June 13, 2016 Week 005 – Day 025

June 13, 2016

Week 005 – Day 025

I like food. I enjoy it. I do not eat out of emotion, but for the taste, and feel what it is. I see works of art in food that I can first hand experience. The problem is that I eat too much of it when I get to have it. This is my quest… to limit myself in a country that pushes food so much. I have a plan. One’s body basically has a math problem each day. So much in must be met with so much out. If one exceeds the other, the result goes in the direction we have taking it. Weighing less by burning more than you take in, or gaining weight by burning less than you take in. It truly is simply mathematics. A calorie is a calorie, albeit nutrients needed is essential. Some of the foods I like do not have nutritional value, and thus called the empty calorie. As I spoke of before, I will continue to log my food experience until the day I die. I can see now that when I do so, I am more conscious of what I have daily. Can I successfully apply this thinking to when I begin eating again? I believe so. I now know what it is like to take myself to the very edge of unhealthiness. I was literally in pain 24/7, I could not breath, my body was shutting down on me with my legs swelling to elephant size. I was completely helpless and not able to walk. I could not even wipe myself in the bathroom. Quite the humbling experience. This is burned into my soul, and I now know I will NEVER allow myself to get that way again. I remember thinking I was in terrible shape at 330 lbs, believing I was dying what what I felt. As of last Thursday, I am 364 lbs, and realize that there is always something worse than what we may believe at the time. What was next for me at 413? Who knows? I do know that pain and helplessness has changed my life for the better. I must admit.. I do look forward to eating food again. I will just do so quite differently than before…. with plan in hand with every meal I take in. I will make sure I am planning ahead, logging everything… and doing my math that I burn more than I eat… or equal to. I will never be heavier than each day I lose weight… and to my eventual goal of 215 lbs…. my fighting weight.
I spoke with my friends today… his name is Daniel Hughes. He is in the same boat as I, except he is a bit shorter than me, making his 300 lbs just as unbearable as my 413 lbs was for me at my own height when I began this program. He, and his sons, will be joining me this Wednesday for my morning walks….. something I had mentioned I was going to begin earlier in this journal. I hope to pay forward the knowledge and actions of this program that he too may lose his weight. Let no one remain behind.
It is Day 4 since I began my walking, with yesterday being my day for the Lord, today I begin with vigor. Hopefully my number will exceed 10,000 steps for the day. It is my going to be my daily goal once I do so. As I walked today, I did notice the soreness in my body as it is getting used to movement and exercise once again. I have been swimming as well….. it is amazing how many muscles you use when doing that activity with purpose. In any case… as I walked today, I was feeling pain in my hips… when I walked uphill. This was not bone pain as many may think when reading this, but instead.. muscle aches… something I have never experienced before in that area of my body. I guess I am getting older. What is that quote from “Encino Man”? Oh yea…. “The cheese is old and moldy.”…. HA!! With me….it is! I am looking forward to having Dan and his sons join me.

Today’s FitBit Stats:

10,194 Steps for 4.76 Miles and 3715 Calories burned. 6 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

9 hour 31 min. Asleep last night, Awake X2, Restless X15

Food Schedule:

10AM – Vanilla Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Chocolate Shake
2PM – 1 Peppermint Cocoa Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Vanilla Shake
6PM 1 packet Chicken Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
8PM – Chocolate Shake

Calorie Intake for the day = 970

June 12, 2016 Week 005 – Day 024

June 12, 2016

Week 005 – Day 024

I continue to be sore… which is a good thing! I realize my muscles are now back to work. I walked much farther yesterday than before. Today, I have Church all day, starting at 6AM this morning with a meeting, then another meeting before the hour we take the Sacrament. At that point we spend three hours engulfed in learning of our Savior, and how we may do the work He set precedent upon. Yesterday evening my wife was cooking her dinner. She has been very kind in doing her best to keep the amazing aromas of her cooking from me. Alas, I was very in tune with my want of food, and my lack of being able to have it at this time…. in so much that I greatly smelled what she was doing. It smelled wonderful, as all her cooking does. I must admit that knowing I could not have any placed me in a bit of a challenged mood. You see… I don’t eat out of emotion, but instead because I really enjoy the food itself. This is something we have yet to cover in our class. We have so far learned of emotional eating…. and I can see it helping many of our group… just not me, in my enjoyment of food. I attempted to tell this to the class last Thursday, and it came out wrong with me stating I am a celebratory eater, eating when I have achieved something. This of course places me as an emotional eater. This is not what I meant. I enjoy the foods I eat. I savor the flavor, and textures of them…. somewhat like a judge would do, but on an unconscious level. As I was explaining this to my wife yesterday, I am wondering what I can do to not enjoy food. I feel like my life must have things of enjoyment, and this is one of the biggest, right behind God and my Family. It is something shared with all that we may do together. I find it important. This is my challenge.

Today’s FitBit Stats:

5579 Steps for 2.6 Miles and 3359Calories burned. 5 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

4 hour 49 min. Asleep last night, Awake X3, Restless X7

Food Schedule:

10AM – Chocolate Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Vanilla Shake
2PM – 1 Cinnamon Cocoa Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Chocolate Shake
6PM 1 packet Tomato Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
8PM – Vanilla Shake over 24oz ice with 2 12 oz cans of diet orange soda (50/50 bar taste) Not bad, not great. Vanilla leaves weird aftertaste.

Calorie Intake for the day = 970

June 11, 2016 Week 005 – Day 023 & FitBit Report

June 11, 2016

Week 005 – Day 023

I AM SORE!! As I stated yesterday, I began great efforts in my action part of this program, greatly increasing my exercise in the day. I feel it… and I am about to go on a walk. I have asked my wife to join me for a second, evening walk. I hope we can make that happen. Speaking with a few of my Group the other day, it is obvious that the mental toll has increased in that being around food that our Family may have, or going to functions, may truly be hard on us. Of course we cannot expect them to change their lives for us and we must find a way we may cope. Jeni, a fantastic young mother, has two three year old children, who offer her their food (chips, etc.) as they have gotten used to, or the opposite, wanting her food, which she can now not give them as she needs all that nutrition. This has been hard on her, as the children cannot understand at that age why the change is needed. She loves her family greatly, and feels like she is disappointing them, even though she is not. This takes much in mental strength… and she is very strong. I very much applaud her! I have typed of Jeni before in this Journal, and I hope she may read this.

Today’s FitBit Stats:

7402 Steps for 3.44 Miles and 3429 Calories burned. 3 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

8 hour 31 min. Asleep last night, Awake X1, Restless X8

Food Schedule:

10AM – Vanilla Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Chocolate Shake
2PM – 1 Cinnamon Cocoa Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Vanilla Shake
6PM 1 packet Chicken Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
8PM – Chocolate Shake

Calorie Intake for the day = 970

I have been showing photos of everything I am taking into my body as nutrition, and I forgot to show the vita-meata-vega-mins (HA! Remember? From I Love Lucy!).. OK… just the daily vitamin stuff I have been taking. With every blood test, and taking this…. my blood tests have been coming out fantastic! And that is even before I began this program. In any case…. they are working for me. Here they are…. and they all contain 4Life Transfer Factor to assist my immune system. This is a company I represent by the way… and I know their products work. I take one packet Rite Start in the AM, then two Probiotics in the AM, and two in the PM.

**

My FitBit Report – Week of June 6 thru 12 of 2016

June 10, 2016 Week 005 – Day 022

June 10, 2016

Week 005 – Day 022

So I have lost 49.8 lbs in the past three weeks! It is near enough to 50 lost, so I have begun my walking today. I have not been able to walk due to my legs being so swollen, and being in so much pain in my legs, knees, and back. That plus I could not breath when doing so. I felt completely helpless. The group I am in has significantly been working on walking across America… and I noticed that most everyone was exceeding 10,000 steps per day on the reports we turn in for distance. Here I am sitting at 3000 a day, and I was happy I could do that. I now know I should push myself more. Again, with 50 lbs lost…. (49.8 that is)… I endeavor to make 10,000 steps happen by day 5 of this week! Yesterday I began my walking… and I felt pretty good! I reached my goal distance for yesterday, and I wasn’t in pain, or out of breath… I could walk again! I take that back… for whatever reason… since yesterday I have had a GOUT attack in my left foot….which is painful to state the least. However…. the normal pains I had felt that I was feeling helpless about have now disappeared! I almost feel human! Anyway… as I came to the distance I had planned yesterday, I was feeling great, so I continued on for quite a distance… until I felt worn. I can tell you tomorrow I will indeed feel my actions of today. I also went swimming with my granddaughter, and worked out my upper body as I brought my arms behind me, with my arms out on the water, palms no like paddles, then pushing with great vigor the water forward, creating great forward current in the pool. I did this until I felt cramping in my arms and chest….. about 15 minutes straight. Then I was able to play with my Granddaughter thereafter… which was a workout in itself… lol.

Today’s FitBit Stats:

6671 Steps for 2.96 Miles and 2921 Calories burned. 3 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

8 hour 36 min. Asleep last night, Awake X2, Restless X 17

Food Schedule:

10AM – Chocolate Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Vanilla Shake
2PM – 1 Peppermint Cocoa Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Chocolate Shake
6PM 1 packet Tomato Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
8PM – Vanilla Shake

Calorie Intake for the day = 970

June 9, 2016 Week 004 – Day 021 WEIGH-IN DAY!! & Walk Across America UPDATE!

June 9, 2016

Week 004 – Day 021

WEIGH-IN DAY!!

My first weigh-in was 412.2 . One week later, the day we began the food change, I weighed in at 413.8 Lbs. It is this number, my highest, that I am determining how much weight I have lost. The program goes with the first weigh-in, which again was one week before the actual food change.

Today’s Weight is…

Difference Between This Week & Last Week’s 372.4 Lbs is: 8.4 lbs.

Total Pounds Lost from My Highest Weight of 413.8 is: 49.8 lbs.

The program is definitely working… I feel the difference in my daily activities. I found this week I have not been tired like usual… other than yesterday. I was really dragging by the afternoon, and found myself craving food by about 4PM. Will that ever go away? I hope so. There have been a few times that this first 16 weeks has seemed like a prison sentence, then I remembered they at least get stale bologna sandwiches….. which I would gladly eat today. Then again…. I would be only cheating myself if I did. My wife continues to support me when I begin having these thoughts. I have noticed, however, with my heightened sense of any food around me, that she no longer is drinking the meal replacements with me. She only was doing so once per day, if that, and now I don’t see her doing so at all. Maybe it is just me. It would be interesting to see what life would be like if we both were on this program… and if we would be able to succeed. I am extremely happy that my legs are small again. I had worried that the elephant size of my legs were not going to go away. I am relieved. My legs, however, still need great attention. The skin is in recovery mode…. very dry and loose. The blackness under the skin is from the blood in my legs…. and I hope that goes away sooner than later. It looks awful. We will all press on! Let us see what the weigh-in today shows!

Today’s FitBit Stats:

3930 Steps for 1.83 Miles and 3152 Calories burned. 10 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

8 hour 10 min. Asleep last night, Awake X1, Restless X 21

Food Schedule:

10AM – Vanilla Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Chocolate Shake
2PM – 1 Cinnamon Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Vanilla Shake
6PM 1 packet Chicken Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
8PM – Vanilla Shake with 12oz Diet Orange Soda blended with 24oz of shaved ice (Not Bad. Like 50/50 bar)

Calorie Intake for the day = 970

**

Walk Across America….we are The Stargazers

June 8, 2016 Week 004 – Day 020

June 8, 2016

Week 004 – Day 020

Today, my legs continue to improve as I move more, taking larger strides as I walk. I am very near to walking my neighborhood once again in the morning. I may call an old training buddy of mine from my body building days. Maybe we can actually shape this body into something after all!

Today’s FitBit Stats:

3495 Steps for 1.63 Miles and 3211 Calories burned. 5 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

6 hour 20 min. Asleep last night, Awake X1, Restless X 2

Food Schedule:

10AM – Chocolate Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Vanilla Shake
2PM – 1 Peppermint Cocoa Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Chocolate Shake
6PM 1 packet Tomato Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
7PM 24oz Diet Orange Soda over 24oz of ice.
8PM – Vanilla Shake

Calorie Intake for the day = 970

June 7, 2016 Week 004 – Day 019 & Walk Across America Update!

June 7, 2016

Week 004 – Day 019

I have come to respect that staying busy throughout my day is a great way to keep my mind from wandering to food. I went swimming again today, and I am pretty sore muscle wise. I guess I haven’t used these muscles in some time.

Today’s FitBit Stats:

4646 Steps for 2.16 Miles and 3354 Calories burned. 3 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

7 hour 24 min. Asleep last night, Awake X6, Restless X21

Food Schedule:

10AM – Vanilla Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Chocolate Shake
2PM – 1 Cinnamon Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Vanilla Shake
6PM 1 packet Chicken Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
8PM – Chocolate Shake

Calorie Intake for the day = 970

**

Here is the Week 2 update of the group’s Walk Across America challenge. I was changed last week from Team 3 to the Stargazers team!

June 6, 2016 Week 004 – Day 018 My Daughter Paige’s Birthday!!

June 6, 2016

Week 004 – Day 018

My Daughter Paige’s Birthday!!

I was able to attend my Daughter, Madison, singing recital yesterday afternoon! It was great to get out and about, and she did AMAZING.
My daughter Paige is having her 26th Birthday today, and we will be taking the family out to dinner in Celebration! So that I don’t encourage my addiction, I will not attend, and instead meet up after at their home for gifts. They did have Hungry Bear Cookies for everyone, as it is my daughter’s favorite, but I was able to resist, instead opting for a Coke Zero over ice. It was great! I removed my wraps this morning as well, revealing what looked to be very skinny, and black legs. They are definitely in need of attention. That stated, they are not swollen any longer, and I can actually SEE my ankles again! WOW!! I am also walking with more open stride now, finding myself getting everywhere more quickly that the past few years. I had forgotten what real walking was like! I was able to also swim today in our pool! It was great! I am on my way to better health… and life. The program works!

Today’s FitBit Stats:

4950 Steps for 2.31 Miles and 3417 Calories burned. 3 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

7 hour 24 min. Asleep last night, Awake X6, Restless X21

Food Schedule:

10AM – Chocolate Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Vanilla Shake
2PM – 1 Cinnamon Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Vanilla Shake
6PM 1 packet Tomato Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
7PM 12 oz Coke Zero over ice.
8PM – Chocolate Shake

Calorie Intake for the day = 970

June 5, 2016 Week 004 – Day 017 & FitBit Report

June 5, 2016

Week 004 – Day 017

Yesterday evening was a great mental challenge for me. I wanted food very badly. I am wondering if this is some sort of withdrawal thing? I believe I actually thought about food so much that I believed I was hungry, even though it has been proven on this program already that with what I intake via this program does not leave me so. I think this may be a good thing. Like all addiction… this must happen to rid ourselves of what we allowed ourselves to become dependent on. It happened when I was ridding myself of street drugs in my past… so this is no different. Oh.. I forgot to mention… yes.. I am a drug addict, and as such I keep myself in check everyday… and have done so for more than a few decades now. This will be no different.
One very interesting aspect of this journey is how I am not thirsty. Just three weeks ago if you found me without a 32oz drink in my hand, there would have been something wrong with me. I was drinking a lot! Many will remind me that this is a sign of Diabetes. I agree, and have been tested over and over again…. I was not even pre-diabetic in all tests given to me. That stated… I am at a loss as to why I am not thirsty now. I take in liquid all day with the shake and soup I intake, and I drink at least 3 eight oz. glasses of water, each with fiber in them. Does that account for not being thirsty? Every time I go to get my water…. I have to almost force it down. Hmmmmm… I will inquire at this coming week’s meeting.

Today’s FitBit Stats:

4647 Steps for 2.16 Miles and 3363 Calories burned. 2 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

9 hour 17 min. Asleep last night, Awake X4, Restless X17

Food Schedule:

10AM – Vanilla Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Chocolate Shake
2PM – 1 Peppermint Cocoa Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Vanilla Shake
6PM 1 packet Chicken Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
8PM – Chocolate Shake

Calorie Intake for the day = 970

**
My FitBit Report – Week of May 30 thru June 5, 2016

June 4, 2016 Week 004 – Day 016

June 4, 2016

Week 004 – Day 016

I am definitely having more issue with evening time with my ‘want’ of food. I hope that feeling goes away soon as when it hits, it takes all I have to remain steady. I wake in the morning full of energy, not hungry and looking forward to my day. I no longer drag myself from place to place… and I am not as winded as before. I forgot to mention that our group made team switches this last Thursday for the “walk across America” challenge we were given. You may view the progress posted a few days ago above this entry. I was on Team 3, and now I am part of the Stargazers. We shall CRUSH the competition! LOL… naaaa… it will be fun! I will be returning to my morning walks very soon…. possibly this coming week. One thing these FitBits do is calculate the floors climbed in one day. I am not sure how it is calculated as everything else it calculates is pretty much right on. However, I live in a two story house…. with 17 stairs. My office is upstairs, and the Kitchen is downstairs. Because I keep the food in the Kitchen, I force myself to go down and up those stairs for each meal… not including any other time. So when my FitBit calculates 1 floor… I am a bit puzzled as I have actually done 10 to 12 each day. My state of mind is pretty positive, yet I find myself looking forward to the day I can eat something again. That stated, I know now how valuable this program is, and I dare not waste it. It is my chance to gain my humanity back, and live to be with my family longer, and view all the wonderful things with them. Not to mention the great amount of Missionary work I may now accomplish in His great glory. This I am certain of.

I spoke to my friend again yesterday. He is in the same boat with me in my weight challenge, and his health is very bad. I have asked him again to look at this blog, and let him know I am here to help. Even so, I believe he is having trouble believing that HE can do it. He has two amazing boys that love food as well… and they are at that age where boys are ravenous in their growth…. so getting support from them in this is something I don’t believe he will receive from them. I state that even though I know they love him and wish him to succeed. They simply have no concept of his true issue, and don’t realize how important their involvement must be. He is a food addict like me. Addiction is difficult to deal with when everyone around you is doing what you are addicted to. If he could manage to do this with me for just one week…. he may be able to conquer it all on his own. I will call him again today.

It may read silly, but I have already begin planning my life, especially my diet that will remain in place for the rest of my life…. or until I am fed by another for whatever reason. My plan has actually two plans within it…. “Life Plan” and “Hardcore Plan”. My “Life Plan” includes meal replacement shakes throughout the day, as I plan to keep the intake every two hours as we have started in this program. Since I did this when I was younger in body building, I remember it’s great value in keeping the body burning calories. There may be one green salad for lunch, and one low calorie meal for dinner. There are prepared meals you can buy today that have a total of 250 calories. Then I plan on allowing for one extra special meal a week, that may indulge me from time to time. The trick there is to make sure it is only once a week. I will aim to give myself no more than 2000 to 2500 Calories per day (possibly with a burst on the indulge day to 3000). That, along with making sure I walk 5 miles per day…. and possibly weight training to keep fit. All of that will make sure that I am burning equal or more calories than I eat and drink. Needless to say I am ready to be fit again. That stated…. my fit weight is 200 pounds extremely lean. That, along with my muscles in any kind of larger than average size, due to my previous life, lean may be for me up to 225 pounds. So… I am placing a cap on my weight to be 230 pounds. Should I hit, or near that number each day, I will begin my “Hardcore Plan” of this exact program we are on now, until I am at that reasonable weight once again. Of course this may change as we still have 26 weeks left of the 30… or if I continue in the 72 week program…. well.. we shall see. In any case.. I plan to produce proper nutrition, and exercise until I can no longer do so. Hopefully the “Hardcore Plan” will be very rare. Never-the-less, I shall keep myself in check as I do now.

Today’s FitBit Stats:

2506 Steps for 1.17 Miles and 3046 Calories burned. 3 Floors Climbed.

Last Night’s Sleep Recorded This Morning:

8 hour 1 min. Asleep last night, Awake X1, Restless X17

Food Schedule:

10AM – Chocolate Shake & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
12PM – Vanilla Shake
2PM – 1 Cinnamon Protein Bar & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
4PM – Chocolate Shake
6PM 1 packet Tomato Soup in 8 oz Water & 8 oz glass of water with Orange Fiber
8PM – Vanilla Shake

Calorie Intake for the day = 970