Monday, November 30, 2009

Bells Will Be Ringing

So.....

To me, weight loss is not about what you put in your mouth.No two people lose weight the exact same way.Everybody is different. Some want the occasional "treat", some are "hardcore clean eaters". Some love the gym, some walk at home....for folks to say they are a weight loss expert is to say you are "The master of the Slot Machine"...... Just because you hit a jackpot does not mean you can do it every time or help others win a jackpot.

The one piece of advice that I can give, which might sound weird from me although it shouldn't, is this... A loss is a loss, and do not ever get discouraged that you "Only lost ____" I have already realized that I can do this for the rest of my life.
I know the feeling though, You work so hard all week. You read or see stories about folks who lose 5-10lbs .....you watch "The Biggest Loser" where you see huge losses.
You get on the scale and you "Only lost one pound!".....You question the way you eat.You question if this is worth it.You question your program that has worked for so many weeks.Realistically, losing a pound is awesome. I mean think about it ...If you lose one pound each week for a year BOOM 52 lbs are gone off your frame...pretty damn good if you ask me.
Life is weird sometimes.... no one did not get a date because they weighed 212 instead of 209......no one did not get the promotion because they were 201 instead of 199. Yet every week, those numbers destroy our mentality. Sure there is a difference from 400 to 200 pounds, but why do we sweat the small stuff? This is where people start to fail and this is where I have failed for so long. I never looked at the big picture.When your mentality is destroyed, your mind wonders....You look at other diets and try them out. You get confused at the gym, and try so many programs.Yet, you lost a pound!
DOnt get me wrong ..I am very happy to be where I am ...VERY VERY VERY happy ....I have managed to lose weight each and every week since I started on August 7....But I can understand the frustration of wanting to lose more and not being able to do so ....But a loss of anything kind is a great thing....I am not complaining. This is just whats on my mind today ....
I hate the term "Shake it up". When people say that, it means they are going to try anything to lose "more" weight. Maybe you are different, I am not.So be proud of those losses. No matter how small. If I would have realized a one pound loss is better than a 250 pound gain, I would have been successful years ago.
Onward I go ....

Saturday, November 28, 2009

O Tannenbaum

So....

Tonight we had the big "Welcome Home Baby Rosemary...Lets help Mom and Dad put the tree up" at the Lucas house and all went very nice. Baby R is delightful by the way ....

I went today to weigh in and was a bit worried after my trip to Atlanta last weekend and then my big Thanksgivng feast on thursday....Well, I managed to lose 2lbs this week!! How bout that !?!?!?!?!

So to date

Starting Weight 381lbs
Todays Loss-2lbs
Total To Loss To Date- 46 lbs
Weight Today- 334.5 lbs

I am happy and I am tired...Where in the world did the holiday weekend go ?
Peace and Sweet Dreams to you all

Friday, November 27, 2009

The Holly and The Ivy

So.....

Turkey and dressing- Gone. Auburn ALMOST defeated Alabama but almost dont count....Good game though. I was very good with portion sizes Thrusday..had no cake or anything sweet, but I ate a ton of veggies and of course turkey.
Tree is up and decorated but there is still alot to do ....I weigh in tomorrow after my Atlanta weekend conference and Thanksgiving ...we shall see.
I am exhausted after spending two full days with family stuff etc.....
Good night

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

We Gather Together


There is one day that is ours. There is one day when all we Americans who are not self-made go back to the old home to eat saleratus biscuits and marvel how much nearer to the porch the old pump looks than it used to. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American. ~O. Henry


So...


Its almost Thanksgiving. You got your list and I got mine ...Here are just a few of the things that I am thankful for this year....Its a bit mushy but here goes



  • A job that I actually enjoy about 98% of the time. Any job has its ups and downs but when you can go in smiling almost every single day and LEAVE the same way ...well then you got a good thing my friends.

  • Family. The crazier we are the more we seem to get along at times. I have to amazing nephews that I adore and love with all my heart and soul. You cannot imagine how my heart feels when I see my youngest nephew walk out of school and realize that I am picking him up that day...The look on his face is enough to get me through 10 years worth of anything bad. To look at my oldest nephew and see the excitement when you talk about books and history and yes politics. It makes me proud. To having a mother and a brother who drives through the night to be with you right before emergency surgery. I Love Yall.

  • To seeing my godaughters walking and squeeling with delight when they play. Music to my ears.

  • Old friends who are new parents. Welcome to the World Rosemary.

  • To renewed family vacations to far off places. What a blast.

  • My uncle being home and reminding me so much of my Dad.

  • Being 44 pounds lighter than I was 3.5 months ago.

  • My friends all over the country and world for that matter.... Oxford, Birmingham, Pennsylvania, California, Atlanta,Dallas, New Zealand, England...The list is long. Thanks guys for being there

  • My best friends here....Meals, travels,porch time, understanding, guiding,listening, walking,sharing and growing. I could not possibly be me without yall.

  • Watching the kids in my youth growing into young adults and going off into the world. Its crazy that I have been around these folks for almost 10 years.

  • Lower blood pressure.

  • My granny and the way she shows her love.

  • Quilts. I love a quilt.

  • My faith. I have it but seldom wear it on my sleeve. Its my business and I am ok with that..

  • Memories of my Nana, Grandaddy and my Dad. Bittersweet this time of the year but damn I love thinking about them and the smiles they had .

  • Having Grannys recipe for her dressing and being able to make it ALMOST as good as she does.

  • Decent health.

  • My devoted fans who read my blog to keep up with my weight loss progress

I could go on for pages and pages .....I am a blessed man. I hope yall have a great Thanksgiving.
Peace and Love to you all ....

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Santa Baby

So.....

Its the week of Thanksgiving and all is well here on the diet front. Ask me Saturday if things are still great !! Ha
But for real I dont really plan on going overboard this week. I have a listing of points for traditionl THanksgiving items. Dressing, sweet potatoes etc. I am expecting a great week followed by a great victory by the Auburn Tigers on Friday. Tree decorating this coming weekend and then sliding full force into the Christmas Season

I had a full weekend last weekend in Atlanta. Ate some pretty decent food but managed to stay within my points. I think I am starting to move past the point of stressing so much about going out of town and eating. I did not drink enough water or have enough veggies but I did pretty good. The main thing is I had a great chance to connect with some old friends...and we had a nice time catching up. Oh, I also went to a conference thing....

Thats it for today
More tomorrow about the Thanksgiving menu.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Its Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

So....

Today is the end of a busy day of getting up extra early, going to work for a small bit, going to weigh in, travelling to Atlanta for a conference and ending the night meeting up with some old friends for dinner and catching up time.
As I mentioned I went today to weigh in and am as always pleased to report that I lost another 3lbs this past week.

So to date ...

Start Date -381lbs
Loss Today-3lbs
Total Weight Loss-44lbs
Weight Today-337.5lbs

How excited am I that I am now below the 340lb mark??? VERY.
Some of the comments I have been getting from folks about my weight loss is ..."WOW, but its gotta be so hard" Yes, Its been a new thing for me to get used to and yes its meant giving up a few things but overall its been a great experience for me . But as always with WW you can have anything you want its just about making a right choice and sticking with it ...deciding do I want to drink my calories or eat them. Deciding do I want to run by McDonalds for a quick fix or do I want to go home and eat something that if filling and good ....
I know that the day will come when I will step up there and register a no loss or a gain ....or maybe that will never happen.... I dont know but what I do know is this ...I am headed in the best direction possible in my life right now and for that I am pleased.

This next week we will officially enter the "Holiday Season"....Am I nervous about the food offerings that are just around the corner ....not really. I will eat Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and get things going ....I will not keep things off my plate but I will use the moderation key. I will enjoy Thursday just like I always would have.

As I mentioned earlier we are in Atlanta this weekend for the National Youth Workers Convention. Its a great chance for youth workers to connect with other youth workers and to talk and relax. Its our weekend and we make the most of it. I always enjoy my NYWC time.
As a plus to being in Atlanta we also get to see old friends while here....We had a great time tonight with folks. Catching up and talking ...sharing were our lives are right now. The conversation was really great. It was also great seeing them ....

I might not be posting as much this weekend since we have to pay for WiFi at this hotel. Its a nice hotel right downtown and acrros the street from the Georgia World Congress Center but I am not sure if its worth paying each day for internet access when I can come down here and use it for free in the Business Center. Also we are going to be pretty busy with the conference going on till Monday morning.
Anyway...Yall might not hear from me again till Monday night or even Tuesday.

On a very bright note ...Atlanta is already decked out in Christmas decorations ....a wonderful site. Downtown Atlanta at nighttime is a beautiful site.
Have a great weekend
Peace

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Working at The Car Wash

So....
I found this online while looking around at stuff ...Pretty funny and also kinda accurate.
Enjoy

Weight Loss is Sometimes Like Buying A Car
You’re concerned about trunk space
It helps if you know what you want
All the numbers that get thrown around can get you pretty confused
The professional that’s there to help you work things out often speaks a lot of gibberish
Your mileage may vary
The more you put in, the easy it is to get a deal done
It’s a good idea to research the options
It’s shouldn’t have to worry about maintenance for a while
To get what you want, you gotta pay the price
You’ll get the best results if you can keep from getting overly emotional
Insert your own “air bags” joke here
The right fuel will get your motor running more smoothly
The longer the process goes, the more you’ll probably get off in the end
The keys are in your own hands
Folks all around you take notice once you’ve done the deal
You know you’ll be safer in a new and improved body
Nothing quite like that feeling of pride and ownership
At the end of the day, you’re the one in the driver’s seat

Monday, November 16, 2009

The Christmas Waltz

So.....

Occasionally something will happen to us so often that we accept how it feels and then when it's no longer there we forget why we ever accepted the way things were.
I've been making it a habit with my healthful eating plan to make note of how I feel in a little journal. I also keep track of my points in this same book. Noticing changes as I move through the next few weeks. One big change that is so confusing and well accepted by me is my lack of hunger and cravings.
I first noticed this on last Friday when I had a HUGE Fuji apple for a snack before I went out to go run some errands.
I forgot about eating until that evening!!! Which is not a good thing, but so surprising for me I just went with it. Sure I was tempted by all of the comforting ideas of seasonal food (flavored coffee, or christmas candy were high on that list) but aside from my initial reaction to comfort myself I just did not have hunger.
Hunger for me is very uncomfortable......... I get grouchy, irritable, nauseous and that feeling of IF I DON'T EAT RIGHT THIS SECOND I WILL EAT YOUR ARM OFF. Which looking at it more closely could be a symptom of high and low blood sugar spikes. I would always fight my way past the hunger though ...go hours without even trying to slow down to eat
Now that I feel stable in that area..... I seem to be able to go longer periods without food and caving to cravings. When I wake up I don't feel that empty -sick feeling of hunger. Hunger is there....... but it is more subtle and less uncomfortable.
Its too early to assume I am cured of this desire to overeat because I'm not. But I really like how I feel. I like being able to go about my day and not be consumed with the thought of eating or wondering how I'm going to sneak extra food in my day.
Peace

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Ding Dong Merrily On High !

So .....

This will be a short one but I went today to weigh in and I had manged to lose 2.5lbs !!
So as of today

Start Weight-381lbs
Todays Loss - 2.5lbs
Loss to date -41lbs
Todays Weight-340 lbs

Needless to say I am very pleased considering that this past week really saw me off kilter as far as my diet has been going. I have not excercised one bit, have not had much success at drinking my water like i usually do. I have eaten good this week and thats helped keep me going in the right direction. My biggest concern was that I would gain due to the impact of all the drugs that were in my system.
No worries there though....
Speaking of water and my schedule with that ....When I get to work each morning I fill my 32oc water bottle and start drinking. Usually by 11 or 12 I am done with at least two of these bottles.
I also drink water at other times during the day but for the most part I drink it all at my desk during the day. Being out from work this past week really through me off my schedule ...anyway water over the dam as they say right ? HA
I go to Atlanta on Friday for a 4 day work conference thing and will once again have a test as to my limits of eating and such. I am not looking for a repeat of last years trip to Nashville!! Blech

Thats it for me
War Eagle !!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Grown Up Christmas List

So....

I started back to the gym last week ....Went a few days then got sick. Blerg.
I am not supposed to lift anything more than 5lbs for the next month....so that means that lifting weights on any level is out of the question. But here is my deal ....I am SOOOO ready to already get back to working out ...even going those few days had me energized. I know there is nothing in the world that I can do about getting sick....Crap happens. But I feel incredibly sidelined right now and its driving me nuts.
Here is my goal once I get back to the gym (next week !!)
I am going to tackle the elliptical machine. Yeah ...thats right I am going to take it on and I will whip its ugly stupid face into the ground. I like the rowing machines and the treadmills. I like the stationary bikes and the recumbant bikes. I dont like the elliptical machines.
I will use them for a few minutes and then stop. I will gradually add my time and eventually I will show it who is boss ...Heck yeah !
Here are two things I will need ....
  1. Music. I cant excercise on any real level without music of some kind. It motivates me and makes the time fly by....I have set play lists that I enjoy ...ask me if you are curious.
  2. Towel or magazine. I have to cover up the time elapsed/calories burned/distance travelled thing when I am working out or I will check every 2 minutes...Tick Tock Tick Tock !!

So thats my plan next Monday morning is to hit the gym (slowly ) again.

Its Time.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Wassil Song


So....


I have now been at home for two days in a row taking it easy...Not doing much of anything and let me tell you this...I am SOOOO missing excercising.

I ahve not been able to walk of course and needless to say I have not been to the gym since last week.

I dont know when I will go back to the gym to be honest because I cant lift more than 5lbs for the next month at least. So at least a month ...right ?

Main thing I am missing is my walking. I was walking almost every single day or night and so far I have not done that since LAST Thursday!! I mean I have been walking around my house but its a slow go still....

I already have Thanksgiving on my mind . The food mainly but I have also mentioned that I enjoy the day period. The crowded house....watching the parade while the turkey roasts in the oven.....watching football after lunch. Taking a walk in the afternoon around the neighboorhood to see the folks already out and decorating for Christmas.

Yeah ...I dig Thanksgiving.

I am also thinking about recipes and what to change this year and you know what ....I am not changing anything...

I will cook the dressing the same way my Granny always did....We will have chocolate cake and sweet potato crunch. We will have pumpkin pie and 7 layer salad. We will have thick rich gravy and fresh yeast rolls. Squash casserole and green beans. It will all be there and I will be there also ...just paying more attention to my portions this year. I will maybe even use a smaller plate...

I will not be changing recipes this year because folks come to eat what they know on the Holidays. They want that dressing that is rich and moist...They want that pumpkin pie that YES you make yourself. They dont want a low fat version of anything on Thanksgiving or Christmas. And I accept and understand that ...I am cool with it.

So I will make the dressing with the 8EGGS in it and 2-3 sticks of melted butter!! And we will all remember at some point during that day that we are very very blessed !

Peace

Monday, November 09, 2009

Santa Baby

So....

I dont have much to add tonight except things are going fine. I had a question for yall though ..
How does taking strong antibiotics and pain meds....how will this affect my weight loss? Will it cause me to gain retain etc
I am not that worried i am just wondering what yalls thoughts are ...
Let me know

Sunday, November 08, 2009

HURT

So......

This will be short .....
I went Friday to Mobile to participate in an Advanced Lay Speaking Course at SpringHill UMC. I was excited to be gone out of town for a day or so ...to see an old friend and to just deepen my understanding of what God wants for me ....None of this really panned out the way I had planned...
I did not feel great on Friday ...stomach was kinda hurting a tad bit but if you know me then you know that I am tummy troubles on a regular basis. I thought maybe an ulcer was back ...but by the the time I got to Mobile I was feeling even worse.
Within the span of a couple of hours I was in the ER at a local hospital having blood taken, getting a CT scan of my belly and then I was told that my appedix was causing a revolt and trying to stage a Civil War against my body.....Yeah, it no longer wanted to be a part of this union.
They admitted me and told me to get ready for surgery at 6:30am the next morning.
My mother and brother drove down and got to the hospital about 5:30 am....
I had the surgery and spent the whole day and next night in the bed.
I am home now and looking forward to continwuing my recovery at home ...I will be off for a few days or at least until I can drive ...the surgeon said to give it at least three days to get my range of mobility back. Main thing is I am very sore and "stove" up as they used to say...being put under does something to my muscles and when I wake up it feels like I have had the most intense workout of my life...ugh
I cannot say enough to everyone who texted, called, emailed and sent me messages on FB. Thanks so much for yalls concern.
Aslo a big shout out to David Bowen. David rode down with me to also attend this course at the church and he was so great about helping me out at the hospital. Making calls for me. Sitting and waiting with me ...Thanks man !

In other news I did get to weigh in on Friday and found out the following ....I lost 3lbs!!
So to date
Starting Weight- 381lbs
Loss on Friday- 3lbs
Total to Date- 38.5lbs
Fridays Weight- 343 lbs

Yeah I was happy ...

My bed is now calling ....Peace

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Mama Dont Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys

So....

I like blogging ....It keeps me honest. It keeps me motivated. The feedback has been great and I have almost posted 100 blog posts since starting my diet...so HOORAY!

Something I dont like is the term "fat". TO call me fat is not nice....when I think of fat I think of a nasty piece of stuff you leave on your plate after you eat a nice steak. A slimy, sticky foul piece of something on the side of your plate....
I am overweight...That is what we should call it because its true. I am over my desired weight. I can deal with this ...

Another thing I have been thinking about alot lately ...I need some new pants. Mine are not huge but they sure dont fit right anymore . The area around my thighs in the back are crazy baggy....my waist is down also and add to that that I now have one belt that fits. The others are too loose when you take them all the way down to the last belt notch.
I like nice pants....I like Polo pants. They tend to be expensive...Like $75-85 dollars a pair expensive. So do I just bite the bullet and get some that fit better now or get some inexpensive pants to make due for now ...
Also I have decided against altering anything at this time because the ladies I spoke with said that trying to fix the baggyness of my pants would result in the pants not fitting right overall.
CRAP! They can take in the waist but its the other that sorta bothers me but ...anyway.

I was asked not to mention this in my post but today is Guy Fawkes Day.
Its also an anniversay of sorts for me and a great friend.....I appreciate all the love and support I have been given these past 3 years...Dont know where I would be without you !! Love you bud
AND today would have been my dads 64th birthday ....Hard to believe that its been 3 years since he died...

Peace and Love

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Do You Hear What I Hear


So......


For the past couple of weeks I have been having this roaring sound in my ears. The right ear being the worst of the two....Mild at times and then really bad later at night. Bad to the point of being a distraction....and causing me to not hear things as I should.

On Monday I went to see Dr Knox here in Montgomery to see what was going on ....Let me add this ...I really like Dr Knox, He is a really great doctor who takes all the time in the world with you and add to that the fact that he realy makes me feel relaxed when he walks in the room.

That goes a LONG way with me since I am not a fan of doctor settings and such.

Anyway, he checked me out...looked in the ears, asked tons of questions and after much discussion we finally wound ourselves around to my weight loss. It would seem that in some cases rapid weight loss ( and for me almost 36lbs in 11weeks is rapid) can cause what I was experiencing. The tubes in your ears contract, open and close when you swallow. When you lose alot of weight in a short time they react to that somehow and dont open and close right and that produces the roar that I was hearing.

He said that in time once my body catches up to the weight loss stuff it should go away...Good Deal.

Here is the second part to all this ....He decided to have my hearing checked while I was there just as a precaution. Well after a long hearing test we found out that my left ear is fine...my right ear not so much. I have 30% hearing loss in my right ear. 30%!!

He asked tons of questions about what type of noise I am around...... I am not around long sustained loud noises. Never have been.

We discussed if this was something I was born with ....Not likely. If I had been born with something like this by tht time I got to be my age the hearing loss would have been much further along.

Just great ......

So here we are ....

Sunday, November 01, 2009

You Do Something To Me

So....

Its November.....The weather has been perfect today ...nice cooler temps, no rain and just overall goodness.
I was talking with my favorite mother of twins tonight and the topic of The Biggest Loser came up....Its no secret that I am not a fan of the show but we touched on something that I had really had not thought about before and here is how it goes ...
Folks go on this show for what reason ? I mean really, why do they do it ?
Do they want to get their 15 minutes of fame ? Do they want to show their families something ? Do they want to lose weight and this is the final time for them to get things going right for them ?
Maybe they need someone to yell at them and tell them that they are killing themselves....Maybe they need the atmosphere of being with folks who are in the same boat that they are ....Maybe they need therapy.
But for me heres the deal ....
When you are fat, obese or maybe just 30lbs overweight you yell at yourself all the dang time....You try on those pants and say... CRAP! these fit last year or you see yourself in a picture and think YOU ARE SUCH A FAT IDIOT for getting so big ....I dont need Bob or Jillian degrading me any more ....that wont work.
We dont need to go to a "ranch" to be around other fat people... we can walk in WalMart, Publix or anywhere else and see folks who need to lose weight ....We can look at our own families and see the same thing you see at the "ranch".
Therapy for me ....FOR ME I say is finally admitting that I had to do this myself...I cant ask my Mom to do it...I cant ask my best friend to do it ....I cant wait for a heart attack to almost kill me to do it ...I have to step up to the plate and say " Yeah, I am fat and here are the reasons: I eat too much, I eat portions that are WAY to big, I stop by Krystals late at night on my way home from something and get 4 cheese Krystals, I drink 7 or 8 Cokes a day, I love eating a white bread sangwich with lots of mayo and cheese, I dont excercise, I dont drink water, I get excited about a covered dish supper...Thats why I am fat"
Does your family situation play a role ....Maybe. Does the stress at your job play a role...Perhaps.
Does the fact that you want to eat a whole coconut pie play a role ...Hell Yes.
These folks dont need to go to a "ranch"...they dont need a trainer yelling at them ....
They need to be honest with themselves .....
Its working so far for me ....But I am me.