Day 168 Amber Time and Setting Your Unique Pace

Day 168

Amber Time and Setting Your Unique Pace

We had a wonderful weekend with Amber! It was good times. I'm very proud of that girl. Since she's started, she's lost right at about 50 pounds. She's done it with the same approach I have....cutting down and exercising, plus understanding her own personal triggers and motivating thoughts. Her clothes fit dramatically better, she's feeling great, and she has a renewed confidence in her stride. I'm thrilled with that smart, talented, beautiful girl of mine! We invaded her dorm room on Saturday afternoon. She even shot an “On The Go” video with me, and I've posted it below. Amber has developed her rhythm naturally, losing on average 10-15 pounds per month. It's a pace she finds comfortable. And that's a very important thing we can learn from Amber. You have to find the pace that's right for you. My pace, isn't your pace. In other words, if you think it's crazy to walk in twenty-five degree weather with a wind chill of eighteen, like what I described in last night's blog, you may be right, no, you're probably right, OK, you're right! But that's my pace, and I have to stay on myself to do what is right for me. Everyone's sense of urgency is on a different level. My sense of urgency at over 500 pounds was off the chart. You may not have near as much to lose, so naturally your urgency isn't as high. You can still be in a “Steel-Curtain Zone” without walking in extreme cold. Your steel curtain zone is different than mine, based on urgency and understanding of your own individual psychology. I know me better than anyone. I've been a professional excuse maker, backslider, weight-loss ruiner, sneak eating mess of a man for so many years. I have to be strict on myself. I have to demand structure and adherence to my plan at all times. But that's just me. Some people take one day off a week, where they don't necessarily go nuts, but they don't really keep track of anything either. I couldn't do that because I know that I'd take advantage of it, it's my personality, I wouldn't know when to say when. I could never give myself a free day, really, I don't think I could make myself do it, and here's why: Because for me, this isn't just cutting down and working out solely for the purpose of losing weight, I'm learning about portion control, I'm discovering my patterns and everything there is in this crazy head of mine. So the idea of picking a day and going hog wild just doesn't sound appealing anymore. I know that for me, that would be a green light to do whatever I wanted, even after the day is gone. With my urgency so high, I have imposed a zero tolerance excuse policy on myself, your pace and personal style might not require the same strictness, but with consistent effort everyday, we're both going to end up at the same destination...and that's where our ultimate goals live! So when you read about me going to extremes to get my workout in, don't beat yourself up one tiny bit if you didn't! Like my mom walking three times last week, it's all good! Believe in yourself, believe you too can do it, believe that you deserve it, because you do! And believe that every good choice you make is progress, while understanding that a bad choice every once in a while doesn't end it all. You can do this, you know you can! I'll see you at the finish line, because that's when we'll celebrate!

We slept in a little today, then we loaded up and headed to Weatherford for lunch and a great workout. Lunch was at a place called Benchwarmer Brown's. They bring you peanuts and encourage you to throw the shells on the floor. I love being messy, so it was right up my alley! I enjoyed the grilled chicken and veggies. It was awesome and very reasonable in the calorie department. After our lunch, we asked our nice server to take a picture of the four of us outside. It was a nice picture, and it just reminded me that we need to take more family pictures! I've posted that picture below. We all look dramatically different, and it's no wonder...Irene's lost right at 100 pounds, Amber has lost 50, and Courtney has lost nearly 40. As a family, so far, we've lost 309 pounds!!! That's three-oh-nine! Amazing, I'm so happy and proud, and we're not done yet!

After lunch we visited the Weatherford YMCA for a great workout. They have a very nice facility. Courtney jumped on the elliptical, I headed straight for a treadmill, and Irene and Amber went upstairs to walk on the elevated track overlooking the basketball court. After a solid two miles at 3.8 mph, Courtney and I noticed that Irene and Amber were still walking, so we explored the place. When we entered the pool area, I got a bright idea! I wanted to swim. Did I have a bathing suit? Are you kidding? I haven't owned an actual bathing suit since I was a kid. But I had a desire to jump in that pool and swim. I know that swimming is one of the best exercises known to man, and it's fun and refreshing too! So instead of being embarrassed to do it myself and settling on watching other people swim, like I've done for so many years...I jumped in! Workout clothes and all! It was absolutely liberating! I was swimming! I swam a lap and a half, then I doggie paddled a lap, then I did the backstroke for a lap. I hadn't so boldly done anything like that since I was a kid. It felt unbelievable and really hard. I mean, I had forgotten just how much of a workout swimming can be! Just the little bit I did wore me out completely. I'm going to sleep real good tonight, I guarantee! By the way, I've posted another “On The Go” Video of the jumping in experience. Just hit play below...I'll try not to splash you!

Speaking of sleeping good, last night I fell asleep before putting on my CPAP mask. And guess what? I slept all night without even the slightest of problems. I was breathing easy and steady. Irene tells me I wasn't snoring at all. Just a nice quiet restful sleep. I'll wear it tonight and every other night until a doctor tells me otherwise, but this little slip up ended up giving me another wonderful sign. I know what it feels like to go to bed and struggle to breathe. I did it for years without a machine for assistance. I would wake up with raging oxygen deprivation headaches, a racing heartbeat from the stress, and feeling totally exhausted all day no matter the duration of the “sleep.” I missed many of my two daughters childhood moments because of sleep apnea and it's horrible effects. Then a machine came along that changed my life instantly and completely. So it's a little hard to let it go now, even though it looks like I may not need it much longer. I've never slept this good without that machine strapped to my face. It feels so good to breathe so easy again!

Tomorrow is the big 1st weigh day for the “Lose To Win” program! I'm doing my radio morning show from The Ponca City Medical Center Specialty Services Building, inside the “Lose To Win” headquarters. It's going to be a blast, hectic I'm sure, but a blast! The staff handling this event will deserve a nice vacation when this program is over, because they are working hard! Cathy Cole, the director, told me that they never figured that so many people would respond. It makes for quadruple the work they thought it would require, but it's something they're happy to do, because it's such a positive thing for the people losing the weight and this community as a whole. Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean


Today-The four of us outside of Benchwarmer Brown's in Downtown Weatherford, Oklahoma


On The Go Video! ---With a little discipline, you CAN enjoy your favorite treats and still lose weight! Amber proves it!


On The Go Video! ---I feel like a big refreshing tall glass of Nestea!