Taking a Break

Ok, I'll be honest here. I've taken the last 4 days off. By 'off'', I mean, not walking my hour a day, and eating whatever I wanted. Tonight I feel like crap. I'm groggy, tired, feeling very blah. I fear hopping on the scale tomorrow. Have I given up? NOT ON YOUR LIFE. Call it a little experiment on my part. Tomorrow, it's back to the routine. Promise.

Never give up, never surrender.


Rich

Good News in the Mail Today

okokokokok, I'm sooo over being bummed yesterday, especially after I got my mail today. I got the results of my blood tests I had done while having my annual physical a couple of weeks ago.

My Total Cholesterol is 149!!
< 200 is desirable,
200-239 is Borderline High,
>240 call the mortician.

My LDL (Bad, Lousy, Cholesterol) is 90!!!
<100 is Optimal
100-129 Near optimal
130-159 Borlerline High
160-189 High
>190 Don't make plans for Christmas

My HDL (good Cholesterol - Higher is Better) is 49!!!
< 40 LOW
>60 HIGH

My Triglycerides is 49!!! Triglycerides is blood fat. May be associated with heart disease and stroke.
<150 is Normal
150-199 Borderline High
200-499 HIGH
>500 - Just squeeze some of your blood in the pot, you can fry chicken with it.

Not too shabby for a 43 year old still technically 'obese' guy, eh? Thank you Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen for not only helping me lose the weight, but making me a very healthy man.


Take Care,
Eat Well,

Rich

Bummer

Another week, and well, umm, errr...... I didn't lose anything. I've increased my walking to an hour a day, ate good, didn't cheat and I still didn't lose. I'm disappointed, I'm only human, and really bummed. Have my expectations been artificially elevated because of my huge success in previous weeks? Maybe. Will I give up, quit?? N E V E R. "Never give up, NEVER surrender". I didn't take any pictures this week, they'd just be the same.



Here's the numbers...
Week.....Date.......Weight.....Lost.....Waist....Lost
Start.2/28/2007.......297.....n/a.......57......n/a
1.......3/07/2007.......289......8.........56........1
2.......3/14/2007.......280.....17........55.5.....1.5
3.......3/21/2007.......275.....22........55........2
4.......3/28/2007.......274.....23........53........4
5.......4/04/2007.......271.....26........52........5
6.......4/11/2007.......267.....30........52........5
7.......4/18/2007.......265.....32........51........6
8.......4/25/2007.......262.....35........50........7
9.......5/02/2007.......259.....38........48........8
10.....5/09/2007.......254.....43........47........9
11.....5/16/2007.......253.....44........46.......10
12.....5/23/2007.......249.....48........46.......10
13.....5/30/2007.......247.....50........45.5....11.5
14.....6/06/2007.......241.....56........44.5....12.5
15.....6/13/2007.......240.....57........44.......13
16.....6/21/2007.......240.....57........44.......13
17.....6/27/2007.......237.....60........43.......14
18.....7/04/2007.......233.....64........43.......14
19.....7/11/2007.......230.....67........41.......16
20.....7/18/2007.......229.....68........41.......16
21.....7/25/2007.......229.....68........41.......16

Take Care,
Eat Well,

Rich

Motivation

I stumbled across this really cool website. It let's you create your own personal motivational posters FOR FREE!! Gotta love the free stuff. It's really easy to create, save and print your own customized motivational poster. Here's one I made that now is posted on my refrigerator!!

Take Care, Eat Well.

Rich.

This Makes it ALL Worth It.

When you post a video on You Tube (like my "The Incredible Shrinking Man" video), you plug in your email address and when someone leaves a comment on You Tube, you get sent a notice by You Tube that someone has left a comment. I received this comment today.........

"HI DADDY ur not fat anymore YAY!! I LOVE YOU!"

Wow! That, my friends, makes it all worth it.


Take Care,
Eat Well.

Rich

Another One Bites the Dust

It's been another successful week. Another week of walking an hour a day, another week of eating good, another week of eating right, another week of eating healthy, another week of losing weight. I have 10 more pounds to lose to reach my mini goal of 219 (my lowest weight in my adult life.) and only another 32 pounds for my ultimate goal of losing 100 pounds.

Here's the numbers...
Week.....Date.......Weight.....Lost.....Waist....Lost
Start.2/28/2007.......297.....n/a.......57......n/a
1.......3/07/2007.......289......8.........56........1
2.......3/14/2007.......280.....17........55.5.....1.5
3.......3/21/2007.......275.....22........55........2
4.......3/28/2007.......274.....23........53........4
5.......4/04/2007.......271.....26........52........5
6.......4/11/2007.......267.....30........52........5
7.......4/18/2007.......265.....32........51........6
8.......4/25/2007.......262.....35........50........7
9.......5/02/2007.......259.....38........48........8
10.....5/09/2007.......254.....43........47........9
11.....5/16/2007.......253.....44........46.......10
12.....5/23/2007.......249.....48........46.......10
13.....5/30/2007.......247.....50........45.5....11.5
14.....6/06/2007.......241.....56........44.5....12.5
15.....6/13/2007.......240.....57........44.......13
16.....6/21/2007.......240.....57........44.......13
17.....6/27/2007.......237.....60........43.......14
18.....7/04/2007.......233.....64........43.......14
19.....7/11/2007.......230.....67........41.......16
20.....7/18/2007.......229.....68........41.......16

I'm wearing 38" Dockers in these pictures!!! Can you believe it!! 38" Docks!!!

Take Care,
Eat Well,

Rich

n2styx@comcast.net

Mail Call

Usha, Thanks for the comments and insight. I agree with a lot of what you said. While '197' is my goal, it is just a number. Everyone wants to know what I weigh. They don't care how healthy you are, it's always about the number. Trust me, my goal is being healthy and active. The 197 is a means to an end, it is something tangible I can measure to ultimately get to a healthy body. I'm really NOT obsessed with the number. It's really funny too, because at 197 with my height, I will still be considered overweight using the BMI charts. I'm 5' 11". I think I have to get down to 178 to be considered 'normal' weight. I think I'd look dreadfully sick at 178. BMI doesn't take into account frame size. I have a large frame, wide shoulders. The BMI charts only take into account height and weight. But I'll take being considered overweight at 197. I can live with that.

In answer to some other questions. I am 5' 11". I used to be 6', but a crushed a vertebra in my back 2 years ago and I lost an inch. (Believe it or not!).

About the question about handling anger... Ummm.. I ususally dont' get angry. I get frustrated and stressed, but usually not angry. I'm an air traffic controller, so stress is part of my life. I've been an air traffic controller for over 19 years. I sit at a radar scope 8 hours a day and get stressed for a majority of that time. It's a bad combination (seditary work with a ton of stress, no wonder I have belly fat). I never really used food to cope with stress or anger or frustration. I usually ate junk food because I was bored and I loved to eat!!! I cope with anger by removing myself for the situation that causes anger. When put in a situation that causes anger, I take a line from the Penguins in the movie "Madagascar", "Smile and wave boys, just smile and wave."

Take Care, Eat Well,

Rich
n2styx@comcast.net

Where's the Comments?

Ok, I was getting a little bummed that no one was posting comments. I was beginning to think no one visited my little ol' blog, but my counter says over 500 people have visited my blog. But still I had ZERO comments on all my posts. Today, when I logged on, I saw this really small thingy saying I had comments I needed to moderate. All this blogging stuff is really new to me. All this hi-tech hocus pocus throws me for a loop at times. Anyway, I clicked the link to moderate my comments and wah la, there were comments. Then I dug deeper and found a setting that was checked about moderating comments. I unchecked 'yes' and checked 'no'. NOW comments should just post without me having to intervene..

Soooo..... POST AWAY! We could get some good discussions going. Ask me anything. I'm pretty much an open book. If it will help and inspire you, it's all good!

Take Care, Eat Well,
Rich

Fuze - The New Miracle Drink??

I have discovered this wonderful drink called FUZE - Healthy Infuzions. There's different varieties, but I get the 'Slenderize' variety. The Slenderize Variety comes in 6 flavors (Cranberry Raspbery, Strawberry Melon, Tangerine Grapefruit (my favorite), Tropical Fruit, Blueberry Raspberry, Dragon Fruit Lime). The drinks taste really good and each drink has Chromium (40mcg), Vitamin C (135mg), Super Citrimax (450mg), L-Carnitine (45mg). They're really good and the ingredients have long been touted to help lose weight. Again, I can't say these drinks are helping, but they're sure not hurting. Check out their website http://www.drinkfuze.com/ Here's another site where they review FUZE. http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/fuze/ I purchased 12 - 18oz bottles at Costco for $9.99 (Sam's Club had them as well.)

Take Care, Eat Well,

Rich

Leaving the 230's

I had to pinch myself this morning to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I lost another 3 pounds AND 2 more inches!!! I really don't understand how I possibly could be losing so much. I'm eating soooo good (I'm having Flash's Cajun Jambalya again for lunch today!!) and I'm eating all the time (every 2 hours). All those years of starvation with limited results, WHAT A WASTE!!!



Here's the numbers...


Week.....Date.......Weight.....Lost.....Waist....Lost
Start.2/28/2007.......297.....n/a.......57......n/a
1.......3/07/2007.......289......8.........56........1
2.......3/14/2007.......280.....17........55.5.....1.5
3.......3/21/2007.......275.....22........55........2
4.......3/28/2007.......274.....23........53........4
5.......4/04/2007.......271.....26........52........5
6.......4/11/2007.......267.....30........52........5
7.......4/18/2007.......265.....32........51........6
8.......4/25/2007.......262.....35........50........7
9.......5/02/2007.......259.....38........48........8
10.....5/09/2007.......254.....43........47........9
11.....5/16/2007.......253.....44........46.......10
12.....5/23/2007.......249.....48........46.......10
13.....5/30/2007.......247.....50........45.5....11.5
14.....6/06/2007.......241.....56........44.5....12.5
15.....6/13/2007.......240.....57........44.......13
16.....6/21/2007.......240.....57........44.......13
17.....6/27/2007.......237.....60........43.......14
18.....7/04/2007.......233.....64........43.......14
19.....7/11/2007.......230.....67........41.......16

Another Good Week

It was another good week! 4 more pounds found their way out of my body and into oblivion!! I'm getting closer and closer to my goal weight and oh so close to the lowest I've ever weighed in my adult life. My GOAL weight is 197 lbs (100 pounds weight loss). The lowest I've weighed in my adult life is 219. Both these milestones are just on the horizon and VERY obtainable for me.



Thanks to Flash for the YOAD approved Jambalaya recipe. It rocks! Losing weight and eating food that is so good and so good for me, who can complain?



Here's the numbers....



Week.....Date.......Weight.....Lost.....Waist....Lost
Start.2/28/2007.......297.....n/a.......57......n/a
1.......3/07/2007.......289......8.........56........1
2.......3/14/2007.......280.....17........55.5.....1.5
3.......3/21/2007.......275.....22........55........2
4.......3/28/2007.......274.....23........53........4
5.......4/04/2007.......271.....26........52........5
6.......4/11/2007.......267.....30........52........5
7.......4/18/2007.......265.....32........51........6
8.......4/25/2007.......262.....35........50........7
9.......5/02/2007.......259.....38........48........8
10.....5/09/2007.......254.....43........47........9
11.....5/16/2007.......253.....44........46.......10
12.....5/23/2007.......249.....48........46.......10
13.....5/30/2007.......247.....50........45.5....11.5
14.....6/06/2007.......241.....56........44.5....12.5
15.....6/13/2007.......240.....57........44.......13
16.....6/21/2007.......240.....57........44.......13
17.....6/27/2007.......237.....60........43.......14
18.....7/04/2007.......233.....64........43.......14





Take Care, Eat Well.
Rich

WOW!

I decided to try on my jeans tonight. 40w loose! 38w comfy! 36w, buttoned, zipped, snug. HOLY COW!! Honestly, I almost teared up. 2 day until weigh day.

Eat Well,
Rich

BMI Baby!

I just re-did my BMI (Body Mass Index)....I started at a BMI of 41.5 and now it's 32.8 !!! Incredible!!!

You can calculate your BMI here if your a RealAge Member: http://www.realage.com/WorkoutCenter/bmi.aspx?mod=YOAD_WT

If you're not a member of RealAge.com, then you can go here to quickly calculate your BMI:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/


Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.

According the cdc. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/adult_BMI/about_adult_BMI.htm Here's what the BMI number means:

BMI ...................Weight Status
Below 18.5............. Underweight
18.5 – 24.9 .............Normal
25.0 – 29.9 ............Overweight
30.0 and Above...... Obese

So according to the CDC, I'm still obese (duh!!), but I only have to go down 2.8 points to be just overweight!! Imagine that, I'm excited about being 'overweight'!!! Sounds a lot better than OBESE. According the RealAge.com website, my ideal BMI should be 22. It says to get there, I should weigh 157 lbs. That will never happen! I would be a walking skeleton. but if I reach 178, my BMI will be 24.9 and I'll finally be Normal!!!

Take Care, Eat Well

Rich

Lights Camera Action

My first attempt at a home movie... Enjoy!!!

Doing My Happy Dance

Well, after a 2 week plateau, I finally lost some more flab. I won't tell you how much yet, you'll have to read all the way down to the bottom of the post. I love keeping you in suspense.

I think I've done really well while on the You: On a Diet plan, but I have to tell you, I was feeling a little discouraged the last couple of weeks. It's disappointing to step on the scale and not lose any weight. I'm only human, folks. I was bummed. But you know what? I DIDN'T GIVE UP. I kept up my daily walking. I didn't slurp up the ice cream or throw in the towel. I just kept doing what I was suppose to do. I kept my eyes on my goal, visualized how I wanted to look, and kept telling myself that I can do this. One meal at a time, one day at time, one meal at a time. Several times during my other weight loss attempts, when I got frustrated, I cheated. I ate what I've craved. Then I felt guilty afterwards, felt bad, and ate some more junk. Then I told myself, 'self, you've blown it now, no need to continue the diet, try again next week, month, year'. Sounds familar to anyone else? I know I can't be alone in this cheat/guilt/gorge/guilt/give up cycle, am I? I'm really proud of myself this time for not throwing in the towel. High fives anyone?

Ok, thanks again for reading and here's the numbers....

Anyway, Here's the numbers...

Week.....Date.......Weight.....Lost.....Waist....Lost

Start.2/28/2007.......297.....n/a.......57......n/a

1.......3/07/2007.......289......8.........56........1

2.......3/14/2007.......280.....17........55.5.....1.5

3.......3/21/2007.......275.....22........55........2

4.......3/28/2007.......274.....23........53........4

5.......4/04/2007.......271.....26........52........5

6.......4/11/2007.......267.....30........52........5

7.......4/18/2007.......265.....32........51........6

8.......4/25/2007.......262.....35........50........7

9.......5/02/2007.......259.....38........48........8

10.....5/09/2007.......254.....43........47........9

11.....5/16/2007.......253.....44........46......10

12.....5/23/2007.......249.....48........46.....10

13.....5/30/2007.......247.....50........45.5...11.5

14.....6/06/2007.......241.....56........44.5...12.5

15.....6/13/2007.......240.....57........44.......13

16.....6/21/2007.......240.....57........44.......13

17.....6/27/2007.......237......60.......43........14

That's right!!! 3 pounds and 1 inch this week.. 60 pounds total!!!

Take Care, Eat Well,

Rich

n2styx@comcast.net

Nectar of the Gods

I've received many emails lately asking me how I curb my hunger and what do I do about sugar cravings. So here goes....

To curb those hunger pains: First of all, I usually eat about every 2 hours. Main Meal, snack, Main Meal, Snack, Main Meal, Snack. That routine usually keeps me from getting really hungry. But when I just have to have something, I grab some raw walnuts and/or grab a "Pepsi Jazz Strawberries and Cream Soda" or a "Diet Dr. Pepper Berries and Cream" and drink them quickly. The carbonation, I think makes my tummy feel full, I feel bloated and the hunger is gone. I also take a short walk, around the block, around the neighborhood. That little amount of exercise takes the edge off my hunger.

For my sugar cravings, again, the NECTAR OF THE GODS.. "Jazz Strawberries and Cream Soda" or a "Diet Dr. Pepper Berries and Cream". Not only do I find that these soda curb my hunger, they take the edge off my sugar cravings. If I feel I need something more tactile, I'll eat some frozen blueberries, low/non fat yogurt, chew Trident Sugar Free Cinnamon Gum (see a former blog for Trident information), a square of Trader Joe's 72% Dark Chocolate or suck on a Sugar Free Creme Saver Strawberries & Cream Hard candy.

These work for me, indivdual results will vary. I've heard that if you eat sugar free candies and sodas that this will only intensify your craving for real sugar and more sweets. This isn't the case for me. My cravings are gone after a Creme Saver or a Diet Soda. Again, this works for me, individual results may vary.

Take Care, Eat Well.
Rich
n2styx@comcast.net

Holding Steady

After enjoying Father's Day and accepting all the 'treats' offered on the day from my kiddos, I managed not to gain any weight this week! I didn't lose any either, but that's ok! It did make me think, though, how much in our culture we celebrate with food. What's a birthday, without cake and ice cream? What's Father's day without going out to eat with the kids? And don't even get me started about how celebrating the birth of Christ involves sweets of every imaginable combination. What's up with that?

Anyway, Here's the numbers...

Week.....Date.......Weight.....Lost.....Waist....Lost
Start.2/28/2007.......297.....n/a.......57......n/a
1.......3/07/2007.......289......8.........56........1
2.......3/14/2007.......280.....17........55.5.....1.5
3.......3/21/2007.......275.....22........55........2
4.......3/28/2007.......274.....23........53........4
5.......4/04/2007.......271.....26........52........5
6.......4/11/2007.......267.....30........52........5
7.......4/18/2007.......265.....32........51........6
8.......4/25/2007.......262.....35........50........7
9.......5/02/2007.......259.....38........48........8
10.....5/09/2007.......254.....43........47........9
11.....5/16/2007.......253.....44........46......10
12.....5/23/2007.......249.....48........46..... 10
13.....5/30/2007.......247.....50........45.5...11.5
14.....6/06/2007.......241.....56........44.5...12.5
15.....6/13/2007.......240.....57........44.......13
16.....6/21/2007.......240.....57........44.......13

No pictures this week. Same old me.

Take Care, Eat Well.

Rich
n2styx@comcast.net

Happy Father's Day!!

To all you father's out there, Happy Father's Day! Enjoy the day, relax and don't worry about the YOAD. On Father's Day, it's the YOAD less traveled. Enjoy the day with your kids and let them let you know how much they appreciate you and all you do.

Rich
Eat Well, tomorrow!

Rich

Another One Gone

Well it was weigh day and I lost another pound!! It's only a pound, but I'm actually surprised because last week I lost 6 pounds and contributed it to water or something freaky. I expected this week to actually gain weight to make up for the unusually big lost last week. But I lost another pound, I'LL TAKE IT!!

Here's the numbers...

Week.....Date.......Weight.....Lost.....Waist....Lost

Start.2/28/2007.......297.....n/a.......57......n/a

1.......3/07/2007.......289......8.........56........1

2.......3/14/2007.......280.....17........55.5.....1.5

3.......3/21/2007.......275.....22........55........2

4.......3/28/2007.......274.....23........53........4

5.......4/04/2007.......271.....26........52........5

6.......4/11/2007.......267.....30........52........5

7.......4/18/2007.......265.....32........51........6

8.......4/25/2007.......262.....35........50........7

9.......5/02/2007.......259.....38........48........8

10.....5/09/2007.......254.....43........47........9

11.....5/16/2007.......253.....44........46......10

12.....5/23/2007.......249.....48........46..... 10

13.....5/30/2007.......247.....50........45.5...11.5

14.....6/06/2007.......241.....56........44.5...12.5

15.....6/13/2007.......240.....57........44.......13

New Stuff

I started thinking about what I could do to get people to cruise over to my blog and spend a little while, so I found these neato Widgets. You can see them and use/play them if you scroll down the page, they're on the left side of the page. I thought Pac-Man was so appropriate for a bunch of dieters. Go figure. Enjoy!!

Rich