Day 44 (426-8) Weigh In. No Change

A bit of a bummer this morning when the scale showed the same number as last week but that's the way it goes I guess. Last night I went out to dinner with friends and had a very sensible meal which I was proud of. I'm going you BBQ tonight and I'm prepared to be diligent. Let's see if this week I can get more exercise in and get the scale to move down a few notches. ETL

Day 37 (426-8) This Week's Weigh In... Ugh!

I wasn't greeted with great news this morning. I gained 1 pound from last week. Not sure why. I followed my plan of 1900 cals per day. I guess it's just the way it is. I'm hoping for another Wooosh next week. My chin is up and I'm moving forward!

ETL

Day 29 (425-9) I Feel Good, I Knew That I Would

My first Saturday weigh in yielded a great result. 425, total weigh loss of 9 pounds. I actually giggled at my reflection in the mirror this morning after I weighed myself. I think I found my sweet spot at 1900 calories. Reading Sean Anderson's Transformation Road is helping me understand many things about myself. I feel more committed than ever. I'm determined to become the physical body I'm meant to be. I'm looking forward to the day when the scale reads 325, then 225. There are many miles in front of me but I'll stay on the road until I get to my destination. ETL

Day 27 (426-8) Whooosh! Feeling Great!

Even though my weigh in day is Saturday's I do weigh myself from time to time during the week... just to keep focus.  I was given a nice surprise this morning when the scale registered 426, an additional loss of 2 pounds.  Derek told me that could expect what he terms as "A Wooosh" from time to time where the body releases water, fat, whatever...and a good weight reduction is registered.  Well I think I had my first Wooosh over the past 48 hours.   It amazing what a small change like this does to your outlook.  I actually smiled this morning when I saw the number on the scale... and added a little fist pump.

I don't expect Woooshes to happen weekly but I know they will happen if I continue to eat good foods at 1900 per day and get some movement and exercise in my life.    When I look at the overall picture.. if I lose 8 pounds per month I'd be pretty happy with that rate of weight loss.  It's not too drastic, it's healty and it's sustainable.  In my first 27 days I'm already there!

ETL

Day 19 (427-7) Bought A New Scale

Same weight this morning.

I have a nice "doctors" upright scale but I was tired of using the extra counterweights so I bought a digital scale.  Below is a picture... click this to see it on Amazon:



















It's certified up to 440 lbs.  I tried it out this morning and it works just fine...same weight registered as the doctor's scale.  Now I can just step, weigh and go.  Once I get under 350 I'll go back to using the other scale... no extra counterweights.

ETL

Day 15 (428) I think I'm Stuck

6 pounds in 15 days... I'm pretty happy with that.   However, this is my 6th day being around the 428 mark and I'm beginning to think that I need to reduce my normal daily caloric intake.  I'm going to do a 2900 calorie Refeed today but tomorrow I'm considering lowering my normal daily calories from 2300 to 2100 keeping it at 40% P, 30% C and 30% F.  It's not a drastic drop and I know I can be satisfied at that level.

Regarding hitting the scale every morning... I know it's the best habit to get into but psychologically it's really difficult when you have so far to go.  Day after day of seeing little or no change can be daunting at times.   I know that once per week is not enough but I'm thinking that maybe Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays might be a good schedule for weighing myself.  I'm going to mull that one over a bit before I change it.

The one thing I haven't worked into my life is exercise.   I plan to buy an exercise bike but I haven't yet.   Starting today I'm going to take a 10 minute walk each day around the yard, around the neighborhood or wherever I might be that day.  Any place where I can fit in a walk.   I have to start someplace and I need to start sooner rather than later.

ETL

April 10, 2010 Weigh In: 411 lbs, Gain 2 lbs

Ugh. I had a feeling I gained. Easter meal didn't help.... plus a few unauthorized snacks here and there. A few late night grazings. All the no-nos I know I have to avoid. Activity level has increased though with being outside and walking around baseball fields every few days. I recommitted to myself yesterday that I would get back on the stick. I will be going back to weekly weigh in again to make sure I'm staying on track. I will get back on track. I have to.

ETL

March 27, 2010 Weigh In: 409 lbs, Lost 2 lbs

Hey there all. Well another 2 pounds down the drain. It's been difficult for me to find the time to post here but I am still on the stick and with the weather warming I've been walking more. Work has been really busy but that is a good thing. A few people at work noticed I lost weight so I let them in on my situation and goals. The only sad thing is that I'm not going to meet my goal of being under 400 lbs by April 1 but I will set a new goal tomorrow. The goal still kept me focused which is the whole point. Thanks for all the great comments and support. I'll try to post more often

ETL

March 13, 2010 Weigh In: 411 lbs, Lost 1 lbs

I often tell my boys that baseball is a thinking man's game. Well losing weight is a thinking person's game as well. For the past two weeks I subjected myself to a little experiment with the goal of figuring out just what my metabolic rate really is.

MyNetDiary's software computes my BMR at 3180. WebMD and other web based calculators confirm this number to be about right for my age, height, weight and level of daily activity. I've been very meticulous in recording EVERTHING I eat since I started this journey on 1/6/10. My average per day for the past two weeks has been 1945 calories which means I should be burning 1235 per day, 1 pound every 3 days...RIGHT? So I should have lost about 4 pounds, RIGHT? Well, during the past 14 days I've lost only 1 pound. Why are the numbers off? I've come up with two reasons:

First, I have not been exercising. If I move my ass I will burn calories. It's that simple and I take total responsibility for not following through on this goal. The weather is getting warmer. I will be coaching two baseball teams soon. My activiy level will increase. All good things. But I also need to get into a routine of daily activity. I will work on this.

Second, the BMR calculators are wrong in my case. I have a slower metabolic rate than the average 411 pound, 49 year old, 6 foot man. I have to believe that based on my two week experiment my actual BMR is more like 2000. To prove this I went back in the records (thanks MyNetDiary) and looked at my caloric intake for those weeks when I was shedding pounds a month or so ago. My average intake was 1500 calories per day. Hmmm.. Well numbers don't lie!

Conclusions:

BMR calculation software may not be right for everyone as a measuring stick. My BMR is actually around 2000. A 1500 calories intake per day should allow me to burn around 500 calories each day (with activity, more). Which is about 1 pound a week. If I have a day where I go 1600 or even 1700 that will be just fine. But 1700 is the absolute ceiling for me.

I need to get myself in the habit of being active. I will burn more calories and lose more weight when I do this.

The big positive is that I am eating good foods and have not gained any weight back. Trust me, I don't take these two accomplishments for granted. However, I now understand the rate my body burns calories and I will do my best to use this knowledge to achieve my goal.

ETL

February 27, 2010 Weigh In: 412 lbs, Lost 0 lbs

Another zero sum week for me. Looking back at what I ate there were a few days I approached 1900 cals but stayed around 1500 most days. I think the main culprit is that aside from working out side in the snow yesterday I didn't exercise once this week. I have to change this.

I did have a big loss last week, and I didn't gain any weight which is good. I have to figure out a way to make it a habit to exercise. I have a reminder in my Blackberry that comes up every day at 8am. This week when it popped up I was usually getting ready for a conference call or something and I just pressed "Dismiss". I'm going to try changing the time of my workout and I'm going to ask my kids to stay on me to do it.

I won't give up.. and I will find a way to work exercise into my life.

ETL

February 19, 2010 Weigh In: 412 lbs, Lost 5 lbs

Wow! Big loss this week. Didn't expect to lose 5 lbs this week but I am pretty pumped. This week I tried to keep my sodium intake down and exercised 3 times. I also did not go over 1800 calories on any day this week.

This coming week I'm going to keep with the exercise.. at least 3 times and stay with the low sodium deal. I don't expect to lose 5 lbs per week and don't want to but if I can lose 2 or 3 that would be great.

Thanks to every one for your great comments this week. Lots of different opinions on whether or not having food in your stomach is good or bad. I'm going to stay with the plan of not eating after 9:30pm.. this seems pretty sensible to me.

Also, pineapple is an awesome food! Fresh pineapple only has like 70 calories per cup and it is loaded with fiber. I like to dice up a cup and add some low fat vanilla yogurt to it. Really good and about 220 calories.

Lastly, I'm starting to see a few results of my weight loss...

• I wore a suit and overcoat today that felt much looser


• People who I haven't seen since I started this journey have noticed I've lost weight.


• My wedding ring is very loose.


• I'm getting up out of chairs much easier.


• It's becoming easier to put on my socks.


• I'm sleeping better.


• My overall mood is better.


• I feel like I have more energy.

I only have 13 pounds to go to reach my first goal of 399... deadline is April 1. I should be able to cruise into that goal ahead of schedule if I stay with the plan. My next goal will be the 350 mark.

That's all for now.. Stay classy San Diego.. I'm Ron Burgundy? Sorry... thanks for reading and following my blog. Knowing you guys are reading helps keep me on the train. I thank you all for that.

ETL

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EatToLive2010

February 13, 2010 Weigh In: 417 lbs, Lost 0 lbs

Honestly, I'm a little bummed that my weight stayed the same this week. Aside from the Super Bowl party I kept my calories under 2000 per day. I did have two days where I was very close to 2000 calories but most were around 1800. I also thought that working to remove snow after two huge storms would help but apparently it didn't.

This is the first plateau week for me but I'm not going to get discouraged. I know I'm going to face a number of these weeks on the road to 220 lbs and the way I handle this week will be the benchmark for the entire journey.

The one area I've been lacking is exercise. I didn't meet my objective of hitting the treadmill or EA Active every morning before work. I had it programmed as a daily reminder in my Blackberry but when it popped up on the screen I was usually already in work mode and I just hit the dismiss button. I have to get my ass in gear and start moving it.

Also, although I kept my calorie counts under 2000 each day I have been eating after 9:30pm on some nights. Not over eating, but eating light snacks. This ends today. No more eating after 9:30pm. It's #2 of my plan and a very important one. I don't want food laying around in my stomach while I sleep.

I'm going to stay on course, continue to eat healthy foods and keep daily totals at 1800 or less this week.... AND, I'm going move my ass at least 3 times this week. Maybe I need someone like Jack Sh*t or Anti-Jared to kick my ass in this category? Maybe not! I need to develop an "inner asshole guy" who tells me everyday to move my fat ass and burn calories. I'll work on finding him this week.

ETL

February 6, 2010 Weigh In: 417 lbs, Lost 2 lbs

The snow is falling and so is my body mass. This week I was able to shed 2 pounds. Today marks the 30th day of my weight loss journey and I'm pleased to report I've lost 15 pounds so far. 15 just seems like a nice round number, a good first step if you will. 20 will be the next number I'll be seeking.

As I blogged yesterday I will be stepping up the exercise this coming week. I'll start today by shoveling a bit of snow... my two boys will do most of it. At least I'll be out there burning some calories and using some muscles.

Super Bowl party on the calendar for tomorrow and I'll have to work out a plan for that.

Thanks again for all of your supportive comments.

ETL

January 30, 2010 Weigh In: 419 lbs, Lost 1 lbs

I was hoping to release more than a pound this week but any loss is good. I stuck to my plan all week and will continue to do so. I will work on stepping up the exercise as well.

I downloaded a few podcasts on meditation yesterday (free on iTunes). It's something I would like to try and work into my life.

Thanks for all the supportive comments this past week. I receive a number of emails about the Diet Soda post. I hope it changed a few minds about drinking that crap.

ETL

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EatToLive2010

Fourth Weigh In Tomorrow, Why Am I Nervous?

I guess it's good that I'm nervous about my weigh in results tomorrow. I think about it every day during the week which gives me more motivation to stay on track. I know I shouldn't be concerned with the numbers. It's a long journey and over time my body will release the weight if I eat right and stay to plan... but I just can't help myself.

Last Saturday and Sunday my calorie counts were between 2000-2100. For the rest of the week I kept it to 1700-1800 each day. I was told by a friend that following this type of "cycle" would keep my body guessing and help keep my metabolism cranking. We shall see.

If I had exercised more this past week that would have helped too. I'm going to hit the treadmill today which will make it 3 times for the week and meets my goal.

ETL

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EatToLive2010

January 23, 2010 Weigh In: 420 lbs, Lost 3 lbs

The tale of the scale was a happy one this morning. For the third straight weigh in I lost weight. This week's shedding was 3lbs and I'm feeling great about it. I'm starting to feel more looseness in my clothes and moving my body seems to be getting easier. I feel like my new eating habits are becoming more natural and my attitude towards food has definately changed for the better.

I have been consistantly meeting all points of my plan except #5. I did exercise a few times last week which is a good start but I have to get this up to 15 minutes daily. I will make this a priority this coming week.

Thanks for all your comments on yesterday's post. It's great to know that so many people care.

Go Jets!

ETL

January 16, 2010 Weigh In: 423 lbs, Lost 4 lbs!

Today I weighed in at 423 lbs, down 4 lbs for the week and I'm feeling very good about it. Only 24 more pounds to go until I hit my first goal of being under 400 lbs. My clothes are feeling a little looser and some body movements are getting easier. I'm not sure if these changes are mental or physical but nonetheless I am feeling great about it.

This coming week I'm going to continue consuming between 1500 and 1700 calories per day. I'm going to watch the sodium intake as well as exercise more. I want to get in the habit of moving my body at least 15 minutes per day as a first goal. I can't simply rely on less food intake. I have to train my mind body through increased activity so when I hit my goal weight I can maintain it for the rest of my life.

ETL

Big Day Tomorrow.. First Weigh In

Tomorrow is my first weigh in after starting on 1/6. It will only have been 3 days of eating well but at the suggestion of my family I moved my weigh in day to Saturday's. I did sneak a weigh in yesterday morning and I had lost 1 pound which is a good start. Looking forward to tomorrow!

ETL

First Weigh In This Morning... A Real Shocker!

This morning I assembled my new physician's scale and after a bit of adjusting I was able to weigh myself.

My last weigh in was at my last physical... I clocked in at 385 lbs. I figured I gained some weight since then because I quit smoking two years ago (pat on the back) and have been subtituting food for tobacco.

Well the new number shocked the hell of out me. All this time I was rationalizing that my weight had to be under 400 lbs. Don't ask me how my mind came to that thumbnail conclusion. Man was I off. My current weight is 432 lbs. When I saw that number on the scale I felt a wave of adrenalin come over my body. Like the feeling you get when you make a mistake at work or realize you forgot something important. It was not a good feeling at all.

I feel absolutely huge today. Like a huge floating blimp. But I have to get over that and focus on what needs to be done now. My wife is supportive.. she said "well, now you know what you have to do... look at it as a first step to reaching your goal of 220 lbs.. be positive about it." She is so great! I'm debating whether to tell my kids. They are very interested in my progress but unfortunately I feel embarrased to tell them that they have a Dad who weighs so much.

I face a great challenge. I must lose 212 lbs.... nearly half my body weight. No "ifs" "ands" or "buts". This is an absolute. I must reduce my size. It's a two year project and I have a good start on it.

Thanks to everyone who has posted their support comments over the past few days. It really helps to get to know people who are going through the same challenges.

ETL2010