FatBloggers.net

Cross-posted at Waste the Waist

I want to talk about goals for a minute.

Successful people have goals. Successful people know where they want to be. But the real secret of successful people in reaching those goals? Isn’t in setting them. It’s in deciding how to get there.

There’s a phrase that I like, which sums up very well the idea about how goal-setting works: Plan the Work, then Work the Plan.

If you look up at the top of my blog, you’ll see a weight loss ticker with a scale slowly trekking from 0 to 150. See, I set a goal of losing 150 pounds for myself, and the ticker is one way that I track my progress towards that goal.

But seriously stopping and thinking about 150 pounds doesn’t help me as I work towards meeting that goal. It’s too big. It’s a ridiculously high number! Logically, I know it’ll take around 18 months of hard work to get myself there. Eighteen months! Holy shit, that’s a long time! So I don’t think about 150 pounds, and I don’t think about a year and a half. I think about five pounds. Five measley little pounds. Shit, five pounds? Five pounds is easy. And I *always* think about my weight in five pound increments. The couple times I haven’t, it’s shown on the scale. I lose focus. I lose my way.

I a way, I’m lucky I guess. I started at 335 pounds. That means that every time I lose five pounds, I’m really completing one of two slightly larger goals. One of them is to get into a new “weight decade”. I lose 5 pounds (and technically 0.1 more), and I’m out of the 330s and into the 320s. A whole new weight decade to think about! And then I let that thought fall out of my pretty little head and I instead focus again on 5 pounds. Five itty bitty pounds. And once I knock those next five off, I’m at 325 - and my next bigger goal is met - I’ve lost a nice round number of 10 pounds! Wow! Easy! And then I just focus on the next five pounds and look, we’re back to another new weight decade! lol. And pretty soon, the decades keep going down and the total lost keeps going up. And today I’m looking at the number at the top. I don’t have to lose 150 pounds any more; I only have to lose 94.5 pounds. Shit, that’s not even triple digits! Holy shit - it’s NOT triple digits! See? I hadn’t even thought of it like that before right now. Because 150 wasn’t digestible as a number. It’s just too big. But five pounds is totally digestible. And the beauty of five pounds is, if I’m working at it, it takes two weeks to drop. Three if things are going way wrong, but I’ve also done it in only one. So I’m getting constant positive reinforcement for my efforts. And every now and then (like yesterday) I remember to look into some bigger things, like new pants. It’d been two months since I’d last thought about new pants until yesterday. Because they weren’t my daily focus. Five pounds. That’s it. That’s how I look at it.

I eat for fuel. I don’t eat after 7pm. I drink only water (or try to). I do 20 minutes on the elliptical 5 days a week. I weight-train a different body part 5 days a week for 30 minutes. I focus on losing five pounds. That’s what I do. I’ve planned my work, now I work my plan.

Sure, from time to time I botch it. I eat poorly. I have froofy coffees. I gain weight. But I don’t beat myself up anymore over it. I’m experienced enough to know that I’ll go take care of it. That those days are now the odd day.

So when you think about where you want to be, write it down. Then write down how you plan to get there. Then write down what you’re going to do today. And tomorrow. And how you’re going to lose five pounds. Then go lose the five. Then do it again. And then? After you’ve had some success losing the five pounds? Take a look at the big goal again. You may find it’s not so ridiculous anymore.

Cross posted on The Anti-Jared

“I don’t want to be a widow so young!”

Those are the words that changed my life. Those are the words that motivate me everyday!

When I was over 400 pounds, I was a walking time bomb! I knew there was no future. How can there be? Walking was a struggle, breathing was a struggle, and sleeping was a struggle. Life in general was a struggle. Life was more of a day to day operation.
What a shame I lived that way as well. Food was more important than my family. I would eat and eat, without caring about myself, or the way I lived. I was supposed to take medication for my heart and cholesterol, but never did. Why??? Maybe laziness, maybe I just did not care!
I have always had a great wife, who has stood by me for eight years. I have never met anyone who cared about me more. She has always talked about us having a family, and living for the future.

Until this year, I really have not had a future.

Here is a story that changed my life forever!
Before my dramatic weight loss, I was working late one day. My boss was talking to me about some new procedures, and it really interested me for some reason. We were talking until 3am, when at the time I usually get home around 1am.
When I strolled in the house around 3:15am, my wife was up crying. I couldn’t understand why?
I remember telling her that I was at work, and not cheating on her, or doing something dumb.

She looked at me with that look. And then uttered the words:

“I don’t want to be a widow so young!”

It is so true! Why was I living the way I did. I would never be able to have a family! Even if I did, how long would I be around to enjoy it. Maybe a year? Maybe six months?
Plus, being over 400 pounds, it is so hard to have a family. Sure, getting married is easy (Except finding a tuxedo!), but having a baby is impossible. Adoption agencies won’t even look at someone over 400 pounds, because how long are they going to be around to take care of a child. Taking care of a pregnant wife is difficult as well, especially since it is tough to even roll out of bed!

When that comment was made, I knew I needed to make a life change. That is the motivation I needed.

Whenever I am around “bad” food, or I am too tired to work out, or a holiday comes up with people shoving snacks in my face, I do not get tempted. Why? Because I am thinking of other people. I am thinking of my wife…….

And I am excited to say I am thinking of my baby on the way!

We are due in July! It is our first baby! It is one of the main reasons why I lost weight, and one of the main reasons I will keep it off. I am beyond thrilled!

So for the first time, I am losing weight while my wife is gaining….

And I could not be happier!

Cross Posted on Pick on the Fat Kid

I’m feeling a little bit better today, but the cold lingers on.  I’ll survive (hopefully).  It’s more of an annoyance than a sickness, although last night I would have disagreed with that statement.  I was wore out. Beat Down.  Sluggish.  Dead to the world.

I have kept to the program throughout this minor inconvenience.  However, I didn’t lift weights last night.  I tried to push myself to do it, but in the end, sickness and disease won that battle.  I will make up for it tonight.  I did take my walk though and it does make me feel better for a little while.

I can’t help but feel like the week is not going so well.  I’m not sure why I feel that way, though.  I haven’t strayed from eating healthy.  I have been doing my exercise and even sweating more than normal.  I skipped bowling, but did make up for it with a brisk 30 minute walk.  I skipped last night’s weight training, but still took my walk.  I will make up for last night’s absence tonight and tomorrow to get my 3 times in this week.  I guess it’s just the sickness and guilt for all the laying around I’ve been doing.  I’ve actually done fairly well this week considering I’m a big pussy and colds kick my ass.

On a more positive note, I ran into an old friend that I haven’t seen in a few months last night.  He asked me if I had lost some weight.  I smiled and said “I’m trying”.  There might have been a fist pump somewhere in the exchange.  While my stats say 25 lbs lost, I have noticed several changes this week.  The shirt I wore yesterday was snug around my belly when I first bought it.  Yesterday, it was loose as could be.  None of my pants are tight now including these jeans which I’m wearing now.  They fit me perfectly now, whereas back in the summer time they were too snug for me to wear for long periods of time.

Me thinks it’s picture time!  I’ll try to stage a nice, sexy fat man porn shoot tonight and let you decide. 

—-

I’m going to start posting the previous day’s food consumed at the end of my daily posts.  This is easier than keeping a separate journal for the website, plus I have been getting several questions asking me about what I actually eat.  So here goes yesterday:

6:30 am – 3 egg whites, oatmeal

10:00 am – blueberries

12:30 pm – turkey, green peppers, onion, mustard in a whole wheat wrap, apple, handful of almonds.

4:00 pm – apple

6:00 pm – grilled chicken, red and green peppers, onions all mixed in some whole wheat pasta.

10:00 pm – orange

Cross Posted on Pick on the Fat Kid

I pretty much took the day off yesterday.  As much as I tried to feel good, the cold just got the best of me.  I was wore out by the time work was done.  I really wanted to bowl because we are starting a new quarter (we got 2nd place last quarter… boo!).  I just couldn’t see it happening.  So I called Roger late in the day and asked him to bowl for me.

When I got home, the only thing I could think about doing was plopping down on the couch and sleeping it off.  I was armed with season 3 of Dexter and not afraid to use it.  I had some left over steak from the previous day, already cooked, so I heated it up and threw it in a wrap with lettuce and onion just after work.

I hate not having any sort of exercise to write down in my nightly feedback, so I lassoed up Smoltzie the pup and we took off for a walk…in the rain…again.  I tried to turn it into an exercise session more than a leisurely stroll, but my head wasn’t in the game.  I broke a little sweat.  I temporarily felt better when I got home.  But that subsided quickly and I was back on the couch covered up.

I started watching Dexter and made it through about 20 minutes before the video crapped out.  Ugh.  So I had hit the intertubes again looking for another copy.  So much for my Dexter marathon.  I love that show. 

I decided to take my blanket into my office and just grind away some poker hands.  I have had a poker fever recently and most of my spare time has been spent playing.  This didn’t go as planned either.  I ended up dropping a house payment on the tables and wasn’t too enthused about that.  Such is life in the poker world.  I can’t really say I played all that well.

So I gave up on that and spent the remainder of the night laying in bed, flipping back and forth between the Ultimate Fighter Finale and Top Chef.  I finally drifted off to sleep sometime around 11:00 p.m.  Then I woke back up around 1:30 a.m.  I had to pee and I was very stopped up.  Times like these would have resulted in a midnight snack in the past.  I just took a leak, blew my nose, and let Smoltzie the pup out for a few minutes so he could do his business.  Then it was straight back to bed.  The only thing consumed in those few minutes was a glass of water and some Advil.

Adam told me to leave the scales alone and I do for the most part, but I do usually sneak a peak on Thursday mornings to check my progress.  I’m expecting a big loss this week.  I think I was PMSing or something on Monday because the number on the scale this morning brought a smile to my face.  No more weighing until Monday morning

I feel a little better today.  I’m still stopped up a bit, but it’s more of an aggravation than a sick feeling.  Tonight is weight lifting night as well and I’m pumped up for that.  I’m going to be back at it, maybe blowing snot bubbles out of my nose as I strain to get in those last couple of reps.

I have a couple other things in mind to talk about, but this post is getting a little long-winded, so I’ll touch on those other items in a later post.

Despite my best intentions, I still make bad food choices. However, once in a while, the scale seems to tell another story. Thus, this week I lost 2 pounds when I was certain it would be a gain (and I was wearing heavier clothing and shoes).

Perhaps it has something to do with my workouts pushing my metabolism up (I’ve done workouts three days in a row before this weigh-in). Perhaps I wasn’t as bad as I thought on my weekend (actually, I did pretty good on Sunday, it’s only Saturday that was my biggest concern).

I’m tracking my meals better (except on weekends). I’m working out as often as I can and I’ve been changing it up a bit so it’s not just running. I’m paying more attention to my hunger levels.

Thus, in the coming week, I will to work harder on my food tracking (including this coming weekend). I will continue alternating my workouts to cover more than just running. I will listen to my hunger levels and stop eating when I’m satisfied (not when I finish my plate).

Below is a list of this past week’s daily journey entries:

• Wednesday, Dec 10th
• Thursday, Dec 11th
• Friday, Dec 12th
• Monday, Dec 15th
• Tuesday, Dec 16th

Starting weight: 319.0 lb
Previous weight: 270.6 lb
Current weight: 268.6 lb
Current loss/gain: -2.0 lb
Total loss/gain: -50.4 lb
Distance to 60: 9.6 lb
Distance to WW Goal: 18.6 lb

Cross-posted to WebCudgel.com

Cross-posted at Waste the Waist

Much like Hollywood, I seem to be churning out inferior sequels to an exciting original post. Eh, what are you going to do, nobody’s paying me to be original.

So today I’m leaving work. It’s snowing out. I’ve lived my whole life in the great state of Minnesota, and yet I don’t have a snow brush/ice scraper for my car. Idiot. Moreover, I decide to just fire up the car and go, instead of waiting for it to warm up, for the front/rear defrosters to kick in. It was fine at first, but as the defroster started I was suddenly greeted by a thick fog on my windshield. It was further compounded by the blowing snow off my hood which hit the windshield and amped up the fogging. And I’m doing 25 with my window rolled down and my head sticking out of it, so I don’t bury my car into someone’s side panels. That’s when I get the bright idea - let’s jump on the highway and try to not die and go buy some new Closet Pants!!!

I haven’t had an official pair of too-big Closet Pants since I last got some Lucky 38s, I’d run out of “skinny” (lol!) pants. I guess I just haven’t had that feeling of going for something like that in awhile.

So I fought the weather and got to the store, and once inside went to the rack. I grabbed another pair of Luckys, this time a 36 Regular. Just for fun, I bought myself a 2x button-up as well. It’s been awhile and I don’t seem to have any nice button-ups in a 2x in the closet.

I just got home and put down the bag. I pulled out the pants. Lots of apprehension here. Thoughts just racing in my mind. I know that as I continue to lose, each next pair of Closet Pants will become harder and harder to fit into. The distance and work to go from 46 to 44? Easy. A couple weeks of real work and eating right. By the time I’m trying to get into 38s, it had become a real grind. I remember putting on those 38s for the first time - no dice. They didn’t get worn for two weeks afterward. But man did they motivate me. I *had* to get into a thirty-something waist. I just *had* to, you know? And so it was with today’s 36s. It had been two months since getting into a lower waist. How long would the 36s take?

I plucked the tags off the jeans, peeled the sticker with the big 36 REGULAR off the leg, turned and headed for the bathroom and its mirror. I put my right leg through the leg of the jean. Surprisingly, I didn’t get any resistance. No tightness around the thigh. I put my left leg through. Again, No problem. I pulled them up over my butt, grabbed the button with my right hand, the button hole with my left and got ready to hold my breath.

They buttoned.

No fighting. No big suck-in. No problems. I honestly thought that there was something wrong. I pulled at the waistband, wondering if they were some sort of stretchy something or another. Nope. I looked at myself in the mirror. Sure, the stomach still hung over the waistband (that’ll take a while to lose), but the pants were fine. Better than fine in fact. It’s weird - I’ve had so much extra room in the hamstrings and thighs and crotch of my recent pairs of pants, I’ve forgotten how pants are supposed to fit. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still 281 pounds of hugeness, but my god, these things don’t look like I could billow out the extra fabric and glide from treetop to treetop like some flying squirrel. They look… normal. Kind of. They improve the way I look. They’ve reduced my silhouette.

I tried on the 2x shirt too, just for fun. It buttoned up. When I *totally* relaxed you could still clearly see the outline of my gut, and when tucked into the jeans I looked as though my torso was made of thick, heavy marshmallows, but seriously - I’m like two weeks away from having that shirt be a viable option. No kidding.

I still had a 3x shirt in the closet that didn’t fit when I bought it. It’s not American, so it’s cut isn’t as generous as the stuff Casual Male XL sells apparently (their stuff seems to be cut so huge - I think that their 3x is like a “normal” 4x). It fit. It effing fit! Again, when tucked into these 36 jeans the button-up looked a bit ridiculous, but I’ll be damned if I can’t wear it on casual Fridays where tucking in isn’t mandatory.

I guess it’s time to go buy a pair of 34s and get ready for Closet Pants V!

Cross Posted on The Anti-Jared

So today started out like most Mondays for the last nine months.
I woke up with the pup barking. I worked out, and then I was off to Weight Watchers before work. I only had time to get weighed in today, and not stay for the meeting. Oh well, I guess I could not hear how the new program is the same as the old program, except it has a different name. I can save that for the Internet forums!
I went to my weigh in just 3 pounds away from losing 200 pounds!
I do not know anyone who has lost 200 pounds without surgery. I know many people who have lost 190+ pounds, but not that 200 pounds mark.
I guess it is like when you buy a DVD player for $99.99, you do not realize it is $100, but it is. $99.99 sounds cheaper. Huh?
Anyway, I went to my meeting with my favorite receptionist, Barbara, happy to see me. I got on the scale, she had her fist in the air, and she said:
“That’s my boy, 2.6 pounds!!!”
Yep, I lost 2.6 pounds, bringing my total to 199.6 pounds lost.
For a split second, I did say “Awwww man!” on the inside, but then realized how happy I was that I lost 2.6 pounds. I had a good week!
I was telling someone at work it would have been nice to blog that I lost 200 pounds, and he said:
“Well, why don’t you just say you lost 200 pounds. You are going to lose it anyway, just subtract it from next week’s total. What does it matter.”
That is where I am different! It does matter! !t has always mattered!
I am truly a man of integrity. If I gain weight, I will tell you all. If I lose weight, I will tell you all. I am honest about all about my eating and workouts. At work, I am as honest as I can be. If I lose my job, it will not be because of an unethical issue. I will not put myself in a situation like that! In my personal life I am honest. It hurts when you are deceitful!
I look on the Internet, and I see a lot of weight loss stories. I hate to say it, but by looking at the pictures, you can tell a lot are fake. They push their stomachs out, they have different lighting. They look 20 pounds overweight when they say they have lost 85 pounds.
No, I am happy with my 199.6 pounds lost. I am the real deal. I have my little WW booklet to prove it. I am not a liar, and I do not plan on starting now.
I can wait one more week to tell you I lost 200 pounds!

This is cross-posted at Waste the Waist

Well, I was able to put together a good weekend of eating, and the results are showing on the scale this morning. I’m thrilled about that. I’m not thrilled that the weather/snow here made traffic bad this morning, to the point of delaying me getting to the gym by 30 minutes. So no cardio today, only weights. That? Isn’t getting it done to the best that I want. I didn’t get a big sweat going. I didn’t start my day off as right as I’d like. But I still did my shoulder lifts and got a small sweat going.

One and a half weeks until Christmas and all the travel, stress and bad eating that goes with it. Just remember everyone, it’s a holiDAY, not a holiWEEK. Be good.

This is cross-posted at Waste the Waist.

My apologies for the alliteration, but what a weird week, weight-wise. This morning I’m back at 284.7, which is where I was on Tuesday, before the bizarre uptick in my weight mid-week. The thing is, yesterday I wasn’t on my most best behavior. I mean, I did my water, my lean chicken and salad and apple for lunch, but then had a 12″ meatball sub and then a Mountain Dew and a candybar in the evening. Whaa? And yet I went down in weight! But the day prior when I was dang near perfect, I’d held steady. I don’t know if it takes two days to register good behavior on the scale, but when I blow up, eat Chinese and lose my mind, the scale registers the bad behavior immediately!

Always observing, always learning.

Yesterday I skipped my froofy coffee. I skipped it this morning too. I think I’d like to be done with them. So I guess I will be. For awhile anyway. I don’t need 6-7 of those guys a week. Too much espresso!

Oh, almost forgot - I woke up last night, for the second time this week, with a terrible cramping in my right calf. I’ve been stretching, I’ve been drinking water… I’ve had calf cramping issues for years now. Typically I am woken up once every three months or so with them. Terrible. I awake, crying out in pain. I try to pull the leg up close to me and massage the calf a bit, but moving it is so difficult. Once about 60 second have passed I can begin to slowly stretch it again, but man does it hurt!

I was concerned as Friday is leg day at the gym. I still did my squats, but typically I then alternate between leg extensions or leg curls, and then do step-ups for the third exercise. Today I tossed out the step-ups and did both leg extensions and curls, and avoided putting the calf under duress. I’m still feeling my calf as I sit this morning.Ugg.

Cross Posted on The Anti-Jared

I am not big on writing about current events. I usually do not talk about politics, or the world economy, or anything going on in Hollywood. The truth is, I am not very good at it. My brother is good at that kind of stuff, I am good at taking the same idea and re-writing it 3,989 times. Yes, it is usually about weight loss.
So I guess this blog entry ties in with both. I have gotten some emails that I should give Oprah advice. Are you serious!!! Me, advice for Oprah!
Now, I have been reading a lot of bloggers writing about Oprah, and her weight gain.
Truth be told, I do not read O Magazine, nor do I watch the show that often.

The last time I watched Oprah, it cost me money because we made our house energy efficient. The other time was “Oprah’s favorite thing-a ma-bobby’s” which cost me more money. Oprah costs me money.

Anyway, my wife loves her, as do so many people in America.Heck, I love her too. She is great! Her show is well produced, and she has some fantastic topics on her show (Per my wife). She is the definition of inspiration!
So recently, or for a little while, Oprah has been gaining a couple of pounds. 40 to be exact. She was a fit 160, and now she is 200 pounds. She does not look bad, but there is a difference in her pictures.
Anyway, everyone in the blog world wants to chime in on her loss, and give her tips and advice.They want to be superstars by saying what she did wrong, and what she can do to fix herself. I read a blog where the author wanted to give Oprah hope. One other blogger wrote that she knew how she could help Oprah lose weight. So here is my opinion:

I have none!

That is right. Who am I to give Oprah advice. Actually, who is anyone to give Oprah advice. We are all struggling with weight loss (I have busted my rump to still weigh 23.4 pounds more than Oprah!) and eating right. Since when did everyone become such an expert! We do not know what it is like to live her life….

Wait, there is someone who knows!

There is hope for Oprah!

I have two words for you, girlfriend!!!!

Ricki Lake!

That is right. Ricki has lost 125 pounds through hard work, and eating right (and something called “Fresh Dining”). She had a pretty successful talk show, although everyone was kicked to the curb on her show (I still love the theme song…doooooo,do,do,do!)
She looks great, and she stays busy. She has been struggling with weight loss for 20 years (Like Oprah). She was 260 pounds at one time (Oprah was 240). Ricki even had a baby, and still dropped a few afterward.
She could give Oprah some advice.

I couldn’t. Oprah still has kept off more weight that I have.