Slowly But Surely

So I know that it has been a while since I have been on here but it has not been easy these past 2 weeks.  I started having some thumb and wrist problems in my right hand.  I keep going like there was nothing to it and then finally at the end of the first week I went to see the doctor.  I told him my symptoms and he grabs my wrist and shoved it a certain way.  I screamed bloody murder and he told me what I had and it was some big name but not the normal wrist problems people get.  He gave me a brace to wear on my arm and hand and told me I have to wear it for 2 weeks.  If that doesn't work then he would have to inject with a needle in my wrist a steroid.  If that did not work then I would have to see a hand specialist and have surgery to help relieve some of the tension in my wrist.
Well I have to report that the rapid weight loss.  It really does feel great to start losing so much weight at the beginning and then know the day will come when it will slow down.  I almost believe that this part of losing weight is the part to see how dedicated one really is.  Now its about being in it for the long run.  A guy that I knew who was 225lbs lost 30lbs but he said after 20 he slowed down and the last ten took him the longest.  He said slowly but surely but its part of the life long process.
           Everyday at the gym seems to get a little bit easier.  The elliptical has become a friend to me every morning Monday through Saturday.  My doctor told me that I should stick with the elliptical for a little be longer since it seems to be working for me.   I get up at 4:45am and get to the gym by 5am to get my 3 mile jog in and then some swimming afterwards.  I remember when I first started I could barely get off the elliptical and walk.  Now I get off and it's like "all right lets go swimming now and cool down".  Since I cannot do free weights because I'm still getting over a back injury I keep trying to find ways to increase the work out.  I have just recently increased my speed and found that that really has helped.  I started wondering if I cut my portions way down if that would help with losing the weight.  I have to say that I am not a fan of counting calories because it drives me crazy.  I believe that using common sense has helped a lot in maintaining the weight.
My blood pressure levels have maintained at a steady low.  This takes the place of happiness when I weigh myself and see that much weight has not come off.  I take my blood pressure and see that it is maintaining a low rate.  This reminds me that though the weight is not coming off fast that I am keeping a study low pressure which means I'm doing everything right.  Doing is better than not doing and helps keep me on the path.
The good news is that The Biggest Loser has started again.  I remember always saying that I'm going to start when the season begins and I have been saying that for many seasons.  This time it was great to watch the first episode knowing that I have already started and that I was sticking to it.  I tell you they beat the crap out of those people on there for about 4 hours a day and then don't let them do anything else.  That's how they are losing all this weight at the beginning not to mention all of the water weight that they are caring.  Most people forget that as they watch the numbers get lower and slower each new episode.  This has helped me to learn that this is just a continual life process that is working for me rather than against me.  Well until next time.


STATS

WGHT:  317LBS
SYS   147
DIA  83
HRT  82

TWO WEEKS IN

Well its been a while since I was on here about two weeks and there has been a great change.  First off the very next day after seeing my doctor and receiving the ok from him to go to the gym and start working out.  He told me that I could only use the elliptical for 4 weeks before I could do anything else so I hit the gym the next day.

I have had a Gold's membership for almost a year and could count how many times I had tried to workout before but had failed.  This time I knew that it had to be different.  First I felt stupid being a 6'5" man getting on an elliptical rather than going and lifting some weights.  I then remembered that like a year ago I created a workout CD to listen to and had it imported into my iPod playlist.  I put the music on and started on my way.  Little did I know that starting on my way led to me wanting to stop 1/4th of a mile into it.  I could not believe that I was that bad.  I made the decision right then and there that today I was  going to do five miles no matter what pain I was in, even thought I was still having back issues.  I surprised myself when I made the five miles and also thought that I was going to die.  I couldn't even stand up straight and I was so embarrassed for myself.  I thought people were thinking "look at the fat guy he's going to die any time now watch".  I decided maybe I was looking at the BIG picture rather than looking at part of the picture first and then decided that I was going to start with 3 miles.

I also started a low sodium low carb diet.  It was so hard to get this started because when I found things with lower sodium they had more carbs than the original or the opposite for the low carbs.  I decided that this would work with portion control and small meals.  The first time that Quanda (my wife) and I went grocery shopping we were there for about 2 and a half hours shopping trying to make sure we get things right.  Let me tell you eating heathy is a lot more money!  I knew if we would have paid less that we could have spent less money but it was not about the money, it was about making sure I didn't die in the next few years.  I was on my way and ready to move forward.

A WEEK LATER 9/6-9/10

So I could not believe what had happened in the week, I had lost 10 lbs.  You would think that I would have been more tired considering that I was getting up at 4:45am to get to the gym by 5 am.  It was the complete opposite in fact, I had more energy than ever before.  I found that I was getting a better nights rest and wasn't getting tired doing stupid small things like a flight of stairs.  I was energized, fully concentrated and ready to go.  I had started eating breakfast (which I usually didn't do in the mornings and when I did it was gas station fried food.  Things were looking up and I was happy and was even enjoying the elliptical!

STATS:

WGHT 328

SYS 147
DIA  94
HRT 90

BIRTHDAY WEEK 9/13-9/17

Wednesday was going to be my birthday and I was getting a little worried about what I was going to do  I knew that I wanted all you can eat chinese food, cake and ice cream. I had researched how many calories were in a slice of cake and ice cream because I already know that chinese food was going to blow it all out of the water.  When I found out I knew that it was no where near possible.  I was thinking to myself that this was going to suck as a birthday.

Well when Wednesday rolled around I was so worried.  I did really good at school, breakfast was the same ol' fruits and water, making my own lunch and enjoying it, and then the trouble of home.  I got home and worried about what would happen and then my wife walking in with her pregnant arms filled with a watermelon and other fruits.  She had invited over some friends and instead of having chips and salsa we were having fruit.  We then went to Applebee's where I was able to get a heathy salad and then a grilled chicken with spinach and pasta.  While we were there I tried one of my wife's fries from her meal and nearly died so I handed back the other 5 fries to her.  When then went home and had more fruit and did a little cheese tasting.  It was not bad at all and in fact I thought that it was the best birthday ever. I was so thankful for it because I was already healthier than I was before my birthday and was on my way.

As the week came to a close I could not believe my eyes another 10 lbs came off.  I was in the routine of things and was enjoying myself now.  It no longer felt like working and just felt like a normal routine.  It really excited me to know that it was working.  It made me feel more excited to keep going and see what the end result is going to be.  It working, really working.

STATS:

WGHT: 318

SYS 132
DIA 91
HRT 79

A New Start

(Original Date: 9/3/2010)

Today is the start of a change for me.  Today I hope to start the journey to accomplish something that I have never tried to accomplish or had any reason to try to accomplish.  Today I start a healthier way of living, not a diet.  I have learned that majority of the people who go on a diet usually don't do so well on it or cheat until they are no longer on it.  I don't want to be another one of those people that have tried and tried again only to fail.

I have recently over the past few weeks learned a lot of things about my health that I did not know or have ignored.  I recently had some reoccurring back problems which left me practically stuck in bed.  As I began to work towards walking again I was later told that I have an abnormally small spinal column and have the early signs of arthritis. My doctor told me that I have the back of a 50 year old man and I am half of that age.  To make matters even worse as the doctor is telling me this I practically turn clammy was on my way to passing out.  This lead to finding out my high blood pressure which I ignored a year earlier when I was told I have high blood pressure.

I was told by a doctor (not my normal one because he was out of town) that I needed to lose weight.  He then proceeded to tell me of this great weight-loss plan that worked and his daughter happened to be in charge of.  He then told me it would cost x amount for the first evaluation and then x amount every month for the pills.  He did not give me an exercise plan or go over different types of foods or exercise plans.  I thought to myself shouldn't a doctor be doing these things if he/she was really concerned with your health or is he/she more concerned about making some money for their child's business which he/she had some profit in.

That was when I had enough.  I thought to myself I am 26 years old and my health is slipping away from me.  I felt like I was out of control and with all of this building I finally realized that I don't have long to live if I continue on this path.  The quick fast foods, working more hours than I'm getting paid, skipping meals because they did not fit into my schedule.  My life was consumed with taking care of business everywhere else except for where it was needed, my health.

Today is the start of what I call the healthier way of living.  I have spent hours looking and reading online of others and their weight-loss.  So many people have talked about their failures and success stories, their do's and don'ts that it did not scare me but made it possible for me to look at as a guide.

Now the purpose of this blog is not for me to gain people to read and follow, in fact I would be happier if no one else read this.  I read online that they said that you should keep a journal of this adventure to write down all of your success, fears, worries and whatever else.  I figure this is the best way to do because 1. I'm a faster typer than a writer 2. if someone happen to find this that any words of encouragement would be helpful and 3. I've never had a blog before so thought it would be cool LOL.

Anyway.  This is the start of a healthier way of living.

Starting Weight: 338lbs.

Height: 6'5"

Blood Pressure  

SYS  180

DIA  115

HRT  120