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

Week 10 End - Close, But No Cigar!

I'm a little late getting this post done. I had a good week this week and was pleased with how I have been feeling and my progress. It was however a rather hectic weekend.

I had really good workouts most of the week and have continued to see a reduction in blood sugars as well as the fit of clothes. You would think with all the progress, I wouldn't be so impatient, but as usual I continue to wish things would progress more quickly.

3/12/2016 39.2 lbs.

This week's weigh in showed a loss of an additional 4.2 lbs.. That is encouraging, but again, that brought my total to just under 40 lbs. and of course I was hoping this would be the week I broke that barrier. I'm still very much ahead of schedule, but I always want to clear that next hurdle. I look at this thing as another challenge in my life and just want to overcome it. I know that it took years to get where I was and it will not disappear overnight, but I can't help but want to get there as soon as I can.

Don't worry. I know that I need to maintain a healthy weight loss strategy and continue to do so. It seems my battle is with my ego and desire as much as with the food and exercise.

I have had a great streak of getting to the gym since I started back in February. I started Feb. 8 (the day after Super Bowl Sunday) and have only missed 2 days in that time. The first was because I was out of town for the day and did not get back in time to make the gym. I was good with that. The second was this past Saturday. I was not so OK with that one.

I think I can safely say that I am somewhat addicted to the workouts and the extra calorie buffer it provides. While I continue to only eat what I am allotted without the exercise (at least most days), those exercise calories are bonus for me and help to contribute to my lead on my scheduled weight loss.

I started the day with every intention of getting to the gym. I was feeling particularly inspired to get some of the things done around the house that I had been putting off for some time, namely, a leaking tub/shower faucet and a leaking sink faucet. We set out for Lowe's armed with a shopping list. I had even pre-searched the location of the parts I needed with their "app" in order to streamline the shopping experience (I'm not a big fan of shopping). We picked up the parts and headed for home, ever optimistic that I would master the leaks in short order, then move on for the day.

I started with the tub/shower in my daughter's bathroom. It went off without and hitch, and I was very proud of myself when I showed my wife that the leak was gone. Next up, the sink in our master bath. This thing has been leaking for some time and has gotten progressively worse, so I was really wanting to deal with it, as the dripping has become really annoying. You can hear it from our bed.

Now, I had tried to address this faucet once in the past without success. This thing was original to the house and is therefore about 30 years old. The fix should be pretty straight forward. Pull the cartridge, replace a couple of O-rings and the spring seats and put it back together. The problem I had run into before was that I couldn't get it apart. This time I thought I had it licked. I was going to break out my trusty torch and a HUGE pair of channel locks.

Well since this is about how I missed the gym, you can guess, my bright idea didn't turn out to be so bright. As I was fussing and fuming and telling my wife that the stupid thing wasn't worth fixing anyway, she suggested maybe we could just install the new faucet that we had sitting in the garage waiting for a future remodel of this bathroom. Well, one thing lead to another, and we decided that we might as well  add the new sink/vanity as well (also waiting for the remodel). That's when the trouble started. Have any of you met my friend Mr. Murphy?

We removed the old vanity and sink without too much issue. We pulled the new set up out of the box, and looked it over and recognized several issues immediately. Now, remember that this was set aside for a future remodel of this bathroom, which was to entail re-arranging of all the fixtures in the bathroom. In it's current location, the drain for the sink came in from the left side of the vanity and the water lines came up out of the floor. To install this the way it was, would entail drilling a rather large hole in the side of the vanity to accommodate the drain. Were this the final resting place for the sink, that would have been ok. But, since that wasn't the case, I really didn't want to butcher a brand new (and relatively costly) vanity.

My wife suggested maybe we get a cheap sink and vanity for the time being and put that in. (The old one was no longer an option after removal) That of course got me to thinking that surely there was a less expensive way to deal with this (though certainly not easier). I proposed moving the drain to the wall behind the sink eliminating the need to drill the new vanity and positioning the drain similarly to the way we will use it in the future. Of course that idea led to the idea that we should also move the supply lines so that we don't have them coming up through the floor of the cabinet, which cuts down on the usable storage space down there. Remember, this is all a result of a dripping faucet.

My Saturday Gym Day

Well to shorten an already long and growing story, 2 more trips to Lowe's, and $150+ later, We had moved the drain and the supply lines. I was soaked from both drain water and supply water. I ruined a new t-shirt with PVC solvent and by 11 pm that night we finally gave up and went to bed.

Two more trips to Lowe's the next day finally gave us an installed sink that does not drip. There is still a little bit of trim work and caulking to do, but, we have a functioning sink (and it looks pretty nice if I do say so myself).

I was kind of upset at missing the gym on Sat.. But, in retrospect, it wasn't the big deal I made it out to be at the time. I was feeling guilty about a big lunch (1100+ calories, I still thought we were going to the gym). In the end, I tailored my dinner accordingly and still managed to stay just under my goal calories for the day. The sky didn't fall and I didn't magically put back on any of the weight I have lost. I just have to remember that this is a process and there will be times when the gym isn't an option. The funny part is, I didn't really eat any more calories than I do when I go to the gym, and I almost never eat my exercise calories. So, I don't really know why it seemed so traumatic at the time.

We returned to the gym the next day and all is right in my sort of skewed universe. It has occurred to me that I have gone on in several posts about going to the gym without actually sharing what my routine is. I will try to post an update that outlines what I am actually doing in the near future.

For those who continue to follow this journey with me, thank you for your support and encouragement. For those who have begun a lifestyle change as a result, keep up the good work. You can do this! Be well my friends, until next time.

Week 9 End - A tougher week

It's been another good, but tough week. While I was able to maintain my diet and did make it to the gym every day, it was much tougher for some reason this week. I found myself having to force myself to get to the gym. When I was there, I had some of the my best workouts yet. I put in more miles and intensity than in weeks past and I felt good doing it. I'm not sure was made it so hard to get there.

3/5/16 down 2.4 lbs (total 35 lbs)

It was a slow week for weight loss as well. After a banner week last week (5.6 lbs) I only registered a loss of 2.4 lbs this week. That's still hugely ahead of my scheduled pace of 2-2.5 lbs. a week (currently a total of 35 lbs. in 9 weeks). But, it's still a let down after a big week last week. Especially since I was about 1000 extra calories under my allowance each day. Even though I know I'm in this for the long haul and I know I'm doing great, I still find it hard to wait.

I'm finding that I am getting to the gym regularly without too much problem (aside from my having to push myself to do it some days), but I am not getting a lot else accomplished on work days. That of course is one of the hazards of being a night shifter. It seems like during your work week you only work and sleep. I am now struggling with how to better manage my time to accomplish some other things during the week. I'm not sure what the answer is yet, but, I'm sure I'll come up with something.

The big up side this week, is that people have finally been noticing the weight loss. I've said before, when you're as overweight as I am, 25 lbs is like taking a bucket of sand off the beach, but, I have been noticing the fit of my clothes and lately so have some others. I am discovering new things I can wear that I have had in the closet for a long time (many still with tags). We have even been looking in the stores and planning to buy some "regular sized" clothes for later this summer. I can see that excess skin is going to be an issue in the future, but it's a small price to pay for the relief I am feeling already. I am able to walk around stores etc. with minimal pain in my knees (it's never fully gone since they are basically shot), and with daily workouts (cardio at this point) it seems my blood pressure and blood sugar are doing very well as well. I am looking forward to my next regular doctor's appointment in early May to see if the bloodwork will bear out what I am seeing. One of my goals is to be able to get rid of the diabetic meds and possibly the cholesterol and blood pressure meds as well. My doctor indicated to me at the start of this in Jan. that if I indeed lose the weight that I have said I intend to lose, I will likely be able to do that. Especially the diabetic meds..

I don't know that I have any particular wisdom to impart this week. Maybe the overall message is, when you get so far into a long term program (read that lifestyle change), at some point the newness wears off and it is sometimes more of a daily grind. I think I hit that point. The good news is, the new habits I have been working on engraining have been taking over and I have pushed through the feelings that might stray me from my goals. I absolutely have to fight with myself when perusing the junk-food drawer (yes we have one too), and I have had to "make" myself get ready and go to the gym. But, the good news is in each occasion, I did it.

Again, thank you to all those who have been expressing support and good wishes. It really does mean a lot. Someone has made the statement that I put this journey out there to get an "attaboy" or attention. While the support is definitely a plus, the real reason I wanted to put it out is the accountability it forces on me by making my goals public. Think what you want. I know that I will work harder to prove to myself and my friends that I am going to see this through.

Until next time my friends.

Week 8 End - Breaking the 30 lb. barrier!

Jan 1 to Now 2/27

This has been a great week for weight loss. After a disappointing loss of less than 2 lbs. last week I posted a better than 5 lb. loss for this week. The support from family and friends has been amazing. I was originally hesitant about taking this blog and my journey public because of fear of ridicule and the fear that no one would take me seriously and bring me down. That couldn't have been more wrong.

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the annual "Holiday Party" for my motorcycle club. It's a time we set aside after the first of each year, to reflect on the previous year and look forward to the coming riding season. I would like to point out that there was a great food buffet at this event, and I ate well, but stayed within my calorie allotment of the day. It's all about accountability.

GKMC Holiday Party 2/27/16

This is a great bunch of people who collectively raised over $31,000 last year and issued over $21,000 in charitable support to the community. Last night I was shown so much love and support for this journey, I can't help but succeed.

I had the opportunity to talk to several who have expressed their need to lose weight and get healthy, and who said that I have inspired them to take the step. I also was asked by many just how I am doing this. Of course the simple answer is, eat less, move more. But, I think I will take the time here to share what it is I am doing on a daily basis.

Anyone can do this. I'm not taking a miracle drug. I'm not eating special food. I have just adopted a healthy lifestyle. I am now, as the cliche' goes "Eating to live instead of living to eat". Each day is a new challenge and a new opportunity.

MyFitnessPal Screenshot

The day starts with a visit to the two smart phone applications that I am using to track my calorie intake and activity. MyFitnessPal (free) and Fitbit (app is free but trackers vary in cost) are my tools of choice. This is all about how much I eat and my activity. Burn more calories than you eat, and you will lose weight. The proportions determine the speed.

As you can see in the screenshot to the right, I have a calorie allotment here on MyFitnessPal of 2150 to start the day. If I eat this and do nothing else, the app says I should be on track to lose 2 lbs. a week. That's based on the calculated number of calories I burn at rest and normal daily activities (we all burn calories each day, even when we are sleeping). It is calculated to create a 1000 calorie a day deficit (burn more than you eat). That translates to 7000 calories a week or a loss of 2 lbs.. It takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose 1 lb.. Each person's rate of calorie burn is unique based on your height, weight, and level of activity.

Smarter people than I have figured out the formula to calculate this, and have made it easy for anyone to work out a plan in an app like this. As I update my weight loss within the app, it even recalculates my daily calorie burn and adjusts the calorie allowance accordingly. While today's allotment is 2150, When I started two months ago, it was 2280.

This app (MyFitnessPal) is where I enter all my meals. They have a huge database of foods and the nutritional content (calories, sodium, protien etc.). You can also enter in the recipe of anything you concoct at home, and it figures the nutritional content based on the ingredients. They also have a scan tool that lets you scan the barcode on food packaging and import its nutritional information.

I am faithful in logging all my meals and snacks here, because that is the only true way to know what you are really eating. Most people ignore and underestimate their food consumption. I am eating real food because this isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle change. I have to be able to continue this forever.

As the day goes on, and I enter food, my app keeps track and lets me know how many calories I have left to consume for the day. I allow myself any kind of food I want, but I keep track of it all. You very quickly learn what foods are dense in calories and therefore don't allow you to eat as much quantity, and those which are leaner and allow you to fill your belly. My food choice is based on where my count is for the day, and what I am hungry for. I know that if I indulge in something that has a high calorie count like bread or pasta, I will have to ease up somewhere else later in the day. Likewise, if I know I am going to eat pasta for dinner, I can plan my earlier meals to accommodate that and stay within my allowances.

Now you may look at this and say "I can't cut my eating that much". While I will tell you that if you do, it gets easier with time, I can also tell you that there is an alternative to cutting your eating drastically. Remember that this is about the ratio of calories consumed vs. calories burned. You can always increase the calories burned. Even better is a combination of the two.

FitBit Screenshot

The screenshot at left is of my FitBit app. This app syncs with my FitBit tracker that I wear on my wrist and accounts for all my activity in the day. You'll notice that even though I took the screenshot just after getting up today, it already shows that I burned 853 calories while I slept last night. My particular tracker (the FitBit Charge about $99) also tracks sleep. As you can see, I got a respectable 7 hours of sleep last night, woke up once and was restless 4 times.

This app connects directly with the MyFitnessPal app. It syncs my calories entered there and transfers my activity so that my calories can be adjusted throughout the day in both apps. The cost for the tracker I use is about $99. In my estimation, it's worth every penny to be able to keep accurate track of my activities throughout the day. Knowing what calories you burn vs what you eat is the key to losing the weight. I'm sure there are many fitness trackers out there that are just as good with a smaller price tag, but this one is working great for me and integrates beautifully between my two key apps.

My activity goal for the day (actually the minimum goal) is to make at least 10,000 steps, travel at least 5 miles, have at least 30 minutes of activity (activity as determined by FitBit is at least 10 minutes of constant motion) and burn at least 3890 calories. Before starting at the gym, this was very difficult to do. I have led a rather sedentary lifestyle for many years and working night shift, it's easy to wake up and lounge around the house until it's time to go to work. While there's lot of potential for activity at work (I'm a Correctional Officer/Prison Guard), the reality is that as a whole, we spend a lot of time sitting around. I have started actively increasing my activity at work, and now am going to the gym daily, and am happy to say, that I exceed my goals on a daily basis. The added bonus to the great effect the activity has on your body, is the increased calorie allowance it also creates.

You may notice a slight discrepancy in the calories allotted for the day between the two apps. It because fitbit is tracking in real time and adds calories to the allowance as calories are burned. MyFitnessPal bases the entire allotment on predicted activity, based on current height and weight. By the end of the day, they coincide pretty well (within 100 or so calories).

stats for 2/27/16

As an example of what activity does for your day, let me add another screenshot. This one shows my log for yesterday. I had a total number of steps of 15,556, walked a total of 8.67 miles, burned 4424 calories, had a 1 hour, 4 minute workout burning 1110 calories (and I worked for those). My total calorie intake for the day (as logged in the MFP app and automatically transferred) was 2323. That left me with 1101 calories for the day below my allowance. Because of the added activity, my calorie allowance jumped from just about 2100 for the day, to a whopping 3400 and change. By staying with a number closer to the original allowance, I was able to gain a bigger deficit to push the weight loss. That's how I was able to lose more than the 2 lbs. per week that is targeted.

While I am pushing my deficits a bit, it is important to eat enough calories each day to keep the metabolism going. It is also important to divide up your calories during the day, in effect "grazing" and not save all your calories for one big meal.

The body is an amazing complex machine. It has an innate instinct to survive. If it perceives that it is starving, it will slow down your metabolic rate to conserve calories for survival. In addition, it will try to store what you do eat as fat for future use.

The trick, is to reduce what we take in so as to lose weight, but not so much that the body believes it is starving. The way to do that is to eat often. Once the body realizes it is going to be fed regularly it will allow the metabolism to make use of the reserves it's been holding back. The mistake many people make in "dieting" is starving themselves into survival mode. Also, realize that it takes time for the body to adjust to new things.

Last week I was a little disappointed in the small progress I made on the scale. I had my second full week in at the gym and thought I should be seeing more success. What I now see, is that my body was still adjusting to the huge increase in activity. It wasn't convinced just yet that that activity was going to continue and was holding back to see.

workout screenshot

This past week, I noticed that I was starting to feel hungry throughout the day for the first time since the 2nd or 3rd week. That was a sure sign that my metabolism had kicked up, and the proof was in the weigh in.

The impact of workout activity can be seen on the screenshot at left. This is my workout from yesterday 2/27/16. My calories burned just from the workout were 1110. That was more than I had eaten at that point yesterday. My totals for the day as of that time were around 900 (breakfast, lunch and snacks). I was not scrimping.

My wife and I went out for breakfast where I enjoyed and omelette, toast and home fried potatoes as well as a couple of cups of coffee. For lunch I enjoyed a tuna sandwich, and for a snack I ate some apple slices.

I went in to my party last night with about 2500 calories "in my pocket" and had salad, baked ziti, roasted potatoes, and a tasty vegetable medley (all in moderation) which totalled about 1200 calories. I did pass on the dinner rolls and ice cream for dessert and my drinking consisted of diet pepsi and water. When we got home around 10:30 pm, I was a little hungry again so I had a small bag of chips leftover from a trip to panera bread last week (150 cal) and a big glass of water before bed (about 32 oz).

I know for most of you this is boring, but so many are asking what/how I'm doing this, I just wanted to share the reality of it. There's no magic drug or diet to lose weight and get fit. It's all about living a healthy lifestyle.

Since I started this journey, my blood sugar levels have been great, the weight loss has already made it easier on my knees, and the amount of energy I have is unbelievable. I only wish I had started sooner. I can't wait to see how great I feel when I finally reach my goal weight of 225 lbs.. It seems like a long way off, but I know, with the kind of support I have been getting from all my friends and family, it is easily within reach.

If you want to keep up with my weekly updates, subscribe via email at the top of this page. You will then receive each new post via email. Of course you can also continue to check back here. Thanks again for all the support.

Week 8

I can't believe it is week 8 already. I am really falling into the routine now. In the past several days I have been about 1000 calories below my target. While that's good and if it continues will guarantee good loss at the end of the week, I have to make sure that I don't get caught up in the frenzy and eat too few. I think the metabolism is humming pretty good with the workouts and I have to make sure that I am eating enough to keep that up.

As of this writing, I just returned from a good workout at the gym. I put in about 70 minutes of cardio and burned just a little over 1000 calories. Now again, I know there are those who will say "1000 calories! I don't get anywhere near that in an hour workout!". Remember, I'm probably much bigger than you are. I'm 6'3" and 348 lbs.. Just existing burns more calories than the average person. As my weight goes down it will get harder to reach those kinds of numbers. The good news is, it will also get easier to work out harder.

I want to share a small victory that I had over the weekend. I was out shopping with the wife, and we were in the "fat man" section of JC Penny (they were having a sale and she had coupons that were about to expire). We found this cool t-shirt, but they only had it in 3XLT (I have been wearing 4-5XLT). We decided to buy it for the future (how's that for confidence!). Yesterday, I decided to try it on since it was just laying there. I was pleasantly surprised when it fit pretty well! It's still a little snug (about like my 4X was about 8 weeks ago) so I have left the tags on it and won't wear it until it fits perfectly, but I am sure I will be wearing it to the gym within the next month. I'm getting closer all the time to one of my goals which is to be able to buy clothes in the regular section of most stores. Most go up to 3XL, so I'm closing in.

I do want to take a second to acknowledge all the support I have received since taking this journey public. I was nervous about it because I thought it was likely I would get a lot of flack from people who wouldn't believe that I am seriously doing this. It has been quite the contrary. I have received nothing but positive support from everyone. THANK YOU. While this journey is a personal one, support and encouragement make a difficult task much easier. I didn't however do it just to find additional support. By putting it out there in front of friends, co-workers and family, I now am accountable to all of them. The only thing worse than failure is public failure, so I have a lot of added incentive to see this through. Understand, it is not the fear of failure that drives me. As I said in a conversation with a friend/co-worker last night, I've seen what not doing this leaves me and that's not what I want my life to be. That's my primary motivating factor.

I will update at the end of the week with the official weigh in and whatever else has been going on. Of course if I'm feeling particularly inspired I may update sooner. I have added an email subscription form at the top of the blog to make it easier to subscribe if you don't like to mess with RSS feeds. Just enter your email address and submit it. You will be asked to enter a code to show that you are not a spambot. Then you will receive a confirmation email. Confirm your subscription through the email and you will then receive email updates everytime this blog is updated.

Week 7 End

THON 2016

A great end to week 7. I was able to get out on the bike yesterday (Sat 2/20) and visit with some kids fighting cancer at the annual THON event at Penn State in State College, PA. We presented a check for $5000 to representatives from THON/4 Diamonds Fund. The money was raised by my Motorcycle Club, the Guardian Knights in their annual C1000 Iron Butt Run, in which they ride 1000 miles in under 24 hours. We were then wish granters for some of the kids. They got to look at and sit on the bikes, and we even were privileged to take some on a ride around the campus and past the Bryce Jordan Center where the THON event was happening.

What does this have to do with my weight loss journey? Well... this journey is about a lifestyle change and this is part of my life. I was initially concerned about our lunch arrangements for the day. I didn't know where we would be going and wanted to maintain the progress that I have been making. I'm pleased to say I did just that. We went to Hoss's for lunch (that a local steak house in our region). I had the "light" version of grilled chicken breast (basically 1 fillet instead of two) with rice pilaf for a side and a big green salad with light dressing and a cup of french onion soup. I was very full and satisfied and didn't even break into my snack bag of apple slices and grapes I had packed for the day. We returned home too late to go to the gym, but frankly, after several hours in the saddle for the first time in many months, I don't think I would have been up to it anyway. I will hit it again starting today. My wife and I finished the day with a nice sandwich at a local place.

I would like to say I know how many calories under I was for the day again, but unfortunately, my fitbit charge apparently thinks that riding a motorcycle is exercise, and attributed something like 17,000 steps and 188 floors climbed to my activity for the day. While there is a certain physical component to riding, it's certainly not that much. I did however chart my calories, and based on my normal daily intake, I am comfortable that I stayed well within my allowance for the day. Next time I'll leave the fitbit home.

Now to the important thing, my weekly weigh in. I am pleased to say that I am down another 2.2 lbs. for a total of 27 lbs. in 7 weeks. The easy quick loss is past and now begins the grind. It's simple math really.

WARNING: DIET THEORY TO FOLLOW: It takes a calorie deficit of 3500 to lose 1 lb.. That means that I need a 1000 calorie deficit per day to lose 2 lbs a week. How do we calculate the deficit? We first need to know how many calories we burn each day. That is basically controlled by our activity. We burn a certain amount just by being alive... breathing, circulating our blood etc.. Then there is actual movement. To maintain our weight we must take in an amount of calories equal to the amount we burn. The bigger we are, the more we burn even at rest. Right now I burn about 4000 calories a day with my gym activity. So, currently if I want to maintain my weight, I should eat 4000 calories a day. Of course my goal is to lose weight. To come up with a calorie deficit of 1000/day I would eat 3000 calories. That would net me a 2 lb a week loss (1000x7=7000, 7000/3500=2). If I stay consistent with that, then where do the plateaus come from that everyone laments? The formula assumes a constant calorie burn, but our bodies are not quite so simple. Our metabolism can fluctuate and if we don't eat enough can actually drop. That's why it's important to constantly feed your body when you're trying to lose weight. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but it's true. Our bodies have a survival instinct built in. If it perceives that we are starving, it will slow the metabolism to try and conserve resources. It will also then try to store everything we eat as fat for future starvation crisis. That's why it is always better to take a slow and steady approach to diet. It's a balancing act really. Feed the body and exercise to kick your metabolism but don't feed it enough to store. Understand that as you lose weight, your body will keep resetting itself. Sometimes that results in an interruption of your weight loss. But, push through and it will return.

Week 7

Well, I finally did it. I put it out to social media that I'm fat and doing something about it. Frankly I have been a bit nervous to put it out there because the only thing worse than failure is public failure. However, I am happy with the progress I'm seeing and have confided my goals to select family and friends over the past weeks and received nothing but support. So, I decided the time was right to put it out there and make myself accountable in front of everyone.

Octane Fitness xR6000

It has been a good week. As of today, I logged 12 days in a row at the gym doing cardio and have gotten my average time of exercise up to 70+ minutes a day. The fast and easy weight loss has subsided which I have been expecting. But, the slow and steady loss continues on schedule. I have done well with my eating as well as the exercise and still remain considerably ahead of schedule to make my 100 before the end of the year. My primary exercise vehicle is the Octane Fitness xR6000 recumbent elliptical machine. I allows me to work out pretty intensely without hurting my knees. I currently do 40 minutes a session on this machine, then move to walking 30 minutes on the treadmill. I want to eventually increase the walking as my knees and weight loss allow. My wife and daughter have talked me into joining them on the Color Run in Hershey PA on June 4. It's a 5k run/walk (for me walk/limp). I'm determined to do this. Last year this would have been out of the question, but I am confident that I can do this.

This weekend is my next weigh in. I must admit I check my weight daily, but it is so up and down depending on time of day and how much water I have consumed (I drink a lot of water) that I do my official weigh in on Sat night or Sun mornings. It seems to allow a relatively consistent showing of where I stand. I am confident that I am going to break the 350 lb barrier this week.

Tomorrow I will get out on the motorcycle for the first time in many months. My knee problems last year really hampered my riding season. Most of the year it was just the pain of riding, then post surgery in October I had a good bit of instability for a couple of months. It is feeling good now (good is a relative term here) and I'm ready to ride. My club the Guardian Knights will be riding from Harrisburg, PA to State College PA (about 80 mile one way) to participate in their THON event which raises millions for pediatric cancer research and direct help to families with children battling cancer. We will be "wish granters" for some of the kids, and will also be presenting a check for $5000 to the organization that was raised in the 2015 C1000 Iron Butt Run. I'm very much looking forward to getting "in the wind" again.

I will make my week end post Sat or Sun with my latest weigh in and any other news that may come up over the next day or two. Be positive my friends.

Week 6 End

Octane Fitness xR6000

Here we are, another week gone. I have had a busy week. The cold that I had last week has improved a great deal and I started going to the gym this past Monday. Now, I joined this gym a few years ago when they were taking pre-opening memberships. Monday was the first time I actually set foot in the place. It's a beautiful place. It has been about 10 years since I was in a gym with any regularity and they have come a long way. The place is huge, and most everything is state of the art. My current machine of choice (I'm concentrating on cardio at the moment) is some sort of hybrid between a recumbent bike, an elliptical machine and a stair climber. I'll try to get a picture of it tomorrow and add it here. I have no idea what it is really called, but it works great with my bad knees. Update: It is an Octane Fitness xR6000 and is listed on the company web site as a recumbent elliptical.

I mentioned in a previous post, that I got a fitbit activity tracker as well. I've had that for a couple of weeks now and it really helps to keep track of your activities and kind of reminds you to be active. I had a particularly active day today, logging over 13,000 steps and over 6 miles travelled. I have 92 minutes of "activity" which includes my workout as well as other activity that is constant for more than 10 minutes at a time. It also keeps track of calories burned (over 3500 so far today and will likely approach 4000 by day's end Update: burned over 4000 calories for the day) and even tracks my sleep. It has been a very worthy investment at about $99.

I have told you before about the app I have been using to track my eating, MyFitnessPal. It has been invaluable in logging calories, and links easily with my new fitbit to share information from that app which harvests the data from the tracking bracelet via bluetooth. My exercise information is shared with the MyFitnessPal app and the food info is shared back to the fitbit app. It's all pretty seamless most of the time. I have noted that the calorie allowance for the fitbit is a little less than MyFitnessPal, so I go with that one since the name of the game here is losing weight.

Today makes day 6 in a row for hitting the gym. I tried to change things up a little and hit the elliptical for about 15 minutes before going to my other machine. That may have been a mistake. The knees have been complaining all day, so I may have gotten a little over ambitious this early on. I know I have only been doing this a week, but I long for those days when I could get a 1000 calorie burn on the elliptical in one session.

2/13/2016 just shy of 25 lbs lost

I have my week end weigh in coming up later. I'm hoping to achieve the 25 lb mark, if not tonight, then before the weekend is over. I'm very close. I'll update this post with my weigh in soon.

Update:
Well... I missed by 2/10 of a pound. I was hoping for an even 25 lbs. lost, but I'm sure it's coming soon. I am still ahead of schedule at nearly 25 lbs. in 6 weeks. The pace I am actually aiming for is 2 lbs. a week so I have doubled that pace so far. It will and has slowed down for now. I'm confident that if I keep up my exercise I will be able to maintain it though.

Week 5 End

Week 5 23.4 lbs 2/7/2016

Here we are at the end of week 5. I'm finally starting to feel better with the whole cold/flu thing. I was able to continue to lose some weight. I made it past the 20 lb. mark and got to a total of 23.4 lbs. lost. That's not bad. I'm almost 1/4 of the way to my yearly goal of 100. The loss is slowing as I knew it would but it would be great to exceed my goal for the year if possible. We will see what the coming months hold.

Yesterday I was able to get out and do some shopping and took the car in for an oil change. It was great to get out of the house after a week of being sick. I was also able to greatly increase my activity by walking around in the stores and around the car dealership where the service was being done. The best part was the fact that I was able to do it relatively pain free. This is a big deal to me. I have not been able to do much of anything without pain for over a year. I attribute the change to both the latest injections in my knees, and the fact that I have taken almost 25 lbs. off of them. My doctor told me that each pound lost, is like removing 4 pounds of stress from the knees. So, that means I've reduced the stress on them by almost 100 lbs.. I can't wait to see how good it feels a couple more months down the road.

I'm feeling excited and energized. I hope that feeling continues. It's sometimes tough to watch some of the ads on TV or read the billboards along the road that are showing great food that I know I won't be eating anytime soon. I really don't even want it, but old habits are very tough sometimes. I don't deprive myself. For instance, last night I had a couple of slices of stromboli for dinner. It was great and I accounted for it all and still came in under my calorie allotment for the day. I'm dedicated to this journey and can't wait for the future.

I also got another bonus yesterday. I was able to use a belt that had not fit in several years. I am definitely getting somewhere with this. Here's to a future of not being fat!!!

Week 5

It has been a tough week. I came down with a miserable chest cold which I think ended up as bronchitis and a touch of flu. I spent most of yesterday in bed with stomach pain, sweats and chills. I must say though, that I woke up today feeling much better and I think I will try to even make it to work tonight (of course it's my Friday so it will be only one day).

I mentioned in my last post that I got a fitbit tracker (charge) over the weekend. I really does allow me to more accurately track my activity. That is good, but with my inactivity of the past week, it has lowered my calorie goal a good bit. I have been able to stay with it, but I look forward to increased activity which will bring my allotted calories back to what I have been used to the past few weeks.

I did pass the 20 lb mark since my last official weigh in.  I do unofficially weigh myself  every day. My weight varies greatly from day to day and even hour to hour, so I save my official weigh in for the end of the week to get a better idea of the real overall weight loss. The next goal... 30 lbs. I am hoping to make that by the end of this month if not before. We will see how it goes. I am bound to hit a plateau soon. I hope to be able to increase my activity as this cold moves on out. That will be a key in keeping the weight loss coming.

I recently found out that the county (my employer) is hosting a "biggest loser" competition. It's a team competition. I won this as an individual competition in the first year they had it (about 10 years ago), losing 95 lbs. in 6 months (I know, not a healthy rate to lose weight). I thought about joining this, but decided that I am better off doing this on my own, for my own reasons and not a competition or prize. This is not something I intend to do for a set period and then it's over. This is a new lifestyle. I have to look at it that way. Will I always have to watch what I eat as much as now? No. Once I achieve my goal, it will allow more leeway in my calories to maintain my weight, but it won't allow me to go back to the old, bad eating habits.

I sometimes think that competitions of this sort do a disservice to those participating. If you are not trying to create a healthier you for your own reasons and goals, you will not have any sustained success. I won the $500 first prize, but then gained back all my weight and more, because once it was over, I went back to an unhealthy lifestyle. The diet I did while competing was unsustainable in the long run (1000 calories/day and staying on the elliptical machine until I had burned 1000 calories). Now my reasons are all personal. I have to do this in a sustainable way so that I can achieve and maintain a weight that allows me to fulfill my goals.

Week 4 End

Week 4 355.8 lbs.

Week 4 ended with a terrible chest cold. My activity level has been very low  (basically in bed). I didn't make the 20 lb mark. I missed by .4 lbs. That's fine. Once I'm back up and moving it will come. I did finish the week with a net loss.

I got a fitbit charge over the weekend, so keeping track of activity will be easier now. Actually everyone in the family has one. We're all working at getting into shape, though I have the most work to do. I'm anxious to get past this sickness and amp up the activity.

Week 4

Well, here we are in week 4 and I think all is going well. I've caught a cold and am a little miserable with the stuffy head and scratchy throat, but I'm sure it will pass in good time.

As I posted at the end of  week 3 I broke the 360 lb barrier by a week 3 end weigh in at 357.2 lbs. That is a milestone I am proud of. I have been taking unofficial sneak peek weigh ins this week and am noticing the same seesaw of weight that I did last week. My water consumption is a bit off with the cold. I just have not been able to take in my normal gallon a night. My weights have been fluctuating 5 or 6 lbs up and down through the day, which is obviously mostly water weight, as real weight doesn't move that much that quickly, but am looking good at the evening time check. I'm confident I will break the 20 lb. mark by the end of this week. That's an average of 5 lbs a week for this first month. That's a bit faster than is recommended, but I'll take it. I'm not starving myself, so I'll take what I can get in these early stages, since I know it will get harder.

I'm finding that I am now missing my target calorie intake by an increasing amount, and actually have to push myself to eat some of my planned snacks to keep my metabolism going. That's a good problem to have. Yesterday with the walking added in, I was just over 1000 calories under my goal. It does get easier as you go. I even ate a chocolate chocolate chip muffin yesterday, and still came in that much under. Two days ago I treated myself to a cheese steak for dinner (if you're from eastern PA and particularly the Philadelphia area, you understand) and still came in under my calorie goal. The key is not depriving yourself. It's keeping the bad habits under control and accounting for your eating. I also had some potato chips and M&Ms yesterday, but all in moderation and logged.

I'm looking forward to my weigh in this weekend. Here's to hoping it will be below 355.4.

Week 3 End

This was my view at
about 9:30 am

The weather man was right this time! We actually got more snow than predicted and broke the all time record for a storm. We received 30.2" of snow between Friday night and Saturday night. If ever there were a temptation to sit in front of the TV and stuff myself, this was it. I'm happy to report, that didn't happen. I stayed within my allowance for the day and actually was about 500 calories to the good.

The neighbor caught me trying to find
the sidewalk with the snowblower.

Fortunately this storm fell over my days off and I didn't have to try to make it to the prison before the roads were plowed. We live in a development and we had our first plow early this morning. He made one lane down the middle of the street. Not what I had hoped for, but if they don't come back later, at least I can now get out to the main road to go to work tonight. A big shout out to my brothers and sisters at DCP who had to brave the roads and probably had to work a double shift to boot. It's always the luck of the draw with when these things happen. I just came out on the lucky end this time.

Week 3 end, 357.2 down 18.2 lbs.

This week was a little bit of a seesaw with my weight fluctuating a good bit. I'm pretty sure it was all about the water weight because over the weekend here, when I drink less water, There was an appreciable drop. I did my week end weigh in and was pleasantly surprised that I have now broken the 360 barrier. My weigh in was 357.2, down 18.2 lbs since I started. With a goal of 8-10 lbs a month, I'm on track to double that this month. Of course that is only the first 20 and I do not fool myself into thinking that this will be as easy next month.

One of the side benefits I have been noticing (besides clothes fitting better) is that my blood sugars have been remarkably good of late. I know my doctor told me that my insulin resistance would likely go down as I lose weight. I'm of course also eating better things in my quest for the weight loss, so I'm sure that plays into it as well. I am hoping that if I can reach my goal weight of 225 by next June, I will also be able to get off the diabetic meds. I am actually anxious for my next doctor's appointment in a few months. I want to see if my A1C has dropped along with my weight.

I was very pleased with the fact that I was able to be out snowblowing for 2 hours yesterday. The weight loss of nearly 20 lbs and the improvement in my knees made that possible. I had Synvisc injections on Friday morning. According to the doctor it will take 2-4 weeks to see what effect if any this will have on knee pain. I am hoping this along with the continued weight loss (should be about 30 lbs by then) will give me a new lease on life and activity.

The plan now is to start hitting the gym in the coming week. I want to really try to increase my activity. It will be good in combating the arthritis in my knees, as well as the diabetes.  I am confident in my ability to do this. I just have to make sure that I follow up the plan with action.

Here's a couple more snow pictures from yesterday, looking out the front door.

What a difference 24 hours makes (the day after)