My 100 in 1 Week 34, It's Been Too Long

Vacation 2016 OC, MD

Greetings friends, It has been far too long since I made any entries in this blog and to those who have been waiting, I apologize. It's been a very busy summer and I really just neglected to sit down and make regular entries. Of course the other reason that I have been lax in posting is that I finally hit the dreaded plateau at right around 75 lbs. lost.

I have just returned from vacation at the beach with my family and stepped on the scale to find that I had gained about 10 lbs. Now some of that is likely water weight, but I'm sure most of it is over indulgence while on vacation. I found myself snacking and eating meals that I would not have looked at at home. I even drank several regular sodas which I never do, because they were there. I of course rationalized it all with the "I'm on vacation". I will say that I very much enjoyed my vacation and many of the things I ate, like the biscuits and gravy, and BIG sandwiches. Now I'm back to reality and am back to my more sensible diet.

I said before that I have reached a plateau and have been stuck for the last couple of months. If I am to be entirely honest, (and why not, the only one I'm cheating is myself) I also have not been putting in the exercise like I did all spring. While I did get lots of steps in on vacation, I have been very lax about getting in exercise every day. That is changing today. I have come too far to turn back now.

New Baby 2016 Indian Roadmaster

It's been an eventful summer and I have to say, it has been wonderful being more physically able to do so many things that were very difficult in the past. I have gotten to put a lot of miles on the motorcycle this season, participating in an Iron Butt Run (1000+ miles in under 24 hours), a motorcycle trip with my brothers, a 5k walk/run, and a lot of miles of walking at the beach. I purchased a new motorcycle (first new one in 12 years) and have enjoyed breaking that in very much. All in all it has been a great summer in large part to the fact that I have begun to reclaim my health.

I will try to be more diligent at posting this journey going forward. I still have a long way to go to reach my goal of 100 lbs in a year and even further to reach my ultimate goal of 150 lbs lost total. I know I can do it. It's just a matter of keeping my eyes on the prize. I was going to post new progress pics, but my remote trigger for the camera needs a battery so I will do that later. In the mean time, here are some vacation pics.

panoramic view from our deck

Fun on a rented pontoon boat

Our Vacation home (left side all 3 floors)

Final Sunset

Week 22 - Exercise Can Be Fun!

-1.6 lbs.

While my loss for this week was a little less than overwhelming, I sure had a good time doing my first 5k event. My loss for the week is 1.6 lbs.. After a 4 lb. loss last week, I was hoping to break the 70 lb. mark, but was .4 lbs. shy. I'm ok with that. It seems to be cyclical. I always seem to have a smaller loss after a big drop like that. What I'm really most stoked about is the fact that I was able to complete a 5k run/walk (mine was definitely a walk) and felt great doing it. This would not have been even a serious thought this time last year. But, my journey to reclaim my health and life has brought me to the place where I can do it and will again.

Our group at the end

The day began very early. We were to meet the other members of our team (the splatters) at 6 am. After meeting them we headed for Hershey (yes that Hershey I live about 15 miles from there) to The Color Run. This event is amazingly well organized and run. They had 10,000 participants plus spectators and there were adequate bathroom facilities as well as medical aid (when you're at my age and advanced weight you check on these things) and lots of things to keep you occupied until "start" time. It's billed as "the Happiest 5k on the Planet" and I think they pretty much hit their mark. There was a stage with music and warm-up exercises and give-aways (I got a t-shirt and an arm warmer--whatever that is).

Me, Wife, Daughter
obviously before as we
are still clean 

Because there were 10,000 participants they start them in waves. About 20 minutes to start time (8 am) we moved to the starting area so that we could be in the first wave. I thought that would be a good idea as it would almost guarantee that I wouldn't be the last to cross the finish line. There were 9 in our group which included one 6 yr. old. Talk about energy! He put us all to shame. We were fortunate enough to be very close to the front at the beginning.  It was runners to the right of the path and walkers to the left. It was a cross country type course starting out along a road for the first 1/2 mile or so then heading out on paths that were gravel, grass and dirt. It was a lot of up hill and down, winding through the area near a golf course. Every so often there was a "color station" where participants were hit with colored powder. I must say that by the end of the course I was rather colorful indeed. There were also water stations and bathrooms (porta-potties) along the way. It took our group roughly an hour to complete the course. Not bad for a fat old guy like me. Then there was the after-party. The participants gather back at the stage area for music and dancing and a whole lot more "color".

Me at the after-party

I must tell you that for an old man of  56 (next week), I enjoyed the loud music, beach balls and dancing. While well colored by the end of the course, I was absolutely crusty with colored powder by the time we decided to leave the party. 5k equals about 3.1 miles so I got some great exercise in doing the course. I can only guess at how much more energy we expended jumping around at the party afterward. It's not the sort of thing I would want to do every weekend, but it was a great day and we had a great time. I think we will be signing up again next year. I might even be inspired to jog part of it if my knees hold out.

This coming week I am going to start some circuit training. I'm hoping that it would help me build lost strength and also increase the calorie burn. I'm finding that cardio alone is really becoming boring and I want to change up and do something different. I will still include cardio in my exercise, but I want to start working on getting a little more solid as well. I'm starting to sag a bit and adding some muscle tone will help a bit, although I am not looking to bulk up. I'm dreading the first couple of weeks. I remember the muscle soreness that comes with starting any kind of lifting program, but I know it will pay off in the long run.

Until next week my friends, here are some more pics and one brief video from the Color Run. Enjoy!

Before

After

Me, my wife and daughter along the course. Note all the white shirts in the
background... Those are all runners on the course.

Bubble Station

Me, Wife, Daughter, Daughter's BF

Week 21 End - Another Successful Week

After a lack-luster week last week of 2 lbs. I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped on the scale. I had a 4 lb. loss. It always seems just when I think I have finally plateaued I am surprised by success. While 2 lbs. is certainly successful and actually my target loss for a week, the past successes have made it difficult to expect less.

It would seem that my reduced exercise and continued diligence in logging and controlling my food intake has been beneficial. I may have actually not been eating what I should for the amount of calories I was burning. That is not to say that I am in any way minimizing the need for exercise, but I have tried to adapt my exercise to more normal activities instead of time consuming dedicated blocks of exercise. I have tried to become more active in my day to day life in order to get my exercise in. Of course I am not burning the big numbers I was doing initially, but, it is sustainable and seems to be working.

I recently started working overtime at work again.  That entails double shifts (16 hrs.). I had not been trying to get much in the way of overtime early in the year, because I was concerned that it would "mess with my program". I have been pleased to find that I can in fact do the overtime shifts and still maintain an ongoing weight loss. I have to adapt to an extra meal and the down side of sleep deprivation and fatigue, which many will say will bring a screeching halt to your metabolism, but, I have been fortunate enough to be able to adjust so far. We will see what the long term effects may be. For right now I will continue as long as I am seeing the results I need.

This coming Saturday is my "Color Run" in Hershey, PA. This is a 5k run/walk (I'll be walking) to promote "Health, Happiness and Individuality". It's billed as the "Happiest 5k on the planet". This is a real milestone for me. 6 months ago I would never have thought that I would be able to do this. Now, 67.4 lbs. later, I know I can and am looking forward to enjoying the day with my wife, daughter and friends. I'm sure there will be many pictures to post.

On another note, it became clear to me this past weekend, that I would not be retiring as soon as I had hoped. The good news is, with the newfound health and energy that my new lifestyle is providing, I believe that a few more years will not be a problem. It is important that I am able to go on my terms and be able to do all the things that we had planned to do in retirement. If that means sticking it out for a few more year, I am OK with that. Not that it wasn't a kick in the gut initially. But, I am good with it now and will make the most of the few years of work that I have coming.

As always, thanks to all who have shown so much support. I really couldn't do this without it.

Week 20 End - Seeking a Sustainable Lifestyle

63.4 lbs. lost to date

This week was a little disappointing. Though I lost 2 lbs. which is my set goal per week, I was hoping for more and didn't see it. I wonder if I am approaching the dreaded "plateau". We will see what the coming week brings.

I have made changes to my program in the interest of creating an ongoing sustainable lifestyle. While we can all lose weight with diet and exercise, I am trying to adopt a new lifestyle that will not only allow me to reach my goal weight, but also maintain it into the future. I find that I cannot maintain a strict regimen of dedicated exercise with my current obligations of work and family. While I enjoy the exercise, finding time that I can dedicate to it's pursuit is difficult. I have been doing it at the expense of other things over the past few months. I think that it was honestly needed to jump start my program, but I now believe that it is necessary to find a more permanent solution to continuing toward my goals. I am hoping that I can go back to working some overtime at work and some other activities that I have put on the back burner and still continue to progress.

I am making efforts to be more active in my everyday life. I try to spend more time out of a chair and standing/walking. I try to choose activities that will add to my daily "activeness" and of course I continue to log my food and count calories. After last weeks disappointing loss of only .4 lbs. I was indeed pleased to see an increase, but was hoping for a bit more. However, it has shown me that I am not "chained" to dedicated exercise periods and can continue to move forward while coming back to some of the things I have neglected over the past several months.

Only the future will prove or disprove my theory here, but, I am making the attempt because I know that for me, the only way to lose this weight and maintain it, it to be able to continue a healthy controlled lifestyle long into the future. I have lost weight many times and once it was a whole lot of weight. The problem was that as soon as "the diet" ended, I fell back into back habits and unhealthy choices. I very much look forward to being "thin" again and this time staying that way. I never want to go back to where I was. The benefits I have seen at a 60 lb.+ loss is just more motivation to get to the place I need to be. I can't begin to express what it feels like to have energy where there was none and be relatively free of pain. It's absolutely amazing.  I can't go back.

Thank to all who have shown support, and thank you for your ongoing encouragement. There are so many times when it seems this road is overwhelming. But, with the support of friends and family, I know I can do this. There's only more great things to come in the future.

Week 19 End - A Different Kind of Success

Week 19 saw a very small loss, and in the interest of full disclosure, I will  admit that I put off my weigh in for 24 hours because I woke up on Saturday morning with some fluid retention (swollen hands and feet). I only dropped .4 lbs. This occurs from time to time and is often a result of sodium intake. I have been trying to watch, but I have a real weakness for pickles and on Friday I had a generous helping of sauerkraut which is of course a LOT of sodium. I drink a lot of water every day, usually in excess of 1 gallon, so there are times when my tissues hold a lot of extra water weight.

While the weight loss was minimal, I received the results from my bloodwork, and I have to say, I was absolutely thrilled with the progress there! My A1c is now down to 6.1 from a high last year of 8.5, my blood pressure was "outstanding" according to my doctor, and my combined cholesterol was down to 209 from 253 in January. Those are the kind of numbers I wanted to see. While still not ideal, it is amazing results for a 4 month period of time.  The scale is a big thing since my goals are centered around continued weight loss, but the whole purpose of this journey is to reclaim my health and this is a great move forward regardless of what the scale says.

The week was a bit different in the fact that I only got out to walk a couple of times. I was worried that it might be an issue, but I think it was fine. I definitely had to be much more diligent about my meals and calorie intake, but it's good to know that I can continue to move forward even when circumstances interrupt my routine. I do not blame the small weight loss so much on the reduced exercise. I believe it to be more the natural ups and downs of this process. After my last "bad week" I posted a huge loss the following one. So it's not time to panic.

I have devised a plan for when I do hit a plateau. If my loss in very small or non-existent next week, I may try it out. My idea is to step up to a maintenance level of eating for a week or two to sort of reset my body's metabolism. When I say "maintenance level" I mean eating the full calorie intake that allows me to stay at my current weight. At this point that would be about 3500 calories a day, about 1500 more than I am doing now. I think we can sometimes get stuck and need to shock our systems into moving forward again. I think if I eat just to maintain for a week or two, then drop back to loss calories again, it should jump start things. Of course I will wait to see what the coming weigh in will bring. I don't want to stop the forward progress if it is still occurring.

I know this posting comes very late. Tomorrow is weigh in for week 20 and I'm just getting around to publishing last week's post. I will try to do better going forward in posting in a timely fashion. Thanks for the continued support and encouragement.

Week 18 End - More Success!

Well, I never got around to posting last week. For those who were waiting for my post, I apologize.  It was a successful week with a loss of 1.6 lbs.. As most of you know I have been fanatical about getting my workouts in at the gym, going 7 days a week except when it was just impossible due to illness or circumstances. Over the past 3 weeks I have changed that outlook.

We had a stint of nice weather so I decided to start walking outside around the neighborhood instead of going to the gym all the time. Over the past week and half or so the weather has again turned less than ideal. We've had a lot of rain, very cool temps and generally just kind of miserable for the end of April and beginning of May. Last week I only got my walking in about 1/2 the time and this week not at all. That might sound like a fail, but I don't see it that way. Even though my workout streak has suffered, I've been more active in many other ways. I have had the opportunity to work around the house and yard and work on vehicles and motorcycles. I continue to lose weight as evidenced by the 1.6 lb loss last week, and  3.6 lbs. this week. I continue to monitor my calorie intake and try to stay active throughout my day. It has just gone to show that I can continue my journey successfully regardless of my ability to "work out".

Next week promises better weather so I hope to hit the milage pretty hard again. But, it's good to know that when circumstances and weather conspire against you, you can still control those things over which you DO have control and push forward.

I am now less than 1 month away from the Color Run and looking forward to it. I was apprehensive about committing to 3 miles back in Feb. when I was talked into this, but feel very confident now.

I have finally reached a loss level where it is showing. It's amazing the questions you get when people all of the sudden realize you are half a person smaller than you were. While I have more than 90 lbs to go, I have lost 61 lbs. and that is the weight of an average size 7 year old. It's hard to believe that I was carrying that around all the time. No wonder I was always tired and sore. It's hard to imagine what losing the last 2/3 will feel like. I am more motivated than ever.

The Incredible Shrinking Man

I had a doctor's appointment this past Friday and he was very impressed with my weight loss and the impact it has had on my overall health. My blood pressure is outstanding and although we are waiting for the results from my bloodwork, my daily blood sugar tests have been outstanding. He is confident that if I continue on this path, with this resolve, I can reverse the diabetes and blood pressure and because of my better eating habits, I may be able to kick the cholesterol meds as well. That's encouraging because the whole point of this journey is reclaim my health. By posting time next week we should have the results of the blood work and see for sure how much improvement there has been. We discussed how I have been doing it and he wholly approves of my methods at this point. He agrees that for this to be long term it must be sustainable and that by trying to normalize my diet and exercise to something that can be continual into the future, I should not fall into the trap that so many do by hitting their goal then gaining it all back by abandoning the lifestyle changes that it took to get them there.

We recently booked our first cruise for next spring. Being a novice at the whole cruising thing, I decided to do a little research. According to many in the know, the average person gains 5-10 lbs. on a 7 day cruise. It will be a real challenge to not fall into that. I should be closing in on my ultimate goal weight by that time and certainly don't want to be side tracked by gaining a months worth of weight loss in a week. I will have to remain disciplined to not overeat even though apparently food is available everywhere 24 hours a day. We are looking forward to the new adventure, but will have to make sure that I don't defeat myself in the name of vacation. I fully intend to enjoy myself, but I have no intention of undoing a year and a half of hard work. We will see how it all shapes up. For now, on to breaking that 300 lb. mark. 14.6 lbs. to go. That's the key. Taking this mammoth task on one small goal at a time.

Until next week my friends, Thanks for the ongoing support and reports of your own victories in the battle for a more healthy life!

Week 16 End - Really Starting to Feel the Benefits

It was a busy weekend so I have been slow in getting my weekend post done. I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with my Motorcycle Club members honoring military veterans and currently deployed military. As a bonus, I discovered that you actually do burn calories riding a motorcycle. You burn them at a rate of between 200 and 300 calories an hour. That's not a lot, but for amount of time I sometimes spend in the saddle, it is good to know it is doing me some good.

This week was successful as far as I'm concerned. I posted a loss of 1.8 lbs and I switched up my exercise routine. I was going to the gym pretty much 7 days a week and putting in a good hard hour+ of cardio. This past week I switched up and started walking outside. I have been doing 3.7 miles in just over an hour. Not an earth shattering pace, but, it's up and down hills and out in the real world. I did missed a day or two as conflicts in my schedule didn't allow the hour (I wouldn't have been able to make the gym either) and there were times when I cut the walk short because of knee and back pain, but, this is where I really need to be getting my exercise. Not in an artificial environment on a machine. Certainly when the weather is bad it is a viable option, and at some point I would like to get back to some weight training as well. But, my goal right now is to increase mobility and help with my weight loss, and nothing is better than just getting out there and moving.

I have mentioned before that I was talked into signing up for a "color run" in June. This is a 5k walk/run to promote exercise and a healthy lifestyle. It's billed as the "Happiest 5k on the planet".  I looked up the conversion and 5k is 3.1 miles. I was very worried about signing up for this event, but now I am doing that distance on an almost daily basis. A year ago that would have been impossible.

I was reflecting on this journey the other day. I have crossed the halfway point in my initial goal of losing 100 lbs in 1 year. When I look at where I was and where I am now, it's actually amazing to me. I was having a very difficult time walking and standing for any period of time. My blood sugars were all over the place and I just felt bad in general. Now I am able to walk miles, stand for hours when necessary and my blood sugars have been great. I've had several conversations with friends and co-workers about how and what I am doing. It has all come down to motivation. I was bending down to tie my shoes the other day and realized that it was not painful nor was I forced to hold my breath. Sort of one of those "aha" moments. My clothes are fitting looser and I am able to wear a size smaller shirt (down the 3x from 4x). It won't be long until I will have to be looking for new clothes, but that's alright with me. The key to this journey over all the others I've tried over the past years, is that this time I am in it for the long haul. No more... when I reach this goal I can eat this or do that. This time it's a real lifestyle change. I'm not looking at an end. Sure, I will at some point reach me goal weight and won't have to have a 7000 calorie a week deficit to lose my 2 lbs.. But, what I am striving for is to create good eating and exercise habits that will allow me to maintain my weight. I am trying to train myself to make the best choices for my meals as a matter of routine.

The benefits I am already seeing as a result of losing 1/3 of my overall goal just motivates me more. It's great to not have to worry about how far I might have to walk when I go somewhere, or if I'm going to be able to fit in a seat (and don't even get me started about restaurant booths). In talking to a friend at work I mentioned that I should write a book disclosing the things that only fat people know. It would be sort of like the masked magician revealing how magic tricks are done. Maybe in the future I'll share some of those secrets here. You will likely find them amusing and maybe a little sad.

Until the next time my friends, be safe and eat well!

Week 15 End - Pushing Through to Success

4/16/2016 54 lbs. lost

Week 15 was a rousing success. I had a great week of workouts and great weight loss. After a very disappointing week 14, it was a real pick-me-up. I knew last week was a fluke with actually gaining 2 pounds. After reviewing my sodium intake for the week I was way over the allowances (over 4x) and was definitely retaining fluid. This week I recorded a 6.4 lb. loss. Of course I'd like to claim that as a one week loss, but in reality, once I cut back on the sodium and flushed the fluids out of my system, it was really a two week loss. It just goes to show that the scale doesn't tell the whole story. If you know you have been doing the things you should and you have a setback, you need to look into what you might be missing along the way.

The upside to last week is that it did make me take a closer look at my overall nutrition and not just the calorie intake. It is important to maintain a balance, and I am now trying to be more aware of the content of the food I eat and not just the calorie count. Those big Kosher Dill pickles I love to snack on, while virtually no calories, contain almost an entire days allotment of sodium (2000 mg). I've had to give up my daily snack in favor of more heart friendly choices. While I will still occasionally indulge, I realize that it's counter-productive to eat things that will not get me to my goal of an overall healthier lifestyle. One of my goals is to get off blood pressure medication, and eating huge amounts of salt will not get me there.

I took a few days away from the gym over this past weekend as well. I have had to adjust to not having those extra calories available, but I have found that I can continue to do this without being tied to the gym. I met my exercise goal yesterday mostly by working around the house and in the yard. It didn't give me the 11000 steps in an hour that I am able to get at the gym, but I still logged over 13000 steps by the end of the day. Now that the weather is getting nice here in Central PA, I am looking for ways to get my exercise outside so I am not chained to a machine at the gym.

54 lbs. gone only 96 more to go! I'm now a "double digit midget". The next big milestone for me will be breaking the 300 lb. mark. I'm looking forward to that! Hopefully I will be claiming that victory in about 2 months.

Week 14 End - Disappointment and Analysis

Well, for the first time since starting this journey I have had a bad weigh-in. I logged a 2 lb. gain for the week. What is most disappointing about that, is the fact that I did not miss a day at the gym and I was consistently below my calorie allowance for the day each day.

4/9/2016 +2 lbs. 

While statistically I should have had a 3-4 lb loss this week, I have noticed some swelling in both my hands and feet throughout the week, indicating water retention. I drink a gallon + of water pretty much every day. That's a liquid on-load of about 8 lbs. If that water is not disposed of via perspiration or other bodily function, it remains in the tissues and can account for rapid weight gain or loss.
I know that I have been guilty in the past of "doping" myself for a weight loss contest by drinking large amounts of water prior to weigh in and restricting fluids for 24-48 hours prior to final weigh in to boost my numbers by 8-10 lbs.. While this is a handy trick for a contest, it's not real weight loss and for my purposes here is of no benefit.

I went back and reviewed my sodium intake this past week, and a couple of weeks prior (that's where the food logging with MyFitnessPal comes in handy) and I found that my sodium intake, particularly in the middle and end of the week was pretty high (31,950 mg over 5 days where recommended is 11,500 mg). That's nearly 3x the recommended amount). This likely explains the retention of water. Up to now I have pretty much ignored the amount of sodium intake, concentrating on calories alone. I think maybe I will have to think about that a little more since I have been actually experiencing some swelling in my hands and feet. It's not really a factor in my overall weight loss goals since water weight is easily lost. But, for my overall health goals, it is a real consideration, since I hope to eliminate blood pressure medication at some point.

I choose to view this as a bump in the road. It is not a defeat. I certainly would like to have seen some loss, or at least not a 2 lb. gain. But, I think without the gain, I might not have taken a serious look at my sodium intake and identified the fact that I need to be more cognizant of the nutritional value of what I am eating beyond just the calories.

On to next week, where I guarantee I will be reporting the fall of the 50 lb. barrier. As always, thank you to all who are so encouraging each week. It means a lot.

Week 13 End - Perseverance is the Key

It has been a very tough week. At the end of last week I caught a miserable cold that just left me with no energy, sinus pain and chest congestion etc.. You all know the drill. I had a 4 day stretch where I wasn't able to go to the gym and get my workout in which of course led to a much lower calorie burn for the week.  I did get to the gym several days this week, but missed again on Thursday with chest congestion that just didn't allow for me to breathe well enough to work out. The odd thing is, on the days I did get to the gym, I had some of the best workouts to date. I logged the most miles and highest calorie burns ever. Had this been a normal week with workouts every day, I would surely have broken the 50 lb. mark. As it stands right now, I have lost 49.6 lbs. or just 4/10 of a pound short of the halfway mark for this year. While I really was hoping to break that milestone mark, after the week I had, with one day even being over my calorie allowance, a weekly loss of 2.6 lbs is acceptable.

None of us likes to be sick, and especially when we are on a "mission" and it interferes with that mission. One of the keys to continued forward movement is to push through these tough times and find ways to adapt so that you are always making some effort toward the goal.

When I was unable to workout at the gym, I had to adjust my meal plans to account for the loss in calorie burn. While I don't necessarily eat my workout calories, I count on them for an extra boost in weekly loss. Normally I try to eat around 2000 calories a day. It may be 100 or 200 + or -, but in general, about 2000. This past week, I found that with several days of inactivity (going from 13000-15000 steps a day as recorded by fitbit to 3000-5000 steps a day) and dropping my calorie burn from averaging 4000+ a day to under 3000, I had to make adjustments. You need a 1000 calorie a day deficit to lose 2 lbs. a week. If you only burn 2800 and eat 2000, you will not gain, but you certainly can't expect a big payoff at the end of the week. I adjusted my eating, and was still able to achieve 2.6 lbs. for the week. For the most part, my adjustment came in my snack allowance. I usually plan 3-500 calories of snacks when I am working. This past week, I cut that back on days where I didn't have the burn at the gym. Of course, choice of meals plays into it too. I chose lower calorie meals or smaller portions of those meals as well.

Some may look at my food/calorie intake and wonder how I manage to lose weight on that (I know my wife is frustrated by it). The fact is, I am just bigger all around than the average person (especially woman) and naturally burn more calories even when I am sedentary. That is probably the ONLY advantage to being fat. I am 6'3" tall and even after a nearly 50 lb. weight loss, still weigh just under 326 lbs.. If you weigh 160 lbs, try picking up another 166 lbs. and carrying it around all day and see what your calorie burn is. As I continue to lose weight and near my ultimate goal of 225 lbs., My burn will also decrease and my calorie intake will have to reduce as well. Of course the converse of that would be that as the sedentary burn decreases, I can also increase my activity to offset it and continue to eat what I eat now. I anticipate a combination of both.

The key to seeing this thing through is going to be pushing through the bumps in the road like illness or external interruptions that break my routines. If one thing doesn't work or can't be done, I must find an alternative. I'm happy with the fact that I was able to do it this past week (Lucky week 13). In the week coming up I hope to get back to my normal routine and crush the 50 lb. mark so I can then set my sights on a real milestone, dropping below the 300 lb. mark (something that I haven't seen for more than 10 years).

Thank you again to all those who have shown encouragement and support. It is a difficult personal journey, but the support and encouragement of friends is so very helpful. You can't do this for me, but you can help hold me accountable to my stated goals, and that is a lot.

Week 12 End - Adapt and Overcome

It was a good week in some respects and a tough week in others. I met my weight loss goal for the week, but my workout schedule has suffered. I lost a total of 4 lbs for the week, bringing my total loss so far to 47, which is outstanding. It's great when you can see progress of this type (and it doesn't happen every week). I am extremely pleased with that. I am excited to be closing in on the halfway mark of this year's goal and the 1/3 mark for my total goal.

Where my disappointment has come in, is that for the first time since I started to the gym on 2/8/16, I have missed 3 days in a row. Today, being Easter Sunday, is of course excusable, as the gym is not open. Friday and Saturday, I just couldn't do it. I have managed to get a miserable cold (initially thought it was allergies). It has just sapped my strength so entirely that a workout was out of the question. I left a charity motorcycle ride early on Saturday, because my head closed up so completely, that I could only breath through my mouth. I have been able to keep my calorie count under my allowances, but I'm missing out on the bonus calorie burn the workouts have been giving me. Hopefully this thing will run its course quickly and I can get back to normal.

It's a little frightening to go near our kitchen today. My wife is cooking a feast that is as big as anything we've had for Thanksgiving or Christmas (both before I started this journey). What makes it so scary is that it's all my favorites. It is going to be very hard to control my eating later today. I do plan to go out for an hour walk later in order to burn off some of the calories. I hope my cold will cooperate.

I had a very up and down week at the gym this week. I think because I was getting sick, some days were just extremely tough.

Monday, I had the best workout I think I've had to date. In my hour I was able to add two miles to my average distance from previous weeks. That was the high mark.

On Tuesday, I struggled with every step. I put in 1/2 hour on my machine of choice (the recumbent elliptical) and was still struggling so much, I changed up and moved to a tread mill for the second 1/2 hour. I intend to start transitioning to more walking in order to prepare for the upcoming Color Walk/Run in June. But, it was more a matter of just not being able to put the time in on the other machine that had me change over.

Wednesday was very tough again until about the 30 minute mark. I think at that point I had sweated this thing out enough, that all of the sudden I was able to get in gear and finish strong.

Thursday was a mediocre day. I mostly went through the motions. I got the workout and the steps in, but it was all very hard. I was glad that I did drag myself to the gym in the end.

The weekend has been a total wash. My good intentions and desire have just not met up with the physical ability to get the workout in. As I am typing this, I am having sweats, and the house is only about 73*.

It's very important that I push through this and continue to work hard on this journey. I really hope to be able to announce at next weekend's weigh in that I have passed the 50 lb. mark. I need 3 more lbs. to do this, and normally I would be very confident. I'm just a little worried at this point because of the missed workouts and the illness, that I may not hit the mark. In any case, it will surely fall soon.

I will say it was very uplifting to have many people noticing and mentioning my weight loss this past week. For the first time since I started this journey, it seems that it is finally noticeable. This effort is not about recognition, it's about reclaiming my life. But, it is very encouraging when people see you and realize that something is happening. This IS about transformation, and the fact that there are finally visible signs of that transformation out there is very heartening. Of course there is a very long way to go, and it is not going to get any easier. But, this is a lifestyle change. I'm in for the long haul and for those who have been so encouraging.... You ain't seen nothin' yet!

For your entertainment. Here is a collage of pictures over the last 3 months. It will only get more interesting from here.

Progress as of 3/27/2016

Week 11 - Fighting Through

The past week has been very up and down. I've had some of my best workouts so far, then other days they were the toughest ever. I'm discovering that sleep and eating are the keys to good workouts. On the days I had a really tough time I had not gotten much sleep and my lunch was rushed. Yesterday was a prime example. I had a 4 hour training following my regular shift. I came home and got about 4 hours sleep, hopped up, ate a quick sandwich then headed to the gym. I was miserable for the entire workout. I had to back the level down on the machine a couple of notches, and I was sore and exhausted when I was done.  On the good days, like today, I had restful sleep and a nice lunch before going to the gym. I felt great from the beginning and was able to burn the most calories (according to fitbit) of any single workout to date.

I am proud of the fact that even on the tough days I have been able to push through and complete a workout, even though I felt very rough doing it. But, it is so much better when I feel good before, during and after the workout.

My workouts are integral to my plan, so I feel an obligation to complete them except on a planned non-workout day (so far there has only been one of those). I mentioned last week that I did miss a second day due to my foray into plumbing repair. That was not a day I planned to miss. But, I do recognize that flexibility in a schedule can be good and necessary, and in the end, the single missed workout did not stop my overall plan.

Octane Fitness XR6000
Recumbent Elliptical

My workout plan is pretty straight forward at this point. I am still in weight loss mode as my main priority (and will be for some time). I do 1 hour of cardio each day with an additional 4 minute cool down. My current machine of choice is the Octane Fitness XR6000 recumbent elliptical. At my current weight of about 336 lbs., and having two bad knees, this machine makes it possible to get a good workout without terrible knee pain. It exercises both legs and arms like an elliptical, but because you are seated, it takes most of the stress off the knees. This has been incredibly important in my ability to continue a daily workout routine. This machine purportedly burns more calories than a stationary bike. My goal is to get enough weight off, that I can comfortably move to a regular elliptical machine where I can likely burn twice the calories. But, that will be several pounds down the road yet.

TaoTronics Bluetooth Earbuds

I've talked to many friends and co-workers about how I am dieting and working out. One of the universal things I hear, is that they just can't seem to be able to handle a whole hour on a machine basically going no where. To this my reply is, you have to find what works for you and your situation. I am someone who can "zone out" and get into my music or think about things during my workout. I don't just sit there counting down until its over. My current physical limitations force me to use a machine like this in order to get in a workout without a lot of pain. I listen to music while I work out and pace my efforts to the music. I change up my playlist depending on my mood, and I have ongoing and adapting personal goals that I work toward during the workout. I have my music on my Samsung Galaxy S5 phone and listen to it with a set of TaoTronics bluetooth earbuds. I got the earbuds on Amazon for about $20. They have great sound, and, because they are wireless (bluetooth), they don't interfere with my movement.

Workout 3/17/16

I run my machine program on manual, entering a 60 minute workout, my age, current weight, and a resistance level of 8 (currently). When I look back on my workout history (fitbit keeps nice records for me) I note that I could not do an hour starting out. However, several weeks in now, and most days an hour is not difficult. In order to keep it interesting I have been trying to increase the distance that I go in the allotted hour. The machine shows laps (1/4 mi), speed, time and miles traveled. When I started I was trying to make about a 7 minute mile (this is not the same as running, but it gives me goals to work with). I am now closing in on a 5 minute mile and actually attained that once this week (that's 12 miles in that 60 minute period). I watch my lap breaks and sometimes have to sprint to make the break I need, which keeps it interesting. Of course there's differences int he tempo of the music as well. I try to at least follow that tempo if not exceed it or double it.

Workout 3/17/16

I should note that my fitbit only records about 800 steps per mile on the machine. I use the calculation of distance on the machine for my inspiration and pace during the workout. The actual distance is irrelevant except for the purpose of gauging my progress during the workout. The calorie burn does not match either, but I have found that over the past few weeks, the calories recorded by fitbit seem to be accurate according to the corresponding weight loss. I use those machine readouts strictly for motivation during the workout. The machine today showed me just over 12.5 miles while my fitbit indicated about 1/2 that.

I am currently not doing any strength training (weights) as I am going for calorie burn in my workouts right now. Once I get to my goal weight or at least nearer to it, I will start to do a little weight training as well. With my Myasthenia Gravis, I have to be careful of fatigue and can't over do it, so intense weight training will likely never be a reality, but certainly some work and toning will be possible.

There's on ongoing debate on MyFitnessPal (the app I use for logging my eating) as to whether to eat your additional exercise calories or not. My opinion is, do what works for you. I currently do not eat those additional calories (not most days anyway). But, my resting calorie allowance without the workouts is still pretty high (currently 2150). On the other hand, my wife who is obviously not as big as I am, is only allotted about 1600 calories a day. When I get to that amount, I may start to eat some of those calories. I have basically been doubling my calorie deficit per day for the last several weeks. That has allowed me to maintain a pretty consistent and sizable weight loss each week (3-5 lbs instead of 1-2lbs). I have a lot of weight to take off so I am good with eating about 2000 calories/day and getting some extra loss from it. 2000 calories is a good healthy intake according to my doctor. As my weight goes down, I will have to cut more calories, or start getting into my workout calories, which will mean a slowdown in loss. I'm OK with that and will decide which to do when that time comes. My inclination at this point is to maintain the 2000 cal./day level and increase my exercise if necessary, but we will see if that is still where I'm at when the time comes.

In a nutshell, that is what I am doing workout wise  at this time. Remember that I am faithfully logging my food intake (even snacks), and am actively keeping the calorie count to around 2000/day.

This is not rocket science. Anyone can do this. You just have to find your motivation. That is the other most heard comment from friends and co-workers. "I just can't get myself motivated to do what I need to do". I get that, and recognize that I was in the same place for years. It took coming to some harsh realizations to find my personal motivation.

The first realization I had to come to was that I was truly much fatter than I was willing to acknowledge. I was a thin person growing up and into early adulthood. Those who know me now find it hard to believe, but it is true. Because of that, I had to get past thinking of myself as I used to be, but, just a little overweight. I had to acknowledge that I have become truly obese to the detriment of my health and lifestyle.

The second truth I had to come to grips with, was that making excuses for the way I am is not going to change anything and I will only get worse until I decide to take control. I had a big list of excuses. I have Myasthenia Gravis and can't work out. Yes I have limitations, but the past few weeks are proof that I can in fact work out as long as I stay within my limitations and proceed reasonably. My knees are so bad I can't work out. Again not really true. I just had to find the right way to work out, again within my limitations. I don't have time to go to the gym. Not really true. I found plenty of time to watch TV or do other things I wanted to do. I just had to adjust my priorities to make getting to the gym towards the top. I'll start working on getting into better shape after I retire. It's too hard to accomplish anything on night shift. I was getting to the point where I might have to retire because I could no longer do my job, not to find time to try and improve my life. In the state I was in, I wouldn't have been able to do any of the things I had planned for retirement.

My motivation comes from the things I am gaining. As with any addiction, and I think it's safe to call my unhealthy lifestyle an addiction, you sometimes have to hit rock bottom before you can make meaningful change. No I wasn't addicted to drugs or alcohol. My addiction was to eating and inactivity.

I won't go so far as to say I have an eating disorder. That would be a disservice to those who have a real disorder. But, I did eat foolishly. I thought about food all the time. I have had to change the way I think about food and approach eating. It's much more difficult than it sounds for an habitual eater. I found that I would be careful what I ate in front of people, but when no one was around... Katie bar the door! What has allowed me to make the changes is my need to be healthy again. I was tired of the pain and all the stuff that goes along with being way too fat. Sometime I will share tricks of the trade that only fat people know. My need to be "normal" again outweighs any compulsion I have for food. Luckily I have a stubborn and somewhat addictive personality. While that may sound funny, It can be an asset once you have made up your mind to make a change. That addiction to eating is now turned around to an addiction to becoming healthy again.

My other big issue was inactivity. This is maybe the most insidious of all since it can so easily sneak up on you. I truly believe that inactivity breeds inactivity. The bad part is, the longer you allow it to go on, the harder it is to change. I have stage 4 arthritis in both knees. Activity is hard an painful most of the time. Doctors will tell you that the best way to combat the arthritis is to be active and keep moving. That's easier said than done. They're not the one in pain. The thing is, they are absolutely right. The less I did, the less I could do. It took coming to a place where I realized that I could continue to spiral into disability and be one of those pathetic overweight people who need the motorized cart at Walmart, or I could suck it up and do my best to do whatever little I could do. I am now able to get to the gym everyday and have been able to increase my mobility hugely. But, it first took taking that first painful step.

You must find your own motivation. No one can find it for you. My wife and daughter tried to get me going for several years, but until I found my own motivation it was no good. I look forward to retirement, travel and someday walking my daughter down the aisle. Now I know that it is not just a dream. I will be ready for all those things when the time comes.

Thank you to my family and friends who have been so supportive so far in this journey. It is so very helpful.

To the many who have said that my journey has inspired them to make changes for themselves, keep going. Every day is a new chance to move closer to your goals. Here's a favorite quote of mine from motivational teacher Tony Robbins.

"No matter how many mistakes you make or how slowly you progress, you are still way ahead of anyone who isn't trying." -Tony Robbins