Day 257 Dizzy Spells Worth Celebrating and Wasting 33 Billion Dollars

Day 257

Dizzy Spells Worth Celebrating and Wasting 33 Billion Dollars

For the past few days I've had occasional dizzy spells. I haven't made a big deal out of them, but today I had a couple of really good ones. I really thought I was going to pass out completely, and that would be a first. After sharing this information with the family, they insisted I go to the doctor this evening. So I did. After a bunch of questions and checking my blood pressure in a variety of positions, it was concluded that 112/75 was too low for my size. Imagine that, me, the guy who at 505 lbs had scary, deadly high blood pressure just last year, is now experiencing blood pressure that's not high enough to sufficiently supply my 335 pound body. They told me that 112/75 was great, but maybe too low for me right now. The nurse, who probably weighed 125, said that was about what her blood pressure registered. The doctor concluded that my blood pressure prescription needed to be cut in half. So it was a good kind of dizzy! I should be celebrating the dizzy spells! Within the next 60 to 100 pounds they'll probably have to take me off the blood pressure pill completely! I'm thrilled at this development. The nurse asked me when I had my surgery. Was she talking about the tonsillectomy I had at 10? That's the only surgery I've ever had. She meant weight loss surgery. I realized what she meant and quickly replied, “Oh no, I haven't had surgery.” And she asked, “How have you lost 170 pounds?” At this point I had a decision to make. Do I give her the long answer or the short answer. Just saying “Oh, I eat less and exercise,” doesn't really fully explain the mental and physical depths of this journey. I was pretty sure that she didn't have a half an hour for me to describe and explain everything, so I opted for the short answer. “I eat 1,500 calories a day and I exercise.” Of course you and I know that's only about 20% of the formula that has transformed my mind and body. The mental changes have been a way bigger part than the food and exercise, but when I don't have time to fully explain, I just go with the short answer, “I eat less and exercise.”

One of the things I've learned about losing weight is, sometimes what you perceive to be correct isn't. Some people think that in order to lose weight you have to starve yourself. It's very difficult to convince them that eating more will actually help them lose more weight. I use to think that whatever “works” was good. It depends on your definition of “works.” Most everything works. If you follow any of the “system” plans, you'll lose weight. Even fad diets work, if losing weight is the only goal, sure they can work. But until you wipe the slate clean, until you throw away all of your pre-conceived notions about losing weight and break it down, opening your mind while getting really honest and simple , until then, every weight loss success is temporary. There isn't a need for any special plans or pills. Losing weight doesn't have to cost a penny, in fact you can actually save money on the grocery bill. But this way of thinking goes completely against what many of us have been conditioned to believe our entire lives, that's why the weight loss industry is a 33 billion dollar a year business, because if it doesn't have a price tag then it mustn't work. This perception regulates that the higher the cost, the better the plan or pill. That's why some people will pay upwards of five thousand dollars to lose 30 pounds. Try telling someone that just wrote a five thousand dollar check for the “Zone” plan that they could have saved every penny of that money and lost the weight forever, instead of temporarily. Because when the pre-packaged meals stop coming everyday, then what? Have we learned anything about handling food responsibly in everyday life situations? Have we dug deep and honest enough to really address our bad behaviors with food? Or have we just followed the directions and opened packages to another attempt yielding temporary results? There's a reason why so many people have lost and gained over and over in pure yo-yo fashion. They were only focused on changing the scale and not their mind.

You might think, huh, pretty bold words for someone that hasn't even reached his ultimate goal. If you feel that way, then go back and read this daily blog from the beginning, every single post in the archives, then come back here and see what you think. When I say “another 6 pounds gone forever,” I mean forever! It doesn't hurt my feelings to have doubters, I realize that some people might secretly believe that I'll eventually trip into a giant vat of ice cream and it will all be over. The saddest thing isn't that some people are just naturally cynical, no, the saddest thing is that sometimes the most cynical are the ones you hope will understand this simple and honest approach the best.

Thank you for reading and giving me your support along this wonderful journey. I sincerely appreciate you cheering me on to victory! It is sweet. Goodnight and...

Good Choices,
Sean