Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Day 276 Wonderful Support, New Jeans, and Before Vs. In Progress Pics

Day 276

Wonderful Support, New Jeans, and Before Vs. In Progress Pics

I sincerely appreciate the wonderful comments and e-mails concerning last night's blog posting. After marinating on it for well over 24 hours, I've decided to leave the comments open for anyone to say whatever they feel like saying. As long as I don't start receiving advertising spam, I'll leave it that way. I've also decided to have a sense of humor about it, besides, why should I protect someone from their own ignorance? If they want to post something rude, crude, and unattractive—they're the ones looking like a complete idiot, not me. Joe simply misunderstood my motivation. Richard Simmons doesn't need my praise, and he certainly doesn't have to pay for it. As Ang said “Puleaze.” Further, I never write those words of praise with the expectation of anything. Richard has already given me more than my share of support and inspiration from him. Had he never done that, my words about him would still be the same, he doesn't owe anyone anything! He's just a kind, caring, and extremely generous person. I'm a lucky fellow. By the way...fellow weight loss blogger Ang was featured on Richard Simmons's QVC appearance last night! What a fantastic honor Ang! I was smiling from ear to ear, so happy to see you in those pics! You looked amazing! Ang, your commitment to your journey is awesome and the energy you put into helping us fellow weight loss bloggers is commendable! I better stop there before I upset Joe again! Helen, a new reader, made a good point—if that was the first comment like that I've received, then I'm lucky. So true. Today someone called me a funny fat man, I guess that's number two. I'm smiling by the way. I'm confident enough now to handle it. Just look at the before and in progress side by side shot below!

The other day Irene came home from shopping having spent more than we could afford. I was upset a little, until she pulled out a brand new pair of size 46 Levis 550's from the bag! It was an early Fathers Day gift from her and the girls. I'm not saying it's cool to go over budget as long as the gift is for me, I'm just saying, how could I be upset? They looked awesomely little to me. I needed them horribly and when I tried them on, I fell in love! They fit wonderfully and will for probably another month or so...then we'll be needing 44's! You see, I'm use to buying jeans at the Big and Tall store...Those exact jeans---I mean size wise and everything, cost over sixty bucks at Casual Male XL Big And Tall. Irene paid thirty-five for them at a store not even a mile from our home. How wonderfully delightful! Now I understand charging more for the bigger sizes, hey---more material equals higher cost, but this size is still over sixty at CM XL! I'm thinking seriously about sending an e-mail requesting Casual Male to take me off their mailing list. My days of spending astronomical amounts of money on clothes is over! I can shop where the “normal” people shop! Man, that feels so good to say.

I still wear some things that are way too big for me now. Wearing the bigger stuff doesn't do the dramatic changes in my appearance justice. The “In progress” grilling picture below is me wearing clothes that are actually my current size, and the difference is mind blowing to me. I hardly recognize myself. I have to hand it to Courtney and my Aunt Kelli. Courtney combed through Kelli's family picture archives today and found some absolutely shocking before pictures. You'll find them below. I still can't believe how big I really became. Isn't it amazing how we can convince ourselves that we aren't as big as we really are? I honestly had no clue I looked like that. I knew I was big, but wow...that's really big. I've also posted before and in progress shots of my two daughters, Amber and Courtney. I'll have Irene select some and she'll give me permission to post them soon. Yes, we found some really good ones of Irene too! I always hated pictures, but not anymore. Kudos to my aunt Kelli. She's the family shutterbug. She takes hundreds of pictures a month and has for years. Sometimes it would get tiring, “Kelli, come on, I'm trying to eat here!” But oh how thankful I am to her now for archiving some wonderful memories that also serve as giant reminders of where we were not that long ago.

I grilled lean burgers, only 200 calories each! Plus baked some crinkle cut fries. I learned what is a real serving of fries this evening. The bag says “15 two inch pieces” is 120 calories. So we would count them out. Only one problem, some are a little longer, some shorter. Anyway, I noticed that the 15 fry serving was based on 3 ounces. So I grabbed our trusty little food scale. We were probably consuming closer to 200 calories in our previous portions of baked fries. Tonight we each enjoyed a real serving and it was completely satisfying! You just have to be careful, I highly recommend a good food scale, it really helps for accuracy in calorie counting! I used only one piece of lite sourdough for my burger, only 40 calories worth of bread instead of 110 for a small bun. I just cut it in half for a smaller top and bottom, added some onion and mustard, plus a very thin layer of Miracle Whip, and I was good! Another wonderful dinner under 500 calories.

I look forward to this nightly writing session. I credit this blog with a large portion of my success so far, it means a lot to me. Your thoughts and blogs mean a lot to me too. I feel like I'm in a wonderful club of successful losers, it's a wonderful thing to be a part of. If you still read the identical myspace version of this blog, that's fine, but I would love to have you check out www.losingweighteveryday.blogspot.com Along the left hand side of the screen you'll see what blogs I follow, and all of them are wonderfully inspiring. I hope you check them out! It's just something you don't get with the Myspace version. I'll still post it there because it's no problem really, but come on over to the “global” version. There are some amazing people and some wonderful things going on around here!

Irene and I beam with pride over our daughters and their wonderful dedication and consistency. They're really turning it up this summer! The joy in their eyes over the amazing success they've enjoyed so far is enough to bring me to happy tears. We couldn't be happier. They're really special kids! Goodnight and...

Good Choices,
Sean

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If these show up in some ridiculous spam "miracle pill" advertising, I'm going to be upset! Pictures Copyright 2009 Sean Anderson--There, that should protect me, right?

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Was I really that big? I knew I was big, but this pic really shocked me good today.

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Same photo session I think. I don't know, I really liked that shirt! Very revealing before shot! Gigantic and out of control.

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Courtney in the middle at her biggest 275 pounds

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Courtney In Progress---Over 60 pounds smaller!

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Amber at her heaviest 320 pounds

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Amber In Progress---Over 50 pounds smaller!

Irene's Before and In Progress shots coming soon!

21 comments:

  1. wow wow wow! All of you look so much better! Your daughters are so pretty. And your hair...isn't that weird that I notice the hair?...your hair even looks better LOL...maybe because your face shrunk? Btw, you do not look like you weigh 329 now....you look like less than that. *yawn* I've got to get some sleep.... take care!

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  2. Ditto from me--wow, wow, wow! You all look awesome! You look sad in your before pictures and you look so happy and peaceful now. You wear your weight very well--I can't believe we weigh about the same now and you look so much better than I do (I know its like apples and oranges, men and women--but still). TOPS is right--I would guess 230 just by looking at you. I hope you are as happy now as you look! Blessings--Bonnie

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  3. Love the BBQ before and in progress shots - they are so different. The girls are looking totally gorgeous and have done well - I think it is wonderful that you are all in this together!

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  4. ya'll are amazing..just amazing. keep up your great work and effort. continue to show by example and others will be attracted to your light and want to follow.

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  5. You know what i noticed, besides the incredible eight loss is the sparkle in all your eyes in the after pictures, you look so much happier!!
    Congratulations to the whole family :)

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  6. I haven't seen a change that dramatic since I took over Linville's role.

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  7. You don't even look like the same people! How wonderful it is that you have this sort of "non-scale" victory thanks to your family shutterbug. Sean, do you have a thrift store nearby? I think that's a great solution to rapidly changing clothing sizes now that you're in normal people sizing. Also, I know you didn't want to spend the calories but I just discovered the Fiber One Hamburger Buns. Even though they are 110 calories they have 5 grams of fiber per little bun. Excellent tasting and filling. Even my skinny dh has started asking me for those as he thinkgs they're better than the ones he normally eats. Plus extra fiber never hurt anybody, right?

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  8. How amazing and inspiring! What a wonderful thing you are doing for yourself and your family. God will bless you tremendously through this!

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  9. What an amazing family, you all look wonderful. I am still trying to catch up with all of your really inspiring blog.

    Thank you for your kind comments on my blog.
    I find it fantastic to be able to read and learn about folk thousands of miles away and to be so inspired.

    love to you and your beautiful family
    xxx

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  10. Sean, you guys are doing awesome! Your girls are absolutely gorgeous and their success is evident. They look truly happy.

    You look tiny in front of that grill now! You really don't look like you weigh 329 pounds. I would say 200 and something.

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  11. This is your mom! All of your pictures look amazing!! I always loved you just the way all of you looked, but now you just look more wonderful and you will feel alot healthier. I love you.

    Mom

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  12. WOW!!! You look amazingly different!!! Nobody can tell you now that you're too big for your britches! LOL Unbelievable!!! AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME! All of you are doing great! I'm proud of all of you! And by the way....this is one instance that I don't mind being called a loser! LOL Kudo's to all of you! Love ya, cousin Deb

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  13. Toby Venable-TuckerJune 18, 2009 at 3:17 PM

    You all look great!!! Sean you look so skinny already; I can only imagine what you will look like when you get down to where you want to be. You all are looking good! Keep up the good work!

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  14. You look like a completely different person compared to your old pictures. I'm very happy for you and your success! I wish I could come up with my family this weekend but they wouldn't let me off to go, so regretfully I can't come :( Next time my parents go up there I will DEMAND those days off. Anyways, have fun Sean. I'm very proud of you! =)

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  15. You ALL look Fabulously AMAZING!! Way to go!! What incredible inspiration!! Thank you! :)YEAH!!! Keep it up!!

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  16. You know, when I see the before pictures, I have said it before and I will say again, I don't really recognize you. But I think I know what has happened. I think you are physically becoming the person you have always been inside, and I think that's the person I have always known. Does that make sense? I know... it sounds all mushy and stuff, but that's the only thing I can come up with. I look at these old pictures, and you look familiar, but it just doesn't look like you.

    Anyhow, thanks for texting me the global version address today... I had forgotten what it was. So I came here and I am glad because I like this one much better. Good-bye MySpace version... I'm going global! :-)

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  17. AMAZING!!!!! Y'all are a seriously hawt family! Can't wait to see your wife :)
    Last night I was feeling blue-ish, and I started browsing through earlier posts, from the beginning of your journey, and several times I got so teary, just knowing how far you have come. Then I see this post, with proof! :D Keep rocking! You inspire me daily, even when I'm not on my game...

    Much love-
    val

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  18. It is a monumental statement to spread the lifestyle change to your family. So many times it is not just about the individual, but what has happened to the family!! As a father I cannot imagine how proud you are of those girls for getting on the path with you. YOUR WHOLE FAMILY!! WOW.

    I am glad I found your blog!!

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  19. I hate shopping at CM XL. Expensive and makes me feel "special" in all the wrong ways! I'll be happy when I don't have to shop there anymore..

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  20. You are looking good Sean. I hope I look half as good by April for the Talladega Race.

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  21. Holy smoke! You all look great and did you see who commented??? David Ogden Stiers!!!! From MASH!! WOW!!

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