Writing this in my living room, on my phone, will not generate my usual long-winded, self-indulgent, although witty discourse.
I weighed myself this morning and am somewhat relieved that my body has adjusted and am now losing weight at a less dramatic rate. The expectations after such a comic first weigh-in, left me feeling more pressure than normal. My goal on myfitnesspal is 2 pounds a week and I am pleased to say I am on that healthy weight-loss track now.
Last two weeks, 5 pounds. Total 24 pounds.
Again, if you want to donate as you go, here is the website to my fundraising page.
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY12GW?px=9921451&pg=personal&fr_id=38763
Thanks for being my accountability and support!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
P90...
I hope that P90 does not mean, Puke90. I just did the first circuit workout and I feel nauseous. Maybe I shouldn't have walked for 30 minutes prior. Maybe I should've worked out a little more, or any, the last few years. Or maybe it will just get easier as long as I stick with it. Yeah, let's go with that one.
Monday, December 26, 2011
New Me, New House
For the few of you that did not know, this tree fell on me while I was sleeping just over a year ago at one in the morning. If you have not heard the whole story, ask next time I see you.
An adjustor, or adjuster (both spellings are correct), came to my house today to start the process of fixing it. Yeah!
And by my house, I mean the Baer family house that I rent. Anyway, awesome!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Holiday Cards and My Sincere Appreciation!
This time of year the United States Postal Service gets a boost from the Christmas and Holiday Cards that people send to friends and family. I know I appreciate getting them. I love to see my friend's families gathered together for a portrait to send, but the kids are usually poking each other, or looking at the cat across the room and not paying attention to the person taking the photo. Eventually the mom or dad gives up and says, "That one is good enough, use it!" It's the effort I love.
Then there are the people that take the time to write a family letter updating each family member's year, and giving its readers a glimpse into the ups and downs of the past 12 months. I love reading these. I feel like I am reading a novel about people I know and am already invested in. True, I usually know most of what is written in these letters, but who hasn't read a book more than once.
Then there is me. I have never written a family letter. I have never sent a Christmas card with my picture on it. If I love receiving them so much, then why not take part in delivering them as well? I don't have an answer to that, but I do know that I have a lot of people in my life that I am thankful for, and appreciate. Hopefully, I have told each you how much I appreciate you, and how you have made me a better person. Hopefully, you saw it my eyes that I was sincere.
I have almost 200 people on my email list when I send out updates, and I know it gets forwarded on to others(I know because I have 56 views from Russia. Whoever is reading in Russia, send me a message so I know who it is...). Each time I send out an update I get 50 or so replies, so if I don't email you back, it's because I have to work, eat and sleep. :) But I want all of you to know, that I wish you the Happiest of Holidays, the Merriest of Christmases and Healthiest of Habits!
Then there are the people that take the time to write a family letter updating each family member's year, and giving its readers a glimpse into the ups and downs of the past 12 months. I love reading these. I feel like I am reading a novel about people I know and am already invested in. True, I usually know most of what is written in these letters, but who hasn't read a book more than once.
Then there is me. I have never written a family letter. I have never sent a Christmas card with my picture on it. If I love receiving them so much, then why not take part in delivering them as well? I don't have an answer to that, but I do know that I have a lot of people in my life that I am thankful for, and appreciate. Hopefully, I have told each you how much I appreciate you, and how you have made me a better person. Hopefully, you saw it my eyes that I was sincere.
I have almost 200 people on my email list when I send out updates, and I know it gets forwarded on to others(I know because I have 56 views from Russia. Whoever is reading in Russia, send me a message so I know who it is...). Each time I send out an update I get 50 or so replies, so if I don't email you back, it's because I have to work, eat and sleep. :) But I want all of you to know, that I wish you the Happiest of Holidays, the Merriest of Christmases and Healthiest of Habits!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Before picture pressure
I have been asked by many, and I mean many people about my before and after pictures. I did not want to have before and after pictures. I find them a bit silly. In the before picture, the person always looks sad. Like someone just told them that they are not getting a Christmas bonus, or that the next installment of Twilight has been delayed 6 months. Aww...sad. They stand there sticking out their belly as if trying to win a contest for the deepest belly-button.
The after pictures crack me up even more. Especially for the guys. They usually stand against a white wall that has an overhead light. That way the shadows around their new abs with stand out more in the picture. Then they hold their arms out while they suck in their stomach as far as they can, but it's the arms that get me rolling my eyes. Are you telling me that your lats are so big that your elbows can no longer retreat to your body? If so, then I do not want to use whatever product you are so excited about. They also flex their pectorals, biceps and traps. Like the rest of care if you have bigger neck and shoulder muscles after you lost weight. How's your mile time? Tell me that and quit flexing!
And do people that lose weight always need to go tanning? If tan people are so much more beautiful, then why was Marilyn Monroe so famous? I guess I can see how TV and magazines could make people think that tan equals beautiful. I just don't understand it, and it is natural to either fear, or find humor in what we don't understand. Since I don't fear tan people, I will find humor.
So here you go people. This is not a typical before picture, but it is one that when I first saw it, made me throw up a little in my mouth. I am thicker than most people are wide, and all of that pink and purple does not help the situation. This is at last year's Relay For Life of Northshore. I was the Co-Chair, organizing an event to save lives, and I obviously have been killing myself with food and inactivity. The irony is palpable.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Holidays with 64
Have you seen the commercials for MGD 64? One person orders MGD 64 and the person next to them wants their drink to be only 64 calories, so the server hands them a new drink in a tiny, misshaped glass. I would have never tried a 64 before I started this journey, and when it is all over, I probably never will again. For now, it will have to do.
Holidays mean social events, and social events usually involve, for me anyway, adult beverages. I would consider myself somewhat knowledgable about various drinks. I could speak with some confidence about Scotch, Vodka, Washington Wines and Beer. I have taken a Whiskey class, and have spoken extensively with the owner of a local Vodka maker. I live in a Wine Maker's home, and organized a couple wine events. I have brewed 20 + beers on my own, or with a friend, and understand the workings of that art.
The calories are a killer.
Scotch: 3 oz with a splash of water = 210 calories
Vodka: 1.5 oz with mixer = 220 calories
Wine: 4 oz of Red Wine = 125 calories
Beer: 12 oz of "Good Beer" = 170 to 280 calories
This is one serving!
It's not water. It's not what I am used to, but it has 64 good reasons to make it what I reach for this Holiday Season!
Holidays mean social events, and social events usually involve, for me anyway, adult beverages. I would consider myself somewhat knowledgable about various drinks. I could speak with some confidence about Scotch, Vodka, Washington Wines and Beer. I have taken a Whiskey class, and have spoken extensively with the owner of a local Vodka maker. I live in a Wine Maker's home, and organized a couple wine events. I have brewed 20 + beers on my own, or with a friend, and understand the workings of that art.
The calories are a killer.
Scotch: 3 oz with a splash of water = 210 calories
Vodka: 1.5 oz with mixer = 220 calories
Wine: 4 oz of Red Wine = 125 calories
Beer: 12 oz of "Good Beer" = 170 to 280 calories
This is one serving!
It's not water. It's not what I am used to, but it has 64 good reasons to make it what I reach for this Holiday Season!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Put Life In Perspective This Time of Year
It's Not Easy Being Santa
By Rick Reilly
It's that time of year again, when our thoughts turn to that lovable plus-sized elf with the ruddy red cheeks, the white hair and the belly of jelly, the one who never needs an airplane.
John Madden.
No, actually, Santa Claus.
This holiday season the morals of a lot of athletes are lower than flounder droppings. The other day I heard a worried announcer say, "What must kids think of the way we adults are behaving?" But you really can't ask kids because when a kid is asked a question by an adult, the only thing the kid thinks is, How huge are this man's nostrils?
Kids trust Santa, though. They'll tell Santa anything. So I set out to conduct the Santa Sports Survey. Disguised as Saint Nick, I would spend 90 minutes at each of three Boys & Girls Clubs in metro Denver. I loaded the trunk with toys and trinkets, borrowed a Santa suit from the Cherry Creek Mall and called Susen Mesco of Amerevents.com, which runs one of the best Santa Schools in the country.
"Don't play Santa," she advised. "Be Santa."
She also said something odd. "Never ask what the children want for Christmas." Huh? "Ask, What would you like to tell Santa? Because a lot of times, what they want has nothing to do with toys. For instance, what will you do if a child says, 'Santa, I want you to bring my mommy back to life'?"
(Silence)
"You say, 'Sorry, Santa can't do that. But you know what? Sometimes our sleigh flies so high, we pass right by heaven. What do you want to tell your mom, and I'll give her a message.'"
I wasn't sure I was ready for this.
The clubs were all in poor sections of the city. At each club I was given a room and about 70 squirmy kids, ages six to 10. And right away I learned something -- I make a lousy Santa.
"Who are you?" one girl asked.
"Since when does Santa drive a sedan?" a boy said, suspiciously.
"Uh, that hurts," another girl said as I tried to tickle her.
One kid wanted to know how old I was. "Just turned 1,310," I said. He went Frisbee-eyed. I said, "I know, I don't look that old."
"No, you do," he said.
One little girl wanted to know where Rudolph was. "Rudolph pulled a hammy," I said. "This year the sleigh is going to be guided by Sylvester, from the temp agency."
(Blank stare)
I kept trying to ask my state-of-sports questions, but I might as well have been asking about pork-belly futures. Not one of them knew about Barry Bonds's BALCO connection. In fact, if I were running baseball, I'd be worried. Not one kid had a favorite ballplayer. Not one of them wanted a bat or glove. Few of them even had favorite pros in any sport: Local hero Carmelo Anthony of the Nuggets was mentioned the most, followed by two Philadelphia stars, Terrell Owens of the Eagles and Allen Iverson of the Sixers. The athletes the kids most wanted to spend time with were their dads.
"Could you bring me a fishing pole so my daddy will take me fishing with him?" one little girl asked. Another wanted a soccer ball, "'cause I think my dad would play soccer with me then."
I kept trying to hit them with survey questions like, "Do you view athletes as role models in this age of ...," and they kept hitting me with real life.
"Santa, for Christmas could you make the bill collectors stop coming?" one boy said. "It makes my mom cry."
A little girl said, "Santa, could you bring us a new house? The one we have now leaks all the time."
Lots of kids wanted hats and shoes and coats. "I want clothes," said one boy. What kind? "The warm kind," he said.
Another kid wanted to be an NBA star and make "a million dollars."
"What would you spend it on?" I asked.
"Doctors," she said, "for my cousin. She's four. She has cancer."
I told one seven-year-old boy, "Last year I came by and you were still awake, so I had to go do Dallas first until you fell asleep. So this year I want you to go right to sleep."
And he said, "That's not true, Santa. Last year you forgot my house."
I learned nothing new about sports, but plenty about how spoiled my life was, how Scroogish my spirit, how narrow my vision.
One somber eight-year-old girl was making her first visit to the club. She'd been sent from another state to live with her uncles because there were "issues" at home. She looked as if somebody had just sat on her birthday cake.
"What can Santa make you this Christmas?" I asked her.
She turned and looked at me with huge, hopeful eyes.
"Happy?" she asked.
Be Santa.
By Rick Reilly
It's that time of year again, when our thoughts turn to that lovable plus-sized elf with the ruddy red cheeks, the white hair and the belly of jelly, the one who never needs an airplane.
John Madden.
No, actually, Santa Claus.
This holiday season the morals of a lot of athletes are lower than flounder droppings. The other day I heard a worried announcer say, "What must kids think of the way we adults are behaving?" But you really can't ask kids because when a kid is asked a question by an adult, the only thing the kid thinks is, How huge are this man's nostrils?
Kids trust Santa, though. They'll tell Santa anything. So I set out to conduct the Santa Sports Survey. Disguised as Saint Nick, I would spend 90 minutes at each of three Boys & Girls Clubs in metro Denver. I loaded the trunk with toys and trinkets, borrowed a Santa suit from the Cherry Creek Mall and called Susen Mesco of Amerevents.com, which runs one of the best Santa Schools in the country.
"Don't play Santa," she advised. "Be Santa."
She also said something odd. "Never ask what the children want for Christmas." Huh? "Ask, What would you like to tell Santa? Because a lot of times, what they want has nothing to do with toys. For instance, what will you do if a child says, 'Santa, I want you to bring my mommy back to life'?"
(Silence)
"You say, 'Sorry, Santa can't do that. But you know what? Sometimes our sleigh flies so high, we pass right by heaven. What do you want to tell your mom, and I'll give her a message.'"
I wasn't sure I was ready for this.
The clubs were all in poor sections of the city. At each club I was given a room and about 70 squirmy kids, ages six to 10. And right away I learned something -- I make a lousy Santa.
"Who are you?" one girl asked.
"Since when does Santa drive a sedan?" a boy said, suspiciously.
"Uh, that hurts," another girl said as I tried to tickle her.
One kid wanted to know how old I was. "Just turned 1,310," I said. He went Frisbee-eyed. I said, "I know, I don't look that old."
"No, you do," he said.
One little girl wanted to know where Rudolph was. "Rudolph pulled a hammy," I said. "This year the sleigh is going to be guided by Sylvester, from the temp agency."
(Blank stare)
I kept trying to ask my state-of-sports questions, but I might as well have been asking about pork-belly futures. Not one of them knew about Barry Bonds's BALCO connection. In fact, if I were running baseball, I'd be worried. Not one kid had a favorite ballplayer. Not one of them wanted a bat or glove. Few of them even had favorite pros in any sport: Local hero Carmelo Anthony of the Nuggets was mentioned the most, followed by two Philadelphia stars, Terrell Owens of the Eagles and Allen Iverson of the Sixers. The athletes the kids most wanted to spend time with were their dads.
"Could you bring me a fishing pole so my daddy will take me fishing with him?" one little girl asked. Another wanted a soccer ball, "'cause I think my dad would play soccer with me then."
I kept trying to hit them with survey questions like, "Do you view athletes as role models in this age of ...," and they kept hitting me with real life.
"Santa, for Christmas could you make the bill collectors stop coming?" one boy said. "It makes my mom cry."
A little girl said, "Santa, could you bring us a new house? The one we have now leaks all the time."
Lots of kids wanted hats and shoes and coats. "I want clothes," said one boy. What kind? "The warm kind," he said.
Another kid wanted to be an NBA star and make "a million dollars."
"What would you spend it on?" I asked.
"Doctors," she said, "for my cousin. She's four. She has cancer."
I told one seven-year-old boy, "Last year I came by and you were still awake, so I had to go do Dallas first until you fell asleep. So this year I want you to go right to sleep."
And he said, "That's not true, Santa. Last year you forgot my house."
I learned nothing new about sports, but plenty about how spoiled my life was, how Scroogish my spirit, how narrow my vision.
One somber eight-year-old girl was making her first visit to the club. She'd been sent from another state to live with her uncles because there were "issues" at home. She looked as if somebody had just sat on her birthday cake.
"What can Santa make you this Christmas?" I asked her.
She turned and looked at me with huge, hopeful eyes.
"Happy?" she asked.
Be Santa.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
1st Weigh in today...
I have been thinking about this post for two weeks. Will I have to put a positive spin on a bad weigh in? Will I write about not getting my hopes up if I have a good weigh in? Should I even include an editorial and just let the number speak for itself? Will people believe what I tell them?
That's the one that stuck with me this morning. I would hope that all of you know me well enough to trust that I am being truthful. Even so, I have a friend that is either present at my weigh ins, or on the phone with me each time I step on the scale. I have taken pictures of the scale while I am teetering on top to maintain proof, but I don't think the numbers are what will be questioned.
This could be coming so far out of left field that most of you will think that I am even crazier than you ever imagined.
During the two week period between my initial request for help and my start date of December 1st, I had many people offer to help me shop, cook, workout and the like. There were also more than a few people that offered to help me bulk up before the first weigh in so my initial weight would be bigger, I could lose more, and then raise more money for the American Cancer Society.
At first this seemed appealing. I mean, I am doing this for myself and for charity. Would packing on a few more pounds before I begin be that big of a deal? Would eating salty food and drinking a lot of water the day before be that big of an advantage? How big of an impact could it really have on my weigh in? 3 pounds? 5 pounds? What is that, $3-5 more for more most of you by the end of this thing? For one person, $30-50!
I thought about all of this and more. Then I realized, that would not be me. I want to earn my weight loss. I want to earn those fundraising dollars. I want this to be a genuine experience. And it has been.
Some people have asked if they could donate as they go, so the end result does not bust their bank account. Of course. The easiest way will be to donate to my online fundraising page. Their is no processing fee, and it is very quick with a credit/debit card. Use the link below, or wait until the final number. I am not going to hound anyone for the donations. If you sponsored me, it will be on your honor to donate along the way, or at the end.
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY12National?px=9921451&pg=personal&fr_id=38763
Thanks for reading my mind-puke, and thanks again for supporting me through this life change.
Happy Holidays!
Ryan
Oh yeah. My weigh in. I lost 19 pounds!
And BOOM goes the Dynamite!
That's the one that stuck with me this morning. I would hope that all of you know me well enough to trust that I am being truthful. Even so, I have a friend that is either present at my weigh ins, or on the phone with me each time I step on the scale. I have taken pictures of the scale while I am teetering on top to maintain proof, but I don't think the numbers are what will be questioned.
This could be coming so far out of left field that most of you will think that I am even crazier than you ever imagined.
During the two week period between my initial request for help and my start date of December 1st, I had many people offer to help me shop, cook, workout and the like. There were also more than a few people that offered to help me bulk up before the first weigh in so my initial weight would be bigger, I could lose more, and then raise more money for the American Cancer Society.
At first this seemed appealing. I mean, I am doing this for myself and for charity. Would packing on a few more pounds before I begin be that big of a deal? Would eating salty food and drinking a lot of water the day before be that big of an advantage? How big of an impact could it really have on my weigh in? 3 pounds? 5 pounds? What is that, $3-5 more for more most of you by the end of this thing? For one person, $30-50!
I thought about all of this and more. Then I realized, that would not be me. I want to earn my weight loss. I want to earn those fundraising dollars. I want this to be a genuine experience. And it has been.
Some people have asked if they could donate as they go, so the end result does not bust their bank account. Of course. The easiest way will be to donate to my online fundraising page. Their is no processing fee, and it is very quick with a credit/debit card. Use the link below, or wait until the final number. I am not going to hound anyone for the donations. If you sponsored me, it will be on your honor to donate along the way, or at the end.
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY12National?px=9921451&pg=personal&fr_id=38763
Thanks for reading my mind-puke, and thanks again for supporting me through this life change.
Happy Holidays!
Ryan
Oh yeah. My weigh in. I lost 19 pounds!
And BOOM goes the Dynamite!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
College Acceptance Letter
I remember when I was applying to colleges, and the wait time that lingered after the deadline passed. Did I get in? Did I have enough extra-curricular activities? Was my GPA high enough? Were my SAT scores too low? Will being a student athlete help me with the admission board?
I waited to hear from schools like University of Washington, Linfield, Pamona-Pitzer and Whitworth. I felt scared, but confident that my accolades would speak for themselves. I felt eager to know, but apprehensive to find out. I looked in the mailbox daily hoping to find the letter, but relieved not to find it.
I am having similar feelings as I approach my first weigh-in. Confident, but scared. Eager, but apprehensive.
Thursday morning is going to speak for itself...
I waited to hear from schools like University of Washington, Linfield, Pamona-Pitzer and Whitworth. I felt scared, but confident that my accolades would speak for themselves. I felt eager to know, but apprehensive to find out. I looked in the mailbox daily hoping to find the letter, but relieved not to find it.
I am having similar feelings as I approach my first weigh-in. Confident, but scared. Eager, but apprehensive.
Thursday morning is going to speak for itself...
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The Pizza Monster
Everyone remembers the Cookie Monster on Sesame Street. That blue fur-ball with the big wobbly eyes that would devour a whole plate of cookies faster than Kim Kardashian can pose for a butt photo. The object of many parent's blame for their child's obesity problems, because it was not the fact that you gave your child the cookies, it was the cookie monster convincing your child to eat them. That makes sense...
Well, I have considered myself the Pizza Monster at specific moments on my life. This summer, good friends of mine had a 10 year anniversary party in which they hired Veraci Pizza to bring their Brick Oven Wagon and cook pizza for the 30 or so guests. If you have not tried Veraci Pizza, you must. It is on 55th in Ballard and is the best thin crust, brick oven pizza I have ever eaten. So it was no surprise to myself that I was the Pizza Monster at this party.
Of course, the first time to the pizza table it is not that crazy for a person to take four slices of pizza with their salad, bread and wine. Right? Umm...right? Oh shut up! I'm fat. If I had stopped there, I wouldn't be the Pizza Monster, so I continued. And since I am not a muppet on a children's show, I needed to be more stealthy in my devouring of the pizza. Once I went back up and nonchalantly looked around, and acted surprised, "Oh they made one with black olives. I gotta try that one." I took three and scampered back to my seat in the yard. A little while later I walked inside the house to "use the restroom" but I used that as a excuse to grab to two slices on the way inside (hoping that no one noticed), and then eat them alone. Because in my mind, if no one saw you eating it, then it didn't happen. On the way out of the house, I grabbed one slice, but since I did not have a plate in my hand, it was a snack and not part of the meal. I am insane right? Then a little later, I went back up and grabbed a few slices and walked them down to a friend in the yard and said, "They brought out the kind you were asking about so I grabbed you some." And I already knew what his answer was going to be, "Oh thanks, but I already had some of that kind and now I am full." Well, I can't let them go to waste. I will eat them...
Welcome to the mind of a food addict.
Once all the pizza had been consumed, my total can only be described by a compound inequality. 11 < x < 16
Let me translate, the amount of pizza I ate (x), was greater than 11 slices of pizza, and less than 16 slices of pizza. I ate so much I couldn't even keep track. The truly sad thing is, I was bummed out when by buddy gave the left overs to someone else, because I probably would have eaten a couple slices as I drove home.
What does this have to do with my current progress? You would think, "You better not eat pizza, because you'll end up eating too much." And I would agree with you, but I also know myself. This life change will not work if I remove all the food I love to eat. I need to make a change, but I will not go to the extremes.
The other night while shopping at Top Foods, I came across a rather large, whole wheat, flat-bread pizza crust. I looked at the nutrition label and it appeared to be pretty decent. Good amount of fiber, no bleached sugars or fructose and the calories were not out of control like the white pizza crust next to this one. I placed two in my cart. I continued to shop for pizza toppings that were not out of control with fat or sugar. I bought tomato paste for the base, not marinara. I bought two types of low-fat cheese, and a red bell pepper. I also cut up some roasted turkey lunch meat from Costco.
While my new pizza creation was cooking, I was writing down the nutritional information for each item, and started loading them into myfitnesspal. I was not finished loading everything in when the pizza was done cooking, so I took a break to eat. I was a little distracted and distressed over putting my dog down just hours before this, so I did not care about my calorie in take for a bit, and I ended up eating half of the pizza. Realizing I ate half of what would be considered a large pizza, I felt I had let myself down, but then I finished entering in the nutritional information. I was surprised at the results. Half of the pizza totaled under 600 calories. Well, I know what I will be eating at least once a week.
I guess the Pizza Monster can live on! (In a healthier way)
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Home Sweet Home, Boston Sweet Boston
The fires of Las Vegas are extinguished and I have conquered that town! Well, not conquered. I mean they did take a lot of money off of me, but I remained under my calorie goal each day. And that was not including all of the walking I did, which would have given me some calories back...so pretty good I hope!
Day 1 back in the grind of school has been tough. I did not have time to go shopping before I left, or last night when I got home. I was able to make due for breakfast and lunch, but I have to hit the grocery store tonight.
I am gonna ask for some positive thoughts and vibes tonight. Please don't text or call, as that will be a little overwhelming. I have to take my dog Boston in to be put down today at 5:15. He has a slipped disc, and has been on steroids for 5 weeks. He appeared better for the first couple weeks, but as he was weened off the steroids, he has gotten worse and worse. He is in so much pain, and has been for a couple months. Surgery is not an option and I don't want to see him suffer any more.
Boston is 7 years old and he has been my side for the last 3 years. He is one of my hiking buddies, my watch dog and my companion. He is too smart for fetch. He just looks at me like, "You go get the ball if you want it!" He knows not to beg, not to jump on people and to be nice to my Mom's little dogs even when they drive him nutts. He was going to be my walking pal as I begin my exercise plan, and now, my home will not feel the same without him.
Home is just not going to be as sweet without Boston by my side.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Last day in the Fire
With all of the walking one has to do in Vegas, I am definitely below my calorie goals for each day! I guess the best indicator of my success will be the one that can't lie in weight loss, the scale. Not that I am lying, but I did have to estimate some of food from restaurants that were not in myfitnesspal.
I am not going to weigh in for 10 more days, because if I did not lose weight after working this hard in Vegas, I will be discouraged. So I will wait.
Thank you all for the encouraging texts and comments. I hope the American Cancer Society reaps the benefits!
I am not going to weigh in for 10 more days, because if I did not lose weight after working this hard in Vegas, I will be discouraged. So I will wait.
Thank you all for the encouraging texts and comments. I hope the American Cancer Society reaps the benefits!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Vegas and the Missing Bun
My first day limiting myself to 2470 calories was easy. I measure my oatmeal, my brown sugar and almonds for breakfast. A friend and co-worker hooked me up with a healthy lunch made up of turkey on whole wheat, string cheese and a whole tomato. Dinner was a salad at a cafe in the Luxor in Vegas. According to myfitnesspal.com, I was 104 calories under my goal in take.
Day 2 was a bit different in Vegas. I slept in til noon (thank you Poker Room for keeping me up til 3). Then did not get down stairs til after 1. I decided to combine my breakfast and lunch calories by having a 'normal' sized meal. Veggie omelette with hash browns and whole wheat toast equals 1200 calories. Almost half my day's take. My snack was a 32 ounce Bud Light. Hey, it's Vegas! Then dinner was out with some marathoners and my bro. I ordered the low-carb burger(no bun), which comes with small salad, cole slaw, grilled portobello mushrooms and peppers. At the end of the day I was 238 calories over my goal, but I did walk several miles. You pretty much have to here to do anything.
Overall, I am pleased with my food, exercise and goals. Let's keep this train rolling.
Day 2 was a bit different in Vegas. I slept in til noon (thank you Poker Room for keeping me up til 3). Then did not get down stairs til after 1. I decided to combine my breakfast and lunch calories by having a 'normal' sized meal. Veggie omelette with hash browns and whole wheat toast equals 1200 calories. Almost half my day's take. My snack was a 32 ounce Bud Light. Hey, it's Vegas! Then dinner was out with some marathoners and my bro. I ordered the low-carb burger(no bun), which comes with small salad, cole slaw, grilled portobello mushrooms and peppers. At the end of the day I was 238 calories over my goal, but I did walk several miles. You pretty much have to here to do anything.
Overall, I am pleased with my food, exercise and goals. Let's keep this train rolling.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Here we go!
Day 1: I weighed in and good news, I am still under 4 digits! (That means under 1000 lbs for you non-math types)
As I shared in my original email, I am not going to share my actual weight, but I do have people checking to make sure I am not being deceptive. I bought a new scale yesterday for the occasion. It is pretty fancy compared to what I am used to, but I was used to the spinning wheel scale that looked like the Tea-Cups at the fair when I stepped on it. It was old, like a rotary phone. Kids today would not know how to use it. But this new one is cool! I can input my height, age and activity level, then when I weigh-in, it tells me how many calories I can eat to maintain my current weight.
This morning it said that I could eat 3940 calories a day to maintain my weight. Thanks for the advice Scale, but I think I will dial that back a notch or two.
At the recommendation of several people on my distribution list, I am using MyFitnessPal.com. Again, I can input my height, age, activity level and weight and then it tells me how many calories to eat in order to lose 2 pounds a week. 2470 calories a day. Listen closely, if you really listen right now, you can hear MyFitnessPal is laughing at my scale.
I am excited, nervous and eager for this new chapter in my life. Thank you for being part of it.
Here's to the Tea-Cups and only 3 digits!
As I shared in my original email, I am not going to share my actual weight, but I do have people checking to make sure I am not being deceptive. I bought a new scale yesterday for the occasion. It is pretty fancy compared to what I am used to, but I was used to the spinning wheel scale that looked like the Tea-Cups at the fair when I stepped on it. It was old, like a rotary phone. Kids today would not know how to use it. But this new one is cool! I can input my height, age and activity level, then when I weigh-in, it tells me how many calories I can eat to maintain my current weight.
This morning it said that I could eat 3940 calories a day to maintain my weight. Thanks for the advice Scale, but I think I will dial that back a notch or two.
At the recommendation of several people on my distribution list, I am using MyFitnessPal.com. Again, I can input my height, age, activity level and weight and then it tells me how many calories to eat in order to lose 2 pounds a week. 2470 calories a day. Listen closely, if you really listen right now, you can hear MyFitnessPal is laughing at my scale.
I am excited, nervous and eager for this new chapter in my life. Thank you for being part of it.
Here's to the Tea-Cups and only 3 digits!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Thrown into the Fire!
Believe it, or not, I used to run the 3200 meter race for my Jr High Track and Field team. I mainly did it to get in shape for football, but I also had a sense of accomplishment after each race. Not because I won, because that never happened. Although, there was one race that I did not finish last. I finished almost a full lap ahead of a kid at Rose Hill Jr High. (But now that I think back, he may have been a special needs kid.) The 3200 was a race that not that many Jr High kids wanted to run. The mile run in PE class was dreaded enough. Why would anyone want to run two miles when they didn't have to?
Like I said, I wanted to get in shape for football and with each race, my times improved. I started out with a monstrous 19 minutes and 30-something seconds. By season's end, my personal record was 14 minutes and 12 seconds. Shaving over 5 minutes off my time felt great! I did not continue running for the track team in high school, but I did run often to stay in shape for football. After my football playing days were through, I did not find much use for running. I ran three 5k's for the CCFA (Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America) in support of my brother Chris, who has suffered from Crohn's since we were young. I never matched my 7+ minute mile pace, but I was proud of my 27 minute - 30 second time.
Running a half-marathon is not something I have ever considered attempting. I don't even like to drive 13.1 miles, let alone run them. My brother Chris has run 9 of them. That's right, 9! Nine! As in, one more than eight, 9! Chris has done so much to promote the CCFA's Team Challenge Half-Marathons that the CCFA has created an annual award for the person making the greatest impact on the Team Challenge program, in which he was the first recipient, and is now named after him. This year, Chris will be the one giving this award to someone else.
This weekend he is running his 10th half-marathon in Las Vegas, and my mother and I will be there to cheer him to the finish line. And as proud as I am of my brother's accomplishments, I can't help but to worry about my personal challenge of being healthy and losing weight.
I fly out Thursday night on the 1st. The day I start my challenge! So the first 4 days of this life style change will be in Las Vegas. Home to buffet after buffet, and cocktail after cocktail. I threw myself into the fire! The fire of temptation! The fire of a town that sucks your will-power to say no. The fire of everything I want to change.
This morning, I received my 113th pledge. A good friend pledged $2 per pound to give me a total of $151.50 per pound! Now that is the fire hose needed to douse the fiery temptation of Las Vegas!
Run baby run!
Like I said, I wanted to get in shape for football and with each race, my times improved. I started out with a monstrous 19 minutes and 30-something seconds. By season's end, my personal record was 14 minutes and 12 seconds. Shaving over 5 minutes off my time felt great! I did not continue running for the track team in high school, but I did run often to stay in shape for football. After my football playing days were through, I did not find much use for running. I ran three 5k's for the CCFA (Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America) in support of my brother Chris, who has suffered from Crohn's since we were young. I never matched my 7+ minute mile pace, but I was proud of my 27 minute - 30 second time.
Running a half-marathon is not something I have ever considered attempting. I don't even like to drive 13.1 miles, let alone run them. My brother Chris has run 9 of them. That's right, 9! Nine! As in, one more than eight, 9! Chris has done so much to promote the CCFA's Team Challenge Half-Marathons that the CCFA has created an annual award for the person making the greatest impact on the Team Challenge program, in which he was the first recipient, and is now named after him. This year, Chris will be the one giving this award to someone else.
This weekend he is running his 10th half-marathon in Las Vegas, and my mother and I will be there to cheer him to the finish line. And as proud as I am of my brother's accomplishments, I can't help but to worry about my personal challenge of being healthy and losing weight.
I fly out Thursday night on the 1st. The day I start my challenge! So the first 4 days of this life style change will be in Las Vegas. Home to buffet after buffet, and cocktail after cocktail. I threw myself into the fire! The fire of temptation! The fire of a town that sucks your will-power to say no. The fire of everything I want to change.
This morning, I received my 113th pledge. A good friend pledged $2 per pound to give me a total of $151.50 per pound! Now that is the fire hose needed to douse the fiery temptation of Las Vegas!
Run baby run!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
3 and a half days left...
Thanksgiving weekend is coming to a close and I find myself reflecting on the past two weeks.
First, I overcame the embarrassment of having to admit that I am morbidly obese to most of my friends and family(whose email addresses I had in my gmail account). Then the flood of emails of support, and offers to help. I will admit, at first, I was a little sensitive to receive so much immediate support, and ideas to guide me through the process. I thought, "Wow. These people have been thinking I was a huge fatty for a long time and have been wanting me to be less disgusting." Luckily, my more sane side of my brain broke down that thought, and I was encouraged that so many people cared enough about me to help in so many ways.
As word spread, my original idea of 25 people sponsoring $1 per pound started to seem a bit like a parent who wants to take just a couple of photos at their child's birthday party, but at the end of the day, there are hundreds on the camera. It is hard to sort through them all, and you are not sure where to start.
I have a 104 people that have agreed to sponsor my weight loss. I don't know where to start thanking people. Do I write individual emails to everyone? Do I call each person to give my gratitude for their kindness? Do I write thank you cards? And then the answer seemed so simple. The best thank you I could give, is to do my best over the next six months to full-fill your hopes for me. To create a new life-style. To become the person you envisioned when you pledged me. In that way, I will give my best thank you.
With 3 and a half days left, I have been pledged $142 per pound. How cool would it be to reach $150 by Thursday?
Much Love
First, I overcame the embarrassment of having to admit that I am morbidly obese to most of my friends and family(whose email addresses I had in my gmail account). Then the flood of emails of support, and offers to help. I will admit, at first, I was a little sensitive to receive so much immediate support, and ideas to guide me through the process. I thought, "Wow. These people have been thinking I was a huge fatty for a long time and have been wanting me to be less disgusting." Luckily, my more sane side of my brain broke down that thought, and I was encouraged that so many people cared enough about me to help in so many ways.
As word spread, my original idea of 25 people sponsoring $1 per pound started to seem a bit like a parent who wants to take just a couple of photos at their child's birthday party, but at the end of the day, there are hundreds on the camera. It is hard to sort through them all, and you are not sure where to start.
I have a 104 people that have agreed to sponsor my weight loss. I don't know where to start thanking people. Do I write individual emails to everyone? Do I call each person to give my gratitude for their kindness? Do I write thank you cards? And then the answer seemed so simple. The best thank you I could give, is to do my best over the next six months to full-fill your hopes for me. To create a new life-style. To become the person you envisioned when you pledged me. In that way, I will give my best thank you.
With 3 and a half days left, I have been pledged $142 per pound. How cool would it be to reach $150 by Thursday?
Much Love
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
100!
I reached my 100th pledge! Right now, for every pound I lose, $135 will be donated to Relay For Life of Northshore! The American Cancer Society is dedicated to providing support for cancer patients and researching to find a cure. This generosity will go a long way!
Thank you all!
Thank you all!
Thankful at Thanksgiving
Growing up, Thanksgiving meant the same to me as I am sure it did to a lot of you. Family, football, friends and an absurd amount of food. By the time I woke up my mom had already started preparing the stuffing by sauteing some celery, onions and other ingredients in what appeared to be a cube of butter. I would sneak into the kitchen and grab a few of the cookies she had made the night before, and sneak back out to the living room to devour them. I would then enter the kitchen as if I had just woken, and ask if I could have a couple cookies with breakfast. Mom would also say no at first, but I knew if I bugged her enough, she would give in as long as I left her alone so she could cook. I always seemed to figure out how to manipulate a situation to get food.
When my aunts and uncles started to arrive, usually around noon, eating the treats was OK because they were appetizers and we were supposed to eat them. I don't think I was supposed to be eating them in the quantities that I had grown a custom, but what did I care? They were good!
My uncle Jerry was the "Pull my Finger" uncle that always tried to make the kids laugh. He is a big guy, 6 foot 4 inch and probably 300 pounds at the time, and he would take pride in he fact that he would eat Thanksgiving dinner on a platter; not a plate like the rest of us. Of course, when he would pack down two platters worth of food, I was impressed and wanted to be able to do that one day. He told me his "eating secret" once. About an hour before they came over, he would drink a gallon of water really fast. This would expand and stretch his stomach, but the water would work its way out of the body before eating began, allowing him to fit more in his stomach and not feel full. I now regret the fact that I can say I have used this method on a few occasions.
My uncle Jerry has since made changes in his life and seems to have his eating and weight under control. I am impressed and want to be able to do that for myself.
So tomorrow when the cookies are laid out, the stuffing is sauteing in butter, and I convince my younger cousin to pull my finger, I will have a new meaning for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving will be about the 97 people who signed on to sponsor my efforts. Thanksgiving will be about those willing to workout with me, shop with me, cook with me and hold me accountable. And I will be thankful for all the love that they have shown me with their generosity and support.
I have a new "eating secret." It's you. Thank you for being there for me.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Snowball effect
I can honestly say that I thought it would take 2 weeks to recruit 25 people to sponsor me in my weight loss efforts. After just 2 days, over 30 people had offered to pledge, 5 people offered to help me shop, 12 people offered to help me learn how to cook healthy, 9 people offered to help with workout plans, and everyone one of those people offered up their time and energy to help in any other way.
I was overwhelmed by this response. But it did not stop there. People started forwarding the original email. People talked about it at work. People called other family and friends. Emails started flowing in constantly. Voicemails were left on my phone from friends and family who were genuinely excited for me, and they wanted to be a part of my life change. I am humbled by everyone's kindness.
Friends started to get creative with their pledges. $1 per pound up to 50 lbs, and then $2 per pound if I can lose over 50 lbs. Another said, if I can keep the weight off until next year's Relay, they would double this year's donation! Wow! "Hello Motivation. I am Ryan."
Right now, I have 88 people who have pledged to hold me accountable and donate at least $1 per pound. This incredible act of kindness by my family and friends adds up to about $115.50 per pound. It is hard to say the exact amount because of the per pound pledge changes for some people based on if I lose 25, 50, 75 or more.
I still have 13 days before I start on December 1st. Will the snowball keep rolling? I hope so.
I was overwhelmed by this response. But it did not stop there. People started forwarding the original email. People talked about it at work. People called other family and friends. Emails started flowing in constantly. Voicemails were left on my phone from friends and family who were genuinely excited for me, and they wanted to be a part of my life change. I am humbled by everyone's kindness.
Friends started to get creative with their pledges. $1 per pound up to 50 lbs, and then $2 per pound if I can lose over 50 lbs. Another said, if I can keep the weight off until next year's Relay, they would double this year's donation! Wow! "Hello Motivation. I am Ryan."
Right now, I have 88 people who have pledged to hold me accountable and donate at least $1 per pound. This incredible act of kindness by my family and friends adds up to about $115.50 per pound. It is hard to say the exact amount because of the per pound pledge changes for some people based on if I lose 25, 50, 75 or more.
I still have 13 days before I start on December 1st. Will the snowball keep rolling? I hope so.
How this started...
Dear Family and Friends,
I need help. I did not know how to start this email, but that seems to sum it up. I need help.
I have allowed myself to lose control of one aspect of my life that is hindering other parts of my life. I need to be motivated, and be held accountable to make a positive change in my life.
My weight has always been an issue. I was a big kid, who became a big teenager, who became a big college student, who has now become a morbidly obese adult. Not many of you know that last Spring I auditioned for the show Biggest Loser. Some of the people who were in the know, said you are not as big as "those people." In fact, I am bigger than most of those people. And in the past year I have only grown bigger. I thought being on that show would be the motivation I needed. I would be motivated to not let my family and friends down. I would not want to be the guy who got on the show and did not take advantage. Unfortunately, I was not chosen.
For years I dwelled on the fact that my lumbar discs seem to herniate every time I start making progress, or the random staph infection that nearly took my leg. But my back has been feeling good for nearly 2 years and still I have done nothing. I have realized that losing weight is truly not that important to me because I have not even tried to start. But there are a couple of things that are very important to me.
One is my students. I am a passionate teacher, and feel like I am letting my students down. I am a terrible role model living this way. I need to do better for them.
Second is Relay For Life. I have dedicated a huge chunk of my life to this cause because Cancer has affected so many people in my life, and Relay For Life helps me feel like I am doing something to help.
Here is where you can help me with my motivation and accountability. I am asking people to sponsor my weight loss. Minimum is $1 per pound, you can decide on your own maximum. I will start on December 1st to give all of you some time to decide if you would like to help me, and for how much. Then I will do my final weigh-in a week before this year's Relay For Life, May 25th (Relay is June 2nd). This is about 6 months. All the money will be donated to my fundraising efforts for Relay For Life.
Here is what I am hoping for, at least 25 people to donate at least $1 per pound. If I can get that, then in six months if I lose:
25lbs - $625
35lbs - $875
45lbs - $1125
50lbs - $1250
Of course those numbers will be higher if people chose to donate more than $1 per pound. The more money, the more motivation I will have to lose weight. The more people that agree to donate on my behalf, the more people that will be holding me accountable. If I have a meeting, where a candy bowl is always available, I will not be eating any if people in the room are sponsoring my efforts. If I go to a friend's house for dinner, I will not be having any seconds if they are sponsoring my efforts.
Here is what you need to do if you would like to help: Reply to this email with a pledge per pound ($1 minimum. No maximum.) Forward this on to someone who knows me and you think might be interested in helping me. I left the addresses in the bcc, so they may have already received it, but seeing that you are going to help out might make them more likely to help out as well. Also, I don't have everyone's email address.
If you chose to pledge me, on December 1st you will get an email saying we have started, and an update of how many people pledged. This is hard enough for me to admit, so I won't be sharing my actual weight, but I will have people witnessing the weigh ins. Monthly updates will also be sent to those participating.
I know this email got a little lengthy. I hope you consider helping me, and that you find someone else who would help me. The bigger the support web, the more I can accomplish.
Thank you for your consideration!
I need help. I did not know how to start this email, but that seems to sum it up. I need help.
I have allowed myself to lose control of one aspect of my life that is hindering other parts of my life. I need to be motivated, and be held accountable to make a positive change in my life.
My weight has always been an issue. I was a big kid, who became a big teenager, who became a big college student, who has now become a morbidly obese adult. Not many of you know that last Spring I auditioned for the show Biggest Loser. Some of the people who were in the know, said you are not as big as "those people." In fact, I am bigger than most of those people. And in the past year I have only grown bigger. I thought being on that show would be the motivation I needed. I would be motivated to not let my family and friends down. I would not want to be the guy who got on the show and did not take advantage. Unfortunately, I was not chosen.
For years I dwelled on the fact that my lumbar discs seem to herniate every time I start making progress, or the random staph infection that nearly took my leg. But my back has been feeling good for nearly 2 years and still I have done nothing. I have realized that losing weight is truly not that important to me because I have not even tried to start. But there are a couple of things that are very important to me.
One is my students. I am a passionate teacher, and feel like I am letting my students down. I am a terrible role model living this way. I need to do better for them.
Second is Relay For Life. I have dedicated a huge chunk of my life to this cause because Cancer has affected so many people in my life, and Relay For Life helps me feel like I am doing something to help.
Here is where you can help me with my motivation and accountability. I am asking people to sponsor my weight loss. Minimum is $1 per pound, you can decide on your own maximum. I will start on December 1st to give all of you some time to decide if you would like to help me, and for how much. Then I will do my final weigh-in a week before this year's Relay For Life, May 25th (Relay is June 2nd). This is about 6 months. All the money will be donated to my fundraising efforts for Relay For Life.
Here is what I am hoping for, at least 25 people to donate at least $1 per pound. If I can get that, then in six months if I lose:
25lbs - $625
35lbs - $875
45lbs - $1125
50lbs - $1250
Of course those numbers will be higher if people chose to donate more than $1 per pound. The more money, the more motivation I will have to lose weight. The more people that agree to donate on my behalf, the more people that will be holding me accountable. If I have a meeting, where a candy bowl is always available, I will not be eating any if people in the room are sponsoring my efforts. If I go to a friend's house for dinner, I will not be having any seconds if they are sponsoring my efforts.
Here is what you need to do if you would like to help: Reply to this email with a pledge per pound ($1 minimum. No maximum.) Forward this on to someone who knows me and you think might be interested in helping me. I left the addresses in the bcc, so they may have already received it, but seeing that you are going to help out might make them more likely to help out as well. Also, I don't have everyone's email address.
If you chose to pledge me, on December 1st you will get an email saying we have started, and an update of how many people pledged. This is hard enough for me to admit, so I won't be sharing my actual weight, but I will have people witnessing the weigh ins. Monthly updates will also be sent to those participating.
I know this email got a little lengthy. I hope you consider helping me, and that you find someone else who would help me. The bigger the support web, the more I can accomplish.
Thank you for your consideration!
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