Wow - the end of a large weight loss seems to be MUCH tougher than the beginning! Here's my original weight loss tracker, from the start of my journey. And below is the short term one for the final weight loss. Up and down, up and down. sheesh!
I have no explanation for the big drop and increase around August 15...
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Handling the heat - weight loss benefit #6
I live in Baltimore, MD. Our typical summer weather reports are often "the three Hs: Hazy, hot and humid." In the last six weeks, we've had three days of 100+ temps, and 26 in the 90s!
When I was carrying around 70+ extra pounds, summer's heat was often unbearable. Without all that extra insulation, I am actually ENJOYING the summer weather.
Enjoying these temperatures may be extreme for some folks. But at least being able to tolerate months of very warm weather is a huge personal benefit of my weight loss.
When I was carrying around 70+ extra pounds, summer's heat was often unbearable. Without all that extra insulation, I am actually ENJOYING the summer weather.
Enjoying these temperatures may be extreme for some folks. But at least being able to tolerate months of very warm weather is a huge personal benefit of my weight loss.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
My weight loss "ticker"
I would be done with the weight loss phase and onto transition and life long maintenance if I hadn't cheated while on a couple vacations...
Monday, August 2, 2010
Who has time to exercise?!
Finding it difficult to fit “traditional” exercise into your busy life? By incorporating a handful of quick and simple “lifestyle exercises” into your daily routine, you will burn some additional calories without even thinking about it! To improve overall health, the current exercise/daily physical activity recommendations are at least 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity exercise, most days of the week.
There's probably nothing new or surprising in this list. But -- how many of these principles do you regularly practice?
There's probably nothing new or surprising in this list. But -- how many of these principles do you regularly practice?
- Park further away from you destination, so you walk a little bit more than you do when you nab the rock star parking space.
- Use a rest room further away. Use a rest room on another floor instead of the one that is closest to your desk. And take the stairs. Both ways!
- Take a power walk at lunch to fit a mini aerobic workout into the middle of the day.
- Take the stairs instead of elevators and escalators to burn more calories.
- Take the time to play games that include movement of the body. Not only can this become quality time spent with loved ones, but it teaches the importance of body movement to family members and helps everybody burn more calories. Games like tag, jump rope, computer/television-based fitness games, and sports such as baseball, basketball, and tennis are great activities to enjoy with family members.
- Tidying up can burn more calories. Daily household activities such as sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, mowing the lawn with a push mower, gardening, and raking leaves all require caloric expenditure.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Personal benefits of my weight loss #1-5
As I've shed the fat over the past six months or so, I've enjoyed an ever growing list of bennies. Some I anticipated, others have been delightful discoveries serendipitously discovered on the journey.
In random order (i.e.: as they pop into my head!), here are numbers 1-5:
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways.
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change.
-Michael Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9lq8oaK5Mw
John
(443) 851-6737
http://johnsoptimalhealth.blogspot.com/
In random order (i.e.: as they pop into my head!), here are numbers 1-5:
- I look better than I have in many years.
- I feel better than I have in many years.
- I have far more energy than I have in many years. Sleeping fewer hours and feeling better.
- My blood sugar is so under control that my doctor was able to take me off Metformin (a diabetes medicine).
- My cholesterol numbers dropped enough (after just two weeks!) that my doctor cut my Simvastatin dosage in half (a cholesterol medicine).
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways.
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change.
-Michael Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9lq8oaK5Mw
John
(443) 851-6737
http://johnsoptimalhealth.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 30, 2010
in my mind's eye...
I recently wrote out a little of the story of my personal journey. I've "been there, got the XL t-shirt" to prove it... I'm excited by the news that follows, and want to share it with others. Feel free to forward it to anyone you think could be helped by it.
In my mind's eye, I always pictured myself looking much as I did in my late teens.
As is all too common these days, once I stopped growing up, I continued growing out. The looking glass revealed the truth of what others saw when they pictured me.
In addition to the way I looked and felt, as I approached my fiftieth birthday, my doctor started using obscenities whenever I saw him. The language that came out of his mouth was shocking! Words like obese. Prediabetic. High cholesterol...
Early this year, I decided that "pretending" to watch my diet and trying to convince myself that I was "exercising" and "working" on losing weight was never going to bring about anything approaching optimum health. And that's what I decided I want — optimum health, for the rest of my life. It's not enough to merely "survive" — I want to thrive!
Knowing that diets by themselves rarely work long term, I needed something more. I looked for a program which could help me lose weight and also teach me how to maintain the loss for a lifetime. Something which is easy and fool proof. Something which doesn't require a huge time investment or complicated food preparation, while helping me learn more about nutrition and proper food choices.
I found a comprehensive program which has exceeded all my requirements.
I lost 73 pounds and 10 inches off my waist in 23 weeks. After losing another 18 pounds (down to a 32" waist, from 46"), I am now at my optimal weight. I have more energy and feel better than I have in decades.
Now my doctor looks at me with amazement and sweet talks me, saying things like, "Cut your cholesterol meds in half. You no longer need diabetes medicine at all."
I've begun working with a health coach, to learn how to help others who are looking for a safe, effective and easy solution to become healthier.
The program I'm using is very easy, requires little time, and I've had no hunger pangs whatsoever. Learning the habits of health, I know I'll be able to maintain these results for the rest of my life.
Do you know anyone who is trying to manage their weight and might be interested in learning more about this program? If you do, would you please forward them this blog post, and encourage them to get in touch? I'd really appreciate it, and so will they.
To your health!
John
(443) 750-8684
http://baltimorejohn.tsfl.com/
http://johnsoptimalhealth.blogspot.com/
10/9/2010 UPDATE:
Not only am I no longer diabetic, my cholesterol is now low enough that I'm off THAT Rx medicine, too! Call or email me for details on how I did this, using a simple nutrition program.
As of 9/28/2010:
A1C glucose level: 5.2
Total Cholesterol: 133; HDL: 67; LDL 57
 |
| 1978 |
 |
| 2003 |
As is all too common these days, once I stopped growing up, I continued growing out. The looking glass revealed the truth of what others saw when they pictured me.
In addition to the way I looked and felt, as I approached my fiftieth birthday, my doctor started using obscenities whenever I saw him. The language that came out of his mouth was shocking! Words like obese. Prediabetic. High cholesterol...
Early this year, I decided that "pretending" to watch my diet and trying to convince myself that I was "exercising" and "working" on losing weight was never going to bring about anything approaching optimum health. And that's what I decided I want — optimum health, for the rest of my life. It's not enough to merely "survive" — I want to thrive!
Knowing that diets by themselves rarely work long term, I needed something more. I looked for a program which could help me lose weight and also teach me how to maintain the loss for a lifetime. Something which is easy and fool proof. Something which doesn't require a huge time investment or complicated food preparation, while helping me learn more about nutrition and proper food choices.
 |
| July 2010 |
I lost 73 pounds and 10 inches off my waist in 23 weeks. After losing another 18 pounds (down to a 32" waist, from 46"), I am now at my optimal weight. I have more energy and feel better than I have in decades.
Now my doctor looks at me with amazement and sweet talks me, saying things like, "Cut your cholesterol meds in half. You no longer need diabetes medicine at all."
I've begun working with a health coach, to learn how to help others who are looking for a safe, effective and easy solution to become healthier.
 |
| July 2010 |
Do you know anyone who is trying to manage their weight and might be interested in learning more about this program? If you do, would you please forward them this blog post, and encourage them to get in touch? I'd really appreciate it, and so will they.
To your health!
John
(443) 750-8684
http://baltimorejohn.tsfl.com/
http://johnsoptimalhealth.blogspot.com/
10/9/2010 UPDATE:
Not only am I no longer diabetic, my cholesterol is now low enough that I'm off THAT Rx medicine, too! Call or email me for details on how I did this, using a simple nutrition program.
As of 9/28/2010:
A1C glucose level: 5.2
Total Cholesterol: 133; HDL: 67; LDL 57
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