So, is that title big enough for ya? I hope everyone's Christmas was great - if you don't celebrate Christmas insert your cherished holiday and the same statement applies - and you didn't obliterate your diet with too many cookies. It's been a busy few days in the Burmaster house with some extra work that came my way and Zack's Select tourney this week - Blues are 3-0 and headed to the semi's if you're wondering - which is always challenging when you are watching what you eat.
Hot turkey sandwiches are one of my favourite meals after Christmas and there was NO chance I was skipping those. Add the World Junior Tournament - funny that no-one outside of Canada who reads this will have any clue what that tournament is - and it just makes the meal that much better. In fact, I'm typing this as they get ready to blast Norway!!
The original plan for this entry was going to be about what will come in the New Year, until I had the "revelation" that I will be 40 in 2011....UGH!!! How the hell am I 8 months away from turning 40!! My only solace is knowing that many of you are not far behind me!! As 2010 comes to a close, I think about how happy and proud I am that I will enter a new year at my lightest weight in awhile. It also makes me think about how much work I have ahead of me to get to my lowest weight since college - 270 lbs when I graduated if you're keeping track.
I won't make resolutions as I've already committed myself to a new life, but reflecting on everything that this year has brought about makes for mixed emotions. Getting my life back in the same year that I watched my wife and children say good-bye to their mother and grandmother will always leave me conflicted. Knowing that I've done some pretty important things to make sure that I stick around for a long time to come, is a great first step.....now, if we could delay this "40" thing, that would be great!!!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
It's the Holidays!!! Where's the Cookies?
We are a couple days away from celebrating Christmas at the Burmaster house and it feels like we still have so much to do. I took the kids bowling tonight so Ang could get all the wrapping done and judging by our inability to move in the living room, mission accomplished!! The amount of gift bags under our tree is bordering on obscene.
Today was my last class of 2010....and I missed it. I was swamped at the office - no sarcasm there, I was actually busy!! - so I did not weigh-in. I'm hoping to stay even over the holidays, but I'm not going to obsess about it. Christmas time has always been a huge deal with lots of food, and even more drink. I'm going to try and skip some cookies here and there but mostly I'm going to enjoy the time with Ang and the kids.
As we come to the end of 2010 I want to thank all of you for reading and sending me your thoughts and recipes. I will always remember this year as the year I got my life back. Next week I will try and give a "year-in-review" - basically a lazy man's way to mail in a post when you want to put no effort in!! - but for now, MERRY CHRISTMAS and enjoy your holidays.
Russ
Today was my last class of 2010....and I missed it. I was swamped at the office - no sarcasm there, I was actually busy!! - so I did not weigh-in. I'm hoping to stay even over the holidays, but I'm not going to obsess about it. Christmas time has always been a huge deal with lots of food, and even more drink. I'm going to try and skip some cookies here and there but mostly I'm going to enjoy the time with Ang and the kids.
As we come to the end of 2010 I want to thank all of you for reading and sending me your thoughts and recipes. I will always remember this year as the year I got my life back. Next week I will try and give a "year-in-review" - basically a lazy man's way to mail in a post when you want to put no effort in!! - but for now, MERRY CHRISTMAS and enjoy your holidays.
Russ
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
A Little Perspective
Well, I'm finally home!! After my meeting I had to drive down to Niagara and then all the way out to Oakville before I could get home. Tough weigh-in today as I stayed the same. Mark, who is the "get-your-ass-off-the-couch-and-do-something guy, or as his business card says kinesiologist, told me at this point in the program I'm going to have weeks where I don't lose anything. My body has made some massive changes and sometimes it won't respond the way it has in the recent past.
I also need to take some ownership as well and recognize that I need to keep an eye on my portion size - roast beef and potatoes made an appearance this week!! - and quit using the cold as an excuse for not walking and get indoors. My activity has definitely lessened as the winter has come around so it's time to find other avenues to replace the neighbourhood treks.
A classmate talked about her struggles saying no to food at parties and I was asked about my approach. As is my habit, I rambled on forever, but the my main point that I was trying to get across was that you can't lie to yourself. I used to eat horrible things late at night and say that I would go to the gym early in the morning to even it out. Now, if I'm at that party and I want something snacky I can have it and not end up hating myself. No matter what food choices I make, I know I can always be honest with myself and know that I am eating for the right reasons.
As I mentioned the last time we spoke, the Burmaster Children's Charity Christmas Party was held on Sunday - am I crazy or does that thing need a new name?! We raised a lot of money for Bob Kemp Hospice and I am happy to report that due to the overwhelming response from the kids and adults we may bring it back for an eighth year. We had discussed making this the last year but Loser was such a huge hit, how could we retire it now (there are some trademark issues with this new game Loser and I don't want to give away the info and have someone make a million dollar game out of it without me!!)?
In perusing the comment section I noticed a new entry from Joyce Baker, or Mrs Baker as everyone knows her. She was a teacher at the school my kids attend and my wife and Michelle know her. I've seen her comment on a few other items, but this really touched me...so you know that means I cried!!! Here is what she wrote;
My family donates to a number of charities throughout the year, most of them children's agencies. (once a teacher, always a teacher). At this time of year, we try to top up the donations. Our family and especially our children are very spoiled and we are fortunate to live a comfortable life.
Here is where you come in. You have worked so hard and inspired so many people along the way, that I will reward your weigh loss this way. Fifty dollars has gone to the Salvation Army kettle campaign and today I will send $51.60 to the Bob Kemp Hospice. One dollar for every pound. (Notice I am doing it before you post this weeks stats LOL)
The hospice is so important to families, especially children of ill parents or grandparents and a very worthwhile cause.
You are teaching your children and your followers a valuable lesson. Nothing is impossible. Keep up the excellent progress and postings.
Joyce Baker (retired teacher,(but not old)from Ridgemount School. I did not teach your children but not for lack of begging at class creating time)
It was a generous act, especially when you consider that we barely know each other. Thank-you Mrs Baker for your donations and kind words...and making me cry!!
This life is a hard road. Nothing is given and you have to realize that everything comes with sacrifice and hard work. There is no magic wand and I don't want things handed to me anymore. I relish the struggle and know that through that struggle I will gain so much more than weight loss...I'm earning my life.
I also need to take some ownership as well and recognize that I need to keep an eye on my portion size - roast beef and potatoes made an appearance this week!! - and quit using the cold as an excuse for not walking and get indoors. My activity has definitely lessened as the winter has come around so it's time to find other avenues to replace the neighbourhood treks.
A classmate talked about her struggles saying no to food at parties and I was asked about my approach. As is my habit, I rambled on forever, but the my main point that I was trying to get across was that you can't lie to yourself. I used to eat horrible things late at night and say that I would go to the gym early in the morning to even it out. Now, if I'm at that party and I want something snacky I can have it and not end up hating myself. No matter what food choices I make, I know I can always be honest with myself and know that I am eating for the right reasons.
As I mentioned the last time we spoke, the Burmaster Children's Charity Christmas Party was held on Sunday - am I crazy or does that thing need a new name?! We raised a lot of money for Bob Kemp Hospice and I am happy to report that due to the overwhelming response from the kids and adults we may bring it back for an eighth year. We had discussed making this the last year but Loser was such a huge hit, how could we retire it now (there are some trademark issues with this new game Loser and I don't want to give away the info and have someone make a million dollar game out of it without me!!)?
In perusing the comment section I noticed a new entry from Joyce Baker, or Mrs Baker as everyone knows her. She was a teacher at the school my kids attend and my wife and Michelle know her. I've seen her comment on a few other items, but this really touched me...so you know that means I cried!!! Here is what she wrote;
My family donates to a number of charities throughout the year, most of them children's agencies. (once a teacher, always a teacher). At this time of year, we try to top up the donations. Our family and especially our children are very spoiled and we are fortunate to live a comfortable life.
Here is where you come in. You have worked so hard and inspired so many people along the way, that I will reward your weigh loss this way. Fifty dollars has gone to the Salvation Army kettle campaign and today I will send $51.60 to the Bob Kemp Hospice. One dollar for every pound. (Notice I am doing it before you post this weeks stats LOL)
The hospice is so important to families, especially children of ill parents or grandparents and a very worthwhile cause.
You are teaching your children and your followers a valuable lesson. Nothing is impossible. Keep up the excellent progress and postings.
Joyce Baker (retired teacher,(but not old)from Ridgemount School. I did not teach your children but not for lack of begging at class creating time)
It was a generous act, especially when you consider that we barely know each other. Thank-you Mrs Baker for your donations and kind words...and making me cry!!
This life is a hard road. Nothing is given and you have to realize that everything comes with sacrifice and hard work. There is no magic wand and I don't want things handed to me anymore. I relish the struggle and know that through that struggle I will gain so much more than weight loss...I'm earning my life.
Friday, December 10, 2010
A Time for Giving
I've spent alot of time discussing weight loss and emotions so today we are going off the board and talk about some other things. I'm sure I'll tie in some healthy talk here - I've got a core audience to think about!! - but I want to tell you all about what we're up to on Sunday.
We will once again be having our Annual Children's Christmas Party. This started seven years ago mostly as a way for us to see our friends at Christmas and for all of our kids to gather together. The first year the party was in our living room and I dressed as Santa. Allie had some of her friends from school, but the party was mostly filled with my college friends and their families.
I rented a suit for the big day and I'm pretty sure I never sweat as much as I did that day in my life....save for Ron Farraway's wedding!! We had little gifts for all the kids and snacks and drinks for Santa - this Santa likes to get his drink on!! - and we collected unwrapped toys and canned food for the shelter. As the years went on, the party grew in size and we needed to start renting a place...and a Santa. The kids were able to tell that it was me and asked me not to do it again. I'm pretty sure the place I rented the suit from had the same opinion when I brought the sweaty gear back to them!!
As it stands right now, it seems like this may be the last year for our party. The kids are getting older - they asked for no Santa this year - and my college friends are all unable to come this year. With busy lives and schedules, I knew this day would come but it makes it sad none-the-less. We have invited over 60 kids to the party this year and have 40 that have confirmed. Instead of food and toys we are soliciting donations for the Bob Kemp Hospice here in Hamilton. It is a great place and we look forward to giving them some much deserved money.
Hopefully all the people reading this will be able to find a cause that is close to your heart and you will be able to give to those in need. We all know the holidays can be hectic and crazy but if we take some time to do something for someone less fortunate, that can really make your holidays all the better. It doesn't always have to be a monetary donation, as your time can be just as valuable.
So, how about a quick weight-related pep talk. I was reading an article about how this weekend and the next are always the busiest for work Christmas parties. They gave some good tips about not blowing your whole diet and while most of them seemed like common sense, the refresher was nice because common sense and office Christmas parties rarely go hand-in-hand. I would give a link but it was actually in a magazine!! Who knew you could still read articles not on the internet? For the most part, they said to eat a nice, healthy dinner before you get to the party and when you're there stay away from the alcohol. Not only will you avoid the cals from the booze, you won't be the office jack-ass that got hammered and lite into the boss!!
Enjoy your weekend and we'll chat again Tuesday!!
Russ
We will once again be having our Annual Children's Christmas Party. This started seven years ago mostly as a way for us to see our friends at Christmas and for all of our kids to gather together. The first year the party was in our living room and I dressed as Santa. Allie had some of her friends from school, but the party was mostly filled with my college friends and their families.
I rented a suit for the big day and I'm pretty sure I never sweat as much as I did that day in my life....save for Ron Farraway's wedding!! We had little gifts for all the kids and snacks and drinks for Santa - this Santa likes to get his drink on!! - and we collected unwrapped toys and canned food for the shelter. As the years went on, the party grew in size and we needed to start renting a place...and a Santa. The kids were able to tell that it was me and asked me not to do it again. I'm pretty sure the place I rented the suit from had the same opinion when I brought the sweaty gear back to them!!
As it stands right now, it seems like this may be the last year for our party. The kids are getting older - they asked for no Santa this year - and my college friends are all unable to come this year. With busy lives and schedules, I knew this day would come but it makes it sad none-the-less. We have invited over 60 kids to the party this year and have 40 that have confirmed. Instead of food and toys we are soliciting donations for the Bob Kemp Hospice here in Hamilton. It is a great place and we look forward to giving them some much deserved money.
Hopefully all the people reading this will be able to find a cause that is close to your heart and you will be able to give to those in need. We all know the holidays can be hectic and crazy but if we take some time to do something for someone less fortunate, that can really make your holidays all the better. It doesn't always have to be a monetary donation, as your time can be just as valuable.
So, how about a quick weight-related pep talk. I was reading an article about how this weekend and the next are always the busiest for work Christmas parties. They gave some good tips about not blowing your whole diet and while most of them seemed like common sense, the refresher was nice because common sense and office Christmas parties rarely go hand-in-hand. I would give a link but it was actually in a magazine!! Who knew you could still read articles not on the internet? For the most part, they said to eat a nice, healthy dinner before you get to the party and when you're there stay away from the alcohol. Not only will you avoid the cals from the booze, you won't be the office jack-ass that got hammered and lite into the boss!!
Enjoy your weekend and we'll chat again Tuesday!!
Russ
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
TRIPLE DIGITS!!
It took a week longer than I wanted it to - damn you rye - but I'm over the 100lbs mark!! I dropped 4lbs, weighing in at 340 for a total of 101.6lbs. It's been a long road, but it really feels good to see that 100lbs. To have this accomplishment under my belt really gives me the extra kick to start on that next 100.
When this all started four months ago, I never would have believed this was possible. I knew that other people could do it, but I had NO CHANCE of succeeding. It really is funny to think about how much you lose when you lose 100 lbs.
Today was a class about self-esteem and how it affects your weight loss. While I'm in such a better place than when I started, there are still many days that just don't "jive" as well. It's a work in progress but I'm happy about where I am.
I have one week left before I add another meal on my way to full food. Going back to making all the choices for my meals will add an interesting twist but at least I won't have to mix water and powder together anymore.
When this all started four months ago, I never would have believed this was possible. I knew that other people could do it, but I had NO CHANCE of succeeding. It really is funny to think about how much you lose when you lose 100 lbs.
Today was a class about self-esteem and how it affects your weight loss. While I'm in such a better place than when I started, there are still many days that just don't "jive" as well. It's a work in progress but I'm happy about where I am.
I have one week left before I add another meal on my way to full food. Going back to making all the choices for my meals will add an interesting twist but at least I won't have to mix water and powder together anymore.
Friday, December 3, 2010
No Regrets
**NEWSFLASH**
Russ loves to have drinks with friends. Yes, this is not new information. Meshing this fact with my new lifestyle will be my next goal. When I went on this journey, I knew that would be an important factor in what I wanted to accomplish, and it still holds true.
As the weeks have gone on I've begun to focus in on what I want the end game to be. I was never much on goal setting before because when you consider yourself to be a failure, making goals only illustrates how great you are at failing. Now that I see myself in a whole new light, I can embrace the idea of having a target and working towards that.
So as it stands now, my goal is to weigh 240-250 lbs. It makes a nice round weight loss figure of 200lbs and it will give me the freedom to buy clothes in any store. I do not intend on giving up drinks with the fellas but I do intend on turning away from the 3am drunk eats (refer back to an earlier post for my stellar definition). Everybody has their own ideas of what they want their life to be, and this is mine.
When I hit my target, perhaps another target will come to mind. Or maybe I will be happy with that weight and just look to maintain where I am. I do know this for sure; I have a plan, and this is my plan. I have taken control of my life and this is for me. By doing this for me, I know it will make a better life for my family, but most importantly it will make me happy. And really, that's what this whole journey was about......well, that and normal size pants!!!
Russ loves to have drinks with friends. Yes, this is not new information. Meshing this fact with my new lifestyle will be my next goal. When I went on this journey, I knew that would be an important factor in what I wanted to accomplish, and it still holds true.
As the weeks have gone on I've begun to focus in on what I want the end game to be. I was never much on goal setting before because when you consider yourself to be a failure, making goals only illustrates how great you are at failing. Now that I see myself in a whole new light, I can embrace the idea of having a target and working towards that.
So as it stands now, my goal is to weigh 240-250 lbs. It makes a nice round weight loss figure of 200lbs and it will give me the freedom to buy clothes in any store. I do not intend on giving up drinks with the fellas but I do intend on turning away from the 3am drunk eats (refer back to an earlier post for my stellar definition). Everybody has their own ideas of what they want their life to be, and this is mine.
When I hit my target, perhaps another target will come to mind. Or maybe I will be happy with that weight and just look to maintain where I am. I do know this for sure; I have a plan, and this is my plan. I have taken control of my life and this is for me. By doing this for me, I know it will make a better life for my family, but most importantly it will make me happy. And really, that's what this whole journey was about......well, that and normal size pants!!!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Well, I had Fun....
I have generally looked forward to Tuesdays because I knew that I had done everything I should have to make my weigh-in a success. This week was a little different. I was not looking forward to this one as I knew that I didn't do everything I was capable of.
I had made the decision to have some drinks this weekend - quick sidebar; my tolerance sucks!! The night before I started the program I had one last blow-out. I emptied a 26er and had to break into another bottle for a few more drinks. I had drinks on Saturday and Sunday evening and didn't even get to half the bottle!! - and I was fine with having them.
Sadly, I made the kids some meals that I should have skipped but I decided to eat. It wasn't the worst thing, but it was still the wrong decision. So today I weighed 343.8lbs for a loss of 1.8lbs and a total of 97.9lbs. It's still a downwards move but not what it should have been. Hopefully I learned a valuable lesson and will use this as motivation going forward.
Match that disappointment with today's topic and there were not alot of smiles from me in class today. We spent some time on body image and being happy with who you are. When one of your biggest claim-to-fames is that you used to break alot of chairs, you can imagine this class is going to give you some flashbacks. I want to point out that I have said that I am proud of what I've accomplished and that is 100% true. I fought with admitting that I was proud of myself, but jumped over that hurdle.
I still struggle sometimes with crossing the new me with the old me and seeing myself now instead of the last 20 years. None of this happens over night and being positive is a work in progress. I'm not looking for sympathy here but I've always tried to be honest in everything I've written. I learned that my new lifestyle will be an ongoing battle and I won't always win. Now I'll find out if I will do what I've always done or if I can bounce back. I know what I want to do; I know what I can do; the time for words is over- now it's time for action!!
P.S. That was metaphorical - I will still be writing the blog...keep coming back!!
I had made the decision to have some drinks this weekend - quick sidebar; my tolerance sucks!! The night before I started the program I had one last blow-out. I emptied a 26er and had to break into another bottle for a few more drinks. I had drinks on Saturday and Sunday evening and didn't even get to half the bottle!! - and I was fine with having them.
Sadly, I made the kids some meals that I should have skipped but I decided to eat. It wasn't the worst thing, but it was still the wrong decision. So today I weighed 343.8lbs for a loss of 1.8lbs and a total of 97.9lbs. It's still a downwards move but not what it should have been. Hopefully I learned a valuable lesson and will use this as motivation going forward.
Match that disappointment with today's topic and there were not alot of smiles from me in class today. We spent some time on body image and being happy with who you are. When one of your biggest claim-to-fames is that you used to break alot of chairs, you can imagine this class is going to give you some flashbacks. I want to point out that I have said that I am proud of what I've accomplished and that is 100% true. I fought with admitting that I was proud of myself, but jumped over that hurdle.
I still struggle sometimes with crossing the new me with the old me and seeing myself now instead of the last 20 years. None of this happens over night and being positive is a work in progress. I'm not looking for sympathy here but I've always tried to be honest in everything I've written. I learned that my new lifestyle will be an ongoing battle and I won't always win. Now I'll find out if I will do what I've always done or if I can bounce back. I know what I want to do; I know what I can do; the time for words is over- now it's time for action!!
P.S. That was metaphorical - I will still be writing the blog...keep coming back!!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Somebody Cheated....
Well, it happened. It seemed like it was building up inside me, screaming to get out. It called to me, "Russ, you have been so strong for 14 weeks, you earned this". I have been hearing that voice since Day One but always resisted it. I had a plan, and as my brother so aptly described it, "You are such a stubborn prick you will not eat anything for those 12 weeks!!".
We supported our little friend Josh in his Boy Scout Popcorn drive and purchased some cheese popcorn from him. Yesterday, after looking at it for a few weeks, I decided to have a few handfuls. I was able to stop myself after those few handfuls - let me just point out that it's AWESOME!! Never thought I would enjoy the white cheddar kind but I was wrong; it was dee-lish!! - and went about the rest of my day.
Now normally, I would have really been upset with myself, felt horrible and disgusted and then just smashed the rest of the bag to try and feel better. All the times in the past when I grabbed chips or some other food and ate it, that's how I felt and it just made me eat more. This time, strangely I felt good. I felt good because I knew that after a few handfuls I didn't need more.
I looked at myself and knew that I could choose to eat something that was not the best for me but know that I didn't need to gorge on it. I was always afraid that the first time I cheated it would open the flood gates and I would gain back 96 lbs in three days. It didn't happen. I made some mini-pizzas and veggies for the kids for dinner, had my salad and all was right with the world.
By no means am I weight-loss guru. Everything I have done has been laid out for me and I just needed to stay on the path. I already made the decision that I was going to have some drinks this weekend. It's definitely not in my allotment of two veggies, one fruit and two oz of meat but I'm going to have a few. I'm also bringing a veggie platter to avoid any potential for the mindless chip munching that can happen.
The streak is broken, and the world did not end. I for sure don't plan on making those kinds of choices a habit, but I am pretty sure it will happen again. I never wanted to be a 4% body fat guy whose was completely consumed by all things healthy. I only wanted to be the guy that lived to watch his kids get older.....and have a couple of guilt-free handfuls of white cheddar popcorn while he was at it!!
We supported our little friend Josh in his Boy Scout Popcorn drive and purchased some cheese popcorn from him. Yesterday, after looking at it for a few weeks, I decided to have a few handfuls. I was able to stop myself after those few handfuls - let me just point out that it's AWESOME!! Never thought I would enjoy the white cheddar kind but I was wrong; it was dee-lish!! - and went about the rest of my day.
Now normally, I would have really been upset with myself, felt horrible and disgusted and then just smashed the rest of the bag to try and feel better. All the times in the past when I grabbed chips or some other food and ate it, that's how I felt and it just made me eat more. This time, strangely I felt good. I felt good because I knew that after a few handfuls I didn't need more.
I looked at myself and knew that I could choose to eat something that was not the best for me but know that I didn't need to gorge on it. I was always afraid that the first time I cheated it would open the flood gates and I would gain back 96 lbs in three days. It didn't happen. I made some mini-pizzas and veggies for the kids for dinner, had my salad and all was right with the world.
By no means am I weight-loss guru. Everything I have done has been laid out for me and I just needed to stay on the path. I already made the decision that I was going to have some drinks this weekend. It's definitely not in my allotment of two veggies, one fruit and two oz of meat but I'm going to have a few. I'm also bringing a veggie platter to avoid any potential for the mindless chip munching that can happen.
The streak is broken, and the world did not end. I for sure don't plan on making those kinds of choices a habit, but I am pretty sure it will happen again. I never wanted to be a 4% body fat guy whose was completely consumed by all things healthy. I only wanted to be the guy that lived to watch his kids get older.....and have a couple of guilt-free handfuls of white cheddar popcorn while he was at it!!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
No fancy titles today, just some numbers and a reflection on last week. After my first week with some food I lost 3.5lbs for a total of 96.1 lbs. I now weigh 345.5. It was not a huge weight loss week but it was significant none the less.
It seems that I might have been making my salads to big, but it was better than the alternative - eat all the steak!! I was told to start mixing it up and have a vegetable mix instead of salad everyday....broccoli, here I come again. They are still pleased with my work but want me to step it up by making meal plans. They gave me a great website that is run by Ontario nutritionists. There are recipes as well, and after making your plan, it will make a grocery list that you will need for all the meals you have set out for yourself!!
Before I talk about what's up for the rest of the week I wanted to take a few seconds and thank all of you for your kind words and messages. When I saw my new picture I was totally overwhelmed and all your encouragement made my day...thanks!!
Now, back to losing weight!! My wife is heading down to Pittsburgh for Black Friday - quick tangent. Isn't Black Friday one day? Then why the hell is she going for five?!?! Seems egregious to me!! - and on past trips I have made sure to get quite a bit of drinking done during that time. Seems like 2010 I will be changing my tune just a bit.
Instead of an orgy of booze and food I will be limiting the drinking by quite a bit. I am going to have rye and water but I have a plan. I will be adding some more exercise leading up to and following my indulgences and bringing a veggie platter in case I get the "drunk hungrys"!! (drunk hungrys are what cause you to eat a chicken cordon bleu from 7-11 at 2:30 in the morning!!).
I'm excited for next week as I get to add a couple of grains and one milk serving into the mix. I'll be able to eat pretty much what everyone else in the family is eating and it will be exciting. I feel like I've learned alot and know so much more about what I put in my body - seasoning salt has over 3000mg of sodium in one tablespoon!! - and look forward to the day when eating like this becomes natural. Now, I just need to figure out if cherry cheesecake is a milk or fruit.....kidding, mostly!!
P.S. When you are posting comments, let me know who you are so I can thank-you - unless it's my friend Michelle, and then I know it's you because you are talking about cabbage!!
It seems that I might have been making my salads to big, but it was better than the alternative - eat all the steak!! I was told to start mixing it up and have a vegetable mix instead of salad everyday....broccoli, here I come again. They are still pleased with my work but want me to step it up by making meal plans. They gave me a great website that is run by Ontario nutritionists. There are recipes as well, and after making your plan, it will make a grocery list that you will need for all the meals you have set out for yourself!!
Before I talk about what's up for the rest of the week I wanted to take a few seconds and thank all of you for your kind words and messages. When I saw my new picture I was totally overwhelmed and all your encouragement made my day...thanks!!
Now, back to losing weight!! My wife is heading down to Pittsburgh for Black Friday - quick tangent. Isn't Black Friday one day? Then why the hell is she going for five?!?! Seems egregious to me!! - and on past trips I have made sure to get quite a bit of drinking done during that time. Seems like 2010 I will be changing my tune just a bit.
Instead of an orgy of booze and food I will be limiting the drinking by quite a bit. I am going to have rye and water but I have a plan. I will be adding some more exercise leading up to and following my indulgences and bringing a veggie platter in case I get the "drunk hungrys"!! (drunk hungrys are what cause you to eat a chicken cordon bleu from 7-11 at 2:30 in the morning!!).
I'm excited for next week as I get to add a couple of grains and one milk serving into the mix. I'll be able to eat pretty much what everyone else in the family is eating and it will be exciting. I feel like I've learned alot and know so much more about what I put in my body - seasoning salt has over 3000mg of sodium in one tablespoon!! - and look forward to the day when eating like this becomes natural. Now, I just need to figure out if cherry cheesecake is a milk or fruit.....kidding, mostly!!
P.S. When you are posting comments, let me know who you are so I can thank-you - unless it's my friend Michelle, and then I know it's you because you are talking about cabbage!!
Friday, November 19, 2010
"Man am I Full"
Some of you may notice that I have added a new picture. Thanks to my friend Jody for setting up the before and after. I hadn't fully realized how big I was until seeing those two pictures. As unbelievably proud I am of what I accomplished, there is still some sadness about what that picture represents. It doesn't overwhelm me but it reminds me of how long it took me to get here.
My first foray into food has not been what I thought it would be. My first night was a salad with sliced deli turkey and not only was it very salty, but it almost made me vomit. Night two was a meal at Applebee's. I ordered the 7oz steak, seasonal veggies and mashed potatoes and a take-out box. Sadly, it also came with mozzarella sticks...YUM!!! I gave the rest of the table the mozzarella sticks and put 2/3's of the steak and the mashed potatoes in the box.
The veggies were a mix of broccoli, squash, carrots and zucchini. These are not my thing!! I put a piece of broccoli and carrot on the fork and waited for the gag to kick in. I ended up eating them all, and it wasn't that bad. It wasn't awesome, but it didn't kill me. I moved onto my small piece of steak and about half way through I started to feel ill again. I stuffed myself....on 1oz of steak and veggies!!!
Last night was a little better as I ate my whole 2oz of steak and another salad. I was definitely full but no pukey feeling. I did have a small bite of my son's turkey stick and noticed right away how salty it was. It feels good to be back on some food and not have the immediate desire to eat everything not nailed down!!
Obviously I still have a ways to go, but looking at that picture, and seeing how far I've come has energized me. I look forward to taking another picture in three months and seeing where I go to in the future. Look forward to getting there with all of you in tow!!
Russ
My first foray into food has not been what I thought it would be. My first night was a salad with sliced deli turkey and not only was it very salty, but it almost made me vomit. Night two was a meal at Applebee's. I ordered the 7oz steak, seasonal veggies and mashed potatoes and a take-out box. Sadly, it also came with mozzarella sticks...YUM!!! I gave the rest of the table the mozzarella sticks and put 2/3's of the steak and the mashed potatoes in the box.
The veggies were a mix of broccoli, squash, carrots and zucchini. These are not my thing!! I put a piece of broccoli and carrot on the fork and waited for the gag to kick in. I ended up eating them all, and it wasn't that bad. It wasn't awesome, but it didn't kill me. I moved onto my small piece of steak and about half way through I started to feel ill again. I stuffed myself....on 1oz of steak and veggies!!!
Last night was a little better as I ate my whole 2oz of steak and another salad. I was definitely full but no pukey feeling. I did have a small bite of my son's turkey stick and noticed right away how salty it was. It feels good to be back on some food and not have the immediate desire to eat everything not nailed down!!
Obviously I still have a ways to go, but looking at that picture, and seeing how far I've come has energized me. I look forward to taking another picture in three months and seeing where I go to in the future. Look forward to getting there with all of you in tow!!
Russ
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
"We may have used the word meal loosely"
The night of the fight, you may feel a slight sting. That's pride f@$%ing with you. F@#$ pride. Pride only hurts, it never helps - Marsellus Wallace, Pulp Fiction
With all due respect to my man Marsellus, today I am going to have to disagree!! I have just finished 12 weeks of a program that I thought I would have quit after two, with a 92.6 lbs weight loss after dropping 6.8 lbs this week to weigh 349 lbs and did not have one morsel of food!! I am proud as a moth...peach...you slip in one Pulp Fiction reference and all-of-a-sudden it's a full Quentin Tarantino dialogue!!
I have yet to fully grasp what I've accomplished so far, but the feeling is immense. About three weeks into the program we went to the States and were in Sears. I saw a rack of clearance clothes and they had a pair of $5 jeans on it. At that time I wore size 58 pants.....let me just take a minute for that to settle in....and the ones on the rack were size 50. I still wasn't sure if I could stay with the program, but I bought them anyways.
My thought process was simple; even if I never get down there it was only $5 and if I do, I will have some pants in six months. Well, I decided to try them on today and not only did I get them to my waist, I buttoned them up AND did up the fly!! Now, they are still a bit tight - I was pretty sure I was squashing the frank and the beans - but they are real close!!
I went down to the General a little early today and happened to see a man who was being interviewed before joining the program. It lead me to think back to my first day and Heather's dreaded words, "Take off your shoes so I can weigh you". After getting off the scale, seeing that 446.8 lbs, I thought I would never stop crying. I sobbed and blubbered like a school girl. If I had the ability, I would go back to that day and hug myself and thank that Russ for putting himself on this path. Don't get me wrong, I still cry, but only at important things like movies and that stupid Butterfly Kisses song!!
Last year I promised my son I would get skates and go back on the ice with him. I have not skated since I was 18 but I did buy the skates. They had sat in my basement until today when I went and got them sharpened. That's right, I went this afternoon and ice skated....and man do I suck!! I can't describe how liberated I was to go out there and wobble my way around. I fell a few times and made my way back up. My biggest fear last year was that I would fall, and like a beached whale, they would have to get equipment or something to get my big ass back up again!!
I received my "meal" plan - hence the title of this entry - and I will be doing some different eating plan. My meal can be 235-285 cals with one fruit, two vegetables and one 2 oz serving of meat. No dairy or grain products yet. HUH?? If I can have a 2 oz serving of steak, what the heck do I do with the other 10(just kidding.....as far as you know)!!! I had some serious plans for a turkey sandwich or oatmeal in the mornings - although if there are any lawyers I have created the Double Down light and need some help patenting that. It is one leaf of lettuce, three slices of turkey, tomatoes and cucumber, mustard, topped with another leaf of lettuce. YUMMY!!
So off I go to Week 13 in the knowledge that I have come so far and still have a ways to go. I can say, unequivocally, that I am proud of myself. I know that I didn't do this alone, but seeing as I was drinking all the shakes, I'm taking the credit!!
Russ
P.S. Ruth, there is no chance in HELL I am eating Brussel Sprouts!!
With all due respect to my man Marsellus, today I am going to have to disagree!! I have just finished 12 weeks of a program that I thought I would have quit after two, with a 92.6 lbs weight loss after dropping 6.8 lbs this week to weigh 349 lbs and did not have one morsel of food!! I am proud as a moth...peach...you slip in one Pulp Fiction reference and all-of-a-sudden it's a full Quentin Tarantino dialogue!!
I have yet to fully grasp what I've accomplished so far, but the feeling is immense. About three weeks into the program we went to the States and were in Sears. I saw a rack of clearance clothes and they had a pair of $5 jeans on it. At that time I wore size 58 pants.....let me just take a minute for that to settle in....and the ones on the rack were size 50. I still wasn't sure if I could stay with the program, but I bought them anyways.
My thought process was simple; even if I never get down there it was only $5 and if I do, I will have some pants in six months. Well, I decided to try them on today and not only did I get them to my waist, I buttoned them up AND did up the fly!! Now, they are still a bit tight - I was pretty sure I was squashing the frank and the beans - but they are real close!!
I went down to the General a little early today and happened to see a man who was being interviewed before joining the program. It lead me to think back to my first day and Heather's dreaded words, "Take off your shoes so I can weigh you". After getting off the scale, seeing that 446.8 lbs, I thought I would never stop crying. I sobbed and blubbered like a school girl. If I had the ability, I would go back to that day and hug myself and thank that Russ for putting himself on this path. Don't get me wrong, I still cry, but only at important things like movies and that stupid Butterfly Kisses song!!
Last year I promised my son I would get skates and go back on the ice with him. I have not skated since I was 18 but I did buy the skates. They had sat in my basement until today when I went and got them sharpened. That's right, I went this afternoon and ice skated....and man do I suck!! I can't describe how liberated I was to go out there and wobble my way around. I fell a few times and made my way back up. My biggest fear last year was that I would fall, and like a beached whale, they would have to get equipment or something to get my big ass back up again!!
I received my "meal" plan - hence the title of this entry - and I will be doing some different eating plan. My meal can be 235-285 cals with one fruit, two vegetables and one 2 oz serving of meat. No dairy or grain products yet. HUH?? If I can have a 2 oz serving of steak, what the heck do I do with the other 10(just kidding.....as far as you know)!!! I had some serious plans for a turkey sandwich or oatmeal in the mornings - although if there are any lawyers I have created the Double Down light and need some help patenting that. It is one leaf of lettuce, three slices of turkey, tomatoes and cucumber, mustard, topped with another leaf of lettuce. YUMMY!!
So off I go to Week 13 in the knowledge that I have come so far and still have a ways to go. I can say, unequivocally, that I am proud of myself. I know that I didn't do this alone, but seeing as I was drinking all the shakes, I'm taking the credit!!
Russ
P.S. Ruth, there is no chance in HELL I am eating Brussel Sprouts!!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Finish Line is Just Another Start Line
This is it!! Last week of four shakes per day. I know, I know, you wanna know how much I lost. Some of you are so darn impatient!! I dropped 4.8lbs for a total of 85.8 in 11 weeks. I now weigh 355.8 lbs and am astonished by what it feels like. By all means of measuring, I am over-weight. However, it doesn't affect me because I know that I won't be for long!! I'm wearing shirts my wife bought me last year that were way to tight, and now they are to big!! I wear a pair of shorts under my jeans just so they won't fall off when I walk down the street - I will save you the Pants on the Ground video!!
Coming up next Tuesday will be my first foray back into food. I have a small idea how it will work and it will take some of the guess work out of it. As I talked about last week we are stringently going to be following the Canada Food Guide, and I will receive a plan for the week, based on that. So, for instance, she will tell me my meal can have two vegetables, one grain, one meat and one dairy, yet not be over 275-300 cals. It is going to become a time to get creative!!
Everything I've learned has led me to where I am right now; on the precipice of another new beginning. While I can most assuredly say that I passed my first big test, my second one will be daunting and exhausting, but also exhilarating. I am looking forward to trying some of the things that I always found "gross looking" and hoping to add some new, exciting foods. I know that there will be days where a salad and some chopped veggies just are not going to cut it.
However, I am implementing plans for the days when I'm going to have pizza at a party, or cake, or even DRINKS!!! Extra walking and exercise plus going easy in the days leading up to an event will keep my weight loss goals in check with my "getting after it goals"!! I figure that I spent 20 years doing whatever the heck I wanted when it came to food and drink, and I can spend a year to get myself corrected, and then the rest of my life maintaining.
So that is Week 11 wrapped up in a little bow. No drama to report, just another happy week from the fat guy minus 5 lbs!!
Russ
Coming up next Tuesday will be my first foray back into food. I have a small idea how it will work and it will take some of the guess work out of it. As I talked about last week we are stringently going to be following the Canada Food Guide, and I will receive a plan for the week, based on that. So, for instance, she will tell me my meal can have two vegetables, one grain, one meat and one dairy, yet not be over 275-300 cals. It is going to become a time to get creative!!
Everything I've learned has led me to where I am right now; on the precipice of another new beginning. While I can most assuredly say that I passed my first big test, my second one will be daunting and exhausting, but also exhilarating. I am looking forward to trying some of the things that I always found "gross looking" and hoping to add some new, exciting foods. I know that there will be days where a salad and some chopped veggies just are not going to cut it.
However, I am implementing plans for the days when I'm going to have pizza at a party, or cake, or even DRINKS!!! Extra walking and exercise plus going easy in the days leading up to an event will keep my weight loss goals in check with my "getting after it goals"!! I figure that I spent 20 years doing whatever the heck I wanted when it came to food and drink, and I can spend a year to get myself corrected, and then the rest of my life maintaining.
So that is Week 11 wrapped up in a little bow. No drama to report, just another happy week from the fat guy minus 5 lbs!!
Russ
Friday, November 5, 2010
Making Time to be Healthy
As the calendar moves to another page, I notice that there are no days where I can look and say, "Hey, we've got nothing tonight!!". Zack's football still has another month to go - three practices and a game per week - house league hockey has started up and Zack has once again made the Select team. Add in swimming for both, Allie's theatre class and trips to the "Y" and this schedule might be familiar to you.
Well, as a family, we did this last year. However, our new commitment to a healthier lifestyle will mean we can't just stop at McDonald's on the way to practice, or class, or game, etc. So this year we are going to need to use the slow cooker and be more proactive. We will need to have meal plans that we can quickly re-heat so our healthy living can continue all through the winter.
It's so abnormal to have to think about how the family is going to eat when the schedule is filled. I have spent the last three weeks going through recipe books to make sure I give the kids food that will sustain them and be great tasting. Going through a drive-thru really satisfied the time crunch, but it didn't give us what we needed.
So here I go again and I'm going to ask for your families favourite, healthy, slow cooker recipe that we can all share together. When you send them along, let me know how many portions you get out of it because I will be looking for recipes with lots of leftovers that can quickly be re-heated for the family on the go...
Russ
Well, as a family, we did this last year. However, our new commitment to a healthier lifestyle will mean we can't just stop at McDonald's on the way to practice, or class, or game, etc. So this year we are going to need to use the slow cooker and be more proactive. We will need to have meal plans that we can quickly re-heat so our healthy living can continue all through the winter.
It's so abnormal to have to think about how the family is going to eat when the schedule is filled. I have spent the last three weeks going through recipe books to make sure I give the kids food that will sustain them and be great tasting. Going through a drive-thru really satisfied the time crunch, but it didn't give us what we needed.
So here I go again and I'm going to ask for your families favourite, healthy, slow cooker recipe that we can all share together. When you send them along, let me know how many portions you get out of it because I will be looking for recipes with lots of leftovers that can quickly be re-heated for the family on the go...
Russ
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Canada's Food Guide
Today was an informative class. The entire hour was spent on the Food Guide. We'll spend some time on that, but first, I will say that I weighed in at 360.6lbs. I will save you the mental math and I lost 6.2 lbs for a grand total of 81 lbs in 10 weeks!! Not only am I psyched that my total number is Oakland Raider Hall-of-Famer Tim Brown, but I've lost 81 lbs!! I am closing in on the end of the first phase and am so pumped about the results.
Which of course brings me to the next phase which will be a transition back to food. We were re-introduced to Canada's Food Guide - remember Grade 4 when they gave you the sheet with the circle on it, cut into fours and it had the groupings of food you should eat? It's been updated now - they have a great website where you can create your own menu that can be downloaded and printed off.
The serving amounts haven't changed much, but it's a great insight into what a normal, healthy meal should consist of, and apparently, a 10oz steak with sausages on the side was not!! My plate is supposed to be half vegetables, one quarter meat, one quarter grain.....huh? This seems like I should have freaked out more but I'm working a new plan. Salads, carrots, cucumbers, peppers....these will be my new food friends.
I used to think I knew about food, but when she started talking about legumes I thought it was snails. There are alot of things out there that are going to be new to me and not having food for 12 weeks may have benefits that I was unaware of. I am told that my palate will change to the point that I should try things I never have before as the taste may be new and refreshing to me. Also, everything will be super salty - I find it really hard to believe but that's what I'm told.
So that's another week in the books and I'm still losing weight. Two more weeks and we can start with the food....but I may leave the legumes for someone else - name still freaks me out!!
Which of course brings me to the next phase which will be a transition back to food. We were re-introduced to Canada's Food Guide - remember Grade 4 when they gave you the sheet with the circle on it, cut into fours and it had the groupings of food you should eat? It's been updated now - they have a great website where you can create your own menu that can be downloaded and printed off.
The serving amounts haven't changed much, but it's a great insight into what a normal, healthy meal should consist of, and apparently, a 10oz steak with sausages on the side was not!! My plate is supposed to be half vegetables, one quarter meat, one quarter grain.....huh? This seems like I should have freaked out more but I'm working a new plan. Salads, carrots, cucumbers, peppers....these will be my new food friends.
I used to think I knew about food, but when she started talking about legumes I thought it was snails. There are alot of things out there that are going to be new to me and not having food for 12 weeks may have benefits that I was unaware of. I am told that my palate will change to the point that I should try things I never have before as the taste may be new and refreshing to me. Also, everything will be super salty - I find it really hard to believe but that's what I'm told.
So that's another week in the books and I'm still losing weight. Two more weeks and we can start with the food....but I may leave the legumes for someone else - name still freaks me out!!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Happy Halloween!!
I have been to some great parties in my life!! I can find any reason to hoist a drink and celebrate with friends and will look for any excuse to do so. One of the best parties of my adult life was held out in "The Village" - seriously, that place is like the land time forgot but it is awesome out there. It's almost like a whole new world where all the neighbours know each other, they all drop in on each other AND leave their doors unlocked!! You know, kinda like when we were growing up.... - at Ken and Nicole's and it was a Halloween party.
It was a dress-up party - I went as a woman, with nylons, skirt, full make-up, belly shirt....yikes... - and all the college guys and wives were there. We laughed and drank and went til the wee hours of the morning. Nicole, who LOVES Halloween, went all out. The place was spooky and it was a complete hit.
I bring this up as another October 31st comes around only because I happened to be looking at some of those pics on Facebook and giggling to myself. This year will be spent saying no to the little KitKat bars that both of my kids don't like - how that's possible I will never know. KitKat's are phenominal!! - and convincing them that we can walk a little further to hit some more houses.
As always I will be wearing my pedometer and Sunday I will be looking to set a record. If my kids want all the little goodies that come from this night, their feet will be paying the price.
I also went and saw my doctor to finish off a physical which left me with one quick question; when did my doctor become so hateful?!?! As you all know I'm fairly excited about my progress and upon trying to tell her all about what I've been doing, she basically tried to hurry me up so she could get back to her office. Nothing like getting solid support from the person who is supposed to be invested in your health....oh well, no big deal. I come home and bragged to my wife. Even though she's heard me talk non-stop about it, she still acts like it's the first time she heard it...sort of like when Ang, Nicole, Tammy and Carol all laugh when we talk about chopping a tree, or Beaker....
HAPPY HALLOWEEN.....and mix in an apple or an extra little walk when you sneak some candies out of your kid's bag!!
It was a dress-up party - I went as a woman, with nylons, skirt, full make-up, belly shirt....yikes... - and all the college guys and wives were there. We laughed and drank and went til the wee hours of the morning. Nicole, who LOVES Halloween, went all out. The place was spooky and it was a complete hit.
I bring this up as another October 31st comes around only because I happened to be looking at some of those pics on Facebook and giggling to myself. This year will be spent saying no to the little KitKat bars that both of my kids don't like - how that's possible I will never know. KitKat's are phenominal!! - and convincing them that we can walk a little further to hit some more houses.
As always I will be wearing my pedometer and Sunday I will be looking to set a record. If my kids want all the little goodies that come from this night, their feet will be paying the price.
I also went and saw my doctor to finish off a physical which left me with one quick question; when did my doctor become so hateful?!?! As you all know I'm fairly excited about my progress and upon trying to tell her all about what I've been doing, she basically tried to hurry me up so she could get back to her office. Nothing like getting solid support from the person who is supposed to be invested in your health....oh well, no big deal. I come home and bragged to my wife. Even though she's heard me talk non-stop about it, she still acts like it's the first time she heard it...sort of like when Ang, Nicole, Tammy and Carol all laugh when we talk about chopping a tree, or Beaker....
HAPPY HALLOWEEN.....and mix in an apple or an extra little walk when you sneak some candies out of your kid's bag!!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Howie Long
One of my favourite Oakland Raiders of all time is Howie Long. Most of you may know him from the Fox Sunday pregame show where he's a funny, jovial guy. I choose to remember him as the big, nasty defensive tackle of my childhood team. The Raiders ran a 3-4 defense at that time and he was a disruptive force in the middle of that defense.
Why, you may be asking, am I bringing up Howie Long? Well, I've lost 75 lbs which was his number - actually 74.8 lbs but nobody wears 74.8 in any sport I'm aware of!! I now weigh 366.8 lbs and lost another 8.2 this week. I can't impress upon you enough how this has changed my life. I went grocery shopping with the family on Sunday to see all the exciting options I can choose from when I start food in a few weeks.
I'm ready for the food to start and for all the exciting recipes I've been saving to pop out from the paper. I'm ready to cook with whole wheat flour and egg substitutes. I'm excited to have turkey burgers and salad, and buy some ground turkey. I'm excited to drink Miller Genuine Draft 64 - they're not sponsoring me, but I'm for sale!! - and continuing down this path.
I learned today that there is talk of potentially changing the program down the road so that instead of shakes you would actually be eating food. I'm not sure how that would have worked for me in the beginning when I was in a different mindset. I know this is working for me so I'm pretty partial to this plan, but obviously these people know what they are doing.
I've almost lost the equivalent of my son's weight. I am losing the weight of small people, yet still have a few small kids to go. I look forward to putting my son on my back as a reminder of what life was like trying to get up the stairs and use it as motivation to never have to do it again!!
Russ
Why, you may be asking, am I bringing up Howie Long? Well, I've lost 75 lbs which was his number - actually 74.8 lbs but nobody wears 74.8 in any sport I'm aware of!! I now weigh 366.8 lbs and lost another 8.2 this week. I can't impress upon you enough how this has changed my life. I went grocery shopping with the family on Sunday to see all the exciting options I can choose from when I start food in a few weeks.
I'm ready for the food to start and for all the exciting recipes I've been saving to pop out from the paper. I'm ready to cook with whole wheat flour and egg substitutes. I'm excited to have turkey burgers and salad, and buy some ground turkey. I'm excited to drink Miller Genuine Draft 64 - they're not sponsoring me, but I'm for sale!! - and continuing down this path.
I learned today that there is talk of potentially changing the program down the road so that instead of shakes you would actually be eating food. I'm not sure how that would have worked for me in the beginning when I was in a different mindset. I know this is working for me so I'm pretty partial to this plan, but obviously these people know what they are doing.
I've almost lost the equivalent of my son's weight. I am losing the weight of small people, yet still have a few small kids to go. I look forward to putting my son on my back as a reminder of what life was like trying to get up the stairs and use it as motivation to never have to do it again!!
Russ
Friday, October 22, 2010
Busy Weekend
This weekend does not start off in the greatest of ways. Today we are going to the funeral home to say good-bye to the father of some great friends. I've known these woman for fifteen years and my heart breaks for the sadness that they are living in. It will be tough because there are no words I can say that will comfort them and it always makes me sad when I see other people sad.
After the difficulty of the afternoon, I will be taking Zack to his hockey practice then we are off to a pleasant surprise. As some of you know, I was asking for votes as Zack entered a play in the Nissan Arm Chair Quarterback contest. His play was one of five chosen by the coaching staff to win two tickets to tonight's game against Montreal. He will also be on the field at half-time!!
I am interested to go to this game. I have been to that stadium many times, but never at 375 lbs. I'll be able to walk up the stairs and not feel like I'm dying!! I will also, hopefully, not need half of my son's portion of the bench!! Sure I won't be having the sausage on a bun/beer combo but it's not that big of a deal.....it's not that big of a deal......
Tomorrow is a day filled with a hockey game, football practice, acting class and a hockey tryout. This kind of day would have tuckered me out something fierce two months ago but now...now I'm trying to think about where I can get a mile or two in!!
I thought a lot about the unfortunate events of this week and, even though this was a freak thing, I am so happy I've started to take the steps to make myself a healthier man. Nothing in this world is guaranteed but if I don't give myself the best chance I can, I would really be selling myself short.
After the difficulty of the afternoon, I will be taking Zack to his hockey practice then we are off to a pleasant surprise. As some of you know, I was asking for votes as Zack entered a play in the Nissan Arm Chair Quarterback contest. His play was one of five chosen by the coaching staff to win two tickets to tonight's game against Montreal. He will also be on the field at half-time!!
I am interested to go to this game. I have been to that stadium many times, but never at 375 lbs. I'll be able to walk up the stairs and not feel like I'm dying!! I will also, hopefully, not need half of my son's portion of the bench!! Sure I won't be having the sausage on a bun/beer combo but it's not that big of a deal.....it's not that big of a deal......
Tomorrow is a day filled with a hockey game, football practice, acting class and a hockey tryout. This kind of day would have tuckered me out something fierce two months ago but now...now I'm trying to think about where I can get a mile or two in!!
I thought a lot about the unfortunate events of this week and, even though this was a freak thing, I am so happy I've started to take the steps to make myself a healthier man. Nothing in this world is guaranteed but if I don't give myself the best chance I can, I would really be selling myself short.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Killing It
Like I talked a bit about yesterday, I have a completely different perspective on my life and why things happen. When I choose to make a change, it will happen. When I don't, it won't. So it was a great confirmation to go on the scale and see that I was 375 lbs, down 8.2 lbs from last week and 66.6 overall in eight weeks. Yeah, 66.6 lbs in eight weeks!!
Now I'm a guy that succeeds. I'm a guy who instead of being described as "You know, he has some good days", is a guy who sometimes has some bad days. I own everything I do, good and bad. I recognize that alot of people wanted into this program and it is incumbent on me to do everything I can to prove that I deserve that spot.
We talked about ownership and I was happy to report that, through my blog, I am documenting all the changes I've made. Also, it's given me the chance to get support from all of you which has been huge. You've kept me on the straight-and-narrow by following my path and I definitely did not want to write down that I've cheated and have you all read that!!
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks but I think it should be amended to "You can't teach an old dog new tricks if he doesn't want to learn them". When you decide that your life needs a new direction, you are the only person that can do it. Folks, I've lost over 66 lbs and it's because I realized it had to happen and I fully committed to myself. Anyone can make any change they want - you only have to make the first step.
Now I'm a guy that succeeds. I'm a guy who instead of being described as "You know, he has some good days", is a guy who sometimes has some bad days. I own everything I do, good and bad. I recognize that alot of people wanted into this program and it is incumbent on me to do everything I can to prove that I deserve that spot.
We talked about ownership and I was happy to report that, through my blog, I am documenting all the changes I've made. Also, it's given me the chance to get support from all of you which has been huge. You've kept me on the straight-and-narrow by following my path and I definitely did not want to write down that I've cheated and have you all read that!!
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks but I think it should be amended to "You can't teach an old dog new tricks if he doesn't want to learn them". When you decide that your life needs a new direction, you are the only person that can do it. Folks, I've lost over 66 lbs and it's because I realized it had to happen and I fully committed to myself. Anyone can make any change they want - you only have to make the first step.
Monday, October 18, 2010
re-Birthdays!!
A man has lots of time to think when he locks himself out of the house. I decided to walk to my gym this morning, do a workout and walk back. I g-mapped it out and it equaled three miles which would be pretty decent for the day. Before I left I decided not to take my house key as Ang would be home by the time I was done and it's a pain-in-the-ass to carry my keys as I would have no pockets.
The walk and workout were great, and as I've already given away, Ang was nowhere to be found. Seeing as carrying my keys was out of the question, obviously bringing my phone was not in the cards either. As I sat on my porch for an hour-and-a-half - seriously, how much stuff is there to see at Walmart? - I've thought about how far I've come.
I started to think about how the introduction of this program has completely changed my life. I realized that my first day with shakes, August 24th, 2010, marked a new beginning for me. All apologies if someone else is using this word and sells t-shirts and mugs and other stuff, but I'm calling this my re-Birthday. Not only am I losing weight, but I'm changing my whole attitude. I'm looking at things in a whole new way, and seeing myself in a whole new light.
So I want you to ask yourself, when is your re-Birthday? I doubt you can suck anyone into giving you presents, but you should celebrate with yourself. If you don't have one, why not think about it? You don't have to completely overhaul your life, but try to make a change. I know some of you are thinking that this "new" Russ is considerably cornier than the old Russ, but I will tell you this; I will take corny and happy over cool and miserable everyday!!
Don't worry, I will give you my weight update tomorrow, but I wanted to jot this little blurb down now while it was still fresh and in my mind. Make a small change today and see where it leads you...who knows, maybe I can start reading about how corny you've become on your blog in a few weeks....
The walk and workout were great, and as I've already given away, Ang was nowhere to be found. Seeing as carrying my keys was out of the question, obviously bringing my phone was not in the cards either. As I sat on my porch for an hour-and-a-half - seriously, how much stuff is there to see at Walmart? - I've thought about how far I've come.
I started to think about how the introduction of this program has completely changed my life. I realized that my first day with shakes, August 24th, 2010, marked a new beginning for me. All apologies if someone else is using this word and sells t-shirts and mugs and other stuff, but I'm calling this my re-Birthday. Not only am I losing weight, but I'm changing my whole attitude. I'm looking at things in a whole new way, and seeing myself in a whole new light.
So I want you to ask yourself, when is your re-Birthday? I doubt you can suck anyone into giving you presents, but you should celebrate with yourself. If you don't have one, why not think about it? You don't have to completely overhaul your life, but try to make a change. I know some of you are thinking that this "new" Russ is considerably cornier than the old Russ, but I will tell you this; I will take corny and happy over cool and miserable everyday!!
Don't worry, I will give you my weight update tomorrow, but I wanted to jot this little blurb down now while it was still fresh and in my mind. Make a small change today and see where it leads you...who knows, maybe I can start reading about how corny you've become on your blog in a few weeks....
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Light is not a Train
Week seven in the books and I've melted off another 6.6 lbs, for a total of 58.6 lbs. I'm starting to see the end game and it doesn't scare me. I am really starting to believe that I can do this and make it work. I am now walking more than I have anytime in the last 10-15 years. Thanks to my friend Ruth for this site http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ as it helps me find longer routes to take and up my activity.
I made it through Thanksgiving weekend but it sure was tough. I was starting to feel a little lonely as Ang and the kids went to our friends house for turkey dinner. A small bout of feeling sorry for myself was quickly replaced with the urge to get off my somewhat smaller ass and walk over where everybody was and socialize. It was at that moment I realized that I had been shutting myself off and not leaving the house.
I missed the sense of being out of my house to see other people. Usually when I am doing that I am mixing drinks in with that but obviously that was not the case Sunday. So it was just having idle chit-chat with friends about simple little things. It was a nice evening.
We talked about resistance training today and how there are eight techniques to help burn the fat fuel and increase lean mass. You can do this the traditional way with weights or you can use the elastics. Those elastic ropes just look funny to me and I have serious visions of the rope coming loose from the door and drilling me in the face. In fact, I may video the first few times just in case so I can become a youtube sensation.
So that's it for today's weigh-in. All my blood work was great and they are excited about my weight loss. I have heard from some of you who tried to do a few things for yourself and to you I say CONGRATS!! It's been a great week - heck, even the Raiders won - and I have five more until I try some real food....I'm not American, but I think I may celebrate US Thanksgiving!!
I made it through Thanksgiving weekend but it sure was tough. I was starting to feel a little lonely as Ang and the kids went to our friends house for turkey dinner. A small bout of feeling sorry for myself was quickly replaced with the urge to get off my somewhat smaller ass and walk over where everybody was and socialize. It was at that moment I realized that I had been shutting myself off and not leaving the house.
I missed the sense of being out of my house to see other people. Usually when I am doing that I am mixing drinks in with that but obviously that was not the case Sunday. So it was just having idle chit-chat with friends about simple little things. It was a nice evening.
We talked about resistance training today and how there are eight techniques to help burn the fat fuel and increase lean mass. You can do this the traditional way with weights or you can use the elastics. Those elastic ropes just look funny to me and I have serious visions of the rope coming loose from the door and drilling me in the face. In fact, I may video the first few times just in case so I can become a youtube sensation.
So that's it for today's weigh-in. All my blood work was great and they are excited about my weight loss. I have heard from some of you who tried to do a few things for yourself and to you I say CONGRATS!! It's been a great week - heck, even the Raiders won - and I have five more until I try some real food....I'm not American, but I think I may celebrate US Thanksgiving!!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Giving Thanks
It's Thanksgiving Weekend!! Well, for most of you - my American readers will have to wait another month for their blast of turkey and mashed potatoes. As it has been well documented I will be attacking this great food weekend with a liquid diet; no, not rye and water but my OptiFast shakes. I love this weekend; fall is my favourite time of year and the meal is pretty strong too!!
I know that by doing what I'm doing, I am extending my opportunities to have turkey dinners for a long time coming. So instead of dwelling on the food - did I mention mashed potatoes and gravy? - I'm going to come up with some things to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for my parents and brother who give me the support I need to make it through. This will be the first time we don't have Thanksgiving dinner together, but they know what this is all about and let's face it, more left-overs for Bob!!
I'm thankful for an intervention that got me to where I am. It was a wake-up call and it has begun to give me my life back.
I'm thankful my TV is not broken yet. The 2010 Oakland Raiders are going to make for a long fall and winter. Don't even get me started about my last place fantasy football team!!
I'm thankful my kids are doing the things they love the most. Allie is in an acting class where she sings and will be putting on a show at the end. I know, you're thinking it's quite the stretch for her!! Zack is two games into his football schedule and has three TD's so far. Hockey season has also started so the smile is hard to get off his face.
I'm thankful for my wife. She has had some struggles, and these weekends don't make it easier.
So while you sit down with your families this weekend, remember not only the great things 2010 has brought you, but also the tough times. Nobody goes through life unscathed, but don't let it define you. Live your best life and enjoy your family and friends....and mashed potatoes!! Did I mention those?
Russ
I know that by doing what I'm doing, I am extending my opportunities to have turkey dinners for a long time coming. So instead of dwelling on the food - did I mention mashed potatoes and gravy? - I'm going to come up with some things to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for my parents and brother who give me the support I need to make it through. This will be the first time we don't have Thanksgiving dinner together, but they know what this is all about and let's face it, more left-overs for Bob!!
I'm thankful for an intervention that got me to where I am. It was a wake-up call and it has begun to give me my life back.
I'm thankful my TV is not broken yet. The 2010 Oakland Raiders are going to make for a long fall and winter. Don't even get me started about my last place fantasy football team!!
I'm thankful my kids are doing the things they love the most. Allie is in an acting class where she sings and will be putting on a show at the end. I know, you're thinking it's quite the stretch for her!! Zack is two games into his football schedule and has three TD's so far. Hockey season has also started so the smile is hard to get off his face.
I'm thankful for my wife. She has had some struggles, and these weekends don't make it easier.
So while you sit down with your families this weekend, remember not only the great things 2010 has brought you, but also the tough times. Nobody goes through life unscathed, but don't let it define you. Live your best life and enjoy your family and friends....and mashed potatoes!! Did I mention those?
Russ
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Back to the Grind
Week six is in the books!!! YEAHHHH!!!! I am half way through the no-food portion of the program and after today's loss of 6.6 lbs, I am down a total of 51.8 lbs!! Let's put this into perspective - we drove past a farm the other day and he was selling 50 lbs sacks of potatoes. If he was generous and gave us a few extra, I just dropped them out of my trunk!!
I have been having some issues with dizziness and headaches, but as I am programmed to do, I did nothing about it. I had a pretty bad one yesterday and made the mistake of having it when my wife was around so you know what that meant!! I left the house early today so I could speak with the doctor to see if it had anything to do with the OptiFast, or if there was another problem.
He took my blood pressure and had me go for some more blood work. We also discussed the possibility that I am not drinking enough water. I told him that if I could put rye in it I would drink it like it was my second job; he was not amused.
We compared my blood pressure from when I first started, and before we go into the numbers it should be explained that I really had no idea what was good as far as blood pressure went. He told me 120 over 80 was pretty normal and I sat there with a glazed look on my face and smiled and nodded. So, the 120 means Systolic, or when the heart beats and pumps blood. The 80 is Diastolic, or when your heart relaxes and fills with blood.
On July 29th I was 145 over 95, but today was 128 over 88!! Everybody that wants to lose weight has specific reasons. Vanity, health, whatever your reason, but when you put in an effort and see positive results, not only in the mirror but for your long-term viability here on earth, it's a rewarding feeling.
I've been writing this blog since August 2nd and been updating you on my progress since I started. You've all been so good to me with words of encouragement and helping keep my spirits up. I want to take this last paragraph and try something a little different - I want to see if I can motivate you. I want to see if I can convince you to park your car on the street when you come from work so you have to walk a little farther to get to the door. Park farther at work, walk to the corner store or substitute one food item for something lower in fat and calories. Try something small this week, and next week try something else. Add any cliche you want about how big tasks have to start with the smallest of steps, but do something today. You'll love it!!
Good luck and I would love to hear if you try something. I used to think Malibu Rum mixed with Gatorade would be my biggest contribution to society - and don't kid yourself, it's pretty awesome - but I think if just one person makes a change, and they give that to one person, this could be bigger...
Russ
I have been having some issues with dizziness and headaches, but as I am programmed to do, I did nothing about it. I had a pretty bad one yesterday and made the mistake of having it when my wife was around so you know what that meant!! I left the house early today so I could speak with the doctor to see if it had anything to do with the OptiFast, or if there was another problem.
He took my blood pressure and had me go for some more blood work. We also discussed the possibility that I am not drinking enough water. I told him that if I could put rye in it I would drink it like it was my second job; he was not amused.
We compared my blood pressure from when I first started, and before we go into the numbers it should be explained that I really had no idea what was good as far as blood pressure went. He told me 120 over 80 was pretty normal and I sat there with a glazed look on my face and smiled and nodded. So, the 120 means Systolic, or when the heart beats and pumps blood. The 80 is Diastolic, or when your heart relaxes and fills with blood.
On July 29th I was 145 over 95, but today was 128 over 88!! Everybody that wants to lose weight has specific reasons. Vanity, health, whatever your reason, but when you put in an effort and see positive results, not only in the mirror but for your long-term viability here on earth, it's a rewarding feeling.
I've been writing this blog since August 2nd and been updating you on my progress since I started. You've all been so good to me with words of encouragement and helping keep my spirits up. I want to take this last paragraph and try something a little different - I want to see if I can motivate you. I want to see if I can convince you to park your car on the street when you come from work so you have to walk a little farther to get to the door. Park farther at work, walk to the corner store or substitute one food item for something lower in fat and calories. Try something small this week, and next week try something else. Add any cliche you want about how big tasks have to start with the smallest of steps, but do something today. You'll love it!!
Good luck and I would love to hear if you try something. I used to think Malibu Rum mixed with Gatorade would be my biggest contribution to society - and don't kid yourself, it's pretty awesome - but I think if just one person makes a change, and they give that to one person, this could be bigger...
Russ
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Week 5 in the Books
I guess I'm going to need to deal with some adversity now. Weighed in today and lost 3.4 lbs. Not what I wanted, not what I thought it would be, but it's what I got. Not to get to "icky" but we talked about upping my fibre...if you don't know why look it up because this is a family blog.
My BMI has gone from 53.7 down to 48.3 and things are looking up. I am going to need to up the exercise amount as I thought I was doing enough but can definitely add more. I learned today that a person burns 5-10 cals/min with exercise. That equates to 300-600 cals/day, and with one pound of fat equaling 3500 cals, you would need to exercise 1-2 hrs/day, for the week, to lose one pound. All of this would happen, even if you never changed your diet.
For the five weeks I am down a little over 45lbs and I'm going to concentrate on that and see the bigger picture. My family and I were at the dollar store yesterday and Zack and I broke off from the girls and we were going up and down some aisles. I jokingly asked him about us buying some snacks and sneaking off to the car. He looked at me and said "Dad, you can't, you need this for your health and I want you to be here".
This somewhat confused me because I could not understand why we had to stay in the dollar store. When I questioned him further, he proceeded to tell me that he and Allie had been talking about how Dad couldn't eat any food because something bad could happen. All this time I knew I needed to get myself right, but my son and daughter needed it more. So guys, all these walks will be for you!!
My BMI has gone from 53.7 down to 48.3 and things are looking up. I am going to need to up the exercise amount as I thought I was doing enough but can definitely add more. I learned today that a person burns 5-10 cals/min with exercise. That equates to 300-600 cals/day, and with one pound of fat equaling 3500 cals, you would need to exercise 1-2 hrs/day, for the week, to lose one pound. All of this would happen, even if you never changed your diet.
For the five weeks I am down a little over 45lbs and I'm going to concentrate on that and see the bigger picture. My family and I were at the dollar store yesterday and Zack and I broke off from the girls and we were going up and down some aisles. I jokingly asked him about us buying some snacks and sneaking off to the car. He looked at me and said "Dad, you can't, you need this for your health and I want you to be here".
This somewhat confused me because I could not understand why we had to stay in the dollar store. When I questioned him further, he proceeded to tell me that he and Allie had been talking about how Dad couldn't eat any food because something bad could happen. All this time I knew I needed to get myself right, but my son and daughter needed it more. So guys, all these walks will be for you!!
Friday, September 24, 2010
People Have Noticed
Let me preface this by saying that my wife and my mom have both told me they can notice my weight loss. They see it in my face, neck and shoulders. I also should tell you that I cannot notice a thing. I know my pants are looser, and don't even get me started about needing a new belt already, but when I look in the mirror I see the same guy I always have.
I'm sure it's a brain thing and at some point I'll see myself for what I'm becoming, but it's just not visible to me. However, the past two days at work I've had people come up to me and say the words everyone always wants to hear, "Hey, are you losing weight"? Seeing as I haven't heard those words being directed at me in quite a long time, I wasn't sure how to act.
So, I talked to them about what I was doing, and what I've accomplished. It's very liberating to tell people that you are succeeding at something they believe they could not do. Telling someone new about the program is always a fun thing because you get to see their reaction when you tell them you haven't eaten food in four weeks.
I'm almost five weeks in and I'm getting visible results. I'm spending more time now noticing the different scenarios which would have me eating. I am really starting to believe that I will be able to turn to things other than food when the time comes. I'm really starting to like what other people are seeing, and hope that soon, I will see it too.
I'm sure it's a brain thing and at some point I'll see myself for what I'm becoming, but it's just not visible to me. However, the past two days at work I've had people come up to me and say the words everyone always wants to hear, "Hey, are you losing weight"? Seeing as I haven't heard those words being directed at me in quite a long time, I wasn't sure how to act.
So, I talked to them about what I was doing, and what I've accomplished. It's very liberating to tell people that you are succeeding at something they believe they could not do. Telling someone new about the program is always a fun thing because you get to see their reaction when you tell them you haven't eaten food in four weeks.
I'm almost five weeks in and I'm getting visible results. I'm spending more time now noticing the different scenarios which would have me eating. I am really starting to believe that I will be able to turn to things other than food when the time comes. I'm really starting to like what other people are seeing, and hope that soon, I will see it too.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
399.8
So, I've learned some valuable lessons this week, and a few were painful. I lost 6.6 lbs which is a little less than what I wanted. I've tried increasing my activity, but the major issue was that I didn't have all my shakes. In my warped mind, I thought I could help myself, but what I did was make my body store most of what I was putting in. In other words, I f@#$ed up.
This is a regimented program and apparently I don't know as much as doctors and dietitians!! Who knew? So we will chalk this up to my general dumb-assery and make a stronger, concerted effort to have the four shakes/day.
I also learned that I don't deal well with frustration and anger - most of you are shocked by this as it is obviously brand new information. So yesterday was a difficult day and my first reaction was to grab my keys and head out for something to eat. Off I went to grab some lunch at Costco - don`t judge me; the hotdog and fries there are pretty strong - and thankfully it is 15 minutes from my house.
Normally, the ride would only fuel my anger so by the time I get there I'm ready to eat the place out of food, but this time I tried a different approach. I relaxed myself and made a point of thinking through all my choices and decided to drive a little further. Eventually I ended up at a shopping centre and walked around a bit and felt pretty good because I upped the number on my pedometer.
Well, it's four weeks in and I'm down over 40 lbs and feeling pretty good about my choices. I think I've walked more in the last two weeks than I have in the last two years, and I have not compromised myself by having some food. There are some tough weekends coming around - Thanksgiving, seriously? - but I've got some plans for myself and turkey, gravy, ham, and mashed potatoes will have to wait.....what was I talking about?
Lastly, I've been asking for some recipes and so far you guys suck - notable exceptions to Mrs Kilby (great site, can't wait to try them out) and my Mom. She said to cut up some potatoes, mix them with egg whites and some seasoning and bake them in the oven. She says they taste just like fries, so I'll have to give it a whirl....not anytime soon, but you know what I mean.
This is a regimented program and apparently I don't know as much as doctors and dietitians!! Who knew? So we will chalk this up to my general dumb-assery and make a stronger, concerted effort to have the four shakes/day.
I also learned that I don't deal well with frustration and anger - most of you are shocked by this as it is obviously brand new information. So yesterday was a difficult day and my first reaction was to grab my keys and head out for something to eat. Off I went to grab some lunch at Costco - don`t judge me; the hotdog and fries there are pretty strong - and thankfully it is 15 minutes from my house.
Normally, the ride would only fuel my anger so by the time I get there I'm ready to eat the place out of food, but this time I tried a different approach. I relaxed myself and made a point of thinking through all my choices and decided to drive a little further. Eventually I ended up at a shopping centre and walked around a bit and felt pretty good because I upped the number on my pedometer.
Well, it's four weeks in and I'm down over 40 lbs and feeling pretty good about my choices. I think I've walked more in the last two weeks than I have in the last two years, and I have not compromised myself by having some food. There are some tough weekends coming around - Thanksgiving, seriously? - but I've got some plans for myself and turkey, gravy, ham, and mashed potatoes will have to wait.....what was I talking about?
Lastly, I've been asking for some recipes and so far you guys suck - notable exceptions to Mrs Kilby (great site, can't wait to try them out) and my Mom. She said to cut up some potatoes, mix them with egg whites and some seasoning and bake them in the oven. She says they taste just like fries, so I'll have to give it a whirl....not anytime soon, but you know what I mean.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Healthy(er) Fried Chicken?!?!
It looks like I'm gonna need to throw out the first recipe, and after doing some checking online, I found a few. The nice thing about being on the OptiFast is I can get the many people reading this to try them out first - I have someone in South Korea reading this bad boy!!
Before I give you the recipe, I would like to acknowledge the site I got it from. They have some really great stuff on there, and if you're the adventurous type there will be things that you can try. www.eatingwell.com is the site and it was a fun 15 minutes until I realized I couldn't eat any of the recipes for two months, then I went to check my crappy fantasy football team....
Before I give you the recipe, I would like to acknowledge the site I got it from. They have some really great stuff on there, and if you're the adventurous type there will be things that you can try. www.eatingwell.com is the site and it was a fun 15 minutes until I realized I couldn't eat any of the recipes for two months, then I went to check my crappy fantasy football team....
Oven-Fried Chicken
4 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes (including marinating time)
Exchanges: 1/3 starch, 4 very lean protein, 1 1/2 fat
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes (including marinating time)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 1/2-3 pounds whole chicken legs, skin removed, trimmed and cut into thighs and drumsticks
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Olive oil cooking spray
Preparation
- Whisk buttermilk, mustard, garlic and hot sauce in a shallow glass dish until well blended. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or for up to 8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
- Whisk flour, sesame seeds, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place the flour mixture in a paper bag or large sealable plastic bag. Shaking off excess marinade, place one or two pieces of chicken at a time in the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and place the chicken on the prepared rack. (Discard any leftover flour mixture and marinade.) Spray the chicken pieces with cooking spray.
- Bake the chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 40 to 50 minutes.
Tips & Notes
- Make Ahead Tip: Marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours.
- Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
Nutrition
Per serving: 226 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 130 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 34 g protein; 1 g fiber; 258 mg sodium; 400 mg potassium.Exchanges: 1/3 starch, 4 very lean protein, 1 1/2 fat
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Other People are Doing This Too
So, today is Tuesday, which means weigh-in day. I thought I would change things up this time and talk about some other people. Firstly, we will get some house cleaning out of the way and let you know I dropped another nine lbs, bringing the three week total to 35. I have to tell you, it feels great. I'm walking further and am genuinely excited for each day to start.
But I am taking this opportunity to talk about three women who are doing their thing. I have known the first woman for almost 17 years, basically as long as her husband. Without a doubt, she's the nicest person I know and always has a kind word to say about everyone - except some co-workers. Well, Carol has lost 50 lbs through sheer force of will and I wanted to tell everyone how proud I am of her. All of your hard work has paid off and I can't wait to see how unbelievable you are going to look - we'll just make sure Brent's not around!!
The next strong woman hit her goal about a month ago which is an extraordinary accomplishment. As a stay-home mother of three with lunches, dinner, homework, and all the other responsibilities, she has made sure to make enough time for herself to eat right, at the same time having her kids eat healthy too. She goes to the gym every Monday to Friday to work at getting to, and now maintaining, her goal. While I'd like to think Michelle and Ang are working out the whole time, I know they are expressing any "frustrations" they have with their husbands at the same time.
Finally, the last woman has had as difficult a summer as anyone could imagine. I've written about my admiration for her strength and perseverance before, but she still fit in her gym time as best as she could and tried to eat good meals, all while constantly on the go. My wife has lost over 50 lbs and I couldn't be more proud.
So there you have it; three more people making changes in their life and they are all people I can look up to. Now, since I started this I am getting quite a bit of traffic. What I would like to do is have people share some recipes or food tips and we can all benefit. If you've come up with a great way to make a dish healthier, than lets share it. There is a comment section in this blog, but I think you have to become a follower and some of you may be concerned about giving your e-mail because you will get spam and offers for pills to enlarge your penis - after this weekend Ken, you should consider thinking about it. Most of you know me on Facebook and you can message me and I will put them in my entries and we can share them all together.
Russ
But I am taking this opportunity to talk about three women who are doing their thing. I have known the first woman for almost 17 years, basically as long as her husband. Without a doubt, she's the nicest person I know and always has a kind word to say about everyone - except some co-workers. Well, Carol has lost 50 lbs through sheer force of will and I wanted to tell everyone how proud I am of her. All of your hard work has paid off and I can't wait to see how unbelievable you are going to look - we'll just make sure Brent's not around!!
The next strong woman hit her goal about a month ago which is an extraordinary accomplishment. As a stay-home mother of three with lunches, dinner, homework, and all the other responsibilities, she has made sure to make enough time for herself to eat right, at the same time having her kids eat healthy too. She goes to the gym every Monday to Friday to work at getting to, and now maintaining, her goal. While I'd like to think Michelle and Ang are working out the whole time, I know they are expressing any "frustrations" they have with their husbands at the same time.
Finally, the last woman has had as difficult a summer as anyone could imagine. I've written about my admiration for her strength and perseverance before, but she still fit in her gym time as best as she could and tried to eat good meals, all while constantly on the go. My wife has lost over 50 lbs and I couldn't be more proud.
So there you have it; three more people making changes in their life and they are all people I can look up to. Now, since I started this I am getting quite a bit of traffic. What I would like to do is have people share some recipes or food tips and we can all benefit. If you've come up with a great way to make a dish healthier, than lets share it. There is a comment section in this blog, but I think you have to become a follower and some of you may be concerned about giving your e-mail because you will get spam and offers for pills to enlarge your penis - after this weekend Ken, you should consider thinking about it. Most of you know me on Facebook and you can message me and I will put them in my entries and we can share them all together.
Russ
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Back Home
I had my annual Guy's Weekend this weekend, and what a blast!! When I decided to do the OptiFast plan, I contemplated as to whether I would go or not. I used to leave at 1pm on the Thursday and get up there to the cottage and sit out on the deck and catch up with the guys with a few drinks. On the Friday we usually go golfing in the morning and head back to cottage for a few drinks and BBQ and repeat the same for Saturday.
This year we left a little later but were able to see the Vikings/Saints game - sorry, but that game sucked!! We waited eight months for that??? - and played some cards and talked a bit of junk as we tend to do. I had my couple of shakes and the fellas had their beers. We golfed on Friday and came back to play some horseshoes. As dinner was starting to get prepared, things started to get a little tough for me.
I could smell the ribs on the BBQ, and the burgers and the sausages and it was all a little over-whelming. I decided to go lie down for awhile and get myself away from the kitchen and clear my head. Thankfully, they all decided to eat at the same time, and quickly cleaned up and put everything away and asked me to come back out. I appreciated their looking out for me and was able to eventually snap out of my destructive desires.
All-in-all I'm glad I went. We left the cottage a few times through golf and some other attempted adventures and played horseshoes out back. Being able to get away from the all the food instead of having it stare me in the face was a nice break. Through some well timed power naps and some pep talks from amazing friends - and one "reminder" text from my wife - I came out the other side sticking to my plan and not eating, nor drinking, anything.
I also took some time to think about how I will approach next year's Guy's Weekend. I realized I don't need to start having some drinks til later in the day. I also thought of some healthy snacks I can sneak in along with chips. Also, there's nothing wrong with a nice salad to go beside a healthy size of steak. I also realized that when I woke up every morning, I didn't feel like I was in a car accident, but I probably shouldn't get used to that. I think my friends loved it, only because their sleep wasn't interrupted by my chainsaw snoring. I'd say that's a pretty successful weekend.
Thanks for all the help boys.....and see Hasse, I didn't even bring up you getting hit in the beans with the golf ball from 140 yds.....oh, almost didn't.
This year we left a little later but were able to see the Vikings/Saints game - sorry, but that game sucked!! We waited eight months for that??? - and played some cards and talked a bit of junk as we tend to do. I had my couple of shakes and the fellas had their beers. We golfed on Friday and came back to play some horseshoes. As dinner was starting to get prepared, things started to get a little tough for me.
I could smell the ribs on the BBQ, and the burgers and the sausages and it was all a little over-whelming. I decided to go lie down for awhile and get myself away from the kitchen and clear my head. Thankfully, they all decided to eat at the same time, and quickly cleaned up and put everything away and asked me to come back out. I appreciated their looking out for me and was able to eventually snap out of my destructive desires.
All-in-all I'm glad I went. We left the cottage a few times through golf and some other attempted adventures and played horseshoes out back. Being able to get away from the all the food instead of having it stare me in the face was a nice break. Through some well timed power naps and some pep talks from amazing friends - and one "reminder" text from my wife - I came out the other side sticking to my plan and not eating, nor drinking, anything.
I also took some time to think about how I will approach next year's Guy's Weekend. I realized I don't need to start having some drinks til later in the day. I also thought of some healthy snacks I can sneak in along with chips. Also, there's nothing wrong with a nice salad to go beside a healthy size of steak. I also realized that when I woke up every morning, I didn't feel like I was in a car accident, but I probably shouldn't get used to that. I think my friends loved it, only because their sleep wasn't interrupted by my chainsaw snoring. I'd say that's a pretty successful weekend.
Thanks for all the help boys.....and see Hasse, I didn't even bring up you getting hit in the beans with the golf ball from 140 yds.....oh, almost didn't.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Tempering Expectations
Well, I went in for my second weigh-in, and we will start with the positives. I lost weight. I lost the most of anyone in my class. I still haven't eaten food - not sure how this slipped into the positive column!!
So, I lost Drew Brees - or, for the old-timers Maurice Richard. Half of last week, with double the steps output of last week. As I stood, dejected and distraught, I was told to expect 3-6 lbs/week, and that nine was phenomenal. Sadly, I can't see the forest for the trees right now.
I am still happy about what I'm doing, but I think this means I'm going to need to ramp up the activity. Perhaps adding some swimming and maybe even using this gym membership I've been paying for. Most of all, I need to realize that I'm not on Biggest Loser and losing 100lbs in five or six weeks is not in my future. It may take a little longer but I'm 26.2 lbs down and the needle is pointed in the right direction.
Russ
So, I lost Drew Brees - or, for the old-timers Maurice Richard. Half of last week, with double the steps output of last week. As I stood, dejected and distraught, I was told to expect 3-6 lbs/week, and that nine was phenomenal. Sadly, I can't see the forest for the trees right now.
I am still happy about what I'm doing, but I think this means I'm going to need to ramp up the activity. Perhaps adding some swimming and maybe even using this gym membership I've been paying for. Most of all, I need to realize that I'm not on Biggest Loser and losing 100lbs in five or six weeks is not in my future. It may take a little longer but I'm 26.2 lbs down and the needle is pointed in the right direction.
Russ
Saturday, September 4, 2010
When did you..
When you take a look at yourself, what do you see? I've learned long ago not to speak for anyone else, so I can tell you that when I looked inside it was a pretty big eye opener. I realized that I had given up on myself. In our weight loss classes they talk about your support group and sometimes there will be a person who is not the most helpful soul. What do you do when that person is you?
I had a pretty productive week last week yet I spent a good portion of time thinking how I could never do it for a second week. Here I am, busting my ass not to eat anything, and I'm sabotaging myself?! I spent some solid thinking time - no, not in the bathroom - and I asked myself when I gave up on me?
So many people have sent me public and private messages wishing me luck, sharing their struggles, and being real supportive. Some of these messages have even made me cry. My brother has been pumping me up and my kids want to have a shake day every week to show daddy they are with me the whole way - of course theirs will be ice cream, but it's still fantastic.
As I continue on this journey, I am beginning to realize my pant size isn't the only thing that needs to change.The guy that hasn't followed through on anything in a long, long, time is going to have to take a back seat to the guy that hasn't eaten food in 10 days and really does not want to be given up on; he really likes what he's done....
I had a pretty productive week last week yet I spent a good portion of time thinking how I could never do it for a second week. Here I am, busting my ass not to eat anything, and I'm sabotaging myself?! I spent some solid thinking time - no, not in the bathroom - and I asked myself when I gave up on me?
So many people have sent me public and private messages wishing me luck, sharing their struggles, and being real supportive. Some of these messages have even made me cry. My brother has been pumping me up and my kids want to have a shake day every week to show daddy they are with me the whole way - of course theirs will be ice cream, but it's still fantastic.
As I continue on this journey, I am beginning to realize my pant size isn't the only thing that needs to change.The guy that hasn't followed through on anything in a long, long, time is going to have to take a back seat to the guy that hasn't eaten food in 10 days and really does not want to be given up on; he really likes what he's done....
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wendel Clark
Everything that has anything to do with numbers, I always equate it to athlete's numbers. If my buddy Ron and I go to the casino and play Roulette, we bet 12, 17, 23, or, Tom Brady, Wendel Clark, and Micheal Jordan. I remember my pins this way and when I'm on a highway, other than the 400 series, it's the same thing.
So, when I jumped on the scale - nervous as all get out - and saw the number, the first thing that jumped in my head was Wendel Clark. 17 lbs.....had a nice ring to it. I tried my hardest to not eat anything for the entire week and made it. Through watching people eat, going to the fantasy draft with all-you-can-eat wings and draft beer, hearing about how great DQ food is, people seeing if I want to go to the Keg or breakfast after Zack's game, and massive pieces of cake on the table, it was a long week.
Well, I survived. The next hurdle is to continue what I did last week and build a little more. I'm sure Wendel Clark will be hard to replicate, but I'm really striving for something higher than Mark Messier...
Russ
So, when I jumped on the scale - nervous as all get out - and saw the number, the first thing that jumped in my head was Wendel Clark. 17 lbs.....had a nice ring to it. I tried my hardest to not eat anything for the entire week and made it. Through watching people eat, going to the fantasy draft with all-you-can-eat wings and draft beer, hearing about how great DQ food is, people seeing if I want to go to the Keg or breakfast after Zack's game, and massive pieces of cake on the table, it was a long week.
Well, I survived. The next hurdle is to continue what I did last week and build a little more. I'm sure Wendel Clark will be hard to replicate, but I'm really striving for something higher than Mark Messier...
Russ
Thursday, August 26, 2010
A Breif Departure
I thought I might take a few moments and instead of whining about the taste of vanilla OptiFast, I wanted to talk about something else. Today, we said good-bye to my mother-in-law after a lengthy, painful battle with cancer. We didn't always see eye-to-eye on things, but I loved how much she loved my kids, and that made me love her. She was a funny, witty woman, and always had a kind word...almost always.
I want to thank her for giving my daughter a love for sewing and cooking. To watch her make a blanket, with the joy she gets, makes my day. I want to thank her for giving my son the advice to "hurdle any of those big boys that try and tackle you". She also gave him half of his TD celebration, and I know he can't wait to chest bump and say FFFRRREEESSSSHHHHHH after every score this year.
But mostly I want to thank her for her daughter. Ang, the love, compassion and courage you showed during this time, was truly inspiring. The fact that you were able to be there for your children and your big baby husband at the same time continues to bring tears. The morning I spent with your mom was time I will never forget. The way her face lit up when she talked to me about you melted me.
Thank you Venus, Mom, for showing me what courage, fight, and strength, truly are. When we meet again, I hope you will have a half glass of wine like Christmas and I can see your face get red and listen to you giggle like a school girl. We will miss you, but never forget....
Russ
I want to thank her for giving my daughter a love for sewing and cooking. To watch her make a blanket, with the joy she gets, makes my day. I want to thank her for giving my son the advice to "hurdle any of those big boys that try and tackle you". She also gave him half of his TD celebration, and I know he can't wait to chest bump and say FFFRRREEESSSSHHHHHH after every score this year.
But mostly I want to thank her for her daughter. Ang, the love, compassion and courage you showed during this time, was truly inspiring. The fact that you were able to be there for your children and your big baby husband at the same time continues to bring tears. The morning I spent with your mom was time I will never forget. The way her face lit up when she talked to me about you melted me.
Thank you Venus, Mom, for showing me what courage, fight, and strength, truly are. When we meet again, I hope you will have a half glass of wine like Christmas and I can see your face get red and listen to you giggle like a school girl. We will miss you, but never forget....
Russ
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Retraining My Brain
Well, I have had a full four shakes and I can report that I'm not dead. I can also report that the smell of these things are atrocious. I'm like an 8 year old kid taking medicine with my nose blocked, but at least it's going down. I can also say that I'm not hungry, but if my brain could get that message it would be helpful.
I actually had dreams that I forgot I couldn't eat food and was eating pizza and cheesies....yeah, I've got some food issues. All day today I've thought about all the things I wanted to eat and I think I'm going to go crazy. They said it wasn't going to be easy, I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but wholly crap, this is freaking hard!!!
I don't want this blog to turn into a pity party, but I also want anyone who's thinking about it to know what they are getting into. The classes have been great and all the people are supportive. They gave us recipes to try and add flavour and I may get some today. I am looking forward to seeing when my brain will stop telling me to knock the secretary down, steal her sub, and run, run for your life....
I actually had dreams that I forgot I couldn't eat food and was eating pizza and cheesies....yeah, I've got some food issues. All day today I've thought about all the things I wanted to eat and I think I'm going to go crazy. They said it wasn't going to be easy, I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but wholly crap, this is freaking hard!!!
I don't want this blog to turn into a pity party, but I also want anyone who's thinking about it to know what they are getting into. The classes have been great and all the people are supportive. They gave us recipes to try and add flavour and I may get some today. I am looking forward to seeing when my brain will stop telling me to knock the secretary down, steal her sub, and run, run for your life....
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Day 1 - This isn't going to be easy
I went to my first meeting today and got an idea of what I'm getting myself into. As I found out, there is no magic formula, no easy way out. This will be work....and I'm excited!! There is an unbelievable crew that includes a social worker, RN, 2 doctors, psychiatrist, and a kinesiologist. All of these people will be at our disposal for the entire 26 weeks and beyond.
We talked about goal setting today, and where you want to be. I've been thinking about this for a long time now and I jotted down what I want out of this. I want to play the father-son football game with Zack's team and see the pride in his eyes when he watches his Dad run around with all the other Dads. I want to go to a restaurant with my family with no anxiety that I will embarrass them by breaking a chair. I don't want accommodations made for me because everybody knows Russ can't walk that far.
I could easily say "I want to lose X pounds and be able to buy clothes from a normal store" - wow, a regular store for clothes; that would be awesome - but the things I just wrote down, and others, are what is driving me.
So, this is the start. We laughed a bit today - no crying yet, but those who know me, know it won't be far behind - and got an idea of what to look forward to. The first couple of weeks will be brutal, watching people eat but it will get easier. I'm told my body will have all the nourishment it needs, but my brain will have a strong desire to think it should be eating. They want us to start the process of portion control and not use this week as the opportunity to blast as much stuff as you can...well, so much for that plan. I guess it's small amounts of my favourite foods before next Tues - all in the name of not breaking a chair!!
Russ
We talked about goal setting today, and where you want to be. I've been thinking about this for a long time now and I jotted down what I want out of this. I want to play the father-son football game with Zack's team and see the pride in his eyes when he watches his Dad run around with all the other Dads. I want to go to a restaurant with my family with no anxiety that I will embarrass them by breaking a chair. I don't want accommodations made for me because everybody knows Russ can't walk that far.
I could easily say "I want to lose X pounds and be able to buy clothes from a normal store" - wow, a regular store for clothes; that would be awesome - but the things I just wrote down, and others, are what is driving me.
So, this is the start. We laughed a bit today - no crying yet, but those who know me, know it won't be far behind - and got an idea of what to look forward to. The first couple of weeks will be brutal, watching people eat but it will get easier. I'm told my body will have all the nourishment it needs, but my brain will have a strong desire to think it should be eating. They want us to start the process of portion control and not use this week as the opportunity to blast as much stuff as you can...well, so much for that plan. I guess it's small amounts of my favourite foods before next Tues - all in the name of not breaking a chair!!
Russ
Monday, August 9, 2010
No Man Walks Alone
Since I decided to take this step and tell everyone I knew of my plans, I've had plenty of emotions. It's scary knowing that everyone will be waiting to hear how this goes, but at the same time it galvanizes me to know that I can't hide anymore (uh, dude, how does a 450 lbs man hide?!?!)
One of the best things to happen in the past 10 days is to open my inbox and see a note from a friend, and in some cases a friend-of-a-friend. In all these instances, they wanted to pass on how happy they were for me and to tell me their struggles or the struggles of someone they know.
As I wait for my first appointment, I want to thank you all. I want to thank you for your quick note of encouragement. I want to thank you for the quick phone call. I want to thank you, because even though this will be tough, I will be held up by some of the greatest friends one man could ever ask for. Know that you've touched me in a way that I can never articulate but will patiently wait for the day that I can give you back half of what you've given me. I love you all, and thanks for reading,
Russ
One of the best things to happen in the past 10 days is to open my inbox and see a note from a friend, and in some cases a friend-of-a-friend. In all these instances, they wanted to pass on how happy they were for me and to tell me their struggles or the struggles of someone they know.
As I wait for my first appointment, I want to thank you all. I want to thank you for your quick note of encouragement. I want to thank you for the quick phone call. I want to thank you, because even though this will be tough, I will be held up by some of the greatest friends one man could ever ask for. Know that you've touched me in a way that I can never articulate but will patiently wait for the day that I can give you back half of what you've given me. I love you all, and thanks for reading,
Russ
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
I am Looking for this Guy
Well, I talked a little about where I am, but the bigger story is where did I come from? A lot of people have struggled with their weight all their life. It has been a battle that consumed them and no matter what they tried, they could not win.
For me, it was a little different. When I left home for my first year of college, I weighed 215 lbs. When I come home for the summer, I was 205. I played 2-3 hours of basketball, 5 nights a week. I ran for 30-45 mins 3-4 mornings per week. I was active. Anyone who knows me, has a pretty good idea that I probably had a few beers here or there - and by that I mean I was getting after it 6 nights a week. This isn't a blog to talk about my college drinking problem - one bad habit per blog will be my rule - but I only bring it up to point out that I was not a health nut.
Activity level was a big deal for me. There were four regulars that played in that basketball game. It was 2-on-2 and real competitive. We had access to that school gym anytime we wanted and we sweat our asses off. It's some of my best memories.
As the next year started, we lost one of our regulars and were able to pick up a guy to play here-and-there, but it wasn't all that often. By the time I finished my third year of school, I weighed about 265 and I was on my way to today.
The bigger I got, the more self conscious I became, the lazier I got. It's a vicious cycle, and it's real easy to tell yourself you'll start tomorrow. I can crush this bag a chips tonight but I'll go roller blading in the morning and it will be all good. Well, I've been having that deal with myself for over 15 years and those roller blades haven't moved (that could also be because the one time I used them I tried to stop like they were hockey skates and lost a whole lot of flesh....Ang and Bob, you can stop laughing anytime about that!!)
This weight loss journey will always be a two-pronged attack; my battles with food, and my lack of desire to get off the couch. Ultimately, I control my own destiny. I can only be given so many tools before I decide to use them.
That guy in the pictures seems like a distant friend that I lost contact with. I can't reach him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter, or try and reach him by cell. He's lived in my house this whole time and I never thought to talk to him. I'm going to be spending alot of time remembering him and how happy and healthy he was. Maybe, just maybe, some of you will get the chance to meet him.....I'm counting on it.
For me, it was a little different. When I left home for my first year of college, I weighed 215 lbs. When I come home for the summer, I was 205. I played 2-3 hours of basketball, 5 nights a week. I ran for 30-45 mins 3-4 mornings per week. I was active. Anyone who knows me, has a pretty good idea that I probably had a few beers here or there - and by that I mean I was getting after it 6 nights a week. This isn't a blog to talk about my college drinking problem - one bad habit per blog will be my rule - but I only bring it up to point out that I was not a health nut.
Activity level was a big deal for me. There were four regulars that played in that basketball game. It was 2-on-2 and real competitive. We had access to that school gym anytime we wanted and we sweat our asses off. It's some of my best memories.
As the next year started, we lost one of our regulars and were able to pick up a guy to play here-and-there, but it wasn't all that often. By the time I finished my third year of school, I weighed about 265 and I was on my way to today.
The bigger I got, the more self conscious I became, the lazier I got. It's a vicious cycle, and it's real easy to tell yourself you'll start tomorrow. I can crush this bag a chips tonight but I'll go roller blading in the morning and it will be all good. Well, I've been having that deal with myself for over 15 years and those roller blades haven't moved (that could also be because the one time I used them I tried to stop like they were hockey skates and lost a whole lot of flesh....Ang and Bob, you can stop laughing anytime about that!!)
This weight loss journey will always be a two-pronged attack; my battles with food, and my lack of desire to get off the couch. Ultimately, I control my own destiny. I can only be given so many tools before I decide to use them.
That guy in the pictures seems like a distant friend that I lost contact with. I can't reach him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter, or try and reach him by cell. He's lived in my house this whole time and I never thought to talk to him. I'm going to be spending alot of time remembering him and how happy and healthy he was. Maybe, just maybe, some of you will get the chance to meet him.....I'm counting on it.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Well, the title pretty much says it all. This is one of the hardest things I think I’ve ever done. I’ve known for some time that I need to lose weight, but I’ve not been able to weigh myself as the scales I have access to only go to 300 lbs. I had been going to the gym but the pressure on my knees and back made going on a treadmill painful after seven minutes. I needed to work-out to lose weight, but I need to lose weight to work-out.
I booked a Dr’s appt for a physical – ok, all honesty it was my wife that booked it – and I made the decision to ask her about weight-loss surgery. Something needed to happen and this looked like my best option. One of my best, and longest, friends arranged to meet for a beer to talk about an outdoor projector. We met at the bar and talked about the projector and then he said something that I hope changes my life forever.
“Listen, I need to talk to you about something but I’m not sure how you’re gonna take it”. WHOA!! This can go so many ways. When a friend drops this, you have no idea what’s coming, but you know it’s going to be huge. “Do you know what the Bariatric clinic is? I talked to a nurse down there and they may have a plan for you. There is something called meal replacement and she said you can call and they would be happy to meet with you”.
“I hope you’re not mad, but the guys and I have been talking and we are concerned”. I ran the gamete of pretty much every emotion – shock, pride, fear, embarrassed, but mad was not one. I told him that I wanted the info and made sure he knew how honoured I was to know that my friends really cared about what happened to me and I thanked him as we left.
I called Heather down at the Clinic, told her who I was and she explained with more detail what this plan was all about. For twelve weeks I would be taking Opti-fast shakes instead of food. This would equate to 900 calories, but contain all the necessary nutrients. This would allow for some rapid weight loss to make moving around alot easier.
The bigger component of the program is weekly consultation in regards to how I got to where I am. This will help me confront my bad relationship with food. We will learn how to read labels, what foods are best to eat, and how to manage my intake and eat foods that help fill me up.
This is going to be brutal!! During this twelve week, meal replacement period, I can have no food, and no alcohol.....sorry, let me re-type that for you, NO ALCOHOL!!! I have two guy’s weekends, a cottage trip and a fantasy football draft. However, this is important to my family, my friends, and to me too.
Since I decided to take this path, I’ve been ashamed to even talk about it. I told a few people and got nothing but love. Told a few more and it was the same thing. Even through that, I still couldn’t talk to anyone. I went to spend Saturday night with some friends and I couldn’t look anyone in the face. I’m sitting there at 450 lbs and it’s eating me from the inside. So, the next day I decided to tell a few people the number, and now I’m writing this.
So, this is the beginning of the biggest journey of my life. In two weeks I go for my first meeting and after that, I get my shakes. I really want this to work for me. It’s scary because I have to do this and I’ve never been accused of being the most committed guy. On the journey I will have more support than one man could ask for. Looking at the faces of my kids will be the biggest motivation I will ever need. My wife, stronger than any woman I know, will keep me on the straight and narrow. The Curtis clan, well, they’re a second family, and just like family they will be another shoulder. My parents and my brother Bob have always had my back and now is no exception.
And finally, my brothers. These guys put me on this path, and for that I will always be grateful. I can never thank-you enough. I look forward to going to Fantasy Island and screaming my head off on a roller coaster real soon.
Russ Burmaster
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