02/25/2011 Week 19 weigh in

This was a great week. I was able to get out and put some miles on my new shoes, ran the fastest mile I have ran since I started training and did a whole practice 5K. I put almost 7 miles in this week, and had 2 strength training sessions. Nothing makes you feel better than physical activity! I tried to do a treadmill session, but for some reason I cant run on treadmills. I'm definitely an outside runner.

I had a pretty good week on the scale too. I lost another 2.0 pounds this week to bring my grand total to 36.4 lost. Since switching my diet plan I have lost 9 pounds in 3 weeks. I will take a 3 pound weekly average all day! I now weigh 253.6 and I am getting closer to the 250 mark. I am really hoping for a strong week so I can get there by next Friday.

So I have some really exciting news! My wife has decided to join the fight! She has started on a modified version of my plan and is running with me. We are going to race our first 5k together and then she is gonna run the half with me in Utah in August. The even better news is she beat me on the scale this week and dropped 3 pounds! I am so proud of her! Look out world, here we come!

Alright guys, have a great week! Now get out there and get active! Take a walk, ride a bike, go for a hike, play ball with your kids. Keep it moving!

Updated Photo

This is a photo at 255 lbs. Not a full body shot, so I will try and get another one up soon.

New Shoes... Nike Air Pegasus+ 27

I had to retire the red Adidas until I lose more weight. They are a lightweight shoe and my legs just couldnt handle the constant pounding. I had to get something with a little more cushion and support. They are extra wide, so its a Nike that finally fits! It feels like I'm running on clouds. They are also the + so I will be able to insert my Nike+ communicator in the sole.

02/18/2010 Week 18

Week 18 is here and I am officially back on pace for losing 100 pounds in a year! 52 weeks in a year and and you need to lose 1.93 pounds a week to make it an even 100. So to be on "pace" I would need to be at 34.5 lost. As of last week (week 17) I had lost a total of 31.8 and even though I pulled a 4 pound week was still off pace, as of this morning I am officially down 34.4 pounds and right where I should be after 18 weeks. So for those of you doing the math at home that was a total loss of 2.6 pounds for week 18! My total weight is now 255.6. I am about ready to hit another marker and go below 250, I cant wait! Since switching from WW points to Volumetrics (well I based my program on the principle and concepts, not the actual plan as outlined in the book) I am down 6.6 lbs in 2 weeks, and eat more than I did before. It is sooo easy, veggies, salad, fruit, lean protein, low fat dairy and little bit of whole grain. No counting points, no counting calories. Eat when your hungry and stop when your full. My typical days diet:

Breakfast:
* 1-2 Chicken tenderloins or 3 egg whites and 1 full egg
* 1 Dannon light n fit yogurt
* 1 stick low fat string cheese
* 1 Apple (Apples are scientifically proven to have the same effect on a person as a cup of coffee in the morning)

Mid morning Snack:
*Diet Soda (Yes, I am back on the juice!)
*1 piece of fruit

Lunch:
* Lean protein (chicken or fish)
* 6-8 ounces of steamed mixed veggies
* Large salad with a little dressingof your choice (mine is ranch. I need a little fat in my diet)

Mid afternoon snack:
* Diet Soda
*1 piece of fruit

Dinner:
*Lean protein or 3 eggs and 1 whole egg
*6-8 ounces of  steamed veggies
* Large salad, dressing of choice

* I also drink lots of water through the day.

If I am hungry later in the evening I will eat another peice of fruit or a low fat string cheese.

As you can see there is plenty of eating going on, and thats a good thing. I have found that if I am too deprived or too hungry I will binge. This plan takes a little preperation too. You need to be able to make a few lunches at a time and keep them in the fridge that way you can just grab them in the morning on your way out the door. It also helps to keep the tempting food out of the house. I try not to keep salty snacks and other quick snacks around and instead try to keep a full stock of fruits, yogurt, and cheese sticks.

I am under 30 days to my first race and I am feeling pretty good. My knee and shin splits are calming down and I am starting to find a pace the is comfortable. I am by no means fast, so dont get the wrong idea. I am still a 250+ guy, so it isnt like I look like Usain Bolt out there, but I am able to go farther and faster than I was when I started my journey. I may actually make a runner out of this fat guy!

Til week 19... Keep it frosty!

02/11/2011 Week 17... Total Domination!

What a week!!! I decided to make a few minor changes to my diet this week and they paid off big time! I had my second biggest week since I started! I decided I was going to try and eat less carbohydrates. I didn't cut them all out, but was just focusing on not eating as much bread, rice and pasta while I was trying something called "Volumetrics" http://www.webmd.com/diet/volumetrics-what-it-is I loved it! I felt full and satisfied. A typical lunch meal this week was a plate full of steamed veggies, a salad, and a lean protein like roasted chicken.

Now on to the good stuff! My weight as of last Friday was 262.2, when I stepped on the scale this morning it was 258.2! I lost 4 pounds this week!!! I have now officially lost 31.8 lbs! I am really starting to notice it in the way my clothes fit and how I feel. I can only imagine what it will feel like to lose 100 lbs.

Select opens its spring softball season in a month and I am really excited to get out there and see how much of a difference I notice playing softball. I am hoping I can lose another 10lbs before the season starts. Before I would get winded running bases and was not the fleetest of foot if you know what I mean, so I am hoping I'm a little bit faster around the bases and a little more agile in the field. I will keep you all posted!

I hope everyone has a great week! See you back here next Friday!

02/04/11 Week 16 weigh in, and a little added swagger!

Another week has flown by! I cant say I had the best week in regards to weight loss, but I did lose, so that's something to cheer about. I lost another 1.2 pounds and am now down to 262.0, for a total loss of 28 pounds. I didn't get to 260 like I wanted to, but that's okay. I have actually been wrestling with this for some time and a light bulb finally went off. I am not in a contest, or in a race to lose weight. I am just in this for me. I am going to work as long as it takes to get the weight off and I am in this for the long haul, even if it takes a year, two or more. I think it actually brought me alot of peace. I have been so caught up in trying to lose it quickly, instead of just trying to lose it I lost sight of  the real reasons I am losing the weight in the first place. I want to lose it for so many reasons, its hard to explain it. I don't want any handouts, magic pills, or quick fixes. I want it to be hard work and I want to lose it pound by pound clawing, scratching, and fighting. I don't ever want to forget what it took for me to lose the weight, because I never want to gain it back. Life is not easy, weigh loss certainly isn't easy, but it is so emotionally fulfilling to do it. People always ask me what I am doing to lose the weight, expecting me to say something profound. They are always disappointed in what I tell them. Eating less, and exercise. That's it. No secret pill, or special elixir, just work, hard work. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Until next week... Clear eyes, full hearts, cant lose!