Pancakes and Omelets...

As some of you know, I have always been a fan of having breakfast for pretty much any meal. I love pancakes and waffles. Becca decided to make breakfast tonight and we still did it on low calorie. I had an omelet with ham and cheese, three pancakes, and the syrup for 420 calories. She made the pancakes with whole wheat flour and less oil and they were still very good. It is encouraging to know that I will be able to eat a great breakfast and still be able to stick to the diet.

It is also going to help now that good fruits are arriving at the grocery store. I am excited to start eating melons, cantaloupe, and peaches. That should really help my sweet tooth and have low calories.

I am hoping to keep losing at a great pace. However, I am also know that I have had a great couple of weeks and will perfectly happy if my weight continues to level off at a couple pounds per week. I would still reach my goal way ahead of the schedule for next spring.

Another 7 lbs

I weighed in today at 297.2 lbs. I have been on the diet two weeks and lost 19.2 lbs. I have never been on a diet for more than a week that I did not cheat or at least self rationalize myself into thinking I could eat an unhealthy meal every once in a while. However, I have yet to eat one single thing that I am not allowed to eat my diet. Exercising is now almost enjoyable. Not totally yet, but getting there.

I am now going to begin training for my first goal. I want to be able to run a solid mile in the next 6 weeks. I know that sounds easy to some of you, but it isn't for me. I have never run a mile in my life. I have never had anybody chase me that far and so I did not see the need in running that far. So a mile is the first goal. I have gone to Hal Higdon's website and got my first running program mapped out. After that I will begin to train for my first 5k run. I want to get a t-shirt that shows I ran in a 5 k. If they are not giving out shirts, I will go to Walmart and get the iron on letters and make my own. (I may do that when I get to my first mile).

My long term goal is Summer of 2008. I want to run the triathlon at Craighead Forrest. I know it is big, but I have a year to get to this point. Walking and running comes first, then biking, and then swimming. This will be kind of the crowning moment to this little (or big) journey.

I am off to a faster start than I had hoped. Week three now begins and it is off to the races again. I will lose more weight this week. That is a promise.

Get Help Along The Way....

I spent time talking to two people yesterday about my progress. Whenever someone contributes to the success of my quest, I want to make sure to let them know I appreciate the help. I first spent about 20 minutes on the phone with Brad Shumpert. For those of you who know Brad, his willingness to give advice won't shock you. For those of you who do not, Brad has lost well over 100 lbs in the last year and has truly amazed me. It is always a big help when someone has walked in the same extra wide shoes as you have and they want to help you along the way. Thanks for the help Brad. I also spent time last night with Dr. Lee Woodruff. As I began my quest, I explained that I was trying to avoid some of the same things that plagued my fathers health. Well, one of those would be bad feet. Lee saw my father for years on pretty much a weekly basis and did wonders for him. So naturally when my foot started hurting a couple of months ago, I was off to Lee's office. Lee diagnosed me with Plantar Faciatis. (no clue on spelling, just know it hurts) I could not hardly walk across the room. Now I know that part of this was due to the weight my foot was supporting but Lee told me what to do and the pain went away. Now Lee is giving me advice on what type of running shoes I need to buy. I have found in my short time that I am going to put a lot of miles on shoes. I had no clue that shoes could be worn down in as little as four months. Lee is recommending shoes to me and it looks like I will have to buy them three times a year. But, that is a good thing. It means, I am exercising. Long story short, Lee is a good doctor and a Great Friend. Monday is my next weigh in, I am already getting excited.

Getting Easier....

I am only on day 8, but the days are getting much easier for me. I am still keeping a low calorie intake and have even gone out to eat a few times now. My activity is increasing drastically. I spent an hour and ten minutes on the treadmill last night. The first twenty minutes I alternated running and walking. However, I got wrapped up in a TV show and did not quit at the end of my scheduled 30 minutes. I decided to go 45 minutes and then decided to finish my show. According to the computer, I burned about 800 calories in that session. My wife found a great website where you put your current weight and duration of the activity and it will calculate your calories burned. If anyone wants the website, let me know. It has been very helpful. I still hope to get below 300 this week. I am now going to get on the treadmill and watch the second half of American Idol.

Weekly Weigh In

I have finished my first seven days and I have lost 12.2 lbs. I am now 304.2 lbs. I was very excited this morning to say the least. Eating during the week was easy but the weekend was a little more challenging. I will keep the same amount of intake this week and boost up the activity a little more. My goal for next week is to get to 299. I want back in the 200's.

Eating out is a little different

Becca and I spent the day in Memphis together shopping and going out to dinner. I was concerned this morning with eating out for the first time since we began our diet plans. However, I actually managed to keep my calories to around 1,000 calories. I was shocked since this included eating out lunch and dinner. I am having to change my entire perception when I look at a menu. It helps when she and I are in this together and she can help me order. However, the weight loss is working. I look forward to my first week weigh in on Monday. Becca is losing as well and that makes this house that much more happy. See you on Monday after the scales.

My Wife Is Great!!!

I just finished day three and so far this is not too bad. I am exercising every day on the treadmill for at least 30 minutes. Trust me, bouncing around 316 lbs on a treadmill can wear you down in a hurry. However, I knew this would be a key part of my journey.

I am actually getting very motivated to exercise. Rebecca and I are about to buy bikes and start riding together. Hopefully in a few weeks, I will begin to add swimming to my plan a couple times a week. I figure by combining all three that it will never get boring and I can get three great workouts.

The best part so far of my plan has been the meal plan. My wife is great to me!!! Saying that I married up in life is an understatement. She has committed to doing the same plan as me and eating just as me. That makes it a lot easier. She is amazing me in the kitchen by developing new recipes that are perfect for me in calorie count. I am averaging only about 1,200 calories a day and I am getting to eat food such as meat loaf, sandwich's, mashed potato's, barbecue chicken pizza, and Mexican chicken lasagna. My motto is, "You want a successful diet, marry a food scientist". I figure when you spend the better part of your week as a product developer for Nestle's lean cuisines, coming home and cooking for an overweight husband is an easy task. She is going to be a big part of my success.

I will be posting a new weigh in on Monday. I am very excited. My first goal point is my annual physical in May. It is very exciting that for the first time in years the nurse may check my weight and only have to slide the big weight on the scale to 250 lbs and then get to use the small weight to finish me out. That is my first dream. I don't want to have to move the first weight to 300 lbs anymore. I know, it is a silly goal. But it is a goal.

From The Beginning.....

Most of you don't know that prior to age 15, I was always the shortest, skinniest kid in my class. All of that changed with a series of cortisone shots, a blown knee, and finally being just plain lazy. I have yo yo dieted for years and have always been able to lose the weight. However, I always put it back on in due time.

I was fortunate in 2006 when I had an annual physical to find out that I have been lucky thus far to still be in a good health other than my weight. I have known for years that I needed to drop a lot of weight or I could fall victim to the same circumstances that plagued my father. However, I never could stay motivated to stay the course with my diet and exercise plans.

Then the winter of 2004 came along and my entire life changed. I found the love of my life in Rebecca and my view of my health began to change. Upon being married in May of 2006, I made a promise to myself that the weight was going to come off and I was going to live healthier. Living healthy is not hard since she is a food scientist. However, having the will power to lose the weight is a different story.

So here we are today and I am now 316.4 lbs. I am now going to embark on a very public weight loss effort. I want everybody's help. I have always been very quiet as to what is my actual weight. Well the cat is out of the bag and I want all the encouragement I can get. My goal is to lose 81.4 lbs in 12 months. That is right. My goal weight is 235 lbs. My wife is designing a diet for each day and I have agreed to exercise on a daily basis. We are going to fight this together. Some people have said to reward myself at the end of my journey. My reward is to be able to live many healthy years with my wife and to pass on all the wisdom my parents gave me on to my future kids. So visit my sight often. I plan to give many updates and photos. Thanks for all of your help.