I say this; I would rather see a loss like this when I have been working really hard than not. I think a situation like this could really make a person lazy knowing they did not put forth the real effort and still seeing results.

This is not about losing weight, this is about living a healthier life and becoming a healthier person! Time for a walk!

Walk and Weigh

2009-03-06T21:47:00.001-05:00

I walked tonight to test out the ol' left calf and it felt pretty good. It is surely not 100% but it did feel pretty good. I think this is going to take some time to really heal up. I think walking for now is going to be about the best thing I can do for my leg. I am really hoping the weather holds nice and warm like today!

I am weighing in tomorrow morning. I have no idea what to expect other than a gain. It really does not matter; I am in this for the health benefits and long term well being! I got a great compliment today from an associate which works at a local hotel. She had not seen me in a while and commented on how much weight I have lost recently. Another co-worker commented on how my I have lost in my face in just a few short weeks. These are the things that really matter, not what the scale tells you each morning!

God Bless Sugar Free Gum!

2009-03-05T22:09:00.001-05:00

Our dessert show concluded today and I am very glad this two week period is just about over with; I have traveled to many miles and seen way to much chocolate and sweets! The temptation was incredible but there was one little weapon of choice to help fend off the multitude of temptations, gum!

When I was a young lad of 15, I was working in an Italian restaurant and really packed on the pounds. I went on a "diet" and chewed gum to help combat the consistent tasting and snacking at the restaurant. I fell back on this inspiration this week and chewed gum to prevent the available tasty morsels jumping into my mouth. This really works, then and now!

So I have not exercised in two weeks, but my eating has been pretty good for the most part. I will weigh in on Saturday morning but with the only expectation of having the first gain of this new period in my life. I know it is coming at some point and it is ok! My left calf finally feels better and I am still fighting off this flu but I feel ready to get back to work and begin exercising again. I am ready to start logging my food intake again; I have not done this in a while.It has been a crazy few weeks and I am ready for normal again; and I could care less if I ever see a piece of cheesecake, drop of chocolate, or glop of caramel again!

6 Months Later...

2009-02-26T21:46:00.000-05:00

What a struggle this past month has been. There has been success and a few let downs for me but I am happy to say I have made it to the 6 month mark of my journey. I am 92 pounds lighter, physically stronger, and becoming a much healthier man along the way. I know the next 6 months is going to be very challenging and exciting as well and I am looking forward to what is in front of me.

I have been dealing with a pretty bad pulled calf muscle, now have the flu, I am on the road a bunch these days, and what does all of this mean? Just excuses and that is all. I really hate being hurt and down like all of this (I know I really sound like a whiner). Today is the first day my calf has felt half way better in a whole week. I feel really bad not exercising during this time, but I really feel if I do not give this the rest it needs, it will never heal up properly and you know that would not be a good thing.

To top all of this off, I have been dealing with one of the greatest temptations this week and next. I am part of a dessert seminar for our customers across the Commonwealth of Virginia, and I have been around a bountiful variety of desserts for 4 days straight. Imagine 10 different cheese cakes, mousse abound, cake galore, pastries and sauce as far as the eye can see. Did I mention the chocolate?? Honestly, I have sampled a nibble here and there but I have abstained for the most part. I can say this has been really really difficult! It is just too easy being around all of this stuff. One more week of these seminars and I could care less if I ever see a chocolate nib or creme anglaise ever again. HELP!

I am out of town again for the next two days. I need a vacation!

OOps, I did it again

2009-02-20T21:58:00.000-05:00

Yes, I re-strained my left calf!! Was playing basketball tonight with some guys from work and bang, I really did a number on it. I have already iced down and am trying to take care but I am in some pretty serious pain. I hate to think about tomorrow morning. The thought of not being able to really work out with intensity is daunting so I will rest this for a few days and start back real slow; concentrate on upper body training for the time being.

I was a trooper tonight and shot baskets just about the whole hour and a half. I could not run but I did not relent, but probably should have. The whole time, I was thinking about the shape I was in 6 months ago and there would of been NO way I could of done with I did tonight. It was really awesome and fun, even with the leg failing me.

Daily Struggles and Mental Blocks

2009-02-19T22:26:00.000-05:00

Things have been ok so far this week. I have been on the road so much recently, it is hard just to catch your breath. I re-aggravated my pulled muscle this past Monday night so I took Tuesday and Wednesday off which was a bummer but it is all good. I was able to work it out pretty good tonight with out any problems at all. Tomorrow after work, a group of us are going to play basketball, something I have not done in years and years! This is supposed to be non-competitive, just for fun and exercise so I am hoping for a really great workout!

So many people have commenting on my progress and what I am doing and for the past two weeks, and I have just not been motivated at all. If they only knew what is going on in my little mind right now. I am still trying my best to keep up with my plan but every day seems a struggle. I really have this mental block going on right now and there is NO reason for this at all. I hope to be out of this funk soon because this is no fun at all. I guess the best thing I can really say is that I have not given in to the temptation of fast food! I was driving late the other night and felt I needed a pick-me-up so I got a diet coke. It was so sickening sweet, I could not even drink it. It would be so easy to pull into a fast food place while on the road. Not going to even entertain that option!

Loss: 4.44 Pounds

2009-02-14T11:00:00.001-05:00

Had a better than expected loss for this two weeks of 4.44 pounds. This past two weeks has been really tough but that is really no excuse. I have been on the road much putting many miles on my car. My motivation has been less than great but I am still hanging in there. My left calf is feeling much better; I am now on my fourth day of rest and may try walking later this afternoon; just going to wait and see how it feels as the day goes on.

I have not had the opportunity to journal my food intake this week as much as I like although my eating has not been terrible. Skipping meals is probably the worst thing I have done all week. Am just 8.5 pounds away from the -100 mark and was hoping to hit this but next weigh in. Do not think it will happen; just too much to take off in two weeks. I think losing almost 100 pounds in 6 months is a pretty good accomplishment!!

Happy Valentines Day to everyone out there! I hope you have a day full of love and romance with your special person!!

Over Did It??

2009-02-10T21:11:00.000-05:00

It feels like I have been really pushing my body the past few days and maybe I messed up and over did it? Tonight on the step, I felt a really nice pop in my left calf. It really killed for a while and am afraid this is going to curtail what I am trying to do this week. I iced it down and am hoping for the best. I really do not want to take off tomorrow; Thursday is going to be a 20 hour work day with little time for anything other than just work. I hate injuries!! It is amazing that I have not really hurt myself like this over the past 6 months. I did have one little scare at one point and I am not saying that this is really serious but it really is uncomfortable.

Poor Body Image

2009-02-09T21:17:00.001-05:00

Maybe I am just going through a grumpy phase right now but I just do not feel good about anything I am doing and the way I look. I exercised on the aerobic step for 75 minutes straight tonight and do not really know how I feel about it. Saturday, we were shopping in a department store for some new cloths and nothing was appealing at all, plus I kept seeing my self in mirrors and just hated what I was seeing. All of this is surely a result of a very poor body image and I do not really know what to do about it. Like I said, I think this is a phase.

Even though I have pushed myself pretty hard over the past couple of weeks, I am not confident about weigh in on Saturday. I have not paid strict attention to my calories consumed over the past two weekends (thank you Super Bowl) but it has not been terrible either. It is all good and it will be what it will be, so why be worried? I am really not, but I do feel I need to buckle down and pay more attention to what I am doing!

Exercise and Hunger

2009-02-04T20:47:00.000-05:00

The last time I went on a "diet" and exercise binge, about 5 years ago, something strange started to happen to me; the more I exercised, the hungrier I started to become and this hunger dramatically increased the more I exercised. I am starting to see this happen again.

I am pondering this and thinking that I should not dramatically increase the exercise I am doing and just maintain this current pace. I really wonder how these people on The Biggest Loser control their hunger after exercising 5 or more hours each day.

Tonight, I did 30 minutes on the treadmill and 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. I had not done that in a long long time and it felt pretty good. Am going to see how I feel in the morning and maybe try and do it again.

What a crazy week...

2009-02-03T21:17:00.001-05:00

and it is only Tuesday!

The cooking class on Saturday went great!! Excellent turn out and I think fun was had by all. I did not eat much all that day so that was not good.

Super Bowl Sunday: Need I say more?? I exercised double that day and I was feeling it. Eating was not good at all. I had pizza, wings, and beer. I am over it and never even stressed. It is behind me but I really felt like crap on Monday.

Eating on Monday was ok and nutrition packed. I exercised for 45 minutes on the step but it was rough from double duty on Sunday. It took all I could give just to move.

Today, I did not eat any lunch. I was on the road and had no time at all to stop and eat anything. I really hate days like this! I ate a big dinner which is not good but it all ended up ok.

So I am out of town for the next couple of days and the place I am going has an exercise facility so I will get some great time on the treadmill. Have not done that in a long time. Will be really glad when this week is over!

A day early weigh in: -5 pounds.

2009-01-30T18:59:00.002-05:00

I weighed in early this week; am teaching a cooking class tomorrow morning so I will not be able to get to the scales. I dropped 5 pounds over the past two week and that is pretty cool. Just 2.5 pounds shy of the 90 pound mark; I have now lost 20% of my self.

Eating has been horrible today in the sense that I have barely eaten. I am hungry so am going to eat something healthy for dinner tonight. It is going to be a really fun morning tomorrow!

The Slippery Slope...

2009-01-27T21:31:00.000-05:00

When a person is trying to change their life like me, there is always a possibility that something can happen and derail everything. If you do not admit this, you are fooling yourself. I have been on the roller coaster my whole life, losing and gaining back over and over. This time for me is no different; there is a true and real danger that I can slip up, make wrong decisions, and the weight will start to come back on. My friend Pete addressed this in his last blog post and it really got me thinking about this possibility.

These past two weeks have not been the greatest for eating. Not that I have gone and thrown everything away, but I really have not paid as much attention to what I have been putting in my body. I am still drinking water exclusively other that hot green tea in the evenings. There are still little slip ups here and there. I look at the calories I consumed today and it was not terrible but it surely could of been better. I guess the best part of all this is that I really am making an effort to lead and live a healthier life! It is hard and it is tough. There is NO magic pill, NO easy solution; there is only commitment and hard work. It will pay off!

"You can never have any more fun!"

2009-01-24T13:38:00.001-05:00

Recently, a comment was made to me about my weight loss efforts: "You can never have any more fun!". Not that I minded hearing that; I really just thought how wrong of a statement that was. The plain and simple fact is that once a week, I pretty much eat what ever I want. I am not trying to sabotage any efforts I put into eating healthy; it has more to do with taking a break from daily rituals and living my life. I am not trying to "loss weight" through this whole process; I am trying to make healthier choices and lead a healthier life style. A sustained and healthy weight loss by most medical professionals is 1 or 2 pounds a week. At that rate, a person can lose 52 to 104 pounds a year and that is nothing to take lightly. My current weekly average is 4 pounds a week so I am way far ahead of the game.

I do not eat as much as I want on my free day but I do partake in normal dining with out regard to calories and fat. As a matter of fact, I can do this every day if I wish, but I will suffer the consequences of my actions so I choose to make better decisions on a daily basis. It is a good thing to have some fun from time to time!

Good Things...

2009-01-20T22:22:00.001-05:00

I have not blogged much lately, mainly because of time and really have not had much to say. Was excited about my loss over the past couple of weeks and hope to continue this trend. That would be a good thing after a month of not much going on in the weight loss arena. There are good things going on!

I am no longer limited to shopping a the "big and tall" store. Not saying that I can go and shop for cloths anywhere but my options are expanding for new cloths. Right now, I am wearing a size 2X tee shirt which I really thought I would never be able to fit into. It is getting to the point where I need to start buying new cloths, but I am not ready for this yet. It will still be a little while before I drop that hammer; but it will not be long.

Am getting more and more comments every day about what I am accomplishing. A lady we go to church with, but had not been in several months almost did not recognize me this past Sunday. I think that sounds a little more dramatic than it actually is but still was nice to hear. Hard work pays off! Life is pretty good right now.

Loss: 8.5 pounds, Total: 82.69 pounds

2009-01-17T11:05:00.001-05:00

Pretty big loss for this two weeks, 8.5 pounds. Am now over the 80 pounds make and moving closer and closer to the 100 pound mark, half way to goal. Estimated time to reach this point will be 6 weeks. Am very excited about my progress so far! I will take/post another progress picture at 330 pounds.

That is what you get...

2009-01-16T21:32:00.000-05:00

I have had a long couple of days. This morning started particularly early which is no big deal but, when I cook like today, I tend not to eat. Maybe some of it is forgetting because of being so busy and the other part is I just lose my appetite. Thus, when I got home from work tonight, I was starving and ate a bunch of pasta. Not as much as I used too but still a good portion. Luckily, I stayed under my calorie goal for the day which is a great thing.

Weigh in tomorrow morning! Once again expecting nothing to really happen. I feel like there will be a loss, maybe 2 or 3 pounds which would be just awesome! My problem in the morning is going to be the cold weather! There are areas out there which will be and are much colder than here in little ol' Southwest, Virginia but 0 degrees is brrrr! I usually wear a tee shirt and shorts but not tomorrow morning. I will figure all of this out. Be sure to check back tomorrow afternoon to see what happens.

Just another note: My companies office has started a "Biggest Loser" competition. Only if they could of started this 5 months ago!! Do not forget the cooking class on January 31.

Accounting for everything and a cooking class

2009-01-15T22:27:00.000-05:00

Do you keep track and count everything you put into your boday each day? I can honestly say I do not, but I really try. Sometimes, being a chef really make this healthy eating lifestyle really ( and I mean really) hard! I cooked many different things today in preparation for a food fair tomorrow and had some tasting to do. I tried to keep all tastes very small but it is really hard keeping track of each and every little bite. Yesterday, I "had" to eat prime steak for lunch (I know, boo hoo Jeff) and it was great, but really was not where I wanted to be. Luckily I was in a place where I did not have to eat a lot, but I could of really gone to town!

On January 31, I will be teaching a cooking class at the church I attend, focusing on building flavor while trying to make healthy food choices. The cost of the class is free, but donations are welcome to help me cover the cost of food. Class starts at 10:00 am and will run about 3 hours. All are welcome so if you are in the Roanoke area and would like to attend, email me at chefbland@yahoo.com so I will be able to plan out how much information to prepare and food to buy. Hope to see you there. I guess you will need address and stuff like that as well.

Do you believe everything you read?

2009-01-12T20:59:00.001-05:00

I hear a lot of stuff in my travels and sometimes it is really hard to believe some of the things you hear, and maybe some of it is true, I often wonder how much is really true or accurate. I myself talk about many different things here yet, how would you know if what I am saying is true or accurate? I am not a health care professional and I always recommend anyone venturing on a "diet" or exercise and healthy eating plan consult with you doctor before you begin; you do need to do this!
This all comes about from something I heard about green tea (which I am drinking a cup as I write this) and it's ability to burn extra calories by reeving up metabolism. Is this really true? Just because some one writes it; does it really make it true? I do not believe there is harm in drinking a few cups of green tea each day but how many calories does green tea actually burn, if it really does burn calories? Here is one story about it: http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/green-tea-metabolism.html

Cheers!

Or not feeling better...

2009-01-08T19:50:00.000-05:00

Thought I was on the road to recovery, last night but boy was it a rough night; up and down, in and out of the bathroom. I would love to weigh myself right now, I might have lost 20 pounds (if you know what I mean). OK, no more bathroom humor!! But I do feel pretty bad right now. I am hoping this will be gone by tomorrow; I am tired and have a long day and weekend coming up.

My body is just craving exercise right now and I want to get downstairs and just do it. But I am a bit weak and am worried about dehydration. Sometimes, this stuff is nothing to take lightly. Will see how tomorrow goes.

Feeling better...

2009-01-07T20:47:00.001-05:00

Thank goodness I am feeling better today. I am not 100% but I do feel much better so I chose not to exercise tonight. My body has really felt rough the past two days. I do not know if exercising 72 minutes one day and 67 minutes the very next day had anything to do with this but wow, there were some pretty sore joints and muscles here! Will see how I am feeling tomorrow before I make a decision about exercise tomorrow.

I am getting way too much media exposure lately! Check out this article about venison. I have a couple of recipes posted along with the article.
http://www.roanoke.com/entertainment/insideout/eat/wb/xp-index

Should be a while before you hear anything else from me on being in the spot light!! Now, tonight is about resting and healing so I can get back to exercise business! Eating is still great and on track!

Under the weather

2009-01-06T19:55:00.000-05:00

Feeling a bit under the weather today; and to top it off, hurt my leg a little bit last night while exercising. Will be back into it soon; I worked it out really hard to past two days. Should start feeling better soon!!

Sometimes, it is the small things that really matter...

2009-01-03T13:26:00.002-05:00

I was prepared to weigh in today and see a gain on the scales! Over the past two weeks, I had not exercised as much as usual and I did partake in some extracurricular eating with out going over board. If I could of maintained, that would of been more than excellent so when my little print out appeared, I actually lost 7 ounces (not pounds) over the past two weeks. Even though that sounds very small, it did put me past the 74 pound make and there was no gain. I am very happy today!

It feels good to be back into the swing of things. This is a point in my journey where I am vulnerable to making mistakes like, "It is OK to eat a little bit more of this or that", or, "I do not have to exercise today", and these ideas are just not acceptable. If anything, it is buckle down time; work harder, move faster, go longer, and focus on living this healthy new life. I think the key word there is "living"! Have a great weekend!

Long Work Out

2009-01-02T20:52:00.001-05:00

I did 72 minutes on the aerobic step tonight; a long 72 minutes! After everything said and done, feel pretty good! No bad for a fat guy who could barely walk 4 months ago. Weigh in tomorrow and I have little hope for a loss, would be happy if I just maintain, and if there happens to be a loss, I would be beyond happy!!

A local tv station reporter and camera dude stopped by my house today and we had a conversation and I cooked them lunch. It was about my weight loss efforts so far and the fact that I am a chef and struggle with being around great food every day. You can check out the story here: http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/category.asp?C=97140 and click on "local chef" towards the bottom.

Stop by tomorrow afternoon and check out what happens at the weigh in.

Welcome 2009

2009-01-01T22:45:00.000-05:00

Out with the old and in with the new; is a time for reflection and a time for change. A new way of thinking is at our finger tips and it is up to us to seize the opportunity to make a change and do things a little differently. Albert Einstein said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time." Norman Vincent Peale said, "Change your thoughts and you change your world." I think this is why diets do not work.

We have lived our lives setting our selves up for failure by being on diets. When diets fail, we get disappointed in our selves and resort back to old habits and ways. If we can change the way we think about this and concentrate on health, wellness, and positive efforts and decisions each day, and stop worrying about pounds, weight loss, and the diet flavor of the month, we really can change our world! Here is to great health in 2009! Cheers!

Happy New Year

2008-12-30T21:06:00.001-05:00

One more holiday night to get through but I am going to try and eat as conservatively as possible. It is hard to make all of this work when you have a spouse who does not understand and does not get what I am trying to do (bless her heart). Exercise was very good tonight. Did not really want to do an hour but I did and after all is said and done, felt good.

I was on tv again this past Sunday. Click o the link to check it out.
http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/category.asp?C=59666

I may not have time to write tomorrow night so please have a great New Year's celebration! Please be careful no matter what you do! Peace!

My New Year's Resolution

2008-12-29T22:04:00.001-05:00

Is not to have any resolutions! Maybe that sounds a little silly but I hate that ritual. Statistics show very few people actually stick with what they say when it comes to these promises so I do not even bother. I am going to continue to try and make better, healthier choices when it comes to eating, and continue to exercise and work to improve my over all health. This is not a promise for a short period of time, this is a commitment for the rest of my life. I think it is more important than a wish on New Year's Day. (With that said, if you want to make a resolution, please feel free; I do not want to be a party pooper or kill-joy and take away any fun from others!)

Had a decent day of eating and a great exercise session. I got a new music/exercise CD to bop around to and it is a great change of pace. Music is a great motivational tool and changing it up is a necessary thing. I know this because I listened to the same CD for the last 4 months, over and over, and it was getting to the point that I wanted to poke my eyes out with an ice pick! Or I could probably sing just about every song word for word (not a pretty thought!) That feeling has passed now and it is great to have this change. The pace is much more intense so I am moving it a bit harder now!!

No hope for weight loss this Saturday but I am going to weigh in anyway. It is a new year and a new beginning!

After the excitement of the holidays...

2008-12-26T19:15:00.000-05:00

I know it is tough trying to eat healthy and make right decisions during the holiday season; I have faced this challenge again this year. Christmas Eve was actually more of a challenge than Christmas day but I think I muddled though it all with out wrecking my plan to the extreme. I took a couple of days off from exercise and that might be the biggest killer of everything but I am still ok and happy with the way everything has fallen in place. Back on track today with pretty good eating and exercise as well. My hopes for a loss at the next weigh in may not be high but I am looking towards the next few months and working hard to reach the 100 pound loss mark.

I am still struggling with the boredom of exercise and am looking towards warmer weather so I can get back on the road and start walking again. May have a chance to get a good walk in tomorrow!

Tis the Season

2008-12-22T22:29:00.000-05:00

Was really tough working out tonight. Just had no energy and every step was an effort. My eating over the weekend was not the best but not terrible horrible. I did eat some sweets yesterday and that is just tough on my body. Looking ahead this week: eating outlook is not going to be all that great. After all, it is that time of the year. We will muddle through this and be back on track soon. I do not have a free ticket to eat anything and everything I want! When possible, I am going to watch what I am putting in my mouth. Still going to enjoy myself and the gifts Christmas and New Years brings to the heart and world.

I will keep on going and hope you will also. I have that 100 pound mark in my sights and am going to reach this soon!!

Loss: 4.69 Pounds

2008-12-20T16:51:00.001-05:00

Pretty good when expecting to lose nothing at all or even have a gain! Now down 73.75 pounds total and looking for even more.

I have become a fan of "The Biggest Loser" television show but read something last night that explains a bit about how it works. The contestants work out for hours and hours each day. I guess they need to do that since they are kind of confined. Imagine the staff and trainers working with each of them every day. For us regular people, who has time to work out for hours each day?? Maybe that is just an excuse but I find it hard to fit in a whole hour, 5 days a week. Close to 75 pounds for me personally in 4 months is a pretty good accomplishment.

I want that 100# mark real bad now!

Curves in all of the right places.

2008-12-19T21:41:00.000-05:00

Now that I have your attention, this is not what it seems. I am talking about "Curves", the exercise business. I commented last night that I do not have a gym or place of exercise close by and I think this is a pretty big thing. If a person has to drive 20 minutes or more to a gym or YMCA, they would be less likely to stick with it. As I was stepping around tonight, was thinking about Curves and how there seems to be one on every corner (not really but they are everywhere) and that must be a really great thing for people who can utilize this type of facility.

Weigh in tomorrow with no expectations, other than I will have gained weight or lost weight, or even stay the same. Not stressing at all; it will be what it is!

Getting Bored

2008-12-18T22:53:00.000-05:00

Am getting tired of doing the same old over and over now. I wish it was warmer and not raining so I could walk more. Am thinking about trying some yoga or core exercise. Have never dabbled in these things and do not really know how to get started. I guess the beginning is always a good place to start. I just really need a change of scenery. So not want to join a gym at this point. That has never worked out for me and hate to try it again. There is no place convenient to where I live, and I do think that is very important!! Investing in a treadmill, bike, or other type of cloths hanging device (that was a joke!) is not an option right now either. Time to check out some videos from the library!!

Biggest Loser

2008-12-17T21:44:00.002-05:00

The finals of The Biggest Loser was last night and the person I thought would win did. Amazing to see the results from all of the people who participated. Will be interesting to see where they are in a year. I hope they all stick with what they have done.

It really seems easy to slip back into old habits and I think that is why diets DO NOT WORK. I was really ready to give up last weekend; just throw in the towel. I feel like I am back on track this week. Even though I have a very long way to go, I have still made some great progress and knowing that a slow weight loss is much better than very fast is some comfort. It is not about getting there quickly, it is about the journey, the choices I make, choosing nutrient packed food when ever possible, and enjoying each and every day to the fullest!

Trying to get back on track, and attitude

2008-12-15T19:50:00.001-05:00

One thing I am learning as I continue this path, things just get tougher and tougher. If I do not stay focused and blog, log calories, and keep my self in check using these tools around me, I fall into old habits very quickly. Not saying that the weekend was horrible as far as eating goes, but it sure could of been better. I did not exercise as much as I hoped either.

Recently, I was thinking about my daily calorie consumption and if I should up my current calorie average from 1,200 to 1,600 and this does not seem to be working for me. I seem to function better on less calories. When I try to eat the 1,600, it seems I tend to go over that mark easily. So for now, am going to try and get back on track and eat what I am comfortable with, right or wrong.

Not expecting big things this weekends weigh in. Might be lucky if I hold steady! I am really trying to keep a better attitude!

Rough Week

2008-12-12T23:12:00.000-05:00

Kind of a rough week for me but really no big deal. Today was not a good eating day so I switched it up and took the day off from everything and tomorrow, will try and eat better and exercise. Did spend an hour picking up trash on a highway, part of an "Adopt a Highway" group at my work. That was a pretty good workout itself.

Yes, I did eat junk today! I knew it was going to be trouble but I gave in, but not as bad as it could of been. We did a sampling of food items at my place of employment, and for the most part I just took small bites and tastes of things. Still ate some pretty crappy things! This was really the first time in almost 4 months I gave into temptation.

One thing I am not going to do is let this get me down. This would of been devastating in years past and would of just given up. Given the time of year, that would be a VERY easy thing to do. Not this time. I am on the right path!

Loss: 6.81#

2008-12-06T13:14:00.000-05:00

Loss for the last 2 weeks: 6.81# for a grand total of 69.06 pounds since the last of August. Was kind of hoping for a few more pounds but this is a great number! Just a little ahead of pace. 6 more pounds and I will hit my end of year goal of 75. I really (REALLY) need to commit to eating more calories. I need to be no less than 1,500 a day and I have averaged 1,292 calories a day for the past couple of weeks. There are few days in there where I have eaten 1,000 or less and that is not good at all.

The next 2 weeks are going to be extremely busy but I am committed to keeping on track. Will be away on business for 4 days, have a few parties to attend and work; time is just going to be crunched and tight.

Keep on going and never stop!

2008-12-05T22:40:00.001-05:00

I have been thinking about the science and biology behind losing weight and a few questions have come to mind:

1. As you lose weight, what happens to the fat that is lost? Where does it go?
2. (This question arises from another bloggers post) If the body requires an additional 1 mile of blood vessels for every pound of fat, what happens to the vessels once fat is lost?
3. If you exercise, how long before you see results on the scale from that exercise session?

Some of these questions come from watching "The Biggest Loser" and some from my own experience as well. I guess the point I am getting at is this: Is it more beneficial to exercise really hard the day before you weigh yourself or would it actually be more beneficial to exercise really hard 2 or 3 days before the weigh-in? What about exercising really hard the day of, or right before a weigh-in? Is there an effect on results? On TBL, they have a last chance workout before the weekly weigh-in and I am just wondering when that workout happens? For all I know, the hard workout could happen that very same morning as the weigh-in.

So, I am weighing in tomorrow morning and am hoping for good things. I had thought about working out in the morning, and I really pushed myself hard tonight (plus I really ate very little today which is bad). I am not going to work out in the morning just because that is the normal day I rest, plus my arms and legs are yelling at me right this moment. Check in tomorrow afternoon and see what happens.

College Lunch

2008-12-03T21:34:00.000-05:00

Had the experience of attending lunch today at a local college and it was very interesting. Like most educational food service facilities, this was an all-you-can-eat situation and it is no wonder so many young adults in college gain weight. There is no attention to portion size and there is a free-for-all when it comes to soda, desserts (ice cream machines particular), and other unhealthy foods. There was an abundance of fruit and a salad bar but I did not see much action at those areas.

Was very interested in seeing the portion sizes the kids piled on their plates. I know I used to be there doing the exact same thing and more and look where that got me. Seems there could be another way.

No exercise today. My bones needed a rest!

How and What?

2008-12-01T21:04:00.001-05:00

How can a person get to the point in their life that they weigh 430 pounds? How could someone let this happen to themselves? It happened to me and looking back, it is an easy and hard question to answer. Easy because I did not look after myself and maybe did not even care. I did not exercise and did not care about what I ate and this abuse has taken it's toll on my body.

What if I am too late? This is not something that just happened. The abuse has gone on for years and years. High blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, liver problems, cholesterol, circulation issues, diabetes and all problems which arise from obesity. So what if is too late for me? Lets say I do lose 230 pounds; what happens then and where will I be health wise?

No, I am not sick or anything like that. Just random thoughts that come up as I am exercising. I did 45 minutes on the step tonight and feeling pretty good.

Big workout day

2008-11-30T20:38:00.000-05:00

Big workout day for me; have not done something like this in a very long time. This morning, I did 45 minutes on the step. This evening, I did another 35 minutes on the step and 35 minutes of lifting and abs. Am really liking this cross training right now. Have a hard time believing that I burned 2,500 in one day, exercise alone, but who knows?? Feeling good right now.

One month to go until the new year and only 2 more official weigh-ins for 2008. If this rate continues, should be down 80 pounds by December 31, just 4 months of trying to make better and healthier choices!

Alomst a BIG Mistake

2008-11-28T22:30:00.001-05:00

I can not be rusted and almost made a big mistake today! Cooked lunch for the office staff this afternoon and there was a bunch of "not so healthy" food all around. Gave into temptation slightly and had some mac&cheese, and half a cookie. Could of been much worse and the bad part is I avoided eating dinner tonight. I did exercise and did my cross training again, working up a nice burn. Also went up on weights and pushed it all very hard! Feeling good and much better than this afternoon.

I knew a man who was an alcoholic and he was always in rehab. When he would return to work, he would be ok for a little while, and then the drinking would begin, starting with something like an O'Douls non-alcohol beer, and spiraling out of control from there. This is why I can not be trusted with myself, because half a cookie could be my downfall. Not going to get the best of me!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T09:10:00.000-05:00

So much to be thankful for this year. I wish everyone a safe and wonderful holiday season! Please be safe and enjoy yourself!

We are going to have a quiet day and not really do very much. We are not cooking; we did not want all of the leftovers so we are going out to eat. We are going to a nice restaurant which is having a buffet, but, am going to try and be sensible and make good choices. Have already eaten breakfast so we will not be starving when we get there.

I did walk yesterday (normal day off) and am going to work it out again today as well! Will not exercise on Saturday but am going to eat wisely this weekend. Am shooting for 10 to 12 pound loss next weigh in; maybe a little unrealistic but am going to go for it!

Grove and Sweat

2008-11-25T22:33:00.001-05:00

Is hard getting back into the swing of things some times but tonight was good. Doing this step is getting boring and that is a major killer of motivation. Tonight, I did something a little different:
I did 15 minutes on the step, 5 minutes of bench press and squats, 5 minutes on the step, 5 minutes shoulders, 5 minutes on the step, 5 minutes arms, 5 minutes on the step, 5 minutes triceps, 5 minutes on the step, 4 minutes of intense crunches and abs. I was sweating pretty good after tonight's workout! Will try and walk tomorrow weather permitting.

Have been watching this season of the Biggest Loser and tonight was really good and is helping me stay on track. I really want to do better and better each and every week and day.

I get my car back tomorrow!

Motivation

2008-11-24T22:00:00.000-05:00

Did the step tonight for 52 minutes but did not really want to. Do not know if I am not fully recovered from being sick or what is going on but I just did not feel motivated today. Still keeping the calories really light and tight and I know need to be eating a little bit more.

Is a short work week because of the holiday and I am really going to try and keep things moving and keep motivated. No days off from exercise this week and next. Really want to push it hard and keep it going! I am finding that this medium and keeping track of calories is a great way to keep in track. If I do not log what I ate for the day and exercise, I feel as if I am letting myself down. So will keep this going to help stay on track!

Lazy Sunday

2008-11-23T16:41:00.001-05:00

Just hanging out and relaxing so far today;watching some football! Am going to exercise later on.

I was on local television, live, early this morning and you can check out the segment by clicking on the following link. There are other segments listed there and you can check out a few other videos of previous appearances (pumpkin risotto, pork tenderloin, crab cakes).
http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/category.asp?C=59666

Loss: 5.63 Pounds

2008-11-22T17:03:00.001-05:00

All things considered, I am very pleased with this periods loss. Am not down 62 pounds and that is just excellent for 3 months of hard work!! Am going to work hard over the next couple of weeks and try and keep things moving at a good pace, even though the holidays are now upon us! If I can get to -75 pounds by the new year, that will be a great achievement!

Am doing a live cooking segment on local television tomorrow morning and that is always fun! Will post the link when it is up!

Weigh in tomorrow

2008-11-21T21:41:00.000-05:00

Weighing in tomorrow morning and am expecting no weight loss at all. I did not exercise for a whole week and a day so this is the reason for no expectation. I will be kind of pissed if I do happen to lose 3 or 4 pounds; with all the effort I have put in and such hard work over the last couple of months and then to lose weight with little effort. I guess you can not be that mad for a loss!!

I did exercise tonight and eating was good today but light. Very little animal protein consumed and I had 1 French Fry today. We did a fry experiment in the test kitchen and it was very interesting!

Check in with me later afternoon!

Back to Business

2008-11-20T22:22:00.000-05:00

I finally got back to the exercise thing tonight. Did 30 minutes of the step and a few minutes of squats, bench press, and crunches; all felt pretty good. I did not try to over do anything and it feels good to be back into it. I know when you take a break, it can be really hard to get back into the swing of things.

Nothing else mind blowing going on today. I have been in a rental car all week and heard today that my car will not be ready until Monday or Tuesday.Probably around $2,500 damage from the deer, I have not heard the final total. It is getting cold here in Virginia!

Last Dat of Rest

2008-11-19T21:41:00.001-05:00

I felt much better today again, well enough to actually work out, but I decided to rest one more day. I know it is just an excuse but it has been a rough go this past week and do not want to do anything more to hurt myself. Back in the swing of exercise tomorrow!

I spoke with my sister tonight and surgery went fine and she is doing excellent. They removed 5 pounds of skin and it will take her a few months to heal up fully. She is in some pain and will be for a few days, but the staff that worked on her said she will have a quick recovery.

I know many people who have had this procedure and do not know if I could do that if it did come to that point. Guess we will need to wait and see??

2008-11-18T21:10:00.000-05:00

Still not feeling well so no exercise again today. WOW I hate taking this much time away from working out but it is a necessary step for me. Will be back to it very soon.

Cloths are still getting bigger on me. I tried on some dress shirts I had purchased a year ago for my new job and they are now WAY TOO BIG. My wife said I looked ridiculous when trying on. One of the good downfalls of losing weight I guess. Am going to wait until it is completely necessary for me to buy new cloths but I have a feeling it will not be long.

I am not stressing at all about my weigh in on Saturday. Maybe I will gain a few pounds, or lose one or two but I am fine either way. Have been paying attention to what I am eating and have done a decent job with it all, but I could eat a little more often and eat more for lunch and less for dinner.

Down but not out!

2008-11-17T20:46:00.000-05:00

Still not feeling 100% so still not exercising. I kept the eating down today so that is a good thing. I now have a nice little nagging cough and I hate that this has now happened. I need to get back in the swing but need to be feeling better to actually start the jumping around again. Will not be long and I am actually ok with all of this!

My sister is having surgery tomorrow. She has lost almost 200 pounds (192 exactly) and she is having a tummy tuck and this is a really big thing for her and a really big step! You can see some pictures of her by clicking on this link. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dana_istanbul/

Feeling Better

2008-11-16T19:57:00.001-05:00

I am just about feeling all better now from the flu or what ever bug I had. It has been almost a week since I have exercised but after doing some reading, it was recommended that rest is the very best thing when sick, and to not over-do-it. So I have rested these past few days and I may go ahead and give it more more full day.

Thanks for the words of encouragement from friends out there. I have not given up and there are no plans to stop. So this has been a bump in the road which may of stopped me before but not this time! I am in this for the duration and will continue to work hard no matter what. Have actually missed the exercise and am looking forward to getting back in the groove of things!

Hate the flu!

2008-11-14T21:43:00.000-05:00

Am recovering from the flu. What a rough week this has been and glad it is the weekend finally. Have been sick since Tuesday and have not been able to exercise at all. Not looking for any weight loss next week; will be happy if I can just maintain.

I have not given up and am not going to give up! Just being sick really stinks!

What about the deer??

2008-11-11T22:22:00.000-05:00

I have said many times in my life, "If it was not for bad luck, I would have no luck at all!" and this holds true today. Yesterday as I was driving into work, a buck decided to take on my car as I was going 60 miles an hour down the interstate. My car is pretty messed up and I was shaken up pretty bad, but thank goodness I was not hurt or injured.

I really did not need this inconvenience at this point so I now have to deal with all of this. I feel like crap, and am just really down right now. I could not exercise yesterday and felt like not even eating, but I did eat some. I ate ok today and did manage to work out. With all of this stress, I have now made myself physically sick but am hoping to feel better tomorrow.

I am very sorry to say that the deer probably did not make it; it was an extremely brutal impact and he actually t-boned me. I guess this is the time of year a strong buck will put sex above anything else and risk it all just to mate.

How do you feel?

2008-11-09T20:48:00.001-05:00

This seems to be the question everyone is asking me these recent days, adding on, “I bet you feel better”?

It is hard to really answer this question so I just say yes, I am feeling much better. Was I really feeling that bad is my question to me? Yes, I guess I was feeling bad, but maybe more emotionally that physically. It was just so recent that I weighed 430 pounds and my body hurt constantly and today, I am in pain but that is because I went for a long hard walk this morning and my legs feel rough so I guess that is a different kind of pain. Just like anyone else, there are days I feel better and worse, and each and every moment, I struggle with poor body image and self doubt.

Corey Haim (former child star and current) once said after a large weight gain and loss, “Noting tastes as good as being thin feels.” and I guess that is hard to argue. As I chef, there are some compelling challenges to that particular statement but I have never really know what it is like to be thin. Even if does happen, I will have a hard time understanding that feeling. I have a long way to go.

So now, I am 25% towards my initial goal of 200 pounds lost. From the 430 pound mark, I have now lost 13% of myself. It is so hard to comprehend how much 50 pounds actually weighs when you look at things which weigh 50 pounds like: a 50# dumbbell, a 50# sack of potatoes, a 50# bag of carrots, and a 35# box of frying oil. They take up A LOT of space so how could that fifty pounds be inside of me?

Enough babbling for today!

Loss: 10.94 Pounds

2008-11-08T12:56:00.000-05:00

Great posting for this week: 10.94 pounds for a total loss so far of 56.63 pounds! I am extremely happy with these results this morning. Hard work is paying off in a pretty big way, and the best part is I am not starving myself in any way. Actually think I could eat more calories and it would really help out more. Things will probably start to slow down a bit now, not many more of these 10+ pounds loss periods but that is actually better. 4 pounds every two weeks is very realistic and at that rate, I will hit the 100 loss around April 1 and 130 pounds around August 1. That is a very safe and realistic goal!

Walk and Roll

2008-11-06T22:22:00.002-05:00

Had a good walk tonight, a little over two and a quarter miles, plus eating was light again today. Will this come back to bite me in the butt on Saturday? My wife actually walked with me tonight; that was a great thing!

Shoulder now feels 100% but am giving until Monday before I start lifting again. Now, I did have a bit of dessert today, the first real intentional sugar I have had in two months. I just had a taste of creme brulee and wow it was so good. It was just on of those situations where I could not say no. No big damage done!

Wish I had more exciting things to say these days, everything is nice and quiet and just moving right along. Trying not to be anxious about Saturday morning so I am just trying to chill a bit and relax.

Good Day

2008-11-04T21:24:00.001-05:00

Had a good day but calories were low, not even 1,100!! Yikes! I did work the step again for 65 minutes tonight! Feeling that pretty good in the legs. Shoulder feels great; I wanted to lift tonight but chose to rest the shoulder.

While I was stepping and not wanting to do it, kept thinking to my self:
NO EXCUSES
"I am tired" is not an excuse.
"I do not want to" to is not an excuse.
"I am sore" is not an excuse.
Am sure there are a million more of these!!

Day of rest tomorrow!!

Good News

2008-11-03T22:27:00.002-05:00

After icing down my shoulder yesterday and making an effort to rest it a bit, I woke up this morning with little pain at all. I would say now that is is about 75%! I am still going to take it very slow for the next week or so and not over do it, but it really felt great to wake up this morning with little pain. I was worried there; Saturday was not a fun day at all, but I am very relived today.

Light calories and I did a little walk tonight. No excuse for not eating lunch today, I should of made the time!

Shoulder and Step

2008-11-02T22:14:00.002-05:00

Shoulder is a little better today, but not by much. I tried to rest it as much as possible, limit movement, ice, and limited Excedrin. I think rest will be the cure but I am worried about not being able to lift weights for a while. I enjoy the lifting and with more lean muscle, the body burns more fat efficiently. Quite a dilemma going on here, so I guess will be stepping up the aerobics and walking for a while.

Speaking of aerobics, I did one full hour on the 6 inch step (burned 1,488 calories). This is a big accomplishment for me all things considered at this point in my progress. About 2 months ago, I was having trouble just walking anywhere, going up one flight of stairs was a horrible thought and I got out of breath so easily. It really took effort just to stand up from sitting, and forget about any type of exercise, just give me ice cream! Tonight, one full hour on a 6 inch aerobic step. Give me a "thata boy" for tonight. I ate over 2,000 calories today but am not worried about that.

I was worried about the shoulder but I really limited the swinging of the arm. I wonder how walking will be with this shoulder? Will find out soon enough. I am now thinking about Saturday's weigh-in and I should not be. Honestly, will be happy with any loss at all and I am thinking it will be in the 5 pound range, very acceptable track for weight loss at this point. If not, that is ok too! I have worked hard, just not hard enough!

Major Set Back

2008-11-01T22:12:00.002-04:00

OK, I am now dealing with a pretty major set back for me and my plan: I have a shoulder injury and it seems pretty bad right now. I am going to give this a while and see what happens but it is really hurting tonight. This means no lifting weights for a while and am really not sure how this will affect walking and aerobic stuff because any movement just plain hurts. I have not had time to work out for the past two days so will give it a go tomorrow and see what happens.

You would never believe how I did this, even if I told you!!

A Pretty Big Step

2008-10-30T22:22:00.002-04:00

I took a big step tonight and went for 35 minutes on the 6 inch step, plus I did an additional 20 minutes on the 4 inch step, with a 5 minute cool down. Total calories burned for the hour was 1,231 and calorie intake again today was around the 1,300 mark. I hope to be able to do an hour on the 6 inch step in the near future.

The next couple of days are going to be crazy busy and do not know if I will have time to blog and log. Will try and do my best though! Man my legs are feeling this work out right now; hope I can walk tomorrow!! Peace!

Food Fair

2008-10-29T21:27:00.003-04:00

One responsibility I have with my job is going to different foods establishments and participating in food fairs. These are a bunch of fun and a great time, but, they are very busy and leave no time for eating. Usually, there is not a good variety of foods choices either so it makes for a long and frustrating day.

I managed to eat almost 1,300 calories today, which is lighter that I want but am glad I could even do that much. I did not exercise today as this is my normal day off to rest. I was considering upping my calories to 2,000 but how can I do that when it is a struggle to just get to 1,500?? Evidence of this happened last night on the biggest loser. One contestant had a couple of light loss weeks and as it turns out, he was not eating enough, and not often enough either.

I guess all we can do is keep on trying to do the best we can and strive to do even better.

Busy Day

2008-10-28T22:38:00.001-04:00

Had an extremely busy day and eating was pretty good, but a little short on the calories; I was close though. I DID NOT want to exercise but I did, and went at it pretty good with the weights tonight. Tomorrow is going to be another long and busy day. It is cold here tonight and I miss the walking on the road, has been a while since I have done that.

Im Back

2008-10-27T21:55:00.002-04:00

Vacation is officially over and I am officially back.

The Ugly and Bad: I did not really make an effort to exercise all week. My eating was poor but not horrible. I knew this was a dangerous time but this time, I have not given up and I am back on track.

The Good: I managed to stay away from most sugary stuff, just a little treat here and there over the week. I exercised for a full hour on the step tonight, and 16 minutes of that was at the 6 inch height; burned 1,041 calories. I figure I really need to start challenging myself more now, each and every day. I ate close to my target calories but some of that was mac & cheese. Really need to stay away from these processed foods!

Next weigh in is now on November 8.

My Big Fat Lack of Motivation

2008-10-24T22:09:00.002-04:00

A fear has transformed right in front of my eyes; this vacation has not gone to plan. I actually did eat OK today but not great. The past few days have been pretty bad and I have not exercised seriously in one full week. I feel like crap tonight so tomorrow, I am back on plan in full force. I feel as if I have no motivation right now, but there is still plenty here for me.

Hate when a plan does not come together!! My next weigh-in is scheduled for November 1 but I think I may put it off for an extra week; mainly because I will be traveling on that date and will not have access to the scale I use to weigh. Will still keep posted on what happens. Help keep me motivated, please!

My Big Fat Vacation

2008-10-23T22:44:00.001-04:00

I am back from vacation. Have been pretty bad over the past few days and made some not-so-good decisions. Back on track tomorrow!! More information to come!

My Big Fat Vacation

2008-10-19T19:52:00.000-04:00

Will be away on vacation for the next few days. Will return to logging and blogging probably on Thursday. Will keep up the work outs and eating well (hopefully) to the best of my abilities! This could be a very dangerous time for me; time away can be extremely difficult!

My Big Fat Loss, -6 pounds

2008-10-18T16:00:00.001-04:00

Had a 6 pound loss over the past 2 weeks; was hoping for a few more but any loss is a good loss. I look at this a a quality loss because of the work and effort I put into everything over the past 2 weeks. The machine is still working and progress is being made every day!

Current Weight, 385 Pounds. 45 Lost so far.

My Big Fat Funny

2008-10-17T21:19:00.002-04:00

Took the wife to Robin Williams concert last night and it was just awesome! He went for an hour and forty five minutes of relentless comedy. This was a dream fulfilled for her and it was worth all of the time and energy that went into getting us there! I drove 960 miles in 2 days.

So tomorrow is the big weigh in. I am having mixed feelings right now, and am anxious about what will show. I am expecting loss of 5 pounds, hoping for 10, wishing for 15, and dreaming of 20 (know that will not happen). No matter what, I have put in a serious two weeks of controlled eating and hard exercise.

I was cautious about my eating today and hit my target goal of 1,600 calories. We went to Olive Garden for dinner and I just went for soup and salad, skipped the bread and dessert! I checked my Target Heart Rate while exercising and was right on target! That is a really good thing!

I know it really does not work this way but here it goes: This week (6 days), I ate 7,995 calories. My goal was 11,090. I exercised 3,095 calories this week. My net consumed calorie difference is 4,900 for the entire 6 day period. What this translated into I have no idea. Just thought it was interesting.

Check in tomorrow afternoon and I will have posted my results! Keeping fingers crossed!

My Big Fat Miles

2008-10-15T21:47:00.002-04:00

Have driven almost 400 miles today. Tomorrow will be close to 600.

Very good eating day, around 1,100 calories consumed (and plenty of temptation around) and no exercise. Will try and wake up early and work out in the morning. Will not be able to blog tomorrow; time will not allow. Am taking the wife to see Robin Williams for our anniversary. This is a dream of hers come true! Vacation starts on Friday. Is going to be an active and fun week off! Not letting up very much and am still going to have a great time!

Just a few more days until weigh in time! Hoping for good things.

My Big Fat Trip

2008-10-14T22:18:00.002-04:00

Am heading out of town tomorrow and will be driving 7 hours. On Thursday, will be driving almost 10 hours. Tomorrow is exercise day off and should be able to work out on Thursday morning (I really hope so!). Going to be a long long 2 days.

There are great things going on anyway. Good calorie count today, but still below goal. I cut back on exercise last night and tonight also. I did 25 minutes on the step and 20 minutes of weight lifting with big concentration on shoulders and arms. Vacation is coming up next week and that can be a dangerous thing for someone in my position.

4 days until weigh in!

My Big Fat Legs

2008-10-13T20:50:00.002-04:00

My legs are sore today. I over did a bit yesterday for sure and am feeling it today. I did manage to walk tonight but it was a tough 30 minutes. Low calories again today; it is just getting tougher to eat. I am still eating and was plenty hungry for lunch today so I had to really scrape to find something healthy.

There were temptations galore today in out test kitchen but I did not give in at all. It was really tough.

My Big Fat Compliment 2

2008-10-12T20:41:00.002-04:00

Some people from church praised me for my weight loss efforts today. Pretty cool! That really used to turn me off for some reason and I would just lose all motivation. Figure that one out. I decided am not going to let that get to me this time.

I worked out twice today. 1 full hour stepping this morning and then another 10 minutes plus 20 minutes of weight lifting. Eating this weekend was ok. One mistake: rock-gut chili. What a big mistake that was!!! Will not do that again. Is going to be a very busy week and then weigh in on Saturday!!

My Big Fat Compliment

2008-10-10T21:49:00.003-04:00

Got a compliment today from a coworker. Said they noticed I had lost weight. Was very nice to hear.

Still having a hard time eating enough. Around 1,100 calories today and I walked for an hour. This may be a great thing or disastrous? One week away from weigh in.

My ankles are hurting a bit so am happy tomorrow is my day off! Time to rest up!

My Big Fat Step

2008-10-09T19:38:00.004-04:00

OK, the draft feature does not work on this thing.

I did the step tonight for 45 minutes and threw in a little more intensity! Also did 15 minutes of good weight lifting.

The one problem it seems I am having right now is eating enough. My calorie count for the day is around 800 calories and that is light. Maybe I ate more but that is a stretch! I guess we will see what happens in a week or so. I am not hungry and am eating small meals so that is good but the count is still light!