Day 236 Boxing The Boss and The Difference Between Me And "The Biggest Losers"

Day 236

Boxing The Boss and The Difference Between Me And “The Biggest Losers”

As Fridays go, this wasn't a bad one at all. I started the day like most, having breakfast with Irene, usually Courtney is at the table too, but she chose to sleep in a little and have breakfast a little later. I had a great show despite being tired, it's strange, but when I get little sleep I sometimes have my best performances...I know, it doesn't make any sense at all. I fueled up with a snack of apples and cheese mid morning and by the time 10:45am rolled around, I was ready to take on the remote broadcast scheduled at The Boys and Girls Club. They have a regulation boxing ring at the Boys and Girls Club, and since I've never stepped foot into one, I gave it a try! It wasn't long after climbing into the ring that I had a couple of contenders ready to take me on. Now keep in mind, I'm not a fighter. Not at all. In fact, I've never ever even had a fist fight. Not as a kid, not as an adult, never! I'm proud of that! I'm a peace loving fun and friendly kind of guy, and from a very early age recognized the complete absurdity of “duking it out.” Having said that, I do believe that one punch could have saved me some serious bullying in my elementary days, but that bare knuckled chance is long gone. Boxing is different. It's an organized sport, and although it can be dangerous in a deadly way, I just had to give it a try. Let me set the record straight, my two boxing matches today were conducted with giant sized boxing gloves. Apparently, the bigger the glove, the less of a chance of getting hurt. The first challenger across the ring from me was some guy from the sales staff at Team Radio. I would say his name, but then he would hunt me down and finish me off. He came at me with both gloves punching in a rapid fire motion. I tried to protect my face with my gloves, isn't that what you're suppose to do? Instead, he just punched my gloves, making me punch myself in the face. It was pathetic really. I did move like a fighter, well, OK, maybe like a really bad fighter. I moved back and back a little more, and soon he had me in the corner against the ropes. This is when the fight was called with him claiming a TKO. Whatever! The man I really wanted to face hadn't arrived yet. I wanted to fight “The Man.” The man I faced next is the guy who's signature graces the lower right hand corner of my paychecks. That's right, I was going to get a chance to beat the boss down! I said “a chance,” turns out he's a pretty good boxer too. “The Man” beat me into a corner a couple of times, but I kept fighting back. I even landed a few to his face, not solid punches, but I made slight contact a couple of times. This was enough of a victory for me! How many people can say they've had a chance to beat up their boss without the fear of being fired? I highly recommend company parties at the boxing ring in an effort to work out work place differences! How much fun would that be? Put on the over-sized gloves and get in there with that annoying guy in the far cubicle! Or punch out the lady from the payroll department that hasn't like you from the beginning! Before my match with “Mr. Blue Blazes” was finished, he landed a solid shot squarely to my head that sent me into the ropes. We were finished. No mas! No mas! The broadcast on the other hand wasn't finished, then I had others wanting to take me on, but I'd had enough already! My boxing record is 0-2, that's not very good huh? I did learn that trying to avoid getting punched is great exercise! I want a re-match! Where's the “On The Go” video crew when you need them? ;)

I never dreamed that losing weight could be so enjoyable. I always focused on dreading the process. Just the fact that I looked at it as “a process,” tells you where my mind was. Losing weight to me meant not being able to thoroughly enjoy what I relied on to make me feel good for nearly three decades. I feared the changes I knew I would have to make to lose weight. To me, losing weight was like being sentenced to something horrible. I never focused on the positive side of losing weight. Until 236 days ago, I was a very different person. If only I had stopped long enough to recognize the positive possibilities along the way, oh my, how much sooner would this journey have started? If I had realized that losing weight wasn't about “giving everything up,” not at all, it's about gaining a new perspective, a new responsibility, a new mind set. Instead of giving things up, I'm receiving so many more wonderful things and experiences. My life is richer now. I'm living! And I still enjoy all the wonderful foods I've loved my entire life, I just don't gorge on them everyday like before. I'm able to move and breathe with ease and comfort, and that's worth it all! Losing weight use to mean a complicated, confusing mess to me. It wasn't until I decided to make it something very simple, let go of the past, forget about what I thought losing weight had to be, and started being completely honest with myself about my behaviors that I was able to see a whole different side to losing weight. The rewards I refused to see before, clearly come my way everyday now.

In Thursday night's blog I talked about the “Biggest Loser” fan telling me how I wasn't eating enough, because, as he said “you should eat seven times your current weight in calories everyday” just like they do on the show. I've thought about what he said a bunch in the last 24 to 36 hours. You know me, I let things bother me too much sometimes. But I came to a conclusion: The difference between me and the contestants on that show is real simple. I'm losing my weight right smack dab in the middle of everyday life. They're losing the weight in a “boot camp” type setting. It's a very different situation. You notice how they get nervous sometimes at the thought of going home and “being on their own?” My day consist of going to work, heading to the store, picking up Courtney from school, making appointments, paying bills, dealing with everyday real world stress, working out, writing, and sleeping. On that program, their day consist of eating, working out, eating, working out some more, sleeping, eating, working out even more, and weighing in. I'm sure there's more to it than that, but you know what I mean. If I were in a boot camp style situation, then maybe I would need nearly 2500 calories a day. I'm not, I spend many hours each day sitting behind a microphone in a broadcast studio. I'm sticking with 1500 a day for now. When the weight training revs up to a whole new level, perhaps I'll need to increase some then. When Micheal Phelps is training for big swimming events he eats in excess of 10,000 calories a day, but he's swimming all day long. His day is eat, swim, eat, swim more, run, eat, swim, lift weights, swim, eat, and swim even more. He needs those calories. I'm doing great at 1,500, I don't feel deprived in the least, and I've already lost about 160 pounds so far. I'm going to continue doing what I've been doing.

My Friday night 10K was quickly downgraded to a 5K, then downgraded again to a “hard two” miles. It wasn't the workout I'm use to doing. But it was the best decision for me at the time. I do plan on a Saturday night 10K, and you can bet it will be done! I'll be putting out the call if anyone is within driving distance and wants to join me tomorrow (Saturday) night.

My apologies for this post arriving on the web about twelve hours later than normal. I was exhausted and completely out of gas late Friday night. Getting some much needed rest is sometimes the only right choice to make. I hope you'll scroll down and watch the bonus video blog I've posted. It's a “best of” collection from the “On The Go” Video archive. Each video is one minute or less, seventeen of them. I hope you watch and enjoy. My Friday was a fantastic day really. I even enjoyed some mac and cheese within my calorie budget, it's certainly not everyday I do that! I love mac and cheese!! Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean

Day 236 BONUS Best of "On The Go" Videos

Day 236 BONUS Best of “On The Go” Videos

For the longest time this blog was strictly words. After awhile I started getting request to post some pictures. Makes sense, I mean this is a blog about making a dramatic transformation, wouldn't be complete without some pictures, right? The idea to start posting short little “On The Go” Videos was an extension of that. After receiving several comments saying that the donut video was the first some readers had watched, I decided to post a collection. You'll find 17 “On The Go” Videos below. I hope you enjoy! And I look forward to many more in the future! They're each a minute or less. Thanks for watching!


The Treadmill 5K Finish


Lose weight while eating ice cream?


Sean's less than 10 calorie Sonic treat!


The uni-brow


Getting up to 4.0 mph on the treadmill


Amber's snack stash


The plunge!


You caught me with a fudge bar!


Grilled Cheese and Soup! Before I started limiting my snacks to 150 cal or less


After working out with Amber


Olive Garden? EASY!


Amber Convinces Dad to eat salad


Fitting In A Booth!


Not the prettiest 5.8 mph treadmill jog


In The Weight Room


Ronald learns about snacking healthy


140 calorie Daylight Donuts! Keep in mind, donut calories are different from each donut shop. Krispy Kreme plain glazed is 200 calories. Dunkin Donuts plain glazed is 220.
So there you have it! I hope you smiled more than a few times. Losing weight doesn't have to be something you dread. You can be happy and still lose weight! In fact, if you're doing it the way I have, you'll be happier than you've ever been. Have a wonderful weekend! Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean

Day 235 Dealing With Donuts and "That's Great, But You're Doing It All Wrong"

Day 235

Dealing With Donuts and “That's Great, But You're Doing It All Wrong!”

It's hard to describe the wonderful feeling I get when someone tells me this blog is helping to inspire them. Just saying “it feels wonderful,” just doesn't seem adequate. “Fantastic” doesn't do it either, nor does “awesome,” or “amazing.” Grateful, thankful, right, fulfilling, responsibility, proud, honest sincerity, compassion, these are words that more accurately describe how I feel. Thank you to all who sent e-mails about and made comments on the blog from last night. Your comments give me strength.

I knew today would be busy from the very start. We had scheduled four different guest on the show, and three of them we scheduled in the eight o'clock hour. I use to look forward to certain guest that I knew always stopped at the donut shop on the way to the studio. It never really mattered if I had breakfast already or not. Donuts were consumed no matter, just because they were there and 'melt in your mouth' delicious. I rarely resisted donuts before this journey, I was powerless to their sticky goodness. But not the last time I encountered a gift box of donuts and not today. Daylight Donuts are actually the lowest calorie glazed donuts you'll find, with one raised-glazed checking in at 140 calories. Still, I wasn't interested. But if I were the type of person that really loved donuts, I could've had one without feeling guilty. I decided that the “workplace donuts” was a nice topic for another “On The Go” Video. Thanks to my co-worker Gayle Williams for running the camera! It's posted below.

It's always fun to encounter “wow” reactions and I knew that today I would run into many of them at The Taste of Home Cooking School. Our radio stations sponsored the event and I had to broadcast from the show and help greet people as they arrived. I ran into many people that I haven't laid eyes on since I started this journey. Needless to say I enjoyed many dropped jaws at the dramatic change in my appearance. That was so fun, and it never ever gets old! I ran into one guy who has watched every single minute of every “Biggest Loser” episode ever aired. After he asked how I've been losing the weight so successfully, I told him, and then he informed me that I wasn't eating enough. He told me that the experts on that show recommend multiplying your current weight times seven, and that's how many calories you should consume each day. It's really frustrating to me when I've done so well and lost so much weight, then someone tells me I'm doing it all wrong. I'm not saying that the show experts are wrong, perhaps they're right-on, but I also know that I've had doctors give me the thumbs up after analyzing what I've done and continue doing. Maybe the increased calories on that show is because of the extreme intensity of their workouts. I do understand that as I get more into weight training, I'm going to have to add some calories for sure. I'm not changing up my plan right now. As it stands, I eat every three hours at least. My meals are most always under 500 calories and my snacks are under 150. I'm drinking plenty of water, eating 1500 calories a day, and exercising. I think I'm doing just fine. The scale certainly says so. If I increased my calories to seven times my body weight at last check, I'd be consuming 2,429 calories a day. I might give it a try after my next weigh day. Give it an honest two week trial, but a big part of me says to not shake up what I've been doing. I don't watch the show. I like the show, don't get me wrong, I just have very little time for TV watching these days. The only TV watching I do is for a few minutes before I go to sleep. I use to be an avid TV watcher and TV eater, uh, I mean I use to eat in front of the TV all the time. But my habits have gradually changed and now are dramatically different just like my appearance.

I'm wrapping up tonight's blog a little early. I'm beginning to understand the importance of getting enough rest. The body needs rest to work at optimum levels! Thanks for reading. Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean


Beware: Not all donuts are created equal! One Daylight Donuts glazed is 140. A plain glazed Krispy Kreme weighs in at 200 calories. And a Dunkin Donuts plain glazed checks in at 220!

Day 234 Light Years From Perfect and Why Overeating Is Not On The Menu

Day 234

Light Years From Perfect and Why Overeating Is Not On The Menu

I was reading another weight loss blog the other day written by a regular reader of this blog. In her writings she mentioned me and the fact that I “never cheat.” I sincerely appreciate that, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe I'm conveying an underlying message of perfection. Well, I hate to destroy that illusion, but I'm light years from perfect. I've never been perfect, and wouldn't want to be perfect. Perfect would be boring. I'm flawed just as much or more than you perhaps. If you read my blog from Friday May 1st titled “What If It Was Impossible To Cheat,” then you'll see how I've decided that cheating cannot be a part of this journey because I've declared everything allowed. Well, everything except over eating. That's the only way that I could possibly “cheat.” So what keeps me from diving into a tub of ice cream or a 3,000 calorie plate of nachos? I don't do it, not even once, because I know how it works. I've remembered every failed attempt at weight loss in my past, and I know that saying “OK, just this one time,” leads to another and another, and soon I'd be right back at 500 pounds. On September 15th, 2008 I made a commitment to God, my family, and myself to bust through every hang-up that's held me back before. I prayed that I would be given the time I needed to lose the weight because I was so worried that I had waited tragically too long. So you see, there isn't any room to cheat by overeating because I've made this journey one of the top priorities in my life. I can't remember how many times I use to say “well, one little binge isn't going to hurt.” But it did every time. It doesn't matter if you need to lose 25 pounds or 250 pounds, make it one of the most important things you do and you'll have a much better chance at succeeding. At this point, the desire to over eat is gone. I'm eating all the time anyway, at least every three hours, so I'm never “starving.” I've said it before, knowing what I know now about losing weight with good choices and a desperate desire to succeed, I can't even imagine busting loose at a buffet. I couldn't even if someone was trying to make me. That's one of the fantastic parts about this journey. I never made it to this point before, not many people do. But I bet if you asked someone who has they would say the same thing. I'm at a point now that my former behaviors with food are so foreign to me, I just can't do them anymore. I didn't even know this stage of the journey existed until I naturally discovered it along the way. I use to love buffet restaurants, I mean really love them. Now, my brain has a hard time understanding why they even exist. I have zero use for a buffet. I'll have a nice satisfying meal with normal portions and be completely satisfied. Never again do I want to feel the bloated misery after tearing down a buffet in the name of value. “But it's such a wonderful value!” I use to say that all the time, and with a big fat enthusiastic smile “you can have steak, chicken, pasta, pizza, cinnamon rolls, four different kinds of potatoes, and so much more for one low price? That's amazing!” No, it's sickening. Now some will say “Sean, I can walk into a buffet and just have one plate.” Good for you, I can too now, but not before this journey. Irene was always a one plate buffet eater. I use to complain that she wasn't eating enough at these places, “come on baby, eat more so we'll get our money's worth.” Crazy huh?

I may never cheat, but I still get hit with cravings and random urges to over eat. When those thoughts happen I have to call in “the troops.” They are every reason not to do it. My motivating thoughts, my family, fear for my life...these are “the troops.” Like I said above, I know that allowing myself to give in to certain urges could possibly open the flood gates, and then where would I be? Lost, that's where. Dead by 45, that's where. Some might roll their eyes at the dramatics of the last couple of sentences, but listen...That's what I'm talking about when I say that you have to make a commitment that is iron-clad. You have to make it one of the most important things you do everyday. Make it dramatic. Ignore the eye rollers! You're on a mission that only you can do, nobody can do it for you, so don't worry about what others think about your approach. Don't be too casual about it, or you might end up doing what I did so many times in the past: “I'm just going to cut loose this one time, then I'm right back with it tomorrow.” Never even considering that “tomorrow” really meant later, sometimes much later. As I started feeling the effects of carrying around over 500 pounds, I eventually realized that “tomorrow” wasn't guaranteed, certainly not in that condition, certainly not in any condition.

I bought a pair of workout pants tonight. Doesn't sound like a big deal does it? But oh, oh my, it was! I walked into a store not even a mile from my house, walked back to the mens department, picked out a couple of pairs to try on, and did it! I grabbed a 3X and a 2X. The 3X had plenty of room, the 2X fit OK too! I bought the 3X because I liked the added room in the legs. Then I spent the first mile of our workout constantly pulling them up before I figured out how to tighten the waistband. It's really hard to get it through my head that I don't have to drive to Oklahoma City or Tulsa to buy clothes anymore. I can shop for clothes like a regular person. I haven't done that since I was a kid.

I sincerely appreciate your readership. Thank you for the support! Tomorrow the broadcasting company I work for is hosting the “Taste of Home-Spring Sensations” Cooking School live from the Poncan Theatre stage. Jamie Dunn from Taste of Home magazine will perform cooking demonstrations, sponsors will have exhibits and prizes, and everyone through the door gets a goody bag full of recipes, cooking items, coupons, and a bunch of other wonderful things. I'll tell you how it was in tomorrow's edition. Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean

Day 233 The Colonel And I Go Way Back

Day 233

The Colonel And I Go Way Back

I fell in love with the Colonel's secret blend of eleven herbs and spices when I was a very young child. While most kids would write letters to Santa, I would write letters to Colonel Sanders. We always had a bunch of family “get togethers,” and several people would always bring that familiar bucket full of the tastiest fried chicken in the world. Sometimes a bag or box of fried chicken would show up from the “other guys,” and it didn't take long to figure out the taste test winner. The Kentucky Fried Chicken Bucket was always the first to be empty. I guess my love of KFC must have been what led me to fill out an application for employment at 15. You had to be 16 to get hired, but they didn't ask and I didn't tell. It was easy because I was over six foot tall and 250 pounds, plus you didn't have to show two forms of ID back then! And I really needed to have some spending money! I remember ordering some chicken and an application, then sitting down and eating while I filled it out. After I finished I realized that my application had grease stains all over, I was going to wash my hands and fill out another, but I thought nah, these grease stains let them know how much I love the product! I was immediately hired, grease stains and all. I was officially a Kentucky Fried Chicken Cook at 15 years of age. Although it was against policy, the manager allowed us to take home the leftover chicken every night. I was in finger lickin' heaven! I would brag to my friends, “I get paid to cook and then gorge on the worlds best fried chicken several times a week!” It's no wonder that my weight quickly started to shoot sky high, crossing the 300 pound mark at 16. When I started dating Irene at almost 16, we would have late night chicken feast all the time. And it wasn't just chicken. It was mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, the whole works. We would eat until we were sick. It's safe to say that I probably gained a hundred pounds eating mostly Kentucky Fried Chicken over the course of a year. Thank goodness radio came along and plucked me away from the Colonel forever. When I started this journey in September of 2008, KFC was one of the fast food places that I really avoided. I knew that I could navigate a calorie counting visit there, but I had a history with this place, so it was best to stay away. When Courtney suggested KFC for dinner last night, I had a twinge of fear, just a little. I did my best to maintain my fatherly composure and I decided that the new Kentucky Grilled might not be too bad. But I did worry a little. What if I couldn't handle the temptation? Given my history, how tragic a twist would that be? End it all right there in a blaze of biscuits and extra crispy! Maybe they were hiring! Our KFC in Ponca City features an all you can eat buffet, isn't that great? For the price of one normal meal, you can eat seven! Good thing it was day 232 and not Day 1, or worse, the very tough Day 60! We walked in very confident, straight to the counter, where the cashier asked with an assuming tone “two buffets?” I didn't mean to laugh out loud, but I did as I said “Uh, no, don't think we're doing the buffet.” We ordered two of the two piece Kentucky Grilled dinners with a breast and drumstick on each. I ordered potatoes without gravy, as did Courtney, and I chose the corn, Courtney the cole slaw. We also declined the biscuit, to which the cashier replied, “but it comes with the meal,” and I said “keep 'em.” I like their biscuits, sure. But it's a horrible calorie value we didn't want. The term “good choices” was paramount to us getting out of there with our calorie budgets in good condition. My meal came in at 460. Perfect! The grilled breast was 180, the grilled drumstick was 70, the potatoes without gravy was 100, and the whole kernel sweet corn was 110. Had I chose Original Recipe, and added the biscuit and the gravy, the meal would have been exactly 900 calories! Had I picked the mac and cheese instead of the corn, it would have been 970. Had I picked the green beans instead of the corn, my meal would have checked in at only 385 calories. It's all in our choices! By the way, the gravy on a small potatoes at KFC only adds 30 calories, could've done it, but I was being very cautious! Kudos to KFC for the great tasting low calorie grilled chicken and for also having printed nutrition pamphlets available in the dining room. I promise I haven't been paid a dime to say that!

I walked the trail yesterday for a pre weigh-in 5K. Not that it would really make any difference in my results, but it did in the way I felt! Once again I walked in the steady rain, and I loved it. After I finished the 5K, the clouds broke and the sun started shining again.

My “Lose To Win” weigh in showed another 20 pounds lost, bringing my LTW Challenge total to 34.2 pounds. I'm proud of that number, very nice. Our teammate and friend Brandon did extremely well too. I have to wait until the awards ceremony night to reveal just how well he did, but trust me it was amazing. The guy has worked so hard. He often times works out twice a day, he's determined to make this the last weight loss attempt of his life. He's armed with a completely different way of thinking about food and exercise. When I say he “get's it,” I mean he totally understands the mental part, the food part, and the exercise part. It's remarkable how our past behaviors are so similar. He's been there right along with me in the experience department. I've always been around 100 pounds heavier than Brandon. When the “Lose To Win” challenge started I was lighter than him for the first time. Now we're six tenths of a pound apart with him once again being the lighter. Now it's on Brandon! The Team prizes are significant amounts of money...$2000 for first, $1500 for second, and $1000 for third. The prizes are awarded based on percentage of body weight lost just like on the “Biggest Loser,” so really, who knows who will win? We'll all find out together on the 14th!

Today was a very rare 13 hour day in radio land. I still made sure I ate something every three hours, and when I arrived home at 7:30 this evening I realized Irene and Courtney had already had dinner, so I pan seared some talapia and had a whole can of green beans with a slice of melted white American cheese. I still have over 300 calories coming so I may have a grilled high fiber tortilla with some shaved ham.

Thank you for the wonderful comments left on yesterdays blog. Several people suggested I write a book, or simply convert this blog into a book. That would be a dream come true. Who knows, we'll see where this journey leads together.

I also received a very nice message from a professional motivational/inspirational speaker named Scott “Q” Marcus. He noticed that I had mentioned my desire to eventually become a full time weight loss speaker and he was kind enough to offer advice. What an incredibly nice thing to do. I can't wait to hear from him again.

Thank you for reading. Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean

Day 232 Required Mental Exercises

Day 232

Required Mental Exercises

Today I received a question from a regular reader. She asked if I had any tips for the mental aspects of the change. Honestly, this entire journey has been about the mental aspects. If you haven't done so, I highly recommend going back and reading from Day 1. Some days will entertain you, maybe make you laugh, some may make you cry...But some...and these are the ones to look for...Some may give you the breakthrough you need to fully understand the mental aspects I talk about. For another regular reader named Rachel, a good friend of ours, it was Day 229 titled "What If It Was Impossible To Cheat" that finely made it click. It was like a breakthrough moment for her. Rachel has read from Day 1 every day along the way. But it took that blog to really breakthrough with her. The following suggestions are exactly what I've done for the mental aspects part of this journey. I suggest:

Forget every rule you thought was iron clad about losing weight.

Admit to yourself that you don't know it all, because someone who knows it all can't learn effectively. Have you ever heard someone say “you can't change him, he's set in his ways.” Be open to a “new,” simple approach to weight loss that really isn't new at all.

Wipe from your mind the idea that some foods are forbidden.

Do some really deep internal self-counseling to discover your “motivating thoughts.” Why do you want to lose weight and feel great? Develop that list and defend it from your old habits at all cost.

Realize that food is not the enemy, you have been your own worst enemy.

Let go of any blame for your obesity that you have ever placed on someone or something.

Admit that you are the one in charge of you. And since that is true, you're completely responsible for your habits, good and bad.

Stop being the victim. Empower yourself to rise above your circumstances instead of allowing yourself to stay chained to them in a depressing existence.

Here's a BIG one: Be 100% completely HONEST with yourself. Stop telling yourself lies. Lies come in the form of excuses and rationalizations. Be honest about them and you'll start to recognize them every time they pop out of your mouth or brain. Stop rationalizing bad choices.

Defeat excuses at every turn. Stop thinking of all the reasons why you'll never be able to do this, instead think of all the wonderful reasons to do this and never give up.

Don't “let yourself off the hook.” Don't say “I have time to do this later, I'll start next week, or next month, or after the holidays, or after we get past all of the birthdays coming up...right now, let's eat!” Maybe you don't have time. I let myself off the hook for over twenty years. If your transformation is important to you, don't let yourself off the hook.

Understand that every action has a consequence, good or bad. Shoot for the good ones.

When you're alone, that's when you have to police yourself extra. Almost every weight loss attempt in my past has ended with me binging alone. Don't let yourself down like that. Take pride in your resolve.

Make sure to remind yourself that there isn't a food you can't enjoy at one time or another. You may not have the calories for that cheesecake today, but find a way to work it in sometime soon.

Understand that it will get easier. But only if you put forth a consistent positive effort.

I'm sure there are plenty more spread throughout this journey. Go back and read from Day 1.

Remember, I'm not an expert. I'm just a guy who's been through this stuff my entire life. I was over 500 pounds for the majority of my adult life, until 232 days ago. These things I share are simply breakthrough thoughts and principles I've discovered along the way. If you're skeptical, then hide and watch what I do. Trust me, this is only the beginning of this journey for me. If you stopped reading this blog today and then come back in a few months, you will find me below 300 for the first time since age 16. The most important advice I can give anyone is: Don't make it complicated. Keep it simple! Calories in vs. Calories out. Later you can get more advanced if you want. And eat for goodness sakes. You have to provide your metabolism with fuel my friend. You have to eat and exercise.

I don't know it all. I'm learning and I keep learning from people like Fitness/Life Coach Melissa Walden and Dr. Amy Cox. Like a sponge, I try to absorb as much information as possible without becoming overwhelmed.

Oh. and very important: Forget about that clock on the wall. Time will keep moving with or without you. If you maintain good choices, then it doesn't matter how long it takes you to reach your goal. You will!

I enjoyed a 5K in the rain this afternoon, Courtney and I dined at KFC, and I weighed in at 347 for a “Lose to Win” total of 34.2 pounds lost in the last two months of this competition. These are all subjects I'll discuss on Tomorrow night's blog. I'm very tired tonight. Thank you for reading, Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean

Day 231 A Visit From Mom and Double Taters 'N Ice Cream

Day 231

A Visit From Mom and Double Taters 'N Ice Cream!

I really enjoyed having my mother here overnight. She stressed out really good about me walking in the rain last night. It was kind of like I was 10 all over again. Very cool. I'm very proud of my mom, she's really learning some wonderful things about losing weight and exercising, and as she puts that knowledge to work it's going to change her life for the better. Slowly but surely I feel like I'm breaking through in my struggle to deprogram her thinking about how to lose weight. Like many people, my dear mother has read just about every book out there on the topic. Whenever I go to the store with her, she's always attracted to the books, and 90% of the time it's because of a weight loss related headline or title. She's absorbed all of this information over the years and the result is often times confusion on what is right and what is wrong. The truth is almost every “diet” can give you temporary results. But until you stop searching for “diets” and start dealing with proper portions and real food in a responsible way, it'll always be temporary. The mental part of this journey mustn't be ignored, the learning part of this journey cannot be substituted with anything else, these are the elements that change lives and physiques forever. When I started 231 days ago, I knew that I had to find the “forever part” somehow, someway. Because temporary results were of no value to me. I wanted to really be free. I want my family and friends that are struggling to be free too. That's why I'm so driven to share what I've learned and experienced along the way. For my mothers sake, I sometimes wish someone else was writing this blog. She reads every single day, but I'm never confident that she's fully grasping the message I'm communicating because I'm her son. Don't get me wrong, she believes in me and is extremely proud of my accomplishments, but that's just it, she's so busy thinking “I'm so proud of him,” that maybe she's not clearly seeing the simplistic approach I'm presenting. I love you mom, and I know you're reading this, but I want you to pretend that it's not me behind this blog. I want you to trick yourself into thinking that you're reading one of the many books you own on the topic. I guess it would help if I didn't write an entire paragraph about you huh? Remember our many conversations, and remember that you can do this without making it difficult or restricting. Someday in the next year or so, we'll have a wonderful celebration for all who've read this blog, have traveled through their own journey, and can make it to Ponca City, Oklahoma. On that night, if you haven't already, you really must meet my mother, she's an awesome woman!

We fell short of our planned Sunday 10K goal. I did the 10K last night and it was wonderful. Today I realized that I too created a small blister on my heel. I didn't notice until I laced up the sneakers for the trail this evening. We have to take good care of our feet along this journey. So a 10K proved to be a little too adventurous and potentially damaging today. We still have walked over 15 miles in the last four days, and we plan on knocking out a pre “Lose To Win” final weigh-in 5K tomorrow afternoon when Courtney gets out of school. It'll be a wonderful little push right before we jump on the scale around 5pm. The final weigh-in is open all day from 8am to 6pm, and I'll actually be there broadcasting from 6am to 10am. Irene, Courtney and I will weigh-in together in the late afternoon like we have from the beginning. I did receive a message from Brandon and he was happy to report that he completed what he called a “Sean Anderson 10K” today at the trail. That guy has it on straight. It's been wonderful to have him on our team! This two month “Lose To Win” Challenge came along at the perfect time for me to be involved. I don't know if I would have participated had it come along a year ago. It's been a wonderful timing thing. It's a real pleasure to speak at the events, and for me, I look at it as experience for my future career as a motivational/inspirational weight loss speaker. I'm very serious about that plan. It really is all I want to do for the rest of my life. I can't think of anything more fulfilling than sharing my journey with people and inspiring them to do the same.

Another weekend is coming to an end and tomorrow's weigh-in will be an amazing thing for so many people. I can't wait to find out the grand total of pounds lost by everyone. I know it'll be mind blowing! I'm so proud of everyone who have made serious breakthroughs in this program, and from what some have told me, this is the first time they've ever been able to really lose weight effectively. The “Lose To Win” program has been a true blessing to this community. It's been such an honor to be a part of it all.

I had mashed potatoes and gravy twice today and ice cream twice today. Sounds crazy right? No, not at all. A regular portion of potatoes and gravy with a couple of teaspoons of gravy is extremely manageable calorie wise checking in anywhere from 120 to 160 calories. It just worked out to be a part of my lunch and then again at dinner. Kind of unusual, but nothing wrong with it at all. The ice cream was low fat soft serve cones, at 150 a piece. I love losing weight! Thank you for reading. Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean

Day 230 Dreams Haven't An Expiration Date and A Really Late Night 10K In The Rain

Day 230

Dreams Haven't An Expiration Date and A Really Late Night 10K In The Rain

Some people find graduation ceremonies too long and drawn out, often times boring. Not me, I enjoy them. I like being in the presence of so many people that have started something and stuck with it all the way to their goal. Over 600 people were accepting their degrees at the graduation we attended this morning. As I sat there watching, I kept thinking about each of their academic journeys. Every single one of those people had a day 1, a day 100, a day 230, and beyond. Each of them learned along the way, had tough days, some probably felt like giving up every now and then, but here they were receiving the reward for their efforts. Many of these graduates will continue on for more advanced degrees, this being a milestone along their journey, instead of the ultimate goal. They've learned that positive effort and consistency plus time equals incredible results. What a wonderful place to be. The positive emotions of accomplishment filled the entire facility as we watched every single one walk across that stage. I was extremely proud of my Aunt Kelli, who at 40 is proving it's never too late to accomplish something very important. I'm also very proud of our dear friend and honorary family member Rachel, at 37 she's proving the same thing. Dreams haven't an expiration date my friend. It is never too late to begin. Remember that time keeps moving regardless of what you do or don't do. Too much time I wasted depressed over lost time. Does that even make sense? Spending even more time being depressed over wasting time. I've often thought about how I wasted my 20's being anywhere from 470 to 510 pounds. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that my entire 20's was bad. I'm talking about my weight. I spent the first six and a half years of my 30's upset with myself for wasting my 20's. If I just would have lost the weight before age 25, my life would be so much better now. Thoughts like that may be true, but spending six and a half years wishing I would have done something about it in my 20's was the most counterproductive thing I could have done. Had I gone another few years at over 500 pounds, I could have spent the first three years of my 40's upset with myself for wasting my 30's. I say only three years, because I really doubt I would have lived much longer then that at over 500 pounds. Now is the time, today, right this second. Not next Monday, or after the holidays, or after that big project at work is complete. Now is the time. Because something I've learned the hard way is: There's never a good time to start if you allow yourself to explore every excuse that could keep you. I could always find a good reason why it wasn't a good idea to get started. I stopped making excuses on September 15th, 2008, and look where it's put me today. I've lost nearly 160 pounds so far. We're finished wasting precious time.

After the ceremony we invited the family over to our place to celebrate with a cookout. First I had to go to the store and pick up the stuff. We decided to keep it real simple, hot dogs with the usual condiments and potato chips. I had a turkey and cheese dog on a bun complete with relish, mustard, and onions for under 250 calories plus a serving of ranch flavored potato chips for 150. When you're calorie conscience you tend to pick up less at the store. Before this journey I would have allowed my taste buds to dictate the shopping list. I would have added some hamburgers, potato salad, beans, sour cream based french onion dip, and probably some bratwurst and hot links. Many more calories would have been consumed needlessly. As it unfolded today, everybody was satisfied, and once again the focus was on the family and friends we had the pleasure of visiting with and not the food. Rachel's oldest kid expressed some interest in starting his own weight loss journey at 16, and I just lit up at the sound. I counseled him on what I've learned along my journey, gave him some solid advice and information, and told him and his sister that anytime they needed an answer about anything involved on their journey, to give me a call. Breaking through and losing their excess weight while they're still in their teen years would be something wonderful for sure!

My mother is staying with us overnight and I'll take her back home tomorrow. But not before we visit her favorite Ponca City restaurant, JW Cobbs. She's insisted we go. On Sundays they feature an all you can eat lunch buffet. I doubt any of us will order the Sunday buffet, instead we'll opt for some better choices off the menu. I'll tell you how that went tomorrow evening!

Our plan to hit the trail for a 10K at 8:30pm, turned into a late night 10K pretty easily. After we realized that today's 10K would find Courtney and me alone out there, we adjusted the start time to fit what we wanted to do. The 10K officially started at 11:10pm. After the first two miles we had to stop and treat Courtneys' sore heal. After the third mile we stopped again for the same reason. Courtney had to end her 10K attempt after she completed a 5K because her heel was fast approaching a really bad blister. She wanted to complete the 10K, but I just couldn't allow her to finish badly blistered. I told Courtney that this wasn't an excuse, it was a circumstance, and I was proud of her for recognizing that it's better to cut short her 10K than to risk being off of the foot for several days. With Courtney waiting, I embarked on the final three miles of tonights 10K walk. We had shed our jackets after mile one and by mile four I was dripping with sweat despite the cool and cloudy weather conditions. Then it started. Rain. Some people stay out of the rain. Not me. I love walking in the rain as long as it's free of lightening. The cool rain came down steady and drenched me from head to toe. At one point I closed my eyes and walked down the path with my head held high, letting the water pelt my face. It felt wonderful, so wonderful. As I finished the 10K, I couldn't help but reminisce about my slow start during the first two weeks of this journey. The following is an excerpt from day 2: We also walked tonight. Irene, Courtney, and I walked at the trail. They walked a mile, I walked as far as I could in one stretch...maybe a half a mile, perhaps even less. Probably less. A quarter mile? Wow...After I lost that 115 pounds four years ago, I could easily walk three miles without stopping to rest, now after a quarter mile I'm hurting and breathing really hard. I'll get it back, it'll just take some time. And here are some words from day 10: I had to stop a couple of times and breath, I had to slow down and pace myself, but I made it. I know I must have looked horrible trying to make it, because even Irene and Courtney told me it wouldn't be a bad thing if I took a short cut back to the van. But I just couldn't give up. I knew I could do it. And I did. Now, I'm going to go do it again. It gets easier right? Yes? Good. I know it will. I honestly would have never guessed that I'd be doing a 10K after seven and a half months. It does get easier, and much quicker than I ever expected. Thank you for reading. Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean

Day 229 What If It Was Impossible To Cheat?

Day 229

What If It Was Impossible To Cheat?

Here we are on the edge of another weekend. Oh how weekends use to make me so nervous. The change in routine was something I hoped I could handle. After 229 days it's not something I worry about anymore. I've always been a worrier. I worry about a lot of things. When I was over 500 pounds I worried daily that I might die, I worried about what my family would do without me, and I worried about how they were going to find a casket big enough to bury me. I really thought about that, dark I know. Grotesquely obese people die everyday, I'm sure the casket companies have a complete line of giant products to fit giant people. But still I would worry about it all the time. Now I worry about a completely different, much lighter set of worries. I worry about not getting enough fiber (I've had 30 grams today!), I worry about injuring myself while working out (that's why I'm very cautious), I worry about communicating effectively in these writings. I want you to understand way more than just what I've had to eat and what I've done for exercise, because I've discovered that the biggest secret to losing weight isn't about the food and exercise. It's about how we feel, our mindset, and what we learn about ourselves along the way. Not having to worry about my weight and overall health is a tremendous burden lifted, not only off me, but off my entire family. Compared to my worries before this journey, anything I worry about now pales in comparison. I'm a pretty lucky fellow in that regard.

This morning for breakfast I enjoyed a breakfast burrito with egg, cheese, and salsa! This is a new addition to my breakfast options. The only reason it makes my list is because the tortillas are the Mission Carb Balance variety. They each have 7 grams of fiber! Fitness and Life coach Melissa Walden introduced the audience to them at a recent “Lose To Win” Seminar. I've had three of them today. Along with my fruits and veggies, I've had 30 grams of fiber. I need to buy some more steel cut oats, I'm out, and we love those things too! You know I'm all about eating whatever, and I mean whatever I want, as long as it fits in my calorie budget for the day. But I have to say, as I get further along I find myself naturally making better and better choices. If you've read every post of this blog, I'm sure you remember the day I consumed leftover lasagna all day. I've even had a big King Size Rice Krispy treat for breakfast along the way. But strangely, I find myself leaning more toward the oatmeal and eggs, and these high fiber tortillas. I haven't made a point to do it, it's just been the natural progression of my journey.

My number one rule from the beginning has been to keep it simple. And I do, completely! It almost sounds too good to be true. I've lost 156 pounds so far because I've kept everything simple, there's absolutely zero deprivation, and I have the freedom to adapt to any food situation. Nothing is off limits. I've decided that there are no “right” or “wrong” foods, only good and bad calorie values. This makes a huge difference to me psychologically. In the past, one wrong food choice and I was done until next time. Next time might be a week or a month away, in some cases a year or two away. Why I ever allowed one meal or one food item to completely derail my efforts in the past, I have no idea. But I'm not the only one! I've talked with several people who have said the same thing. One double cheeseburger and, “Well, I failed again. Maybe next time I can keep it together, let's go get a banana split!” Not anymore, and that's a major difference in my approach this time. Could you lose weight if it was impossible to cheat? That's why it's so effective. Now of course you have to watch the serving size. You have to be honest about the portions and the calories, but for me there isn't a food that simply eating would be considered cheating. Really, it all comes down to being honest with yourself. Complete 100% honesty is paramount to my success. The rationalizations and excuses that made me feel better about overeating were completely eliminated as soon as I made myself get honest about my habits. Suddenly I was free to excel.

I just finished another 5K tonight. It was a cloudy, cold, and dark walk out there tonight, but well worth it! Tomorrow evening I'll be doing a 10K with Courtney and Brandon. My mom will be here as well, perhaps she'll go along too. She's not ready for the 10K just yet, but she's making some amazing strides in her walking routine. She has walked several days in a row, getting up to almost ¾ of a mile! I'm very proud of her efforts. She told me last night that it's getting easier! YES! That's exactly what I wanted her to realize. It gets easier! If you need convincing, go back in the archives to the very first days and read how I struggled to make it a quarter mile. I thought I was going to drop dead on the pavement, it was horrible. Now I'm walking 3.1 and 6.2 miles on a regular basis? Yes I am, because it becomes easier and easier. I look forward to exercise now and trust me, that's something I never thought I'd be able to say.

Tomorrow morning we're headed to the campus of Northern Oklahoma College for graduation ceremonies. My Aunt Kelli is picking up a degree along the way to achieving her professional degree in psychology. I'm very proud of her for hanging in there and putting out the effort and consistency needed to get it done. And really when you think about it, positive effort and consistency plus time is the key to everything worth accomplishing, from education to weight loss! Our friend Rachel will also be walking across that stage in the morning, picking up her nursing degree. Big time kudos to both of them! It'll be a wonderful day.

Somebody told me today that I have a very plain looking blog. They're right, it's not fancy at all. I have a title, a reader location map, the archives, and the blog. What more do I need? They suggested that if I made it a little more flashy that I would attract even more readers. To be honest, I don't know how to do all that flashy stuff, but even if I did, I wouldn't. That's just my preference. I've read some amazing weight loss blogs recently that are definitely fun to look at with pictures, animation, all kinds of links, and inspiring content. Except for the content part, I just don't know how to add that other stuff. The only thing I might try to add are links to other weight loss blogs. With this blog you get zero flash and all substance and I kind of like that. It may be simple, but the only thing I worry about is: Did I communicate tonight's blog entry effectively? If I can say yes to that question, I'm completely happy. Thanks for reading, good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean

Day 228 The Mountain High and Snack Talk Then A 5K Walk

Day 228

The Mountain High and Snack Talk Then A 5K Walk

I jumped right up this morning, no snooze alarm for me today! It's just not like me to not enjoy at least one nine minute snooze. I set the alarm early to allow for a snooze or two. This morning there was a spring in my step and it was because of the fantastic weigh day results. I'm in the 340's! That makes me really happy. After 156 pounds, I can clearly see what use to seem so far out of reach. Too many times I let the overwhelming burden of my weight discourage me from even trying to lose an ounce. The mountain before me looked way to big to even think about climbing. Just thinking about the task before me would make me depressed and then I would do what came naturally when I was depressed, I'd eat everything in sight, and if it wasn't in sight, I'd go to the store and grab it! Of course this did nothing for me but make the situation even more serious as the weight piled on. It was a vicious cycle. The more I gained, the more out of reach it seemed, and the more I gained, the more reasons I had to get busy. But just knowing that I desperately needed to lose weight wasn't even close to being enough to make me do something positive in that direction. Now I'm getting closer and closer to the mountain top. I've proven to myself that if I just keep moving in the right direction, a step at a time, I will get there for sure. I'm not there yet, but I'm making positive progress everyday. It's a consistent effort that defeats this mountain. I can see the flags raised on top of this mountain by those who've gone before me. I'm going to make it this time, I'm really going to make it! I will be up there raising my flag of freedom from obesity and helping others as they climb behind me.

I met Brandon, my friend and our “Lose To Win” teammate, at Subway for lunch. I thought we would share a foot-long, but Brandon had an even better idea. A kids meal. That's right, two big grown men, and there we were today ordering a kids meal. The old habits we both have in common would have no doubt given each of us our own foot-long. But that was then, and this is now. The Mini-Fit Subway Sandwich was a perfect lunch portion, coming in at just under 200 calories. We had them load our sandwiches with a bunch of low cal veggies and it was good! We each had a bag of baked chips for 140, and I enjoyed Minute Maid Lite Lemonade, I think Brandon did as well. The Minute Maid Lite is only 5 calories per 8 ounce serving and it taste so much like the lemonade I remember as a kid. I usually don't allow drinks with calories, but this stuff is the exception everywhere I can find it! We each had a toy in our kids meal too! I couldn't finish my chips, seriously! I was sitting there picking at them like I had to finish them. It was very strange. Me not finishing my chips? That's crazy talk. But I didn't. After Brandon declined them, I threw 'em away. It was a very satisfying meal and we had a good conversation too. The best part had nothing to do with the food or conversation. The best part was our seating selection. Both of us have dealt with tiny booths before. We both can relate to walking into a restaurant and realizing that it's going to be a very uncomfortable visit because the seats are not made for morbidly obese people. I've even turned around and walked out of a restaurant before if they didn't have “fat friendly” seating. In my family, our dining out plans always hinged on one thing, it wasn't the food or the service, it wasn't the prices, it was always the seating arrangement. At Subway they have tables and free roaming chairs, fat friendly for sure, but they also have the once dreaded “Formica-Lined Row-A-Booths.” These things use to be impossible for me. In fact, any “fixed” seating was usually not big enough. Today, Brandon and I chose the row-a-booths and we were both comfortable as we enjoyed our fresh fit kids meals! Sitting with room to spare, not doing internal damage, and being totally comfortable, yes indeed, that was the best part. Oh, and we made plans to do another 10K this weekend, we might even do a couple of 'em just because we can now!

I stopped by the doctors office today for a blood pressure check. I'm happy to report a reading of 129/84. That's not only good, but it's fairly normal. My pulse was 74. I was very happy with these numbers! The doctor even said it was good and that's good enough for me! Oh by the way, it was the same doctor that gave me the wake up talk on June 10th, 2008. Now every time she sees me, she just smiles real big. That's awesome. She's really good at telling it like it is in graphic detail. She doesn't hold back and I really appreciate the “slap in the face” she gave me. Even though I didn't do anything about it until September 15th, 2008, her talk on June 10th was something that I thought about everyday, several times a day. Back then I was flirting with stroke level blood pressure, now it's normal. I have to give thanks for that!

Courtney and I made a trip to the Wal-Mart Super Center to stock up on some good snacks tonight. Our snack selection use to consist of: Nutty Bars, Chips and French onion sour cream dip, ice cream, frozen pizzas, hot pockets, deli fried burritos, and anything else loaded with calories. Tonight our trip was for bottled water, bananas, apples, string cheese, high fiber soft tortillas (7grams of fiber each!), and salsa. Slightly different list huh? We even stopped by the McDonald's located inside the store for a little “On The Go” Video with Ronald McDonald. We decided to show Ronald some healthy low calorie snack choices. The video is posted below. Now understand, I've had everything on the first list at least once along this journey, some of them many times, but I find myself seeking out better “calorie value” foods these days. I may still allow for a Nutty Bar every now and then, but have you ever enjoyed a lemon marinated apple slice? They're really good too! And you talk about a metabolism booster! The metabolism loves 'em! I've posted many of these “On The Go” Videos along this journey. If you're new to this blog, you'll find many more spread out along this journey in the archives. I haven't posted one in a while, so I was happy to do this one and I look forward to many more!

After our shopping trip it was off to the Hutchins Trail for a late evening 5K. As we walked we noticed how it was considerably more humid than usual. We were really sweating good before the first mile was down. The air was thick and smelled of rain as we power walked the trail. We ran into a couple of “Lose To Win” contestants while we walked, and that was very nice. But the best part? The best part came as we started the third mile. We were warm and drenched in perspiration when suddenly the clouds opened up just enough to sprinkle us with cool rain drops. It was just what we needed to boost us to the finish line of our 5K.

Thank you for reading, you're support is a wonderful blessing to me. Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean


Ronald McDonald has been a big part of my life since the pre-school days. I actually remember different points in time, earmarked by the release of new McDonald's products. I was there the day they unveiled the McRib for the first time. I was there when Chicken McNuggets made their debut. Remember the McDLT? I do! It's high time I show Ronald some good calorie value snacks!