Day 37 of 175

Well, I weighed myself, and I'm down to 237 pounds. I'm finally way in to my 230s, and I'm really excited. The next weight that I will be really excited about is my lower 230s, or even high 220s. Once I get down to 225, I'm considered overweight instead of obese.

My food intake is spotty at best right now. I am working in the heat and it makes me not want to eat anything. I wake up early enough and run out of time so I accidentally skip breakfast. Supper is basically anything that is at the other house, and there is almost nothing to eat there. Unless, of course, we get fast food. No money to eat out right now anyway.

I have 37 pounds until I reach my goal weight! woohoo! That sounds better and easier then 70, huh?

Day 36 of 175

All seems to be going well. I weighed myself this morning and I am 238 pounds. It seems that all this hard work on the trailer and eating less is actually paying off and has gotten me over this plateau. I wonder how much longer until I hit another plateau? No telling, really. Probably when I stop working on the trailer so much and settle back into a routine at my two jobs. At least I'll be losing more weight before the end of the Summer. When I go back to school next semester I'm going to hop right back on the tredmill! I might lift some weights too while I'm at it.

Anyway, Thanks for reading!
-Seth

Day 34 of 175

Plateau is over! I just weighed myself, and I am down to 238 pounds. YAY!!!! I was 245 last week, but since I have been working on the new house and been working on my diet - it looks like it is paying off. YAY! I'm down in my 230s! Now I have to work hard to stay on the right track and keep off a plateau.

Well, time to go to work. Thanks for reading everyone!

Day 32 of 175

Well, progress on the trailer! I'm glad that everything is going according to plan. I just have to do some more work on the floors. Maybe tomorrow all of the floors will be done and I will be able to move in by next weekend! YAY!

I haven't weighed myself on the scale yet... I might in a few minutes... Just to see what is happening. Well, Good night everyone and I will report back tomorrow!

Day 30 of 175

Still no weight loss. It's ok though, I slipped up a little yesterday. I had a non-caffeinated root beer while I worked my butt off fixing up the new trailer we got to live in. I'm going to be working really hard for the next week or so to get it fixed up - while working two jobs this summer. So - lots of work and not enough time to do it.

I'm going to say that my exercise routine is completely whacked right now. I don't have enough stability in my life right now to continue on my weight loss. However, I am going to try as best as possible to maintain my weight at 240 so that I can start losing weight again when I do gain stability.

thank you all for reading!

Day 29 of 175

Well, today is a new day. I lost .4 pounds, and now I'm back down to 242. something. It's ok though, this last weekend I splurged beyond belief, I guess. That just means that I have to get back in routine of my rules and start exercising more. It's hard to find time to exercise with two jobs. My new blue jeans are looser though, even though I haven't had any weight loss on the scale. I can tell that my midsection is a little thinner.

I have to ramp up my intensity of my exercise -... and actually find time to start exercising again. I'm not going to let this plateau ruin my weight loss goals. IT CAN BE DONE!

Day 28 of 175

Hello everyone,

Still haven't been able to get below 240. This plateau is pissing me off. I wish I could do something to get over it. I don't want to starve myself or anything - I also don't want to over do my exercise. I guess I just won't give up and keep going and eventually I will get over the plateau.

I got to figure out a way I can hop on a tredmill this Summer

A couple pics of my lovely wife:

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New Pictures of Me

since I have lost almost 30 pounds:


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Uploaded with ImageShack.us

So... can anyone tell any difference?

Day 27 of 175

Heather and I went on our Honeymoon all over again this last weekend. We went to New Orleans area and ate a bunch of food. We enjoyed every minute of it. I came back home and that little weekend trip cost me 1 pound of weight gain! UGH! Oh well, that's not much and I can easily work around it.

Heather and I have come up with a competition... at the end of the Summer, we will measure ourselves to see what our BMI is ... whoever loses the most BMI gets to buy what we want. In her case, it's a Net Book laptop. In my case, I want a Cold Steel Espada (large). So! Let the games begin! I have to lose 58.8 pounds! yay!!!!

It must and will be done!

Day 24 of 175

So, I'm still hovering at the 240 mark and haven't lost anymore weight. I'm not going to give up though. I guess my body is getting used to my routine, so I guess I got to increase the intensity of my workouts so that I can lose some more weight. I plan to lose another 30 pounds by the end of this Summer. YAY! I know I can do it - it will just take some time and a new exercise routine.

Day 22 of 175

My weight has rebounded a bit. I'm back up to 243.5 pounds. Over the last two days I've gained about 3.7 pounds. YAY! I guess I slipped up too much over the last two days. I need to really crack down and get back on my diet. Because I don't have school, it's easy to grab something out and eat it without a second thought.

I haven't been exercising this week because it is finals week and I'm not at school. I guess I need to go for a jog around the neighborhood before I sit down to do some work today. I'm also stressed about money right now - so I'm sure that doesn't help anything at all. Life will be ok. Everything will work out. I just need to breathe.

Day 20 of 175

I can't believe it! I lost 1.3 pounds over night. I'm now 240 pounds! 40 pounds to go! I can't wait until I can get in the 230s again!

Last night I ate a Grilled Chicken Salad from Sonic. For lunch yesterday, I ate at my grandma's house. We had brisket and some vegetable sides. I've been really good lately on my diet. At work yesterday, I walked on the trails, good exercise when I'm pressed for time. The trails constantly go up and down, so it's a good workout. I had to have drank at least 80oz of water yesterday at work.

The semester is finishing up. I'm ready to get the semester over with. One more year and I am done with my undergrad studies. By the time I start teaching I should already be down to my desired weight and maintained it for at least a year.

I am not giving up! I got over my plateau and I'm going to keep on keeping on! No one can stop me! Muhahahahaha!

Day 19 of 175

Success! In the last three days I have lost 3 pounds. I am now 241 pounds! yay! I'm getting so close to being in the 230s I can't wait! It's so exciting! All I have to do is keep up my diet and exercise routine and I'll be set to lose another 41 pounds! hah! Losing weight is difficult, but when you follow into a routine, it's easy!

Under 200 here I come!

Day 16 of 175

Doing pretty good today. I had a little fried catfish for dinner, and I had a manwich for supper. I ran 20 minutes today, so I'm following my new rule:

20 minutes of exercise a day regardless if I feel like it or not.

So, lets recap:

1. No soda
2. No cheese/really limit cheese
3. 20 minutes of exercise a day regardless.

I am determined to lose another 43 pounds. I will lose another 43 pounds. I have motivation to do it now that I saw myself in the mirror and really saw the difference. I haven't seen my grandma in a long time and when I saw her she was amazed! So, that gives me more motivation then I had.

I'm going to try to lift some weights today at work. I'm going to try to make some time to do pushups and maybe some crunches.

Well, that's it. Thanks for reading!

Day 15 of 175, 243 pounds

Hello everyone!

I weighed myself this morning and I'm now 243 pounds. Once I get down in the 230s, I'm going to be so excited! down from 270, I have officially lost 27 pounds. I looked at the graph on the Wii and it looks like I am losing about 10 pounds per month, which is a very good, very reasonable pace. I have it to where I'm losing about 10 pounds per month on my calendar too. So, by the end of this month, I should weigh about 233 pounds. ooo the excitement! :D

One thing I can control in my life is my weight. (yeah, now that sounds like an anorexic, lol!)

Day 14 of 175

Today has been a decent day. I woke up and got ready for school. Yesterday, I tried to break up a fight between two chihuahuas and one of them bit the tip of my right hand pointer finger off. It's taking forever to type with three fingers on one side. I'll be ok, I heal quickly.

I have to do a lot of housework today to catch up. I got some laundry going right now. Going to do some work cleaning everything up. I am going to try to fit a workout in there while I'm cleaning.

I'm still motivated. I am still just drinking water and milk. I didn't have cheese today, so I think I'm doing ok there. I'm strapped for time right now because of it being the end of the school year and everything. I'm not making excuses. I'm going to hop back on my full fledged workouts as soon as school is over.

thanks all for reading! 50 pounds to go!

Day 13 of 175

Well, I can tell that my stomach is getting flatter. My love handles / sides aren't going away as quickly as I want them to. My man boobs aren't really going away as fast as I want them to either.

I'll admit, towards the last part of the school semester, I haven't had much time to do any exercise. I committed to an exercise plan and did it for a few months but then all of the sudden I have so much more to do and not enough time to exercise.

I know I will need to find the time to just do 20 minutes of exercise a day to keep losing weight. I think that's one of the absolute main reasons I am not losing weight on the scale right now.

My diet is going well. Still trying my absolute best not to eat cheese. I am still not drinking soda, or if I do it's a caffeine free sprite when my wife and I go to the theater. I just don't feel like paying 3.75$ for a bottle of water when I could get a large sprite to share at the same price.

Also, something else my wife and I are doing to cut back is instead of getting a large popcorn with extra butter, we scaled it back to a small without butter. That should save a lot of calories right there.

I have noticed something about my stomach lately. I never really paid attention until now... but it doesn't really take much food for me to feel satisfied. If you eat until you are full and stop, regardless if you have food on your plate - you won't get that overly full feeling. It's as simple as that.

I guess as an American we want to "get our monies worth," but in the food industry - you get fat getting your monies worth! And you get fat because of the things that society tells you that you should eat.

Here's another tip, for those of you who are trying to lose weight: If you have a spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend - instead of ordering two separate entrees, order one and split it in half. You will get full, you won't waste food, and you'll pay half the cost. Besides, who doesn't get at least a little full on breadsticks, salad, chips and salsa or dinner rolls? Go easy on the bread though!

I tell yah, if I lose another 50 pounds, I'm going to write a dang book!

Day 12 of 175

Doing alright so far. I know I need to start doing more cardio exercise now. Weight lifting is putting muscle on me and kind of trimming my waist line, but I'm not seeing any results on the scale like I want to.

I got to go to work early this morning. Maybe I can fit in some push ups and crunches before my shift starts. Maybe I will park my mule a little further away and walk a little longer if I can. It's getting really hot and humid outside and it's hard to have the energy to do everything for work sometimes, especially on an empty stomach.

I'm still motivated to lose weight, even though I haven't seen any weight loss on the scale.

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading!

Day 11 of 175

Lost another 1.1 pounds. My Wii is happy for me. lol!

I had a small set back last night. I had pizza, because there wasn't anything else to eat. Oh well, all is good. Today I ate some spinach, green beans and a hamburger patty. I won't be able to eat this evening until I come home after work. I'm going to try a new rule: NO FOOD AFTER 7PM.

Rules:
1. No Soda
2. No cheese
3. No food after 7PM

So, I broke a rule yesterday, but I can't be good all the time. At least I'm watching my portion sizes. I'm sure that after I get over this small plateau/hump in my weight loss plan that I'll lose a lot more weight. Just gotta get over it. I am determined to get over the hump and get down under 200 pounds

Day 10 of 175

I weighed myself and it seems that I am at a standstill right now. I am still watching how much I am eating and making sure that I don't eat cheese or drink soda. I haven't been exercising as much as I probably should, I guess. I have been lifting a lot of weights and getting stronger. I keep arm wrestling the same guy every two weeks to see how strong I am getting and this time I was able to hold him back pretty good... still lost through. So, I know I am definitely gaining muscle.

My pants are getting just a little loose on me, even though I don't see any weight difference on the scale. So, I know I must be cutting my waist size a bit but not losing weight because of the muscle I am gaining.

I am supposed to lose about 10 pounds next month, on my goal sheet. I think it's obtainable if I keep exercising ... though I need to do a lot more cardio before I see myself slimming down anymore. I really like the feel of being stronger then I was before. :D feels good.

Well, thanks for reading everyone!

Day 9 of 175

Last night I stayed up late and had a non-caffeinated root beer. It's ok though, I didn't eat much all day yesterday and I'm going to have a light lunch and supper tonight.

Something that a lot of people don't realize is that weight loss starts one day at a time. You can't just think yourself or research yourself skinny - you have to put forth the effort to lose weight. Don't tell yourself that you are going to start next Monday - start today. One simple change at a time can lead to a ton of weight loss!

I have not measured myself this morning, and I don't think I am going to get to today. I can tell that my size 42 jeans that I just bought are starting to get just a little looser on me already. Not by much, but I had to make a new hole in my belt to tighten everything up.

Yesterday at work I changed a car tire, and boy, it was a lot easier this go-round than what it has been in the past.

Day 8 of 175

Today's weight: 245 down from 270.

Still doing well not eating any cheese or drinking any soda. I went to the activity center this morning and worked out. I haven't done any cardio in awhile, but I have been building muscle. I can tell that I have because I feel stronger. I looked at myself in the mirror this morning and I can definitely tell that I have lost a ton of weight.

I have a Geology project due tomorrow before 5pm. yay! I hope I can stay up late enough tonight to finish it. I only do this to myself. Oh well, it will be done.

Thanks for reading!

Day 7 of 175

Today is a pretty good day. I weighed myself and I still weigh 246 pounds. It's alright though. I have moved on to the next step towards weight loss. No more cheese. I am bound to lose another 30 pounds because that cuts out pizza, alfredo sauce, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheesy chicken anything, parmesan cheese on spaghetti or any cheese on any dish at all.

I made a grocery list for things that I am always going to try to keep on hand:

apples, oranges, bananas, pears, peaches, kiwi, salad, onions, potatoes, peanut butter, tomato soup, deli-meat, wheat bread, cheerios, skim milk, various herbs, boneless chicken breast, turkey meat, tilapia, marinera sauce, wheat pasta, canned olives, cornbread mix, jambalaya, gumbo mix, canned mixed veggies, green beans, sweet corn, cream corn, peas, spinach, broccoli, chicken noodle soup, white or brown rice, ketchup, mustard, low cal bbq sauce, hot dogs, dill relish, hot dog chili sauce, smart balance butter, crackers and bottled water.

I think that's a pretty good start to a good grocery list. My parents give us deer and elk hamburger meat, so we will have stuff for meatloaf, meat balls, hamburger patties, chili and the works.

Places I'm going to avoid:

1. Captain D's
2. KFC
3. Churches
4. Popeyes
5. Johnny's
6. Domino's
7. Cici's
8. TCBY

Foods that I am going to try to completely avoid at all costs:

1. Soda
2. Cheese
3. Mayo / Mayonnaise
4. Caffeine
5. Processed Sugar
6. Anything Fried

I'm sure that if I follow my own guidelines I'm going to drop another 50 pounds if I exercise.

Anyway, that's all for tonight. Thank you for reading!

Day 6 of 175

Hello world, me again.

I have already went to the activity center this morning for my morning work out before my first class of the day. I'm in an abandoned classroom right now and it's very peaceful - being alone. I guess instead of eliminating stress from your life, you should take a few moments every day to just be alone and relax. I bet that is the best stress reliever - it certainly is for me.

I still have not weighed myself. I will weigh myself Friday evening. My weight loss has finally plateaued, and I know I haven't been losing much more weight recently. Because of the parties and everything, I haven't been watching my diet as closely as I should, but I'm back on the saddle this morning and going in for the long run.

In order for me to get over this plateau, I am going to increase the intensity of my workouts and slightly increase the time. I believe that by increasing the intensity of my workouts, I will get over this plateau.

I'm also going to cut something else out of my diet: Cheese. I absolutely love cheese, Parmesan, mild cheddar, jack, mozzarella, provolone, marbled, nacho cheese, etc. You know how difficult this is going to be? No more cheese on burgers, no more little pieces of cheese at night before bed or in the morning. No more pizza, no more Alfredo pasta, no more cheesy fries.... The list goes on and on.

I believe that by not eating cheese, I will cut a TON of calories out of my diet and maybe even get over this plateau. Cheese might be my downfall - and one of the reasons why I might be overweight.

If I can give up sodas completely, I can give up cheese.

Day 5 of 175

I haven't measured my weight lately, however I feel pretty confident that I have lost a little weight. I am now in a size 42 jeans. I was in a size 48, so I have lost three pant sizes!

Tomorrow morning I am going to wake up and work on a research paper for a little bit and then go up to the activity center at ULM and work out before my 11am class. I know I have gained some muscle because I arm wrestled some friends ... just messin' around and beat them all! I just got to keep going and going and I'll slim down.

Even if I do see some small weight gain, I know some of it must be muscle because I can tell that when I am working, my job is easier.

Day 2 of 175

Hello everyone,

I mainly am doing the 175 days thing as not only a goal for me to reach, but also because I am tired of thinking of new and interesting blog titles.

Today's weight: 246.4

I only get to eat once today, and I ate a chick-fil-a sandwich and some fries with it. I have to work from 4 to 9:30, and I'm going to try to just come home and drink a glass of water and go to bed.

My actual goal is to lose about 4 pounds per week, however I am satisfied with 2lbs per week if I have to do it. I know working two jobs and exercising and watching my diet will definitely pay off.

I no longer have to drop down to part time status and graduate in two and a half years. I figured if I switched my major to History, I can graduate in a year! Then all I would have to do is take the Praxis 2 exam to become a teacher. Simply awesome.

Thanks for reading!

50 pounds 175 days = new goal

That's 25 weeks or about 6 and 1/4 months to lose 50 pounds. Which is entirely reasonable at 2 pounds per week, which is healthy weight loss. That means that I should be about 200 pounds by October 14th, 2010.

That's my new goal and I'm sticking to it. If I lose it before then, so be it, but I have to give something up if I don't reach that goal.

MAKE ME WORK HARD AT IT!

Still There

Hello all,

Woke up this morning and got a late start today. I don't have class until 11AM. This morning is usually a workout morning, but I am not able to get up to the school until 11AM anyway. Yesterday I had the whole morning to myself and I worked out really hard, so today I'm pretty sore. I am going to give my body a day of rest. That doesn't mean though that I will give my diet a rest. I will still control portion sizes and such.

Thank you all for reading! Leave comments below!

24 pounds lost

Just in case anyone didn't read the last post, I have lost a total of 24 pounds so far. I am down to 246lbs. I'm still doing well on my diet. I didn't get to eat breakfast this morning. I ate a really good dinner because tonight I probably won't be able to eat much if anything at all.

This morning my Political Science class was canceled, so I went to the activity center instead and walked a couple of miles on a high incline. Then I went to the weight room. I am doing much better on the assisted pull up machine. I went down another 10 pounds on the counter weight - so I know I am gaining muscle. They have an ab machine there that you can do sitted curls on, and I've gotten up to 20 reps and 3 sets of 70lb counterweights. So, I think I'm doing pretty good.

Since I have been doing pull ups and gaining that strength, my bench press weight has increased from 135 to 155. So, that's pretty good for me right now. I don't know why doing bar dips and pull ups help you bench press - but it does, and I'll take it!

Used to, I could barely do 2 full pushups starting from the floor. Now I can do 20! I know I'm getting stronger across my chest - I can tell because little things at work that used to take a lot of strength to do - I barely think about now. So, I'm happy with my progress. And, even though I am not losing a lot of weight very quickly - I am losing weight and gaining muscle.

Well, talk to ya'll later boys and girls.

I think I did well today

I know it's going to time-stamp this blog as Monday, however it still feels like Sunday to me. I just got done with my English paper, and so far it looks decent - even though it's really late for me and I have no idea what I have written so far - at least it sounds good on paper.

I can't believe how much weight I have lost so far. All I have to do is keep it up. I came home this evening from working all day without a break and was really hungry, so I had some left over pizza. Only 3 slices - and something to drink. Pizza isn't that bad, just in moderation.

I think I am doing really well on my diet. I'm still watching what I am eating, and trying to get in as much exercise as possible. I kind of did some jogging at work today - and I hurried up and emptied all of the trash cans as quick as I could. I could feel my heart rate go up a few times, so I know I was doing really well exercising and everything. I seemingly gained two pounds a few days ago, and then I lost 5 pounds by this morning, so... I dunno what happened, but I'm happy at the results.

I now officially weigh in at 246 pounds. 46 pounds to go and I'll feel awesome again. I want to lose this weight and look good for my wife. :D

Working on a Sunday...

I got to go to work at 2PM today. I get off at about 9:30, and I'm probably not going to be able to eat anything at work. Oh well. I had a good dinner, so I think I'm good.

I lost another two pounds - I'm down to 246lbs! yay! Go me! I just got to keep up working out and watching my food intake.

Total weight loss so far: 24lbs.

todays update

Hello World,

Today was a pretty good day. I woke up next to my beautiful wife and went to school. I exercised a little this morning. I didn't work out in the same intensity that I usually work out in. I tried to eat less today then normal because I didn't work out as hard. I walked about 3 miles from ULM to the McDonalds so that my wife would eat with me and pick me up. I wanted to walk too... to burn some calories.

I went to work today at 3pm and did a lot of work. I work outside now, so not only did I get a sun burn, but I think I also burned a lot of calories. I hope everything works out and I lose some more weight - at least another 48 calories.

Thank you all for reading,
-Seth

Success... sort of...

I've kind of reached a plateau on losing weight so far. I haven't lost anything in the week that I was off of school. Stress over this week has caused me to actually gain a little back. Not all is lost though! I am really watching what I eat and making sure that I have been exercising. I'm going to increase my intensity as much as I can during my workouts.

The success though that I am talking about is that I am now earning some revenue from my YouTube account off of one of my video's. YAY! It's probably not going to make much, but that just makes me want to make a ton more popular video's to have some additional income per month. Soo... yay!

Doing alright

Today wasn't the best day. I made a C on a Geology exam, which is ok, I guess. Stressful at the end of the year - but I'm going to try not to let it get to me.

Good news is that they gave me the night off at one of my jobs, so I get to relax for a few hours before I go to sleep. Sleep is good. Get more sleep if you are trying to lose weight.

I had my first coke in a long time. It was fizzy and I burped for hours. I don't miss it, I don't think. I spent my last 1.25 on my school ID card on that coke - to make it special.

I didn't get a work out today like I usually would because I didn't have any of the proper cloths or shoes to feel comfortable in. So, I'm going to jump back on the bandwagon tomorrow and suit up and run a few miles.

As far as watching portion sizes go - I'm doing really good at stopping when I am full. That is one of the main keys for my weight loss... eat when your hungry - stop when you are full - and watch what you eat.

Good night everyone!

2 part time jobs

Hello everyone,

So, now I'm working at a restaurant washing dishes and bussing tables, and also working for a park as a general maintenance worker. I get about 40+ hours per week now, on top of going to school.

I'm still watching my diet and I am definitely getting more exercise then usual. I'm going to have to figure out how I can keep on exercising five days a week and not be so dang tired.

Anyway, long day, so I'm going to go to bed. Night everyone.

How I have done it so far:

Diet

My diet consists of anything that I want to eat, just portion controlled. I skip desert most of the time, unless I really really want it. I do not drink soda. It took me about one month to start seeing any sort of decent weight loss. I avoid fried food as much as possible but because I live in the south, I can't completely avoid it. I try to make smarter choices when I go out to eat, I use the Eat This Not That book when I can.

Exercise

I try to exercise five days a week and get a little additional exercise in on the weekends. I tend to burn off about 700 calories on the tredmill and then lift weights for about less than 30 minutes as hard as I can go.

Tips:

Drink more water. I know you can read it over and over again to drink more water - however it's very true. When you get hungry, drink a glass of water and in a few minutes, if you are still hungry - eat something. Drink a glass of water before you eat something.

Don't eat after 7:00 pm if you can help it. Sometimes I will come in late at night and be hungry as all get out because I haven't eaten in hours! Just make sure you don't stuff yourself, and concentrate on what you are eating, and stop when you are full.

Don't be obsessed with the scale. The scale is there to help determine your weight, but don't be obsessive over your weight - that will put unnecessary stress on yourself and cause you not to lose weight. If anything, make it a game - every Friday at the same time, weigh yourself and try to "beat the scale." Just have fun.

If you know you are not supposed to eat something and it just looks sooo yummy and you can't go without it and it's calling your name... then share it with a friend or two. You get less, you get the taste of whatever it is you are craving, and you will have fun with your friend(s).

Get support. It's very important that you get all the support you need. Ask your family for help - to throw away all of the junk food in the house and replace it with something that is healthy. Ask your friends to help you make the right food choices. Get online support from new friends... go to your favorite fast food restaurants and give them a flyer with your name and picture that says "DO NOT SERVE THIS PERSON" on it, that will get you to stop eating fast food.

When you have money for food, and you can afford to eat fast food, put that money in a savings jar. Start a little fund. If you reach your weight loss goal on the scale, use that money to buy yourself something that you have really been wanting.

Make goals for your weight loss and reward yourself with a non-food item. For women, lip gloss, nail polish, new cloths, etc. For men, knives, new wallet, flashlight, utility tool, etc. Buy one small thing for every 5lbs of weight loss - and save up a lot of money for when you reach your final goal. For example, my final goal is to lose 70lbs total and get down to 200lbs, I'm going to buy this $200 knife I have my eye set on.

That's pretty much all the advice I have right now. I know for some of you, 20lbs isn't very much- and isn't something I should really be bragging about and offering advice about, but it's just my 0.02.

Good night!

Still no Soda

Yup, that's right. I can not say that I haven't had any, because I will have one maybe once a week - I guess I can't completely break the habit, although I am drinking Sprite instead of Coke, I'm trying to stay off of the caffeine.

I think one of the major reasons why I am losing weight is because of not drinking soda. Soda has soooo many empty calories that you do not need in your diet, and if you just cut it out, you will lose weight.

The other two things that I believe are helping me lose weight is: Eating breakfast and Exercising. I know that eating breakfast for a lot of you is a pain in the ass; it was for me. However, eating breakfast increases my metabolism and helps me burn more fat throughout the day. Exercising burns calories, but more importantly, it increases my metabolism so that I can burn more calories throughout the day as well.

My mindset is something else that I have to consider to help me lose weight. I know I can lose weight because I see the results on the scale. I know that if I eat right and exercise, that the fat will just come right off. I have made up my mind to lose weight and I am doing it, Have you?

Good News! 19lbs lost!

Alright, so I was 255lbs at my last weigh in either Friday or Saturday last week. I haven't been able to exercise that much this week because it is Spring Break. HOWEVER! I have some really good news! I now weigh 251 pounds. I have lost a grand total of 19 pounds so far!

YAY! I could jump out of my skin right now! I haven't lost this much weight in awhile - and I really haven't been trying that hard! Thanks for the encouragement, Sarah.

I honestly can't wait to get down in the 240's now. I can't even remember when I weighed less than 250.

I don't know what could have drastically changed in a week, maybe it's because I'm hungry or used a different scale - I have no idea. I'm going to weigh myself again on my regular Wii scale before I go to work and see if there is any significant difference.

7 weeks, 15lbs

Hello World!

Since February 12th, 2010, I have lost 15lbs. 15lbs in 7 weeks is not that bad for me. In a month and a half more, I should get to the 30lb mark. I'm really going to try hard to get there too. I want to, I need to get to that mark to feel really accomplished. 30lbs is a lot of weight - and is about half way there. 7 more weeks, my goal is to be 240lbs.

If I'm going to lose the next 15lbs, I'm thinking about really cracking down on what I'm eating. I think I pretty much have the exercising part down pat, but I'm going to have to concentrate on changing up my diet a little more.

1. no seconds
2. stop eating when I'm full.
3. Eat breakfast
4. no soda
5. very little fried food. (I live in the South, ok? You can't get away from it.)
6. Exercising more/ getting more active
7. Drinking a lot of water.
8. Try to skip dessert at much as possible.
9. Don't have a meal as a snack.
10. ??????????????????????????????????????

Anyone have any suggestion as to the next little thing I can change in my diet?

Check-in

Hello all,

So, I have lost about 15lbs so far, and I'm getting pretty close to 16lbs lost so far. I have been walking/jogging on the tredmills at the Activity Center on the ULM campus. I have been watching what I have been eating. I did slip up yesterday and had some chocolate because it was Easter Sunday. I feel like if I don't have a taste of something I want, I'm just going to binge on something else I want later. So, INDULGE!

Still not drinking soda pop. By not drinking it, I have eliminated about 1000 liquid calories out of my diet. In addition, I have been exercising and burning anywhere from 500 to 700 calories and have been lifting weights on top of that. I can definitely tell that I have gained more muscle.

I have had a few slip ups, but we all do. Besides, I'm doing slow lifestyle changes rather then any fad diets. I'm not really even counting calories. Two to three pounds per week of fat loss is a pretty good rate for me. I calculate that I should be close to 200lbs (my goal) I should lose about 1.8lbs per week until December of this year.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day, and God Bless!

Just another day

I can see the results of my hard labor coming to fruition! My stomach fat is going down gradually. I am on my last hole in my belt until I have to buy a new belt or make a new hole in the leather. By the end of this, I will definitely have to buy a new pair of pants.

I need to figure out how to exercise tomorrow and Monday, so I don't get out of sync with my routine.

My dad needs help in his shop, so I'm going to go to work for him. YAY! I'll be able to make about 200 a week or so until the off season again. I'm going to keep my job working at the restaurant for now.

Heather did our taxes, and it looks like we are going to get close to 1200$ back in a refund. So, that's very good news. We can pay some things off finally and maybe have a little left over for some good stuffs.

By next Friday, I would like to weigh 253lbs. That's only 2 pounds from where I am now, so I'm sure I can accomplish it. I just have to stick to my diet routine and exercise routine.

set back

I bought a 2 liter cream soda yesterday. It's almost gone. I won't buy another one in a few months. I felt like since I haven't had one in a couple of months, that I could reward myself. I'm still doing well on my diet besides the cream soda and I have been exercising frequently. I'm going to walk tomorrow morning around the neighborhood.

Every time I go to the activity center and walk on the tredmill, I like to burn off at least 500 to 700 calories on average every day. It's working so far! 15lbs lost so far! woot woot! I just have to keep it up. I'm half way to 30lbs off!

I kind of made it in to a game... the losing weight game. I try to beat the scale, so to speak. It's kind of fun. Anyway, maybe more details on that later.

Job Searching

I had two interviews at an office supply store, I thought they went well, but they haven't called me back. Oh well. Wal-Mart just called me a couple days ago and I am still trying to get in contact with the lady that called me. I don't care if I have to work at Wal-Mart, it's a job and my wife and I will be able to move out of our friends house. Please pray for us!

Good News!

I did what I said I was going to do, and measured myself at the same time of day that I usually do. In fact, I have lost another pound. I am down to 255. I worked out this evening and I'm going to eat something really light for supper. Just got to ride it out now.

Bad news

I usually don't weigh myself during the middle of the week, or in fact, in the mornings either, however I took a chance and weighed myself. I gained .7lbs. It's not much of a difference, but it makes me feel like all of my efforts were in vain this week.

I will just have to see what is causing the weight gain and see if I can do something about it. I haven't really been fudging on my exercise plan... so it must be my diet. I know that I have stopped eating breakfast in the mornings lately. I must choke something down in the mornings, I guess. Besides, .7lbs isn't that much gain, and so I'm going to just think of it as a hurdle that I need to get around and that it's not going to affect the difference at the end of the week.

Easy workout

Hello all,

This morning I did a really easy workout, I only ran off 400 calories on the tredmill and did about an hours worth of exercise total. I haven't checked my weight since I got down to 256lbs. I will probably check it this weekend.

I have no idea what I am going to eat for lunch. I will probably get something at the Student Union Building with Heather. I'm going to start having to pack my lunches because we have no money in our wallets or in flex dollars at school.

I have to find a steady job soon. It's bothering me that I haven't been able to find steady work lately. I am going to fill out more and more applications until someone wants to hire me. I'll probably end up working at a grocery store - but hey - it's steady work and will pay the bills.

Please pray for me. I completely forgot about my Geology exam yesterday - and failed to take it at all sometime during the day. I e-mailed my professor, but she just had a baby this morning and will probably not be able to e-mail me back for a week or two. I hope she opens it back up for me because I have nearly perfect attendance and I have never missed an exam in my life! Wish me luck!

Early morning

I have an advising meeting at 12:40 and a Geology exam I got to get done before 11pm tonight. My only class is at 2:00 which is Louisiana History. It's hard to get up and get my day started for one class.

I'm fixin' to make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, and figure out what else I can put in the bag. I'm going to make today be a good day.

I'm excited

I can't believe that I have pretty much lost 3.3 pounds in the last week. It makes me happy that I can see a difference on the scale every week. It motivates me to do better every single day.

I want others to do this as well. If you know you need to lose weight, follow with me and make the changes to your diet that I have. You will lose the weight and be able to keep it off in the long run. This is because I haven't done any major changes to my diet, but I have changed my lifestyle and have been persistent in my changes. You can do this too!

1 month 28 days = no soda

I challenge you!

I challenge you to not drink soda for two months. See how much weight you lose and how much better you feel. Take my challenge!

Other rules:

1. Don't replace soda with fruit juice, power aide, gatoraide, or any other sports drinks with a lot of sugar.

2. Don't stop drinking milk, but maybe switch to a lower percent. I.E. going from 2% to 1% or going from 1% to skim. Trust me, there isn't much difference after a couple of gallons.

3. Have fun and be more active in your life!

Feeling good today

I'm a little tired and hungry right now. My wife and I woke up and worked out together at the Activity Center on campus. I burned through about 630calories this morning and did another 70 or so by lifting weights.

I'm getting pretty good at the assisted pull ups machine. I'm putting on less and less weight on the assist, so that's good. Makes me feel like I am really gaining muscle. I don't know how much I can bench right now because I haven't done it in awhile, but someone said that if I work on my pull ups that my bench press weight will increase as well. So, we will see.

Today I ate only one burrito supreme at Taco Bell- and had some water, of course. I think I'm hungry right now mainly because I'm thirsty and need more water. I'll take care of that in a few minutes.

I currently weigh 256 pounds and my new goal this week is to be 254lbs. I think 2 pounds a week is reasonable. I would try for more, but I don't want to get too greedy.

If I drop this weight, I swear - I will write a book on how to do it. lol!

Sunday is an awesome day.

Today I got up and went to church. Then we ate out and watched "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." I weighed myself this morning and I lost another 3.3 pounds. Since I have started this weight loss plan, I have lost a total of 9 pounds and my BMI has changed by 1. Since 6 months ago, I have lost a total of 14 pounds over all.

My wife and I went for a walk this evening. She showed me all the "good" streets to walk down, so I know a good jogging route on the weekends when I can't go to the activity center. This evening we're going to work on our taxes a little and watch the end of "Grace is Gone" and maybe do some homework or something.

Tomorrow is a new day.

It's Friday Night!

Sorry for leaving everyone waiting today. That exam I had in Political Science.. I made an 88, which is not that bad! Today I had to go to school and work. I didn't get to exercise this morning because of some stupid reason.. (I wish I had a locker at the Activity Center).

On Thursday, however, I ran on a tredmill and burned off 730 calories in about 45 minutes and jogged about 3.5 miles. I'm getting better... faster and can go for longer period of time. Today at work my back was killing me. Thank God I took a couple of Tylenol before I went to work.

My diet is going pretty good. I'm not really sticking to anything other then eating less then what I usually do, watching my portion sizes, not eating sweets, and not drinking soda or other really sweet drinks. So far so good, I think.

I have a garage sale in the morning. I have to wake up at 4AM so that I can get ready and go over to my parents house at 5AM to set up for the garage sale. YAY! Maybe we can make some money, I hope. We got to pay car insurance on Sunday...

Stress. Stress. Stress. It seems like when I get done with one major project, something else pops up in my life that requires me to stress and worry and work hard until it gets done. YAY.

By the way, I just had two interviews at another job that is much, much better then my current one. So, if you would, wish me luck or pray for me! Thanks, and good night.

Today is good.

Hello everyone,

Today is a marvelous day. I woke up next to my beautiful wife and got ready for the day. I'm staying later at school today so that I can get some paperwork done and study for an exam tomorrow. She has to work, unfortunately.

Today I'm going to eat something light for breakfast and then I'm going to make a peanut butter sandwich for dinner, because the flex (money) on my card is almost gone. For supper, I have no idea what I'm going to be eating. So - that's that. I am scheduled to exercise this morning at 9AM and I'm fixing to go up to the college.

I'm so excited!

Today is a new day, and I woke up this morning more unmotivated then ever. I didn't want to go to school or anything! Then I logged on to here and I saw that I had two comments and another follower! I'm so excited because someone is reading my blog. I hope that I am giving enough encouragement to others out there that need to lose a few extra pounds.

Yesterday I had a "veggie and salad" lunch because I was feeling on a good kick. It doesn't necessarily mean that's what I am going to do every day, however. Mainly just watching my diet and keep in the habit of exercising every single day.

My resting heart rate has gone down from about 110bpm to on average 70bpm when at rest. That's one of the reasons I know that my exercise is paying off. I'm no longer taking my herbal supplements to lower my blood pressure.

I tasted a coke the other day because I was curious to see how it would taste, and it was like carbonated syrup - nasty tasting to me now. Just to note, I am not drinking fruit juice either. That adds too many calories and sugar to my diet that I do not need.

I will also go over why I want to lose weight - In my family, there are many diseases that can be easily prevented by me losing weight. These diseases, such as diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, liver damage, other sugar based problems, and various addictions. Everything can be prevented by me simply losing weight and getting healthier. Though, I would like to lose weight, if I just feel better, improve my cholesterol, lower my resting heart rate, and generally fell better - I'm happy.

bum camera SD card

Eh, I was going to post a picture of myself currently, however all of my current SD cards for my camera have apparently gone bad. I haven't been able to get a pic of myself lately, so I'm going to have to wait on getting a new card before I can actually post a pic. Sorry everyone.

In order to lose weight, you have to create a calorie deficient diet. This can be by either exercising excess calories off or eating less calories to begin with. I have chosen a lifestyle change that does both. I am eating fewer calories and I am exercising excess calories off. I aim to consume/burn off 500 calories per day. This lets me lose about 1lb per week without having to think too much about it.

The grapefruit diet is not endorsed by the mayo clinic in any way. It wasn't until the last decade that they actually came up with a diet that they endorsed. Basically what it does - it makes you lose a lot of weight very quickly. I'm not endorsing this diet by any means, because I believe in a lifestyle change which will keep the weight off long term.

This is what the Grapefruit Diet consists of:

Breakfast: Any type of meat and eggs. 8oz of white unsweetened grapefruit. Water all morning
Dinner: Any type of meat and salad. 8oz of white unsweetened grapefruit. Water all afternoon.
Supper: Any type of meat and vegetables. 8oz of white unsweetened grapefruit. Don't eat after 7:30. Water if you want it.

You start on a Monday, follow it for 12 days and then you can cheat on your 13th and 14th day. Then that following Monday you start again.

Basically, you can have as much meat and salad/vegetable as you want. You just can't have any sort of breads, cereals, or anything of that nature. What it does is you get all of your good fats in the morning and the grapefruit basically "lights the fire" and starts you burning fat. Granted, when you lose a ton of weight to begin with, you are mostly losing water weight and not fat.

I like the idea of this diet, but not so strict. I can see where carbohydrates can add a lot of additional calories that your body doesn't necessarily need. However, it adds a lot of good proteins and it forces you to eat more plants, which is a good thing. I don't know of the significance of the grapefruit as being such a "fat burner" However there are people who genuinely lose weight on this diet.

I am going to adapt the concepts to my diet - however I am going to cheat on it because I am exercising more. I don't see the need to completely do without carbohydrates in my diet. Because I am jogging pretty much every day, I don't want to lose my muscle mass by not eating them. Plus, when you body thinks you are starving, it's going to store fat and not want to give it up. (This is also known as a plateau.)

I am going to start eating eggs and oatmeal for breakfast, I might try drinking grapefruit juice at first... I'm going to cut down on eating so much carbohydrates, however I'm not going to give it up. I'm also going to keep eating an apple or orange in the afternoon for a snack. I'm not going to do it as a crash diet what-so-ever. If I feel like eating something - I'm going to eat it. (granted not as much.)

Thanks for reading!

Wow!

I didn't report it, but I have lost another half of a pound this week! I haven't been watching my diet as much as I probably should, however I'm satisfied with another half a pound of fat loss. I know it's fat loss because I'm not on any sort of diet plan.

I'm getting pretty good at jogging. I'm able to run at 4.6mph for about 10 minutes and then I take a five minute break and then jog again for another five minutes and have a cool down period for five minutes on the Tredmill. I am trying to do a little bit of interval training by doing that.

I've also improved my weight lifting as well. I can bench press 135lbs with more repetitions now. I also wanted to see how many times I could lift the 45lb bar, and I did it about 75 times non stop. The last time I tried that, I could only get 56. So, my chest is getting stronger for sure. I've been doing assisted pull ups - and even then I can only do six to eight before I can't pull up anymore. I didn't know it, but when you do pull ups, you use muscles down your sides and under your arms as well... the little muscles.

Exercising is no longer a chore to me. I find myself wanting to get to the gym five days a week. My legs kind of itch to be worked out again. I'm in the habit now of going to work out, which is really awesome - that I have made that commitment and I'm sticking to it.

I just have to watch my diet more. I was talking to a lady at my work place and she gave me some instructions on the Grape Fruit Diet by the Mayo Clinic. I did some extra research and found that while this diet makes people lose weight, it's not something that I necessarily want to do. I'll post more on this in the next post.

Thank you followers! Please leave comments!

It's Friday!

Happy Friday everyone!

Our puppy (long hair chihuahua) Max fell off the back of the couch and broke his metacarpal bones on his left foot. We took him to the vet and they re-set his bones and put it in a splint and got some pain medicine. so, we got that taken care of. I got to go to work at 5, so I'm trying to get this in as quick as possible.

I've kept to my diet and exercise routine. I don't know if I have lost any more weight, however. I'll check it in a few minutes and see what I've done. I'll post results late tonight.

It's my birthday

Yup, St. Patricks day. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm going to have some cake at my mom's house tonight. I know it's cake, but it's my birthday. It's not like I'm going overboard or anything.

This morning I woke up, got ready, and went to the activity center to jog and lift weights. I'm jogging at a constant 4.2mph and jogging about a mile in about 16 minutes. I'm increasing my jogging speed by .1 every other time I go and exercise. It's getting me up there slowly but surely. I do a 5 minute cool down as well. My heart rate stays at a pretty constant 168 when jogging. Last week it was at a constant 178, so it's come down a little.

It's getting easier to bench press 135lbs. My pectoral muscle are sore, as well as my tricepts. I know it's for a good cause. I'm not doing any lower body exercises because I'm jogging and that's enough exercising right there. I estimate I burnt around 400 calories today just by exercising alone. I burnt right at about 300 calories just by jogging and then I can guesstimate that I burnt around 100 or so weight lifting.

I'm also doing something that's called "interval exercises" where by which I'll jog for 10 minutes, walk for a minute, jog for ten minutes, walk for five minutes, then repeat the process again. I usually get in a little under 2 miles before I'm done.

People are starting to notice that I'm losing weight. My friend Blake A. Deron that owns UmperBumper.com, noticed that I was losing weight a couple of days ago. A couple of my wife's friends (and mine) noticed that I was starting to lose weight. So - I'm excited about that! It makes me want to keep on going and get down to the size that I want.

Josh, my work out buddy, didn't show this morning like he said he would. Doesn't matter though, I'm just trying to help him out. I'm going to be there regardless if I have someone there to talk to and work out with.

As far as my diet goes, I think I can/ feel/know that my stomach is shrinking. I can't eat as much as I used to and when I do over eat, my body has bad reactions to it. My body is also not liking milk for some reason. Every time I drink milk I get stomach cramps. The calcium in milk is good for you, but I think I could do without the hormones and extra calories anyways.

If I want something sweet, I'll get a little bit of it and try to savor the flavor. So far I have had wonderful self control. Self control is a big key to weight loss, I guess. If I wasn't so confident and motivated and didn't have as much self control, I probably would fall back into my old ways.

Like I said, I'm doing simple lifestyle changes to get the weight off. I'm only doing what I can do and will be able to keep doing it.

Someone noticed!

I was visiting a friend that I haven't seen in awhile, and he said "You look good Seth, you been losing weight." And of course, I said "Why yes, I have been!" And then we had a brief talk about what I have been doing to lose the weight.

So, someone noticed! That just gives me more motivation to lose weight. I'm going to post another recent picture of myself so maybe you all can see the changes that he noticed. All I can notice is that my health is improving.

God, Geology is such a boring class. I couldn't care less about it. Give me the strength!

Results, and what I did to get them.

Hello world,

I started making small lifestyle changes last month in February. I stopped drinking soda, which was a major hurtle, and I continue to struggle with it. I have started eating less, and I can tell that my stomach has shrunk a little since then. I crave water more when I get thirsty. It's like a coke just won't quench the thirst - and my body craves water. I am no longer drinking or consuming a ton of caffeine like I was. I started to walk for a few weeks and right now I can muster up the strength and stamina to start jogging for long distances.

Month one:

1. Stop drinking soda! It's bad for you! See my old posts to discover why!
2. Watch portion sizes. Get rid of "ands" like burgers "and" fries. Just eat the burger.
3. Become more aware of your calorie intake. (buy a good book like Eat This not That.
4. Get off of caffeine.
5. Start walking or becoming more active in some way - at least 20 minutes a day.

Month 2:
1. Stop putting mayo on things. That's a big no no.
2. No more chips and other little high calorie snacks - go for the apples and oranges.
3. Eat more plants, but stay away from the Ranch "original" or caesar dressings.
3. Start taking a vitamin and mineral suppliment.
4. Start jogging.

And I haven't gotten into month three myself, but I am going to go ahead and post what I think I will do to further cut down my calorie intake and increase my exercise:

Month 3:
1. Possibly start halfing portion sizes and making up for it by drinking more water to fill me up.
2. Snacking on healthy snacks during the day when I get hungry.
3. Increase exercise intensity. I'm going to step it up a notch. I'm either going to increase my speed or increase the length at which I jog.
4. Become even more aware of what I eat and the choices I make.

Good so far

This morning I jogged a little under 2 miles and did a long cool down. Then I lifted weights - I'm getting pretty good at bench pressing the right way now. My chest is hurting because I'm doing more reps now! YAY! I still have to have a spotter.

I got a workout buddy for Wednesdays and Fridays. Josh said that he also needed to lose some weight, so I invited him to come and exercise with me. Hopefully he won't slow my progress very much - I don't think it will - if I get on the tredmill and jog while he walks or something.

Lunch was good today. I had a lot of veggies, and I wanted something a little sweet, so I got a fruit bowl and some strawberry yogurt made from unflavored yogurt. It was really good! I don't know what I am going to have for supper, but I know it's going to be something light. I need to work off a few extra calories for a piece of cake and icecream for my birthday on Wednesday. At least I'm not drinking soda pop anymore - that saves a ton of calories per day anyways.

Losing weight seems so much easier to me now then it did at the beginning of last month. Granted, I had to work into it by making small steps. I feel better - I feel more energized. I feel like I can go do anything that I need to do. I don't feel as stressed as I would have been, I don't think.

I think in my next post, I will post some good results that I have gotten so far.

Happy Monday!

I am going to go over to that activity center this morning and jog a mile and walk a mile and do some pushing exercises. I've been keeping myself together - jogging and walking on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays like I said I was going to. I also walk about a mile to a mile and a half on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So far so good on my diet. I'm fixin' to eat breakfast and then go.

I'll give updates later! ta ta

It's Sunday!

good news everyone - I've lost 4.6lbs since the 2nd of this month.

I just made a thing of sweet tea, I used 1/3 cup of sugar and a ton of water/tea mix. I know that I am drinking a little caffeine, however it's not as much as I was consuming. I made it because I can't stand the taste of the tap water where I am living, and haven't had a chance to get by the grocery store to buy bottled water. The funny thing is that this sweet tea actually tastes sweet to me. I used to put at least a cup and a half (maybe more) of sugar in my tea to even taste the sweetness, and now I can taste the sweetness with only 1/3 of a cup!

As far as the physical labor goes, the job was not required of me. So, I am kind of relaxing this weekend - I have to work this evening at my other job. My wife is going to go grocery shopping this afternoon.

Speaking of groceries, I am seriously considering buying groceries from angelfoodministries.com and picking them up at a local church. Times are tough right now, and we've been running low on funds for groceries lately. Doesn't seem fair. Anyone have good experience with this group who would like to share?

4.6 pounds in 10 days (I measured myself yesterday evening after eating) isn't that bad of a thing in my opinion. I have been working hard for it - but I haven't been over doing it in my opinion. Hopefully I will be losing on average 4lbs to 5lbs every two weeks because my body is used to it now. YAY! That's a very big hurdle for me, and I've overcome it!

Now it's time to lose the rest of it and I'm on my way. By the way, I have a motivation for losing weight. Check it out: http://www.coldsteel.com/espadaseries.html I'm already saving for it - so when I do meet my 200lb goal, I can buy that sucker! My wife has already made an allusion that she was going to buy it for me for Christmas anyway. So, I guess I'ma gona tuck away $10 and $20 here and there when I can for the next six months.

Being a college student for so long sucks. After the next two years, I'll be ready to get into the job market and start a career. Hopefully I'll be happier then. Going to school and working - you never seem to have any money.

stress.

So, tomorrow I have an appointment with my lawyers to get the rest of the bankruptcy stuff done. I have to work for my parents really hard for the next ten days to take down some buildings and do some other stuff. But, it will be fine. I just to breathe - relax and enjoy life.

I'm not going to be doing any formal exercise until Monday next week because I'm going to be so sore working for my father. I'm also looking for a job - any part time job for a college student - something that I can keep going for the next two years before I graduate. I really want to move out of our friends house and get an apartment of our own.

Anyway, updates on losing weight: I have not taken my weight yet this week. I will probably do it tomorrow morning if I can remember to do it. My new pants seem a little looser.

That's all for now. Ta ta

Results

Hello World,

So far so good on my diet. Yesterday I ate veggies for dinner and today I had red beans and rice. I worked out this morning as well. Depending on when I get some paperwork done this afternoon, I might go for another walk with my wife when she gets out of class.

I feel better - healthier. Someone told me today that I looked like I was starting to lose some weight - so that gave me an even more bit of confidence boost. I'm exited that someone is seeing the physical changes. It makes me want to continue on and keep doing what I have been doing to lose weight. If I can lose another 15 to 20 pounds by this summer, I am going to start swimming at the natatorium.

I hear swimming is a great exercise. Laps will probably help me lose some extra fat pounds, plus I like swimming and being in water anyway. (I'm a pisces) The reason why I don't want to start swimming until this Summer is because I am embarassed right now of what I look like without a shirt on. I'm sure once I lose about 15 more pounds and put on a little more muscle - that I will feel more confident.

The biggest thing for me in this journey is that I KNOW for a FACT that I can control my environment, my food intake, and my expercise plan. I have control over the intensity and time of my workouts and I am doing whatever it takes to lose the weight that I want to lose. If you take anything away from this post it should be that: You can do this. You have control. You are responsible for you own body, and no one can sell you a magic bullet to lose weight.

Increased bench press weight

Today was another day. I'm proud to say that I made an 80 on that huge Geology exam that I was dredding. Now, tomorrow I have an easy Psychology exam and then I'm basically done for the week. Tomorrow, I'm taking the afternoon off and doing the rest of my bankrupcy paperwork and then finalizing the deal on Friday! yay!!!! So less stressed after I get over this week. I can't wait!

Today I walked two miles and lifted some light weights. I talked to someone in the gym that I have seen a lot there and he gave me some very useful information. Come to find out, I was doing a lot of the things wrong - The muscle groups I thought I was using, I wasn't. He said it's all about angles. So, right now I'm benching 135, which is 35 more pounds then I was doing two weeks ago. I'm not saying that I have gained the muscle quite yet - but I just have increased the weight by 35 pounds in two weeks.

As far as feeling healthier is concerned - I do feel healthier so far. I've set a goal: That I am going to buy that blowgun that I have wanted for awhile if I lose 10 pounds from when I started. Maybe this will give me some initiative and motivation to do the next five pounds.

Any advice?

What the spider says to the fly...

"What would you like for dinner?"

I have a Geology exam today. Yay - I'm going to wait a little while and take it online later today. I'm fixin' to go to the Activity Center and walk 2 miles and then come back over and take my exam. My next class is at 2pm, Louisiana History! That's a very long time to wait for a class, in my opinion. The good news is that most of my classes are canceled this week - so I have plenty of time to get paperwork done and things moving again. The reason I mention this is because my life is a little less stressful at the moment.

I've been cheating on my diet just a little. But, it's a here and there sort of thing. I make it up in eating smaller meals, and I watch how many calories I have been eating. I've been keeping my body guessing how many calories it's going to be getting - sometimes I'll eat 1500 calories a day or less and then the next day I'll eat 2100 calories. I heard this is one of the best ways to do it - but I haven't actually TRIED to do it, it's just been happening that way.

I'm enjoying eating breakfast in the mornings again. My stomach gets hungry and wakes me up in the morning. That hasn't happened in a long time!

Steps I have taken so far:

So, a couple weeks ago, I measured myself on a scale - instead of the Wii fit thing, like usual. It said that I weighed 266lbs. This morning, just for fun, I weighed myself again. It said 261lbs. So, this evening, I am going to try to weigh myself again on the Wii fit scale again, just to see if that might be correct. It's exciting! If I did lose weight, I would be about 5lbs of weight loss for my efforts!

I haven't actually put a lot of effort into losing the weight. Just small and simple changes in my lifestyle and diet. So, let me just reiterate some of the things that I have done so far:

1. Researched foods that are high in calories and bad fat. Then stayed away from them.

2. Quit drinking soda from day one - and have felt much better ever since. No caffeine in my system - even though I am considering drinking green tea.

3. No fried foods. If it has to be fried, I make sure that it is in EVOO. Although, Chick-fil-A has no entree/burger that is over 500 calories. So, if you want to make a meal and know that it's going to take 500 calories within your diet - you can eat it.

4. Eat healthy snacks. - get rid of all your junk food - if you have to have chips, eat Sun chips. Buy fruits and veggies. Throw away your ranch and get light ranch or a vinegarette.

6. More more. - start exercising - it will not only make you lose weight, but you will also feel better and be able to do more then usual. You will get a confidence boost and won't feel so out of shape. Your ego will increase - knowing that you can do something that you were previously unable to do.

7. Find support. - it can be from family and friends - or like me, on the internet. Just tell someone that you are trying to lose weight and ask them to help you by not letting you eat unhealthy foods. Or, tell someone that you have eaten something unhealthy so you will be able to feel guilty about it and then do something about it.

So, that's just some of the things that I have done so far. And so far, so good. I can't wait until the next 5 pounds comes off, so I can buy myself a blowgun!

Steps I have taken so far:

So, a couple weeks ago, I measured myself on a scale - instead of the Wii fit thing, like usual. It said that I weighed 266lbs. This morning, just for fun, I weighed myself again. It said 261lbs. So, this evening, I am going to try to weigh myself again on the Wii fit scale again, just to see if that might be correct. It's exciting! If I did lose weight, I would be about 5lbs of weight loss for my efforts!

I haven't actually put a lot of effort into losing the weight. Just small and simple changes in my lifestyle and diet. So, let me just reiterate some of the things that I have done so far:

1. Researched foods that are high in calories and bad fat. Then stayed away from them.

2. Quit drinking soda from day one - and have felt much better ever since. No caffeine in my system - even though I am considering drinking green tea.

3. No fried foods. If it has to be fried, I make sure that it is in EVOO. Although, Chick-fil-A has no entree/burger that is over 500 calories. So, if you want to make a meal and know that it's going to take 500 calories within your diet - you can eat it.

4. Eat healthy snacks. - get rid of all your junk food - if you have to have chips, eat Sun chips. Buy fruits and veggies. Throw away your ranch and get light ranch or a vinegarette.

6. More more. - start exercising - it will not only make you lose weight, but you will also feel better and be able to do more then usual. You will get a confidence boost and won't feel so out of shape. Your ego will increase - knowing that you can do something that you were previously unable to do.

7. Find support. - it can be from family and friends - or like me, on the internet. Just tell someone that you are trying to lose weight and ask them to help you by not letting you eat unhealthy foods. Or, tell someone that you have eaten something unhealthy so you will be able to feel guilty about it and then do something about it.

So, that's just some of the things that I have done so far. And so far, so good. I can't wait until the next 5 pounds comes off, so I can buy myself a blowgun!

My weight loss so far:

I can tell that I have been losing a little weight off of my mid-section in the mirror. It's not much, but I can tell that my pants are getting bigger on me. I keep having to pull them up and tighten my belt. So, that's a good sign. I'm not so much concentrating on losing weight as I am concentrating on my health and overall wellness. I keep saying that because for those of you who are just joining me, I want to make that very clear.

Although losing weight and gaining muscle is a benefit overall, I know that I don't want to end up having a heart attack, stroke, diabetes or damage my arteries with high blood pressure. And, as a side benefit - if there's ever a zombie attack - the number one rule is Cardio. (for those Zombieland movie fans.)

If it comes down to it, those who survive the longest are also the smartest and most healthy of our species. I want to be one of those survivors. I want to live a long and healthy life - and that starts with one small change at a time.

Losing interest in blogging BUT!...

Like the tile says, I was almost losing an interest in blogging, even though my diet and exercise plan is going really well. Then, Sarah comes along - out of the blue and says she saw my plead for followers and has given me some encouragement to continue on.

My diet is going well. I'm figuring out small little meal replacements throughout the week. Right now, I think I'm going to get some ingredients to make home made tomato soup. It has about 100 calories (not including the crackers) and it will fill you up with just one cup. So, if you have it handy in your fridge when your in a pinch and hungry but don't want to cook anything - it's perfect. Here's the recipe:

Country Tomato Soup:

Makes 6 (1 cup) servings

Ingredients:

2tsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion (1/4")
1 1/2 minced garlic
1 quart canned diced tomatoes in juice
1 quart low sodium vegetable broth*
3/4 cup diced peeled sweet potato (1/4")
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf

Preparation:

Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Saute until tender, 4-6 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 35-40 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

In blender, process soup in batches until pureed. Serve hot.

Calories: 100
Carbohydrates: 20g
Protein: 2g
Total fat: 1.5g
Saturated fat: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 385mg


You don't have to add the sweet potato if you don't want to. I think it's there for extra flavor, but since I'm not a big fan of adding crazy things to my food, I think even I am going to leave it out.

today is a new day.

I went to bed at 9:40 last night, which is actually really early for me. My wife and I slept in until about 7:10 this morning, even though I had set the alarm for 6:01. (There's a 9 minute snooze.) So, plenty of sleep, I think. I was going to wake up early enough for Heather to go on a walk with me, but we didn't. I'm still trying to think of ways that I can exercise with my wife, but I haven't found any time slots just yet.

I went to the activity center this morning and walked one mile to warm up. Then I bench pressed 100lbs 10x for 3 reps. I know it's not impressive or anything - that's not the point. I'm just starting and I'm doing what I can. I did some other exercises in there, that I observed other people doing and did it myself. Mainly chest and tricep exercises today. Tomorrow is my bicep exercises. After I got done lifting weights I got on a tredmill and went for a one mile walk at 3mph. It kept my heart rate right between 130 to 138.

I noticed something very weird about my heart rate when I walked. If I held my breath, my heart rate increased. If I breathed normally it came down to 133-134. If I took long, deep breaths and relaxed my body as I walked, I could get my heart rate down to 128-129. What gives?

I'm going to try to get the tredmill working at home. See if I can start walking and doing pushups and situps at home, I won't have to go to the activity center every time I want to exercise. Even though they have some really nice equipment.

I noticed something else - I got on the Wii scale again, and it said that I had gained .02lbs back since the last time I measured it. Could it be fat gain or muscle gain? That was in the evening, after I had eaten. I don't know if that affects it or now - but working hard and cutting calories and then seeing that I am gaining weight is very discouraging. Though, right now, I'm having to tighten my belt one more notch then usual. I haven't seen any major physical difference in my body since I have started.

Anyway, that's all for now. Class is fixing to start. Offer any advice if you can!

Green Tea

I am researching green tea. I know that it has some caffeine in it, however, I think the benefits of green tea outweigh the detriments of the caffeine. Besides, it contains 10% less caffeine than oolong/black tea or other teas. If I am going to start drinking green tea, I'm not going to drink the sugar laden tea that you buy at conveinance stores. I am going to go to a health food store and buy a quality box of green tea. One cup a day shouldn't hurt my detox.

I'm still researching green tea, so I haven't made my decision yet. Any thoughts or suggestions?

It's another day and another penny earned.

I'm not working today, it was just a figure of speech. I ate some cereal for breakfast. I took a water to school but left it in my first class of the day. I'm in Geology right now. they are discussing the big bang theory in class. I have more education on this subject then what she is teaching in this class. Anyways...

I think I am going to go for a walk after this. It's not too cold outside and I am thinking about walking over to the activity center. I don't have anything to do until 2pm anyways. I mise well walk right now and get it over with for the day. I might, might might work on my biceps today. My chest and triceps aren't hurting as bad as I thought they would be. Tomorrow I'm going to be working on my chest again, doing some more bench presses. I'm going to try to work my way up on the bench press weight so that I can start doing real pushups at home.

I feel better now too... I have been walking and exercising for about two weeks now and I can tell a difference in my health. I compare my health to my ability to climb the stairs in Hanna Hall - well, they are getting better. I went up the stairs and didn't have any problems. I didn't feel my heart beating as hard. I haven't felt bad (aka high blood pressure) for a little while.

My detox is going very well too. I'm still not consuming any caffeine and I am able to sleep better then normal. Since I have been getting more sleep then usual I feel healthier. I feel better throughout my day. I tasted a coke yesterday and it was soo sweet to me. I don't think I want to go back. I find myself craving water when I'm thirsty instead of a sugar laden drink.

I'm glad I've taken these steps to improve my health. I know many people have probably told you in life already - but I'm saying it right now too - take care of your body - it's the only one you will ever have.

Monday monkey lives for the weekend

Finished my English paper just in time! I got to go to class in a few minutes.
I'm freaking out over my English paper. I know I shouldn't, but I'm glad that it's done and all I have to do is turn it in now. I'm glad - at least it's done and that way I can't get a zero for not turning it in. whew.

This morning I went for a one mile jog - I only jogged on the long stretches of track and walked around the short stretches of track. It was liberating! I am not as coordinated as I thought I would be, but that's ok, it can only get better.

After I jogged a bit and got loose, I went to the weight room and did a 30 minute workout. I feel good right now, but tomorrow I might be in pain. I did a ton of chest and tricep exercises. I did a couple of bicep exercises, but not anything too heavy. I bench pressed 75lbs 12 times, 3 reps. So - I mean, I could have probably put on more weight then that, but I just wanted to take it easy and see how sore I would be tomorrow. I'm not so worried about gaining muscle right now as I am losing fat. Exercising in any form will help me lose weight. After I did some weight lifting, I walked around the track a half a mile and started my day. I love exercising in the mornings, it seems like I have so much more energy!

As long as I can make exercising fun, I have more of a chance of making it a habit, and that's what I am going for.

It's Sunday!

Another day and all is well. I woke up and ate a breakfast of oatmeal and a small orange. I had water to drink. Then I went to church with Heather and Mrs. Penny and I have absolutely no idea what we are going to have for lunch. Probably something like a sandwich. I'm trying to make my biggest meal of the day be lunch - and eating a snack like an apple or an orange in the afternoon and then something really light for supper. I'm not having too many problems as of right now.

I know, however, that I am stressing out over this literary analysis paper that I'm supposed to be writing about why in an already violent movie/literature is one act so shockingly violent and what it tells us about the works as a whole. There's some other details, however I have chosen to write about kill bill vol. 2 and Ovid Book 13, Hecuba's revenge. Anyway, so I have that to write. Hopefully I can get it done in a few hours and have the rest of the afternoon to do whatever I please.

Today I also have to go over to the old apartment and get the rest of the stuff that we left there yesterday and turn in our keys. So, that moving project is almost all complete - now I just have to have a garage sale!

As far as exercising is going, I'm not doing it every day, but I am trying to do a little something every day, if you know what I mean. I know I need to get my magnetic biking machine over to Penny's house so I can bike on it for thirty minutes a day, regardless if I have exercised elsewhere or not. I think riding a bike in the morning or a few hours before bed time will not only help me loose weight, but help me sleep better.

I've been sleeping much better at night without caffeine in my system. I had a little sweet tea yesterday for lunch and I could tell because I wasn't able to sleep as easily last night. ugh! So, none for me. I'm still drinking plenty of water and making an honest effort to eat breakfast in the morning.

I haven't taken my weight yet this week, because I don't want to see if I have lost weight or gained it back - I'm kind of nervous! Maybe I will wait until next week to see if I have lost any weight. :D

Well, I think that's all for now. I got to start working on that stupid English paper! YAY!

Still going

Well, it's been another day. We finally got moved out of our apartment into a storage unit and it looks like we just have a little left to do tomorrow. I consulted my eat this not that book and had to take my moving buddy over to McDonalds for breakfast. Then, after we got done, my wife and I treated him to dinner at Captain D's. That definitely isn't the healthiest thing to eat - but I made up for it with my drink choice and I didn't eat as much as I wanted to.

Also, that was the only large meal of the day that I had. I did not get a chance to eat this evening because of work. I had an orange when I got home. I don't want anything too heavy on my stomach right now before bedtime anyway. I'm staying up later then usual tonight because I can't get my mind to shut off. I keep thinking of new ways I can exercise or save calories throughout the week. I think of little inventions that I wish I had, or I wonder how life could be different "if" sorts of things. So, I'm up late, blogging about it. Maybe I can wear it down before it gets too late.

My wife, Heather, has agreed to start exercising with me in the mornings. I'm going to start doing a light workout with her tomorrow... so she won't feel so bad and want to do more. So, maybe that will give her some motivation to exercise and look good. I hope everything works out for us.

I haven't weighed myself on a scale in awhile. I'm going to wait a week or so before I do it again. I just don't feel like I have done much of a difference in my diet yet to see a difference on the scale. So, maybe it will be something to look forward to this coming Friday.

Anyway, that's all for now. Good night!

-Seth

More Success!

I went up the stairs to the third floor of Hanna Hall today... the stairs that I really hate to go up because I get so winded and feel out of shape. I didn't breathe very hard at all! I wasn't very winded... I didn't feel my heart rate jump up tremendously at all!

It can be done people!

Today I woke up and exercised at home. I found a great video on YouTube for some easy morning exercises. I did some jump squats, jumping jacks, sissy pushups and some in place skiing. I was amazed at how much I sweat doing all of it! I have felt pretty good the rest of the day too.

I'm resting tomorrow, maybe going on a 2 mile walk at the activity center between my classes. I'm going to try to find a time when I can work out with Heather as well. I know she wants to lose some weight as bad as I do. So, I guess it would be fun to work out together and motivate each other.

I have an update on her progress as well... She quit drinking soda with me! I think it's her 5th day without caffeine. Her headaches have gone away by now too. She told me that she feels better now - her health has improved. So, if she can do it - then you all should try it to... throw out the soda!

That is all for now.

My type of exercising

I've been doing some reading on the internet about what the best type of exercising is to do for me. I have come to the conclusion that I should actually start by walking maybe a half of a mile on the track to loosen up a bit, and then do about 30 minutes of lifting weights, with a brief cool down period at least three times a week. I think, however, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I am still going to walk (and later on) jog around the track between my classes.

The reason why I have chosen to lift weights is because muscle will burn more fat at rest then aerobic exercise can. If I bulk up and gain muscle and continue to diet as I am, I will be able to lose the weight and gain the muscle that I've always wanted. :D

I want to look and feel good. :D

Now time to study for a Louisiana History test...

My eating habits: Then vs. Now

Before I became more health conscious, I would in a typical day, skip breakfast, have a coke, then eat a huge lunch, have another coke with lunch, a lunch filled with carbohydrates and fat and then sit down to do homework and research while drinking another coke. Then, for suppper, I would get hungry - so I would make something for myself for supper - typically a few hotdogs. (don't forget the chili and a coke!) When my wife would get home from work she would be really hungry - and because she doesn't like eating alone - I always joined her. I would say it was ok, because I didn't eat breakfast - when in turn, I shouldn't have eaten so late. She would bring home a burger or a pizza and I would have another coke with that. No wonder I'm fat!

Now, though, I no longer consume soda. I actually look at a soda with distaste, because I know what harm it can do to my body. I don't skip breakfast anymore - but I don't eat poptarts either. I wake up and know that I have some fruit and oatmeal waiting for me when I wake up. That typically keeps me full until around noon. For lunch, I make it my biggest meal - I eat a nice sized turkey or chicken sandwich with mushrooms and if I'm still not full, I'll have a salad with (not very much) Caesar dressing or Italian. Lite ranch is also good in moderation. For supper, I try to keep it as light as possible - and if I do have to go out and get something, I consult my "Eat this, not that," book before I make a purchase. If I don't have that book with me, I stick to the five basic rules:

1. Eat til your full, then stop.
2. Only eat sweet desserts at special occasions - or if you are just craving it. (in moderation)
3. Try to keep every meal less than 600 calories.
4. Do not order sides. Don't have the AND. And's are bad. A burger "AND" fries. Skip the fries and just eat the burger.
5. Don't think that just because you ate a small breakfast means you can eat a huge meal sometime that day.

I actually like exercising!

I went to the activity center after I ate at Schultz cafeteria on campus. I walked about 2 miles around the track. I didn't get out of breath. I let my mind wonder around and think about everything I had to do for this week and also about this little novel that I'm writing. While I was walking, it was kind of a place for me to just think. Walking around the track lets my mind settle down and think. I used to think that I could only think while sitting down and concentrating. In fact, I feel like that is now a load of crap. Granted, I don't know if I could think as hard if I were jogging or running - but walking is fine.

The other thing I like about exercising is that I know I am doing my body good. I know that after I get through, I will feel better about myself, I have a higher self esteem, and a better outlook on my body - even though I know I'm still fat. I really enjoy exercising because it also gives me a sense of accomplishment... just like when I make the right food choices - I know I've done something good and feel better about myself.

To sum it all up: I think that making exercise a habit will be really easy. Easier for me to start exercising then it was to give up soda.

Still feel great

Since I went walking yesterday, I kind of feel like I have a little pep in my step today. I have a little time between my classes today. I get out of Geology at 10:45, so I can go walking from 11 to 12 and then get something to eat at the college cafeteria. I forgot my bottled water this morning - I had it in my hand and I set it down to get something and it just slipped my mind.

Maybe if I walk every day of the week when I can, I will see some more immediate results of my lifestyle change. Plus, I need to walk anyway. I might just walk on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then jog on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays after a few weeks of getting used to walking. I have more time on those three days to get ready for my first class then I do on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The main thing is that I'm getting into a routine. I'm making healthier, more conscious decisions about what I am eating and I am trying to get in the routine of exercising. I'm sure after a month or two of doing this, I will see a big difference in my body and my mind. I can wait though - I'm not going to rush it. I didn't gain all this weight overnight and I'm definitely am not going to lose it overnight either.

I'll post some more pictures hopefully when I get the chance. I have been really busy with school, and I'm freaking out about two tests and an English paper due tomorrow! I've been working on my paper - but it's still stressing me out because I haven't had to write a paper in years! ugh!

Anyway, class is starting. That's all for now. Thanks for reading and if you can, subscribe!

Another day...

Hello everyone,

I woke up this morning and ate a banana and an apple and then I went for a 2.5 mile walk around the activity center. My legs are a little sore, but I know it's for the best. I hope I can keep up my exercise routine. I know that it's difficult to start a habit sometimes, but this is a habit that I definitely need to have. I'm going to probably try to walk for 30-45 minutes, three times a week at the activity center for the next three weeks, and then I will work into light jogging/walking after that. I'm marking it on my calendar! I won't call this a success yet - because I'm not in the habit, but a long walk did make me feel good - knowing that I am doing something about my health.

Maybe I'll buy some tennis shoes and a pedometer soon? I dunno... we'll see how that goes.

New weight as of today: 263lbs.

Great News!

More Success! I have lost 1.3 pounds in the last week - without exercising! I'm measuring myself on the Wii Fit system. I am sooo proud of myself! Maybe I can keep going with 1lb per week for the next year - I will be happy! I'm going to add exercise to my regimen and maybe lose 2lbs per week on average! Man, I can't wait to look as skinny as I feel right now! Success!

Today, Heather and I went grocery shopping today after she got off work. The lady that we live with and her daughter don't eat many veggies or any fresh fruits at all. So, we bought apples, banannas, oranges, pears, a cantaloupe and some fresh broccoli. She already had some salad stuff and some baby carrots - which are great too. I'm trying to add more fresh fruits and veggies to my diet and cutting as many extra calories as I can.

Anyway, I saw the difference on the scale - so I'm happy so far. I'm going to keep it up.

A few Pictures

This is a picture of my wife and I on our trip in Vicksburg.



This is me as of last weekend. Yeah, I know. I need to shave. I think my wife took the picture while we were in Vicksburg.

Woke up at 7.

Well, I went to bed at midnight yesterday - it's the weekend after all. I woke up quite easily at 7, and lounged around in bed until after 10. wow. Well, good reasons for it, I guess. It is a Sunday after all! lol!

I woke up and ate some oatmeal and haven't exercised yet, but I am before dinner. I figured I didn't want to do too much after I just ate. I took some pictures of the dogs this morning. I'm going to post some pics in a few minutes.

So far so good with everything. I'm still not drinking soda pop and I feel better then ever. I think this is my 12th day or so without soda or caffeine. So, I think I'm doing pretty good. One step at a time, right?

I bought a resistance tube trainer thing - the one you put under your foot and pull up, or attach it to something and work out your chest... I think it's going to be fun and interesting to do. I also bought a couple of grips. The hand grip exercisers... so when I'm watching TV or reading something, I can be working out my hand grip. I know I definitely need to improve my hand strength.

I want to lose my moobs! I guess the only way to do that is to do this lifestyle change on top of exercising my chest and abs a lot. I don't want a body like Brad Pitt, (though it would be nice) I just want to look and feel fit.

It's time for me to do something too - I don't want to have all those health problems that you see on TV that obese people get. You know how you watch a TV program on health, like Dr. Oz and you see all those horrible things that people get when they are fat... and then you go in the kitchen and eat oreo cookies? Well, I was watching Dr. Oz and I had that "Ah hah!" moment where I put two and two together. I realized that those things on TV could actually be me - in my body... and I didn't want that! That's one of the reasons I am doing this lifestyle change.

Anyway, that's all for now. ta ta

No Breakfast for me today...

I woke up late, late this morning. It's close to dinner, and my wife and I are going to a movie at 11:55 - going to see Shutter Island! So, I guess I'm going to skip breakfast today. Not much else has happened. I still feel better.

11 days - caffeine free. YAY!

10th day and still there.

So, I weighed myself yesterday and I'm at the same exact weight that I was when I started. I have no idea why - I was hoping for a pound or so of weight loss, however I know I haven't been exercising. I feel better though - I can tell that my blood pressure has stabilized because I don't feel bad for no apparent reason anymore. I can tell that I can think clearer - like I have mentioned before.

The only thing that is bothering me right now is that I have been drinking plenty of water - not overdoing it though - and I am still having dark yellow/orange urine. This concerns me because I have read material that says the more water you drink the more clear your urine should be. I'm not experiencing this! Why?!?! I like to imagine that it's fat and toxins leaving my body that has been built up over the year of abuse to my body. lol! Ideas?

Anyway, I think that will be all for today. Subscribe!

The Dangers of Soda Pop

Here’s what’s in Soda Pop:

Phosphoric Acid: May interfere with the body's ability to use calcium, which can lead to osteoporosis or softening of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid also neutralizes the hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which can interfere with digestion, making it difficult to utilize nutrients.

Sugar: Soft drink manufacturers are the largest single user of refined sugar in the United States. It is a proven fact that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many more negative side effects. Most sodas include over 100 percent of the RDA of sugar.

Aspartame: This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. Further, when aspartame is stored for long periods of time or kept in warm areas it changes to methanol, an alcohol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens.

Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks can cause jitters, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.

http://www.oleda.com/oleda_tips/tips.asp?dept=48

AHHH!!! Don't drink the stuff!

9th day and going strong

I know many of you say that I will eventually lose my motivation and start to eat unhealthily again, however I don't think so. I lot of people that try to lose some extra pounds go completely off of everything that can be fatening, only to start eating it again after they have lost the weight.

What I am doing to my diet isn't just cutting out the fatty foods, but developing new tastes. It takes about 12 times for your palate to get used to tasting a certain food to like it. I'm not really eating more foods that I didn't really like, but cutting out the foods that are merely bad for me, IE fried food. I have completely quit drinking soda, except when the water is fowl and very bad tasting and there isn't any other options, even tea.

What have I noticed?

1. I can climb stairs a little easier. I'm winded, but I don't feel my heart beating as hard.

2. It has improved my overall self esteem.

3. I overall feel better. My headaches have gone away almost completely. (although I do have somewhat of a sinus infection and stuffy nose right now. yuck)

4. I feel like I can get around easier and faster.

5. I feel like I can think a little harder,... concentrate more. Or at least feel like I can do more things at once without going back and think "What was I thinking about?"

So, I'm not looking to just lose weight and get toned up, I'm also mainly concentrating on the health benefits from losing weight. If there is any advice that I could give at the moment to anyone who is trying to lose weight its this: Get off soda and caffeine. NOW!