My Plan

My plan:

After years of failed attempts at every “Fad” Diet and starvation technique, I learned the following things:

1. I’m Fat , Many people in my family are fat, it is genetic, it is environmental, it is a disease, its unfair...but It's reality and no excuse will ever change that for me.
2. If I want my life back, I have to take it...not for my wife or my kids (sure its great for them too sometimes :)) not for family or friends or ????  It has to be for me.
3. It took me 40 years to get this way, I don’t have 40 more to waste on getting it back.
4. What's more humiliating getting laughed at by skinny rude people at the gym, who don't know what you have been through or getting laughed at while downing  3 dozen chicken wings, gulping diet coke and mopping sweat from one of your foreheads at your local pub? Think about it...I needed to hit the gym.
5. What is so great about your life that you want to keep things just the way they are? I am happy..In fact I always find reasons to be happy! But bursting out an painful ancient battle cry every time you need to get off your butt, never was happiness.
6. Hard work, dedication and self control is the only diet that really works. In fact this BLOG is just a bunch of nonsense without it.
7. I'm worth it...sounds a little silly doesn't it, but in the privacy of our own thoughts it is often a key question. By the way...you are worth it too!
8. Cheating or taking a break from my new found dietary habits is really like saying...OK.. I'll try and get sick a while to take a break from getting well.
9. Nobody knows what your going through, we are all individual with unique issues. However, your not alone in your fight...find people who want to help!
10. What goes in...must come out. Crap in, crap out...Quality in, Quality out!

I have a lot more of these to add...C'mon I've been around a while :). I will add to the list as I go along.

Here is some of my current strategies in diet and exercise. Like I said above, there are no weights attached only successes. Every time I get a little comfortable... I raise the bar. I am having great success and feel better than I have in years. This might not be exactly for you...I'm not a doctor or a dietician...I'm just a guy...determined.

Food:

- 1500 or less calories a day (I make sure I am burning at least that many)

- Meals with lots of variety and flavor (I will share some favorites, but one of my fav's is the biggest loser cook books)
- Small meals and more of them, I don't skip a meal because I find myself in panic mode looking for food later on.
- I leave time between meals to let the full feeling that is so foreign to me grow... It was like I never realized what full meant.
- Mini rice cakes, SF Pudding and other snack items are a God send, when others are eating chips, crackers and cookies (again I will add some of my favorites as I go)

Exercise:

Currently I am at the gym about 3.5 hours a day. It took a while to get to that level but I have been going at roughly this pace for 3 months, Its no longer a sacrifice...Its actually some great me time. I have to keep reminding myself, its ok until I get this excess weight off...I'm not being selfish, the people who love me are willing to invest the loss of time for my future.

1:15 minutes recumbent bike (I ride a marathon 26.2 miles each day) This may be too much or too little for you...just find what you can do and work your way up. My first few weeks I thought I was going to die, literally...I'd get short of breath and was sure of it...but I didn't! I still soak my entire shirt.

:45 Minutes Treadmill (3.8 speed currently or around 3 miles)
:30 minutes Weight training (slow down my heart rate from the bike and treadmill and stretch some muscles... I do light weights (not trying to impress anyone for a change)
1:00 hour pool time, I do a variety of strokes and workout with pool weights (i'll explain more later)

The last thing I will say in regards to this is maybe the most important part of my workout

Gym Friends:

I looked around for personable people (I have met some wonderful ones that I will write about soon). You might ask why is this important? Well, They miss me when I'm gone (I don’t mean tearful missing, just “hey where is he at” kind of thing) They stop by and chat with you for a few moments...takes your mind off the boring long cardio exercises. They share their stories and successes. All of the sudden, you become a regular...and that means you go regularly :)

Talk to ya soon!