At the Club. Sam's Club.

Day 2 of the Advocare 24 Day Challenge is in the books.   I've made solid decisions and I've followed the plan to a tee.  Fruit, Protein, Carb.   Spark.  Catalyst energy.  Lots of water.  Stay active.  All these things that make sense, and this program just makes sense.  It's not hard to do.

And that fiber pack.  Whoa, that fiber pack.   As I eat breakfast, I put this powder into water and chug down 8 ounces.  It's not the best flavor, but it fills me like water in a sponge.  Funny how I can have 3 snickers bars, a pack of skittles and a few hostess cakes - eat over 1500 calories - and still be left hungry, or I can take 15 calories of fiber with an apple (more fiber) and a good lean protein and be all set for a while.

I always worried about dieting because of that whole "I'll be hungry all the time" thing.  This is NOT happening.  I can completely see this becoming a lifestyle.

Oh, and I want to share something that I figured out on accident this weekend.   So, my wife and I went to Sams Club and there's this booth where you can pick out a lean meat (grilled chicken, salmon, whitefish, jumbo shrimp), add broccoli and asparagus, and they put it in a bag.  You literally take this bag, stick it in the microwave for 12 minutes and you have a meal.  We tried it a few nights ago, and let me tell you - this 12 minute salmon in the microwave was just as good as any salmon I've ever cooked on a grill.  It was fantastic.

I was only thinking dinners when I got this, but I brought one for lunch today.  So, instead of a quick lunch or running out to Subway to get a meal, I'm having whitefish and veggies for lunch today.  And the bag you're looking at is $9.67, but that was enough to feed two people.  When I cook it, I'm treating my boss to lunch today so I don't overeat.  In other words - you're getting a piece of whitefish (good sized, not dinky at all) or salmon or about 8 jumbo shrimp, and veggies for under $5 a person.  

I challenge you to find THAT at a fast food joint.

Day One, or One Day? Make Your Move.

Wanted to update you guys on my first day of Advocare's 24 Day Challenge and how it went.

First off - the Catalyst is like spinach to Popeye.  I was in the gym at 4:45am yesterday (which is *NOT* normal for this big boy), and I took the Spark/Catalyst to start my day.  I will tell you - I felt like a gerbil on a wheel the way I was on the elliptical.   I couldn't run fast enough without tripping over myself.  And I had a great little circuit as well, I had enough energy for 20 men, and I never really experienced the jitters.

I followed the plan to a tee - I have been counting my calories for a while so I kept faithful to that, and because I know that I made a HUGE commitment (let's face it - this is a lot of money if you're not going to make the commitment), I swore that I would be flawless on my eating.

Last night was our AWANAs party at church - that means we were serving all the ice cream sundaes, pizza and snack cakes that you could reach for.  I was up to my ears in some of my favorite vices.

I didn't take ONE bite.  Not even a sniff.  I literally walked away from someone who had an open box of Domino's Pepperoni Pizza looking at me.  And I love what is in that box more than Garfield loves lasagna.

So, onto Day Two.  I've already been to the grocery store and got my carb (oatmeal), protein (sausage patties) and fruit (apple and mango).  I'm prepared, and in 23 days, to celebrate my 40th birthday, I am going to give myself a success story and a before/after picture for the ages.

Never Too Late

An old student of mine posted this today.

On a day where I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do when my Advocare 24 Day Challenge stuff comes in the mail tomorrow, I watch this.

I was talking to Melissa this morning on the drive to work this morning, and I told her a lot of what was on my mind lately. With turning 40 being only 24 days from today, I've been doing a lot of thinking of the future, and how important this checkpoint/landmark in my life is.

I don't care that I'm turning 40. I'm not one of those guys who worry about the number. But this time around - I am starting to look at all those 'future' decades. When I was 20, who did I expect to be when I was 40? When I was 30, who did I expect to be when I was 40? Now that I'm turning 40, who do I expect to be when I'm 50?

The reality is, there aren't a lot of 400 pound fifty year olds. And a bigger reality is that there are even LESS 400 pound sixty year olds. And can you even THINK of a 400 pound 70 year old? Because I can't.

I refuse to believe that I am in the last decade of my life. As I told Melissa this morning, I have to make it to at LEAST 55. Olivia is just starting Kindergarten this August, which means I have to make it at least 12 more years to see her graduate. That puts me at 52. And I have to walk her down the aisle - so I need to give her another four to ten years to find the man who is worthy of her. That's 62.

I don't know any 400 pound sixty-two year olds.

But then I look at the scale and think about how hard it is to lose weight. I was told when I was younger to "hurry up and lose it now, because once you get older, it'll be harder to do". I thought I had plenty of time before that "older" kicked in. So, the self pity and doubt have creeped in.

And then, not an hour after these thoughts have been sitting on my mind, someone posts this video. This dude was over 500 pounds (although, let's face it - I'm taller and it's only 40 more pounds than where I was on January 1st). He changes his life, and he did it in a hurry.

So here we go. I've said it a hundred times before this - and if I have to say it a hundred times after this, I'm not going to stop fighting to make myself the healthy example for my kids that they deserve.

My "24 Day Challenge" will start in 2 days, but I've already got my mind wrapped around it again. I did perfect with my eating yesterday, and this morning, instead of a coffee and donuts, I loaded up my shiny new Advocare Blender Bottle (you need one of these things, they are so cool) with a Fruit Punch Spark and I've finished it off. I've got my meal replacement shake ready to go for later, and my oatmeal locked and loaded and ready for lunch. Salmon, broccoli and asparagus in the fridge waiting for dinner.

Soon, I will be making my OWN version of this video. Any volunteers on helping with the film editing? Anybody want to try this 24 Day Challenge with me? Either way, I'm not going to hit 40 without a fight.

Putting On The Mask

Ok, so I've got 25 days until my 40th birthday and I have not been doing what I have been wanting to do in regards to my health for the past few weeks. I've been coasting - at best - and not making decisions that benefit my family the most.

I've been going back and forth on something for the past few months and finally, this week, I took the leap of faith. It was a financial investment, something that I had to pray about for a long time, and at the end of the day, I believe that I'm made a good decision that will benefit me both in my health, and in result, financially.

This week, i become an official Advocare Distrubutor. You'll hear more about it as this becomes a theme for this weight loss blog. I've put my money where my mouth is, and I'm going to be my own best advertising tool.

I ordered the 24 day challenge today, and it should be here by the 8th. If this is something you want to do with me, please consider taking a look at this link.

https://www.advocare.com/17033244/Promotions/24DC/default.aspx

If you know me, this is a big leap. I've never been a fan of products that give you big promises. I've always been a "calories in, calories out" guy. But I've talking to folks for quite a while about this - doing my research, praying hard and often about this. I honestly feel like this is what God's telling me to do.

Put my money where my mouth is, become your own best success story, and live a long, healthy life to support my family.

I've been told by so many people these past few years that I am not going to be able to help others if I can't help myself. I have a hard time with that - if there's money in the account, I want to take care of the kids. I want to make sure my wife has something nice.

Me? I don't need anything. I am just fine how I am today. I am more blessed by being given this opportunity to take care of my wife and children than any "thing" I could buy.

But there's an analogy - when the plane is going down and the oxygen masks drop, if you're going to help anybody else on that plane, you're going to have to get yourself some oxygen first. Otherwise, you are no good for ANYBODY.

I'm turning 40 at the end of this month. I can't think of too many 80 year olds that weigh over 400 pounds like I do. I can't think of any 60 year olds. Hell, I'm struggling to think of a 50 year old.

I don't want to be the guy who dies of a heart attack before he's done raising his kids. I don't want to be the man who leaves his wife a widow because he was afraid to take care of himself.

I'm tired of this. I'm grabbing the oxygen mask.

And when this 24 day challenge is over, and I can prove to you that this does in fact work, chances are, I'll be inviting you to do the same thing.

So, again - if you want to do this challenge with me, click on the link. Let's do this together.

https://www.advocare.com/17033244/Promotions/24DC/default.aspx

Where Does The Time Go?

https://www.fatherly.com/mens-health/workout-to-offset-sitting/

I feel like I have to do something different. I eat pretty perfect during the days - perhaps I don't even eat enough. This leads me to eating poorly at dinner (I did flawless at work, and then went home and proceeded to eat 3 chili cheese coney dogs.... and then go back and have 2 more for a whopping 1700 calories in one meal).


I need to focus on CONSISTENCY. Something that works - and STICK with it. Get to know it. Love it. Enjoy it. If I am just eating oatmeal twice a day and overeating at dinner and don't do enough for my body, then this is a drag and it's no wonder that I'm not sticking to it.

I need a way to free more time up. I take the kids to school at 7am, which means I need to be up by 6am. I work all day, and pick the kids back up by 6pm. By the time dinner is done, the messes are cleaned up (this sometimes happens, sometimes it is skipped), the babies have their pajamas on and we're getting ready for bed, it's at LEAST 9pm.

Something has to break. I have to figure this out.

Streak Over, and Why It's a GOOD Thing

When I started this most recent weight loss fight, I started logging my calories on December 30th.  I haven't missed a day - even when the eating was good or bad, I was always logging the calories.

You know the drill - at the beginning, I was logging the calories, planning everything out BEFORE I ate it, and then I started getting good at it.  I lost some weight, I started getting confident and thinking I could certain elements - sweets, extra portions - and the MOST dangerous, logging the food AFTER the fact instead of before the meal.

Fast forward 54 days and I was still logging my meals.  But, instead of whole wheat pastas, oatmeal and veggies, it started to sneak into my life again.  Fast food.  Coke.  Sweets.  Garbage.  But, I was still logging it, so I was resting on those laurels and thinking that "even if it's bad, I'm logging it!".

Logging bad foods are ALMOST as bad as not logging at all.  At least when I shoveled all six of those oatmeal cookies on the way home from taking my kid to the doctor yesterday, I knew that each one of those cookies had 130 calories.    I can tell you that a thin crust slice of Pepperoni at Pizza Hut is 180 calories instead of the 240 calories of the traditional hand tossed.  But, instead of limiting myself to three slices and holding myself accountable, there were 3 occasions this month where we had BUFFET.  And if you know me - when I do buffet, I get my money's worth.

So this weekend, I let the streak die.  That kind of stung, but it was an intentional move.  Why keep a "healthy eating streak" when you know gosh darn well that it wasn't HEALTHY eating.

Today, I had an apple and a pear for breakfast, oatmeal for lunch (and for snack) and whole wheat pasta with shrimp and risotto for dinner.  I'm at about 1850 calories for the day.  And as much as I want to go grab a bowl of the chocolate fudge ice cream that is about 10 feet away from me in the freezer, I am done for the night.

So the streak is gone.  But a new one begins.

One down, many to go.  But we're doing this one day at a time.  So to me, day 2 is the most important day ever.  I can't get to day 3 without mastering day 2.   Ready, set, go. 

Four Gallons Out, One Gallon In

I don't remember the last time I was bummed out about losing a pound, but I was today.

I'm down to 435 today, but there's no back patting involved.  In fact, it is a reminder that I have to get back to what I was doing a month or so again.  I'm starting to get lazy.

Yes, I am up to 52 days of logging my calories - I claim that and I'm proud of it.  However, I'm not being diligent about what composes those calories.   I mentioned at the beginning of the year that I'm not going to ban myself from foods - pizza, burgers, etc.  However, I need to be smart about having them.  I can't just have pizza and burgers any time that I want and expect the weight to fall off.   So, one of my updated goals is to GET BACK TO MAKING HEALTHIER OPTIONS.   Too many pizza buffets and not enough lean meats, salads and veggies.  I'll do better.

However, as I mentioned yesterday, I walked a 5K with my wife and kids.  It was a good day.  Now, I need to start making more time for my health.  More walks - honestly, I felt great after that 5k.  Granted I was walking a lot slower (those little legs of the 5 year old couldn't keep up), so I was able to take my time, but I felt much stronger after this one than the past few official 'races'.  The race in December, I felt like I was going to die at the end.   31 pounds coming off, even though I can't see it in the mirror, makes a difference.

Also, I'm trying to 5 day challenge - planks every day and a GALLON of water.  It officially starts Wednesday but I wanted to do it today to see how it goes.  I did m two 10-second plants this morning, I thought I was going to die.  And as for water,  I'm down to the last two inches of my gallon jug and it's 4:30pm.   I think I've peed more today than I have in the past month.

So, not much to report - but I'm going to get a little more serious.  Posting more, not resting on my laurels, and I have to stop thinking that losing 30 pounds means something. I was googling what weighs 30 pounds, and I learned that FOUR GALLONS OF MILK weighs 30 pounds.  So, I've taken that much off.  And s

ure, it sounds good to say "I've lost 31 pounds" but I know that I haven't escaped heart disease and heart attacks.  I need to do more.  I need to want it more.  I need to not fall into the same traps as I have, gaining everything back, like I have the past decade.

Things are good.  I'm blessed.  But let's renew our focus.   31 pounds is a good thing - but my goal was to get under 400 by my 40th birthday.  I've got until the end of March, and I've got 36 more pounds to lose.  I can't do that at the pizza buffet.

Putting My Money Where My Mouth is

Short one, because I'm headed to Branson for my 7 year old's birthday, but I wanted to report this.

I just signed up for two 5K races - the first is the St. Patrick's Day Race in Joplin on St. Patty's Day.  This is a HUGE race - they cap it at 1200 people and they'll fill every single one of those bibs.  I'll be at the back of the pack, but that's ok.  This will be my first race since losing 30 pounds (plus whatever else I drop before the race a month from today), and I want to make a significant difference from the last race I did on New Year's Eve.

Then, I registered for the Amazing Grace 5K in April.  This will be my third time running this course.  If there's anything better than running towards a healthy body, it's focusing on a healthy God fearing soul.  This race is a great reminder of who I am, why I am, and HOW I am.  I'll honor Him - by honoring myself and working towards my EXTREME TEMPLE MAKEOVER.  

As the weather gets nicer, I want to get out more and do some more walking.  I was half of a click away from registering for the Mother Road HALF MARATHON in October.  I chickened out.  However, I need to make that decision soon.  2016 changed my life because I set out to do 12 races, and I did that.  This year, it's about health.   I would love to say that by October I was able to drop 100 pounds (70 to go) and that I finished my first half-marathon.  Be praying for me, because I'm starting to feel like this is what I'm being called to do.

Either way, off and running.  Time to go home, pick up my beautiful family and take them to Branson for the weekend.   Take care!

No Coke Zone

Things have been doing pretty well, but I thought I'd make a quick update.

My last few weeks have been mega-busy with work, the kids, and the Super Hero Dash race that I put on.  I'm glad to say it's over, and we had a great time raising money for a good cause.  Part of that meant a lot of work online, and that time took away from me posting on this blog.  The good news is, I'm still cranking it out, my calories are going strong and I'm at 38 days in a row of consistent logging of my calories.

I am also at 38 days of NO coke.  I haven't had a drink of coke in a while, and I was telling Melissa yesterday that I really don't even miss it.  I was staring at about 10 bottles of coke at our Super Bowl party where we were hanging out last night,   Looked right at them, wanted something to drink, and all I could think of was, "where's the water bottles?"

I don't even WANT coke anymore.  And for those of you who know me, you know that's a big deal.

So, that's a win.

Also, officially for January I lost 28 pounds.  I haven't weighed myself yet this month.  One thing I'm noticing though is, while I'm eating right and for about 95% of my days, I'm eating below my 2200 calories - I'm starting to eat bigger portions.  For February, that's kind of my goal.

Lately, I've really under eaten during the day (may it be because I'm busy at work, haven't thought about eating, etc), and then by dinner time I've only had 700 calories all day, leaving me 1500 calories for dinner, and then I feel obligated to eat bigger meals.  Kind of a weird thing for me.  Also, if I don't eat ENOUGH calories in a day, my LoseIt.com app lectures me - and I quote:

"Just a reminder that your minimum recommended daily intake is 1,5000.  Though limiting energy intake is an important way to lose weight, limiting too much can have a negative impact on your health'.

So, even my phone lectures me when I'm not eating enough.   Definitely not a problem I'm used to having.

So yeah, February is about eating right, eating proper portions and doing a bit better about PLANNING the meals.  Other than that, things are going good - I think I'll be signing up for a February race, and I really want to get a bit more exercise in to compliment the eating.  I want to get under 400, and I want to do it before my birthday on March 31st.

27 Down for January

Dang it if another 5 days didn't sneak by since my last blog.

I'm officially on day 33 of counting calories and eating right.  

 Last week (ending Sunday the 29th) I was a total of 2366 calories UNDER my budget for the week. The week before that (ending Sunday the 22nd) I was 2055 calories under my budget for the week - that includes a day that I did really bad and was 1000 OVER for the day).  The week before that (ending Sunday the 15th) I was 1521 calories under my budget for the week.  2881 calories under the week before that.

So, long story made short - I have changed the way I do business.  I don't always eat perfect, but I've only had that one day a few weeks ago where I was more than 300 calories over for any particular day.  I am going strong and feel good about it.

I still have days where I just want to stop at the drive through and eat everything they have in stock, but I'm starting to remember how bad I feel and how bad my gut punishes me when I make those bad decisions, and I'm starting to make better and better decisions.

Oh, and I weighed in this weekend and was down another 2 pounds.  So, that's 27 for the month of January.  If my schedule allows, I'll try to get in either tonight or tomorrow so I can have a good scale measurement for the month change.

Hopefully you all are going strong.   Anyone want to do a fun weight loss challenge for the month of February?

26 and Counting

So it's been a few days since I've posted - that bugs me because I've wanted to keep at least a daily log of where I've been, what I'm doing and where I'm going.  Usually when I disappear for a while, it's because I'm not doing well and I don't want to come online and complain about it.

However, that's not the case.  This week, it's just been that work is crazy, Boy Scouts, kids activities and responsibilities have been getting in the way of a good blog post.

The reality is, I've had quite a few amazing blog posts written down in my head - and by the time I get in front of a screen, I've lost them.   So, here's some highlights of my week:

Weight Loss - I haven't weighed in lately (since the last time I reported weight on here, about 2 weeks or so?) but I'm noticing changes.  My shirts feel looser, and I have a pair of jeans that I used to struggling to get into, and now they are loose.  My skin isn't breaking out, my acid reflux is gone and I've been sleeping through the night.   Those are changes that I am noticing.  Funny how the body reacts accordingly - eat like crap, it treats you like crap.  If you eat well, it works well.  Amazing concept.

So, today will be Day 26 of my food log streak.  One of them I ate poorly, the rest I have been at my goal of 2300 calories or below.   I'm starting to not want food all the time, I'm starting to eat when I'm hungry and stop before I'm stuffed - I eat until I'm SATISFIED.  I still eat what I want - if I want tacos, I have tacos.  I want reeces pieces?  I eat reeces pieces.  But instead of 7 tacos and a pounds and a half of reeces,  I eat 2 or 3 tacos and a handful of candy.  

Moderation is something I've never been able to tackle and I feel as if I'm getting there.

One other thing I want to mention - the last 5K race in the area is this weekend, the 29th, in Carthage.  My knee has been feeling better, and I'm considering racing in it.  However, here's my concerns:

1: I want to do a 5K every month, but I don't want to rely on it being about "just finishing the race" this year.  I did that 12 times last year and I was more unhealthy and a slower walker when I was done than when I started.

2: I want the races I do to be meaningful.  I want them to be a reflection of hard work and sacrifice, and for each medal I earn to be a weight loss and health driven milestone.

So, I'm torn.  I may not do it because I don't want to test my knee and hurt it again.  On the other hand, I'd like to do 1 a month.  But, I'd rather do zero in one month and 3 the next than do one just for the sake of doing it.

I know, I know.  Fat runner problems.

Anyway, things are going well.  Just wanted to keep you all updated.  Day 26 almost in the books.  I may try to get to a scale and the gym later, I'd like to see if my weight is changing.   Catch you soon.

The Body Seeks Revenge

Well, I wasn't going to blog about this, but I have been telling myself all day that I need to be accountable and include the defeats in with the wins, so here I go.  I hesitate because for about 2 years, this blog has been one story of defeat after another, and it steamrolled into a 466 pound me.

This is a story of ONE defeat.  I'll just put it out there - yesterday, I ate like crap and I'm paying for it today.  My knee was hurting, I was doing the whole 'feel sorry for yourself' thing, and I ate like crap.  In the middle of the day I went to the doctor and got a cortisone shot.  If you've ever got one, you know what I'm about to say.  If you haven't.. well, let's just say that it's no regular needle.  This is the super villain of needles.   My knee ballooned, I was in pain, and I was driving through Joplin and I ate my pain away.

Fried chicken. King sized Twix.  Got home and had leftover

I may have forgotten about it, but my body hasn't.  I have had the WORST acid reflex I've had in a long time.  I've had a few too many trips to the bathroom.  In short, I feel like trash.

That is what happens when you rid your body of that garbage.  Let's face it - I didn't eat anything out of the ordinary compared to before I started this newest push.  The pizza, candy, fried foods.. it was just a regular part of my day.  Now, my body doesn't know what to do with it and it openly rejects it.

To me, that's a good thing.

The good news is, doc cleared me to do my races.  I'm a little scared of my knee, but it feels a little better today, and he told me it'd feel great in a few days.  So, look for some update on finding me a January 5k.  I plan on being at least 20 pounds less than the one I did in December.   This year, it's not about just DOING races.  It's about being HEALTHIER every single time I do one.
pizza.  Went shopping and grabbed a movie sized box of Reeces Pieces.  I absolutely blew it.   But, I went to bed and promised myself I'd be better today - and spoiler alert - I've been flawless with only dinner to go.

So, I'm back on the horse, and I'm going strong.  The doc's visit revealed that I have 'advanced arthritis' in my right knee and it's got everything to do with being overweight.  He's scheduled me for about a month and a half of physical therapy, and I have my consultation on Friday.  I'll update you guys as I know more.

Bad Knee! Bad!

There's been a ton going on lately - I've had some of the most amazing blog entries going through this head of mine, but between work, family and everything else going on, it's hard to stop for twenty minutes and put it all to the proverbial paper.  I'll try to talk about a few things here before bed.

First off, I'm down another 2 pounds.  This is a total of 16 pounds since the New Year.   I'm happy with the progress, but I'm not going to be obsessed with a scale.   However, the bottom line is - I'm currently 450 (down from 466),   In the past, I'd get comfortable after 10-15 pounds and feel as if I've accomplished something.  It has always been about the number on the scale.  Not anymore -it's about making a life long change towards good health, and I'm not going to stop until I get there.

That being said, I'm up to 18 days straight of logging my calories.  The last three have been a bit shaky - don't get me wrong, I'm still under my 2300 goal each day (I think I was like 40 calories over a few days ago), but I'm not really doing it traditional.  For instance, yesterday I had a good breakfast, good lunch, and a bowl of cereal around 4pm, and then nothing else for the rest of the night.  Today, I had a McDonalds Sausage McMuffin with Egg (460 cal) and a coffee (80 cal w/ cream) around 6:15am, but because work was super busy, I didn't eat again until tonight - totally skipping dinner, and having only 540 calories for the entire day before dinner.

Because I didn't get home until after 7pm, it was a "pick something up for dinner" night.  I had all intentions of stopping at the grocery store - I even had the recipe picked out, a chicken stir fry with cabbage, but after a 14 hour day, it was pizza.

I logged 5 slices, I had plenty of calories to do it.   I ate every bit of it.  Technically, it keeps me under my calories, but I just wolfed down about 1400 calories at once.  No surprise that my stomach cramped up and I ended up throwing up.  Super gross.  On the bright side, my body is starting to tell me something - STICK TO THE GOOD STUFF, or else.  I'm OK with that, I just have to have a little more discipline.

One other thing to mention - I have been talking about my knee and how I think I did some damage to it at my last race of 2016.  I'm not a guy that goes to doctors very much, but I got talked into it, and I'm headed to the Orthopedic Sports Medicine Center here in Joplin tomorrow morning at 10:30am.  I'll update tomorrow when I find out what I'm dealing with.   I really want to keep walking and doing my races every month - but this is something I need to work out and get fixed before eI make it worse.

Oh, and one other thing - I tried my CPAP breathing machine for the first time in a year last night.  This is the thing that the doc tells me I HAVE to do.  My sleep apnea is literally killing me, throwing off my testosterone levels (by way of screwing up my pituitary gland), and long story made short - I'm not going to lose significant weight unless I get this figured out.   So, I wore it last night.  I hate this thing.  But, I did sleep through the night (most of the way).  However, when I woke up at 5am, it was on the floor, still running.  I don't remember taking it off, so I don't know how long I had it on last night, but Melissa said she got up at 3am and it was already off.   I'll get this worked out, but be praying for me, because this is going to be a serious challenge for me.

Ok, that's it for tonight.  I'll get more info tomorrow if I can break free - I'll update everyone on my knee situation.  Until tomorrow!

Lucky 13

Wont be a long one tonight but wanted to stay accountable.    Day 13 is logged and in the books.   Healthy eating is working but I have to stay focused on being consistent and not letting down.   Things are going well.

We had church tonight so we have to resort to fast food tonight.   As we pulled up,  I realized that nothing looked good.  Too greasy.  Too fattening. I don't know how many calories is in that.   So, instead of guessing, I passed and choose to have healthy (ish) leftovers.   Small token win, because that double bacon cheeseburger sure would have gone down in a hurry two weeks ago.

Went to specialist yesterday.   They told me that I have to get this CPAP machine working.    I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea back in 2013 but hate that machine.   It chokes me out and I wake up in a panic.  I've tried using it for 3 years and absolutely hate it.   The specialist told me to get back on it, because it throws everything off, and is a likely cause of my weight gain.    So, I'll get back to battling that stupid machine again soon.  

Other than that,  things are going well.  Stay strong!

Ten for Ten

Last night, I got this cute little image that told me that I've gone TEN days in a row logging my food choices.  It felt good to see that hit double digits.  I was more looking forward to going to the gym this morning to see if it's done anything on the scale.

Went to the gym this morning - didn't eat breakfast.  I'm starting to learn that food is fuel.  I'm not trying to be funny when I say that.  Forever, food was what felt good.  It's what I did when I felt bad.  When I was nervous.  When I had nothing to do with my hands.  I picked up food and ate it.   That's exactly how I got to the point where I was 466 pounds.

These last 10 days, I've learned to do the opposite.  Not eat all the time.  Eat planned meals.  Log every bite.  Consider if I should eat something because I've got goals to reach.

So, I didn't want to eat before I stepped on the scale.  I wanted the lowest number possible.  I didn't want a silly meal to skew my number.  I figured I'd eat after.

I had no energy.  I couldn't stay on the elipical.  I barely made 5 minutes on the treadmill.  I couldn't get half the weight bars off the ground today.  I was mentally and physically worn out, and this was at 5:30am.

I was out of fuel.  I need to start remembering to fuel my body to do the things I want to do.  That's a strange compromise for me.  I go from eating TOO much to NOT enough, and I have to find a middle ground.   I'm not worried, I'll get there.   I know I'm still learning.

Oh, and the good news?

Dropped 4 more pounds as I recorded 452 this morning.   That's 14 since I decided to do something about my life ten days ago.  Pretty happy about that, but SO much more work to do.

Happy Birthday Olivia Sunshine!

Today was my youngest daughter Olivia's 5th birthday.  For her birthday I got her something incredibly special.  Something that I have never gotten any of my other children.  Hopefully if it goes right, this will be a gift she will be able to share with her siblings and mom for years to come.

It's nothing new and shiny.   Nothing she can put into her backpack and show her friends at school.  But she can play with it, and hopefully love it for years to come.

This year for her birthday, I gave Olivia a healthy daddy for her birthday.

I feel transformed.  I still am trapped in this enormous, painful, restricted body but for the first time in forever (clear "Frozen song lyric reference for those of you with no small daughters), I know that there is a way out.  I don't feel as if there is nothing I can do about it anymore, and that is so motivating that it's almost all I can think of.

I've been consumed by calorie counting.  I spent the week concerned about what I was going to eat at Eli's Boy Scout campout and instead of showing up and eating what they had - ended up being chips, sugary treats and cokes, I thought ahead and picked up Clif Bars, oranges, raisins and smart foods.  Didn't cheat once.  Then, we had stone of sugary cereals for choices and it was easy for me to pass up my favorite Cinnamon Toast Crunch for oatmeal.  And instead of my usual 3 bags, I chose only 2 and followed it with an orange.

Lunch was tortillas with ham and cheese and I partook, but in limited, wise portion sizes.  I even had DORITOS.  Eight of them only.  Yes, I counted them, enjoyed them and moved on.

Tonight was the ultimate challenge.  My nemesis.  Pizza Hut.

Normally, as of the last time me and pizza met, I defeated it.  Or with my new perspective, it defeated me.  And when I say that, I mean I ate an entire large pizza without even thinking.  Honestly, it scares me to be in the same room with it.  I binge on pizza and always have.  Tonight before it was ordered, I went to LoseIt.com where I log my calories and looked at how many I had left tonight.  Since I did so well, I had over 1200 calories to use and still at goal.

So I plugged in 4 slices of thin crust the calories tracker before I went and picked the pizza up.  I chose a thin crust because the calories are less than the thin crust (spoiler: it tastes better too I come to find out).  I had an honest, serious conversation with Melissa before I left.  I told her - and this is a sincere, honest moment - to please watch me.  I've committed to four pieces of pizza and I know that I do not have the self control to keep stopping.  I told her I would take 3 slices at first, eat it consciously, and if I was still hungry I would tell her that I was taking ONE more slice.  If I took more than that, I wanted her to stop me, even if that meant hurting my feelings.   We agreed, and I went to pick it up.

I took my three.  I sat down and watched Indiana Jones: The Temple of Doom with my kids and wife, and ate my pizza.  All three went down quick.   I wanted more.  I knew I had committed to four and would be ok.   But then I knew that the three I had were kind of large, and I knew deep down in my heart that I was SATISFIED.

There was no reason to dive into that fourth piece.

I had won.

So I'm a few hundred calories under my goal today, I had a healthy campout, had healthy foods, even had some not-so-healthy foods under control, and I go on to win another day.

My dear Olivia Sunshine, I hope that you read this in ten, twenty.. even fourty/fifty years when I am long gone and you are raising your own family, and you know how hard this is for me, but how important it is for me, to be the best NEW Daddy that I could offer you.

Happy 5th Birthday my beautiful daughter.

PS: I'll post official food logs tomorrow or Monday, my phone is dead.  :)

Happy Friday!

The food log is going strong - I've officially made 7 days in a row logging and blogging my food.  Feel free to go back and critique my eating, I'm always up for good suggestions.

This one's going to be pretty short - but I wanted to point out that I've done well for a week and beat my first challenge.  I went from holiday break to my first full week back working, and figuring out how to handle food during a busy schedule.  We've made  conscious decisions on what we're going to eat, we've tried to look forward, and when I wasn't able (or failed to do so) make time to schedule meals, I've found healthy alternatives.  All and all, a good first week.

The next big test comes this weekend.  Tonight after work I take Elijah to Boy Scout Camp for the weekend - that means that I don't control the food.  I have to control the portions.  And I have to be smart and log everything, even those snacks that they offer at camp.  Either way, I have to be SMART, make SMART decisions and continue to keep the momentum that I've built up during the last week.

Then, tomorrow is Livi's birthday, so I'll have to make sure what whatever we eat for her birthday - cake, ice cream, etc.. I plan, schedule and eat again - SMART.  Too much work the past week to blow it away in a weekend.

I'm confident that I can do this.  I'm feeling better.  I don't miss the sweets and the treats.  Every once in a while I get hungry, and I do think about food a LOT.. but I've been able to look in the mirror and realize that the guy looking back at me NEEDS me to do this.

So, happy Friday everyone!  Food log for yesterday (1/5/17) below:

7 Days Makes a Week

A few things to note today.   First off, my eating has been on target and today will be the 7th day in a row that I have counted my calories - each of the days being under the 2400 calories that I set as my daily goal.  So, I'm doing well.

I'm also learning about new foods and enjoying them.  Last night I had what may end up being one of my favorite go-to dishes, and it's about as simple as you get.  I grilled chicken breasts, tossed them into romaine lettuce wraps and put goat cheese and just a tiny bit of taco sauce on them.  It was incredible and two of them filled me up.  Delicious.

If you can even count this as a cheat, the last two nights I've had little sugar cravings sneak into my head.  Now, one thing I said I wouldn't do is totally "YOU CANT NOT HAVE" anything.  If I want it, I'll plan for it, I'll eat it, I'll log it, and I'll move on.  I do not want to go on any diets and I don't want to put any restrictions on my life that will cause me to stumble on this journey.  Well, that's totally not true in a way - I said no junk food - but life can be still won without Sour Apple Straws and Doritos.

Yesterday, I stole one bite (like smaller than a ping pong ball) of cookie dough out of the fridge.  The day before, I had about 4 tablespoons (100 cal) of Cool Whip on a spoon.   Both times, it completely satisfied the sweet tooth, I grabbed a bottle of water and jumped on the couch to end my night.

This is how I want to do life.

I don't want to limit myself from the smart foods.  I want to start making better choices - well informed, well thought out choices about what I'm putting into my body - the TEMPLE that I'm looking to rebuild.  So, there's that - I'm much happier this way.

Onto an issue that I'm concerned about.  Usually after a 5K race, my right leg, hip and knee hurt like the devil for a day or two.  It's just something I've gotten used to as a big guy who does 3 miles at a time.  I deal with it (sometimes praying to God to get me to the end of the race and begging him to drag me over the finish line - no, I'm NOT joking), I go through the pain, and it goes away.

This time it's not going away.  The hip and leg feel fine, but my knee really, REALLY hurts.  I've always chalked it up to simple pain, but I'm kind of worried that I did something serious.   I'm not going to go rushing to a surgeon today, but I've got my endocrinologist appointment on Tuesday that I'm focused on, and if it still hurts the way it does today in a week, I may have to go make it official.  I mean, this is the "hurts to get out of a chair" kind of pain.   A lot of it is because there is still 456 pounds of meat leaning on the leg every time I ask it to carry me around, and I know that once my scales says 256 instead of 456 there will be a lot less of me to ask the knee to carry.. so... anyway, stay tuned.

Oh, and one other thing - I've been posting my food logs every day,   If you're reading this from the actual blog, you can scroll down and see everything I've eaten this week.  If you're the nutrition type, I'd love for a few of you to go through what I've done this week and give me some constructive criticism.  This is a learning process for me and I'm always up for good suggestions.  I tried a few scoops of this chocolate whey protein for a snack/belly filler yesterday and it curbed my cravings for a while, but I wonder what you guys think.   Just don't tell me I can't eat this or that, because I'm not going to listen.  :)

Here's the food log for yesterday.

Every Great Temple Starts With a Single Brick

A few things to talk about today - I'm trying for shorter, more frequent blogs.

Mostly, I want to point out that I'm going to start using the actual BLOG more often - I'm including good references, eating tips, other pages.. that type of thing.   For example, something I'm finding handy is this Recipe Calculator by Calorie Count.   You just have to cut and paste the recipe into a box, tell it how many servings it makes, and it spits out an actual nutrition label.  Pretty cool.

So, if you're reading this on Facebook - I'd encourage you to check the blog out once in a while.  I'll also be putting a lot of my 'data' stuff on the blog like my food logs and such, things that aren't so exciting to read on Facebook.   However, on FB, I'll be posting more motivational stuff, sharing others' stories and that type of thing.   So, I encourage you to follow them both.  :)

Finally, I want to pat myself on the back with one finger.   I stepped on the scale on December 30th and I weighed more than I have in my adulct life - 466 pounds.  Ever since, I've cut out junk food and made healthy decisions, as well as logging all of my calories and keeping myself accountable through these blogs.  

I went to the gym last night and walked my mile on the treadmill (knee is NOT giving up), and then went to step on the scale.

456.

So, ten pounds in 5 days.  That's some Biggest Loser type of stuff.   

However, I've seen it before.  I've done that.  I'm not going to get excited about numbers until I start seeing some that I haven't seen in a while.   But, I will give myself credit for it - because every good temple needs to start with a single brick.  That 10 pounds is my first brick.

1/3/17 Food Log: 

The Blog is Going EXTREME

You may notice something different about my weight loss page. The name is different, the look is different - I wanted something DIFFERENT to happen in 2017.

The "Cool Weight Loss Blog Without A Cool Name" was a fun title (and let's face it, I couldn't think of a name when I created it), but it was unfocused. I was unfocused.

This is different now.

This year is going to be an EXTREME change for me. Not just weight loss, but everything about the way I operate. Eating good foods, learning about new ways to eat, treating my body with a selfish respect that I have never done. Leading my family in a way that respects THEIR temples. Changing bad habits, making new ones and learning new tricks along the way.

I talked about the dinner we had last night in a previous blog, but I left one thing out. How did I decide to make shrimp and mushroom linguine? Melissa and I were going for a Sunday drive, and I brought along the newest two copies of a healthy eating magazine my mom bought us. I wanted to have her go through and see if she saw any good ideas for meals so we could try something different.

This may sound silly, but she taught me what a fig was. She showed me these different things that this magazine talked about that I had no idea. So, I wanted to try something new. I've never made that meal before and it worked out great.

So, that's part of my makeover. It's not going to be "so-so, kinda kinda" anymore. I'm not knocking on the door of making over my life.

I'm bashing through the wall.

Also, I will be doing much more with my actual BLOG itself. You can find it at http://extremetemplemakeover.blogspot.com. I will be setting goals, learning about new foods and exercises. I'm going to open my world up, and it's going to be YUGE.

Food Log and More (1/2/17)

Here's my food for the day. I'm pretty happy with the fact that I am eating REAL foods instead of junk, and you will notice that I have completely cut out extra sugars. It's actually been easier than I elected, and in starting to feel a bit better.

One thing that burns me is the dinner. I made this recipe from scratch - something TOTALLY brand new for me, including the sauce. When I plated the meal for my wife and I, I put half in her bowl and half in mine. As you'll see in the picture, it's not an ENORMOUS amount of pasta in the bowl.

When I went back to load the calories into the calorie counter, I realized that the recipe was for FOUR servings, not two. The frustrating part was that about halfway through the bowl, I told her that I was full. She warmed me to stop if I was full. It was good that I kept going and now I feel overfull.

I'm working on serving sizes. Didn't realize that the serving was half of what I plated. That's a learning curve I need to grow into, and I will. That being said, even with this I was under again.

Now, the hard part starts. Since I started this, I've been at home, able to focus on the food. Tomorrow, real life starts. Tomorrow I have to figure out work, busy schedules and still eating right.  I can do it.  I WILL do it.  It's already done.

12 Months of Bling

A years worth of bling. Didn't earn one in January (DNF) and did a few races that didn't give a medal. Pretty proud of this.

I've already talked about why this isn't the pinnacle, and merely the first step, but is a pretty shiny first step :-)

Now, to improve times by getting healthier, being focused and changing my life.

Today's Food Log (1/1/17)

Happy New Year, New Habits

Well, I had a super long descriptive blog that I had ready but the laptop won't send it. Tried like 8 times. So, you get the mini version because I don't like typing on the phone.

1: ate perfect today, and avoided church meal temptations and snacks. 100% perfect.

2: not just perfect but tried new healthy options. Who knew raspberry vinegarette and goat cheese was so delicious?

3: my body hurts so bad after my run. Knee is swollen, back in pain. But that won't stop me. I use to say I can't walk more. Now I say the weight is coming off starting TODAY.

If I can get the other blog to post I will do it tomorrow. Good stuff in there. Super motivated today.

Ps: the pic? My dinner, grilled George Foreman chicken with pepper jack, side salad with goat cheese. Made two breasts, stopped after one. Satisfied, NOT FULL. More later!