FatBloggers.net A little push to lose the tush.

My wife and I enjoyed watching Wall-E today. An excellent social commentary on our consumer greed and the type of life it is leading to if we don’t change. In some ways, it was quite scary just how far we might go in our laziness. The destruction on our own home world and the living conditions in the future.

The movie makes it quite clear that we need to make better choices about our lives and how we live it and what we are doing to the environment. Now, I’m not a treehugger or anything, but there is some truth to what our society is becoming.

The sad part? The movie ends and I see tons of cups and popcorn bags and other trash just left in the seats. It spoke to the two main problems in the society portrayed, excessive consumption (for there were a lot of very large drink cups and popcorn buckets) and excessive waste (not only in what was not consumed, but how it was recklessly abandoned in that theater).

It was very sad and it really made me sick to my stomach. I had not purchased any food or drinks and enjoyed the movie without making a mess (managed to get a wad of gum stuck in the side of my jeans thanks to a previous movie-goer). I honestly felt a little nauseous for a few hours afterwards knowing that what was on the screen is a very real future.

That’s why we’re here… we need to make a change. We’ve chosen to no longer participate in excessive consumption. I also hope we are taking steps to reduce waste as well as waist.

Each and every one of my fellow FatBloggers are handsome, intelligent, and exemplary examples of manhood. But now, we have someone to kick the “cool” factor up a few notches…. an Air Force Officer! I want to welcome Lt. Jeff Taylor, USAF.

Jeff wrote:

I am currently an Air Force officer working as a healthcare administrator. I am 5’10”, running at around 230 lbs. Ironically, I had to join the military to become obese! Joking aside, it’s a serious issue considering I am in an occupation where I can lose my career if I don’t get these issues under control. I am hopeful this could be an interesting avenue to “fly, fight, and win.”

I don’t think any of us were in jeopardy of losing our livelihood because of our weight, It’s going to be interesting to hear his perspective with this added incentive.

Welcome to the team, Jeff!

Recently I was accused of being “TOO OBSESSED” with my transformation efforts. I know what I can and cannot eat, I know that I need to go to the gym or have some sustained exercise at home or in the wild, and I know from past experience that if I grow complacent or start relaxing these standards, bad things happen.

So yeah, maybe I am obsessed. Are you? (This leads us to a new poll)

but I was making good time.

When I started this transformation effort, I didn’t really have a destination in mind. The early days of the project had me meandering around without purpose or direction. This is a common problem for most people. Fat people are bombarded with the message that they should weigh less, add to that the constant drumbeat of ads on cable TV for magic pills and potions and the decision seems easier than the actual task. Psychology dictates that if we hear a message often enough it becomes a integral part of our being, without the knowledge to back it up. What you end up with are millions who try time and time again to diet, with no earthly idea how to accomplish long term success.

The epiphany that started me down the track I’m on has become a key part of my ‘testimony’, a story that I have told so many times I’m afraid its starting to sound well rehearsed. But the comments I hear from the people I talk to has become just as predictable. I heard it again from The Wife’s great aunt at a family get together last weekend. She was congratulating me on my progress and that lead to the required question, “How much more do you want to lose?”

When I started WeightWatchers the first time my weight sat at 402 lbs. I was told that in order to reach lifetime I would have to weigh between 165 and 180 lbs. I had NO idea what that looked like, or even if it were possible. I think the last time I weighed that much was in middle school. When I went back (new official start weight: 392), those goal numbers were still out there, but I was pretty sure I could never make it. I filed it away in the back of my mind. Occasionally I would think that once I got to around 230lbs, I would just quit and live the life.

Back in April when I crossed the line between having lost more than I had left to lose, I talked to my doctor about it. I was armed with the knowledge that I gained from the Weight Warriors contest, my actual body fat %. The report said that my lean body mass was around 210 lbs. That means that in order to get down to the goal WW set, I would have to lop off a leg. My doctor rolled out this special formula to determine my healthy weight. It started with a measurement of my wrist and elbow. This is done to truly determine whether you have a large, moderate or small frame. All those years of thinking I was “big boned” was a lie, I actually have a moderate frame. He did more calculations that included my age and blood pressure to arrive at the magic number. Surprisingly, my MAGIC number wasn’t that far off from the ‘goal’ I had been operating under.

My official, “Doctor Approved” goal weight is 225 lbs. According to my Traineo page I have 66 lbs. to go. I recommend talking to your Doctor about this, you may not have as much weight to lose as you might think.

Hi all - I’m Johnny, and I couldn’t be more pleased to join your circle. In the past few weeks that I’ve been working on my personal health goals, I’ve had an opportunity to read about all of you and your personal journeys, and have been, and will surely continue to be inspired by all that you’ve accomplished.

Plain and simple, I grew up in a very fat and unhealthy family. Fast forward to the pinnacle (or nadir, depending on how you look at it) of my family’s weight and both of my parents ended up having gastric bypass surgery. I also contemplated it and without sounding too bitter about the experience, feel like I was duped by someone who was more than likely a half-decent doctor, but a horrible businessman. I sank almost $2000 in “tests” to determine if I should have the surgery or not.  In retrospect, I think the best test was 1) a scale that read “350″ and 2) a mirror. It was no surprise to me that the doctor was later sued by his partners and the practice/business eventually folded.

It’s been almost two years since that point in time.  I moved with my wife to Georgia a year ago to start a Ph.D. That sentence alone should convey two things that pose additional health risks to an already pleasantly portly person: I live in one of the most unhealthy regions foodwise, and am in a very sedentary lifestyle as I’m either at a computer, in class, writing voraciously, or hunched over a book.

Then, in November, I received a wake-up call that many of you have also probably expereinced. My wife and I found out were were expecting our first child (a boy, arriving sometime next month). There was no use rationalizing anything at this point…no use for excuses. I had to do it. I had to change.

So, here I am.  I started a weight loss blog called Fat Guy in a Little Coat, and I am asking any who read those entries to help hold me accountable.  This time around, I refuse to cut corners or employ any type of cheating. As I’ve already stated numerous times on my blog, I’ll restate for all of you: I’m in this for the long haul.

My plan is relatively simple: eat less and eat better, exercise more, and make reasonable, reachable goals. I am in week three of the Couch-to-5k program, and have run more in the last two weeks than I probably have in the last nine years (and it’s not all that much). I have lost just over 13 pounds in the past couple of weeks (starting at 370 and currently weighing in at just under 357) and have a goal to weigh 250 lbs. or less by January 1, 2010. I can’t wait to share my journey with all of you as you share yours with me.

Here’s to a healthy life…thanks for the warm welcome, blogging brethren…

Cross-published on Rejecting Your Reality…

Anton, A drum roll please…

Starting Weight (Dec. 22, 2006): 392 lbs.
Starting BMI: 51.7
Weight Last Week (June 17, 2008): 293 lbs.
Weight Today (June 17, 2008): 291.4 lbs.
Current BMI: 37.4

Weight Change This Week: -1.6 lbs.
Total Weight Lost: -100.6 lbs.
NEXT GOAL: 100 LBS LOST! (I DID IT!)

Do… or Do Not… there is no TRY. –Master Yoda

I finished out last week jogging a total of 15.2 miles in four days.  Though it took me about 4 hours, I’m satisfied that I could do it at all.  I could not picture myself doing that when I started this journey a few years ago.

We went camping this past weekend and my brother and I went on a “short” hike, which probably ended up to be about 5 miles total, in temperatures above 95 degrees.  It was fun and we got to spend a lot of time talking.  All of us ate much healthier than past camping trips (we even had raw veggies this time) and drank a lot more water and a lot less soda (in fact, there was only diet soda).

All of this helped contribute to my loss this week and I’m happy.  Not as thrilled as I had hoped because I have a scale at home that lies to me and makes me expect more from the WW scale than I got.

This was also after attending a going-away lunch for my workout buddy who is moving to East Texas.  The lunch was held at a VERY nice restaurant and there was much food at the table.  I had a few small appetizers (mostly the seared tuna), chose the garlic chicken w/ basmati rice, one slice of fresh bread, and water.  I did better than I usually would, but I could’ve done better than I did.

Ah, well, 9 weeks to go on my goal of 55 pounds by Labor Day and I’ve got 8.8 pounds left to lose.  If I push myself hard, I can do it and still have a few weeks left.  I want to actually fulfill one of my goals that Iset for myself.  I want it to be this one.  Then I want it to be every one I set after this one.

Starting weight: 319.0 lb
Previous weight: 274.0 lb
Current weight: 272.8 lb
Current loss/gain: -1.2 lb
Total loss/gain: -46.2 lb
Distance to 55: 8.8 lb
Distance to WW Goal: 22.8 lb

Cross-posted to WebCudgel.com

Cross-posted at Confessions of the guy at Weight Watchers

As we look back in time and look at pictures from late 1800s and early 1900s what we normally see is people of normal weight.  The obesity of our nation really did not begin until the last 70 years or so.  Some would argue that it really did not begin until the late 50s or early 60s.  I have a very clear thought as to why this is.  I am sure I am not the only one who has said this and there are minds much greater than my own who could pin down more specific dates and look at the average diet over that time.  But after my weekend it was made extremely clear.  People “back in the day” worked.  They worked until the job was done.  Many times they did this for survival not for money.  The plowed and shoveled and did hard manual labor.  Many men did this their entire lives, and in that time while the men were out working the fields the women were tending to children, washing clothes by hand, and doing everything we do today… by hand.  Imagine taking the clothes you wear during the week and washing each individual item on a washboard.  We cannot imagine it.  This weekend was as close as I have gotten to real “labor” in many years.  My dad and I hand graded a spot in his yard for a shed.  We then put in a frame and then move 1500 lbs of pea gravel from my truck to the back yard.  So while I did not get the the gym this weekend I am pretty sure I burned as many calories working and I would have in the gym.  I think maybe it is important to try to do a few more things by hand and just be more manual about the way we go about our day to day lives.  I love modern convenience as much as the next guy but modern convenience has also led to and overweight nation.

Where do these guys come up with the GREAT blog names?

If you have any taste whatsoever for classic comedy you will know where Johnny gets the name of his blog… Fat Guy in a Little Coat.

A couple things to take note of…

1. He writes an interesting post
2. He’s not afraid of making posts that challenge his ‘Man Card” status
3. He sets great goals

When he stops by to make his first post… make him feel welcome.

Sorry I have missed a couple of weigh-ins. I have been swamped at work. I’ve also been doing a lot of yo-yoing in the weight department. I keep losing and gaining the same 5 pounds over and over again.

Obviously that is not what I am celerbating.

This weekend I made a running milestone that I have been working towards for a few weeks…and then I made another running milestone today…and this is one that I have been working at since March.

Milestone Number 1:

In training for my Triathlon (which is only 3 weeks away), I have started doing “Bricks”. Bricks are two workouts done back-to-back, in my case biking 9 miles then running 2.5. Only problem is I haven’t been able to make it past 2 miles on the run…until this weekend. On Sunday I went out for a workout with some friends and manged to do a 15 mile bike ride followed by a 2.7 mile run.

Milestone Number 2:

Today I managed my first 4 mile run. Usually I die right about 3.5 miles and have to walk for a few minutes before I can start running again. Today I finally broke through that plateau and managed to run 4.07 miles in 37:30.

While my weight loss may have slowed to a trickle, I am finding some seriously renewed energy in my workouts and that has me really excited, becasue in the long run all these goals are working toward the same thing, a healthy me.

Tony
06/30 216.8 lbs
NEW GOAL: 208
8.8 lbs. to go