The Biggest Loser...

Ah "The Biggest Loser." Could I lose the 88lbs that I want to lose if I were on The Biggest Loser, you bet your butt I could.  A few problems with this though; 1)I don't have 12 weeks that I can give up at work to be on the show, 2) I wouldn't win because I didn't weigh enough to have the percentage of weight loss needed.

Here is what I don't like about the show, they make it look like you should be losing 8-10lbs a week it is far too much and way too unhealthy for you and I who do not have the benefit of personal trainers, chefs and a top notch doctor. When I first started in my journey to 225, I did indeed lose up to 5lbs a week for the first few weeks, but remember that most of that was water weight.  Now some weeks it is 1-2 lbs sometimes gaining. 

Now the positive. I hate to sound like a know it all because God knows that I am not. But it isn't about going on a diet it is changing your mindset/lifestyle about food. I like the fact that this is one of the main focuses of the show.  I have tried diets, we did the South Beach diet the summer before Everett was born. I lost a TON of weight,  but as soon as we stopped I gained it all back and thensome.  This time around it is different, I have changed my attitude about my diet. I still eat sweets when I want too, but it is not as often or as much. I still have pizza, but I cut down the amount of slices. I have been smarter about everything, I think that is the key. Have fun, have your cheat days but limit them.

Now on a related note, I lost the first 50 on my own. People ask me what I took in addition to my diet and exercise. No pills, no help just old fashioned hard work. I wanted to know that it was me who was losing the weight not a pill. I feel that it is important. If it was the pill then once I stop taking it will I gain it all back or just stop losing? Am I open now to looking for help, yes, but just to help get me going again. Once that happens I want it to be me.

It's getting late, I need to get some sleep.
Next time I'll share my 2 worst gym experiences.
Here's to your 225!
Mike

My first Blog

Let me start by saying that this came about as kind of a joke.  I was telling my wife about one of my recent trips to the gym and after I finished my story, (and she was bored out of her mind, thanks for listening honey!) she joked that I should start a Blog so I don't have to bore her to death anymore.  This Blog is more for me to get what I have been wanting to say off my chest. If someone is helped out by it then so be it. It's cliche, but if I can change 1 persons life it is all worth it.  And away we go!

Most of my family amd friends know that I have been overweight my entire life. I am tall so I hid it well, but it always bothered me. I like most people have tried and failed with losing weight and keeping it off.  I was one of those people who thought if I really had to do it, I could and it would be easy.  I have been doing it, but it has not been easy.  I decided to make a change for myself, and looking back that was the biggest decision and best person to make the change for. Not to offend my wife or my little boy, but I had to do it for me and they get to reap the benefits of having a healthier husband and daddy. 

I want to end this post with where I started.  In February of this year I got on the scale and it said 313! I had hit 300 before and fell back below rather quickly, but 313 was the biggest number I had ever seen for myself.  Lent was coming up and I thought that in '09 for lent I had given up sweets and I felt good when I had, so why not try it again but with a twist.  This year I was going to give up eating junk between meals too (chips and the like), and this year I was going to try and keep it going past Easter.  I also decided that I should start exercising more. Thanks to my friend Jake who took me to my gym the first time.  I knew that I could make this work, I wasn't going to working out with a bunch of meatheads, but real people like me.  The weight started to come off, and a few weeks in I could notice a difference in my appearance and how I felt.  Who knew that all those doctors who say "Diet and exerise are the key," are right!  I can now say that dieting DOES NOT WORK! I had to change my lifestyle and my diet. I am by no means wealthy, and I have to make my diet needs work one way or another, I just had to approach how I think about eating differently.  I am almost 9 months in to my journey and I am down 60lbs since February.  I have had a few rough patches, but I have not let them stop me like they have in the past.  My goal is to be down to 225lbs sometime next year. 
Thanks for listening to me...